Log:The Bliptettjupp Chronicles: A Sight of Seers Old

The Bliptettjupp Chronicles: A Sight of Seers Old

OOC Date: February 12, 2022
Location: Jedha
Participants: Bizz Bliptettjupp, Valeska Jaivon, Shaali Brak, Sumi Kora, Jallo Dara, Hahtavi Kora and Hadrix Kora as GM Clan Kora

More time in the sands since the parting from the pilgrimage at the Wayshrine. The imagery of the cracked figures, with wind-smoothed features and stone lightsabers raised in defense of the center of their group left behind. Truthfully, only a third of the figures still held such a posture. The others blades now parts of makeshift shelters. A stopover en route for the main shrine of a figure some two thousand years dead and now sainted.

Bliptettjupp's path, taking Mandalorians and mercenaries north and leaving the pilgrims in the hands of other defenses. Pressing into deeper cold, longer feeling nights. Humped mounds of sandslug casings resting on churned tracks on the ground - the size of a two-seat speeder. Cliffside edges of a shelf in the plateau thrust upward and shaped as if a serrated knife had been scraped down their sides.

Save at what first seems a deep crack in the stone, a fissure caused by tectonic movements; but soon showing carved shapes of stone fitted to reinforce a doorway. The figure that might have once stood as bas relief to conceal it gone. Worn down by sand, cracked, broken. The only recognizable piece the shape of a sightless eye and a round of cheek resting on the ground.

Across a round of sandstone in the form of a shoulder, tumbled as though it was a figure weathering the eternal cold and sand blown in the winds.

<"Why are we moving like this, Brother Bizz? Away from the roads?"> Hadrix grumbling as they go, astride the fewer spamels left among the travelers.

Brother Bizz is riding his spamel with a large hoversled dragging behind. It has some supplies and such on it. He has a simple map on some sort of animal skin in his hand. "You see, the seer's shrine was abandoned many years ago as Jedha fell into obscurity. Hyperlanes changed and Jedha became less important to the Galaxy. The trail was once marked, but even this map is not clear." He raises his goggles and squints at the sandstone, seeking signs.

Valeska is hoofin' it again, moving alongside the spamels and pilgrims with heavy bootfalls onto the permafrost. The Mandalorian armour is good for temperature regulation, but still the bitter cold finds its way into every crease and nook that it can and pierces her right to the bone. Gloved hands hold onto her carbine, muzzle pointed down, as she marches. Every passing day, the young woman under the Journeyman set gets a bit more quiet than the last. Fatigue and wariness are at war with one another and so she keeps the rhythm by listening to the drum of her own pace.

The T-visored bucket atop her shoulders swivel once in a while to scan the horizon. Not knowing what markers they are looking for, she can only look for danger. At the moment, there doesn't seem to be any. Except the small noise of her stomach growling which she tries to silence by holding her gun tighter against her abdomen.

<"The desert has ways of hiding its past. Fan out and help the monk find his path.."> Sumi offers aloud, pausing a moment to fix her gauntlet and flex her hand. She follows her own directions though, stepping off to one side to look around, the mods in her helmet making it easier to depict their surroundings.

If there were enough spamels, Hahtavi's riding one and sharing with anyone who wants to ride up behind him on the tall, slender beast. It's movement is slow, elegant, plodding along over the desert sands and hardpan as they go.

As they make progress, slowly putting kilometers behind them, Haht's quiet and watchful, thoughts to himself. It is a harsh landscape but one that is lovely, especially in the pale dawn or the dusk when the colors are richest. Quietly, he finally speaks low to Shaali who's up on the spamel behind him. <"I wonder how old these ruins are.">

His rifle is off his back and clipped to the front of his tactical rig, ready for use if he needs it fast. But for now it merely hangs loose in Hahtavi's lap. Ah, orders from Sumi to look for a path...

Jallo's making his way with the others as part of the security detail and at the command from Sumi he simply nods his head as he maneuvers to make his way a bit further to the left his senses feeling out for that path despite the lack of being able to see in the normal sense. <"No clue on how old they are but the craftsmanship is fantastic.">

Shaali is sitting on the back of Hahtavi's spamel, looking rather miserable. She's not done a lot of animal riding, and the bouncy way she rides the creature reflects that. She is seat in such a way that she is facing the rear of the creature, her back pressed against Hahtavi's. She's dressed for the cold, at least, and is wearing a warm looking jacket with the hood pulled up.

