Log:New Republic: A Place to Call Home

A Crew breaths life back into Beacon Outpost

OOC Date: October 30, 2020
Location: Beacon Outpost, Rori
Participants: Jessika Pava, Ambrosia Greystorm, Elrych Cometburn, Miri Telula, Lahni, Merek, Bors Thul, Naome Naberrie, New Republic

Beacon Outpost, or what used to be the Outpost, now an overgrown section of land abandoned like many skeletons from the war. It served a noble purpose once, and it will again. From a distance, the flight tower can be seen high above the droopy swamp trees. Power lines that were attached to various ports on the tower are now overgrown with vines, and the pre-fabricated durasteel tower exterior has turned green to favor moss, or some other form of swamp foliage.

Our group could not land at the base itself. A great battle had once plagued the skies above Rori, and in high orbit, the Resistance fleet fought against overwhelming odds. The Resistance's loss was apparent, and Rori held a bittersweet note for those who lived through it all.

Since landing was not an option, the group had to work their way in on foot, leading a small entourage of speeders and gear. Much of the personnel consisted of Nubians eager to do their Queen's bidding, but they were reinforced with the New Republic and allies all alike. The most experienced of the group made up the advanced party, and they arrived first at the outer perimeter of Beacon, where tall fences and ramparts had allowed troopers to shine lights down at the swamplands. Now, the lights were out, the ramparts empty, and the base quiet and overgrown.

Naome takes a moments rest to unclip her canteen and take a long drink of water. Rori heat and humidity was legendary, and it was clear this climate disagreed with the young Senator quite a bit. "Everyone holding up well?" She asks, dabbing a kerchief over her brow and along her neck. Insects buzzed, frogdogs croaked, and lizardlions occupied the swamps quietly wading and gliding across the surface of green water. The sun was in the 14:00 position, and the world was in a unique hue of green.

"I'd forgotten how much I hated this place," Major Jessika Pava halts near the Nubian senator. Even she's huffing, because the heat is stifling. With her right hand gripping the handle of her BlasTech E-14 Carbine and her arm draped over one of the pouches on her torso that's stiff enough to support it, Jessika scans the swamp with a keen eye. "Don't worry. I remember now." Distant visions of shots to deal with all the insects and various diseases are almost enough to make her feel a chill, but she's pretty sure that's just warm sweat slowly sliding down her back. It's itchy. Just like the area around her neck and face, no matter how much repellent she'd attempted to put on. Rather than a canteen, Jessika adjusts a small nozzle at the end of a tube to her mouth once her left hand lifts and thumb pops the cap off of it. Her teeth pinch at the mouth, revealing a slit that water can be drawn through. At least that's nice. It's tepid, though. She knows to avoid the shock of cold water in heat like this. It'd make her sick at her stomach. "Ever been out in the swamps like this, Senator?"

"I yearn for the cockpit of my A, My Lady Senator - but I shall suffice with the controls of one of these rigs for the nonce." Bors was still in his flightsuit, helmet on a hangar attached to his belt and a beat up, but serviceable, old carbine slung.

"My lady - we seek to give homes to those without in such a place as this, I assume the Republic has intention of aid in either terraforming or guidance from the locals to allow this locale to become such for those coming? Prithee tell are we bringing Gungans from Naboo itself for such endeavor?" the Alderaanian looks up and around the stinging clouds of insects and misty, thick atmosphere surrounding them.

"Dear oh dear. Mother give me patience, Father grant me strength..." face drawn into a slight frown, sniffing and then immediately regretting it when bog gasses mixing with exhaust fumes hit him. His countenance shifting to that of a man trying to keep a neutral expression while a particularly odious Jawa dances beneath him, holding up a particularly ripe, and perhaps even glistening, turd to show off the 'treasure' it has found.

Dance on, filth jawa.

Dance on.

The towers and cables might droop under greedily overgrowing vegetation and the lights might not shine like they used to, but...

General Greystorm sighs quietly, lowering her chin from its upward squint and shlorps her boots through a couple more paces to step up onto the perimeter boardwalk. "Smell hasn't changed a bit." Her love for the place is about on par with Major Pava's. She rubs the back of her gloved wrist over her forehead, helmet clipped to her belt to allow SOME air exchange to maybe cool her scalp. Hah. When her hand drops back to side, there's a smear of swamp slop o'er her brow. Camouflage...

A wry little curl of lip is turned on the poor, unfortunate 'fancy' folk here. There's some pleasure at least to be had in witness their discomfort. "We lived here just fine. Boardwalks weren't too rough to put in. Build up some more platforms and I imagine they could install some greenhouses and such for fresh produce. Supplement what they'll need to import. This is a far cry from Coruscant, but I suspect they'll adapt. Or endure it just long enough to move on to places more...." she almost says 'habitable' but again, SHE HAS LIVED HERE. "catered to their tastes."

