Log:Mandalorians: Watch That First Step
Watch that first step
OOC Date: March 30, 2021
Location: Dxun - Japrael Sector
Participants: Mandalorians, Sumi Kora, Mandl, Terek Rosol, Zelo Parrai, Hahtavi, Narsai Ordo and Hadrix Kora as GM Clan Kora
When the floor opened up beneath it was with a sound like massive bones snapping in the hands of giants before the roar of soil and stone rushing like water was enough to threaten sound dampening designed to protect ears from artillery bombardment. A roiling whirlpool of solid matter that pulled those in the newly discovered branch tunnel within the depths of the Fortress in Shadow.
Moments of terror and uncertainty before silence and shadow deep enough that even naturally keen eyes or specialized heads up systems required the initial beam of light from a hand torch drawn from equipment webbing, just before Hadrix's voice comes in.
<<"Anyone still alive?">> a pained 'ribs hurt' sound in the big man's voice over closed comms. The cavern they've landed in looking to have been part of a corridor in the depths of the original fort, the walls having buckled in the ceiling an unreliably solid looking jumble of stone and dirt that had chased the falling people down - allowing an option most simple, but dreaded by delvers. Left? Or right?
It happened fast and took some by surprise. One moment he was listenint to Hadrix speaking of the history of the place and the next.... Maybe someone with a rocket pack might have been able to react in time, but not Hahtavi. He was a victim of gravity and falling stones.
Not at all certain what just happened, he lays dazed and prone amid a pile of rubble and mostly burried in it, face down. Dust, thick, choking dust if anyone among them didn't have their helmet on just then. Luckily for him, Hahtavi did. Still, he lies without moving except for breathing.
Several seconds pass after Hadrix's voice comes over their coms. Dazed or unconscious, clan Kora's newest tal'at'cuyir does not respond.
The thing about falling was the sudden reminder that gravity was not an ally or friend. Sumi fell, and was mixed up in the chaos of everything, and landed hard below buried beneath (thankfully) smaller rubble. Beskar could not save one from gravity, so when Sumi had hit earlier, there was no bounce. She hit with a loud THUNK, and promptly curled into a protective fetal to protect her head at all costs. In those moments, she passed out from the trauma and only woke to the gravel sound of Hadrix's voice. Sumi answered, <"Unfortunately,">. A hand rises from beneath the rubble searching for something to leverage her rise. Pain was everywhere.
Climbing is not something one can do in a cave-in, but when the cave-in turns to something more like a landslide, the skill has merit. Zelo Parrai, newly in possession of a branded sigil on his right shoulderplate, uses the instincts of both his swimming and his flying background to choose an orientation and dig his the claws of his Skyripper armor - not his, but his by inheritance and still gleaming blue as had been the wont of its previous owner - into the debris and spilling dirt around him to keep his feet pointed in the orientation that he calls 'down.' When the slide stops, his boots alight quickly on the floor of the new tunnel; his helmet quickly begins looking to the left and right, asking that same question. <<"Zelo, alive,">> Comes the short call over comm as he keeps a hand on the wall and looks to the rubble where he sees a hand rising from the rubble like some looming horror of some holoflick. But the timing with the Alor's reply is uncanny and he makes his way over to take the hand and give a pull. Hopefully, between the two of them, they can extricate one Sumi.
<"I've got you, Alor.">
The ground suddenly disappearing is never a good thing. But somehow Terek has managed to keep himself from slamming into the ground.
He flares his rocket pack a couple of times as he falls, dodging debris and slowing his fall, as he moves towards the edge of the cavern.
The cathar trooper sets down once he's close enough to the ground, <"Shavit. That was close. Checking in.">
Mandl's many hours of athletic practice, sit-ups and breathing exercises are doubtless undergone for just such a moment. In a succession of muscular contractions at fortunate and/or well-timed intervals, they utilize the principles of tension and relaxation to endure minimal harm in tumbling and landing, breathing carefully to control their pulse-rate... to start. Later on, breathing-with-intent has more to do with conserving oxygen. Lidless eyes survey the damage, querying: "Has everyone remained alive?"
