Log:Kora - Pound Puppy

Kora - Pound Puppy

OOC Date: January 17 2021
Location: Sanctuary Moon - Endor System
Participants: Karys, Rathe Versiano and Hadrix Kora as gm Clan Kora

Sanctuary Moon - Endor System

Traipsing through the forests beyond the Ewok tribal ranges and the cut paths that most 'tourists' take when they venture to this particular region of space. It's been a day, in a massive redwood forest filled with creatures that only seem to vary between terrifically dangerous or utterly benign.

Following tracks for paws large enough for one of the assembled Mandalorians boots to fit in the central pad. Found now at a carcass of a native blurrg torn to shreds and two thirds of the body gone, carried away with a thinning trail in the wake of what ate it.

<"About time we caught sight."> Hadrix is crouched near the remains, elbows on his knees, <"Didn't feed and leave, it tore and carried. So she'll have pups."> looking up to Karys and Rathe, through the visor of his helmet, <"You two know only to use stun nets, settings or tranqs, right?">

Endor. It's an ugly planet. An Ewok Planet. A planet hostile to life as we know it. He looks to the Blurrg corpse and then the trail leading off. He pauses in motion, with his arm up over his shoulder, hand resting on the grip of his DP-23 that is slung on his back. His vox crackles to life.

<"Hypothetically speaking, if I forgot how to do any of those things here... do we not get paid?"> Rathe had turned his visor onto Hadrix and used his best 'I am a complete newbie' voice that will likely fool neither of the others present. His visor bounces between Karys and Hadrix and then there is a muted sigh. Rathe draws his E-11 from it's holster instead, extending the stock and slipping the sling over head and shoulders. Pointedly, with exagerrated care, he switches it to stun.

<"Who's getting paid? This is a personal op."> the smirk clear in Hadrix's voice as he stands, deciding to take the situation as literal so as to thoroughly batter and bury Rathe's attempt to rile him in the underbrush of the forest moon. The big man standing and drawing the lengthy Talz blowgun off his back.

Limited numbers for the tranq darts, will need to make them count.

<"This way, parallel to either side of the trail, keep close to cover."> Starting after the trail at a steady walk, <"Keep your eye out, we want a cub, but leave the mother alive to tend the rest."> no need for collateral damage, after all.

<"Then why am I stunning the damned things? I get that we're not Imperial Stormtroopers, but we -were- Stormtroopers. You've heard the legends..."> Rathe is not begrudging a personal Op. He simply does not want to become a statistic in the most embarressing way possible. It had belatedly dawned on him, he should hav put temp-paint on his armor for a more camoflaged approach.

He finally switches to the personal private commlink. <<"Think the expert trapping stories are true?">> Regardless of answer, he slips off to the other side of the trail from Hadrix with the E-11 ready to go. He's working on picking out his footing, it's slow going, but at least he isn't an AT-AT through the woods right now.

<<"We're not dealing with Ewoks, they don't come out this far - it's dangerous for them. Tree beasts, Gorax, Condor Dragons.">> rumbling back over comms rather than externals as they disappear into the brush, <<"Boar-Wolves.">> stopping and hunkering down, the big man looks to the trail and tracks.

<<"We're here for a single Boar-Wolf pup. Not for furs, meat or trophies.">> silencing as he finally lets himself focus on part of what Rathe had said, <<"We're not Stormtroopers anymore. That's over. It's not a legend either. They killed and ate the Stormtroopers garrisoned before the Alliance could really stop them.">> a beat, <<"The Ewoks, I mean.">> another pause before his helmet turns towards Rathe's position.

<<"Spot anything on the trail, vod?">>

<<"Ewoks might want to deal with us.">> Rathe ventures, the reassurance Hadrix gives on the why they won't deal with Ewoks? Not reassuring. <<"Boar alone are no joke. Boar-Wolves...">> Rathe keeps his visor moving, he'd hate to be a statistic for this place after all. The thought actually offends him.

