Klu Kiv

During the walk in the Sluices, Kiv did what he did best: talk. “This is strange planet, yes friends?” Kiv commented, while glancing in every direction like the rodent he was. “I mean, the whispers here do not do this place justice. The monsters up there are bad. Very bad. Smell bad. At least here it smells more like home. Not sure how nerfs can be troublesome, can you lone raider?” “But then again, this place have valuables, does it not?” Kiv suddenly thought aloud. “After all, how many explorers and officials would love to have survey information on this world? How many would pay, right pilot? We could make small fortune with your ship, no? Oooh, maybe library has treasures we can sell! Hehe yes! Brilliant plan, isn’t it Eyes?” Before Eyes could answer, the roof caved in. Eyes, being the droid he was, reacted quick enough to extend an arm and shove Kiv to avoid the worst of the crumbling rocks and stone as the beast fell from above. Kiv screeched and crawled further away before he got a glance of the beast. It was large to say the least. As some kind of massive hunchback, the bipedal creature was both heavy and stout, its back almost touching the ceiling. Its taurine face was horribly scarred and almost human-like in its expression of rage, its oversized molar teeth bared widely. Several carved unknown symbols carved into its horns mirrored the ones carved into its skin where its fur was ritually shaved. The Nerf that had crashed down wielded a club of disregarded metal in one hand. It brought it up to crush the screaming rodent in front of it. Thankfully, the Tusken had seized the moment and attacked first. The beast roared as the Tusken landed on its back, stumbling around as blood spurted from its new wounds. The Bull raised its head and bellowed loudly, its noises echoing further down. Rapidly it smashed one of its hoofed feet into the ground. The Bull’s noises were answered by several loud snorts further down the tunnel. Three nerf calves, half the size of the raging bull, appeared, two wielding spears on their backs, with the last armed with two large bones and a drum near its belly. The drummer began pounding the drum loudly and rhythmically, signaling the other two to charge. Mooing and getting on all fours, these two did not share the hands the Brute and Drummer had. Instead, the spears on their back and their own horns would attempt to gore the targets. Eyes continued to act. With its arm extended, it proceeded to try to stab and scratch the Bull’s face, interrupting its bellow. The Bull in turn tried to swat the little thing away, forgetting about the Tusken on its back. Kiv on the other hand tried to crawl away until he saw the charging calves. “Not good! Not good!” Kiv exclaimed, literally pointing out the obvious.

Reynauld nodded. “Aye, she can hear thee as I understand she. All one has to do is listen and her voice can be spoken upon those unseen currents. There are two ways for thy quest to proceed. The first is the obvious way ye entered this place. We have methods of controlling those currents that saved ye earlier. But Junia would warn thee that the numbers of the Howling have surely grown by now, and will now reduce for several more days, as is normal for them. “ Reynauld stood up and rearmed his helmet and sword and gestured to the group to follow. Before leaving, he knelt before Keeper Junia and said some kind of prayer. During this time, one member of the caravan approached, carrying Eyes who had found his way via the same entrance that was used for Junia’s meditations. Kiv was beyond excited to have his droid back. “The other way to thy quest is further underground.” Reynauld led the group further through the small colony-like area, past people farming unusual plants and animals that had not yet been contaminated. Numerous individuals here seemed to sport cybernetic attachments, a testament to Geb’s handiwork. Reynauld stopped before a set of stairs that led into darkened tunnels. “The sluices here in this city are still mostly intact. They run all throughout the burnt city scape, and unlike above, most of the Howling have left it alone. That said, I must warn ye, a different breed of monster dwells there. Several nerfs from the country side have made their home there, and while they do not spread the disease like those with the Howling, their crude intelligence is fearsome. We have lost more than one soldier to their creative cruelties. ” Under the light of nearby lamps beyond a locked gate, one could glance a crude totem made of bone and metal shrapnel. No doubt a warning put up by the denizens that Reynauld was warning the party about. Reynauld went to a datapad near the gate and, after taking a glove to handle the pad better, pressed a complex set of numbers. The gate clicked and slowly opened up, revealing a near claustrophobia-inducing tunnel. “We can provide ye the best directions we have, but the exploration will be ultimately up to you. There should be an exit directly underneath the grand library. I’d come with ye to save our friend, but my quest and training is here with Junia. We will not be leaving this place for a few more cycles, so if ye rescue Geb, we will be here to receive him. If ye can convince the member of our Order to leave his post, we would be forever in your debt, but I doubt your efforts would prove fruit beyond the rescue of Geb.” Reynauld glanced towards Rru and placed an ungloved hand on the Tusken's shoulder. "I feel in my soul that thy skills as a hunter will be useful here friend. I know not your origin, but you carry traits of a hunter and a warrior. The nerfs here will fear ye I think."

