RP: Land of Dreamers [Land of Dreamers Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

[Kokuten]

While Najat worked on the completion of her very first assignment, Na'Subir decided to step outside and investigate the horrible noise. As he walked, he seemed to mark away at a data pad, taking notes on the Hopeful's performance thus far. From what he wrote down, she was doing rather good so far. Erasing threats in non-violent fashion, creating order, taking advantage of secondary objectives, and ensuring the safety of the package. It would have left him in stony-good spirits if it weren't for what he saw when he stepped outside.

The radio antenna on the top of Sura's Machine Shop was bent over at the half-way, and several people in the camp were in a panic. Some of the more frustrated Sund Wakir men and women were all walking in one direction, carrying something blunt they intended to hurt someone with. Feelings of hate and anger, brushed on to him as people scraped past to what looked like a crash site when the Knight followed them. He could see a large group forming around what looked like a vertically-challenged hospital patient with a shotgun.

This would have concerned him more if it weren't for the fact that the shuttle they had arrived had large gaping hole in it's roof. Along with one of the engines unceremoniously hanging off the edge of the hull.

It seems I just wasn't busy enough. Na'Subir looked up into the sky, specifically at the Dreamers that watched over them. The Knight returned to the Dry Oasis, and stuck his head in.

"Al-Haradim, gather up the Xeno and the Vagabond, we have quite the situation on our hands." said Na'Subir as he returned outside and casually strode over to the developing catastrophe at the shuttle.

----------

Meanwhile, Asher shakily held the shotgun in direction where the mob of people seemed to close in. Usually, in a situation like this, he'd be thrilled with such an uneven fight, but right now? Right now his friends in the shuttle were at risk, and no extreme amount of blood lacking from his veins...

Asher tilted for a moment, nearly dropping the weapon, but quickly regained himself and aimed at someone who looked like they were about to take a swipe at him.

"Back tha' fuck... tha' fuck up!" The Yamataian breathed, the pain in his body getting worse as he held the group of people at bay. It seemed that both Oskar and Sayoko had attributed well to the confusion, and their continued existence. Oskar's panicking only made them question the situation, and Sayoko's handiwork on Asher seemed to get half the message across. Not only that, if not for her patchwork, the Yamataian would likely have died on the console. Yet, whatever sort of half-doubts these variables gave the natives, they were turned into full-doubts as the red-eyed soldier continued to defiantly hold up a line between the Visitors and the Sund Wakir who seemed intent on harming someone for the damage.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

"INSANE, YOU'RE INSANE," Oskar cried as he reached in with his lower right arm to grab another bottle of the weak shit he got from the cruise ship. "You need a doctor--a doctor--not a shotgun," he stammered as he uncorked the bottle and took a long swig. He grimaced again and tossed the bottle aside. "Damn it, weak, weak, weak, weak," he muttered once more before pulling out his flask of whiskey and taking a swig of it. "Ahhhh--better," he sighed as he felt the stronger alcohol hit him.

But all it took was another glance at the crowd before he was freaking out again. "Nononononononono...we mean you no harm! We're just--just what? Visitors? Victims? Target Practice?" Oskar listed off at a hundred words a minute, punctuating his uneasy with a hysterical laugh.

 

[Kylen Phylar]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Sayoko slowly moved to the hatch, holding the medkit front up, hoping that the symbol on it would be somewhat universal for medical help. Oh dear Empress, what have we gotten ourselves into...This would be a perfect chance to study a brand new race...I KNOW these are new to us...but we might all get shot and beaten before that can even happen. she thought, doing her best to stay quiet.

 

[PlaidMage]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

"Oh, nightma -" Najat pressed her lips together before she could finish the oath. She looked down to the dozing Freespacer in her arms, then back at the interior of the bar. "Vagabond. There has been a disaster. Come outside, we must save the day."

