ic Crash on Volturnus (IC)

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

Starshot smiled at Soreens comment. "Fight with what you will, my code is my own and not for me to enforce on you. It will probably kill me one day, but make it more beautiful to live whilst I do..."

 

With that he hefted a spear in his right hand, whilst his left clutched two more in reserve. 

 

The Quickdeath was fast, and armoured, which was not good. The spear might shatter or break on its plates. But there was no time for regret, just the cold focus of adrenaline that flooded his body with excitement. 

 

"Here it comes...here it comes....split when it does! And remember the eyes! remember the eyes!!!"

 

Soreen and Laark had been, of course, kept fully up to speed with the advice of the Ul-Mor and the use of the dummies. Split and decoy, decoy and split. 

 

But for now, first strike...as soon as the beast was in range, he launched a spear, straight at the beast, and quickly moved, fast and agile, like a panther, to behind one of the dummies. 

 

The eyes...the eyes...he whispered to himself, keeping his gaze locked...

Edited January 11, 2018 by Supercape

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Starshot's throw struck true, catching the creature at the joint of one of its front legs, right in a gap in its armor.  The spear sunk deep, causing the creature screech in pain as its head shook from side to side before its eyestalks focused on Starshot.

 

It started moving towards him and the dummy behind which he was hiding when Laark threw one of his spears.  The throw managed to catch the quickdeath right in the side of the heat, given it was so focused on Starshot.  The point cut a bloody gash in the side of the creature’s head, causing it to stagger slightly to one side as it shook its head in pain and confusion, its charge halted.

 

Soreen had her blaster pistol out, and took aim from near another one of the straw dummies before firing.  However, the creature was still staggering as she fired, and her shot passed harmlessly underneath to kick up a puff of sand.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"Watch the eyes. Watch the legs" hissed Starshot to Laark and Starshot, as he circled in the sand. He moved from one dummy to the next, getting behind the beast so the three of them started to attack from different angles. 

 

"Stay by the dummies!" he added, following his own advice and positioning him a few feet away. 

 

Two spears left. 

 

With a quick movement he hefted one into his right hand and took another throw. The legs seemed relatively unprotected...but the head was were he wanted to sink the tip!

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Once again Starshot's throw landed true, his spear aimed right at the back of the quickdeath’s head.  The power of the throw managed to sink the stone tip through the creature’s armored scales, punching through up to several inches on the haft. 

The quickdeath staggered slightly, took a couple of steps forward and the collapsed to the ground, its long neck slamming into the sand.

 

For a brief moment timed seemed to stand still, then a cheering noise could be heard coming from the Ul-Mor gathered nearby to observe the trial.  Soreen lowered her blaster pistol, a relieved look on her face.  Laark also lowered his weapons, but kept a close eye on the quickdeath just in case.

 

Athru rode forward towards the group, bringing his loper to a halt a short distance from Starshot before he climbed down.  You have done very well, few have ever best a quickdeath so efficiently!  We are now One, for you are Ul-Mor!

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

Starshot gave a big smile of satisfaction and dropped his spear, feeling the sun on his face, the pearls of adrenaline soaked sweat. This was the high, and he knew there would be the taint of crash later, but he had learned to savour the moment for what it was. 

 

Thankyou he told the Ul-Mor, keeping it short for now. He congratulated Laark and Soreen on their efforts. 

 

"Now, we must delve into the mysteries of the tribe and the planet. And, eventually, work out how to get off. In the Xeno, ideally" he added, not wanting to leave the Yacht vessel abandoned. In any case, it was their best bet. 

 

"Let us not rush the matter. A feast, perhaps, or some other ceremony. Let the truth flow out like a stream, without us drilling too hard, or too fast..."

[Thevshi]

GM

 

"Well, the Xeno can be fixed, if we can find the parts we need."  Soreen replied, something of a smile on her face at having passed the ritual.  "There was that reading of some technology the ship picked up as we were crashing, the northeast.  Still seems our best bet for finding something that might help."