When Hahtavi talks, she half turns to look back at him for a moment. Then she's turning to look at the ruins, as she pulls her feet out of the spamel stirrups. "Old. Maybe ask the head monk, guy?" But then she's sliding off the creature, fanning out to try and look for the path. Because orders.

<"Some on this world date back to the Hyperspace Wars..."> is Hadrix's response to two questions at once while he is turning his head slowly. Checking information displayed on the HUD with what he can see.

The small opening behind the broken face is raided, long ago. Tomb robbers, zealots, who can know? But sand has blown in over years to partially conceal an opened sarcophagus, perhaps a reliquary. But there are suggestions of landmarks described in the map possessed by Bizz as well.

'Guarding gaze rests on extended arm to point where footsteps must roam'

It stands out specifically, but only the scent of the desert and old stone is found by Bizz this day. The findings suggesting a turn that passes into shallow canyons to travel northeast. Or due north into the wide, flat, cold desert of Jedha, with its weak sunlight and craggy monuments to martyred dead.

Bizz hops off his spamel to investigate further. Behind the rock face he investigates, frowning. "This is not the place, I am thinking." A turn is found into the canyons northeast. "Footsteps roaming? So many riddles!" He grabs the reins of his mount and leads it on foot toward the rocky canyons. The hoversled being pulled behind makes repulsorlift sounds.

Getting her traitorous stomach under control, Valeska just keeps moving and watching for danger. After the raiders -- how long ago was that? -- that had been waiting in ambush, the crimson-painted Mando has been keeping vigilent. So much so that the factt they're looking for anything other than threats is completely lost on her. Or, more truthfully, she doesn't have the first hint of a clue of what to even look for.

Step. Step. Step. It's become as thoughtless as breathing; this steady, patterned walk. Then she stops, head locked in on something. A twist of her body aligns it fully in that direction and Valeska veers off the path they were treading and moving to a large, empty casing of a sand slug. The casing gets no regard. Instead, she bend down carefully, fingertips upon the frozen ground, and inspects.

<"Chief. Commander."> First words Valeksa has spoken in over an hour. Blissful silence broken. <"Got some tracks over here. Can't tell how many, but it looks like they were trying to mask their movements. Be on guard."> A pause. <"More on guard, yeah?">

Sumi has no luck in her own search. She steps and looks from side to side, then steps again; the process is repeated until Valeska gets her attention and she twists to look back. <"Where were they heading?"> Sumi calls back, abandoning her search to join Valeska, but she has some distance to cross in order to reach her. Heavy steps lead Sumi in that direction.

History, and especially ancient history, is not Hahtavi's strong point. Hyperwars mean nothing to a man born to the Ragelands. He waits while he feels Shaali dismount the spamel, then he sets boot heels to it's sides to get it moving again. Slowly walking, sarching for signs of anything that once may have been a path.

The beast slowly amples along, rocking the rider gently fowards and back, and forwards again. He joins the search but finds little to indicate a long lost path, until Bizz himself figures out the right way to go - maybe.

Valeska's warning is taken to heart. Hahtavi stops his spamel and dismounts carefully from the tall beast that might well become a pile of panic if shooting starts. Jetpacking from the back of it might not be the best idea ever.

Once dismounted, Hahtavi takes his rifle up and starts leading the spamel, watchful.

Jallo's helmet scans the area and a low sigh can be heard from him at the talk of folks hiding tracks. Reaching back behind him he pulls out a baton sized cylinder expanding it out into an energy bow, <"How many potential baddies are we looking at?"> His attention however is still mostly out and away from the immediate area.

Shaali hits the ground with an off, dropping to a crouch to soften the blow on her knees. She fans out from the Spamel she was just on with Hahtavi, eyes searching the ground for any signs of a trail. But alas, she is not much of a wilderness person. She takes a few steps off to the side, and starts pacing the spamel as her eyes scan the ground.