Merek walks along with Naome in full dark armor while he wields the F-11D which he keeps within both of his arms, pointed upward a bit to the side while he nods. Well, it doesn't look like he will really offer any comment about it all, the place brings back a lot of the memories while he watches.

Word was that the New Republic was happy to accept engineers for this project and, while her experience as a starfighter maintenance specialist didn't make her especially qualified, Miri Telula figured her electronics knowledge could be of some use. What would have certainly been of some use was knowledge about Rori's climate. Miri's Rogue Squadron jumpsuit had been left on the transport mere moments after she stepped off of it. But, without much familiarity with the other members of this party, Miri would keep her complaints to herself.

Well, almost to herself. "I didn't know it was going to be so /hot/," Miri comments, looking up at Lahni as they walk. "Did you?" She drags the back of her hand against her forehead in a half-hearted attempt to clear off some sweat. While her jumpsuit had been left on the transport, Miri carried a bag of tools typical for electronics work.

Elrych Cometburn had narrowly escaped a harrowing fate at the Battle of Becon Base. His X-Wing had failed to start aboard the Yelsik's Valor. Eggsy and him had managed to get it running just as the Corvette made a suicide run against the First Order fleet in order to open up a route for Hyperspace jumps out of system. He had blasted forthe from the hanger right as the ship started to explode, leaving the crew to a firery doom.

The corellian Jedi was quiet for most of the trek, sticking near to Naome. Protective? Perhaps, but the two had struck up a bit of a chemesty and friendship in the past few days. He stops when she does, leaning back against a tree, skin shining with sweat. He worse lighter robes, having folded his cloak to store in a haversack he carries across his side. He pulls out his own canteen and takes a sip, catching his breath. "I did not miss the humidity, that is for sure." He gives the Senator a smirk and chuckles lightly at his own joke. A nod to Jessika, reflecting her sentiments.

He looked to Bors then, a single brow raised. "How is it... that every time you and Lord Ban talk I can't understand what the drek you're sayin'... but I get Aryn just fine and she has the heavy accent."

A glance to Amber and there's a laugh, "That's the swamp for you, Ma'am."

blue eyes glance in amusment towards Miri and Lahni, "You two are keeping up well enough? Need anything?"

"I looked up the climate of the world," Lahni admits quietly. "But it's still- I don't know. Actually //being// in it is different." She's dressed more simply than usual today - infact, she went out and bought new clothes just for this purpose. Sturdier, simpler stuff. Pants, boots, a tanktop and jacket over the top. She carries a water contain - and a pack she was asked to transport as they trudge along. "This is going to be a big change from Coruscant for these people," she remarks in a slightly worried tone. "But- I suppose any shelter will do, as long as it's safe and well maintained." She's not the sturdiest of beings, and the hike was a struggle for her - but the normally graceful and perfectly coiffed Omwati woman has not voiced any complaints during the march.

"I appreciate the concern," Lahni answers Elrych with a friendly smile, her left hand briefly touching her chest as she nods her head. "But I think we can manage. Anything for the people of Coruscant." Subtly present in her voice is a hint of a Coruscant accent - that's been all but washed away by years in the Corporate Sector.

"MEESA doin pretty okie-day with an early lunchin' munchin!" Yells the Gungan bringing up the rear of their advanced party. He's carrying a sack of glowing sparkly boomers, an engineer kit, and a tall spear used more for fishing than actual fighting. The Gungans lumbering steps are heavy and lazy as they diddybop up to the gate and look for a way in. "Ders no way innn. Meesa go look near the swamps. Be back soon, okie-day?!"

"No." Naome answers Jess simply, "Not often. I am certain my present condition gives that away." She laughs. "The Gungans are among those volunteering, Lord Thul. Like Lar Tar Rees, here." The Gungan now at the edge of the nearby swamp. "This is among the hotter seasons, I say." Naome addresses the group just before a loud excited scream announces the Gungan's leap into the water. A feat of acrobatic display segues to a near perfect dive. Lar Tar Rees is not alone in the water, a fact that many can see. Lizardlions growl out air and sweep into motion to dive below and pursue.

Naome's reaction is slightly concerned. "I..am sure he.. knows what he is doing." She did not sound convincing.

Lar Tar Rees is an amazing swimmer and he manages to crest the water on the other side of the protective wall. After a few minutes of quiet, an alarm sounds along the perimeter where Naome and the others have come to rest a moment. Orange and blue strobes flash at the section-connectors of the wall where electrified lines typically buzzed with energy. It was clear to those who had served in the Resistance, a proximity alert was triggered and the fence was coming online now. A loud clamping noise was heard, and a portion of the wall began to open.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH! WATCHING YOUSA FEETS! LIZARDLIONS! AHHH! BOOMERS NO WORK! BLAST EM!" Screams the Gungan, who is now running from the opened part of the gate and to the group. Behind him, the tall grass shifts and the huff and puffing of alligator like creatures hungrily stampede toward the opening, the Gungan, and now the group.