The impact had hurt, even in her armor. Rattled around and thrown about, there was almost certainly going to be some bruises for Narsai underneath her armor. A groan of her own and the Ordo woman lifting herself upwards to sit and pull herself to her feet. <<"Still here,">> she speaks up, exhaling a breath. <<"That wasn't fun...">>
A wheezing groan that sounds like shale stone being pressured to the breaking point comes when the big man is up, joining the others standing or checking on the others. Among the remnants of the old corridors crafted from cut stone and durasteel reinforcement are iconography of old clans. Most dead, some still standing in some form or fashion, even some now only represented on the homeworld of Mandalore in the form of rabid marauders devoid of their former traditions in the wastes.
The small amount of floor that be found among the litter of soil and rock is black stone that might have once been polished, but wonder of wonders is that as people begin moving, some of the old light fixtures designed like sconce mounted torches buzz. Some give off a glow dimmer than a candle, some simply burst and spit an impotent number of weak sparks.
Hahtavi's prone form is tended to by the Al'Verde Kora, neck and back checked, med-pak scanner swept over him before a sharp is pulled and stims injected into the neck of his armor. <<"Up and at 'em, vod...">> weary voiced still while he looks to and fro.
<<"Well... which way do we start on?">> visor turning towards Mandl while continuing to check on Hahtavi's status as he administers drugs.
Other than bruises and getting his wits knocked out of him, Hahtavi is more or less undamaged. Probably going to hurt for a few days but he rouses. Getting stabbed with needles can do that. <<" Iba'? .. Me'bana? ">> Still somewhat rattled, he belatedly realizes his legs are still pinned by rubble. Thankfully not crushed. Hahtavi starts to pull himself free, twisting to push rocks off of himself, movements a bit stiff, <<" Jate'kara. ">> Yeah, he was lucky. It will take him a few moments to extract himself, get to his feet and take stock. The stims rapidly are helping his head clear, <<" Everybody all right? ">>
Mandl was with them! Hahavi turns his visor about to look for the Biff and account for the others. The sputtering ancient lights trying to come to life are noted, drawing his attention.
Sumi's hand tightens over the one offered, and she is exhumed from the rubble like a dusty corpse given life. Still armored and protected, for the most part, the century old soldier leans heavily upon Zelo then to test her leg. In truth, she might be hanging on him TOO much for comfort. <"Yes, you do,">, she answers Zelo's 'I've got you, Alor.'
When she tests her leg, it's too painful to put weight on /right now/, so she fishes her arm around the Nautolan's shoulders and limp walks. <"Sorry, I will be a burden for a few minutes. Gotta get the blood flowing..ugh.."> Sumi isn't paying any mind to their surroundings, her 'bell' is still ringing.
Zelo gives a pull and helps the alor shrug off the debris and rock that had pinned her. He holds up to the extra weight with patience while she sorts things out. But then they aren't separating and the Alor's got an arm on his shoulder and he nods his arm holding to her for added support. <"Then I guess we're walking together for now. Soon as we know where to walk to, of course. For now, a little pacing to try to stimulate that blood, right?"> There isn't much else to do though. He's completely out of his element here - no water to swim in, no sky to fly in... Just... all rock and corridor.
While he's helping Sumi get in some paces, Zelo does a physical pat-down with his free hand, ensuring all of his weapons are still intact and attached and breathes a sigh of relief when both slings are still carrying their weight.
Mandl nods agreement, or perhaps mulls options while distributing stims to the ailing. "Mining does not teach you everything about every tunnel ever," they caution those looking to them for instant answers. A shrug? "Dr. B'rot says we treat our injured, we make certain everyone is hydrated and we move as one. Suggests the tunnel with miners, as they are more likely to have a way back to the surface?"
Still rattled, still dizzy, possibly getting over having her Beskar-plated bell rung, Narsai braces a hand against the tunnel wall. Eyes sweep behind the visor, looking for obvious signs of direction or purpose...but finding none in favor of blurrily settling on one of her companion's rear.
At least Sumi was intact?