Then the call about hidden tracks comes over the radio, and she calmly draws her pistol. She gives the power levels a quick check, popping out each of the power packs to look them over before sliding them back into place. She keeps her finger straight and along the body of the pistol as she drops it back to her side, still holding it. The barrel is kept pointed down, as her eyes start to scan the horizon for any threats.

Then she's crouching down, fingers playing along some signs in the dirt. Her hand rises up to her ear and touches the earbud there, <"This is Brak. I've got more tracks over here. They're veering off into the canyon. Not sure on numbers or how old these are. But with the winds and shifting sand, they can't be THAT old."> That said, she stays sort of low as she tries to follow the tracks as best she can.

Drawing the simple eight millimeter pistol from its clamshell holster cross-drawn from his side, while remaining mounted on his blue spamel. Crimson glow flaring behind the visor of Hadrix's helmet, eventually with the T landing on Sumi with a slight tilt; the gesture purely 'What's your call, boss?' for a pair so tuned to body language. Or more accurately, a pair so keenly tuned to one another's body language.

Like an old married couple, without the bickering and all of the violence aimed outwards.

The open plateau that stretches out seems to hold a shimmer like the heat of a 'conventual' desert might hold; created by silt and sand carried by freezing winds that is part soil part light catching silicate that the caravan has been subjected to for too long to not be able to recognize.

Light is swallowed by the canyon between shelves of land thrust out of the cold grounds. Narrow with ceilings of stone and compacted soil that has formed incomplete roofs. But there is a glow like the sort found in spark-light lamps on rustic worlds. No source visible, but the ghostly hint of illumination there for those who can see it.

For those who can sense the topography - north bears imprints in echo locative vision of a road covered by shifting sands. Into the canyon the walls seem to have faces worked into the crags. Echoes in the sound giving distortions as though they were moving, in silent choral conversation.

Bizz keeps on the ground while leading his beast of burden. The primitive comm unit that dangles from his spamel's saddle crackles with reports of tracks. "<<Perhaps other pilgrims have passed this way,>>" he responds with a tinny echo into the antique receiver. The monk keeps going canyonward. But his interested is piqued by illumination and he does his best to investigate. "<<There's a light source over there... smells like natural gas. Maybe someone's camp fire. Can anyone see if there's trouble up there?>>" He points to the canyon walls.

Valeska is following the tracks in the direction they are headding when she meets up with Sumi. A nod of acknowledgement towards her Alor then she nods further down the way, pointing at the churned earth where more of the castings are. <"About six to ten of them, Chief. Single file, too, so stomping on each other's prints. Makes it hard to discern an exact number, but efforts are being made. Could be trying to ambush or maybe they're trying to hide from something else."> Because speculation is fun.

Valeska's own pace speeds up as the group make their way towards the valley, still trying to follow the prints. <"They're heading in the same direction, yeah? Not sure why pilgrims would try to hide their movements, Brother Bizz. Might want to tell your friends to be ready.">

Sumi shares a look with Hadrix, giving a subtle nod up. With Valeska's report of what she saw, there was little reason for Sumi to join her. She trusted the Dantooine native's observations and intuition. With the canyons being the overall direction they needed to go, Sumi brushes her cape to one side and activates her jetpack. After a brief burst of sandy dust from the sudden propulsion, the ancient warrior takes to the air and flies into the distance.

As she passes over the path ahead, her enhanced vision is gifted with optics from her helmet, making her a potent observer capable of spotting a lot of detail from above, like a hawk. <<"Signs of battle pock the rock and stones of the canyon.. specifically where a den is located. Marking this in your HUDs. Additionally, signs of defeated foes mark the sand with blood; I can see drag marks leading into the den proper. I will land to investigate. Bring our warriors to the front, just in case, and step lightly. It could be beasts.. it could be worse.">>

Sumi's contrail angles down as the warrior intends to land ahead.

Following a little behind the merc, Hahtavi leads the spamel. In the dimness he studies what he may of the tracks that Shaali found but he can glean little from them. Due to the wind, or the intentional obscuring of them, or lack of knowledge about the planet's beasts they might have ridden, he can make nothing of the traces. So it is that Hahta keeps silent and watchful, slowly heading deeper in the direction Bizz desires them to go.