Kiv raised his hands to his face in horror. “Eek! I forgot! Eyes!” Kiv stood up and started to run in a random direction in the blind hope of find a place he could contact Eyes, but stopped, staring. “Uh, what’s that?” Kiv pointed. Floating on a pair of barely running repulsorlifts, the target of his curiosity looked like a coffin, being pushed by two robed individuals in the direction of the group. Kiv ran back to the group and crowded next to Rru, half curious but also nervous. Reynauld stood up and took a knee before the coffin like thing, sword. Now close enough, the two robed men halted and stood to the sides of it. Grabbing one end, they slowly lifted it up until it stood on the ground. The first obvious fact was the object was entirely made of carbonite. Flash-frozen and bound into the form of a coffin, the object was showing signs of age. Its edges were chipped, its exterior was somehow rusting from unknown elements of the planet. However, nothing was as disturbing as the figure inside. “Friends, tis my master. A protector of twilight since her youth, this is Keeper Junia” The woman looked almost as if she was peacefully sleeping. Similarly dressed like Reynauld in armor, the figure was a gaunt, elderly woman, arms crossed over her chest . However, at second glance, Kiv noticed something. “Eek! Her arm!” Kiv pointed. The skin looked like at the time of being frozen it had burst open, with tendrils of flesh and jutting shards of crystals, while her other arm looked as if it was developing fish scales “I thought you didn’t allow infected people in here?” “Hold thy tongue rat!” Reynauld commanded, visibly offended by Kiv’s words. “Junia twas a keeper when the Howling first began to spread, and in her attempt to heal the masses, she became infected. To preserve her, the other members froze her in carbonite until we can find a way to cure her.” Reynauld turned and bowed to the frozen figure, apologizing for Kiv’s comment. For a moment, he stayed silent, then apologized again to the figure and then turned to the group. “My master reprimanded me for my outburst. I must apologize, oh Kiv, her current predicament takes a hold on me greatly. Do not be disturbed my friends. Though she be frozen, being her student, I have learned to connect with her in the Force. Though she has communed with others occasionally.” Reynauld glanced towards the frozen image of Junia and nodded. “Yes, she communed with one of you before.” “She states that thy speeder is safe, Zeris. Those afflicted with the Howling tend to leave things like machinery alone unless it benefits them in some way, and the outlaws who plague this area are unaware of thy machine. It should be safe for a while.” “Now onto our mutual friend. Geb was taken by outlaws a few days ago. It seems they believed they could use him to barter with one of our fallen members of our order. You have seen his place, the grand library. It once held information from all across the galaxy. But now, the madman inside keeps the knowledge to himself, bound and determined to preserve all the information to the end, no matter the cost of life.” Reynauld stopped and listened a moment to Junia, her unmoving form a stoic image. “Yes, he is still alive, and is still there, according to Junia. Though we both doubt his time remaining. Even the Howling avoid that building. How and why is beyond our understanding, but be warned, all who enter have never exited. Even I don’t brave those once-sacred grounds”

There was some flinching when the Tusken began to prove his health. Disassembling and reassembling a weapon suddenly would do that. However, the leader of the group held a fist up, letting the Tusken continue his work. After Rru’s performance, there was a pause of unease in the air. And then… “Huzzah!” the figure proclaimed, sheathing his sword and offering a hand to the group to help them up. “Tis good to know that ye are clean and able of mind. We have known too many become Howling, and succumb to the chaos outside. It dost my heart and mind well to know ye be pure” At this, the other beings holstered their weapons, breathing collective sighs of relief. Most of them turned and went away to help wherever they were needed, while others went to the door that the group came through to make sure it was secure, leaving the leader to interact with the group. “Call me Reynauld, friends,” the figure continued. “What names shall I call ye?” “Oh! I’m Kiv, the wise and knowledgeable.” Kiv chimed in, visibly more comfortable now that there were no weapons pointed at him. “This is my bodyguard Rru and this is my pilot, Zeris. She was looking for her friend, yes?” Reynauld turned his stature towards Zeris and nodded. Removing his helmet, he revealed a broad weather-beaten human face. “Yes, thou a friend of Geb, and dost be a friend of ours. Strange fellow, but good with machines and generous with time. Come! We have much to discuss!” Reynauld led the group further into the conclave. Through areas of specialized greenhouses tended by both humans and labor droids, patches of farmland raising small domestic creatures, and several hatcheries utilizing water pumped from outside, the entire place painted a picture of some kind of early-stage colony. Reynauld eventually led the group to what could only be described as a communal eating area. Several large salvaged durasteel tables sat around, filled with modest plates of cheeses and vegetables. “Though it doesn’t be much” Reynauld apologized, gesturing to sit, “I hope it fills thy stomachs. A thousand pardons for how we treated ye when ye first intruded, but with Howling, safety sometimes triumphs over benevolent customs.” “Zeris, thy friend in common…” Reynauld continued, sitting down across from the group, looking at Zeris. “He dost be a good being, truly. We are sorry that he did not be here when ye arrived. Reunions are amongst the greatest and most sacred of treasures here, as my Master has taught me. She will join us shortly, she is still communing with Glasignis’ Twilight. Her communing takes longer than ever now, and I fear when she may not be able to pull back. But her time is hers, and I am but a student. ” “But whilst we wait…” Reynauld’s tone suddenly shifted from ominous to genuine curiosity, leaning on the table heavily towards the group. “Tell how does the galaxy at wide fare? Dost Coruscant rebirth go well? Has thy guardians risen from the ashes of war? We receive little word from beyond the galaxy, and while that keeps many sated in their daily quests, my spirit longs to know more.”

