Log:Rally Ryloth

Rally Ryloth

OOC Date: April 21 2020
Location: Ryloth
Participants: Kuolo,Syrus, Erisi Auslese, Kasia Ashkuri, Barad, Hadrix Kora, Lozen, Eriu Jynx, Vena, Rheisa Dirleel, Jehni'va Cihn, Zhu Yan, Tarion Tavers, Percy, Iollan Canem, Sajin, and Hex as GM

The short version: A rally for a Ryloth opposition party candidate for Senate takes an unexpected turn.

The long version:

[Hex]

Ryloth is a harsh place, with a harsher history.

The former aspect is readily apparent in the landscape here -- stark peaks and spires carved out of the craters of long-ago impacts, eroded by wind and sand. There is no day or night here, the planet being tidally locked as it is, and the dark shadows of the spires are dark and freezing cold; the sunnier spaces are very hot. The shadows don't move here, nor does the sun. Dangerous wildlife moves unseen in vast networks of underground, ready to make a meal of an unwary adventurer should one stray too far from civilization. On occasion, mile-high dust and electrical storms roll inexorably across the landscape, burying everything in their path.

Perhaps the difficulties in the hostile environment are part of what led to the state of affairs Ryloth has suffered politically for as long as anyone can remember. There are no industries or resources to speak of here, and the only exports Ryloth has are drugs -- Ryll spice -- and its own people. Corrupt politicians from the 'right' families keep the right people rich while the rest of Ryloth starves, and every politician representing the planet in the galactic senates has always pandered to power, accepted bribes. Twi'lek representatives are known to do whatever it takes to stay where they are.

But there are some who'd like to see that change.

The pod racing arena at the crater sea is hosting no races today, but instead a dais has been set up for a speaker, and a political rally! The fact that this event is out here in the middle of nowhere instead of Kala'uun or Lessu is perhaps due to the fact that the candidate, Alys Anaeho'omalu, is a minority, opposition figure vying to represent her planet in the new fledgling Senate. A firebrand demanding change for Ryloth. She's been funded in part by the rally's hosts -- Hex and Kasia Ashkuri, and a pretty, tall Twi'lek woman who shares a familial resemblance and the same tattoo patterns as Hex.

Brightly colored pennants and bunting made of fabric and small bells flutter in the wind as the rally approaches its beginning -- Alys Anaeho'omalu is going to speak and address the crowd! But for now, it's just social, with food (local food. watch out), drinks, and mingling. There are signs everywhere, campaign slogans written in Ryl, and most of the crowd is Twi'lek. To save everyone from the heat, the dais and surrounding area are in the shade. It's freezing.

[Barad]

Barad has known a substantial number of Twi'leks over the course of his lifetime, and has shared a great number of trials and tribulations with those folks, having been enslaved right alongside them in the service of their common Hutt overlords. Shared sufferings can build strong bonds, and these slaves would do their best to look out for each other as well as they could -- each and every one dreaming of the glorious day when freedom might again be theirs. Barad is now free, but he has never ever forgotten those days, nor the companionship and subtle assistances given and received in those darkest of times. Hearing of the doings and goings-on on Ryloth, and the buzz in the air attending to the selection of a Ryloth Representative, Barad decides to pay a visit to see this Spectacle of Freedom in action firsthand. Although the Klatooinian by no means "blends right in" with the crowd, his long familiarity with the language, habits, and culture of Twi'leks has so far at least enabled him to get by without giving offense or drawing down the swift ire of the most restive of the locals. Barad has found himself a far - off position in one of the more remote areas of the arena -- why push his luck? -- and has settled in to watch the proceedings, his big 'ole floopy brown ears perked up and folded slightly forward to catch the sounds of the event from the back row of those assembled here.

[Eriu Jynx]

As a drink is half finished in one hand the other is in over drive while gesticulating while Eriu Jynx speaks, "Then the security guards showed up. What a mess, an utter mess but fun. It was fun and thrilling but look!" She twirls about midstep with a bit of a hip swivel. "Not a scratch." Not a scratch but she spills some of her drink about, droplets sent flying in an arc around her before its brought to her lips and she sips deeply from it. Zhu Yan is given an expressive look, eyebrows raising a fraction before her attention sweeps over the crowd.

"Little packed...what are we doing here?" A brow arches. "Politics are not exactly my favorite." She drinks a bit more and makes a pleased sound as she lifts her attention towards those at the forefront.

[Zhu Yan]

"Well, because someone asked me for a favour." Did someone ask Yan for a favour? Probably not, but when it came to schmoozing amongst pollies, especially ones as corrupt as the ones on Ryloth, wellllllll there was probably money to be made. And Zhu Yan, he of the five-and-a-half feet of fury and the furry collared jacket and the... reasonable haircut? Where was the mop?! I mean sure it was still long. Ish. But neat! WHAT HAPPEN?! "Fact of the matter is, politics or no politics, she's a tiny fish on Mon Calamari," he explained to EJ, doing nothing to hide his cynicism about the whole thing. "Moral issues," he almost spat the phrase, "are all nice and fluffy but nothing will change. But you can make either a lot of money or a lot of friends by being in the right place at the right time. Like we are now!" Well at least he was optimistic.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

Polly-tit-shin. Four years away from the sheltered Shili life and Rheisa still doesn't /really/ know what that title entails. The complexity of it all. Dwelling on various hives of under-table dealings and no real formal gov't superpower hasn't required her to learn since she was dumped in Parmac's port. Politic is like pack leader? But more greedy, less...pack leader.

Yeah, Rheisa doesn't get it.

She is here though, one of the Askuri pack, supporting Heksash'kuri and his ideals. A Togruta in Twi'lek clothes. Sure, she's had to alter some head pieces a bit to account for the extra lekku and the montrals, but damn if she doesn't think she's rockin the look. An exquisitely ornamented rack, held high for all to see. Represent.

Rheisa's looking fleek but her degree of 'fine' is only surface deep. Those statuesque stripes swivel left, right, with slow pans of her head to take in the crowd - sight and sentiments. The many voices she is hearing carry disgruntled tones and while Ryl is only her third language, she understands enough of what she hears to know that the mob is simmering. These are not shouts of joy. Hairless brows press worriedly together and turn a silent look over to Kasia. Under her voluminous sash, Rheisa wraps one hand around a long, flute-like instrument.

[Erisi]

Erisi has come today because it would seem that the Knights of Ren should know what's going on around the Galaxy, and in the stead of Malik Ren, Erisi has made herself available.

She's dressed in fancy robes of deep blues and blacks today, no mask, hood back, taking in the crowds with a drink in hand, straw occasionally lifted up to her lips as she looks around, seemingly on her lonesome for now.

She'll weave her way through the crowd slowly, in no particular hurry to find a seat but ever mindful that one will have to be found eventually. Slurrrrrrrp. A look over yonder that way, an apologetic dip of her chin here and there as she eases past people or through groups of people, heading back to get a refill on her drink, and maybe a snackie-do.

[Vena]

Vena decided to make another trip of Ryloth to see what was going on. She is most assuredly NOT a Twi'lek, but, that's means the tall Chiss woman stands out with her rigid posture and her greying black hair that falls down her back. She has traded out her usual white jacket for a red one today, just in case she needs to murder anymore folks that start something silly. She didn't want to ruin another jacket.

She stands at a relaxed parade rest in the crowd, her scarred fingers entwining with each other behind her back as she stands watching the crowd and the dais as she waits to see what happens.

[Jehni'va Cihn]

Jehn has been eating and drinking since she arrived, which is of little surprise. Her presence at this rally doesn't come as much surprise either, given her Twi'lek name and associations, but she would still hardly be taken for the political type... Jehni'va is, after all, not known for her brains nor sense (common or otherwise). But? She's here. "People don't sound too happy, eh?" The pilot asides, in Basic, to Rheisa, her voice muffled from her over-stuffed mouth. Twi'lek cuisine can be dangerous, but she's always liked mushrooms.

[Kuolo]

Kuolo, Lord to some, had heard of the rally while on a brief stint on Nar Shaddaa. Whispers, of course, seeing as the Hutts had their own feeling on Ryloth's less-than-tenuous political status. It was nice to get out and listen to something he ... didn't entirely care about. That made the entire premise far more interesting to him, as, he could have an open mind! If such a thing were possible.

Kuolo's found himself a nice, quiet, shadowy overhang to rest beneath. The outer layer of robes had been left on the Mortale, far too impractical for the Ryloth sun. The under layers were a thin layer of material designed to allow breathability and movement. It was a material made for harsh suns. Of course, the mask remained. And the linen wraps that protect his otherwise exposed parts from the sun.

[Iollan Canem]

Like an uninvited tailwind, Iollan had at some point filtered in to the back of the crowd, unhurried and on his own. Perhaps he was attempting to keep a low profile, but as per usual the broad shape of one too-tall detective was only so obscured in any company. The chromed out glasses he was wearing today didn't help either. So, maybe that wasn't the point. No matter the intention of his being here, he was now mingling without really chatting, wandering between groups with a drink in hand, the other hooked over his beltbuckle. Casual enough and not gravitating to any familiar faces nearby -- for now. If the present crowd had any indicators of past behaviour, it was only a matter of time before something interesting pulled his meandering stroll that way.

[Kasia Ashkuri]

The rally is something that, up to this point, Kasia has been happy to attend, to fund, to experience. It's a world of politics that she's only experienced peripherally for the last few years. She seems content mostly, it's just that every so often, if one looks at just the right moment, they might note an expression of concern. She has a drink in one hand, while the other hand brushes back the bead-work that's a part of her outfits headdress, low key annoying but the outfit is one done by a Ryloth seamstress and therefore felt more appropriate for the evening. It also has fur, and is warm, which is so nice while standing in the chilly shade. "Ka're," she edges closer to Hex as she looks around at the attendees nearby. "Do you think we hired enough security?" Here's another one of those worried moments as she eyes a large blue hued Twi'lek nearby.

[Hadrix Kora]

Politics are a good place to locate potential work. People with agendas, grudges, interests and most with credits to burn. So why not swim in the waters, an armored Firaxan Shark among the others.

Nothing said as he passes sentients, only the red pulse behind the right branch of the Mandalorian's T-visor, and even his ID10 is locked to his back, beneath the battered black cape.