"Oh my," Naome said softly reaching for the S5 holstered on her hip in fine leather. "Please be careful, everyone! Lar Tar, are you okay?!"

Lizardlions come into view, shuffling on all fours blindly hungry and in plain sight now. There's seven!

If there's anything to interpret out of the Senator's answer to Jessika's question, the pilot misses it, because rather than being able to dwell on a response of her own, she's watching the goings-on. And the Gungan. Leaving the water tube clutched between her teeth, Jessika drops her left hand to the barrel that's angled at the ground and hooks her hand around the barrel to draw it up now that they have advancing enemies. She can't really speak, either, because of the water tube. She's calm despite the sudden aggression of the attack. Water is helping how dry her mouth is. Plus, it doesn't get in the way of her carbine coming up to her shoulder. A squeeze of the trigger fills the swamp with the loud whine of her blaster dischraging. It discharges again right after the first, and two of the attacking Lizardlions lay out with twitching limbs. It's the last time they'll twitch.

"It must be an aural interpretive issue you suffer, Lord Jedi." Bors offers that oh so polite smile of his, brows making a brief vertical dance as he leans to check system readouts. "Mayhap I will give time to adjust my speech - though I daresay Her Grace has spent more time outside, of late, outside of Alderaanian court and in so may be more accustomed to groom her words for those not acquainted with the language of the Great Houses. I too shall attempt to amend as I do in flight."

Then the gungan is shouting, leaping and screaming anew with his return to the surface.

"Well. That's a brine soaked creeping vine gourd. Isn't it?" standing up behind the controls of his speeder and drawing the old EE-3 from where it rests and swings it round for a snapshot that drops one of the encroaching beasts much to the mutual surprise of slayer and slain.

"Mother forgive that I must take life to protect life. Father lend me the ability to accept evils to allow others to live without their committing them." The words spoken softly, barely above a whisper now. Animals. Sentients. Life was life and the man pivoting in place fires again with a deathly calm sweeping over him. Another red bolt from the aged carbine creases down the maw of an oncoming creature before burrowing into skull and stilling it.

"Unfortunate."

"Mm. Frell." Ambrosia grumbles under breath with a grumpy quality not so unlike those lizardlions! She jerks her sidearm free of its holster and takes aim to help dismiss Lar Tar Rees's new playmates. "Just had to--" *PEW* "-ake some friends..." *PEWPEW* Two of the scaly mouths with legs are no longer lumbering hungrily in their direction. One seems not to be moving at all and the other is lashing its tail something fierce, jerking head spasmodically, on the verge of falling back into the muck. Her third shot punishes some of that grass!

Seeing as how the Gungan did manage to coax the gate open, sparing them the trouble of forcing it, Ambrosia waits until it's clear that no more are /charging/ and takes a few long (but cautiously unhurried) strides forward toward the heap of carcasses and half-dead beasts. "Anybody know a tanner? Could be a good bit of decor for their homes."

Merek looks to those lizardlions which come after the Gungan, and takes a moment to lift up his weapon, while he would begin to aim with the F-11D. A little nod offered, while he begins to fire the weapon, striking another of them to take it down into the dirt of the swamp. The man checks the weapon then begins sweeping the place, then he spins a finger noting that was all.

Elrych gives a smirk to Naome's responce to Jess' question, pushing off the tree and he puts his canteen away. "You're doing just fine, Senator. And don't worry... I've met Boss Jar Jar before and wel-"

The Jedi's words are cut short. Just before Lar Tar Rees comes running back towards the group, Elrych turns towards where the Gungan would be running from... as if sensing the Danger that would happen only moments later. "Stay with me, Senator..." He offers her, knowing she's likely able to defend herself. He didn't want to seem too overbearing of a charge.

His hand went for his lightsaber, but simply hovered over it as he stepped in front of Naome, but not enough for her not to be able to pull her own weapon and assist those who fired into the spawn of Lizardlions. He dosn't even pull the cyclinder from his belt before the others dispatch of the angered wildlife. "Huh... well done all."

By now, Miri's hair was damp with sweat, which has been tied back in a messy ponytail. Lahni was smart to look into Rori's climate before leaving, but Miri? "I didn't even think to check," she admits, a tinge of shame lingering in her tone. But, as soon as Elrych asks, Miri is totally fine.

"Totally fine!" she answers flatly, not willing to let on that she was uncomfortable. As the pack moves through the vegetation, Miri would intermittently look up to watch the low-hanging branches and vines pass above her head without issue. It wasn't often, but sometimes it was nice to be short.

Once the lizardlions make themselves known, however, Miri was decidedly NOT FINE. The mechanic can't help but let out a scream of surprise -- and fear -- and takes a step closer to the Jedi who had lectured her on the utility of the E-Wing just days ago. Jedi are good with stuff like this, right?

