Log:Explorer's Guild: Muri's Sandbox

Muri's Sandbox

OOC Date: August 28, 2018
Location: Tatooine
Participants: Netep Muri, Parthenia Antorias, Sajin, Fennix, Explorer's Guild

A simmering heat haze spills over the horizon in every direction, testament to the blistering effect of Tatooine's twin suns even now as they begin their descent in the cloudless sky. What's hot is even hotter down here in the cut between canyon walls where fractured geology has created an oven. There are pockets of shade, but to those not acclimated to this desert it's a cruel joke luring foreign travelers into false relief.

Arnthout Pass is one of the many passes cut through the canyon system. It forms a circular route through the Jundland Wastes, linking Arnthout in the south, to Bestine, Motesta, and Anchorhead to the north. This is the 'low road' route most often used by nomadic merchants and tourist-driven hunting expeditions.

Rocky, red earth rises on either side of this naturally cut passageway, whorls of color painting the layers of exposed sandstone. Craggy ledges jut overhead along the route, threatening to shower unfortunate travelers with a lethal barrage of falling rock. Skittering sounds are often heard in the shadows of crevices and occasionally, a pair of glowing eyes can be spotted watching from the darkness.

The play of shadows in this narrow canyon can play tricks on one's eyes. Was that a face, peeped out from behind a rock? Acoustics are also both warped and amplified here, capable of producing hair-raising sounds from the smallest of creatures.

Nia had been one of the ones that went out to see if they could find Muri. No, she'd not met her really, but she'd heard good things about her! She'd rented a speeder and figured that they'd start from where Muri was last heard from. "So you are okay with me driving, don't think we need two?" she asks Fennix. Because she's at least thoughtful. "Do you have a brother named Yoska?" she asks.

It is hot, and Fennix is not exactly in his peak physical form anymore. Not since the Lash trio had hit the big time and become owners of real estate. He had not been seen much lately, and word had it that he had been busy manning the Apartments the Lashes had bought and working as the resident maintenance man, a job that no one is likely surprised to be a more than full time job. But, when Muri's distress signal had gone out, Fennix could not ignore the plight of his girlfriend. As such, he had journeyed out with Nia without a second thought.

Reclined in the passenger seat of the speeder, Fennix has his feet tossed up on the dash and his back slouched slightly in the seat to create a pronounced little hill where his little belly pouches up in his overalls, the name tag of which definitely reads 'Dennis' instead of Fennix. He is smoking something illicit he had stolen from Yoska, and when Nia speaks to him, his eyes turn in her direction. "Yoska? Yeah, he's my baby brother. Don't judge me by the little shit though," he says, lifting his hands to tug at the shoulder straps of his overalls and treating Nia to a delicious view of side moob as he brings his eyes back forward. "I hope my girlfriend is okay," he says.

Sajin is sitting is lounging in the back seat of the speeder, lightly dozing. Really he had nothing better to do and he needed to put in some time with his new contractor so a rescue mission was as good as any. Now the Alpha Hapan on this game, fresh off a killing of a souped up cyborg Rancor, he really wasn't worried about too much. Could this be the dame hubris that killed Q? More than likely, perhaps it was a cultural thing amongst the pretty ones. "Don't you two have like a sister or a cousin too. I can never keep track. I just count the tails."

The ride's been blessedly uneventful for the trio of concerned citizens thus far, unless you count the occasional mad dart of jakrab or other critter from the canyon walls. No krayt dragon calls shattering the air, no handsy bands of meddling Jawa, no sandstorms....just heat and your typical dose of pestering sand in the eye and up your tailpipe. Child's play, really.

The turning of the next bend reveals one of the dangers that traversing this road holds - landslides. At least, that's what it appears to be from afar. A giant pile of broken boulder partly obscuring their path at the foot of the eastern wall. The broken bits of boulder partially conceal something less natural. Shiny.

"I've met Yoska. He tried to sell me drugs my first night on Nar Shaddaa." Nia states with a laugh as she tries to keep her eyes peeled. Looking for where things might have been going down. "I think she'll be fine." she tells Fennix. That's when she gets the chance to see the landslide and that's when she frowns, the goggles over her eyes seeing clearly, "Okay guys, I think I know what's up. See that bit of shine, looks like a piece of landing gear. She might have gotten caught in there." she points out to them.