 

The Athru and the other Ul-Mor led Starshot and his crew back to the campsite, where a feast was in fact soon prepared.  As the sun began to set the Ul-Mor tribe sat around a large fire with its new members, celebrating their completion of the Ritual of the Quickdeath.

 

During the celebrations, Starshot found some time to speak with Athru, who informed him that the Kurabanda, who lived in tress found to the northeast might know more about the structures and technology the Xeno's sensors had picked up.  Athru stated that while the Ul-Mor did not travel to the lands of the Kurabanda, they could take Starshot and his crew as close as possible and provide them with supplies that should last them until they found the Kurabanda.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"I hope so" replied Starshot. "If not, then we need to figure out another plan. Unless you want to be huntin the Quickdeath and drinking cactus juice cocktails for the rest of your life" he said, a gravelly humour seizing him. 

 

"We should rest now. Its been a long haul to get this far. Let the Ul-Mor help us, take us as far as they can" he explained to his crew. "Head to the north west, where those sensors found something. Its the best chance we have. I hope your salvage skills are up the task, Soreeen! but we might have a bigger problem; how to get those parts back to the Xeno" he said, the problem having being niggling him for some time. 

 

"We cross that bridge when we come to it. Depends on what we find. If necessary, see if we can get parts to free up the ATV, and use that to transport bigger parts for the Xeno"

 

"But for now, rest. Restock, reload. Eat!" he concluded, and took that very advice, checking on his equipment, his helmet (down to about 50% charge), even Phalen's blaster rifle. And taking some sleep. 

 

He would have to figure out what to do with Phalen in the morning. Maybe the alien would have stopped babbling by then...

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Phalen's blaster rifle contained a fully charged power pack and both Soreen and Laark were well enough for the moment for packs for their blaster pistols.  Soreen had brought a couple of portable charge packs, which should be enough to recharge Starshot's helmet a couple of times, but there was nothing to be done for the plasma rifle at the moment.  They all still had more than a weeks worth of preserved rations, which they could save given the supplies the Ul-Mor were providing.  They also had plenty water for the moment, again the Ul-Mor helping to provide that for the time being. 

 

As for the alien they had found down in the caves, Phalen was still muttering to himself and trying to free himself from the bindings they kept on him.  He had not tried to escape since the day before, but clearly did not want to remain with them or out in the hot sun. 

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

All in all, they were in good shape, thought Starshot. Could be better, of course, but could be a lot worse. Energy cells, food, water. No serious wounds or tropical diseases. 

 

His only irritation was Phalen. 

 

As they were preparing to go with the Ul-Mor (at least, as far as they were prepared to take them), he thought he would try one last time with Phalen. If the alien didn't get his act together, then he was dead weight. Dead weight that Starshot would reluctantly have to mind. 

 

"Phalen. Are you going to talk to me, or carry on being crazy?" he asked bluntly. Psychology wasn't really his thing. 

 

"Crazy is going to get you killed. Might get the rest of us killed, too" he explained even more bluntly. "I'm not sacrificing my crew to save you. So, if I was you, I would get clawing back to the world, and start helping us. Otherwise, I can cut you loose, but I think you know that on your own, its only a matter of time before you get eaten, burned under the sun, or consumed by some infectious disease"

[Thevshi]

GM

 

When Starshot went to try to talk with Phalen once more, the alien was not muttering to himself as much, but he was also not responsive to Starshot either.  He basically ignored the space hunter, turning away if Starshot tried to move into his field of vision. 

 

"I don't know if there is any way to easily get through to him."  Soreen commented.  "It might just take time, it might also require treatment we cannot provide."

 

"Better to have left him in the caves."  Laark added.

 

"Maybe, but how long do you think he would last down there without his blaster rifle."  Soreen asked the large alien.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"Probably not long" agreed Starshot. "Damn it, he's our burden now. Much as I want to kick him" he admitted. He wasn't pleased at all about the situation. And, whilst he wouldn't kick the alien, by Wotan, he wanted to. Badly. 