After all of the beasts have been slain, Miri Telula stands there clutching a hydrospanner in a tight fist, pointing it out in front of her.

Lahni gives Miri a sheepish look. "I should have mentioned, something perha-" she starts, but ends instead with a loud, surprised, "Ahhh!" She fumbles, pulling out a blaster that she - for once - wears openly holstered on her hip. It's a strange feeling having it there, and the gesture that brings it up isn't as smooth and practiced as the others in the group manage. She squeezes off one shot moments after everyone else fires - and bolt hitting the ground ineffectually.

"Okay. Okay. That's- not going to happen again, is it?" she asks a little nervously. She did not come here for //this//! She can feel her heart thudding in her chest from the sudden burst of adrenaline, as she also edges close to Elrych. ... to protect Miri? Sure.

Protected by a combination of special forces and a Jedi Knight, Naome turned her attention to Lar Tar (while Elrych put himself between Naome and danger), who seemed mentally shaken about being chased. He shakes his head back and forth, claiming, "Meesa have the trembleessssssss (shaking of head)." Naome rubbed his back, chuckling. The sound of laser fire, or the urgency of action had not frightened the Senator enough to paralyze her. There seemed more to her than met the eye! "Stay calm, my dear friend. This situation is more funny than dangerous. Lizardlions only rise to the surface during mating season. It seems they thought you a viable female, Lar Tar." Or a snack, but Naome wanted to convince the group that they were not on the menu.

Amber's stepping forward earns an appreciative look from Naome. "There are many back in Restuss. Perhaps we can contract them. I daresay the Queen might like a rare set of boots," though finding the time to actually /wear/ them might prove challenging.

"Care to lead us forward, my friends?" This is asked of the group. "We must clear a path for the engineers, and get the power back on in this place before the main body of our convoy arrives. I certainly hope that is the last of these. My ears are already ringing!"

The way forward was through the tall grass. This used to be the shooting range and obstacle course for the commandos. Old obstacles now house birds, and it sounds as if hundreds of them are chirping at once nearby.

"Sure, why not? I love a good stroll through some tall grass. Bubbers," Jessika probably changes the pronounciation every time she says it at this point. "If something grabs me, shoot me. I'll do the same for you." Said with the utmost seriousness the pilot can summon, Jessika begins to wade forward, carbine kept up at the low ready just so she's not going to accidentally discharge a round down range in case she trips. How she moves is purposeful through the muck. When her foot rises, she brings it up only high enough to skirt the ground. She'd rather the tip of her toes find something than to step on something and send herself sprawling into the swamp. It smells bad enough. She doesn't want to end up smelling just as bad all over.

No elation for the end of the momentary fulmination of violence for Bors. Only quiet reflection where he stands behind his control console. EE-3 held in a low ready posture, brow creased as he looks at the remnants of the carnage. There is a small blink for the General's quip about a tanner.

Lip move again, without voice, and Lord Thul heaves a breath regardless of the fetid vapours of the swamps now joined with the reek of expended tibana. Affirmation from Naome that this was all a sort of misunderstanding that ended in destruction gives no salve to him and Bors settles back into his seat, carbine set beside him in a munitions rack.

Jessika at least gives him a distraction and thus respite.

"Indeed M'lady Major. I shall stand for thee as champion should claw, paw, or festering hand would make to catch I will be thy aid." Not that he expected it. He may have been around the galaxy for a lot of years, but he's fair certain that if Jess was of a mind for performing a cobbler's form of proctology - he would have little chance to voice more than his suddenly high pitched protest before the deed was done. And so he starts the speeder moving again, slowly, keeping equipment and supplies from jostling.

Aw. The old ICe Queen wasn't exactly known for her sentimental side, but this particular portion of wretched ground strikes a chord of familiarity and some sort of twisted fondness within Ambrosia Greystorm's grey heart. She moves with relative ease, adopting a similar prowl to Jess's, lest she also end up facedown in a wad of stink. After about twenty meters of forward advancement though, she stops. Looks around. Looks down. Raises fist.

"Hold up, those of you back there...one minute." And off she goes, diverting from original course to plod through with almost exaggerated step, taking care to hike her leg up and out with a good degree of clearance each. Counted. Carefully measured. Step. When next she stops, it's to pull a little wire cutter from her belt and crouch down into the grass.

"Got it!" The sound of something whipping/reeling at extreme speed is over in a flash, grasses rustled just for a moment. The soldier reemerges with a thumbs-up and wheeling of finger. "Ran my troops through this course. Had a few uh...few traps set to keep'em sharp. Wasn't exactly time to disarm them all when we. Well. Left. Just keep an eye. You'll be fine..."

And off she goes again, trudging back into line with Jess's wake, taking time to check and reload that pistol as she goes.

Merek looks between the party while he nods, then he begins to lift up his weapon, "I think there is something watching us, sounds like something is moving. Animals," the man notes, while he would offer a little nod along to people.