Once the entire trio were inside, the cybernetic warrior quickly locked the door that had been closed. No sooner than he did so, the sounds of flooding waters could be heard outside, dooming the monsters out there to be swept away. "Alright, ye beings from beyond…" the being said, brandishing his blade towards the three, the edges vibrating with activation. "Reveal thy faces now. Show untainted skin, and trust shall be ye reward, lest ye wish to taste blade and rejoin twilight." However, at Zeris words, the figure stopped and eased up slightly, taking a step back. "Ye know Geb? Doest thou be friend of our friend? Then trust may be easier to give. Yer thoughts be proof of cleanliness. Still, we require proof that thy companions be clean and pure. Show thy faces and untainted flesh, or give other proof we can trust thee. In darkest times, the monsters press harder, and we lost many a companion to the Howling. We won't risk another loss to carelessness" At this, the other beings aimed their rifles at the Tusken and the Jawa, now ignoring zeris at the moment. As the group's eyes adjusted, they could see Geb's handiwork on the figures. Some had mechanical limbs like zeris (though of poorer quality), some had only replaced hands, some had mechanical grafts over wounds, while others had replaced their eyes and lower jaws. Even armor on the cybernetic being seemed to be grafted directly onto his skin. All of mechanical works were of poor quality however, and showing signs of wear and tear. Further beyond in the background, noises could be heard. A high power generator buzzed over the sound of rushing water as precious fuel was burned to keep the place secure. Braying of several miniature runyips somewhere as they herded around bags collected grass could be heard alongside the cooing of mothers tending crying children . "Eek! Me clean, me clean!" Kiv declared, waving his hands now that he had regained his breath after rru had gotten off. "See? Me show face, me clean! No disease here! Least no disease from here!" With this, Kiv briefly opened his hood and revealed the furry-like face underneath. Everyone in the room caught a huge whiff of the pungent odors when the rodent thing revealed itself, and more than one person was happy to see the hood go back over Kivs face, hiding everything but his glowing eyes. Kiv looked at Rru and elbowed the Tusken. “You show face, right lone raider? Or perhaps have way of proving we aren’t tainted? Me not ready for blaster squad”

The spray of blood from the things chasing Kiv rained on the Jawa’s hood like mud during a sand storm. Adrenaline pumping, Kiv didn’t notice as much. At the moment, all that mattered was keeping his legs going until he could find a hiding spot. The way of the rodent was simple. Run and hide and avoid. He would’ve continued doing the latter if it hadn’t been for the Tusken. As Zeris ran and escaped the considerably smaller horde, her ladyship came to the corpse of the brute. Smiling, she put both hands over the bloated corpse and let a stream of white fire escape her arms and begin to consume the body. Heated to plasma-esque temperatures, the body bubbled underneath its skin before suddenly bursting open like an exposed sore. White gasses escaped the body and plumed upwards into the air. Like a twisted beacon, the smoke could be seen for miles around. What was worse was as the winds began to pick up in the higher altitudes, the smoke’s odd, distinct smell would lure all sorts of monsters to the spot. Her ladyship turned and shambled towards where the rest of her horde had given pursuit. It did not matter if her horde died now. The infection would spread when other hordes would arrive. The rest of the small horde had broken into a sprint, knowing their opportunity to spread the infection was becoming less likely. All they needed was a solid grasp. A single bite. A tiny scratch, and these beings would join them. The dry canal proved useful for the group. Being paved and solid, footsteps were easy here. However, that benefit soon became pointless as the ground suddenly shook under their feet and the roar of a giant wave was heard. “Eeep!” Kiv shrieked as he felt the running water of tidal proportions flow towards them. Eyes confirmed his fear. A crashing wave of water was flowing down the once empty canal. Kiv glanced backwards and saw the remaining members of the horde still giving chase, with her ladyship at the back. “Ack! Think stupid think!” Kiv beat his head over and over in pure panic. “I don’t want to die, I don’t want to…” Kiv stopped as he spotted something. His heart skipped several beats as he ran to one of the sides of the canal. An out of place metal plate along the space where the floor of the canal connected with the wall. Too big to be a simple panel, the Jawa’s mechanical savvy eye recognised a doorway when he saw one. “Open up, open up!” Kiv shouted as he banged on the plate once before feeling around for a place where he could slice his way in. All he needed was a few wires and the door would open up. True the water would still flow in, but that would be a problem after he got inside. When the door opened up and a metal gloved hand reached out, Kiv didn’t have a chance to react. “Get in! Now!” A voice from inside commanded as it pulled the shrieking Kiv into the unknown. The next moment when Kiv opened his eyes, he had to squint. In front of him, a blinding spotlight, silhouetting the numerous figures holding blaster rifles and swords. Kiv held his hands up in surrender as he tried to gather his senses. Next to him, near the open entrance, a figure encased from head to foot in metal armor awaited his companions to quickly make a choice. On the strangers back was a large vibro blade, decorated with numerous writings in a variety of languages Kiv did not recognise. "You! Are you infected?" one of the silouetted figures asked, gesturing with its rifle. "Have you been touched by any of the Howlers?" "Eeek! Cousin! Please help!" Kiv whimpered as he covered his face with his arms in fright.