Sajin sits up with a stretch and a yawn, "You say this girl is your girlfriend. I thought I heard the other one say she was his girlfriend too. Your brother that is... or am I just confused." Sajin got confused a lot and sometimes people could hardly take that confusion seriously and would often thing he was making fun of them. He wasn't, the man was just that dumb and ignorant. He looks towards the shiny bit in the rocks, engaging his helmet and tracking system to 'help' even though it was plenty bright here. He hops out of the speeder to go inspect it, his power armor whirring and clinking with movement. "Huh... see this is why I didn't come in with my E-Wing. These rocks are had enough to navigate on land... and there's grabby Jawas out here."

Upon closer inspection, the rubble heap isn't so big as to bury the Ghtroc 720, but it's definitely claimed a small piece of it. One of the 'feet' that end out the landing struts. So....where's the rest? Unhelpfully, a wrinkly little profogg pops its head out of a nearby hole and chitters its two cents about the intrusion.

Nia gives a look to the pile of rubble and there's a frown, "Doesn't look like anything's buried." she tells Fennix and Sajin. "Maybe she skipped a bit." she states and then she catches the divet and then points it out to Sajin as she gives a nod to the man. "Like that upthere." she tells them.

Sajin was already looking up at the divet when Nia points to it. His hands on his hips he nods and looks around the immediate cliff face. "Okay... You and Fennix stay here one second. I'm going to climb up the rock face and see if I can get a good look at anything. See if I can see a path around so we don't have to walk to anything too far out of the way." He moves towards the rock face and clasps his gloved hands together, rubbing them. "Hokay..." And he starts to climb.

A wort bellows grumpily from its hollow in the cliff face and waddles its warty rear around to give Sajin the cold shoulder during his ascent. So what's at the top? Sand. There's lots and lots of sand, swept up in ripples of varying depth over the ruddy stone of this shallow plateau that slopes gently down toward the Eastern Dune Sea. If a ship's plowed through here, there's little sign of a trail.

"Do you see anything up there big guy?" Nia calls up. Because she's definitely not climbing up there and them get their speeder stolen. Nopenopenope. She waits to see what Sajin sees.

Sajin reaches the top without any problems. He seems to be quite adept at bouldering a rock face. He makes a funny noise at the Wort as he passes by the thing. It only takes the hapan a few minutes to get to the top. He kneels there watching the dunes. "Man... it's sparse out here... wait. Something on the edge of my tacker Another jutting shiny object way off in the sandscape. If we head around the corner some, it looks like we can get the speeder up the slopes and onto the dunes. He turns and looks down. "Take the speeder around and try to get up the face. Come pick me up and we'll head to where I see that object in the distance."

Down in the passenger side of the speeder, Fennix reaches down to unceremoniously scratch at his crotch through the coarse material of his overalls. He stretches his arms over his head as he looks around at the area with a thoughtful expression. "Hey!" he yells out to whoever is listening to him. "You don't reckon she got buried here do you? My girlfriend? Maybe she landed and the hill caved in?"

Nia gives a nod to Sajin, "On it!" she calls to him. Then there's a look to Fennix and there's a shake of her head, "Don't think she got buried, just looks like a part of the ship broke off really." she admits to the Ryn. She then sets off to come around. And the speeder stalls out halfway. Which makes the redhead frown deeply. "Well, that's no good." she murmurs as she pats the wheel.

Sajin looks down and watches the speeder moves as they tak off towards the lesser slopped south. He frowns though as the speeder stalls out and starts to walk in the direction of where they are to see if he can help any. It'll take him a bit to get there so the Ryn and Nia have time to try again to get the speeder up into the dunes.