 

"Damned if I'm  going to sacrifice one of your two for him though. Or even my own skin. If he gets too much of a risk, cut him lose..."

 

It was brutal, but it was a brutal situation. 

 

"Till then, keep him fed and watered. And preferably, quiet. If we all make it back to civilised space, lets drop him off for some psych treatment" he said, in mitigation. 

 

"Right now, lets get going" he said, determined. He kept Phalen's blaster rifle for himself; not as good as his own customised plasma one, but it would do in a pinch. 

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Laark and Soreen both nodded at Starshot’s comments about the plan for handling Phalen.  The trio then set back to work at organizing their equipment and preparing to move out when the Ul-Mor were ready. 

 

The Ul-Mor tribe spent a day near the Place of True Warriors, setting off the following morning back towards the burning lands.  Once again the Ul-Mor took an underground passage, this time an alternate to the one that had experienced the cave in.  Two days later they had passed through the underground caverns and a section of the burning lands to return to the massive desert where Starshot and his crew had first encountered the Ul-Mor.

 

The tribe then set off towards the East, heading towards the northeaster edge of the desert that would get Starshot and his crew as close as possible to the lands of the Kurabanda.  Along the way there were stops at some oasis, to replenish water supplies.  And Starshot had an opportunity to go hunting with some of the Ul-Mor warriors, gathering food for the tribe from creatures that roamed the deserts. 

 

After several days the tribe arrived at a place where the desert came to an end and a vast plain of unusual towering grass stretched out to the north-northeast.  Arthu explained that the grass was called "shard grass," upon closer inspection, Starshot discovered that the thick stalks each stood nearly two meters tall.  They were also covered with a glass-like sheath which was razor sharp.  The gras could be cut, however, to create a safe path through them, and Arthu explained there were unusual, large creatures that roamed the plains, creating paths through the shard grass.

 

The Ul-Mor provide Starshot and his crew with about a weeks worth of water and smoked meats, dates and other fresh food.  That would allow them to hold off on the preserved rations they had brought from the Xeno, assuming they did not come upon some other means of supplies.

 

Arthu stood before Starshot, the Ul-Mor gathered behind him.  This one wishes you and your companions well Star-the-Shot.  We will miss hunting with you.  Perhaps we shall met again when we all become part of the One.  The Ul-Mor stated through the telepathic link.  Just continue towards the northeast and you will come to the forest of the Kurabanda.  We hope that you find what you are looking for and can return to the sky.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

I thank you and your tribe for the hunting replied Starshot, profound but brief as was his nature. I wish you sharp spears under open sky...

 

It was not without sadness that he left the tribe, but the realities of life were present. How long could he spend with one tribe? A week, a month? He had done so before, learning of native ways and tricks and traps for hunting. But his soul would not be confined to one tribe, one land, or even one planet. 

 

He took a bite of smoked meat, which in his opinion was actually very good (for he had a taste for smoked meats), and started off North east, carving a slow path through the blade grass. Too slow, for his liking. As much as the presence of vegetation was reassuring after the blaze of the burning sands, the ideal would be to find an appropriately aligned track of trampled grass from the local megafauna...

[Thevshi]

GM

 

After the farewells, the Ul-Mor mounted their lopers once more and started back deeper into the desert.  Turning to face the next leg of their journey, Starshot took the lead as he and his crew made their way into the shard grass.  It was tiring work hacking a path through the tall grass, but it certainly was preferable to being sliced to ribbons by the sheath that surrounded each grass stalk.

 

After several hours under the hot sun they had only travelled a half dozen kilometers.  But then Starshot hacked down another dozen stalks of blade grass and saw up ahead a clearing.  A few more hacked stalks later and the group had moved into the clearing.  It was over six meters wide and extended to the southwest and generally the northeast like a corridor through the shard grass.  The shard grass inside the path had been completely flattened, as if by a huge weight.  There were also broken shards all over the ground and a few stalks as well.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"Whatever walked through here....a tank on legs!" said Starshot, quite impressed. Megafauna he had dealt with of course. Generally, the rule was to avoid them or run, and there was no shame in doing so. 

