Log:Misty Islands

Misty Islands

OOC Date: August 31, 2019
Location: Misty Islands, Dargul
Participants: Palena Maris, David Ironside, Rial Het, Dyannah Nerus, Merek, Sajin, Aryn Cole

Misty Islands, Dargul

This island is surrounded by an invasive mist of white. Unlike the sea, where visibility was reduced to 10ft or so, this mist acts more as a fog. Our heroes awake upon a shore, wreckage all around them, the waves washing them to the sandy beach. Thunder rumbles from above, and the tropical trees blow. There's no sound from wildlife here, just the low grumbling growl of a nearby volcano as it vibrates the ground, and the rustle of wind blowing.

It feels like early morning; and what does that feel like? It's the kind of morning where you don't want to get up but something urges you to. Everyone wakes up to the sound of ocean water beating against the sandy shoreline. It's a constant symphony, soothing, calming, until the luke-warm water coats everyone who lies upon the shore and briefly submerges them, urging them further up the beach.

Those who awaken, recall only the last moments before a horrific storm that split the cargo liner in two. With the seamonster defeated, the Drowners cast overboard, the only enemy they had left was mother nature herself, and she was a cruel mistress.

Avlin Rey, the noble responsible for this entourage, is seen further up on the beach being consoled by her Knight Commander. Sparsely positioned are the survivors of the Dock battle and sea battle. More and more people are coming up from the shore, dragging sopping wet clothing and weapons they managed to cling to when the ship capsized in the night.

Around them all, the island is blanketed by a fog. The air is humid, and there's a hot breeze that carries with it the sulfur like smell of molten rock. The very ground that is beneath them rumbles with the fury of the planet as a churning volcano produces a mist from the rain that has been falling since before they arrived on the shore.

Among those who have survived, Dr. Aryn Cole is laid out on the beach in a fetal position. Not yet conscious, and still within reach of the water. She clutches her weapon, yet looks pale and is shivering.

Merek looks up from the beach, while he takes a moment to consider all of the sky, then he looks about while he shifts up with a look to the shore as well. He checks on his weapon while he takes a moment to switch some of what he is wearing, then he makes a way to Aryn, leaning to check on the woman while he sighs, "You alright?" he asks, seeing if she can speak with them, while he tries to see what is the problem with her also.

Similarly lacking consciousness, David Ironside starts to stir. At the sound of Merek's voice, he groans and covers his face with a hand to block out the light. "Are we there yet?" he asks, entirely unfocused and unaware of where there actually is or where he's supposed to be. He scrambles to his feet, leaning on a DC-15 rifle that he definitely had last time too don't even ask.

Palena jerks awake from the darkness of unconsciousness to find herself pressed to the water-clogged, hard-packed sand of a shoreline. It's not a gradual awakening. It's abrupt. Darkness one second, consciousness the next. Pressing her hands against the ground, sand shifts and divots underneath her fingers and her upper body rises from its prone position at the hips. Fine grains of sand cling to her cheek and adorn her matted hair, and her skin looks less flush from where the heat of her body has seeped through her soaked clothes and into the ground. Everything is sore. The last thing she remembers is the bomb she made exploding, and then the ship making some awful noise. Casting her dark gaze around, she looks for familiarity.

And finds nothing. Groaning and moving slow, Palena drags herself up and out of the sand to rise to her feet. Her boots aren't full to the brim, but they're flooded with water. She makes a mental note to fix that as soon as possible. Unable to see much because of the fog permeating their vicinity, she nonetheless searches among the gathered before finding Doctor Aryn Cole huddled up. Stumbling over, Palena takes deep breathes to try and clear the pounding from her head. "Doctor Cole?" She waits only a few seconds for an answer. "Aryn?" She almost trips over her own sluggish feet, but manages to stay upright. Reaching the noble, she takes a knee and extends a hand to shake at her shoulder. "Aryn." This time her voice is more firm. It urges the blonde to wake up.

Disoriented is inadequate to describe the headache and cold. Blue hair over her eyes, jacket gone in the struggle to swim ashore, Dyannah lays stomach down on the sand, finger clutching the sand. The holster which had weighed her down in the water might be a saving grace yet, two blasters survived her near drowning. Panicked as she comes awake she reaches out around her searching through her senses for someone familiar.