“Utini!!” Kiv shrieked as he flew over the building's ledge onto the ground below. "You crazy Krayt lover! You trying to..." A growl interrupted Kiv's cursing. Turning, Kiv barely ducked underneath the animalistic swipe of one of the monsters. Being the Jawa he was, he took off for the doorway back inside the building, only to be greeted with the fact that the building had been automatically locked from the inside for protection against monsters. "No no no no!" Kiv shrieked as he banged on the door frantically having neither the time nor patience to utilize his jawa skills at bypassing the security system. Kiv glanced behind him as three zombie like things, fire licking exposed bones on their arms, shambled forward, hoping to tear the rodent apart. "Eeek! Stay back!" Kiv shouted as he pulled his ion pistol and fired it. its energy harmlessly fizzled against the flesh of the monsters as they continued forward. "Stay back! Me no like this!" The leading zombie lunged forward. Kiv fell to his knees and scrambled forward, tripping the zombie face-first into the metal door. The other two reached for the Jawa, grabbing at cloth and robes. Had he been wearing anything else, the infection would've claimed the Jawa right then and there. But with the bulky coverings, Kiv found himself momentarily safe enough to pull his knife and stab one of the monsters in the Achille's tendon, tripping into the other. The two fell over each other like clowns at the space fair as Kiv picked himself up and ran for where the weapon layed on the ground. As the horde fought the three beings, their clumsy, animalistic swiping and bitings no matched for the two skilled warriors and the fortunate of the rodent, their lady watched, her melted lips twisting into a sadistic smile. Such prizes would be great for the infection. Such beings would feed the infection, and spread it to new prizes. A horde lost was nothing, for all death fed the infection. She took several steps forward, her gracefulness only betrayed by the slight limp in her left side. The two were taking out much in the horde, and more might be necessary soon. "Tusken! The woman is the leader!" the female warrior called out. Her Ladyship tilted her head slightly to the companion, the warrior with the stick. Some pale semblance of sentience recognized the calling out, and reacted instinctively against such strategy. Raising a black, burnt finger, a stream of fire spewed from her arms towards the direction of Tusken. But instead of striking the warrior, the flames hit a corpse that the warrior had already struck down. The steam of fire, hitting their target, consumed the body and without warning, burst with the fury of a firestorm. Flames and body parts exploded in all directions as the superheated body sublimated entirely with the sound of a boom. “Utinni!" Kiv shouted again over the explosion as he quickly tried to load the weapon. It was large, much to large to use normally, but at this range, it would be hard to miss. Oooh, you in trouble now you stinky…” Kiv commented as he aimed the weapon. He half-wondered if firing this close would harm the others, but if it killed the enemy, then he could escape… >Sir, aim the weapon 38 degrees…< Eyes beeped as he flew directly in the way, startling Kiv greatly into nearly dropping the equipment. “Gah! Shut it Eyes, you find exit yet?” Kiv fumbled with the weapon, trying to bat the small droid away. >Affirmative. There is a wall that, if you aim that weapon properly, will provide a means of escape< “Really?” >Affirmative. The wall is blocking an entrance to what appears to be an old water canal. From there, according to the map we found, we have a roadway we can utilize.< Kiv looked at the Zabrack, who was approaching the corpse of the Brute. It was a hard but quick debate between whether following his droid’s instinct, or his own. The droid had come up with a possible escape route. But striking the Zabrack at this distance would theoretically kill it. But given the distance between her and Kiv’s companions, the explosion could harm them as well, not to mention his own fuzzy hide. “You better be good Eyes, or I melt you down and make new eyes!” Kiv commented as he aimed the weapon in the direction Eyes dictated. Once aimed, Kiv pulled the trigger and sent the explosive ammo flying across the vast distance towards its unseen target. The shot sent the Jawa flying onto his rear. Kiv moaned at the pain that struck his rear after he landed as well as the pain in his chest from the weapon's backfire. However, now was not the time for complaining. He dropped the weapon and took off in the direction his ammo was shot. It was a short open area, littered with pieces of scrap and dead grass and patches of dirt. “Hey! We go now! Kiv know way!” Even as Kiv shouted, two of the three zombies gave pursuit, not willing to let their prey get away, Her Ladyship ignored the Jawa who scrambled away from her eyesight. She was nearing the Brute now. Raising a finger, she was producing a steady stream of fire at the bloodied corpse. Its fat and muscles would burn long and bright before it exploded. And the smoke would be immense for all to see. The infection would have these beings, one way or another.