<<"Set to stun, got it. Also. I did specify that we -were- Stormtroopers. Can't erase our past. Trying is unhealthy.">> Rathe's been studying again, Hadrix only has himself to blame there. <<"I knew about the killed part, not about eating them. On the flip side. Ursine-flesh tends to be very tasty, I have an idle curiosity on how the reverse consuming would work in regards to Ewoks.">>

He hunkers down to look around as Hadrix looks his way. His helmet shakes as he offers a very unhelpful. <<"More brush, some trees?">>

<<"I have little interest in consuming a sentient.">> leaning down and practically touching his helmet to the dirt as he traces a finger tip and then looks along the pathway as the blood has become sporadic and the broken brush further between. <<"Cin Vhetin, Rathe. We're not those things anymore. I'm not that thing anymore. I'm just the fallout for what I have to remember.">> Hadrix's voice lower, such that he has trouble hearing himself or anything else, for the moment, over voices that never quite leave.

"What is wrong with you, Nine-Oh-Four?! Too stupid to give up?!" "Too stupid to fail, Eight-Three Three."

At least Hadrix doesn't flinch when he feels the phantom boot cracking a rib that has grown in the following twenty years since.

<<"We're going to be closing in - be ready to go airborne if we need.">> terse, the 'command' voice from Ichren. Something shook loose and setting the man from relaxed enjoyment of the forests to tension so thick it practically blocks the airflow of the forest breezes.

<<"Says the man with skull mugs.">> Rathe quips back on sentient consumption, he does not sound condemning. He sounds amused. It's another shade of his old self surfacing. Humor. Though it wars with his usual stoic professionalism on the job. <<"On a serious note, if we ignore history, we are doomed to repeat it.">> Rathe continues his pace, slowly but surely, mostly quietly. Maybe he senses the change in Hadrix' demeanor, maybe his classes taught him to expect it. <<"I prefer our new lives, Hadrix. I want to be perfectly clear about that.">>

Rathe was absolutely truthful about this, they will hear that conviction. However, except there is the fact that these two know him the best of the rest of the galaxy. Just one fact. Rathe misses War. Actual War. He loves fighting with Kora. But War, true War... it's a hell of a drug. One he never kicked like he did the stims.

He continues on, nodding at the order, slipping into the role easily. It potentially means a fight is coming. He privately suspects when they are done he may have a punch to the face coming too.

<<"I didn't eat them, or their brains. Just hollowed out their heads and drink from 'em.">> Hadrix's growl liquid while he stalks further, hand lifting in a fist despite the closed comms keeping their speech hidden. It doesn't stop him from answering again though.

<<"I'm not ignoring anything, Rathe. I know exactly what I come from and what I am.">> a killer. A thing that was thrown away, turned into a tool and then picked up by something that could make him better. It's a heavy statement that bloats the silence on comms as he points with two fingers to Rathe and then towards a knot of stones surrounding a thick boled tree before he points to the thinning trees nearing a brow of rock with a natural, shallow, cave below it... and the rumbling from within.

He's quiet. Completely while one massive paw comes out followed by a canine head with jaws big enough to take in half of either man in a bite and leathery skin the color of shale.

<<"I want you to stop. And say that to yourself again in your mind.">> This on the subject of 'I only just...' from Hadrix. The growl does not shut him up, it's the lifted fist. Instincts and training go a long way for the former NCO. When hadrix speaks again, Rathe lets sleeping Kath-Hounds lie. They can do philosphy and history over drinks later. Right now there's a job to be done. It's not War, but it's just serious enough to- what the hell is that?

Rathe had followed the two pointing fingers without thinking about it all while mentally talking to himself. So his mind is interrupted midthought when he sees it. <<"Are you frelling kidding me?">> He'd muttered it under his breath, but subvocal enough it triggered throat mic. <<"We need cover, or height. Know what? Both. We need both.">>

<<"I never kid about a hunt...">> the question wasn't for him but Hadrix was never shy to answer the rhetorical. <<"And I know exactly what I said. I know exactly what I am. I'm the thing that drinks from the cleaned skulls, Rathe.">> Height and cover, <<"You make the call - boost or climb, I'll follow your lead... switching to comm-bead.">> helmet coming off and allowed to hang on the back of his gorget while the blow-gun is put to his lips, lining up a shot.

He keeps an eye on Rathe for his actions though.