Sodden, caked with sand, she pushes herself upright. Before she has even risen to a sitting position she has rummaged the beach searching for her crew mate. 'Ahhh,' she breathes to herself when she recognizes his mind. <Rial?> Through the connection she questions him without words, <Alright?>

Sajin is laying prone on the sand. He starts to stir, gloves hands reaching out to grab at the grains of sand. "Nooo... not yet Ori. Anya might wake up." He stirs some more, laughing in his daze, "Stop... you know that tickles when you do that." The suddenly he stops. "Wait... where am I... what happened?" He sits up quickly and looks around. "Oh boy... not good." He checks yo make sure all his equipment made it out okay.

Rial Het drags himself in his sodden attire up the shore as the rising waters push him back toward consciousness. "Never.. been so glad. To have left me best jacket at home," the rogue mutters to himself. Casting a sandy blue eye around the shoreline to take stock of the other survivors. "Dy?" he manages, with more volume, relaxing when he feels that empathic presence. "The good doctor's still with us, that's good," he notes. "And the noble lady at the root of the matter, as well," he adds, noting the native noblewoman. "Good, so we've not blown it all yet, just fine."

Aryn comes to with a start, drawing in a sharp breath. The item her hands cradle reveal a lightsaber, and she's to the point of activating it when she looks up to see a soaked Palena. Aryn tries to speak, but turns to her stomach and coughs as more water from an incoming wave gently spreads over the pair, who are huddled near Merek and Dave. Aryn coughs a series of coughs and pushes up to all fours. "Palena.." She manages, her voice strained and choking. The Jedi doctor falls back into the sand a moment, then tries to rise again. "Are you.. okay?"

Lady Avlin rises up from where she's been and ushers everyone to bring it in. Rather than yell though, the fragile woman looks to her Knight Commander. "Everyone.. bring it in!"

Merek lifts back away a bit when Aryn is lifting up also, "Well, it looks like you're fine," he says, then he takes a moment to look to the others, checking in on them. He seems to consider, making his way to look towards the island in thought as well.

Now on his feet, David takes the time to check the energy levels on the ammo pack on his rifle, nodding mostly to himself before lowering the weapon, holding it in his off-hand as he looks around. "Everyone good? Anyone need a hand?" he asks. "Any more ass biters around?" he adds cautiously.

Hooking a hand underneath Aryn's arm, Palena rises and tries to help the Doctor rise with her. "That's a silly question to ask, Doctor. We're alive, aren't we?" At the moment, that seems the best that any of them can hope for. Scouring the vicinity for anything the Doctor might have dropped, Palena then checks her own equipment before a hoarse voice calls out for all of them to gather together. Shooting an exasperated look in his direction, Palena finishes helping the blonde noble to her feet before trying to brush sand off of her own tunic. It doesn't help much, and she abandons the endeavor when it's clear what a futile effort that is. She settles for trying to brush her hands off, instead, and hovers near Aryn's side.

Dyannah assesses what survived the night in the water with a wry smile. Her boots squelch as she gets to her feet. The next wave drives her up the beach towards the doctor and the others, "Well, the principles made it. And you. I'm glad for that," she comments as she reaches Rial's side. "How many of us made it?"

Sajin moans, "I feel like I went on a bender last night." He moves to stand grunting as he does so. He rolls his shoulder the servos from his armor whining. A small spark shoots out and the hapan tisks. "Damn it..." Covered in sand and still damp, he was thankful for the armors thermal insulation. He moved towards the guards and helps anyone who might need it.

Rial Het gives Dyannah's arm a warm squeeze, a breath of relief let out as he complains with a wink, "Afraid me boots will be ruined after this, aye?" Turning his regard toward the summoning knight, he notes in answer to Dy, "The big lad is hollering. If we wander that way, will probably get a decent count."

"I don't feel fine, Merek.. but it'll do." She says while coming to her feet to stand beside Palena. An appreciative nod is given in response to the woman's help, but Aryn's attention goes to their surroundings then. She spots Sajin, Rial and Dyannah, David.. Merek, and Palena. The call for everyone to come close earns a pained groan from the Doctor, who starts to trudge up the beach.