Even as the brute was torn apart, it struggled to fight back. Even as it crumpled underneath its own weight, no longer supported by sturdy bones and muscle, it crawled and moaned in an attempt to kill its attacker. Only when Zeris finally let up did it finally give in to the coldness of death. The Zabrack who was limping forward through the trail that the brute blazed stopped. Her face twisted slightly into a smile. Taking some form of perverse delight in the brute’s death, she couldn’t help but find some pleasure in the brutes agony before its doom. It had attempted its best. Now it was time for the horde. The Zabrack turned to the small horde behind her. Of all the hordes on the planet, this one was pretty small in comparison. 54 souls of dock workers, pilots, mechanics, and other beings captured with infection. The infection drove them, as it drove her. They were little more than melted skin and charred bones, but the infection drove them. And the infection would grow, even with each death. Fire wrapped upwards from her hands around her arms and over her body as she shrieked. Her horned crown glowed with red embers as the heat intensified. The horde grew agitated and restless with the heat that the Zabrack, her ladyship, generated. A fireball erupted from her body, spreading outwards consuming the others. Like the brute, the horde enjoyed the pain of the flame. Wild instincts kicked in, and they charged forward past their leader, through the flames, towards where the brute had fallen. Kiv scrambled to find that piece of metal he had kicked earlier. He cursed himself for not recognizing what it was before. Then again, why would he stop to think that he had found ammunition for some kind of modified launcher? Kiv however squealed with glee when he found the ammo. “Oooh, you a good jawa kiv old boy” Kiv told himself as he scrambled back up the steps. “No one says that enough do they, but you a good jawa, yes sir…” Bursting back onto the roof area, Kiv stopped. “What the burning sands big cousin, that thing was loaded? Eyes, was that thing loaded?” >Affirmative sir. One ion torpedo has been launched.< Kiv nearly dropped the ammo in shock. “Ion!?! You crazy big cousi er, lone raider?!? That be the bad of bad things you could use!” Kiv raced over and started smacking the Tusken’s side with his free hand while holding the ammo under his arm. “That stuff make things like Eyes dead! And our pilot’s arms useless! She already carrying me, you want to carry her with me on her?” >Sir, we got more incoming< Eyes noted. In the distance the glow of moving, flaming bodies could be seen. Without the debris blocking their path, they were moving much faster than the group originally had. “Eeek! This bad idea, I don’t like this…” Kiv held up he ammo to the Tusken to take. “Eyes, you find escape route, yes? We need to find escape route before too late…” >Affirmative< Eyes took off straight upwards, and began to scan the environment around him. The landscape, was mostly rubble, but between the ruins Eyes began to see patterns. >hmmm…< Eyes stopped in thought. >sir, i believe that map we found may correspond with our current location. Plotting out possible routes. standby< “Hurry up you flying bolt ball!” Kiv turned and cupped his hands towards Zeris. "Lady, I plotting escape route. You carry me again when plotted, yes? No die now please, you got strong legs"