<<"See anyone we know?">>

<<"Through your hud?">>

<<"Yes">>

<<Maybe. Scanning. Ugh. You have a robot eye, use it.">>

[Eriu Jynx]

"Some times tiny fish get bigger..." Eriu remarks with a half snark that is quickly lost in finishing off her drink. "I need another..the pink one. Remember pink?" She beams up at him and gets another eyeful of groomed Zhu Yan. "We need to make more deals..liking the look." Eyebrow waggle. Chuckling to herself she reaches over and casually bends down to set aside her drink. "So which one is your friend that called in favor? I feel like I should get to know what they hold over to you to add a bit to my skills." Beaming from ear to ear, Eriu hip bumps the spacer next to her and then narrows her gaze on Iollan. "What...on .....Iolas...err STUD NUGGET!" Definitely yelled without any hint of hesitation.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

"Is not," Rheisa confirms to Jehni, doubling a glance over at the woman's mouth to quirk a nostril at the stink. Mushrooms. Is what grows on too-old meats. No thank. "You think stay safe?" She inquires back and shifts weight restlessly on bare feet. Bare toes in a crowd are always risky, but that's where the superhuman sense of spatial awarenesa comes in handy. And the show of fang or three. These puppies ain't just filed down. They the real deal.

[Tarion Tavers]

"Kriffing hell, it's cold. I hate this planet," Tarion declares to anyone who will listen, which is no one. The bounty hunter loiters adjacent to the dais, a hired gun because he has no muscles worth paying for. Atop his head he wears a pair of knit green lekku held together by a piece of silver tape that does little to hide the massive hole and scorched yarn underneath it. The rest of his attire is his usual grey nondescript armored suit.

Gravitating towards Rheisa and Jehni'va instinctively, he continues to complain, loudly and longly. "You know I lived on this hellish rock for over a week, once. There is nothing that would please me more than to see one of those kriffing phony 'planet killer' star destroyers hovering over this freezerburnt chunk of dust. I mean, if they actually did anything. Everyone knows that's not real."

Rather than watching for trouble, the rogue hunter seems more intent on cruising, complaining, and confections. "What're you eating? Is it actually edible or am I gonna be hauling you out of a refresher in half an hour?"

[Lozen]

Lozen trots along carrying a basket of something sticky and brightly colored. IT looks more like a kindergardener's art project rather than food but the green stains at the corners of her mouth suggests it is edible or Lozen is very very confused, "I don't know what this is but it's DELIGHTFUL!" She mutters around a mouthful of food. She looks around then and scans "Sure, my heart. Ask the shortest person here." She lifts up a hand and hauls herself up by one hand to peer over the crowd "I see the strange lady you know from your life before." She points to Erisi and then points, "I see the loud man from the Bounty hunter's guild..."

[Percy]

Among the sea of natives and aliens that mingle about the Brightlands Podracing Course is a regular, plain old human. With a smattering of freckles across his face, the lightly skinned fellow grimaces with a somewhat pained expression as he's forced to brush up against others to pass them. "Sorry. Sorry. Can I get through? Thanks." Ugh. Parts of this crowd were packed! Though fortunately not all, much to Percy's relief. Entering a less crowded zone, the Doctor dares to pick up some food and take a mild nibble. His stomach was still a little upset from the trip over, so he didn't want to fuel any nausea by rapidly scoffing down foods he had never consumed before. "Oh," He murmurs with a surprised tone, looking down at whatever it is he's munching on. "How good."

As he meanders through the crowd, his ears prickle as the native language falls upon his ears. Ever since meeting Hex and Kasia, learning Ryl has been something he's tried to do during his spare moments. It had thus been a slow burn, but even he understood some of the words, phrases and sentences being uttered from the people. His eyes narrow a little at some folk in particular after hearing a particularly damning comment, before he takes another bite of his tart.

[Zhu Yan]

Fun fact, Ryloth was indeed way too cold, especially for a... Corellian like Zhu Yan. Hence the really really thick jacket he wore everywhere and hadn't yet cottoned on to the fact that, after decades, if he wanted to adjust to temperatures below tropical he'd have to stop wearing it.

That, and his leg ached. Thanks, cold metal.

"You say that, but the chance of it actually happening, especially /here/, is basically nil. I mean," Yan gestured up towards the podium wherein stood the Senator-To-Be And Her Merry Friends Many Of Whom Were Defiance, "look, they believe. I mean, they would have called in a favour if they owed me any," which they never would, in fact it was probably the opposite, "but th-OW MY EARS!" Who the hell is Stud Nugget?!

[Jehni'va Cihn]

Does she think it'll stay safe? "Does it ever?" Jehn replies to her Togruta friend, giving a short laugh around a bite of mushroom. The thing that grows on old meats. "D'you think they brought enough security? Good ones, I mean? I don't think they'd be dumb 'nough t'just bring along the usual-" Tarion's timing, at this point, is fortuitous and confirms the pilot's misgivings. "Haven't a clue what it is." She offers, nodding to her little basket of fungus before holding it out towards her coworker. "Knock yerself out."

[Barad]

Barad scans the crowd and the signs, reading off some of the ubiquitous slogans, slowly and quietly, sotto voice: "Change now! Free our Children! A Fairer Future Starts Today! . . . " Barad keeps an eye and two floopy brown ears out for the reactions of those standing nearest to him. Nodding a bit at their mixed reactions, Barad scans the crowd further out. Many, many familiar faces, including some of the folks he'd see at the Casino. On "Canto Bight." Hm. Wouldn't expect -those- people to be all up for change, really. Since the Status Quo has made -them- quite wealthy. Interesting. Barad shifts to remain in the back row, as things could well get . . . . "interesting." Barad keeps an eye on the Twi'lek that shares Hex's tattoo patterns. And, moreso, tries to find anyone else who's keeping an eye on her, hostile or otherwise. If there's discord, a smart move would be to take out the funding. The candidate / mouthpiece might be more easily replaceable . . . Barad watches, his brown eyes narrowed.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

"Would please me, if you still on this chunk of dust when they come to hovering," Rheisa retorts under breath to the complaintive Tavers with a low, purring murmur. The thrummed undertone suggests she's gruta giggling as she says it, but her half-lidded side glower says maybe it isn't a giggle. "If cold, be closer," she mimes snuggling up against Jehni, because wtf is personal space except wasted space? To Jehn: "I hope so. But maybe is what we are for. Just in cases."

[Iollan Canem]

Well, there's his cover blown. Sort of. Either way, the terrible nickname plucks actual attention from Iollan as his gaze snags to the left, goes wide, finding the source -- yeah. An upwards nod of recognition hooks to EJ and company at the greeting, though for a moment it looks as though he might not angle that way. His drink is almost empty, after all, and since they're free around here, that may be the priority.

But, after a beat, whatever judgment is in his head winds over and the detective adjusts the slow roll of his stride over towards the Hanpan. "How's it going, darling?" rambles out as he comes within speaking distance. Despite his shielded eyes today, the crooked grin he sports hints mild amusement at the run-in. Zhu Yan gets a polite little nod as he polishes off the last of whatever fruity drink he'd picked up before, attention then splitting to spy a refill. "Didn't know you folks would be out this way, yeah?"

[Hadrix Kora]

<"Climb on my shoulders if you need, Lo."> Hadrix offers, <"But don't try to feed me any of that... I expect it'll do horrible things... Everything is fungus and mushrooms here."> And not a single one gives extra life or makes you grow giant. Not fair. And that guy on Omwat was a liar.

He does look to Erisi though, nodding to Lo and starting that way, whether she climbs Mount Hadrix or use him as a proverbial ice-breaker.

[Vena]

Vena was used to cold planets, Csilla wasn't the most tropical of places. There is a look around the crowd, her red gaze trying to see if she picks up on any known faces to her and she is surprised that she sees many that she knows a bit or in passing at least. A large mandalorian with a sassy droid, the white robed angry guy. There were a few. She gives a look to a few of the Twi'leks that she was standing with and then moves to start towards a few of the known faces.

[Eriu Jynx]

"You are just fine, stop complaining," Eriu quips at Zhu Yan when he complains about his ears. "You could not possibly have any hearing loss." She reaches up, ruffles his shorter clean cut hair and looks rather pleased with herself. Lets call it smug even. Fingers are a tad sticky from her drink and she hesitates, making a face as some loose hair remains caught upon her hand. She plucks at the brown strands and shakes them free with a wrinkle of her nose.

"How long have you known this person?" The question asked as one final strand is sent upon its downward path through the air to hit that dusty ground. As she looks up to find Iollan the aforementioned Stud Nugget, she grins. "Iollan..this is Zhu Yan, Yan this is Iollan Canem..just in case you have not met and well...we are here for a favor he owes," a light jab in Yan's side is given.

[Tarion Tavers]

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of," the usual sniffs at Jehni'va, Tarion's nose turning up at the mushrooms she offers him. "This is Ryl, I don't trust anything that's been here for more than thirty seconds, including myself. I have this situation completely under control. I am an expert of the highest caliber, probably the greatest security alive. We all know it; nothing can go wrong that I am not prepared for. I'm ten steps ahead of you and everyone else, Jehn, ok ka, see? I even know the local language."

Rheisa's offer to Jehni'va is promptly misinterpreted, and the aggravating man snuggles up to her in turn as well, "I got all the cases covered." A wandering eye drifts across to the dais. "I didn't know Hex had two sisters. One of 'em is almost cute."

[Hex]

Hex has been near the edge of the dais chatting with the woman who looks similar enough to be his twin -- that is indeed his twin. You thought the galaxy was bad enough with one Ashkuri? Surprise, there's a sister. She wiggles her fingers at Kasia and assures, "Of course we did. We have you, right? Right! And all your lovely friends! Find a place, ok ka, it's about to begin." The sister smiles, and disappears into the crowd to find her own place. And snacks, no doubt.

"Why? Security?" Hex wonders at his wife, "Did you hear something?"

A jaunty tune played over loudspeakers announces that the speech is about to commence! "I'll go up there with her, and make sure nothing happens," Hex promises Kasia, giving her a fond and surprisingly chaste pat on the rear as he ascends the steps along with....

The politician! There she is! Alys Anaeho'omalu is a striking Lethan Twi'lek, a bright red where Hex and his sister are more of a drab olive. She's in her mid thirties, quite pretty. Sensibly dressed, and waving to a crowd that cheers to see her.

Most of them. There are a few boo's in the mix as well, and some sound quite hostile.

[Zhu Yan]

"Okay, look, I was lying about the favour," but not about the fact that Yan owed everyone on that dias at least once, "we're here because it's business time." Is it Wednesday already? The diminutive smuggler sighed, ran his mechanical hand through his hair to fix the ruffling that had been done, and twitched as some of the strands got caught in joints and yanked out. He desperately needed to stop doing that. "These people? Kasia Ciph, sorry, Ashkuri, for about... four and a bit years? The rest less long. Canem? Better name than Stud Nugget. Did your missus get home safe?" Was he talking about Domino? Probably. "Speaking of missus, look, it's the whatsitcalled." Senator. Yan turned his head and saw Red. Like, bright target red. Cheers, boos, all sorts of noise broke out and Yan winced. "Please tell me you didn't come unarmed." Yan never comes unarmed, the sawn-off Bryar rifle secured solidly to his thigh. The non-cybered one. He was almost more machine now than man.