 

[Soresu]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Hanadi had been pointedly ignoring the ongoing sounds outside, her sole concerns at the moment were the kid held in her arms, and the mug now drained once more. She was about to order another for herself, and a nice cool non-alcoholic drink for Geruud when her gaze had flitted towards the dusty window. Sura's shop was visible right across from the Dry Oasis, and not only that, there seemed to be a crowd forming. The woman wiped at her mouth unnecessarily seeing the bent antenna on top of the shop.

Herdtitan Shit. she thought. Her crawler was in that shop, and with any possibility of it being damaged due to some dumb ass shuttle pilot drinking on the job, or orbital debris smacking into the place it was now her business. And it was with that thought that her free hand came up on her forehead and slowly went down her face.

First saddled with a kid, and now the possibility of a wrecked vehicle it was all piling on. The KD card she'd kept in her pants pocket came out then, being swiped through one of the readers. Really... the place still mostly used hard currency which she lacked on hand. Even feeling in a slightly generous mood, she'd left the shy, but formidable little barkeep a tip as she usually did when coming through the place as a force of habit.

"Well, little guy," Hanadi said mid-stride, not even giving the Guardwoman or the boozed up Xeno in her arms a second glance. "How about we go and see what the hub bub is about, and to make sure our home is intact?" Even though she didn't give the little tyke time to make his response the pair were soon greeted by the Expanse's heat, and the sun's glare. On reflex, the archeologist pulled out her sunglasses, antique looking things; even though her kind had protection for such things naturally, the woman didn't much care for it. That, and the damned sun glared harder in the Nuocr Expanse then it had on Hlarai to her.

Hanadi's free hand hadn't strayed very far from the Laiz Pistol at her side since she'd put the eye protection on, a sun-darkened hand now on the grip. The yelling was unintelligible until she'd gotten close enough to actually make out some of it, Sund Wakir, rumbling on. This also afforded her a better view of Sura's place... and part of the antenna now sitting on the roof of her sandcrawler. One of her eyes twitched in irritation at the view, the little boy bounced up in her arm again to hold him in place.

Hanadi yanked the pistol free holding it at her side as she tried to push her way through the throng. Unable to do so and finally out of patience in trying, she raised the gun skyward and pulled the trigger. There was a small flash before a bright purple beam shot out, the distinct whine and slight crack of the report discernible enough to hopefully make the people give her some wiggle room.

 

[Kokuten]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

The group of people started to make way for the two Temple Guard coming towards the shuttle. Their white robes made their approach obvious, however, despite heaving a child on one hip, Hanadi was less noticed. The crowds attention was captured by the strange woman with the medical kit, the odd four-armed alien speaking an odd version of trade, and the shortest of them, horribly injured and threatening them with what appeared to be death. One of the Sund Wakir women seemed to have got the message from Sayoko's kit, Oskar's panicking, and the bandages wrapped around Asher's injuries, and ran back into the settlement. She took the path leading towards the small hospital. One of Laruslan's only standing buildings.

The crack of a Laiz Pistol only made her run faster. Hanadi's pistol shot gathered the attention of the people around her, in fact, she had gathered everyone's attention. People looking from the openings in their tents, and the windows of the bar were now watching her as well. The Sund Wakir who had not seen her passing the a second ago, stepped back, respectfully giving Hanadi and her little boy room to walk. They didn't disperse like rats, that's what Eyr Ranr, Ivouri, and Curdatl do in these situations. These people were Sund Wakir, guns worked like alarm clocks out in the desert.

"It's Hanadi-Sera!" one the women heralded. Following that several people began to converse between each other. Asher, still holding up the shotgun, was wondering exactly what was going.

"It is... It is Hanadi..." one of the Sund Wakir men managed to get out, until he realized what he was saying. "Hanadi-Sera! These aliens destroyed the communications tower! You know Trade, right? Tell them just because they're Xenos doesn't mean they can do what they please!"