As the others went to the rooftop, Kiv busied himself scavenging what he could. Unfortunately the second floor was just as bare as the first floor. Whatever use the building had seen in days past had been stripped down long ago. “Well that’s annoying!” Kiv complained as he kicked a piece of scrap from a breaking wall. “At least I would leave something, like…like, i don’t know, but Kiv is generous scavenger, yes i am. Stupid humans wouldn’t know the rules of…” >Sir, if i may pull your attention over here< Eyes beeped. Kiv looked over and stopped. “Well well well well! What’s this?” Kiv asked a loud as he wondered over, scratching his chin underneath his hood. >Looks like a map sir< Eyes replied, scanning the image on the wall. >These lines here must be paths i believe.< “No no, those are walls, see the paths are between the walls, see you stupid junkpile?” >but then what are these scratch marks here?> “Uhh…” Kiv was caught off guard at this question and had to pause. “Perhaps those are roadblocks? No no, that’s not right. Maybe they be some kind of resting place? No no…gah, this be us right? This spot here?” >No sir, I think that was where we were earlier…< Eyes disagreed, just as confused as his master was. The two didn’t get to argue further, as the sound of the Tusken’s roar broke the air. “Alright, I come! I come cous….lone raider!” Kiv corrected himself. “Eyes, take detailed scan and we decipher later. Hurry!” Kiv rushed out onto the roof where the Tusken was waiting. It was from the roof he saw the brute. Breaking through the last of the rubble between him and the group, he first plunged into the fire that the zabrack had thrown from so far away. It seemed to smile as the flames licked at its wax-like melting skin. The pain was glorious. Its eyes, half-melted in their sockets, somehow spotted the group. A roar escaped its throat and it charged forward, its oversized hands clenched into fists above its head. Once getting close it would attempt to bring them down on the first being in its way and proceed to clobber it into unconsciousness. It moved with a speed that its size hid well. Most beings this large would be expected to move like a bantha. But for the brute, embolden by flames, speed was no issue for it. “Oh, she be crazy to fight that…” Kiv started to exclaim, before being distracted by the weapon that he accidentally kicked. “Oooh!” Kiv’s tune instantly changed. Excitedly he rubbed his hands together. “You find this beauty lone raider?” Kiv picked up the weapon…barely. It was much heavier than any weapon he was accustomed to. “This big gun! Big big gun!” Kiv commented as he examined the modified grenade launcher further. “Me don’t know weapons, but Kiv knows big guns means big death, yes? That’s why all the nastiest beasts of our home so big, right lone raider? Krayt’s aren’t big for nothing!” Kiv studied the weapon further and then dropped it onto the floor before rushing back down the stairs, passing by Eyes. “I know where i saw ammo! Kiv return quickly, and we have big weapon to fight off monsters!” Eyes sighed and looked at the fight that was starting between the Brute and Zeris. >This will not end well<

“Hey! I no like this!” Kiv protested at being carried by Zeris. “I am very capable of moving myself at a quick pace, so let me..” >Sir.< Eyes interrupted, keeping up alongside the group >My last count of hostiles was at 56, and I honestly believe that is a conservative amount< “Faster lady, faster faster!” Kiv screeched, now clinging tightly onto the free ride. Kiv actually became a bit more thankful as the temperature continued to drop drastically. Wrapping his robes around a bit more tightly, Kiv began to shiver slightly. “Not good, no no, not good. Jawa’s never like the cold, no no. you never see a Jawa on Hoth, do you? Nope, you don't.” Back where the group had made camp, the infected Zabrack stooped down and felt the ground with fiery hands. The warmth of the clean had passed here. The stench of the unaffected still remained here, untainted by the world. The zabrack’s back bones cracked as it unnaturally bent forward further, licking the ground, tasting the cleanliness the off-worlders had brought with them. Their germs enraged her. To not know the perfection of the infection was such a tragic life. They needed to be treated, and killed. The Zabrack turned towards her horde and selected one of the members of this horde: a large, hulking brute. Once a decent but pudgy construction worker, this being had become enlarged and enraged by the Howling Madness. The disease inflamed every cell of his body, becoming bigger and stronger than any normal human could become naturally. The Zabrack raised a fiery hand and threw a fireball at the Brute. The flames began to consume the Brute’s already melting skin. The fire invigorated the Brute. He roared with delight: feeling pain was a sensation that he and most of the infected missed. It was why they followed the Zabrack. Her fire made them feel again. The zabrack turned and threw another fireball into the distance where she felt the clean were moving towards. The brute roared and took off, bulldozing through rubble with a speed that belied his large stature. He would find heat in that direction. And if he found the uninfected, he would teach them the perfection of the infection. Slowly, the zabrack followed, the horde behind her. "We can make a stand! Unless one of you has a better idea!" Kiv looked at the building doubtfully. “Uhh, you sure lady? That place look not so…” The fireball the zabrack had thrown landed a few meters behind the group, exploding with fury. “Sounds good with me!” Kiv exclaimed. At this moment he jumped off and made a break for the building, Eyes following. Kiv found the door to be unpowered, and had to force it open himself. The inside told a lot. White scuffed up floors, and walls, broken panels, bloodstained desks, burnt chairs, all of it told the building’s history. The building in the past had been a private laboratory/observation post for some minor Kaminoan scientist of unknown reputation. Nowadays, it probably housed the occasional caravan or criminal. “Come come! We hide here, you fight, yes?” Shouted at the others as he scampered up some stairs to the second floor towards the rooftop. In the distance, the roar of the Brute grew closer and closer.