Elrych can't help but snort with a snicker of a laugh when Naome suggested Lar Tar was seen as a viable female by the Lizzardlions. He put a hand on the gungan's shoulder and winked at him... "You're pretty to the Lizardlions. Might come in handy." A pat on the shoulder before he glanced to Naome. A nod is given to her.

His attention turn towards Miri and Lahni, "You ladies alright?" Naome was not the only one who might need some 'protecting'.

As they move through the old shooting range and army drill area, Elrych lights with a bit of nostalgis... "And right here is where I got shot by Greeson... and yes I asked him too. I ws in hospital for a few days. I was trying to perfect my Jedi Armor at the time."

"You'll be fine, Testor." Elrych calls to Jess, "You just have to worry about the palm sized ticks."

"Or Traps," The Jedi eyes the General with a raised brow. He reaches out with the force, searchign for any other dangers that are imediate and from sentiants. Nothing on his radar. "Yes... eyes open indeed."

"Totally fine!" Miri replies to Elrych, still brandishing the hydrospanner. And with that, she continues to follow the group. The chorus of birds brings a look of pure delight to Miri's face. Her smile is gaping and toothy as she hears the chirping coming from all around them. "This is fantastic!" she exclaims, giving Lahni a lasting glance to see if she agreed. They might be in an utterly disgusting climate and just survived a run-in with lizardlions, but Miri was all smiles. There is a brief moment, though, where Miri considers the odds of something really gross happening while walking through a large number of birds. She figures there's a fifty-fifty shot.

...And it would seem that the odds were not in her favor, today. After stepping into the high grass and closer to the obstacle course, there's a faint splatter of something striking her shoulder. With a furrowed brow, Miri turns her head and realizes that The Birds Strike Back. Her shoulders rise and fall as Miri sighs softly. She brings the hydrospanner up and uses it to scrape off the special delivery.

The mention of traps brings a sudden look of concern from Miri, who reverts to merely doing what she's told. Stops when advised to. Continues when told.

"Fine. Absolutely fine," Lahni assures Elrych, drawing herself back up into a more erect posture, and flashing the man a brief smile. She moves forward with the group, but she keeps her blaster in hand now, pointed low at the ground as she moves, cautiously alert as she walks, eyes scanning constantly, and each step taking deliberately. She stops at the gesture from Ambrosia, watching her uncertainly. Traps? ...just perfect.

"It is lovely," Lahni agrees with Miri, giving the other woman a brief, broad smile, before her expression settles back into something more serious and cautious. Her heart was still pounding from the lizardlions, so she doubted that sense of fear and caution would fade very fast.

Birds take off when they near the nest, a tall obstacle consisting of thick culverts used to crawl through and climb up! The single swamp fowl among the group looms at the top of the obstacle on stork legs and turns its massive head, chomping its beak at the passersby. When it squawks, it's no squawk at all, but more like the loud WB Frog croak, and its wings ruffle a bit. Since nothing really spooked it, LIKE TRAPS SET BY THE OLD BATTLEAXE, it had no reason to be territorial.

There was truth to what Merek said though. A sense of being watched blanketed the group, and glowing yellow eyes from a distance belonged to a figure shrowded in dark. The eyes were waist level at first, then rose to an intimidating height, blinked, and the figure ran into the grass transitioning to all fours.

The grass moved, the thing running toward the main compound area. As the group made it from the field and obstacle course, they arrived at buckled walkways of stone. What once might have been pretty was overgrown now with tall grass, weedflowers, and a frogdog that jumped and carelessly splat on the toe of Miri's boot. (It's a big toad). It croaked at her, then leaped away again, mleming something from the air and crunching it upon landing. Crooooooooak.

"Meesa not liking this, misses senator. Ders something with glowy-glowy eyes, and its great big. Meesa hiding behind the Jedi now. Meesa not a brave soldier like bombad General and Major." Lar Tar said, dipping his Gungan head in shame, his floppy ears drooping a bit. "You are as brave as we need you to be, Lar Tar. Do not doubt your courage." Naome bids, taking hold of his hand and squeezing.

The courtyard the team has arrived in is without power. GNK droids have grown cold and huddled, inactive near a charging pad that is solar powered. Perhaps it is malfunctioning and needs a mechanic?

Something near the landing pads and maintenance hangar knocks over old crates and scatters random items. It is not clear what, but a loud piercing howl fills the air.

Stationary defenses around the old outpost are without power. Turrets sag with rusting barrels, some housing nests with tweeting birds. Even the old barracks, a massive building, and the hospital, look overgrown and in need of help. Thankfully, the doors were shut, sealing off the inside from the elements. Perhaps the buildings retained their interiors?

"What was that? What should we do?" Asks Naome, keeping Lar Tar rooted for now.