A glance upwards at the sound of Sumi's jetpack firing off and a brief glimpse of her arcing upwards into the night air. To himself he murmurs, <"Wise."> following her progress as far as he can see her.

Jallo's head turns to the side for a moment, <"Somethin with a tail and fangs movin fast along the canyon wall up there. Not sure what it is but certain it's a predator."> He points in the direction he'd 'seen' something. Then also points towards the road heading towards the north, <"Road along the shifting sands as well. Is that anything we need to be followin or?">

Shaali continues to follow the footprints, and pushes out a few more meters from the Spamel. Keeping distance is ideal, if there's the possibility of an ambush. She doesn't have much to add, just yet, and she continues to plod along. Though she stops every five or so meters, tilting her head to raise one ear high and give a listen.

Hearing nothing, she continues the shuffle forward. The scarf around her neck is tugged upwards, to partially obscure her features. Though some lightbulb seems to go off, and she jogs a little closer to Hahtavi. Her non-firing hand lifts to point along the tracks, "They're sticking to the slug poop. Don't know if that helps any."

Her brow scrutches up, and a glance back at Hahtavi, "Watch my back for a second." Then, without checking to see if he actually is, she moves over to one of the slug casings and pulls out a knife. She takes a knee by one of the casings and with a flick of her thumb the dagger hums to life. This she uses partially as a knife, and partially as a shovel. Apparently she finds something, though, and tucks her knife away after wiping it off on her booth. Then her hand disappears into the casing to withdraw something as she rises back to her feet and steps back. <<"I found some bone chips,">> said into the com as she turns something white and decidedly bone chip like over in her hands, <<"in the slug... leavings.">>

'Oh, dear heart. Oh, dear heart - shy from the sorrow. While as puzzled as the newborn babe, while riddled as the tide. Should you stand amid the broken? Or should you stride with shadows on either side?'

Writing in the map Bizz maintains, shared out, matches to markings when careful steps carry the searches between the canyon walls. To the den that was mentioned to by Sumi. Where jagged hunks of plastoid litter the ground. And bones. And blood drunk down greedily by the sands and packed earth.

No meat though. The small depression into the canyon wall is barely three meters deep and only bones that have been cracked and plastoid broken apart can be seen there. A rank scent of blood and the sour turn of opened organs. All of it cast under the bouncing illumination Bizz pointed out and Jallo cannot perceive. Turning everything ghostly pale blue in the hovering not-quite darkness.

Those words though, they are stretched across findstones cleverly sunk into the stone of the canyon walls. So that as one turns, with the right distance found by the monk - they can be read in the darkness. Seemingly glimmering silver white and arched to cast an arrow down one of the forming branches in the dark.

Even to the miraluka they reflect, visible in the depressions for the way the sound of his echolocation bounces.

But keen eyes catch shifts in the corners of vision. The sandslug castings end and with them the tracks with the floor of the path trod worn smooth and the wind deflected to keep blowing dust from gathering. Only drifting, like snow that coats armor and cloth a ruddy tan. A soft wind that carries breathing sounds and sharpens shifting movement over rock. A soft wind that fails to cover the echo of snuffling. A dust that fails to fully obscure, yet the sources of movement remains cast behind an unnatural but natural legerdemain.

Eyes everywhere, but the path leading further into darkness.

Brother Bizz turns his animal-skin map this way and that, reading the riddles on it. As the canyon darkens he flips on a battered fusion lantern that dangles from his spamel's saddlebags. "<<There have not been dangerous animals around this way for many many years! Nothing to worry about I'm sure.>>" Though Bizz hasn't been out in the wilds of Jedha in some time. "<<Oh look here, symbols! This must be the way. Though something does smell 'off'...>>" He releases the receiver's button and leaves it dangling, sensing some kind of creature getting closer. "What's that?" His stun stick is brought up in front of him.

Something definitely smells off, yes, and the crack in the canyon serves as the source and impromptu resting place for... someone. Someones? Valeska paues a moment as she considers looking in there to see if she can identify who they were or how long they've been gone. Or at least what killed them. But contrary to her luck today, her investigative skills aren't the sharpest and Bizz's discovery has her bounding a bit to catch up to the fore of the group where Sumi has ordered them to muster.