Kiv nodded at the woman’s words, making a mental note of everything she said. “Ooh, interesting man, I like, I like. Maybe when I meet Oka, we discuss business yes? Hehe, but first, i sleep now. You can sleep too if want, Eyes keep watch. He my finest work, though no tell him that.” Several uneventful hours passed for the group as they rested. Whether they passed the time by slumbering or simply sitting and enjoying the serenity was up to them, but for those moments of still, unnatural silence, it was peaceful. Even underneath the crepuscular sky, with the sun never fully rising nor setting in the far distance, everything was peaceful. Only the Tusken would’ve heard something. Something ethereal on the wind carried itself to the raider from Tatooine. Akin to a whisper, this elegant transit of thought floated on unseen winds and settled in Rru’s ear, giving the information like an elderly woman whispering in her grandchild’s ear. Keep left at the fork and follow the paths along the opposite side of those canals. You will find us that way. No sooner did it say these words, it evaporated. Generatd and carried on the currents of the Force, the message gave way, no longer existing in this reality. Shortly after was when the infected approached. It was the smell and the noise that came first. The smell was a little more subtle due to the environment: acrid and miasmic, carried on a downward breeze towards the group. Though not immediately sharp, its intensity grew as the breeze grew stronger from the burning meaty source. The sound was much less subtle. Charred and depilous feet, plodding on stony ground, raking claws pulling forward over shattered glass and moans emitting from mouths filled with broken and rotted teeth. Some long since mutated, others more freshly so, the bodies moved forward with blind determination fueled by hunger. Eyes was the first to see them. Having kept his patrol for most of the resting time, he saw them at a distance. A horde of about 50 beings, shambling forward. Some were little more than skin and bones, while others were lumbering giant brutes of burning fat. Some had appendages made entirely of metal like bones, while others had protrusions out of their back making forms of twisted braziers holding glowing flames. Like the rancor and its rider, each being’s skin seemed melted much like burning wax, barely clinging on to the exposed flesh underneath. In front of the group of infected, one lone female Zabrak led the way. Its horns twisted into a literal crown, the being was the only one dressed in torn black robes like some kind of sick cultist leading a congregation. As she led the horde, fire dripped from her hands, leaving a small trail of sticky flames that the horde seemed to relish crawling over. What was extremely concerning, at least to Eyes, was that this zabrack was leading the horde directly towards the group, as if she knew exactly where they were. >I hate to report, but we need to move right now.< Eyes beeped wildly, prodding Kiv with an extended claw to wake him up. >We have a large group of hostile beings approaching, and they seem to know exactly where we are.< Kiv jumped up and looked around. “Ok ok, we move, we move! Uh, raider!” Kiv shouted at the Tusken. “You tracker, you lead, yes?”

The journey the three took that day was long and, thankfully, uneventful for a while. With the mixture of rubble and uneven ground, the going was slow, but progress was made for sure. Besides the heat from the Emberpit, the most noticeable thing was the sky: being this close to the Umbraside of the planet, the eternal twilight was much darker than lighter, the sun’s rays barely piercing this far. Unfortunately, with the planet being tidally locked, time was almost impossible to measure with natural methods. Kiv complained several times about how long the group had marched, only to be corrected by Eyes’ internal clock. Eventually the group was forced to make camp. Thankfully, life seemed to be hard to find so far. While Rru could find evidence and traces of life such as tracks of large trodding humanoids and tracks of a few vehicles were noticed, no living thing crossed their path yet. This was a mixed blessing however: While no monsters interfered, the absence of wildlife made things eerie under the twilight sky. Even tatooine had bugs or rodents, but here, there was nothing but more ruin. Among the ruins of the city sprawl, the group found a clearing of what was a parking lot. Thanks to the intense heat of the Emberpit, no fire was needed, neither for warmth nor for food. The rations Zeris provided, though a bit bland, were thoroughly precooked. “Oooh, you smart lady to ask for these from Meepo” Kiv commented as he nibbled his own portion. “Aren’t you glad you got my help? I always provide good contacts and info” Kiv looked over at Rru, and scratched underneath his hood in curiosity. “What you think Lone Raider? Place interesting, yes? Far from home, but still active yes?” Kiv pointed up at Eyes who was patrolling the perimeter. The little searcher droid was strangely silent as it continued its vigil. “No need to be tense though, Eyes does good job. Demon droid maybe, but useful demon, no? Come, you tell Kiv what you think of place, yes?” Kiv glanced back at Zeris and scooted closer to the pilot. “What you know of this place lady? I hear whispers, and not good ones. World gone mad, poets dead in the streets, that stuff. And that thing we fought…” Kiv waved his hand over his face, pretending to smell something rancid. “Pew, something not right there. Place makes me nervous, but excited, yes? Think how much people pay for information on this place. Old Jawa saying, don't imagine how something is useful for you, imagine someone will will find use in it, and sell it to them. So what you know lady? And why your…mechanic, Oka…why he come here? He from here originally? He hiding from law? Cause I understand that…”