Jessika doesn't freeze so much as she comes to a slow halt. A slow, slow halt. Her foot comes down into the muck. Her right hand lifts up off the pistol grip of her blaster to raise a closed fist up into the air. <"Send a halt back through the line. All guards, watch flanks. Keep your intervals, make sure our six is covered. I've got.. eyes.. in the hangar. Approximately ten pair. I think." It's difficult to distinguish all the red eyes in the darkness. What she definitely knows is that she doesn't like it. <"Elrych, General Greystorm. Vanguard with me. Senator, ensure Miss Lahni and Miss Telula stay next to the convoy."> She lowers her hand back to the pistol grip and then waits for the Jedi and the good General to join her at the front. If they're going to move forward, she'd rather not risk the whole convoy to do it.

"Copy that, Major. Movement as well."> Bors's carbine is up as he brings the speeder to a gliding halt to a point with stable masonry before one of the buildings. "Non-combatants gather hence and make ready - yonder as the Major has assessed lay threat and we need be wary." already leaping clear of the speeder and moving as ordered by Jessika.

The stubby barrel is kept aimed low and he turns to move backwards, "I have the rearguard, Major. I shall give heed to danger at our back as your stand point of the spear." wishing he had a sword right about now, truth be told. But that was back on Delaya.

Confound it.

"Priorities as I see it are to check the perimeter, repair any bits need fixing, and get pe---" Ambrosia quiets her advice to Naome, seeing Jessika's fist come up in air. "--rimeter defense systems back online." So more of what's already lurking about doesn't get in. Like 10 pairs of glowing eyes. Her frown is almost audible while she secures her helmet in place and brings the HUD display online.

<<Those are some eyes, all right.>> She creeps forward to flank Jess's right side. <<Got a frag that'd sort'em right out, but have the feeling our engineering sorts might get a bit miffed by the collateral damage, so. Y'think they're open to negotiations?>> The pistol remains in hand but folded baton on her hip is fingered thoughtfully by her other. Decisions, decisions...

Merek looks to the plants, while he takes a moment to pick a few of them up. Then he places that into an herbalist pack on the hip, while he offers a little nod along to people.

"I'm not entirely sure..." Elrych responds to Naomi, "Possibly a canine of some kind who now calls this place its home." The Jedi might have been on to something as Jess calls him and the General forwad. He hazards a glance towards Naome, Lahni, and Miri once again; "If you ladies will excuse me." A smirk and a nod. If he had a hat he might have tipped it towards them. <<"Coming up on your six, Testor...">>

It doesn't take him too long to move up the line, looking through the old courtyard. Memories sprang to life, memories of those dead... and of the fight to rid this palce of bandits before. He frowns a bit, stopping just next to Jess. He squints, noticing the red eyes inside the hanger area. "Or apparently a pack of them..." He raches for his lightsaber, taking the darkstar and angelshine cyclinder from his belt.

"Not sure how open to negotiation they are. There is a Jedi skill I can try but I am far from practiced in it..."

Here they were, all the way out on Rori -- there might be dangerous traps, the air was thick enough to swim in, they had been attacked by the local fauna, and a bird left its lunch on Miri's shoulder. But, did it get the Rogue Squadron mechanic down? Nope! She continues to follow the group, even whistling quietly as she goes. Intermittently, the back of her hand is brought up to swipe away the sweat on her forehead, but otherwise things are just fine! She was heading to do some important work, had her friend Lahni with her, and her boots were doing a fantastic job keeping her feet comfortable on this trek! Nothing bad would ever happen if she was wearing these boots...

"ACK!" Miri shrieks as the frogdog splats right on the toe of one of those miraculous boots. She waggles her foot to try and motivate its departure, but otherwise leaves it alone. Perhaps the ultimate window into her soul, her reaction was not to drive the hydrospanner down onto the creature's skull. It probably has a family who would miss it.

Miri takes a nervous breath and giggles quietly as the tension is released. But then... Miri catches the ear-piercing howl and the sudden commotion that brings the combatants forward. With nothing else to do, Miri ducks down a little, as if it might protect her from the howl. As Bors parks the speeder and warns them to stay back, Miri cocks her head to the side. "What?" she questions, completely and utterly unable to understand the Alderaanian as she rises, seemingly safe from whatever made that shriek. It didn't matter much because Miri was in no way interested in proceeding into danger. Her hydrospanner was out of ammo.

As the others were so content to move onward, something important caught Miri's eye. She may be a bit of a free spirit, but her mind was carefully tuned to the needs and wants of machines, and the GNK droids huddled around a charging pad were impossible for her to ignore. "I think I may be able to solve the power situation," she mentions to whoever cared to listen. Soon, Miri is kneeling near the charging pad, just like the inactive GNKs. While A-Squad was off dealing with dangers real and imagined, Miri's hands were moving swiftly to her tool bag. Finally, the hydrospanner would see some action! After some careful wrenching, banging, and twanging, Miri turns her head to watch the rest of the group ordered to stay behind.

