Log:Bumbles Bounce
Bumbles Bounce
OOC Date: June 26, 2021
Location: Khar Delba
Participants: Amal Jha, Flex'ka Vana, Shivan
The local gossip and news of Khar Delba was that of pirates, new people coming in and...murders.
Murders of locals that had been ripped in half by something huge and eaten. Some had been drug off into the mountain sides, leaving nothing but a snowy trail that was filled with tracks of crimson blood. Naturally this had fascinated one of the Sith and they had decided to set out to see if they could observe the creature or creatures. She was waiting at the base of the mountain path where the last body was found, looking over the mangled carcass of the human that was once alive.
Amal was not, as a rule, given to investigating such disturbances and disappearances, but when taken in conjunction with the uptick in piracy, that had peaked her interest. And so, when it had been made known that there was a team being put together, she had departed her ship with interest, and her usual array of weapons and armor, which is to say, she was dressed as she was always dressed, save for some insulation layers added on, "An actual creature do you think? or an attempt to scare locals off from the area so as not to have prying eyes where theya re not wanted?"
Flex'ka is fully encased in robes, his hood up to protect him from the cold of the mountains. Which is where the shapeshifter is already assuming he'll end up. Two red-clad troopers accompany him, each one indistinguishable from the other. Flex'ka takes a quick look at the corpse Shivan is investigating, gesturing to his troopers to cover their flanks. Not to start shooting, there's only the pair of them after all, but simply to be alert to anyone approaching. "Wonder what anyone could hide in these mountains.." the Shi'ido mutters.
Shivan moves a few pieces of shredded cloth to show the deep wounds in the dead body, "Definitely an animal of some sorts. I'm guessing fairly large. While a human could do this with help...there's no real reasoning to it." she frowns behind her mask. Then she stands up and gives a look up towards the mountains, "I'm guessing there is a fair amount that could hide in caves and other deep crevices. The animals aren't attacking because they are bored. Most won't bother humans. An educated guess would be that they are being provoked by something." she explains. "So if we do come across something we'll just let it go about its business." she adds.
"An isolated area, free of surveillance I could hide a great many misdeeds in a place like that. A smuggler's hideout, a store of illegal goods? An isolated place on an already isolated world." Amal, though, did not move to investigate the animal, instead, she simply moved into position with the stormtroopers, drawing her weapon, though she kept it loose in her hand. "I am ready, if we are going to proceed to discover the source of the disturbance."
"Lead on." agrees Flex'ka, nodding to Amal and giving Shivan a look. His hand lowers to his side to unclip a lightsaber, but he doesn't yet activate it. It's not -that- cold, yet. With his other hand he gestures to the troopers he brought along, instructing them wordlessly to fall in line and come along. "So we're looking for a cave, some sort of den?" he reiterates.
Shivan gives a nod to that, "Yeah, I can imagine that there might be a lot of things hidden up in these snowy places." she agrees with Amal quietly. There's a look to Flex and the troopers with him and a nod. Then she turns to lead the group. "I would say some sort of cave or den." she states to Flex. "I'm just wanting to document the local wildlife, not murder it." she points out as she continues.
"And if it turns out that the local fauna whishes to murder us? Are we within our rights to eliminate the threat?" Amal's tone was genuine and curious. She was not the leader of this expedition, and so, it was important to understand the parameters. "Are we to subdue anything which attacks us, or kill it?" She was nothing is not a woman who wanted to make certain she did as she was ordered to do. Somewhere, there was still a detention cell waiting for her. Best not to get there too quickly.
Flex'ka smirks slightly at Amal's line of questioning, but he inclines his head at her in agreement. "These.." he raises the lightsaber hilt, "..do not have a stun setting." he explains, somewhat unnecessarily. "And if something runs at me, I'm using it." he adds. "Documentation or not, I'm not going to let -that- happen to me." he tells Shivan as he gestures towards the mangled corpse. "And I'm really hoping everyone else feels the same." he points out, giving everyone in the group a look.