"Don't worry, I've got it," Fennix says as the speeder stalls out. He finally pulls his feet down from the dash and crawls across the seat. His overhauls have been modified in such a way that a little slit between the two rear pockets allows his tail to slip through, and it waves high in the air like a cat as Fennix crawls right overtop Nia's lap and then sticks his head down beneath the steering column and towards her feet. His butt is in the air, tail waving in Nia's face, as he grunts and wiggles his chubby self further down. "Sure would be easier to work on if /someone's/ legs weren't down here," he grumble grouches to himself, a volume that his companion will no doubt hear. She will hear wires being tugged free from below, and then the sparking as he jabs the wires together, attempting to hotwire the speeder.

VRROOOOOOM! The speeder kicks to life.

Nia tries to move her legs when Fennix crawls right over and down into the floorboard. There's a bit of a worried look over things. Then, it starts! "That's brilliant, thank you!" Nia tells Fennix after he's got the speeder going again. Then the redhead manages to get it up into the dunes so the Hapan doesn't have to walk all that way. "Didn't see anything else?" she asks Sajin.

Sajin hops back into the back of the speeder, "Hey... why are you guys 69ing. That's weird! Don't you have a girlfriend Fennix we're trying to rescue?!" Poor Sajin always so stupid. "No... nothing but that..." He points in the direction he saw the thing, "Over there. 27 mark 244 on you Navatron."

"Woooooaaaaaahhhhh," Fennix wails as the speeder cranks up and starts moving with his head still stuffed down in the floorboard and his legs up in the air. "Wwwooooaaaahhhh," he continues to wail out as the speeder turns and heads up toward Sajin, his legs kicking in the air. "WWWWWOOOOOAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" Finally he pulls himself up from the floorboard and looks to Sajin, then toward Nia. "Were we?" he asks of Nia.

Indeed. Faraway - several kilometers but not exactly the '50' that Muri had drunkenly estimated in her message - there is that shiny dot. Too small to see from this distance are the other dots milling about in its shadow. One only need only go for a little joyride across the dunes...

"What? No, he has a girlfriend and I'm not into homewrecking or anything of the sort. I also happen to like my man." Nia states with a stern nod as Sajin jumps in. Then there's a bit of a look to Fennix, "We we’re not, no." she laughs. "Come on, we've gotta get across the dunes." she tells them. Then they are off!

"Oh okay..." Sajin says and he slumps back into the back seat. "You got a man? I got a wife. She's super hot. I'm a king you know." God, can anyone really stand this guy? He sounded like a five year old listing off all the things he had in his special box and most of it to an adult was complete junk. He looks around as the approach the sighs. "Huh... Dunno what to make of this." When they stop he hops out to take a look around.

When the speeder stops, Fennix jumps out of the speeder and into the sand. He cups his hands to his mouth and calls out, "MMMUUUUURRRRIIIIII!!!! WHERE ARRREEEE YYOOOUUUU?" His voice echoes out over the dunes, his eyes squinting as he holds his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. "BABY! SUGAR BOTTOM!" he adds with the same warbling voice before he fingers a few of the perforations on his nose and blows out a sharp lilting whistle.

Something big struck the sand several days ago, but you'd never know it, if the 'something' weren't still stuck here. The scar it left has healed over with countless gusts of sandy wind. That same wind has covered the Doaba Hermi with a fine dusting of dune camouflage. Despite the indignities suffered, the craft teeters there as proudly as it can on 3/4 its landing struts. The fourth is shorn messily off just above the foot, giving the already awkward craft a peg legged appearance. The entry ramp is down, less covered with sand.

Of more concern though is what's around the freighter. Who, actually. There's a small encampment of Tusken Raiders parked around the ship's meager shade. A Bantha shuffles aimlessly around on its tether nearby while a few pint-sized Sand People crowd around it and point excitedly at the ship.

A half dozen adult-sized tribesmen are scrambling with their weapons, shapeless garments rendering individual differentiation nigh impossible. Their language is garbled, but doesn't take a linguist to understand they're riled up. There's one adorned with a number of pretty gems around its mask that's darting between the arguing war party and a tent, fetching something she's been summoned to fetch, then suddenly stops - as do all the Raiders - and all goggled heads turn to stare in the direction of the yelling and whistling. The presumed female motions for the children to get back inside. If we weren't in a sandbox, you might could hear the pin drop.

This can't be good.