“Maybe your demon-droids could guard her vessel from raiders,” “You must be joking” Meepo complained, overhearing the idea. “Imperial records state that a protocol droid, no matter how much modificating has taken place is never suited for security detail, nor a droid of my calibur would ever be…” “Ach!” Kiv pointed a finger at the droid sternly, like a man scolding a pet from sneaking a piece of meat off the table. Meepo instantly quieted down. “I boss, droid. You do guard duty. You good. Shoot anything that not us, yes? And record for posterity sake? That right, posterity sake, i use that word correct? Ah, Eyes you stick with me, like always. Good to have eyes at back of head, hehe” Meepo sighed and answered with a yes sir and wandered to the ship. At least there was enough power from the ship to keep him and his mouse droids running for a while. Kiv looked at Rru, nodding. “You think good lone raider, I like! He guard, we find friend, maybe get treasure, win win win. Yes…” Kiv clapped his hands together, almost giggling. This world had very little public information about it as far as he knew. The more he could gather about this planet, the more likely he would find customers that would pay through the nose for one of his datapads.

Kiv held his hands up at the Tuskens angry words about unshared ancestry. “We all need family when off the sands. What’s old jawa saying? He has no pack dies soon? We all sons of sand, yes? No worry, I no call you cousin, call you lone raider? Yes yes…” Kiv observed as the larger being went towards the corpse. Kiv himself had an instictual urge to get closer and see what he could salvage off the body, but something was off. “Um, you sure you want slice and dice? It… it smell not good, like… like burnt rotten bantha. But older than old? Don’t smell right, no no no…” Coming from anyone else, it may have been a typical response. But coming from a Jawa, who’s own natural odors were described as ‘musky’, ‘’potent’ and ‘repulsive’, meant something. Still, Kiv also knew better than to get in the way of a Tusken Raider, and quietly observed from the side. Meepo followed closely to Zeris. He understood that as far as he was concerned, the best option off this planet was the pilot. “Excuse me, but who or what are you hoping to track exactly? This planet does not exactly bode well for anyone’s survival, and I’m afraid imperial protocols did not include any information this planet that I am standing on. Kiv seemed to overhear this and glanced over. “You no know this place? Only hear whispers. Bad place, best left alone, yes? What kind friend is this, danger lady? He valuable person? Lover perhaps? Or maybe owes child services? Hehe, i kid, i kid.” Eyes, who had been silent for the most part, had begun to scan the area. This place was for all intent and purposes, a junkyard to say the least. Scraps of metal and trash everywhere. But what confused the little droid is that some of the rubble seemed to indicate the site was once much more organized. In the past, this may have been a parking spot for a control center for an emberpit. Even in the short distance, he could spot a hovel of a building that once houses many computers and controls. But now, it was a wasteland. Further in the distance away from the pitt Eyes could also see signs of civilization. Or at least, previous signs of civilization. Old skyscrapers toppled over, smoking ruins, half-buried streets, etc. And even further, piercing the skies, was one lone skyscraper towering over all the other ruins, like a dagger emerging from the ground hoping to stab the skies. Eyes flew back down and began to relay all the information he gathered to the group.

The beast had not known pain like this. During its mutations, pain was amongst the first things to go. There was only hunger and instinct. To be torn apart by explosives, both those on the ground and those from the flying metal boxes, was the first time it actually remembered pain. The rancor, longing for death, crawled on. Even after the ship had riddled large holes in its body, and the explosives had completely taken off its lower limbs, it still moved for the kill. It could feel its life fading away rapidly, and its last action would be to attempt to kill and to spread. The Howling would always spread. It crawled on the ground towards where its master pointed, hoping to get one more kill. Then the master was shot. The shot tore through this torso like a saw, spilling fiery oil everywhere. But even as he bled, the master continued to move a few moments more. Unlike the rancor, pain was its friend. It loved it. It relished it. In his previous life, he was only slightly masochistic. Here, masochism and sadism were on full display. Both beast and master dead, the fused bodies fell still, still burning. Kiv watched horrified from his hidey hole. It wasn’t until all the beasts became still and silent did he emerge, creeping towards the bodies hesitantly, ready to bolt at the first signs of movement. “No like this place, no no” Kiv finally commented as he backed from the beast, careful not to touch any of the remains that had splattered about. “Not like home. I prefer sands, not this. But ach, i have good family, no?” Kiv almost laughed as he approached the Tuskan. “You do good big cousin! Ancestors proud i’d say, yes? Not many can do what we all do” Kiv looked at the Crate and waved at his droids to check it out. “Maybe pilot live, yes? Fire that intense, might kill. But hey, if she dead, we, as closest family, inherit, yes?” Meepo was the one who eventually checked on Zeris. “Oh good, you are alive.” Meepo commented as he entered the ship and found Zeris. “I was wondering if i was doomed to be stuck with the least protocol followers in the vicinity. Though i must say…” Meepo began to give the inside of the ship a look over. “You do have more then a few issues that fall out of imperial parameters. However, since you did take down that monster, I’d say even the empress would give you leeway.”