[Erisi]

"Heeeeeey." A greeting coming in from the crowd, Percy no doubt having heard many people saying many things, but this one is directed at him from down below, a black-blue fancy robed figure of Erisi there, new drink in hand and smile wide as she eyes the tall pale figure, "You're that guy from Tatooine, from the ..uh ..." Cybernetic hand snaps fingertips a few times as she glances off to the right, brows drawn down beneath fringe of her bangs, "Percy! Doctor Perc--"

A momentary pause, her shoulders rising up towards her ears as red-brown eyes narrow, cybernetic hand moving towards her mouth as she lets out an all mighty sneeze, face screwing up as it escapes her, "Holy shavit, sorry. Uhh ..." A deep sniff, woman turning on her heels to turn her back to Percy as she looks around, "Sorry, I just ..." He wouldn't understand. But something is bothering the woman who lowers drink from her lips before turning back to Percy, eyeing him a long moment with some suspicion though it moves on.

"What are you doing here, I would have thought you would have --" As she moves to stand beside him to be a conversation partner her gaze wanders, trying to spot something, rising up on her toes as she sips on her drink, "Huh. I would have thought you would be doing things regarding science or ...taking something apart to see it tick..." Distractedly noted, the restless folk around as the politician takes the stage noted, a little more effort put into finishing her drink. She'll probably need another, and she senses she should get it sooner than later.

[Jehni'va Cihn]

"Think they would've learned their lesson, haulin' us along as backup?" Jehn replies with a short snort, but she pats her hip for her blaster - just in case. Her other hand, however, withdraws its mushroom-laden offering with a shrug, another finding its way to her mouth with a soft, squashy, slimy 'plop'. "I had no idea you spoke Ryl." She continues, eyebrows raising with a soft chuff of surprise, even as she is sandwiched between a Togruta and what's left of the bounty hunter. She trusts him implicitly, and relaxes - against her nonexistent better judgement - but the talk is starting, and she doens't have time to dwell on such truths.

[Eriu Jynx]

"See, this is a much better way to get to know one another than what happened before, right?!" Make peace not war! That is the hop anyways as Iollan gets a wink. "His lady friend is just fine, Yan. Lets not talk about that now..and I know Kasia." she begins, following his motions as the bright red figure is given varying levels of acceptance. She ummmms but is pausing as she notes drinks not far away. She misses the boos - they meld right in really and she is already plotting the course she will take to fill her hand once more with libations.

"Soooo who wants a drink?" One track mind. "This is not the most ..attractive planet but I am sure it gets better the more you imbibe."

[Iollan Canem]

"No missus of mine, friend," plays along smoothly. Iollan only smiles still, again, new drink in hand snagged from a nearby tray taking his interest for a moment. But something in the name takes interest and he tips his head just a little, curiosity blooming in the minuet action. "But uh -- Zhu? That a family name?" It's an innocent question.

But, before answers, there's the little chime of the speech starting. Polite as ever, the detective keeps his attention to the dias up front as they keep chatting. A huff of laughter follows EJ's quick tumble of reply. "It's not gonna get any prettier, darling, sad to say."

[Kasia Ashkuri]

Kasia looks a little bit reassured at the words of Hex's twin, and... well, less so at the same from Hex. She's got enough experience in this to know better. "Yes, I did hear things, enough that we should tell the security to be ready for... I don't know. Anything?" That's helpful, but she issues that warning, and gives Hex a small smile as he pats her backside. He goes up on stage, and she finds a place near the stage to park herself, listening and looking around for signs of anything off. Something makes her stand up a little straighter and cast a look around, and it's in that look that she spots Erisi. Her lips purse into a line, but she holds her ground near the stage for now, instead lifting a hand to try and flag down those that she knows. Tarion? wave-wave. Yan? Wave. ...Jehn? Rheisa? Wave.

[Barad]

Barad nods as he sees the movements down by the stage. Looks like it's finally "Time" then. Barad crumples up the wrapper of the mushroom pie -- the contents lon-eaten -- and shifts to move on forward through the pressing throngs both Lekku'ed and not. A bit taller than your average Twi'lek, Barad is fortunate enough to have a clearer vantage than most, perhaps, and his soft brown ears are also on "alert" as things do now seem to be getting underway in earnest!

[Rheisa Dirleel]

Pale, grey lips upcurl into a smile in spite of the Tarion cooties rubbed all up ons and Rheisa lets her own gaze wander across and upward to that dais. She watchea as Hex's twin departs and the gloriously scarlet candidate takes her place. If votes were to be cast by appearances alone, the gal's already got Rheisa's, as partial to the allmighty RED gene as she is. Dominance.

"You are not all they need," she aims to humble Tarion with a little scoff around Jehn's shoulder. "Who is was lost in cave for week, talking to self? Mm? We find you. We are better as one pack, combine. This..." One hand extends out to pan over the exciteable crowd. "Too much for one man. Especially you." And then there's a super innocent smile of fangly white charm wielded for Kasia. Complete with wave.

[Vena]

Vena makes her way towards the white robed figure, "You stick out worse than I do in that white." she tells Kuolo as she takes up a space next to him. She's only an inch or two shorter than him as it is. Then she's noticing a few faces from the Casino that got attacked by the Black Sun. She looks back to the pale masked figure for the moment, "I'm not about to get shot by some hidden security am I? If so I can...wander other places." the Old Chiss muses.

[Tarion Tavers]

"Who would boo Hex's sister?" Tarion wonders, scratching idly at his chin before Rheisa jostles him back away from her personal space with her mean words. "They must be booing Hex, and I mean, I get that, he's really let himself go lately. This could be like, an interconvention, a wake-up call to get him back on the right track here. Don't get me wrong, he's never going to be /good/-looking, but maybe people wouldn't boo at the sight of him."

Crossing his arms over his chest where they're no good to anyone, the hunter frowns at Jehni'va. "I speak all sorts of Ryl. 'Rhyme-at'. 'Ok ka'. 'Chody-creep'. And uh... 'Eye-joku'. Practically a linguist, /ok ka./"

There's probably better things for him to be looking at, but his eyes are still drawn to Hex's twin sister. "If you kind of squint you can't even tell she has the head-noodles," he decides, rubbing a hand down over one of the knitted ones dangling alongside his head, eyes glazing over before Kasia's wave catches his peripheral and he lifts his hand to wave back.

[Jehni'va Cihn]

A hand raises in response to Kasia's wave, Jehni'va flashing her boss a wide grin as she does so. "Hex's sister is kinda h-" But Jehn trails off, something catching her attention not on the stage, but in the crowd. "Frag - that doesn't look good." She pats at Rheisa and Tarion both before she's off, dropping her mushroom basket and bee-lining it for a pair of Twi'leks. "I think they're gonna blow something up!" She hisses, conversation and Tarion's ridiculous 'lekku' forgotten.

[Zhu Yan]

"It is! Yan of Family Zhu." The guy figured out his name! Miracle of miracles! Zhu Yan's attitude was steered away from the 'oh crap everything's going to go insane' and towards 'LOOK HOW GOOD I AM'. Honestly, not far from default. "Old Corellian clan," he lied, reeling off the spiel as though it were simply a fact of life now. "Part of the tradition around the southern continents. Not... really very practiced anymore but some of the old Families still exist." He didn't look like a Zhu. Whatever. "Anyway, good to hear your not-lady got home." Pleasantries! Also over the top of a patch of nervousness but that was well masked. Then, in near-sotto-voce, inasmuch as one could be in this crowd, he said, "These boos? Sithspit's going to go down. I can feel it in my cyber."

[Lozen] Lozen looks around, keeping one tiny hand on Hadrix's arm so she doesn't get separated in the restless crowd, "My heart, do you understand what is amiss here? I though we were here for a race?"

[Eriu Jynx]

The family of Zhu. Eriu is lost considering that drink vendor and frowning a bit as her dreams are dashed with a smile and chuckle from Iollan. "You dug your own grave, yeah? You got him talking." She winks and starts to slip away. "Drink? Drink?" She points to each man before she starts to turn and stalk off for said drinks. Something has to help. Something. But then Yan is saying something but its just too loud to hear him! Or maybe its wishful thinking that nothing is going to happen but she taps her side and lifts the jacket she wears to show off her own Bryar. It also gives a quick peek at her throwing knives arrayed along the back of her belt. Jacket let loose she strolls over to get a few drinks from the vendor off to the side.

Humming to herself she sidles on up now that most people are watching the candidate appear. She holds up three fingers and orders said drink. When poured it appears pink.

[Hadrix Kora]

Turning suddenly, head focused on the dais, Hadrix looks to Lozen, <"Something is wrong"> And that's all the warning he gets, <"This was for a political rally."> tossed over his shoulder as the massive Mandalorian starts towards the stage. No run, but he does move at his full speed.

He looks up, around, frowning inside of his helmet. Too much to risk flight. Maybe the wrist blaster - no one will know he's pulling it until he fires the inaccurate damned thing.

Thermal detonator would start a panic riot.

<"Kriff..."> Plunging on, no time wasted for investigations, looking for who or where. <"Gehat'ike oyacyir'bat. Shi'Mando'ade olaror lo'eyn'gev.">

[Percy]

The growing conversations around Percy begin to worry him. At first he just passed them off, but the longer they marinated in his mind, the more anxious and unsettled he grew. "Damnit." He mutters, standing up tall to try and get a good look around. Sure enough, over yonder next to the dais, he spots the girthy (is that a word?) Hex and Kasia. Taking a big breath and a pivot, the Doctor turns to head that way! ...only to bump into someone.

Looking down before him, Erisi's somewhat regal form is taken in with a sweeping glance. While she recognised him, he unfortunately didn't recognise her. Their one and only encounter was so extremely brief, and many months ago at this point. Her sneeze earns a tilt of the head and a bemused smile, before he clears his throat. "Yes, I'm Percy. Erm... my apologies. I don't recognise your face." He starts, before remembering what he was about to do. "Yes, I do normally like to grace my days with science. But as a friend of Hex and Kasia, I figured the least I could do is come here and show my support, right? Even on a system as dire as this." The man shifts a bit uneasily on his feet. "Hey, speaking of. I'm just about to head over to the pair. Want to come with?" It was as polite as he could possibly get, really. Not even waiting for an answer, Percy is off! His lanky legs carry him forward at a pretty good pace, his arm lifting to wave at his targets. "Hex! Kas!" He calls out loudly, hoping to gain some sort of attention.