When everyone has gathered, the Knight Commander steps back to allow Avlin the attention of the others. She is a frail woman, small and fair. She doesn't even carry a weapon, but she makes use of her hands to gesture. "I am so thankful for you all. The fact we are alive, and survived the Duchess' wrath is a miracle.. but our fight is not over yet. My men tell me that a distress signal has been found on the other side of this island. While I've a mind to move everyone, I don't want to risk missing any others that may wash ashore or stumble in to find us. I'm asking a lot, but I need volunteers to look into that signal. If there's even a chance that we can find a way off this island, we must seize it. Now, I ask for volunteers..."

Aryn coughs again, but raises her hand and steps out.

Merek looks to the pistol which he has, while he twirls that from the holster, with a nod to the Knight Commander, "I will volunteer," he says, while he looks about the shore and back to Aryn with a nod when she speaks. Then he's looking to some of the others also, seeing which of them will likely volunteer also.

David glances at the surf, then back at the frail Avlin. "I volunteer." he speaks, standing up straight. "Beats sitting here waiting for more of those.. what were they again? Anyway. Those things. You know the ones." He seems to realize he's rambling a little, and quiets down. "So. Yeah. Distress signal, that-a-way." he gestures with his rifle, keeping the right hand free at all times near his blaster pistol.

Without hesitation, Palena steps forward to join the others volunteering to go. If they're going to investigate a distress beacon, she doesn't think they should send a scant few. There may also be some small part of her that thinks being around the woman with the lightsaber is a safer bet than right next to the ocean with a handful of guards, especially after what transpired on the ship. The mere thought of the creatures from the ship would be enough to make her shiver, if she wasn't already trembling from a lack of heat. It may be humid, but laying in the lukewarm water for so long has sapped a lot of heat from her. She thinks they should take a moment to eat and rest, but she's not in charge. She steps towards where the shoreline turns into drier ground and peels her boots off to dump the water from them. She'd rather not trudge around in water-logged footwear.

"Whatever it is that needs doing," the zeltron says in a low rough voice more for Rial's ears, she covers his hand with her own and squeezes it before stepping forward. "I'll go," she croaks once and has to clear her throat. Hand raised, boots squeaking, she approaches Aryn then gestures to herself. "I can, as well"

Sajin is rubbing his shoulder as he listens. He glances towards the hills and what other natural obsticals their may be. "Sure, Ill give it a go." He shrugs.

"Aye, fair play then," Rial mutters as he joins the other explorers. Aside to Dy, he notes, "You look better without the jacket, anyhow." Taking belated stock of his belongings, the rogue turns an eye inland, surveying the terrain ahead.

"Ah, so it's settled. Lady Aryn will take her companions to the other end of the island and discover the nature of this signal. Meanwhile, my people and I will remain here, and set up an aid station for those who may still return." The Lady dips her head in gratitude toward the heroes that volunteer, and the Commander steps forward to provide the signal tracker.

In the hours that follow, the group was permitted to prepare for departure, rest a bit, and garner what food resources were available before departing the friendly 'lines' to trek further into the jungle island.

For hours, the Volcano looms ahead of them, tall and dark, foreboding. The closer they get, the more the ground feels like it's vibrating. They cross a series of clearings, rock faces, and wooded jungle; even a river where molten rock met water and steamed. Yet they saw no sign of life.

When at last they had made it to the other side of the island, it was nearing nightfall. The trek had been long and hard on everyone. As they worked their way toward a clearing, they could see a network of caves, or the opening of caves, at the foot of the volcano roughly 50m out. Outside those same caves, a grand pile of driftwood and sticks had been stacked upon a stone platform that looked to be a part of an ancient ruin. Dark figures move about, large in number, and appear to be carrying others who do not match what the majority are wearing.

8 humanoids were strapped to large spars and carried like game to the fire pier. The dark figures hoisted each spar up and placed the ends into jagged stone intended to hold the spars over the prepared fire.

Aryn slides down from a small hill and takes cover behind a large rock stealing a moment to watch this. "I think we found the source of our distress signal. Can anyone see anything. I'm having trouble making out much."

Merek looks forward with the low-light of the helmet which he has on, then he speaks to a comlink, <<It looks like there's at least twenty warriors about the flame,>> he mentions, while he shifts the weapon of his to his side while he takes up with the back of the group also.