A trek over stone and hard scrabbling humps of soil lead towards the relative right - the exact compass point lost for now as intermittent flares of ancient and failing wall lights mingle with any of those from the now, unintended, caver expedition beneath the surface of Dxun. Personal lights stabbing into darkness and the sound of metal on stone growing audible for all. Though lacking the regularity of a staccato beat of miners working in unison.
The ceiling becomes shaped stone and buttressed arches, walls with decaying symbols of clans and even some old time chewed weapons displayed. But it's Zelo's eyes that catch that the floor has ruts in it. Narrow ones on each side of the hallway that spans a width of 4 meters across and 7 in height.
The ruts themselves bearing markings of rounded boot like prints that trail towards a lumbering pair of figures, caught sight of by Hahtavi, marching away from the Mandalorians (and one Bith) following the track. Utilitarian in design. Function over form and themselves having the Mythosaur skull image etched into their shoulders
It seems that what Terek reports and Mandl gave his opinion on sways the decision of the group. Hahtavi eyes Sumi but Zelo's assisting her. A nod to them and he turns to take point, moving as quietly as he may now the stims have him sharp and alert.
The sounds of mining lure them. Hahtavi is cautious though because he doesn't know who's down here and Hadrix didn't seem to know either, so... his Galaar is slung around from his back, now in hand. The symbols upon the walls, the floors, the flickering not-torches are all studied in passing briefly. The ruts are noted, watching where he steps. Hahtavi stays close along one wall as they draw closer.
Then he sees figures ahead. He quickly gestures and quietly uses his helmet's coms, <<" Caught a glimpse. Two figures ahead of us. They ... seemed lumbering. With the Mythosaur skull sigil upon their backs? ">> But who would be down here that Hadrix didn't know about?
Sumi does not hear a hutt-sucking thing, aside from the one liner Zelo gives her to respond with, <"That /is/ what she said."> Humor aside, Sumi's stubborn nature as a soldier had her removing the burden she put on Zelo to stand on her own. In some miraculous way, she had found a way to put weight on her foot again (probably the stim Mandl applied that /really/ got the juices flowing.
Limping still, Sumi makes up the rear of the group for being a liability if she were on point. She leaves it to the younger, more able bodied while she tried to sort out her life in the meantime. <"Someone turn off that ringing noise."> She says in a not so stealthy fashion. What ringing noise, Sumi? She baps the side of her helmeted head, and shakes out the 'cobwebs'.
Zelo glows a blue that's only barely seen throuth some of the fine cracks in his armor at the seams, as he understands Sumi's joke after a moment. When she takes her own weight is around the time that he points out the twin tracks in the corridor. <<"Tracks, either side of the corridor. Scraping, dragging, some kind of rut.">>
When Hahtavi points out the figures ahead, Zelo is prepared, lowering more to the ground and moving while his boots barely lift off to set quietly back down. Silently, he pulls up the E-11 - quarters, as always, far too close to work from any real distance and in need of the faster recharge his carbine offers. He waits for an order, or for the chaos to break loose. That's how fights almost always start. Sideways.
Terek might be doing a great job at tracking down what they're after, but unfortunately he fails to see the large root that's at his own feet, as he stumbles over it, slamming his armored form to the ground.
He quickly tries to roll off to one side of the cavern in order to hide in the shadows and hope whoever's down there didn't spot him.
Mandl stays flat against the curvature of the tunnel, if they can, arming themselves only as a matter of protection-- odds distinctly favor the Mando'a in combat situations, as opposed to "the geologists." Still trying to get a read on the situation, they move with patient exactitude and attempt to make... almost no noise...
Narsai herself is still a little off-balance, bracing herself against the wall rather than another of the team and easing her weapon from her belt at the warning of contact. A soft exhale and a shake of her head, the Ordo leader tries to move as softly as she can...right up until her bracing arm slips and her shoulder impacts against the cavern wall with a thunk of metal and a muttered curse.
The clattering fall pauses the two figures that turn at the waist only, legs still facing away, revealing arms built as a blade on the left and a small repeater on the right. Glowing red optics in the form of Crusader armors thicker cross and pointed vertical in its T design. Panning left to right and fixing blasters before one emits in a warbling tone of failing, ancient, electronics.