[Kuolo]

The black, void-ful eyelets of Kuolo's mask shift to Vena as she makes herself at home nearby. "As it should be," he says, Lordfully, as his eyes shift back to someone else in the crowd. A moment of focus passes and Kuolo considers what he'd felt. Something was coming. It wouldn't be such a quiet evening after all. "I should never have expected Rylothian politics to be ... safe," he mutters, towards Vena. The Hell did that mean?

[Kasia Ashkuri]

Kasia shoots another worried look around, then looks back to those she knows who are waving back. Those waves back are met with a 'come here' motion to each, then turns back to the stage, which she edges a little closer to. She's allowed to, even if some of the security is less familiar with the fuzzy-headed human in Twi'lek style dress, and gives her funny looks.

[Iollan Canem]

A thoughtful nod. "No, that's just funny," Iollan lilts in that pleasant catch of broad conventionalism he's so good at. He doesn't sound amused. A shoulder pulls up in some passing shrug under the leather jacket he's sporting, eyes still up to the front. "Friend of mine has that family name, yeah? Haven't ever heard of it from Corellia, but hey, s'interesting." Sure it is. The drink in his gloved hand swirls a slow circle, absently in motion, as EJ parts from them both in search of libations, which is a good reason to leave. "Y'know, I can't say I have any inkling who's gonna win this one."

[Lozen]

Lozen blinks and frowns, "Should I help you look or should we try another diversionary tactic to dispurse the crowd?" She follows along, silver eyes scanning the crowd, the scenery, not seeming entirely sure what she's looking for.

[Barad]

Barad 's big 'ole floopy ears discern a subtly mounting undercurrent of raw fomented discontent from some of the crowd, who rumble and mutter in their native Ryl. Violence and harm -full attitudes displayed among some Lekku as well. "OK," thinks Barad to himself: "Not unexpected." Every strongly expressed opinion is bound to foster opposition, after all. Yet this seems . . . moreso. . . But what, specifically, might the 'haters' have planned? As fluent as he is in Ryl, Barad can "read" the general set of posture, and the obvious Lekku - cues. But the specifics and the nuance can be interpreted only by natives, really. Is there a sniper? Is it a bomb? Something about the dais itself? Barad tries to puzzle this out as he drifts on in with the surge of the crowd. Barad readies his Medpac in its shoulder - sling, just in case "The Worst" comes to pass. Although if "The Worst" turns out to be: Riot . . . well, he's going to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of casualties. That, indeed, is a sobering thought.

[Vena]

Vena listens to Kuolo and there's a bit of a chuckle to him, "I'll take that getting a blaster pointed my way as a yes." she states. Though her eyes go over the crowd before she looks back to Kuolo, "Well, at least I wore my red jacket today. Means I won't have to worry so much about the stains that blood will leave." she muses to mostly herself. "Should we be getting ready to draw weapons and things or is it just a 'feeling'?" she asks him.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

!! What? Jehn's hiss is given acute attention and Rheisa derails her rag-on-Tarion train to follow the woman's departure and make her own observations. All those nearby jeers are moving awaaaaaay from the dais. Seems counterproductive. Unless mushroom muncher is right. "Bachu," Rheisa swears softly under breath and gathers up her layers in hand to scurry over to Kasia. "All the bad mens" and womens "is leaving," she says not so quietly. "Jehni'va saying they are blowing things." A pause. "up." And in case that wasn't descriptive enough, her handsare talking, too. "You think is real?"

[Tarion Tavers]

Kasia gestures in a sort of 'come hither' movement that lacks any of the provocative potential that Tarion is sure she's capable of. "Well, I guess it's going down like that. Stand back, amateurs. I gotta get over there and find out what's going on and how much extra money I can squeeze out of dealing with it," the bounty hunter announces, motioning for Rheisa and Jehni to step aside before heading off towards his employer, roughly elbowing past anyone who happens to be in his way, including the aforementioned pair if necessary.

En route, he pulls the rifle slung on his back around into his hands, either unaware or unconcerned of the impression that such actions might make in this particular charged cultural context. Probably a bit of both. "Hey, Kasia," he calls as he gets close, "One: this was supposed to a peaceful little get-together, I think I might need a bonus for discharging the situation, whatever it is. Two, how come I've never met Hex's sisters? They're both kinda a little bit alright."

[Zhu Yan]

Ohhhhhh? "Really?" was his interested response. Sithspit. That was an issue Yan was going to have to tackle sooner rather than later. But, sooner was still later than 'right fracking now'. "Neither can I, but what matters is that it's us. Let them do their thing, if we walk away alive we win." Sharp nod. That was the opportunism rearing its ugly head. Speaking of 'we', Yan made an expression that was combined shock, fear, and sudden realization. "Where'd EJ go?" Left, right, he looked and looked and, "oh she's getting drinks... aaaaand it's pink." Crisis averted, but he was still bouncing quietly in anticipation because his nerves were up and the paranoia in the back of his mind was screaming that he was about to get a visit from someone right here right now that he didn't want to get. Oh Yan, if only you were aware.

[Percy]

"Are you hearing this?" Percy cannot help but almost EXPLODE with worry as he comes close to Kasia. "My ryl is not the best, but even I can hear these folks in the crowd. They're angry. They're talking about doing some sort of harm. Bombs. Explosives." Now reasonably close to the stage, his eyes drift up to it, before he turns to look at the others also arriving.

[Hadrix Kora]

<<"Lo, try to disburse the crowd if you can... If they give trouble you might need to put a few rounds into the cavern roof with Viera.">> Hadrix answers over comms before he breaks into a heavy jog, using his armor to buffet people aside that don't move for the shape of the Mandalorian in their midst, heading for the stage purposefully.

Maybe he should fire the jets... and hope.

<"Kriff..."> He's rekking eloquent though, ain't he? Slap that guy on a political poster! For real! But don't put 'Hope' or 'Change' under his image. Maybe something more apt... like 'PUNCH!' or 'KABOOM!'

[Erisi]

It was such an insanely brief meeting, and homegirl was in a different life back then. As Erisi is blown off she barely notices in turn that he's taken off, woman still on her toes, trying to see through the crowd that which tickles at her evil senses. Is it Kasia? No. A glance off to the stage to see said woman, or try to, a few people moving around to allow her to see Husband and Wife. Taking the pair in only lasts but a moment before again the crowd shifts, barring her from a clear view, but no ...that's not where her attention should be anyhow.

Lips pull to the side around the straw of her drink, rolling it between her teeth and tongue as she eases away from where she was, Percy forgotten entirely. She glides off, robes swirling around her feet, towards a vendor, shaking her now empty drink and asking for a refill, "Make it like a triple shot in it ...shavits about to get real." Said, the vendor oblivious to the things the short robed one is onto, thinking maybe it'll be like, you know, celebratory shavit, people going wild! PARTY FOR THE CANDIDATE. WOOO. So yeah, Eri gets a triple shot in her drink, child's cup with lid sure to keep it safe.

[Jehni'va Cihn]

Was that Yan? No - Jehn can't let herself get distracted. She saw a... Remote or a detonator or something passed between hands, and she can't let that sort of harm come to her family. She misses Kasia's motion to come closer, but Jehni'va is already on her way, in hot pursuit of what she thinks she's seen. "Should we be warning people?" The pilot asks, panic edging her tone as she pushes her way through the crowd, not apologizing.

[Barad]

Barad hurriedly scans through the crowd, quickly glancing over those that hold their right Lekku raised in anticipation or greeting to the speaker as she makes her way up onto the stage. The ones he pays attention to are the ones whose Lekku are pointed, arched into their backs points - first. Those are the ones expressing "hatred," "animosity," or . . . well, or -worse-. Barad mingles in the midst of those, trying to discern what's what. . .

[Kasia Ashkuri]

Kasia turns to look at Rheisa as she approaches, a hand reaching out to give Rheisa's arm a squeeze. "I think the threats are real, they're angry about someone trying to change how things are done. People react very badly to that." Even Tarion gets a grateful look. "Jehn, go tell security what you've seen, who you saw with it if you can." There are security people close by since they're so near the stage, then she turns to look up at the stage. "Hex," she calls, a hand waving to try and get his attention. They don't have a pre-arranged hand signal, but she's clearly trying to convey danger without outright running up on stage.

[Hex]

The opposition fans clap for Alys, and she smiles, reaching to pick up a microphone and speak into it. "Kassurra and ke'nata ni," she greets in Ryl, hello and respect to you, before she continues in Basic... perhaps out of deference to the fact that there are so many aliens (human aliens especially) here! She is not Hex's sister, although she is nearby. You'd have to be blind to think they're related. Blind, or Tarion. "It's so wonderful to see you all here, in support of a better Ryloth, a fairer Ryloth, the one her people deserve!"

Cheers! But some people who were near to the dais, and complaining, seem to be shifting slowly away from it.

"When I was young, I was sold as a slave," Alys begins, with the typical about-me change-story that every politician has. "I didn't know that the vassij'ra - our custom of selling a poor family's eldest daughter into slavery so that the rest of the family may survive - had roots in corruption and evil. It was told to me as a tradition, a noble sacrifice, something our people have always done."

There are murmurs in the crowd now, some absorbed in her speech, some hostile.

Alys Anaeho'omalu continues. "After I gained my freedom, I realized this 'noble sacrifice' was a lie. These are the chains into which we bind ourselves, our own people, so that the richest and fewest among us may prosper! I call for enough! I call for no more! Under my leadership, Ryloth will criminalize the vassij'ra, and as a representative in the senate I will --"

Hex seems to spot what's about to happen too late. "Oh no," the big man understates, and then reaches to grab Alys as the explosion rocks the stage, deafening, and collapsing all upon it into fire and smoke and collapsing infrastructure. Shrapnel flies into the crowd, and people begin to scream and run!

[Eriu Jynx]

DRINKS! Eriu is happily waiting for that third and final drink to be poored. Who knew that learning another language could possibly be beneficial to one's health? She still does not. Blissfully unaware she manages to grab both drinks on each side to sandwich the third. She's got this! Look at her go! Eriu turns slowly just as a crooked smile of triumph crosses her lips. She chuckles and looks over the drinks at the two she left further in the back. Now to traverse her way there. Now free of the stand and its counter, she seems to have fully completed the objective of managing to hold on to all three. "Hey!" She calls out, but is likely not heard with the murmuring and talking in the crowd.

There is a swivel of her shoulders and she mmmmmms as she starts to turn at the sudden movement near the stage. Three glasses of pink alcohol still perched amazingly in her hands are thankfully not sweating just yet but that all ends. Perfect record thus far. Fifteen feet traversed and EXPLOSION.

Drinks go flying and so does Eriu as one or two of the glasses shatter as a few bits of wood and metal - not to mention glass have nothing really to buffer them. The rfront of her shirt and even her stomach shred a bit and one large piece specifically breaks skin and imbeds itself. But for the moment she's stunned, laying on the gront covered in pink alcohol and coughing as she rolls to her side.