David's gaze is kept closer to the group. Squinting, he pats Merek on the back, forgetting which of his limbs is cybernetic at this moment and playing it safe. When he gets the attention he needed, he points out, without speaking, a hunting party of five, heading in their direction from about 10 meters out. "Guns?" he speaks quietly, deferring to the one with the low-light helmet.

The trek isn't easy. For Palena, who is not used to traveling such distances in such a short amount of time, it's a grueling journey. By the time they reach a spot to hunker down near the clearing, most of the muscles in her body ache and burn. Sweat drips in thick rivulets down the nape of her neck and her face. The clinging of her clothes feels constrictive, and the humid atmosphere has her ready to beg for even just a simple breeze. All the personal discomforts evaporate in the face of the discovery they make, and as Palena gets a good measure of what is happening before them, adrenaline begins to surge through her system and revitalizes her with energy. The rays of light left from the star sinking towards the horizon glint off something.

"I see a ship near the shore," Palena whispers to Aryn, urgent, and gestures with her hand in a low motion to indicate the general direction. "It looks like there's some smoke coming from it, but it doesn't look destroyed. That could be our way off this island."

"Salt water," Dyannah retorts with irritation. "Well, not as though we can't replace it." She narrows her eyes at Rial's comment but a smile tugs a corner of her mouth.

Clothes have dried more or less on the slog through the jungle, the chafe of her holster making her fall behind to loosen it on their trek. Sand, insects, heat and the long trek make for an unhappy woman when they finally come to a stop.

Crouching she peers forward. Vague shapes move before the fires. There is a general miasma of fear rising from the forms strapped to the stakes. Further on, some twenty meters or so, the vague shapes of animals pacing small cages can be seen. Frowning, she tugs on Rial's sleeve. "This...this smells of a sacrifice."

Sajin looks around, "There are more of the by the shore... "

Rial Het mutters with a wince, "I see a lad with a torch- there by the cave mouth- trying to light the pyres." He looks aside to the others, pointing out the torchbearer he has spotted. "It's out of range for me pistol, but any soul with a long gun who means to not let eight souls get burnt up, a stun bolt or three would be well spent right there."

"Damn it." Aryn says. There's an overwhelming number of reports, and the chief among them being there's a hunting party closing in on them. Aryn motions everyone to hug the rock. "Okay, " She says in an urgent whisper. "There's a ship, Palena says..I can see the trail of smoke coming from it.. It's by the shore. Sajin says there's more people at the shoreline too. Some twenty or so natives, for a lack of better term, by the pyres with another trying to spark a torch to life." This is said, gesturing to Merek and Rial. "We don't have a lot of time to act. We need to get this hunting party away from us, or we'll be dinner too!" Aryn is wrestling with how she feels about using a lightsaber on a primitive. She stares at it a moment, the weight of a decision needing to be made. "I will stay behind and handle the hunting party. The rest of you move forward and try to help those people. There's too many factors at play here to dance around being lighthanded. It's our survival on the line."

Aryn takes a deep breath, then motions the others to leave her at the rock. They have 20m of land to cross to reach the pyres, or 30m to the shoreline. What has priority to the group? Saving those people, or getting to the ship?

"... Alright, I'm going to move in on the pyre, taking cover, we'll get into a position to take them on, play it smart," Merek offers, with a nod to the others. There's a shift of his weapon while he makes a way to one of those trees while he leans up onto it, with a shift of his weapon, lifting his fingers a bit to point to a few other covers for anyone coming with him also.

David nods at Merek. "With you." he tells his old comrade. "You tell me when, alright?" he suggests in passing, taking cover behind a nearby rock outcropping. He immediately positions his long DC-15 rifle on it, steadying the butt against his shoulder. Peering down the barrel, he gives a quick aside glance to Merek, in case his 'go' is nonverbal.

While the ship is one chance out of here, the individuals above the unlit pyre have one hope of not being burned alive. Palena drops her right hand to her hip and draws the blaster pistol there from its holster. Unlike last time, she checks the setting to ensure it's on something other than what she wants, and then disengages the safety. She's mindful to keep the barrel of the blaster angled downwards. Once two of their party break to close the distance closer to the natives, she slips out of cover to follow, keeping low and moving at a fast pace. She gets to another sizeable rock and slips into cover behind it. Once again, she checks the blaster for its setting. This is only one of a handful of times she's ever fired one.