Shivan's yellow gaze looks back to Amal and Flex, "This is an observation mission. Not an attack. Most animals that are provoked will try to murder you. If this one comes at us I don't expect anyone to stand there and be mauled. But don't shoot at it unless it is going to try to harm us." she tells them. She then continues up the mountain path, their feet sinking into the snow as they go. Two hundred feet up there is a flat area that leads off into the side of the mountain. A perfect place to stop and look for clues or to just rest ones feet.
"Perhaps a poor choice of weapon then, on a mission intended for observation." Amal's tone was mild, as she began the trek back with the two stormtroopers. She was quite happy to follow the two who were leading. She was certainly no survivalist, nor a keen outdoorswoman. What she was, was quiet, as she walked, eyes drifting across the landscape as the party moved. Perhaps out of caution. or perhaps simply out of curiosity. She had seen little and less of this planet beyond the spaceport.
"One could question the need for a weapon at all, if we're only to observe." Flex'ka replies easily with a look to Amal, before turning to Shivan. "You have my word I won't shoot anything today." he tells her with a grin that plays on only one side of his mouth. He looks at the sky for a moment, then nods. "Let's get moving, we're not accomplishing anything just standing here."
Shivan listens to Amal and Flex as they head onto the little 'safe spot' that was found. There's no blood on the ground nor anything else that gives the impression that this is the start of a den. It's a soft noise above them that drags Shivan's gaze skyward. And she gives a slow blink up to what is there. "Oh...I think I understand why they haven't found them easily." she tells the other two quietly as she points upwards.
If Amal and Flex look up, they will see a largish creature, about the size of a small armored vehicle and covered with long white and ash colored hair with big yellow eyes is staring down at them.
It was an easy enough trek, even through the snow and iced over groundcover. Amal made no complaint, and kept a good pace, so as not to slow the group. She walked when it was time to walk, and stopped when one of the others, usually Shivan, stopped to observe. When they approached the place of relative shelter, and her eyes were directed up, she did indeed look up, "Ah. Camouflaged against the snow. As am I." There were days when an Echani dressed all in white against a landscape was a good thing. Perhaps today would be one of those days.
Flex'ka looks up when indicated, one hand pulling the hood off his head as he does. Because if he didn't, he'd just be looking at the hood. "So.." he starts, grip on the lightsaber tightening. "What exactly -is- that?" he asks of Shivan, glancing at Amal for a moment when she claims to be camouflaged against the snow. "Hm." he offers simply, his eyes back on the creature. "Is that what's been slaughtering people?"
Shivan gives a nod to Amal's observation, "I'm guessing there might be a few more up here...though I do not want to take a chance at climbing when it is going to be dark soon." she states. Hiking up the trail would be fine. Climbing into unknown tunnels and caves at night? Not so good. "We'll come back with the proper equipment another time. I think for now we'll just slowly move back down the path we followed and leave them to their night." she tells the group. "And I don't know what it is...but I intend to find out from the locals. I'm taking a guess that yes...that's what has been killing people." she nods. "But...let's go. I can't afford to lose anyone up here and I don't want it to think we're going to overstay our welcome." she states.
With that, the Sith gives a slow bow of her head to the creature and then turns to depart the way they came.
Amal continued to study the creature up on its perch, head tilted slightly to the left, as if there was some msytery there that she intended to solve. But, at Shivan's words, it was clear that the mystery would not be solved tonight, and, as they departed, she, once again, settled into the rear. Should the creature decide to jump down on them, better it should land on the smuggler and the stormtroopers than the two sith. That would be difficult to explain. 'Hi Kulo, remember those two Sith you were training? We lost them. Sorry about it.' Nope, not going to go over well at all. "Perhaps an survey from the air with thermal imaging might be prudent."
Flex'ka smirks and shakes his head. "Alright." he acquiesces, gesturing at his escorts to stand down and lower their recently-drawn blaster rifles. "No shooting, Lady Shivan's order." he instructs them. "Back to the ship." he adds, his lightsaber quickly being fastened back to his belt and the robes drawn around him. Their business concluded for now, the hood can go up again as well. Stupid cold.