"Kriff me!"

[Jehni'va Cihn]

"Got it. They... They looked shady, I -" Jehn is turning to move again, to find security, to find the two with the detonator - but it is too late. The entire world rocks as it rips itself inside out, yanking Jehn off the ground with it. The pilot, fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, is getting used to this and throws herself to the floor, her arms thrown over her head. She feels shrapnel soar over her, letting out a little 'eep!' of surprise and fear.

As soon as it's clear that the world isn't going to throw any more rocks at her, Jehni'va gets shakily to her feet, frantically looking for her crew. "Guys?!" She shouts over the din of chaos and panic, coughing as dust and debris clogs her inhale.

[Iollan Canem]

"Well, it's a big galaxy." Sure it is. "Anyway, he's a bit taller than you. And not so--" Shaggy? Pale? It's left hanging as Iollan pulls another draught of his drink, nearly draining the whole thing. Nobody pours heavy-handed enough here, clearly. He sniffs absently as Zhu pings off questions at his elbow, though he is looking out to find EJ, which isn't the most difficult, especially given he seems one of the more calm in this whole swath of bodies. The hand comes off his belt to weasel a little silver tin from an inner breast pocket, thumbing it open with a soft 'ting'. Several neat little rollups rest inside, one of which the detective starts sliding out with a thumb before--

BOOM. Oh, that's not good.

The tin goes flying from the his hand, though the drink stays intact as all six-some feet of Lan ducks on base instincts. Suddenly, screams and panic are flooding around and he has only a second to right himself, fingers already under the hem of his jacket to snare the blaster there. "EJ!" Where the hell is she now?

[Lozen]

Lozen unslings her rifle, "No one finds me intimidating, Next time I wear the power armor and carry the flamethrower." She quips. She exhales "LEt us hope I am not gunned down by the local security for-she then suddenly tries to shove Hadrix down-she's too tiny so *plinks" off him and flat on her back when the explosion occurs, throwing her arms ofher her head and laying as flat as she can.

[Kuolo]

"You're fine," Kuolo says offhanded, by vocoder. "I'm not in any danger, anyway," he admits. Somehow, this seemed to have him somewhat at ease, though, the growing feel of the crowd was thus-far unpanic'd. But, he knew there would be some manner of panic coming. That was the way of mobs. The opposition would win by terror, because terror was -very- easy to win with. "I don't usually get to watch someone else start the fight--This'll be interesting," he murmurs.

But then, all the promise of safety fades away. Even if he wasn't the target, the kind of munitions definitely put him back into the 'in-danger' category. A split second before the explosion, Kuolo is on his feet. The chair that bore him slips backwards and topples over with the force of his rise, before his hand shoots forward. Only a hair of a fraction of a second protected him as the imagined field in front of him comes into solid form, deflecting the shrapnel away from his body and into the ground where it bug deep. He was safe. But, sweat already begins to pool on his forehead from the exertion--And, he was getting angrier. How DARE they. Assassinate your political rivals without endangering the Sith.

[Tarion Tavers]

"HEX, you chody-creep!" Tarion yells up at the stage, raising his rifle over his head and waving it at the big man, much less concerned with embarrassing him or disrupting the event than Kasia is. "There's a THI-"

The vision of the world in front of him explodes.

Everything he can see stops existing in solid form and flies outward in a crushing wave of sound and fury that lasts for only a split second before it's replaced with silence and then a high-pitched whine. Chunks of the stage sail past him and the shockwave covers him in a layer of dust, but the hunter is miraculously unscathed, standing there blinking in the wake of the eruption with his rifle still over his head. "...I can understand the sentiment," he doesn't hear himself say, then repeats it again, louder. "I UNDERSTAND THE SENTIMENT."

Leaving the weapon to dangle on its sling, fingers press against his ears, hands squeeze the sides of his head. "I'm going to file for worker's compensation for this!" he declares much louder than he means to.

[Vena]

Vena wasn't expecting an explosion, but, it's always the things you don't expect that seem to explode in your face. The Chiss is hit by schrapnel in the arm and she looks down to the jacket for a moment and there's a soft sigh. Then she looks to Kuolo, red eyes blazing, "Yeah, YOU'LL be fine." she growls a bit. Space wizards. Ugh. She reaches to rip the piece of metal from her arm and tosses it onto the ground before drawing one of her vibrodaggers. "Security isn't going to run in and stun people this time. This is going to be a mess." she states.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

"Am hearing," Rheisa assures Percy as he arrives in a frenzy, even if she wasn't exactly the target of his warning. "Is good see you," she tells the white, white human that hasn't crossed her path in eons. Rather, she hasn't been to their Tatooine compound in eons, either. Just isn't the same without groat.

Kasia's squeeze jerks Rheisa's focus back to the Ashkuri clan leader. Kasia. "Yes bu--"

BOOM

The concussive force alone would spell misery for the ultra-sonic aensitive Togruta, but the explosive array of shrapnel definitely adds a bit more than insult to her injury. She is knocked clean off her feet, unable to twist and writhe her way clear of this airborn debris field. Her brain is stunned, those nerves withib the hollow matrix of montrals screaming in pain that she'll soon recognize while the rest of her is pelted with heat and stabby bits. A few heartbeats later she blinks, staring with confusion at the haze of smoke hovering over her downed frame. Limbs a bit twisted. Beads everywhere. Smell of blood fresh in her nose. Is it hers? And that insufferable sound. That ringing. That keening. Her throat is clenched, producing that shriek of disoriented dismay without recognizing the voice as her own.

[Erisi]

FWOOOSH. A huge bubble of air and debris BLASTS pasts Erisi, her bangs flying back, fancy hair flying back, eyes closing in against the force that erupts around her, drink held tightly in her hand as she had just turned to face back towards the stage. What follows is the shrapnel, bits darting the air all around her, some skewering through her robes, flying through those tendrils of her bangs and curled hair and jewels adoring said hair, taking off some of them. She's pressed back into the vendor stand so is kept from being knocked back onto her arse, and she comes out unscathed.

Barely.

As people begin running all around her she'll stick right up against the vendor stand, said vendor also one of those screaming and running out, the somewhat short force user managing to keep out of the stampede of bodies.

Lips part as her mouth drops open, a slow raise of her kiddy cup full of booze completed up towards her mouth, straw found with a darting out of her tongue, liquid sipped on. Slurrrrrrp. Erisi's timing on the drink refill was /impeccable/. Thanks danger sense!

[Hadrix Kora]

The view before him is abruptly different, catapulted forward as the leg that came down for his next jogging step is caught, pushed, pulled, and twisted away. Then the pain hits and old training tries to take control. Something is different though. There is also stone floor rushing towards him trying to give his face the least preferred of hugs.

<"LOZEN!"> head turning just as she bounces off of him and the blast force shoves him along his face sending sparks from durasteel cuirass and beskar helmet. Shoved into a half roll to land on his back, blood running across cracked cuisse and undersuit.

<"LOZEN!"> scrambling to his feet and and falling to a kneeling posture twice as the old carbine is pulled off of his hip in a pistol grip. Hadrix looks for the tiny echani, shouting for her in her native tongue as well as basic.

[Kasia Ashkuri]

Kasia is in the middle trying to wave to Hex when suddenly she's rocked backward with the concussive force of the blast. She might've screamed, but she can't hear it. She can't hear much of anything but the ringing in her ears. It takes a few moments for her to figure out what's happened, and then she's staggering to her feet unsteadily. That results in her hitting the ground again, then pushing up again slower than before. This time she manages to stay upright, saying, "Hex?" and not hearing herself very well. She doesn't repeat the cry, and instead staggers over to the stage to try and find the husband she last saw standing even closer to the explosion than she was.

[Percy]

The last thing Percy spots is Hex diving from the stage like some sort of action hero, sister in arm. From there it's just white as the explosion rips the stage to pieces. The concussive force of the boom is enough to blow Percy back, clean off his feet. His gangly arms instinctively lift to protect him from any further damage as he sails a good few feet through the air, shrapnel from the now-exploded dais slicing into his limbs and torso. As he lands with a thump on the hard ground, he loses consciousness for a brief moment as the back of his head snaps back to collide against the rock. "--kuck!"

...then he stirs.

With his head ringing and vision blurred, Percy tries to sit up. A sudden rush of pain shoots through his body as his nerves kick back to life, causing him to cry in pain. Looking down at his ripped clothes, he winces at the blood that is rapidly staining his clothes. All around him is panic. Panic and smoke. Rolling over onto all fours, he tries to get his brain into gear to do a quick, initial assessment on his wounds. "Nnngh..." Then?

Vomit.

[Syrus]

Syrus, being fashionably late, arrives apparently /just/ in time for the party. There was something nagging at him on the relatively short trip from the spaceport. An uneasy feeling sitting in the pit of his stomach. There were people that he cared about there. Well, person, at least.

"Excuse me, pardon me," he'd repeat ad nauseum as he made his way to the crowd, his tall be-armored and caped form cutting some semblance of an imposing form, looking for someone.

"Wait..." he says, coming to a halt as that tension reaches a fever pitch, reacting too slowly as the bomb detonates and a piece of shrapnel digs into his leg.

[Zhu Yan]

Zhu Yan was making twitchy head motions, sort of like come-hither but relayed really badly, towards EJ. Because y'know, paranoia.

At some point in everyone's life there comes a point where they can absolutely blast out 'I TOLD YOU SO' but it's really, really a bad time to do so. Usually it's because the event in question has resulted in harm, loss of life, or some serious embarrassment. For Zhu Yan, today was that day. But you see, before he could indulge in any sort of shenanigans, there was a deafening BOOM and something caught him solidly in the torso.

He came to a few seconds later, dizzy, shellshocked, and feeling a log where there should have been his stomach. Right. The rock was on top of him. "Sithspit," he grunted, hauling it off him and dumping it to the ground. That was gonna leave bruises. Where was everyone? Scrambling to his feet, he looked around at insanity and chaos and nothing going well. Armed? He tapped his thigh. Yep, still good. Priorities. "EJ!" he bellowed out, his voice cracking halfway in. Ohhhhh that hurt, that really hurt.

[Jehni'va Cihn]

So, it's chaos - chaos, anger, fear, and what is sure to be a fight. "Oh - doc!" Jehn gives a bleary wave through another cough, just as Percy turns to vomit. It doesn't matter - that's a familiar face, and one that's in a bad sort. "You good?" She asks, stumbling towards him with a hand outstretched. Where is the dais? It's there so - yes! There she is, going towards the stage - but Hex, Rheisa, and Tarion, Jehn has lost track of. "You hit? You bleeding?" She asks Percy before spotting a flash of white and red on the ground with the shifting of a dust cloud - in the confusion, she recognizes the scream. "Rheisa! Doc you - you good t'stand? We need a doctor right now, sorry t'rush you."