 

[Kylen Phylar]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Sayoko smiled a little, seeing one or two of the aliens recognize the symbol for medical, moving back into the shuttle to sit down as someone shot a weapon, ducking her head. "Why did today have to happen?"

 

[Abwehran Commander]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Oskar watched the scene unfold as the crowd seemed to watch, stare even, at them with confusion, awe, and what felt like a mixture of fear and anger. He couldn't understand it all entirely as the Whiskey began to settle in his blood, but his empathic senses were still being bombarded.

Then the shot rang through the air with a beam leaping into the sky like a violet signal to the Void. The panicking Oskar did something completely different this time around. He froze in place with his eyes wide with shock and horror, his body tensing as if becoming stone. The Abwehran man stared at the origin of the shot and swallowed hard, even though there was nothing in his dry mouth to swallow.

Suddenly, his hands shot up again. "AHH...SHE'S GOT A LASER! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!" he shouted in despair.

 

[Kokuten]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

"For Yui's sake, Four-Arms!" Asher spat, turning his head to look at the panicking Abwerhan for a second, but keeping the shotgun steady. "Pull y'self t'gether! You're embarassin' me!" Then, he looked back over at Sayoko, nearly throwing himself to the ground due to the lack of blood, mixed with the speed at which he turned his gaze on her. "You too, Librarian, get up, y'show these folks some fear n'they'll hop all ova' y'ass! Besides," Asher aimed the gun at the ground, not too far from the feet of some of the Sund Wakir and pulled the trigger, peppering the sand near them, causing a few of the to jolt back, and the crowd of people to recede a few feet. "We got tha' bigga' gun here."

He let the shotgun droop towards the ground for a moment, as he wiped some of the hemosynthetic blood out of his eyes. He scanned the crowd for a moment, spotting the two important looking people in robes, and then locking on to the bold woman with the gun.

"So," Asher trained the buckshot-slugging weapon on Hanadi and Geruud, pumping the empty shell out of the weapon's chamber. "Y'got somethin' t'say t'us?"

By the way he was staring at her, it was likely that Hanadi wouldn't have been able to tell whether the Yamataian was looking at her, or someone behind her.

 

[Soresu]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

OOC:For the languages I'm using, Trade is Bold, and Saalsari isn't.

From where she stood, the archeologist got a clear view of the three. One it seemed, had four arms, and was babbling in a panic. If she didn't know any better, Hanadi'd have thought the man a raving lunatic. The woman as tiny as she was just seemed to cower a little and then came the loud mouth with the gun. If she'd had an extra arm like that redheaded fellow it'd be on her face. Even though she hadn't said a word yet, she'd understood everything coming out of their mouths, some of it thickly accented to her or mangled, but workable.

Hanadi had the Laiz Pistol trained on the small Yamataian man with her body angled away to shield Geruud as she put the boy down. "Geruud, you go find Sura, and you tell him I said to watch you for right now." the gun had remained pointed at Asher the entire time she'd put him down, her eyes remaining locked on the man. Frankly she was just a little rankled at the fact her sandcrawler had now become host to part of the radio antenna. That, and the simple fact while she'd like bust who ever had piloted the alien craft into it to begin with, they were aliens. And they spoke a language she could understand which intrigued her all the more.

Her lips were pursed as she chose her opening words, deciding to take a slightly diplomatic approach.

"Yeah, I do got something to say to you." It was likely the first words any of them could readily understand since unceremoniously crashing into the place. Her own accent while understandable was antiquated by galactic standards. Primarily due to Trade being essentially a dead language to her species. In her field of work however it had proved to be a valuable asset from time to time.

"Three options." the woman held up three fingers. "One. You shoot me, I get pissed off, I shoot you in that big head of yours and call it a day." Weither she was bluffing or not about being able to take buckshot and shrug it off was open to interpretation. Nepleslians who were cybernetically enhanced could, and would just return the favor.