The Boar-Wolf comes fully from its den to circle, snuffling at the air and give its harsh 'yawp' intended to intimidate smaller, lesser, creatures from the area while she attends the young assumed to be within.

Through gritted teeth. <<"Not what I meant.">> Rathe cannot possibly even, right now. He's going to let the conversation about the skulls die now, hopefully they won't. They can do the conversation later after brews, unless it makes Karys yell or something. That reminds him to ask Hadrix something -really- important later. About dancing. He stares at the Al'verde a moment, and then figures it out when the blowgun comes up.

His call? Why not making shooting be your misdirection. Fire and evade. Simple trick in the book for a simple minded beast.

Rathe snaps up that beautiful E-11, triggers it. Grins as the stunshot lands home exactly as planned and then... FWOOOOSHH.... Rathe becomes a pinball to Sanctuary Moon's Trees as paddles.

Karys? Where has Karys been? Always a good question but where she is now? Above, flying in through the wilderness as she aims down her gun. The stun circles fire free and each slams into the boar with increasing accuracy as the indigo armored woman hangs in the sky on her gliders. <<"Keeping all the fun to yourselves? I think not. What do you think you are doing on the ground?">>

She angles hesrelf around sharply to try to get its attention. <"HEY UP HERE!"> She's yet out of reach but getting closer with each passing second.

The blue ring from Rathe forces the beast to one side, snarling and turning towards the misfire of his jets. Pawing the ground and making its yawrling snap before it starts to lunge upwards - only for more blue stun rings to splatter against the thick leather hide. Rearing it back and forcing it to turn aside for balance.

The dart from Hadrix strikes a flank, lodging in thick skin without successfully piercing deep enough to administer the tranquilizer.

"Shavit." His attempt to leap clear providing the creature the chance to get one of his legs and arrest the jump - catching the massive mandalorian up and shaking him around. "SHAVIT!" metal plates creaking as they bend and blood flowing when teeth the size of vibro-dagger blades begin to cut through armor weave and into skin.

"Knock it out!"

Where has Karys been indeed, and suddenly she's gliding through the air with such casual ease. Meanwhile Rathe banks off a few trees before he just slaps the control of the hover-belt in his armor with his jaw. He's too rattled to even try to give Karys any backtalking smartassery. Those large Sanctuary Moon of Endor Trees that kept walking into his path packed a wallop.

Even in this condition Rathe can hear the damage Hadrix just took, the IFF icon on his HUD changing is merely cheating at that point. Rathe shakes his head to clear it, and hovering up a ways for now, he carefully aims the E-11 to try to get it's attention. <"Hey! Hey you! You're too pretty to be Hadrix' mate!"> It's unclear who Rathe is trying to enrage, the boar to distract? Or Hadrix to pump him up out of the situation he is in. Rathe vaguely recalls he needs to hit the rockets again soon.

When the last of the stun bolts puts it on the ground, it's with Hadrix still held in its mouth and its lower jaw hitting the ground creates a situation with good news and bad news. The good news being it doesn't land chin first. The beast growls, groans and drunkenly stumbles left to right as its eyes roll back and it exhales on its way to the ground, turning to its side so that the big man lands on his back - leg stuck in the mouth of the creature, and the top of its muzzle on his gut - forcing the air out of him.

One massive leg of the boar wolf kicks, axe-bit claws churning dirt and causing a momentary reflex tightening of the jaw that opens Hadrix's mouth in a sound akin to the beasts whom he is currently trapped beneath while his foot flops on the other side of the muzzle.

But at least they brought it down??

Karys gets what she wants, Rathe arrives for some muscle. Of course he has bigger worries on his mind now that he's gotten closer. No way Karys could have known what he'd see when he landed. His vox opens up. <"Karys. I want you to stay on the Hadrix side of the thing. I'll need you to tournequet the leg temporarily, right up high on his pelvis. I'm going to free him. Then you're going to run him the plasma from your kit while I deal with the damage.">

Rathe's tone wasn't doom, but it was simply business, an almost instructional tone. He's been tutoring her as a medic for some time know, he's confident in her abilities and that she will listen. The yelling will come later. He doesn't even warn Hadrix this is going to hurt, passing out may be a good thing.