[Lozen]

Lozen cries "I'm okm, My heart! Hadrix! What is your status?" She grunts and springs up to her feet, uninjured but reeling as her ears ring and she cries out a lil too loudly. She finds Hadrix and thumps on his armor "I'm here, my heart. What's your status?" she looks him over worriedly.

[Hadrix Kora]

<"I can fight."> thankful for the muffles in his helmet to block out that kind of damage to hearing. Hadrix almost throws a hard elbow at her face, on instinct, when his armor is thumped on. But there's not time for flirting or foreplay. No time for love Doctah Kora.

<"Leg hurts... living. I can fight."> and there is the old beast now. Even with his voice washed out with the vocalizer one can hear his teeth clench hard enough it's a wonder that they haven't cracked or shattered. Chest heaving, shoulders rising and falling.

<"Enemies... I need enemies...">

[Kuolo]

Kuolo's teeth grit hard. Sweat continued to bead, as the form of the physical shield began to dissipate. Though Kuolo's hand found the ice-cold black hilt of Anuesana's lightsaber, it wasn't active yet. It remained quiet. "I better not get blamed for this," Kuolo mutters in a cold, careless demand. Yes, THAT was his concern, here. The eyes of Kuolo's mask scan the crowd. He needed people to blame. To punish.

[Eriu Jynx]

Cursing in huffs as she finally gets a knee beneath her, Eriu cringes as she bends forward to help do the rest by pushing on her leg. Ears ringing, she blinks a few times and looks like she's been out after a long night on Nar Shaddaa. She wobbles from foot to foot a moment, shaking off the initial adrenaline and shock. Pain start to hit her then, that warm sensation in her stomach leading to a stinging pain. "Did I get shot again!?" She cries out, thinking perhaps blasters were involved. But as her eyes pan over the devastation she is answered without words and the Hapan half stumbles forward to help another figure up who got tangled in their own clothing. "Here..here.." she can vaguely hear herself above the screaming and cries of pain.

A bit turned around now that the stage is pretty much gone she does not yet spot Iollan and and Yan as she is bumped into and buffeted around once her good samaritan duties are done.

[Barad]

Barad winces from the spot on the ground where he'd hurled himself to on instinct just as the stage blew. Anyone who's been in Combat and lived through it has similar instincts, but the unluckier civilians are definitely going to have taken the brunt of this. Barad *shake shake shakes* while down on all fours, to clear his head from the ringing in his hears. Barad's big 'ole floopy ears flap wildly as they struggle to regain their hearing. "Frak." Barad folds out the side of his MedKit. Lotta people gonna need help, likely. Barad struggles up to his knees, leaning on a bench for support. A smoky hellscape greets his blinking eyes: Soot and shrapnel, charred flesh, screaming wounded. "DoubleFrak." Innumerable flashbacks surge and threaten, with the reminders of those battles past. Barad shoves those memories down, just as he levers his own self up. "MEDIC HERE!" Barad shouts, through the chaos, volunteering himself unasked. "BRING YOUR WOUNDED. I'M A MEDIC!" Barad repeats, again, at volume, hands on his knees, regaining his breath.

[Hex]

Chaos, obviously, ensues.

Alys Anaeho'omalu and Hex Ashkuri disappear into the wreckage of the dais and its infrastructure for sound, lights, decorations... all woefully flickering with flame and smoke now, a wreckage from which not much is stirring. Out of the crowd, as the opposition supporters begin to flee, gangs of villains begin to draw weapons! They are all Twi'lek, in varying colors, both male and female and kitted out with Mercenary-like gear.

"Ryloth honors her traditions!" A man who looks like a leader of this crew yells, racking a shotgun and firing a shot toward a fleeing supporter. "Ryloth honors those who have led us fairly in the past, and who will continue to do so in the future! Ryloth does not need YOUR KIND here, and if you try to end our way of life, you'll pay in blood!"

[Kuolo]

And then, as if answering his demands (we'd say thank the Force, but, the Force was meant to serve), people appear to punish. Pushing recklessly through the crowd, Kuolo was first to arrive on-scene at the most menacing, evil looking of the enemies--Aside from himself, obviously. A strong, force-fueled arm rises to push a random alien out of the way. As the alien falls, the crimson-bladed saber comes crashing down, barely missing the small grouping of conspirators. The follow-up slices through a nearby table, and the stumbling crowd sends Kuolo slightly out of range of the third attack.

[Syrus]

If there's one thing Syrus doesn't abide, it's terrorism! Standing up and clutching at his bleeding leg, the Kiffar unclips his saber from his belt and the crimson blade leaps to life. A limp in his step isn't enough to prevent him from closing the distance and separating one of the firebrand's heads from their shoulders.

[Erisi]

Erisi shifts her drink from her right hand to her left cybernetic hand, letting the cool clawed arm take over drink duty. Drawing her hood up on her robes with her now free right hand she'll get into the 'mood' for killing, shoulders given a small wiggle, woman pumping herself up. Okay, okay, this was gonna be a boring gig, and now it just got fun.

Another moment is taken as she reaches under her robes with a pull of the fabric to the side so she can unhook her lightsaber hilt from her sweet leather pants worn beneath, drawing it out and giving the curved hilt a little shake, loosening her wrist, the red angry blade flashing out with a touch of her thumb to release it.

A smile from beneath her hood now, gaze shifting as she begins to stride forward through the running crowd to encroach on the terrorists. Cup is waved through the air, cybernetic pinky lifting up as she sets one of the lead terrorists on fire, focusing on the woman's pants and setting the fabric aflame, another sip taken from the drink once the flames are ignited. It's her ~birthday~.

[Kasia Ashkuri]

Within the many layers of Kasia's outfit is tucked at least one weapon, which is one of the nice things about layers. While she's trying to move over the rubble she spots one of the people she's (pretty) sure had a hand in this attack. He's shouting something, and though her ears ring she's pretty sure it's something about tradition on Ryloth. She lifts the the blaster and fires off a few shots, though only one connects, while the others burn marks into a nearby rock face that towers over the stadium and offers shade. "Hex?" she calls, trying not to panic while turning away from shooting to move around the outskirts of what was the stage. Deep breath, deep breath, panic won't help her to find a safe way over to the last place she saw both Alys Anaeho'omalu and Hex.

[Barad]

Barad just starts healing people. Any people -- _All_ the people. It does not matter one iota if they're guilty, innocent, assassin, Sith, saint, spice - druggie, or parent - of - three. It only matters that they're bleeding, and that Barad is going to stop that. It's a tall order -- there are so many. Can't look ahead; can't think of that. "Treat the one in front of you Right. Patch 'em up. Move on to the next patient." Barad enters that 'Zone' of sorts, that overcomes people in horrible situations. Reality focuses down to the immediate Now, to the immediate Here. "OK, that's an artery. Leaking." Spray -synth. Bind. Painkillers. Next. "A broken arm." Spray - splint, sling. Good. "3rd degree burns." OK, Bacta . . .

[Hadrix Kora]

Enemies. Now he can see them.

<"Kote'echoy, Ni'kote'echoy"> No politics. Order colors, his own, he's constantly mixed into these kriffing politics. Hadrix's hand is up and the first of his shots burns a halfmoon into the head of one of the people who couldn't come to a political stand without causing pain.

<"Al'ni ret?liser pirimmur'gaa'taylir"> Another shot and another downed target, this one with their chest open like a volcanic rock fruit bowl filled with bones and charred meat.

<"'Lek, teh'demagolka ni'morut"> A third is spun around and cast aside like sticks in the wind. Hadrix's voice a bestial growl as he bites out the last.

<"Bal Kaysh al'nu ba'slanar">

[Lozen]

Lozen slips the strap of her rifle over her head and then unslings her ax and calls over her shoulder "Call if you need assistance, my heart-but I have something to say to these cowards for now." She takes a running start towards a Tuff Terrorist while it's distracted and swings her ax as if it weren't somehow nearly as bix as she was.

[Eriu Jynx]

Checking her Bryar, EJ curses underneath her breath and does not pull the gun. Instead the knives are drawn from her belt and she shifts them in her grip. Stepping around the sentient still getting their bearings she hisses cringes and winces. Pink alcohol is still dripping from her hair and clothing, leaving little wet droplets on the dusty ground in her wake. Getting a clear enough shot on some of the terrorists she twists her wrist inwards and extends her arm in a snap. The first knife lands clean but the second that follows is still on target, jus not in a vital enough area for her liking. "Ruined my hair, drinks..and my NEW clothes...ugh.." she says, something a bit more red mixing with the pink libation that has stained the white crisp shirt beneath a dusty hue.

[Vena]

Vena shoots Kuolo one more furious look and then she's stalking off towards one of the terrorists. "Shut up." she barks out as she swings the vibrodagger at the one. This might be a bad night for her again, but, she's going to deal with some of this pent up anger. The chiss stabs the terrorist and then readies to do it again.

[Jehni'va Cihn]

And then red. Red. She sees it through the dust and the crowds - red entirely unlike the bolts of plasma that have begun to zip back and forth. "This isn't a good place to be." Jehn seems to belatedly realize, panic gripping her; hadn't one of those dark Jedi - Sith, Knights, or whatever they call themselves now - attacked Hex and Kasia recently? Percy - the doctor - has her more immediate attention, however. She's kneeled beside the vomitting man, her brow knit in worry - but PEW. She snaps her gaze upwards just as a shot flicks past her, and she returns fire without even thinking about it. The shot connects.

Her reaction and accuracy frightens her more than being shot at.

"Doc? You okay?" Jehn asks, pushing the thought down. She'll process that later. "Can't stay here, doc - I have to check on Rheisa, okay? I'm right here, hang in there I'll be right back!" The pilot scrambles over a bit of stage towards the Togruta.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

Percy's not alone in losing his lunch. Half digested meat, small animal bones, foamy bile...these were the contents of Rheisa's stomach. Now they are on display, dribbled down her bloody finery and onto the pebbled ground. Her pupils are crazy dilated, uneven, right eye twitchy. The left sorts itselfout quickly, because cybernetics. <3 Raim.

"Naaaah..." she moans with an inward suck of air and exhales a similarily screechy nails-on-chalkboard curse at whatever elements just went tits up to cause this disaster. A shrieky warble that would surely carry over the turu grasslands, were she there. The Togruta rolls herself the rest of the way over, wobbly to and fro on hands and knees while she combats the dizziness. Every motion within 80 meters carries on the breeze of this chaos and this overwhelming sensory data is enough to keep an echolocative creature busy on a good day. But on a bad one, airwaves rocked with exceptional force? The sixth sense works against her. Rheisa is Drowning.