"Halt. Trespassing. Drop weapons and raise hands. You have five seconds to comply." of course it's all in Mando'a... thus potential gobblety gook to those not versed in the language. Lower halves beginning to traverse to face towards the apparent intruders... right arms raising with the indicator that it was a very fast five count while blasters prime with a warbling thrum.
<<"Fierfek...">> Such language Hadrix!!
A potential altercation unless anyone has clever ideas.
You need to remember that he's from Manda'yaim, a place of barbaric Mandalorians who grew up focused on killing each other. So what does Hahtavi do when suddenly faced by two droids speaking Mando'a to them and threating to shoot them, he smart mouth's right back at'm in Mando'a, <<" You can suck my <censored>, chakaaryc! ">>
Hahtavi opens up on the constructs with his Mandalorian made rifle. The Galaar fires off two shots in quick succession even as he steps to the side abruptly to try and get behind cover. Unfortunately both of his shots miss or are deflected. No need to shout a warning to the group as all hell starts to break loose. Fun times!
<"What's the deal up there, do we hate them, do we not?"> Sumi asks not so stealthy like, her voice echoing just after the droids start to talk. <"Ah, rekk it, I hate them.."> In the blink of an eye, Sumi releases a discharge from a Tenloss disruptor pistol she seems to pull out of no where. <"Comply with this, you huttsucking, floor-caving-in automaton!"> She misses, but whatever stood beside those droids is disintegrated in a heartbeat. <"Rekk me, I missed.">
Mandl snaps off a shot of their own, intoning in passable Mando'a: <<Unkind words! Unpleasant/irritating circumstances upon you!>>
Zelo is dropping to a knee the moment they start speaking Mando'a. Mandalorian drones with guns? <"You first,"> the Nautolan confidently calls, fueled in part by his agitation at being caught out. The sniper sets to doing what he does, lancing a blaster bolt straight through the main sensor array of the first drone as it drops into a metallic heap. Pivoting quickly to snap off the second shot, this one goes a little bit low and just puts a fair-sized hole through the middle of the second drone. <"Okay, that would have been cooler if I'd gotten them both..."> But he says all of this in Mando'a as well, so perhaps his vanity isn't entirely on public display. He's so self-conscious about the words that came out of his mouth that he just kneels there, not seeking cover.
Terek is still down in a prone position, and fires off a pair of shots from his rifle, pushing himself up to his feet and trying to advance on the drones. His shots are wide from the movement.
He's gotta try to keep on the pressure, though can drones even feel pressure? He's not even sure about that.
Drones with guns indeed, Narsai's blaster comes up even as her eyes widen in suprise at the firing of a disruptor weapon. She'd seen one of those before, and that last encounter was horrific. Obviously the fall had been hard, the redhead's aim wavers as she fires twice, both shots going wide.
Blasterfire, disrupter explosions and one of the droids on the ground in a sparking heap - the corridor already beginning to suffer from a pall formed from expended tibanna and plasma munitions. The air still hums with the rattle of the tenloss weapon. The one droid silenced the other opens up even as it begins to march towards the group, right arm lowering towards the form of the Cathar while the barrels of its blaster spin up and a burst of shots stitch along the wall as Hadrix makes to interpose himself, taking the shots on the beskar shoulder and torso plates of his suit to give the other 'cover' of a form.
<"Save a CPU if you can, maybe we can get something from it."> grunting out the words while the impact of the blaster bolts have still given him a proper shake of his bones and heated him up within the confines of his plates.
The droid proceeds ever, unable or unwilling to notice its own damage.
"Remove yourselves, intruders. Drop your weapons. Lethal force shall be used."
All hell has broken loose and Sumi in particular firing /that/ pistol but missing makes the little hairs all over his body sort of stand on end! It's a good thing that her shot didn't hit one of them. It's also a good thing that Hahtavi's not naked so everyone can see his skin prickling into gooseflesh!