<"Oh, sure. Unnaturally glowing text in the middle of nowhere. That seems safe, yeah? This part of the pilgrimage?">

Sumi lands in the canyon near the den she located from above. Turning on a helmet lamp, she casts its glare along the desert floor and into the den briefly. The smell gets past her filters on her helmet and she shakes her head. <<"Only the smell of death lingers here. I see no immediate dangers on this path; I am returning to the group.">>

Sumi's jetpack comes back to life, and her approach can be heard and seen until she lands back with the group, plopping down onto the sand with some practiced grace.

When they return to that point in the canyons, Sumi is quiet. At least until she sees the glowing symbols Bizz is on about. <"What manner of stone would put off such effects as this, Bizz?"> Sumi agrees with Valeska's call for caution.

Hahtavi knows little about the animal life of Jedha but he does know not to bunch up while moving. He frowns behind his helmet's T-visor unseen at mention of 'slugs' yet he gives her a nod, <"Elek."> Watching her back he can do. Except that Hahtavi's watching the area around them rather than her, technically.

While Shaali's cutting up dried droppings and digging in, Hahtavi ties off the spamel where rocks have fallen. <<"Sumi says to move up, fighters in front.">>

As soon as Shaali's completed her investigation of the dried droppings, he's ready to keep moving. He too can see the softly glowing writing upon the stones. A very strange place indeed. It makes him uneasy, hearing and seeing things at the edges of his perception. <<"Somehow Bizz, your assurance isn't very convincing with all the counter evidence strewn about.">> Hidden amusement at Valeska's comments.

The merc he doesn't know too well he keeps an eye on in case things get back and somebody's got to jetpack her out of the canyon. Then he's going forward with the others - cautiously into the darkness.

After a moment he says low over his helmet's internal coms, <<"Movement, like silhouettes moving along the wall. Two Quadruped shapes, whip tailed but more like outlines than full shadows? About 5 meters /behind/ us. Watch our six!">> It makes him want to turn and look back, "<<Could be be some kind of stealth gear.">> Yeah, not liking this one bit!

Jallo's continuing along with the others the Energy Bow held in his hand and then as it's announced that there's movement behind his attention turns to try and get a good view of the stealthy whip tailed thingies behind them. It's what he was trying to relocate anyways. However it of course isn't meant to be as his echolocation seems to be filled with farts instead of whiptails.

Going further, deeper into the canyon with the walls closing in - no turns, no branches, walls unnaturally smooth and coming to an even end. A box canyon. A trap. But there is more of that glimmer, that glitter, in a single flat section at the end where stone is scraped and recently. Like the stone had slid back into the rock walls. Like it had slipped to one side and back.

More of those ghostly lines, likened to those that had made the words found by Brother Bizz.

From behind the silhouettes thicken, the outlines and as they move faster they give a feeling akin to shapes trying to become visible, but remaining locked into their own form of shadow.

<<"Company.">> Hadrix pointing out the obvious as he turns, raising his pistol and brushes a thumb across a toggle.

Brother Bizz is distracted looking at the glowing petroglyphs. To Sumi he says, "Well, kaiburr crystals can be shaped and wrought in such a way as to glow. Their lattices are very complex!" Upon being alerted he turns around. That must have been what the ugnaught was smelling. "What's this? I can barely see them! Back you devilsquids!" A few Gungan balls of core matter are fished out of his satchel, and one is thrown! It goes SPLAT like all booma balls eventually do. "Did I hit it?"

Valeska doesn't feel all that reassured, no. This whole thing is starting to stick worse than the den they passed further down. Even more so when they hit a dead end and Valeska is looking up at the sheer, smooth walls. No worries for those with jetpacks, but they can't just leave the pilgrims. <"Drek... Bizz, what in the name of Obliv--">

Company?

She turns around at the mention of additional party members and sees only shifting, morphing shadows. Thaaaat's not good. The carbine, ever-ready, is pulled up to bear and two shots blare out rapid fire. BLAM BLAM!