Some nuance of direction must prevail, because she tries crawling over rubble toward the place the stage USED to be. Her and all her new friends that are currently embedded in her face, arms, belly, leg. Nasty, but superficial. Her 'gruta skin is built Shili-tough. Blood pumps freely from a gash above her collarbone where one piece fell out after almost giving her a tracheotomy.

"Heehkshhkkuuurki..." she gurglecroaks. And heaves a second time. "Kaaasiaaaah.." It's like she's blind.

[Zhu Yan]

Of course. Where Zhu Yan goes, all hell breaks loose. If he didn't love shooting people he'd be really upset by this turn of events. But the sudden wealth of insurgent targets stymied his bad mood somewhat. Finding the nearest guy looking like a raggedy dishevelled terrorist, using his cybernetic hand he grabbed the man's shoulder with a "Hey."

The Modified Bryar was a thing to behold, inasmuch as one could behold the blur that happened around Yan's thigh. It's common knowledge that the K-16 has bolt intensity charge functionality at the expense of cycling time, but what's less known is that it is both cheaper and more efficient to decrease said cycle instead of increasing the power of the bolt. With the right technology, downtime between shots was identical to that of an uncharged volley. Thus, barely having left its holster, when the sidearm barked twice into the stomach of the man who was now uncomfortably and fatally within Zhu Yan's personal space, the first bolt blew out the man's stomach plug in a horrible and terrible display of physics. The second shot, not having accounted for the fact that there was no longer an impediment between it and the distant architecture, crossed that distance at Greater-Than-Usain grade pace and took out a rather stunning chunk of masonry.

And then the flashing of red glowsticks instilled a gut-rending sense of dread in Yan's belly that possibly hurt more than the maybe-fractured ribs he was nursing.

"He's here."

No he wasn't, but that made no difference. Priority shift: != Murder; == ESCAPE;. "EJ!" Where WAS she?! Forget about Studmuffin or whatever the frack his name was, get the important people and get out. Sorry Deflings, you don't count. THERE she was. Letting the poor man drop and huffing out "Come on come on come on!", he hobbled the distance at a pace that made his legs burn and his eyes water. He was not cut out for moving fast. "Come on we can get you new clothes later!" Mind you, he was loving this murder-y look on her. "Sith are here, we gotta go!"

[Tarion Tavers]

Through the fog of the explosion's aftermath, Tarion blinks and wiggles a finger in his ear again, turning towards the crowd to see the alleged perpetrators emerging from the fleeing dreamers-for-a-better-Ryloth. "Look, I'm on your side of the philosophical divide here," he starts, but then the speech about being /pro/-Ryloth and /pro/-Twi'lek traditions filters vaguely down into his rattled little brain and the bounty hunter's frown shifts into a lop-sided smirk, his default setting.

"Ah, krif. No I'm not. That's a shame," he laments with faux sincerity, raising the rifle to his shoulder, feeling the stock settle against his cheek as his eye lines up with the sights, a spit of blue behind a durasteel peg as he aims at one of the terrorists. "Guess you're gonna die here on this pathetic-" *BOOF*

"Boof? Oh, come on." A litany of curses proceed to drop from the hunter's mouth as he toggles the weapon over to kill. "Every time! EVERY time. Explosion must have messed it up somehow." No. No, it didn't.

[Percy]

As he rolls back onto his side following his little vom sesh, Percy coughs and wheezes as he starts to ingest the smoke and dust that fills the sky. "Urgghhh..." He groans, falling onto his butt, propping himself up by hands behind him. Through the ringing of his ears and wavy vision he can spot Jehn just before him - a figure that gets a look of mild disbelief. As his head clears, helped by a few shakes, he nods slowly at her rapid-fire questions. "Yeah," He wheezes, before coughing again. "I'm hit. But I'm okay. Nothing vital hit luckily. What happened?" Slowly getting to his feet, and definitely wobbling as he does so, the Doctor stumbles forward. "Alright, alright... Ow... my head. Where is she?" Percy grips his forehead, hoping to control what feels like a tropical storm raging inside of it. This is some pain!

Stumbling after Jehni, the Doc soon gets to where the injured Rheisa can be found. "Help me, Jehn? There's a station set up over there. If we can get Rheisa there I can help her more." A gesture goes to where Barad has already setup some sort of emergency station.

[Iollan Canem]

Always a party. Always a damn stupid, circumspect idea of getting out of any of these things in one piece. A tragic shatter of glass marks the departure of Iollan's drink from his hand as, in one practiced, hip-firing sweep, the 44c in hand comes up to pop a shot off at the first target nearby. Unluckily, the thug is a hair's breadth behind Yan and the bolt skims wide, so as not to cause more harm to a friend. Or a new acquaintance. Whatever.

Still, it's mayhem in all directions and the next action is a branching path. He's uninjured and there's a chance to cut and run. Get back to the starport before anyone knows one of the other from him, right? That could work. But, the other option is a dozen feet away -- the less safe option. As Yan takes off, by instinct, Lan raises his blaster to pop off two decisive cover shots by the spacer, snagging a would-be assailant turning to find new prey. Frack it.

A heavy pace and a shoulder set into the most immediate body in front of him (what else is that linebacker build good for?) has him clipping quickly to where EJ is in turn, one hand snatching the mirrored shades off his face. How serious he looks now. "Can you two stand?" They look awful, really. "Or run, actually."

[Sajin]

There is something to be said about a man and his ice cream. Force the chocolate bar that Sajin was having back at the Space Port was sooooo kriffin' good. "OMFFFFFF. FISH IF SO GOOF..." THe handsome Hapan says to his one and only constant companion, the R2 Unit buckets. He's muching happily on the choco bar filled with sweetened caramel. His lips smack together, some of the Choco smudged across his plush lips and onto his cheek messily. The King of Drik is just minding his own buisness, sitting on a crate, enjoying Ryloths 'weather'... unlike Zhu Yan. What a dweeb.

OMFG EXPLOSION!!

The Whole ground shutters, and the Master Mercenary jumps to his feet. He looks around franticly, hoping to spot he fire ball or smoke. Luckily he does. The Rally!? That's right, he was here o see the rally. What happened, why did he not go to the rally? Dreamy hazel eyes glance down to the half eaten candy bar in his hand. "Oh... heh... yeah."

Tossing the candy bar over his shoulder, he trots towards the rally placing his helmet over his head. "COME HITHER, BUCKETS!" The droid werbles something back at him, likely obscene and demeaning. Sajin couldn't understand the machine.

Upon entering the area where all the fighting happens, confusion and chaos awash over the Hapan. Red Lightsabers. Spontanious combustion.... <<"Who... Who... WHO THE HELL IS THE BAD GUY!.">>

THERE! A wild Zhu Yan, shooting at... AHA! "THERE THEY ARE!" His hand finds the quickdraw grip of his blaster, and in one fluid motion, the muzzle is leveled and three rapid shots fired into the group of terroists.

Never Fear, The King Of Drik Was here.

[Hex]

Don't let Hex hear you say it, but Twi'leks aren't really known for their bravery.

Even when they are being brave... Twi'lek brave... this is a people who have survived almost all of their conflicts, against others and themselves, with guerrilla tactics and subterfuge. These terrorists have made their point, they blew up Alys Anaeho'omalu and ruined her speech... they are not sticking around here, no matter how hawt the Hapans are. Nope. There are Knights of the Sith or Siths of Ren or something here and a whole slew of crazy gunslingers and it is BAD, they want GONE. As soon as their fellows are cut down, the terrorists begin to flee, continuing to fire pot-shots into the crowd of Alys's supporters. Some disappear into crevices in the rocks leading to unknown cave systems in the desert below, and others are running toward speeders parked in the parking area. There could still be time to shoot them before they escape...

Or kill them for what they've done to this peaceful rally! And to everyone's drinks and good clothes.

[Kuolo]

They were fleeing. That was good enough. Almost. Shoved by those panicing and running about, Kuolo is barely able to muster enough energy to focus, let alone pluck one of the attackers from the ground. They survive, and Kuolo causes no damage. To anyone, apaprently.

[Syrus]

As the Twi'lek evil-doers display they're famous cowardice, Syrus deactivates his saber and begins marching after one of them, hand jutting out in their direction. "Sleep," he utters, creeping into the terrorist's mind, who then feels the very sudden and unassailable urge to take a nap right then and there, thunking onto the floor.

[Erisi]

Erisi doesn't run. She isn't into running. She can't do running. Sure, over the last half year or so she's gotten stronger. Fitter. Faster. But ...she do not run. So instead as the Bad Guys (hahaha, not her this time) run (also she too dumb to run when she should anyhow), she gives her now finished off drink a toss to the ground, clawed cybernetic hand raking through the air as she focuses on one of those folks running, setting their mid-section on fire, skin blistering and blackening as his clothes ignite around him along with a good section of his flesh, "Syrus~ You made it!" Called out as she spots the Big Kiffar, woman sounding pleased he's /alive/, Kuolo also spotted, "Kuolo ...I wondered --" Keep in mind, the dude is still burning and screeching as he tries to put himself out, weapon abandoned as hands slap in against his body as he falls to the ground, screams soon dying down as Eri has a conversation, "-Where you were." Ah. Familiar faces. Her lightsaber is held at her side as she stops in her tracks, watching and just basking in the chaos all around. The smell of burning flesh, blood .. This really is her birthday.

[Kasia Ashkuri]

There's a lot of shooting, and glowsticks, and other weaponry out right now, and honestly some of it should concern Kasia a lot more right now than it is. The weapon that she's carrying is stuffed into the belt at her waist as she turns away from the fight and begins to move through the rubble that was the stage. "Hex?" She pauses only long enough to draw a deeper breath, and bellow out, "HEKSASH'KURI!" It's loud, but not loud enough to earn her a reply as she's moving through beams, and wires, and everything used to build a stage that's now just wreckage.

Finally she spots something familiar, an arm, she knows the arm, and with a little bit of oomph she shoves aside enough debris to find her target. "Hex? Hey, HEY," she's shouting again, looking back to the people, the chaos. "SOMEONE COME HELP ME, I NEED YOUR HELP!" And because she isn't yelling quite loudly enough, she's got both arms up trying to wave anyone who might notice her, then turns back to Hex to try and start moving more of the exploded stage off of him and into a pile elsewhere.