There is a single movement forward then all of the party breaks cover almost simultaneously. Dyannah finds herself trailing Rial's run while they head towards the right breaking from the main group to make them a smaller target. Gun unholstered, Dyannah leaps a stack of wood then crouches to take aim. The particular burr of a lightsaber splits the night along with the zing of blasters released on the pyre builders.

Sajin is fast in that power armor of his, ripping through the landside like a mynock out of a space worms mouth. He slides up to some cover in order tonget in a better combat position atbthebpyre.

Rial Het hurries into position along with Dyannah and Sajin, preparing to make a run for the bound captives once all bets are off. He is keeping his hands free, holdout remaining holstered to better hasten the loosing of bonds. A slow breath drawn in and let out for calm. "Ready."

It's moments like this they bring Aryn to a point of desparation. Why? Why does the wait feel so heavy? The Jedi goes through the ritual of drawing in a deep breath and closes her eyes. She hears the others following her instructions leaving her alone to this crucial task. As the party draws near, Aryn opens her eyes finding a sense of balance and purpose. They scream and charge her, and it's in that moment Aryn justifies her following actions.

The others who leave the jedi behind only hear the snap-hiss of the weapon and the faint glow of blue in the looming evening. The rock blocks the exotic weapon from view. The result of the combat has Aryn cry out in pain, but the results of her melee remain unseen.

Those who pushed ahead are gifted with a cooling breeze fresh from the coast. The fog has lifted a bit, but there is still no sound from natural avian or insect wildlife. The group runs in unison, all of them privvy to the sounds of their footfalls as they quickly close the distance toward the pyres of stone and wood. 21 human shaped creatures wearing fishbone armor and carrying primitive, yet dangerous weaponry, have taken notice of the disturbance further out in the field. Aryn's cry of agony is not something that can go unheard. They begin to bunch and fumble with their weapons. Meanwhile the people above the pyre strain to look. "What's happening?! Has someone found us? HELP!!"

It's moments like this that bring Aryn to a point of desparation. Why? Why does the wait feel so heavy? The Jedi goes through the ritual of drawing in a deep breath and closes her eyes. She hears the others following her instructions leaving her alone to this crucial task. As the party draws near, Aryn opens her eyes finding a sense of balance and purpose. They scream and charge her, and it's in that moment Aryn justifies her following actions.

The others who leave the jedi behind only hear the snap-hiss of the weapon and the faint glow of blue in the looming evening. The rock blocks the exotic weapon from view. The result of the combat has Aryn cry out in pain, but the results of her melee remain unseen.

Those who pushed ahead are gifted with a cooling breeze fresh from the coast. The fog has lifted a bit, but there is still no sound from natural avian or insect wildlife. The group runs in unison, all of them privvy to the sounds of their footfalls as they quickly close the distance toward the pyres of stone and wood. 21 human shaped creatures wearing fishbone armor and carrying primitive, yet dangerous weaponry, have taken notice of the disturbance further out in the field. Aryn's cry of agony is not something that can go unheard. They begin to bunch and fumble with their weapons. Meanwhile the people above the pyre strain to look. "What's happening?! Has someone found us? HELP!!"

Merek looks from the cover while he nods to Dave, then he lifts up a hand to swirl it about to give the fire order. With that, he shifts then from cover so he can stun the torch bearer, with two shots of the blaster managing to hit as well. The bearer manages to get hit where he was bearing the torch, with skill, then another takes a shot from the blaster although that doesn't manage to bother him a lot. He then shifts back into cover while he motions to flank them, not speaking so to keep his position.

David tenses up when Merek starts shooting, one hand underneath the rifle as the furthest tip (these things are LONG) lies on his rocky cover. The pilot exhales, only squeezing the trigger when his lungs are fully empty. The bright blue stun bolt that flies from the barrel does many things, but mainly puts a tree to sleep. "Museum piece.." David mutters under his breath.

Hearing Aryn's cry of pain almost makes her turn back towards the Doctor, but she knows she's committed to helping the others with the pyre and doesn't abandon her position. The sounds of blasters firing begin to fill the air and Palena adds her own to the mix. Sighting one of the injured natives on the ground, she attempts to hit the indigenous warrior with a stun bolt. Her shot goes wide and kicks up a spray of sand harmlessly. Muttering to herself, but not expecting much since she's not a soldier of any kind, Palena attempts to adjust her shot based off where she saw it last go, and starts to line up the blaster again for the next time she pulls the trigger. Around her, the other members of the group are having much more success.