 

"I would prefer not to meet such a behemoth, but our progress has been slow and draining. Now, we have a road, of sorts" he said, fingering some of the broken  glass shards. Its hide must be feet thick!

 

His HUD kept the map up to date and there was no danger, in his estimation, of getting lost despite going a little off course. The sweep of direction was good enough. 

 

"So lets move onwards. I hope at better speed!" he said, smile on his face, as he lead the merry crew down the trampled path. 

[Thevshi]

GM

 

"That should not be too hard with this path."  Soreen replied, looking around at the trampled shard grass with a slightly awed expression. 

 

Moving along the cleared path proved much quicker and easier than hacking their own way along.  As the group went it became clear that they were following the path of a herd, as smaller paths branched off slightly from the main one, only to intersect back a short distance later. 

 

Thankfully the path the group was following was generally heading in a northeastern direction, occasionally shifting more east for short distances. 

The group had travelled several kilometers along the crushed path, when Starshot called a halt.  Up ahead around a curve in the path, he could hear what sounded like stalks of shard grass crashing into each other. 

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"That's our beast, I bet!" remarked Starshot, slinging off Phalen's blaster rifle and wondering if the weapon could do anything at all faced with the hide of the animal that could trample over bladegrass. 

 

"Take cover..." he ordered, pointing them all to one side...no point splitting up now...

 

He lead them to one side, but of course this was not so easy. Blade grass was strong and sharp, and simply blending thought it might mean one was literally blended. And there was Phalen, bound and vexatious. 

 

He indicated Laark and Soreen should cut a quick way through, to hide. He would be last, keeping watch. 

 

He fingered his last smoke grenade. He would rather not use it, but if something came lumbering....

 

 

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Laark began cutting a side path into the shard grass, going as quickly as he could manage.  Soreen moved over to follow, pulling Phalen with her, who stumbled wordlessly along, in something of a daze.

 

As Laark was working, Starshot heard some closer crashing noise and up ahead at the turn in the path, a larger creature moved slowly into view.  It was a four legged beast, larger than an elephant, with a thick, tough hide that brushed aside shard grass with ease.  The beast’s large head slightly resembled that of an elephant, with large, floppy ears.  But the most unusual feature of the beast was located where an elephant’s trunk would be.  On either side of its jaws, there were two protrusions that were covered in the same thick hide as the rest of the beast.  Between these two protrusions, positions right over where the creature’s mouth would be, was a huge, cylindrical shaped organ that was similarly covered with the same thick hide.

 

As Starshot watched, the large beast used the unusual organ to literally rollover several stalks of shard grass, smashing them down and crushing the outer sheath, allowing it to chew on the grass underneath. 

 

The beast turned its head slightly toward Starshot and let out something like a snort, and then turned back towards the shard grass, smashing down more of grass as it continued to feed.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

Extraordinary! Starshot had seen some strange and wonderful beasts in his time, but this was something quite new. What a marvel of evolution. 

 

It seemed to pose no clear threat; presumably it was a herbivore, evolved to feed on the blade grass that nobody else could. That said, even herbivores could prove dangerous if threatened. 

 

An idea formed in his head. 

 

"Laark, Soreen...do you think we could mount that beast and ride it? It would not be easy, but it would make the journey a lot easier!"

[Thevshi]

GM

 

With the large herbivore not showing any particularly aggressive signs, Laark and Soreen (with Phalen in tow) made their way back out to the beaten path to join Starshot. 

 

"It could be difficult to tame."  Laark commented as he studied the creature for a moment.

 

"Even if we could I am not sure how safe it would be to ride."  Soreen added.  "We do not really have any materials with which to build any sort of platform on its back, or even a saddle.  So, with our legs handing down, there is a good chance any of this grass that it makes its way through could end up cutting our feet and lower legs to ribbons."