[Barad]

Barad's "Emergency Medical Station" started out as little more than a file of benches. Now it's "a file of bleacher benches rapidly filling up with bleeding people," which, one supposes, now makes it "Official." Barad moves from bench to bench, working at a frenetic pace, his large - and - fuzzy meaty paws operating with a delicate precision that belies their ungainly size. Barad's been in this kind of situation no end of times, and his experience shows. Deft and practical, Barad's paws sort through his medkit quickly, efficiently, meeting each patient's needs: Air syringe. Spray - cast. Synth, and Bacta. Bandages. Oh. Uh - oh. Now "Out" of those . . . Hm . . . Barad looks up into the screaming chaotic mob of fleeing Twi'leks, flashing blaster bolts, swinging glowswords and burning midsections, and through it all Barad beckons for any other doctor -types to come on up and help out -- just as soon as they're ready and able to . . .

[Hadrix Kora]

This sort of circumstance? They need people to talk, but it's the least popular mode on this old carbine. Thumb flicking the toggle as he continues to limp forward, the movements of the man looking spectacularly exaggerated as shrapnel grinds and prods at meat.

Then the e-11 in Hadrix's hand is blowing smoke rings and making a far less intimidating, but no less adorable 'WHA-AH! sound at the squeeze of the firing stud.

One gleaming cerulean doughnut of agony finds its target, the others kick off into the air, causing several bugs and possibly what passes for a bird or bat on this rock to be ionized and tumble to the ground. Bouncing. Rolling. One of it's several eyes still open, gazing at the claw of its' wing nub horror thing.

It sees the purple boot pass over it.

The caverns go cold.

~Fin~

Well Fin for it. Hadrix's head turns to the sound of Kasia shouting and his path begins to turn.

[Lozen]

Lozen pivots and looks for the next foe. One part of the brain tells her to just take Vi out and drop a bastard but her beloved axe just feels so RIGHT in her hands...so she takes off at a sprint and as she closes in she swings with a bestial grunt, the vibroblade slaked with the blood of her enemies!

[Eriu Jynx]

Eriu is one stink eyed Hapan, not feeling exactly the best and out for some more blood. She's bleeding. Maybe? She thinks so at least it feels like she could be. Drip. DRIP. DRIP! Its the most uncomfortable drink or three she's ever had. Zhu Yan is given a look, a half turn of her head before tall man Iollan comes charging up. "Yes I see them...but I am still angry." She is half paying attention to her throw and it just misses one of the terrorists. The next however lands and only then does she pay head to the two.

"Right...right.." she mutters as she shakes out an arm that sprays them both with the scent of alcohol and fruit. The calls for help. "Don't you owe a favor?" Bleeding. Yep thats not just alcohol soaked into her blouse. Eriu Jynx has partially disconnected.

[Vena]

Vena gives a look to her knife, "What did I say about weak hits." she mutters to herself. There's a quick duck as she is almost hit herself. She then moves to attack the next target. The Chiss is in her element still. This is why the Imperial Dinosaurs were scary. They lived long and knew how to kill things well. No matter if they were on a command bridge or in the field. Multi-talented!

[Jehni'va Cihn]

With Percy in tow, Jehn trips and struggles to Rheisa, recognizing her the tells of that overstimulated distress. They've been living and working together for years, now - she gets it, and she has a solution... Kind of.

Yanking off her jacket, Jehn throws it over Rheisa's head. It's entirely undignified, but a thoughtful gesture in itself. Still, she gives an apologetic shrug to Percy - don't judge her crude methods, okay?

"Hang onto me, yeah?" Jehn tries to keep her voice even as she gives one of Rheisa's hands a squeeze before directing those bloody Togruta fingers to her back, suspenders offering a convenient hand-hold. "Doctor Percy is here, and we can find the others. Okay?" To Percy, she gives a firm nod. "Okay lead the w-" But, she can hear another familiar shout. "That's Kasia!" Jehn blurts out, likely jostling her Togruta tag-along as she spins to locate the source of the shout. "We have to help -" She looks pleadingly between Percy and the jacket-that-was-Rheisa, stuffing her blaster back into its place at her belt as she does, hoping they're done with the shooting.

[Rheisa Dirleel]

Rheisa Dirleel says, "Mmmfh," Rheisa tries to cling to the chunk of stage under her hands for a minute as the others pry her off, one finger pointing into the inferno.

"Oneh...neh gya sva." It's neither Ryl nor Basic, but only her mother tongue what manages to get out in this moment of muddled clarity. "Kas..."

There is a jacket on her head.

It smells like vegetarian sweat.

Judgement aside, Rheisa IS grateful for the gesture. "tsu montrrra.." Says muffled jacket that was Rheisa, clinging with those dextrously clingy fingers and getting her legs to do most of the work. Where is she being led to? She doesn't know, but Jehni's shout of Kasia's name brings a sigh of relief and some grungy something that's the equivalent of 'I told you so.'. Followed by a burp and a sideways lurch bump into Percy. "scuse.""

[Zhu Yan]

See there was something about firefights where Yan had to make sure absolutely everyone who could kill him was dead. So yes, the angry Twi'lek insurgents were running away, but that didn't stop the Bryar from being levelled and actually aimed for once at the fleeing targets. "Well, not anymore!" WHUMPH went one into the back of someone's head, WHUMPH went another straight through someone else's torso. It was like ranat shooting. "I mean, I can hobble." If Yan had been actually listening to anyone other than himself, he'd have heard Barad's Medical Clinic fire up into existence and hobbled EJ over there quicksmart. But he didn't, so he didn't. Good work, Yan. "Top priority is to get the frack outta here, like, yesterday." Because with the shooting and the lightsabers and the screaming and the oy vey, he didn't wanna stick around. "So let's get you bound up," he said to EJ, "and bail."

[Tarion Tavers]

"Yeah, you better run!" Tarion calls after the terrorists, strutting around near the ruins of the dais stage and still trying to get his ears working properly again by fiddling with them. The lekku hat he's wearing is not helping this endeavor. Strut, strut. "I told you I had this under control," he proclaims super loudly to no one in particular, before Kasia's cries for help filter down through his damaged eardrums.

"Bonus??" Everything he says is louder than it really ought to be, and more callous than it ought to be, and Tarion's already basically both of those things, so, there you go. The strut swivels and he goose-steps over onto the pile of rubble, plowing towards his curvaceous and possibly newly single boss with something like greed in his eyes. "I can- wait, where's his sisters??"

The realization has the selfish man fretting like a mother hen, putting his hands on his hips and looking around at the chunks of debris. "Hex is probably fine or already dead," he reasons, rubbing dirt around his face. "I gotta save the cute sister, if he's not dead he'll pay me for it and if he is dead I won't get paid for saving him because he's dead, and you can't save someone who's already dead, people just do not pay out for that the same way, and /frankly/ it's not right, if you ask me, but I notice NOBODY HAS," the hunter rambles as he stalks along, uprooting pieces of the stage as he goes before he finally unveils a dusky-olive appendage. "HEX'S DETACHED- no wait, haha, it's his sister." He beams. "One of them, anyway!"

[Percy]

"Go help her," Percy encourages Jehn as she looks off into Kasia's direction. The Doctor also casts a glance towards Kas, before slinging an arm around the injured togruta (now with clothes on head!) and helping her over to the temporary station that Barad has going. "It's going to be alright, Rhesia. We're gonna have you scoffing down weird looking raw alien parts in no time." Helping her over on his own is no simple feat. He's not really the strongest when it comes to this sort of stuff, AND he's injured. But through the proper leverage and enough struggling he gets to the station, coughing and wheezing as he does so.

Placing his friend down, Percy then gets to work. Rolling up his sleeves, wincing as some of his own wounds are nicked, he treats Rhesia's concussion and subsequent injuries. Barad of course gets a courteous, professional nod. But other than that nothing. Time to focus.

[Iollan Canem]

Unspoken as it was, Iollan and Yan seemed to be of the same mind. Even as he asked about getting the hell out of here, the detective wasn't moving; instead he was planted just half a pace from EJ, shades in one hand, blaster in the other as he tracked the field for any fleeing targets still in range. Aha -- one, two, aaaaand yup, three. Without a spec of hesitation the PI fires off three clean shots, hitting fleeing figures until they drop in various mid strides, all dead weight. It's so very satisfying.

A quick look flickers over the two folks near him. A bout of mental calculation flares before he moves. Well, he's not carrying both of them. Keeping the 44c in his left, Lan bends down far enough to help EJ up as she needs it, going insofar as to pick the Hanpan right up if appropraite. Very hero-like. "There's triage over there," lilts out, his smokey voice still shockingly level. A backwards jerk of his head indicates over his shoulder, where at least one of them had heard the assembling shouts of medics. But, he doesn't move that way yet, giving both EJ and Yan a Look. "Or, did you want to split?"

[Sajin]

The plea for assistance from the very familiar voice of Kasia is heard over the dwindling chaos of battle. <<"Huh?">> He turns towards the collapsed and bombed area where Tarion is searching. He slides his pistol back into its holster and rushes over that way. <<"Where?">> He asks, moving up onto he hunks of metal where Tarion has found something. He starts to move away pieces here and there, doing his best to unbury Hex and Alys. <<"I'm comin' boss, don't you worry.">> He heaves another heavy piece out of the way, putting all his paternal (and maternal) umph into it. Lift with the knees, not the back.

[Hex]

Syrus and Hadrix both succeed in dropping Twi'lek terrorists non-lethally, while the others... the other terrorists should have hoped they were up against Syrus and Hadrix. They're cut apart by axes, set on fire, and shot with lethal force! In the end, the rally grounds on the podrace course are soaked with blood -- crimson in the sun, black into the shade, soaking slowly into the desert.

Barad and Percy are at work helping the wounded, and soon that's who's left -- wounded flocking to the makeshift stations for care, chattering to each other in frightened Ryl, searching for their friends or loved ones.

Speaking of friends, Hex is freed from his prison of stage infrastructure by the might of King Sajin, and poor Alys Anaeho'omalu is freed with him. Probably a good thing Hex wasn't awake to see the red sabers come out, he'd have a brain bleed trying to process what to do with the fact that he just got himself saved - sorta - by THEM. THEM WITH THE RED SWORDS. But he's unconscious. Small mercies.

Sirens in the distance -- janky, warbling Twi'lek sirens of uneven pitch and mediocre urgency -- announce the arrival of help from the nearby town of Sal'kaasa, locals rushing over to help the wounded, arrest the fallen, pack up bodies, and harvest mad gossip. What happened here?

And what will happen now?

As help arrives, the battered, burned form of Alys Anaeho'omalu is lifted onto a stretcher, barely alive but still breathing, whisked away to emergency care. Will this deepen and strengthen her resolve to fight the good fight?

Or will this teach her, as it has so many in the galaxy, that the way to fight fear and pain is with more of the same?

Time will tell, and as the off-worlders find their way to help and home, the sun burns overhead just as it did when they arrived, unmoving, unchanging, as it has above Ryloth all this time, and as it always will.