"Two, you keep on being a dumb ass and have a mob of Sund Wakir," nodding to the group of people to point out just who and what they were. "Rip you all apart, because that gun you're toting hasn't scared them now has it? These guys fight bandits on a regular basis, so three xenos ain't shit to them especially with one looking on death's door. Only reason you're alive right now listening to this is because I stepped in."

Hanadi lowered the third finger then, putting her hand down. "And we come to option three. You put that sandrat shit weapon down, I tell them you're alright, we get you treated, and see what can be done about this situation peacefully. And frankly, I suggest you go with three, because if you don't, you're a goner either way, wounds, me, or them. So what's it going to be? I'm not in a very pleasant mood right now, so you better choose, and choose fast." on a gesture of good faith, she twisted the gun slightly up the emitter obviously aimed at the sky, but could quickly be trained on him again.

 

[PlaidMage]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

The loud, angry voices from outside startled Najat. She decided that the situation couldn't wait for Roshan to pull himself away from the bar and assist her. She bent down and put Nova on the floor, propping her up against the doorframe, then strode out into the chaos outside, hefting her faelraig.

She spotted Asher with the gun, and Hanadi confronting him with her own smaller but more familiar one. The burly guardswoman simply strode by the other Sund Wakir; once she had Asher's attention, she raised her weapon and very pointedly activated it, the crackle of energy running along the sides filling the air for a moment.

 

[Jo Midori]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Before Asher could respond, a frightened screech came from the back of the shuttle accompanied by a loud growling bark. Harmony, the poor girl, had passed out during the party and unfortunately found her way into the ship with the other three survivors, though her resting place unfortunately happened to be underneath those that had been shot in the craft. Screaming and scrambling now, Harmony was desperately trying to get the bodies off of her, trying to get out from underneath them. The lifeless eyes and blood all over her was seriously freaking her out.

Finally getting the body off of her with the help of Peace, Harmony ran straight for the others, having not really understood the gun shots or shouting until the sobering vision of those dead that lay on top of her, she simply ran to Asher's back, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Oh my god Asher there is someone dead back there I swear I didn't do it I don't know what happened one minute I was having a drink with this cute guy and the next minute I was waking up and they were laying on top of me!" The poor girl's speech seemed to be one long sting of a sentence, with no stop in her words as she jabbered them out rather quickly, holding on tightly to Asher now in fear.

"What's going on Asher was there a fight?!" Poor girl had her head buried into Asher's back as she clung tightly to him.

 

[Exhack]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

The moment that he'd gotten a glimpse of the outside and saw humanoids, Shiki had given in to his baser instincts and hid himself. There were certain jokes to be had at his expense, hiding in the closet like a coward, but he didn't want to get killed... or worse.

Hands gingerly reached into his pocket, his chest tightening as he heard the quiet slither of the blade popping out. Hands remained clutched over the implement tightly, an unassuming four inches of steel set on the end of a plain wooden handle, and prepared for the worst. At his best, he could say that he was comfortable with a knife, but couldn't remember the last time he'd even pointed it at another person... at least with the bladed end.

It was a bad idea. They were bad ideas. It was all a bad idea! The trip. These strange people, and this stupid shuttle! He was going to get killed and all because he gave into the idea that going on vacation all alone would be a good idea. And that bastard Asher didn't even like him all that much, despite thinking of dragging him along.

The feeling was mutual.

But even then, he'd not even seen what sort of people were going to attack him when they finally realized someone was missing. When they pried the information out of the others and killed them. They'd be ready and he might have enough strength left to put up a token resistance. And if they left him, he might as well starve to death, and have to wander the desert he'd glimpsed until his body gave out entirely and he became the fodder of dangerous animals or cannibal scavengers!

As the gentle hum of paranoia set in, and his face and body became awash in sweat and tears, he found himself hearing a coward's mantra.

I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away... I mustn't run away...

Shiki couldn't so much as tell if the voice was inside or outside his head, but one thing was for sure. The voice was his.