Sumi turns at the call of threats coming from the rear. <"Mando'ade, to Hahtavi and defense! Bizz, get your pilgrims moving!"> Sumi runs towards the back and comes to realize that they can only see the shadows of whatever approaches. Her blood runs cold, but she swallows that moment of fear by grinning. If tonight was the night she died, let it be a challenging beast!

She activates her rocketpack, casting up dust and dirt to be able to track the unseen targets. One draws close to her, and she's certain it wishes it hadn't because she activates an electrum hilt and smashes the vibrant violet blade against its carapace. It's the first time Sumi has encountered the weapon making a connection and NOT cutting through it. The lightsaber blade bounces back, and she sues for further attempts but only has the blade bouncing back again and again.

<"What sorcery is this?!">

It's a dead end - or is it? No time to find out as the shadows that aren't shadows move in on them! Hahtavi turns again, rifle in his hands and hesitates, considering a grenade. But it's no good as Sumi turns into one of them, her light sabre slashing this way and that, humming and splitting the very air. He sees it's effect and how some of the strikes seem to slide off of the shadow creatures.

Two blaster bolts are fired from his rifle in quick succession. It /looks/ like they both hit but skim off to hit the walls instead! <<"It's as if they can /bend/ all kinds of light ... maybe we need weapons that don't /use/ light or related energy?">>

Haht's not about to tell Sumi to put up her lightsaber. His off hand drops to smack the hilt of his combat knife, which seems like a pretty flimsy thing to attempt to use against ... whatever these are, to test his theory. Maybe Haht's going to wait to see what the others think before he goes giving up his rifle just yet!

Jallo spins fairly quickly the arrow drawing back to launch from the energy bow hitting the flank of one of the night hunters and then he knocks another arrow as he moves to get between the bad guys and the pilgrims, <"Well bending light is new. Arrows seem to work though.">

A spark of the first shot digging into flesh of the reptomammalian creature, then more when the second and third slugs flattening before being left to tumble in the wake of the creatures while they charge.

The beast struck by the lightsaber and burned giving off a yowling screech when leaps to one side, the light of its would leaving it glaringly highlighted by the injury and the blood now spurting from slug and arrow wounds lending a form of visibility for that one - but not for the figure that leaps at Sumi.

A brutal, cunning, savagery from the creature's partner that hurls itself at the Alor'Kora with fangs so large that they can only exist outside of its mouth; twenty centimeters in length.

Hadrix is moving to flank, pistol out and circling in the small space - blink marking what little he can see to highlight targets for others.

Bizz switches his stun baton to the left hand and grabs another of his booma balls with his right, winding up for a proper lob. "They remind me of ancient maalyruses! But surely those would not be on JEDHA, by the FORCE. And where did she get a light sword?!" His swirling ball of Naboobian core energy goes SPLAT on the rough sandstone again, hitting nothing.

Sumi is taken right out of the air by the one she has harmed and slammed to the ground. <"Rekkin WHORE.."> And she's dragged along the sand then heft up, feeling the pressure of teeth against her back and chest. It's not a pleasant sight, but her beskar holds despite the pressure.

Hahtavi's suggestion is a good one, but Sumi is not in a position to hear him, or switch weapons, so she uses what she has.

<"I'm.. SPICIER ..than you.. REA--liiize!"> Swung back forth like a chew toy, Sumi only manages to slice through one massive tooth. It falls to the sand as she hangs on for the ride of her life. When Val passes by tagging her helm with a reassuring Oya! Sumi replies as she's shaken from side to side, <"ooooOOOoooOooOOOOoOOOoyyyyYYYYyYYYyYYyAaaaaaaAAAAaaaAAa!">

It appears there isn't enough weight to the proposed theory, and no back up of it from the others, to constitute Hahtavi giving up his rifle. So he keeps moving to try and get a better position. Sumi has been caught up in the jaws of one but Valeska is on it, and Hadrix is right in there too. There is the briefest hesitation, then Haht pivots and fires upon the second one that's a clearer shot.