Nia stops the speeder before they get too much closer, "That...is a problem." she points to what's ahead of them. "Definitely a big problem." she repeats herself.

Sajin looks about noticing the sand people, "Oh look... it's the rag-heads..." He raises a gloved hand, "Heya rag head dudes! Good to see you again! I know you tried to kill us last time... well me and some other people but I'm hoping we can make amends." THe Hapan pulls his vibroblade from it's sheath across his back and starts using it as a pointer. "We're looking for girl. She's kinda tan, got a nice booty. You know short. We're hoping you could give us a clue where she is." He starts to accentuate his points with the blade looking way more threatening that diplomatic. He turns to look at Nia and lash, "You think this is working?"

Fennix looks around toward Sajin as he takes out his sword and begins to gesture aggressively with it. A hand comes up to slap at his face and he hisses, "Shut up! You're going to stir them up! And don't talk about my girlfriend's booty!" With that he puffs up his chest and turns back toward the Sand People. His arms come up over his head, and he proclaims to the sky, hoping that these people have never seen a Ryn before. "Behold! I am the Ancient God of Fertility and Fortune, Fennixulburn!" he shouts out, rising up onto his toes. "These are my servants, pay them no heed for they are simple and stupid!" he says, gesturing toward Sajin. "My wife and mother of our future god-child has fallen upon your lands, and I seek her return! Bring her to me, and receive many blessings!" His hands move to his nose and he trumpets out a lilting, magical sounding effect from his nose that echoes beautifully on the dunes.

It's hard to tell what they're thinking, those Tuskens, behind their shrouds of wrappings and masks and whatnot. Not so hard to imagine what they thought of Sajin's display - two warriors already marching over to take him up on the challenge - but most sounds of dissent and ire go quiet in the wake of the furry foreigner's procclammation. Hmm.

The woman and children remain in hiding and it's questionable whether or not the men understood the language enough to really comprehend the religious claim, but nothing's been thrown at them yet, no spears, no firings of gaderffi sticks. Heads turn to confer silently amid gestures and mumblings while the two warriors advancing on Sajin are left there midway between the two groups, wondering between themselves. Finally, one of the men points to the freighter's open ramp and barks something in his native tongue. There's hesitation from the one nearest the ramp and he sets one foot upon it, then another, and gets halfway up before hurrying back down with more adamant rebuttal and making gestures about his own throat.

"Fennix, Sajin!" Nia calls out. "Whatever is in the ship has them riled up or nervous. I'm guessing that she might be in there?" she points out the goings on to them.

Sajin looks between Fennix and Nia. He bites his bottom lip, "Nia... go check the ship out Fennix and I will... distract this bunch and hopefully keep them calm." He raises his hands up, still gripping that vibroblade of his. "We ain’t guna hurt no-one man. Just feel the vibes of the music. The music soothes all. Yeah man, feel those jams."

The two gaderffi sticks closest to this fertility god and his fool are lowered suspiciously into a more menacing position at Sajin. They don't charge yet, but the message is pretty clear. Those four remaining under the ship turn to watch the human woman expectantly, waiting to see what she'll do.

And, speaking of 'jams'...there really /is/ music. It's faintly audible within the entry compartment/ramp if Parthenia braves it that far. Mostly just a beat, but one with catchy rhythm. Another place, another time, or at least under different circumstances, it'd have been a safe assumption to say Netep was hosting one hell of a party.

Unfortunately, current circumstances are less jovial. Bits of trash litter around underfoot up the ramp, forming a trail that ends in a few spatters of blood and a mangled, indigo lock of hair. Beads and all. There's a fresh scorch mark on the wall, just shy of striking the starboard sensor array panel. And at the top? A sprawled, featureless corpse swaddled in traditional Tusken fashion. Cept for the utility knife stuck in its neck. That's not traditional.

The hell, Muri?

Nia blinks at Sajin, "Oh sure. I'll get right down there." she tells him. "If I get caught or anything...nevermind." she muses. Then she's scittering down the hill towards the ship. She cautiously gets up the ramp, "Muri? Are you alive?" she calls out into the ship. "Fennix and Sajin are out here as well." she adds. To help with the getting her to come out if needed.