 

The large beast continued using its odd shaped organ to smash down some more shard grass, which it then consumed.  As it did so, a second one meandered into view as well, pushing its way through some of the shard grass with ease before smashing down a few stalks to eat as well.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

Still tempted, Starshot mulled over how to proceed with his bold plan. It was very disappointing, but he had to concede that both Laark and Soreen were right on this matter. He was annoyed, for it was his nature to be bold. But his boldness was always tempered by a hint of reason. Sometimes one could be too bold. There was no easy way to ride the beast. 

 

Still, it would have been fun to try!

 

"You are right...the grass makes it too dangerous" he said, full of regret. "At least these tanks are no threat. I hope" he added. "They seem more interested in blade grass than eating us. As long as we aren't green, tall, and extremely thin, we should be fine" he said, cheering himself up. 

 

"I think then we should give these bold beasts wide berth then, leave them to their meal. Carry on down the road they have carved out for us!"

[Thevshi]

GM

 

"As long as we keep our distance they are likely not to care much about us."  Laark commented as he watched the two large creatures that ate a bit more of the shard grass and then started back off in the way they had gone.  "Particularly if they have any young with them."  He added as the group carefully moved forward to look around the corner.

 

Up ahead a few dozen meters were about ten of the large creatures, although there were two that were considerably smaller, more the size of cows.  The herd still seemed unperturbed by the presence of Starshot and his crew, but they kept their distance, allowing the heard to continue a good ways ahead before they started to follow after it.

 

They only followed the heard for about another half a kilometer, before it turned south, away from the direction they wanted to go.

 

With the sky starting to darken, this clearing seemed a good enough place to camp for the night before starting out once again in the morning.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"I'm not comfortable camping out here in the grass" said Starshot, pondering the situation. "Too exposed. And if those grass eaters come charging, we would be in serious trouble" he explained. 

 

"But we have lot of walking to do, and some of it may be hard. It is not going to be easy, and if we are tired, it will be all the worse for us" he continued, as a counter argument. 

 

"I would  take your view on this. For me, I would press on. The risks are too great here. We are cut into a trench, and if there were a stampede, we would be in great difficulty. Not to mention we do not know what else lurks within the grass. But I trust your judgement, it depends on your honest appraisal of your endurance" he said, himself both honest and direct. 

 

"If you feel that conserving energy is more important, then we shall have to make best of the camp, and light fires. We must order consider him..." he pointed at Phalen. "And the impact of ferrying him across this land...."

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Soreen was the first to speak up.  "If we were able to continue following a path I would be willing to press on for awhile longer, or if we had some idea of how much further we have to go, but we could be days away from getting out of this nightmare grass, I am pretty sure I won’t last near that long.  Given we have to start hacking our way again, at least until we come across another of these paths, it will be slow and tiring work again."

 

"I would image those big things sleep during the night as well, seeing as they were active in the day, so we likely will be safe from any stampedes, assuming there is anything out here that hunts then."  She glanced around the darkening clearing.  "There is enough trampled on grass in the area that we can gather it up and use it to start a fire in a cleared area.  That should help discourage anything that might think about bothering us."

 

Laark had been a bit quiet as he considered the situation.  "There will be a greater chance of injuring ourselves on this grass in the dark."  He stated.

[Supercape]

Starshot

 

"Very well then, you make a fair argument" conceded Starshot, starting to unsling his blaster rifle, and unclip his belt. 

 

"Let us hope that we are safe tonight. This planet is full of hostile life, why, even the grass!" he said, with a smile on his mouth as he took off his helmet. 

 

He started to chop down the grass for fire, judging that its benefits in scaring off animals would be greater than its risk of attracting them. It was a simple enough job to gather the fuel, and quickly activate a thermal pellet to light the fire. 

 

"We should take watch then, keep an eye open for our alien friend Phalen as well as snakes in the grass" he said, organising a rota between them. 

 

With that, he settled down to sleep, although he fancied it would not come so easy tonight, for he was uneasy in this landscape. Normally he slept well and was quite comfortable under open sky. But this planet was strange and dangerous, and they were surrounded by grass that grew like swords....