Step one... prize the jaws off the Hadrix. Step two. Ensure the good Hadrix leg does not kick him out of angry spite. Step three... stabilize. <"It's a clean break, Al'verde."> He briefly considers inquiring if Hadrix would prefer a cybernetic pegleg instead of the temporary pins, and extensive stitching to come before he can get dropped in a tank. Rathe makes a note to check juice box stocks.

There is a decidedly long sigh that translates through the helmet. Karys glances around. <"No others like this, correct?"> Her eyes trace the area but its her visor that is noted as her head turns slowly to take in everything. Words will come later, action is needed now and Karys has studied long enough beneath Rathe to understand what he wants of her. She quickly shoves her pistol away and follows the instructions given to her, bracing, aiding, wrapping, whatever needs to be done as she mutters to herself. About them.

<"Not enough danger in the galaxy we had to come looking for something dumb and wickedly vicious."> Mutter Mutter.

She looks up and around when she can, making sure the blood is not drawing other predators.

He stays awake, doesn't even let out another sound when the zipper rip sound of the teeth pulling out of skin and cuisse over his thigh follow the opening of the jaws. He is already opening the fold-out kit on his left hip - drawing out vials and jamming them into a hypogun while Karys and Rathe go to work on him. It's all field kit work, triage and stabilizers, but someone with Rathe's training would definitely recognize the mixture being turned into the chemical cocktail that Hadrix injects into his jugular so his heart can get it distributed.

"Appreciated..." another breath, "No others, this is the mother. We need one of the pups from inside the den. By the season they should be a few weeks old. Probably ten kilos. Their eyes may not be open yet. Grab the runt. I'll be..." frowning deeper, "I'll be right here." already drawing his sword off his back to strap to his leg like the craziest splint this side of space.

<"Not to send you on the grunt work, love but..."> Rathe isn't exactly elbow deep in Hadrix, but he's a little tied up at the moment. <"Great job on the assist by the way."> He means the medical side, more than he means the assist with taking down the boar. Especially considering she technically gets the score on this team effort. Rathe cannot stop himself. <"What are you talking about? That Board wasn't looking for Hadrix and I"> Rathe deadpans it, badly. He likes playing with fire. What can possibly go wrong. Also since Hadrix is heavily medicating, he's less likely to be sure this next question wasn't drug induced. <"So. hadrix. How hard was learning how to dance?"> Rathe has that 'asking for a friend' tone, but belatedly realizes asking about dancing skills while surgically repairing such a damaged leg was a bit dense on his part.

<"Very well, if you have it in hand."> It being Hadrix and his wounds. Men. She sighs a little but pushes up, giving a quick look around as her HUD picks up the den easily enough. She switches on the helmet light and crosses towards it, disappearing within. There are sounds from the little ones inside and perhaps a little cursing but after a few minutes she returns, holding the smallest of the group in her arms. <"Why we are doing this. I do not know. I still am going to be confused and give you skeptical looks even after you tell me so don't try to justify it. You can not.">

She strides towards them, the runt giving her a little bit of a time from being separated from the rest. She has a trail starting to follow her, the little ones starting to make their way after her now that mother is not making anymore noise.

Grey brown, and almost scaly, flesh with tufts of gray hair along the shoulders and spine as well as the top of the beasts head, the boar-wolf cub yawping in a nasal voice. Not yet the hulking monster like its mother what nearly severed the Al'Verde'Kora's leg. The others, with newly opened eyes, grunting and following scents.

"About as easy or hard as you make it." eyes losing focus as medication begins seeping into him, "I did it because I needed to do something humans do, Lo..." the big man is staring up at the sky, "I had a reason to try and be human... so I did what always say I do, Silver... I focused and I learned." maybe it's percolating thoughts caused by their conversation prior to the action. "I went to the clubs... I watched. Wasn't hard... 'cause I needed to do it." Hadrix's mind is elsewhere now, floaty - or mostly such when he spots Karys returning.

"We'll need to fly, so they can't follow. They'll stick to their mother until she wakes back up." blinking slowly, "I'll need help."

The mother simply sleeps, a horrible headache to come when the boar-wolf wakes, her pups already sniffing at her, some looking to suckle on instinct.