 

[Kokuten]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Na'Subir had been watching from a safe distance for most of the situation, he had picked a small hut on a raised position. As Najat's master, he was responsible for judging and guiding her performance. Though, at this moment he had been training a Laiz Rifle on Asher's head for most of the situation. Even with just a Red Dot Sight, he would have been more than able to make the man's head disappear in the blink of an eye. Yet, something caught his trained eye, a boy, Geruud specifically, bouncing up the hill toward his position. The Knight stepped out of the comfortable position he was in and hid his Laiz Rifle under his robe.

Geruud, huffing and puffing as his little feet carried him towards Sura's Machine Shop, came to abrupt halt when he found a Temple Guard standing in his path.

"And where are you going in such a hurry?" Na'Subir asked the boy. Geruud whimpered a little as he found himself in a troubling situation.

"N-no where..." Geruud squeaked in the presence of the Knight.

"Then you won't mind answering a few questions?"

"B-but Hanadi-Sera..."

"Your Hanadi-Sera is exactly who I'm asking about."

----------

"Yer'a pretty spunky bitch, eh?" Asher replied to Hanadi with little respect to her, or her status amongst the natives. He grinned a little, feeling some of his pain subside, and most of his bleeding stop. With that, he felt a little more confident about what was going down. Though, Najat's entrance into this situation didn't make it any less tense. When she activated her Fael Raig, the Westwood suddenly became unsure of the intentions here. Asher's blood-starved brain was starting enter into fight-or-flight, and it made him deadly suspicious of Hanadi's offer in Option 3. If she wasn't being truthful, then he already had a back plan stored away just in case.

Step 1: Cap the leader lady.

Step 2: Retreat into shuttle. Use the door as a choke point, pile dead civilians to block broken glass entry-point.

Step 3: Cap anyone and any groups who gets too close.

Step 4: Wait for rescue, or kill everyone in town, making use of any supplies left behind.

That last step made it apparent that Asher wasn't thinking too clearly. He shook his head unsteadily as his vision started to unfocus. The man looked a little shaky, if not somewhat desperate.

"Oh my god Asher there is someone dead back there I swear I didn't do it I don't know what happened one minute I was having a drink with this cute guy and the next minute I was waking up and they were laying on top of me!" The poor girl's speech seemed to be one long sting of a sentence, with no stop in her words as she jabbered them out rather quickly, holding on tightly to Asher now in fear.

"What's going on Asher was there a fight?!" Poor girl had her head buried into Asher's back as she clung tightly to him.

God dammit Fangy, not n-- Asher thought as she grabbed him from behind, causing his wounds to open back up, and the bleeding to start again. Suddenly, he felt something hurt internally, and could taste the bitterness of hemosynthetic fluid in his mouth. Harmony, despite going to the man for security, would only find herself getting covered in his blood. The Yamataian fell to his knees, losing what remained of his monstrous stamina.

Fuck... FUCK... No! I don't wanna' die in this shit hole.... Asher growled audibly as he threw the shotgun to the ground, and put his hands in the air.

"Alright..." He said in a defeated, raspy tone, to Hanadi. There was blood still dripping off the edge of his lip. "We do it your way... you cock-sucki--..."

Asher fell on his face, his body lying still again for the second time that day. The Sund Wakir who were watching suddenly became confused, unsure of exactly what the black-winged woman did to her ally, but they looked a little wary of her. The crowd distanced themselves a little more from the wreckage, but most of them kept their eyes on Hanadi, or one of the survivors, hushed whispers filling the air.

 

[PlaidMage]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Seeing that Asher had crumpled to the ground, Najat deactivated her weapon with a quick hand - she could easily dispatch the others around, if need be, without the aid of the lasers. She stepped forward to Asher's fallen body and grabbed his gun, putting it into an empty belt loop to keep it out of the hands of any bystanders. She then bent to check his vitals, pressing her hands to the bare skin of his cheeks and opening herself to his feelings.