"Who likes power?" she calls out, a bright smile on her face. There's a twang of electricity as the charging pad, now restored, draws precious energy from the sun. It's not long before the GNK droids re-initialize and begin their slow movement towards their power generator pads spread across the walls. One by one, they let out a **GOOOOOOOOOOOONK** as they come to life.

The startled shriek from Miri causes Lahni to jump - sending a second jolt of adrenaline through her. When she sees what caused her friend's alarm, however, she lets out a quiet little laugh, and pats Miri on the shoulder. "I think we're safe from that one.

As the group pulls up to a stop, Lahni seems perfectly willing to hang back - her attention largely focused on the sound of crates being tossed with apparent ease. "What is over there?" she murmurs quietly to herself. She doesn't allow her attention to rest there alone - after all, those more experienced with combat were already on their way to investigate. Instead she scans the rest of their surroundings, before indicating where the GNK droids sit unpowered. "Something is sparking over there," she remarks to Miri, no doubt helping propel her friend towards the potentially ill-advised idea of leaving where they were instructed to stay. "If things weren't so wet - I'd be concerned about the possibility of a fire."

As Miri moves towards the power station, Lahni goes with her, trying to stay alert, with her blaster still held in her hand. If anything comes at them... she's ready.

She hopes.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK! Says GNK droid, as it and its companions, begin to waddle toward their power pads. It's a slow going road, unfortunately, but they go bravely down the same path the soldiers and Jedi have gone. Naome stays behind the speeder as instructed and looks over Lahni and Miri. It seems the ladies are already taking the initiative to get things in order.

Proximity alerts come online first as the first GNK droid locks into place. Lights begin to come online in quick succession, with loud snapping sounds that were indicative of sudden power feeds. That included the old maintenance hangar where the vanguard witnessed the sets of eyes looking at them from the shadows. Well, there were no more shadows now! Ten Graiveh straighten beneath the lights, standing an easy 7ft and covered in hair (think werewolves without much intelligence). Unable to hide now, the Graiveh charge the vanguard in hurried strides, crossing the distance quick.

They never make it. Two GNK droids waddle into their ports and bring back to life the perimeter rotary cannons. Near the squad, and to their right, two pair of double-rotary cannons rise up and begin tracing their circuits, scanning with IR/LIDAR tracking. Their range picked up on the charging threat, its targeting parameters marking it as such.

Despite the wear and tear, the Resistance had used machinery and weaponry intended to withstand such conditions. The sound that indicated that? Barrels spooling up.

Twin sets of barrels spooled and a motor sounded, the receiver sending a series of charges that sounded like a mini-gun firing.. FOUR mini-guns firing. Red laser lances quickly cut across the open space picking the Graiveh apart instantly. The pack leader was reduced to steaming burned flesh when half a hundred bolts cut it down. Its pack faired similarly, and within seconds, the guns halt their fire, barrels steaming and orange hot, and go back to their tracking circuit.

Other defenses begin to come online, including the evacuation alarm. A voice is heard over the crackling speakers. It's Leia. <<"All personnel, move to battle stations. Support personnel load the transports and prepare for battle. We stand together.">> The message repeats until Naome finds the lever to turn the alarm off. Their war was over.

"Ah, drek! OPEN FIRE!" Well, that's terrifying. Even with the distance between them, Jessika feels like the creatures are moving at them too fast to deal with. Seven of them versus the three up front? Well. She's had worse odds. <"OPEN FIRE!"> The Major slaps the transmitter switch on the band aroudn her throat to transmit her order to the convoy, because Jessika thinks that if it's just the three of them, they might be toast. Then again, they have a Jedi with them. "Try what you're going to try, Elrych, or defend yourself!" Does the Jedi have time to do anything but bring his lightsaber to bear? She's seen practitioners of the Force do some crazy things. ...And in the end? It doesn't even matter. The creatures coming at them get turned into clouds of mist, leaving Jessika staring at the spot where they were and wondering if they were ever really there in the first place. To be fair, the burning chunks of hair and meat tell the story that they were, but seven foot creatures being destroyed like that? It's humbling. General Organa's voice sounds and Jessika feels a pang in her chest. Some of that sadness is in her tone. <"Belay that order. Stand down. Bring the convoy forward. Slowly."> Jessika takes a deep breath in and lets it out slow. "That was exciting. Right?" She glances to Elrych and then Ambrosia, smiling crookedly. This swamp stinks. She's ready to be out of it.

Zounds! Confound it was indeed correct to state when Bors sees Miri and Lahni look over at things that glimmer and pique interest. The siren song catching them up in lariat that the Alderaanian sidesteps in the course of duty. For a moment he looks off to one side - as if he might espy viewers who stand invisible in all of classic sense. A span of a breath that might hang for centuries were one to consider the scene now set in classic sense of comedic application.