The old saw about Zeltrons may be true: an Zeltron angry is a dangerous thing. The fear that emanates from the beings tied to the stakes angers her. She steadies her arm then fires at one of the beings who stupidly (to her mind) ran towards their position. A shot to its leg makes it falter, her second shot catches it in the torso which makes it spin and fall. Immediately, she rises to run towards one of the prisoners at the stake.

Sajin lays down some heavy fire as he maneuvers just atound his cover to pick off two targets quickly. Each die as they are greviously maimed by the large charged wookiee weapon.

The firing starts and Rial darts our of cover, quickly drawing a small but potent holdout blaster as he does, spreading his fire between three of the warriors blocking his path. One is struck in the arm, another in the leg; both are alive, but are out of the fight, for now. Unfortunately, the sheer number of warriors remaining between him and the target- the eight bound prisoners- leave Rial thoroughly blocked. "Oh, damnation," he mutters under his breath.

The fighting going on behind the group is forgotten as the war cries of some 20 people cry out for vengeance. The group is swarmed with warriors and chaos is everywhere. Everyone is outnumbered, and now it's just a bid for survival. Up close, these natives appear to be blue skinned with yellow snake like eyes. Their bodies are thin, muscular, and covered with bone armor. They have large mouths with teeth that are large too, thin and pointed, they look capable of taking a massive bite from the hide of a bantha and swallowing it whole. Their hair is black, and tied up in a knot at the tip top of their head where sharp horns protrude. All of them carry spears, even the females, and they are bloody good with them.

The survivors at the top of the pyre scream for help!

Merek shifts from that cover while he takes a shot with his blaster into another, managing to strike them on the leg. They won't likely be focusing upon the fight, while he weaves about through the spears that come at him.

David sits on his rear behind a rock, his rifle balancing precariously just above eye level. Grimacing, he puts a hand on the spear currently sticking out of his shoulder, thankful it isn't in the bone and comes out quite easily, albeit making the cut bigger for Dave's carelessness. Having to move the rifle to his other shoulder now, to spare it the fresh pain, he's entirely like a fish out of water as he shoots, wincing as he watches another shot go wide.

When the target she was attempting to stun goes down, Palena begins the search for another. Spears clatter off the rocks around them, and just as she sights on another of the warriors to take a shot at, she feels something punch the air right out of her. It's a strange sensation against the right side of her torso that itches and burns at the same time. Glancing down, Palena sees the short haft of the throwing spear, but not the blade that is mounted to its top. Her hand, quaking, drops down to it and presses against her side, as if to check and see if it's real. She goes from kneeling to falling back into a seated position. A lance of hot pain spikes through her, and her blaster tumbles from her hand. She pitches over into the sand behind the rock and begins panting as if she's just tried to sprint too fast.

It rains sharp danger. Dyannah has to remember the most basic of training to block the cries of help that echo through the night mentally and audibly to the others. Spears thunk to either side of her. Concentrating hard, she tracks Rial and winces as Palena is wounded but is pinned down unable to get to her. Blaster in hand she tracks a native that someone else fires at almost at the same time, the shot takes him in the torso, the second wings another runner in the leg.

Sajin keeps up the covering fire but his next two sota, though loud and of course devestating when they hit, dont hit anyone they need to only sparking and kicking up earth.

Rial Het fires off a shot at one of the warriors obstructing his path to the bound prisoners/entrees. The second time his finger clicks the trigger, nothing happens; the cartridge is spent. Yet the anticipation of a shot that never comes freezes the warrior ahead of him for an instant, and the rogue dashes around, avoiding immediate harm and darting up to begin freeing... whoever these people are.

Aryn Cole has entered the fray, but she is not running. At the rear most position of the fighting entourage, she is witness to their struggle and fight, but just as she's managed to channel the force through her hand to stay the impending attack on Palena from a distance, Aryn is struck across the chest! She cries out, stumbling back and bringing her lightsaber up to defend.

Meanwhile, 5 of the warriors have left the pyres and sprint down the hill toward the beach. They're running for the animals in cages, hoping that by releasing these animals they will gain an upper hand in the battle.