 

[Soresu]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Was only a matter of time. She didn't care if was a Graimel on a rampage, anyone loosing that amount of blood and with injuries like that would eventually go down. The Laiz Pistol soon returned to its holster, crisis averted, for now. A hand raked through her short hair as the archeologist looked to the crowd. She just made a calming motion of the hand, a small nod and looked at the downed Yamataian and Temple Guard woman.

"He's passed out due to injuries and lack of blood. Just check his pulse for Ruh's sake. You're not going to get much of anything out of him as is." Hanadi said while walking past. Really the little spitfire of a man could've died, and she'd have felt very little remorse save for the ones still very much alive.

The panicking four-armed man was her target. Holding a hand low, palm elevated slightly in a staying gesture, she walked towards him slowly but surely.

"You, four-arms." she used the name Asher had called him. "Are there anymore of you on your..." Hanadi snapped her fingers several times, face screwing up slightly while she thought of the word. "Ship...yeah, ship?"

 

[Jo Midori]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Harmony screamed when she felt the warm blood against her face, but it wasn't until she already saw Asher face down in the sand. Looking up now with wide yellow eyes, Harmony saw for the first time the others that were surrounding the craft. Shaking a little she started to back up and away from those that crowded around the ship entrance, especially the one with the weapons now. It wasn't long before the girl backed into Peace, who stood behind her now growling at the others, her teeth barred and his eyes locked intently on the one that seemed the greatest threat.

Harmony was to shocked to do much of anything, simply looking around at the others now as she felt the familiar presence giving her a light calming effect, though only through the familiarity of the bond and for no other reason.

"Wh-Whats going on here!" Harmony demanded after she got enough of her senses back to make a coherent thought.

 

[Abwehran Commander]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Oskar took a step back from the woman who had spoken to him, but she didn't seem to be too threatening now. Grimacing the Abwehran took out his flask again and took a swig before even contemplating answering her. "No--no one alive, just us five and a creature. Few dead bodies from pirate attack--filthy pirates--fired automatic weapon into passenger area. If pirates didn't kill them, crash did." Oskar spoke quickly, nearly babbling because of the stress of this situation.

"Anyway--anyway--anyway. There's a doctor coming, right--right?" he asked as he capped his flask and shoved it into his pocket. "And it's Oskar, not four-arms. Insane man didn't seem to remember my name."

 

[Kokuten]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Najat would feel nothing coming from Asher, signaling to her that he was either unconscious, or very dead.

"N-n-n-n-no! Stop this madness Tajah!" squealed a weak, masculine voice. At the back of the crowd, being pushed by the woman who had ran off before to get get medical assistance, was Iyad Jabalah, the only doctor in Laruslan. He was a thin, wiry Ivouri, with sharp features. He was wearing a dirtied lab coat, as the woman behind him pushed him with a grudge. Like most Sund Wakir women, she was strong enough to push a man taller than her through a crowd of her own people. After much struggling, Iyad was pushed out towards the lifeless looking Asher, and he threw up his hands and shook in terror as he pushed.

"Ehya- AH! P-pl--..." the Doctor stuttered in Saalsari as he shook. He looked around, taking in the situation. "Hanadi? A Temple Guard?" His eyes trailed down to Asher, the sight of his unmoving bloody body causing him to nearly jump out of his skin, seeing Harmony covered in the Yamataian's blood didn't seem to help. "AUGH! And--... a... and a dead man... A few... Xen--... Outlanders... Wh-...What's going on here?"

 

[Kylen Phylar]

Re: [Chapter One] The Descent Into Chaos

Sayoko listened, and scooted over to Shiki, and held his shoulder. "Calm down...they aren't trying to attack or anything now." She said softly, trying not to spook him more. "Hell, it sounds like they finally brought a doctor for mister lifeguard..or solider..or what ever he is down there. Hell, I still don't know his name."