Hopefully a happy ending shall be met and with open arms not striped with wounds and bloody.

Chaos erupts then, lights and canid humanoids that charge to their own destruction, rendered to meat and smoking bone by the defenses that unleash the fury of... Bors jaw drops, eyes opening wide and those eyes that have seen years bracketed by some of the best and worst of what a galaxy can show go glassy.

The barrel of his rifle does not fall even if his jaw slackens as though to open floodgates for an outpouring of his core. He hears Jessika's orders and there is a moment, <"C..C-copy... M'lady Major... directing the convoy."> he cannot keep his voice in the present though and his footsteps through the mud are weighted with stones born of the ethereal.

"Your Grace." leaning against the speeder while the civilian workers continue to unload supplies with his gaze hovering to one of those speakers and his face fixed melancholia, "Indeed we do." fingers finding a small pendant hung from silver chain around his neck with a bead of simple gray stone threaded on it.

Click--click-clickclickclickwhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Greystorm slowly lowers her pistol to the tune of those miniguns doing what they were put there to do and stares down the advancing line of future corpses. Finely tuned machines, those rotary cannons. And before the slow smile could finish spreading from left side of her mouth to the less emotive right, it's all over. Fading, like the heat from those guns.

The outpost is coming to life around them, fed by the resurrected droids. Animated by the voice of the dead.

The General's mirthless grin is no more. Honestly, she'd rather have faced the ten Graiveh. But they're minced meat, of course, and she's left with no means to relieve this...

This hate.

Is there blood in her eye? There must be blood in here eye, why for else is it squinty and feeling wet? Maybe she'll remember to take a breath eventually. For now, it's with stiffen spine and twitchy vessels that she turns her back on that mess and stalks her way toward the barracks. General Organa's old hound has got to go let off some steam, spurred to action by her master's voice.

<<Sweeping barracks.>> And not another syllable more.

It isn't long after she disappears into said barracks that the frusteration vents, clamor likely audible from out in the field. She's just....shaking out the dust. Yeah.

Elrych might have tried something, maybe... but the looming sense of dread approaching them and clearly coming from the pack of Graveih caused him to instead press the red button on his lightsaber. It squeeled to life, the stable blue mephite blade humming in almost a whisper as it rose into a steady emission.

However, as the GNK Droid with he persistance of Miri's technical ability cause the security systems and permiter defenses to come back on, the Jedi can only watch as the entire pack is awash with the crimson light of rotary blaster canons. Anti-personel batteries meant to take down large numbers. He felt the loss of life in the force, pursing his lips and turning his blade off once more. The Jedi weapon is returned to his belt. "Well... another happy adventure." he nods in affirmation to Jess before turning to join Naome and her guard once again.

As the GNK droids activate and the beautiful twang of more systems coming online fill her ears, Miri looks up at Lahni and smiles brightly. It was she who saw the sparkling of the power cell, driving the mechanic to check it out. "You know, Lahni," Miri begins. "We make a great team! You spot it, I fix it!" She stuffs the last of her tools into her bag and stands up. Miri begins to walk away from her worksite as another whistle is about to pass from her lips. She even manages to catch Naome's gaze -- hey, she knows her! -- but otherwise, Miri continues on her merry way. Her imagination was filled with images of Coruscanti refugees enjoying the comforts of electric lights, music, and holo tapes. But then...

Miri's celebratory walk putters to a halt. The rotary cannons that had been given new life start spinning -- it's a sound that one didn't need to be familiar with to understand. Her eyes widen as these horrific sounds play her off. Her smile fades to one of abject horror. Miri sloooowly turns her head to look up at Lahni, as if to get a sense of how she should react to the domino rally she just set off. It would seem that the hydrospanner was, in fact, mightier than the blaster. And lightsaber.

"I heard it - but yes," Lahni agrees. She keeps pace with Miri, still alert as she can't help but feel that the area was not yet safe. Something kept her anxious.

And then everything happens very quickly - and Lahni watches with widened eyes as lights turn on, and creatures charge - and are quickly mowed down in a haze of blood. She's... never seen anything quite like that. She murmurs something quiet under her breath in a fluting, melodic language, before looking towards Miri. "Was that because you... fixed the spark?" she asks. She then levels her fingers at the pile of unmoving meat before she remarks, "I think that gives you the highest kill count for the day." She actually sounds //impressed.//

"Well done, ladies," Naome remarks, smiling toward Miri and Lahni. Her thoughts go to the voice of Leia a moment and she runs her hand over the switch controlling the alert. Naome thinks for a few moments and finally turns away, stepping wide of the speeder and passing Lord Bors, patting the melancholy noble on the arm with a look of understanding.

When Naome is in the open, her hands go to her hips and she breaths in deep. "I think we can make this a good h--" SMACK! She crushed a bloodfly on her cheek. "..home. Ick.."