Sajin does the best he can do, he knows what the lowering of that staff means and so he starts to gyrate to the music, horribly, in some odd and off beat fashion to Fennix's skin flute playing. "Oh... yeah... watch me now. Feel those vibes, baby." Bless his retarded heart.

Offensive. Everything about the outside world is offensive. Exposed faces and neck, noisy noise, smoke puttering technology...and then there's Sajin's dancing. Suffice to say it's enough of a distraction that 5 of the 6 raiders are no longer watching Parthenia. The one who is stays at the bottom of the ramp, stick at the ready, just in case she tries to pull a fast one. Those other five? They're shouting again, protesting the intrusion but don't make a move against the 'god'.

Unsurprisingly, the body at the top of the ramp doesn't move or speak or do anything useful. Nor does Muri appear. Just a couple meters ahead of the ramp's top (aft) is access to the ring by way of galley on the right (port). Looks like a serious shitstorm ripped through here. Cooking equipment is strewn about - pots, dented mugs, half a sandwich, shattered crockery, assorted knives - and a few mutilated bench cushions add to the clutter. The couch is a mess, sporting a still-warm hole melted through its middle.

The music's louder, some lyrics discernible in non-Basic tongue in this section of the ring corridor, but still not indicative of the source. A couple scorch marks and a bloody smear dirty the gunmetal walls encircling the ship's core. Round and around one can go. The galley, communal fresher lie fore and twin 'economy' bunk rooms are in aft quadrants. Backtracking would lead to that entry corridor and the twin 'luxury' quarters flanking it, just outside the ring. Between one such quarter and access to the port side landing gear maintenance hatch there's a service panel ajar on the wall. Inside, circuits are still sparking and angry.

"Miss Muri?" Nia calls again. The redhead is a little nervous because well...everything. She's getting closer to something though, wondering what she's gotten herself into. Her hand goes up to get a hold of the ring, to try to open it since that's where the noise is coming from. She steps to the side, just in case anyone tries to come out shooting along with it!

Sajin keeps up his dance, looking back towards the ship that Nia is in as he spins around, and keeping an eye on the warriors too. Just in case this needs to turn into a bloodbath.

The doorway to the bunkroom opens, revealing a pair of sandy boots sprawled on the floor, attached to motionless legs just out of sight. The volume of the music is now VERY loud indeed, almost deafening. A groan and mutter issue from the room, followed by a stumbling clatter. And then silence.

A shadow approaches Nia from within the room...and out limps a shorter version of the sand people outside, clutching at their ribs. A swift head turning of those too-big goggles fixes Nia with an unemotive but possibly very, very surprised stare. Like a carmteek in the headlights they freeze.

Nia gives a squint to the...sandperson. Then there's a look over it and then the head wrappings, "Your hair is sticking out a bit." she tells her. "Are you very injured? Sajin and Fennix are outside causing a distraction while I came in to look for you." she states. Apparently she figures she found who she needed...unless someone scalped Netep. Then this was going to be awkward!

"..." It's too muffled by the wraps to be clear, but what IS clear is the instant sag of relief that has Netep slumping against the wall for support. Her other hand goes to her face and begins to messily claw away the stolen disguise until her mouth's free and goggles hang 'round her neck. There's a nasty lump welled up on her forehead and blood's matted around her hairline. Her nose has also been worked over which is already starting to blacken one eye.

"M'fine," she tries again. "Jus need t'sleep..." She definitely shouldn't. "You...wait. They're still out there!? They...we gotta close the ramp. We gotta close the ramp. Did you bring fuel?" Netep's already stumble-sliding her way toward the entry corridor. "We gotta get out of here. Wher's...why're they out there with /them/ and not in here?? I killed two of these kriffers wh--I avn't got more'n me today, yeah?"

And with a little help from her friends, Muri was ‘’saved’’ from her predicament. Insofar as having the hatch closed up, locking them all inside and disgruntled sand folk OUTside. The fuel situation? That’s a problem yet to be solved, but perhaps solutions will happen after everyone’s had a nice rest…

At least she’s no longer alone.

(TO be continued, or not, people’s spare time pending!)