Everyone is swarmed and still fighting. When Rial reaches the pyre, he is able to cut away the bindings with ease, bringing 8 fresh bodies to join our friendlies in this fight!

Merek looks to the natives, then a spear is coming to him. He lifts up his arm while the spear slashes clean into the cybernetics, then he points the weapon at him. "Hey," he greets, then he takes a shot upon the one that slashed him, then he spins the weapon to shoot upon another, both of them are bested, while he looks to his companios that get shot up, back then to the natives. "Someone, shoot free those on the pyre before the beasts are freed."

David, having given up on using his old relic of a rifle, drops the weapon by his side, back against his rocky covering. Reaching with his left hand to unstrap a medpack from his right side, the painful movement in his shoulder shooting into his arm. He gasps, leaning out of cover with a wince. Not that he notices of course, he's in pain! As he sits, hunched over, a spear zips through the air and strikes David hard in the back of the skull, where the spear tip sits for a while as the pilot blacks out. When his body falls, so does the spear.

Palena can hear the chaos of the fight continue to unfold around her, but she can't focus on it. Her mind is fixated on the shooting pain stabbing through her ribs at an interval that matches her quick breathing. Her hands are clutched around her torso, where hot blood is seeping into the synthfiber material of her shirt and staining her palms dark red. It's starting to lighten into a brighter color as she continues to pant, and the sounds of her breaths are turning raspy. She's starting to fight to breathe, and when she coughs -- which triggers a maddeningly painful gasp -- after one of the inhales, there's blood left on her parted lips. It's pinkish and frothy. Palena squirms in the dirt, and starts to try to rise into a seated position. Another spear hurls by not far from where she is, but she doesn't even notice it.

Running, crouching, firing as she dodges towards the cages, Dyannah's shots are wild. Still one staggers clutching his arm, she fires without really taking aim and ohs, wincing hard,as the blast takes it straight in the head. The pain of the wounded breaks through her own mental blocks and she staggers turning to face the last ones rushing to release the animals.

Sajin is not the smartest man, in fact he is likely the dumbest person intellectually in this fight. Even compared to the natives to which he is taking part in wholesale slaughter. However, years in his line of work has taught him that there is an opportunity in violence of action and intense swiftness when it comes to pressing the enemy back. When he spots Rial free the Prisoners he pushes up form cover, hefting that huge wookiee weapon with him and pounds in his power armor violently towards the shore line after those retreating towards the cages. He lets one shot off, sending the Native's righte side back to the quantum realm before taking a shot at his partner, which just barely misses zipping loudly by his body.

Rial Het gains the platform, and draws a sword- small, elegant, he'd kept it for appearances rather than any expected use, yet.. "Here we are, anyway." One prisoner- whoever looks angriest- is tossed a DL-54 hand cannon of a blaster, and he hollers, "Push through to the ship! Grab a spear if you need, on with the lot of you!" Rial Het uses the sword to cut ropes, in case that was unclear.

Aryn is left to fend for herself in the clearing where warriors move around her kicking up dust. She misses one with a loud VWOOMF. Her second attack lands though, and the brilliant blade catches their leg, and disables it in a single slash that emerges high and diagonally from where Aryn had started. Bits of ash and broken primitive bone armor burn up from the strike. She attempts a third attack, but she's quickly surrounded by relief thanks to the freed prisoners. Aryn is not doing well, but she's not dying either. She moves closer to the chaos trying to get a handle on their situation. "What's left?" She cries out.

From the shoreline, most of those trying to reach the cages have been killed. The one that tripped before arrived at a cage, while the only other remaining guy lifted a cage door and freed a rabid Akk Dog.

Merek looks to the natives as well as the people being freed, which also gives a moment for him to check his weapon so he can reload it. He then makes to trees as cover while he waits to fire.

Palena leans against the rock she'd taken cover behind at the start of the firefight. Her head is craned back against the rock and her gaze is trained towards the sky. Her breathing is no longer coming in fast pants. Every inhale is audible and strained, and every exhale gurgles. Like the blood around her lips, the blood against her hands is pink and frothy with bubbles. Utter pain is etched onto her face, and her gaze is distant. Beneath the blood coating her mouth, her lips are turning beginning to blanche and go cyanotic. Her whole pallor seems to be shifting towards pale, and she's sweating more profusely than when she'd finished trekking to their current location. The dark spot where her blood soaks into the fabric of her tunic has spread beyond where her hands cover her wound and ineffectively try to stop it.