Not disuaded, now behind what cover the tunnel girders provide, Hahtavi keeps firing until the second droid goes down. <" Lethal force is what we do. "> A nod of his helmet to Hadrix's orders, <" CPU, understood. Anyone here know how to do that? "> Not him! But he'll cautiously step up and past the downed droids to take up a position so he can watch the tunnel further along and keep watch for any more possible hostiles while his team mates check out the downed droids.
Imagine the clench factor from firing one!
Sumi lowers the smoking weapon and holsters it in a smooth fashion, stomping her way to the front and crunching some 100+ year old bones and dented faceplated armor to get a better look. Clicking on a light that's attached to her helm, she shines the beam further down the shaft, finding other robots long since shutdown and frozen in the middle of their purpose. Her light pans back to a satchel clutched in the skeletal hands of a long passed Mando'a. She picks it up and flips open the leather satchel top to peer inside. <"Hell, this is older than me. Got some old data cards and disks in here."> She holds up the satchel for someone more tech savvy to take it from her before she accidentally breaks it.
Zelo shakes his head, perhaps clearing the vision of the discharge from Sumi's strange weapon out of his eyes. Hahtavi's finished the second drone and nobody on his side has been hurt yet. So far, so good. As he sees Sumi peering ahead, and then making for a long-forgotten satchel, the Nautolan turns his head and listens as actively as one can. <"I'm... Not much for electronics if it's not in a ship, Hahtavi... Hearing something though. There's some passage, not that far ahead."> He strains to hear more, only gaining a little more information. <"No animals, no droids... But the sound of shifting rock. It may not be entirely stable, possibly? Could be worth checking out if we can lay some rope for a guideline... Maybe we can climb back up?"> The tenor voice through the pragmatic vocoder speaker relays all the information he can to those around. It's not his place to make the calls... But it is his to volunteer.
<"I'm pretty comfortable climbing if we need a volunteer.">
The cathar moves to the drone, and kneels down next to it. He roots around on it for a moment or two, hmming softly to himself, "There.." He stands up and motions to Mandl, "There's the CPU, grab it."
<<"I'm barely able to see straight,">> Narsai muses, clearing her throat and shaking her head once more. Trailing along after the others she looks towards the climb before glancing back towards Hadrix, Sumi, Hahtavi and then the warriors she knew to a lesser degree in turn. <<"But...I should be able to get up there with my pack if nothing else.">>
Mandl lifts a hand. "Yes, yes, Mandl is qualified...." they volunteer.
Drag-foot stepping, some, while he keeps with the others - having been quietly ignoring the hip injury the fall had issued him, Hadrix moves up alongside Narsai to rest a hand on one of her shoulders, <"I'm going to have a caf-brewer installed after this... Days like this call for caf."> chuckling weakly before he looks to Terek and Mandl for the work to be done now found.
<"Sumi'Alor, suggest we let Zelo go climbing... Hahtavi - support if you're any sort of dab hand for climbing?"> looking to Terek and then back to Sumi, head ducking slightly in the 'I was giving orders while you were here' oops stance - taking the satchel she offers out when close enough.
But it remains quiet - another pair of such droids found, totaling six including the ones they'd finished off, and more bodies in the wreckage. Zelo's further explorations finding a crack in the wall, running up to the corridor ceiling and up into darkness. Potential salvation?
Sumi nods to Hadrix, confirming his orders while disconnecting a wrist device from her armor to pass over the Hahtavi. <"To help with the climb,"> she prefaces. If one were to look close enough they'd see the wrist device had an ascension line and grappling hook. Her attention goes back to their surroundings and she roots around the dead and ancient old crusader armor for any other goodies. Bones and old leathery flesh do not seem to bother the stoic Mandalorian.
Zelo's report is listened to and then Hadrix gets a nod, <" Not great but do my best, Al'verde. "> He gives Zelo a nod and moves to join his comrad to see what they can do with climbing up to see what they may see. Only, Hahtavi pauses when Sumi offers him a device to help.
<" Thank you, Alor. "> He watches her point out it's function and then he puts it on, securing it firmly before giving it a try. Very clearly, Hahtavi's never used an ascension line. He fires it but it's not a good shot and doesn't secure properly. Nope, that didn't help. Patiently he sets to figuring out how to reel the line back in, trying to figure it out.