One bolt looks to be a solid hit, burning the shadow! The other wholly a miss as the thing thrashes about. <<"Alright, maybe my theory was osik!">>

It falls to the canyon floor. <<"One down!">> Hahtavi keeps moving, trying to get into a better position to help Sumi with the second one, <<"Hang on, Sumi!">>

Jallo sights in on the Night Hunter attacking Sumi drawing his bow back to launch another arrow at it and sighs as it impacts against the wall. Starting to move closer to the enemies his head turns to look back towards the pilgrims to ensure they're safe for now.

The first to fall resolves into something solid looking - becoming more visible as life leaves it and revealing a creature of mottled leathery skin in shades of gray and ruddy dark brown. Black eyes, corded muscles and external fangs that make it more like a living weapon than an animal.

But no collars exist. No sign of training. Animals crafted by nature for one purpose. To hunt and consume.

The other still holds Sumi, shaking its head viciously. Trying to break her neck with whiplash, trying to get its teeth past the edges of her armor. Distracted by blasts literally reflected by its skin - the burn of the lightsaber through the central fang. The .40 caliber slugs sparking off of it and smashing into the rock walls from Hadrix.

<<"Stang, never seen whatever the farkle Bizz just called them.">> Hadrix is rumbling over comms, trying to find an angle - giving indicator points for cross fire to try and keep Sumi out of firing lines, <<"Hells of Corellia...">>

Brother Bizz abandons his spamel's reins and readies his stun baton. "Get its jaws apart!" He activates the stun vanes which flip up on his weapon, crackling blue, and jams them into the night hunter's mouth! BZZZZZ ZZZZZZ ZZZZZT it goes, encouraging the beast to loosen its grip. And probably giving Sumi Kora a tickle as well.

Blam! Miss. Blam! Miss.

<"What in the frak are these things, damnit!?"> Valeska is less than amused that Sumi is being shaken like the shiniest of toys. It doesn't help that Valeska's shots are about as reliable as a good hand in Sabaac. Who attacks the darkness?! It makes no sense! Is there any Mountain Dew?!

At least this solves the mystery of the dead people in the den. Or so Valeska plans to write in her memoirs.

Sumi is whipped back and forth until something causes its jaw to loosen its hold. Sumi is cast away, airborne, and lands on her feet long enough to initiate a short tumble and roll back to her feet again. The world was in all sorts of places from her perspective, and instead of attacking the beast responsible for leaving her in this state, she was off to one side swinging at the downed one, slamming her lightsaber against its skin only to have it bounce off. The effort is so tiring for her that she eventually falls to her knees, deactivating her weapon and pulls off her helm to suck in air.

She falls to her back and unclasps her chest piece, widening it so her body could adjust from the pressure that should not have persisted after. She wheezes in air, coughing, and crawling a bit. She drops the chest plate and unzips her bodysuit partially so her hand can go inside to feel her own ribs.

It's not easy getting into position for a clear shot at the thing - even though it's so large, it's thrashing Sumi about and keeps moving and it's not super easy to see it. Hahtavi's breathing hard, moving, shifting this way and then back again, rifle at the ready. He sees others firing, Sumi trying to hack it with her lightsaber, Hadrix shooting as well but nothing seems to be stopping it!

Then somehow /Bizz/ manages to whack it with a mere stun baton, loosening it's grip on Sumi. The moment she twists free of it's jaws, Hahtavi sees his opening and takes it.

Two more shots from his modified Galaar in rapid succession. /This/ time both bolts seem to disappear right into it's open maw rather than bounce off! There is the nasty smell of burnt flesh...

Jallo's energy bow retracts back to it's baton length before he spins it in his hand attaching it to it's catch point on his armor watching the last of the fight. With the last of the predators down he moves back towards the others to reassess for any other threats that might be coming from other directions.

The beast groans its last when it falls. Massive claws scrabbling at the ground, hind legs kicking. Churning up dirt before its head hits the ground. The secondary fangs carving ruts in the ground before it coughs and spews blood and saliva onto the ground, onto Sumi nearby while she crawls and gasps for air.

Silence comes rushing in at the completion of the death throes. Not even the rustle of wind or a breeze. A stillness that becomes deafening. White noise for the miraluka.

Now stands only the wall with its glimmer, suggesting more. A mystery in the deep wilds of Jedha. A possible end to the search chartered by Brother Bizz.