(Armad #13823)
LZ-623
Temporary Research Station
Moraband
Armad had thrown a couple of sensor-booster droids, that he’d cobbled together during the trip, into the air as soon as he walked off the ramp of the transport. Tapping a few commands into his wrist controller, Armad amplified his droid’s sensor range and strength, searching for any type of signal coming from the vicinity of the once temporary research station. For the moment there wasn’t any sign of the mysterious creatures that had attacked Riku and his team earlier, and Armad was glad for that, as it gave him time to begin his search for the missing Clan members.
The night was eerily quiet, except for the wind occasionally making howling noises in the distance. Armad was glad it was night as he was warned about the sun’s harshness here, as it meant that he wouldn’t have to immediately wear his polarized goggles. As he was walking toward the abandoned site, Armad was focusing more on his datapad, hoping to catch an echo of a signal that would indicate where the missing Clan members were. Nearing the center of the site, catching a faint signal of something, tapped a few commands into his wrist controller, and his sensor droids started circling around him. Denied, his ID9 droid, unattached from his back and took up a hovering position behind Armad, giving it the perfect overview of the site and a small portion of the surrounding area.
A few moments passed without a blip from his controller, and it seemed that the silence kept getting softer until he could barely hear the hum of Denied’s repulsor behind him. It was at this moment that his wrist controller beeped once to indicate that it caught a signal. A low troublesome tone came from the direction of Denied that sounded a bit like an uh-oh. When Armad looked up from his wrist to question what the droid meant by that, he sees one of the gray creatures leaping down toward him from the rock formation that he’d stopped under. Armad managed to draw his stiletto as the creature was landing on him. The Umbaran managed to get the gray creature off of him by stabbing it repeatedly, which seemed to cause it some pain and slow it down enough that he was able to get out from under it and get to his feet. As Armad hurriedly typed some commands for Denied to take over trying to connect to and send the prearranged message to any signal that it could connect to.
The lone creature staggered back to its feet and started lumbering towards him again, Armad shot it a few times with his blaster. But conceded that Riku was correct, that they were able to somewhat easily shake off blaster bolts. Since there was no official report or finding about lightsaber damage, Armad decided to try his, so he stabbed it through the chest which got him rewarded with a backhand to the face. Recovering from the rather significant blow, Armad fully incapacitated it by cutting all its limbs off, alive and making a low moaning noise. Silently wondered if Macron or Aul would be interested in having a specimen like this, for study purposes no doubt.
His line of thinking was interrupted by Denied’s trill indicating that it had found a signal and sent the message, and that they needed to leave now. Armad was about to ask what he meant by that, a swarm of gray creatures came pouring over and around the rock formation. Armad started a quick retreat back to the safety of the base camp, while picking up survey equipment that was still laying around and throwing it into the creatures trying to slow them down.
(Mactire #14320)
Somewhere.
Moraband
Mactire was running down the labyrinth trying to make heads or tails of their situation.
“Go to Moraband Muz said. It’ll be fun he said. Watch some scientist, nothing will want to kill you he said.” Mactire grumbled to no one in particular.
Everyone had gone their own way, down a distinct path when that random sound occurred. Though it was possible all these tunnels linked up at some point, he knew his luck wasn’t that great. He wished he decided to run with the others down a path, but as long as one could find a way out at least the Clan would be warned, if anyone came to rescue their hides.
Stumbling through the caverns of stone in the dark made it almost impossible at first for the Mystic to see where he was going. While he slowly concentrated on the Force he enhanced his vision allowing him to see slightly better. The strain was different and his eyes were sore but he had to push through in order to make his way. This was a do or die situation.
Walking around the corridors, sounds reverberated chaotically against the walls. Making it hard to judge the distance on where they were, and where they were coming from.
Slowly turning a corner made the Mystic feel instant regret for choosing this path to follow. Gurgling, grunting creatures were ahead of him. They appeared to be walking slowly, as if in a daze.
Mactire slowly started to move along the wall, pressing up against it to hide as much as him as possible. Stealth would be the only way to move here, and using two Force abilities at the same time was still difficult for him.
As he started to slowly makes his way along the wall, trying to stay concealed, a low hiss started to ring from the comm unit on his wrist.
“Anyone there? This is Battlemaster Armad. Can anyone hear me. We are here to rescue you.” He said sounding slightly worried.
“Siths blood.” Mactire mutters lightly as the figures turn towards his direction
“Anyone this is Battlemaster Armad. We are here to rescue any and all personal still alive. Give your location and try to fend off till help arrives.” The voice slowly crackles over the static of the comm.
Sighing heavily Mactire slowly draws his lightsaber, the faint hiss of it echos through the chamber. He slowly places his hand over his comm to allow any and all to hear.
“This is Mystic Mactire. I’m alive, got your message. My location is unknown but I can tell you I’m in major trouble.” Mactire slowly moves the lightsaber in his left hand as the figures start walking towards him with determination.
“Mactire, what’s going on here? Do you have any idea on the enemies size or what these things are?” The Battlemaster asked quizzingly over the line.
As one figure approaches the Mystic, he quickly faints, slashing the creature in half from the waist. A wail came from the creature’s mouth showing its sharp teeth. The others in their old greyish armor, started collapsing on the fallen one’s location, like moths to a flame.
While the creatures collapsed towards the Mystic he danced along the wall towards them. Leaping off the wall kicking one in face hard then, while in the air, turning sharply towards the left, landing a solid kick into the neck and jaw of another, sending it hard against the wall.
“Really Armad you want my status? Hold on I’m fighting something that’s ugly… Very very ugly and very hard to kill.” Mactire shouted at his comm.
As more cascaded towards him he grips his lightsaber tightly in his left hand charging towards them hollering at the top of his lungs. With each attack from them, the Mystic returns tenfold, by chopping off some of their arms, legs, and heads. Any body part of theirs that gets within his circle his removed. This doesn’t seem to either slow them down or even hinder them.
The forum a circle around the Mystic trying to keep him on his toes as his lightsaber twirls lightly in his hand, as if it can sense the hunger in these beasts and craves to carve his name and spark fear into these creatures.
Seething with rage Mactire howls at the creatures. “You want to fight the wolf? Well, here’s your chance attack me. I’m done failing to stop beings like you. I’m done running and staying on the defensive. You want a war with me? A war with my friends? With my new family? The people that I’ve sworn to protect? You got it… But here’s your one chance to run. Cause if you harm anyone of them… I will personally hunt everyone of you down and show you no mercy.”
The creatures all look at him and slowly fade away, as if it was all an illusion. Though the body parts and the fallen ones that were slain by his blade are still around the area.
“Nice speech Mactire. Don’t think we won’t fight as well, we aren’t all defenseless ourselves you know. By the way can you either describe how ugly they are or bring back some samples?” Armad mutters over the comm system.
“Yeah sure, they are grey, like ash. Their limbs seem hard when struck but it was like slicing through air when I used my blade. Though also my determination might have helped as well. I got a few items of some of them I’ll bring them back for study. I want to know as well what they are. I want to end this quickly.” the Mystic says picking up a few body parts and a few armor pieces as well.
A scream came from a down the way that the creatures went. Mactire growled and raced towards it hoping against hope he wasn’t late for anything.