You'd think he was a Mando trainee or someth'n.
Zelo nods. <"We're on it. Will report when we see where this leads."> Zelo nods on his way to the crack, examining it as he claps Hahtavi on the shoulder. He lets the other man lead so he can follow for climbing assistance. The Nautolan may not be a mountain climber, but you get a certain level of surety when you are practiced in climbing on top of your ship while it's in the air...
Zelo watches Hahtavi's missed fire and shakes his head a little. He squeezes past and takes a couple tentative holds upwards. He leans down and reaches for Hahtavis hand, which he leads to a particular hold. <"This is a good place to start. Try coming up a couple of holds, I think you'll get a better angle for the line."> Zelo continues, taking the inside of the crack but not getting too far out of reach of Hahtavi. Everyone gets up, or no one does.
Mandl kneels, spending time there dutifully extracting the computer-cores in salvageable condition-- their species' reputation for fussy, detail-oriented digital work serves the unit well. But they do want every possible chance to retrieve useful data. So it takes time and care.
Woozy head or not, they needed to move. Narsai gives a little soft appreciative chuckle to Hadrix's words. With some of the others looting and both Zelo and Hahtavi making their way to the upward path, Narsai takes a moment to catch her breath, coiling like she were intending to make an acrobatic leap. And she does, but it's not powered by any force magic or enhanced muscles. Instead a flare of her jump pack and an elegant twist of her form had the red-armored Reviver touching down above.
For the moment, Terek is standing guard while Mandl does their thing. He's keeping an eye out for any potential threats...Once Mandl is done, then Terek may take the time to jet out of the cavern with the others that are climbing their way up. He does wish he'd brought an ascension cable though.
It's a long work, using the guide lines set by Hahtavi and Zelo in the wake of the upward path that Narsai discovers on wings of plasma fire. Stops and re-works through the darkness. Moments where rest must be taken by 'standing' and leaning against the narrow wall to give balance and a modicum of rest before it all begins again.
Seeming to go on forever until roots and grasses give way to thick jungle air, with filtered light dappled gray and green. A hump of turf pushed aside and a passage found for those who had fallen through the surface to make their way up again, with information of the depths of the hill where Bral'Prudiise was burrowed into. A glimpse at further history to be found once exploration was committed again.
Zelo's input is welcome. His team mate knows more about climbing than he does so Hahtavi listens with intent that he learn something and improve his own skill. They begin working their way up together, Narsai rocketing up past them. Theirs is the slower path but still worth doing.
And then he and Zelo break through up into the humid, fresh air of the jungle. Hahtavi looks around, his rifle slung over his back ere he'll turn to Zelo and clap a hand on the other's shoulder, <" Thank you for your assistance, vod. I will be a better climber for it. Now, let's see if we can get the others up. ">
And when they are all back together, Hahtavi will return Sumi's wrist lazer. They are all battered and bruised! Hahtavi cautiously peers back down into the darkness, <" Going to need to explore. See what's down there. If anyone is game. "> A hint of challenge and amusement in his tone.
Zelo tucks himself hard into the thinnest reaches of the crack as Narsai rockets past but continues climbing, occasionally coaching Hahtavi on some of the holds as they progress ever upwards. Driving in the anchors is easy, they'll just need to descend again with a line to thread. The ship can't be TOO far away, by the length of their travel and the moderate brevity of the fall. Once summited, he's thanked by Hahtavi. <"You like to shoot range, right? Practice on your ship, if you don't. Lock the hover and you can bring your own nest with you to the engagement. Assuming they don't have... Rockets."> Or ascension lines. <"I have cables on my ship, I'll fetch them and we can pass it back down for the rest."> And off he runs to do just that.
Is he smiling under that helmet? Yes. He shot well today.
Mandl climbs up the old-fashioned way, ably enough. They do fret at the collapse? "... at least let Dr. B'rot put a hatch in. A simple elevator. If it isn't reinforced?" They shrug. 'More collapses,' they mime, wearily, handing the rescued computer-cores to safety.