A shadow eclipses her, and Palena's gaze flicks weakly and without recognition towards Rial. The strangled noise that comes out of her throat is full of unspeakable pain when she's hefted up and off the ground. Only by luck and luck alone does that jostling of her body not cause the spear to slip out of the wound. Otherwise limp in Rial's grasp, the man is treated to the awful, almost crackling noises coming from her side and her parted lips.

The roar of the released Akk dog startles Dyannah into misfiring, not once but twice. Few of the original party remain standing, Rial has gone to succor the wounded while she stands guard alert for the red scaled thing to lunge. She doesn't dare holster her gun, David is nearest her position, she sidles toward him until she standing close enough to realize that he has passed out. Too heavy for her alone, she stands guard over him, watching helplessly as the Akk Dog that she missed savages Sajin.

Sajin is about to shoot the native who is opening the cage, and he does but not before the door is opened. The guy is obliterated but the thing that has him pausing, is the rabid Akk Dog. He breaths in sharply, a gasp. "It's... it's... SO FREAKING CUTE." Cute? It's rabid Sajin. "DAwwwwwww.... c'mere little guy." He kneels down searching through his fanny pack for food and the like. "Come on bud..." He pulls out one of those hard bread sticks he likes to chew on. "C'm'ere." Unexpectedly (EXPECTEDLY SAJIN YOU DUMBASS) THe Akk Dog lashes out and latches onto his leg, teeth piercing armor. "Yowww!" The Kind og Drik howls shaking his leg like an old man dancing alone at a wedding. There's blood though, old men at weddings don't bleed.

Rial Het shouts back to Aryn's question, "What's left is we get t'the damn ship!" Keeping the sword in hand to defend himself along the way, Rial hastens to lift one of the wounded (Palena) up and start moving toward the relative safety of the waiting ship. "I swear this isn't a joke, but try not to move, aye?" he mutters to Palena, adding, "Sorry, but this is gonna hurt." And then, they're moving.

The natives have all fallen, and the chaos by the pyres is dying down. Aryn's fight with two warriors ends when she cuts the head off a spear and pikes her blade through their center. It's withdrawn from their body to swing again at a second warrior, missing, but following through with a second final attack that slashes across their mid-section. It's done. Aryn stumbles a few steps forward, deactivating her weapon and tumbling to the ground. She stares up at the misty sky, her eyes closing as she tries to breath.

The native by Dy is fighting to get the cage open, and he's left to his own devices while the Akk Dog lunges at a welcoming Sajin, latching onto his leg and playfully growling as it jerks left and right to try and pull the man off his feet.

The prisoners are coming down to the shore now and they free the remaining captives, and begin helping their heroes toward their ship. The lovely David Ironside is picked up, and even Aryn is carried inside. The others swarm the remaining native and Akk Dog!

Merek looks to the natives all about, then he's making a way to where the one is freeing the Akk, lifting his weapon to take a nice clean shot which manages to strike him in the face as well. He then checks the pistol while he takes two more shots at the one on Sajin as well.

Dyannah's mouth drops open at the monumental stupidity of calling an Akk Dog cute. 'What planet is this guy from?' Is written clearly in the outrage on her face. "Noooooo," she yells, but it is too late.

Merek steps in and the dog has made its last lunge. The lovely David is carried to safety and the Zeltron is not far behind him beating a path towards the ship.

Sajin sits down and grabs his right shin, sucking in air through his teeth and then letting out an, "AHHHHHHHHHHHH." He glances over towards the other cages. "Oh there's more... do we have room on the ship? Maybe they can be let go in their natural habitat." He doesn't seem broken up about Rover getting away. The ship in question is a large freighter. The damage sustained appears to be the result of a lightning strike they got when traversing the Mists of Avaria. There's plenty of room for everyone aboard.

It takes some time to bring the systems back online, but eventually the bird is singing. The pilot gets into position, activates the engines, and the coordinates for Lady Avlin and her people are set.

A ship eventually appears on sensor emerging from the planet Darglum's atmosphere. After a moment of cruising, the engines lock down into place and the craft zips into hyperspace, leaving the hostile planet, the natives, an Angry duchess, and a yiping Akk Dog in their wake.