Friday, September 23, 2011

Session 18 - A New Threat - Part 3

Paz slid her datapad back into a pocket of her coveralls. "Well, that's the gist of it," she told Mrrowl in a low voice, glancing anxiously over at Shre'ka. The young Cathar was conferring with Fey'qua'ri and Shas'tan about their assault on the mining facility. "What are you going to tell her?"

The Togorian flicked his ears back. His nose rumpled slightly, then smoothed. "The truth," he replied simply. "She deserves to know."

Paz caught at the felinoid's arm. "Yeah, but...Mrrowl, I'm afraid this might change things between the two of you."

Mrrowl patted Paz's flipper with a reassurance he did not feel before disengaging it from his arm. "That all happened a long time ago. Much has changed since then," he said over his shoulder to the Mon Cal as he walked over to Shre'ka.

She looked up at his approach.

"Mri'tan, there is something I need to talk with you about."

"Yes, Mrrowl?"

"The information Paz was able to retrieve...it seems there's a ship crashed some distance to the east of here. It appears to have been here a long time, around 4000 years."

Shre'ka smiled and nodded. "Yes. The skyboat of the First Ones. It lies beneath the Dark Tree in the center of the ta'niala. We know of this."

"Yes, well," Mrrowl continued awkwardly. "That ship was...is a ship of my people. It's a Togorian vessel."

Shre'ka's smile broadened. "I am not surprised. Sa'uuk has brought us together for a reason! Do you see, mri'te? I told you you were one of the People!"

"There's more to it than that," Mrrowl rumbled. "Those Togorians were transporting Cathar slaves to a world called Mandalor. For some reason the ship crashed and the survivors were stranded here."

Shre'ka frowned slightly. "Your people kept the People as slaves?"

The Togorian nodded, his ears at half mast. "Yes."

Shre'ka considered her mate closely. "Is that the way your people see the People now? If I were to go with you to your world, would your people see me as a slave?"

"No," Mrrowl answered with a growl. "Things are...different now."

Shre'ka's smile returned. "Then there is nothing to be concerned about, Mrrowl. That is the past now."

"Actually," Mrrowl sighed, "there is something else to be concerned about, mri'tan. Paz discovered your people were being experimented on to be used to search for a Sith artifact on board the ship. It seems radiation is leaking from the vessel somewhere, making it very dangerous for those hunting for the artifact to find and retrieve it."

Shre'ka looked at Mrrowl sharply. "Sith? There is Sa'ruk on the ship? The People are aware of this. That is why the Dark Tree and the area surrounding it has become corrupted over the years. The People avoid that place."

Fey'qua'ri nodded agreement. "It is forbidden for most to go there. It is very strong in Sa'ruk."

Paz stepped forward. "That's very wise, Sa'uuk Mo'at. But there's also danger from the radiation there. That's what's been causing everything in the nearby area to die off."

Fey'qua'ri nodded thoughtfully, but Shre'ka looked puzzled. "Radiation? I do not understand."

"Radiation is particles or waves of energy coming from a power source," Paz explained. "It can make you very sick or even kill a person. It depends on how powerful the energy source is and the amount of time someone is exposed to it. If the ship's engine core cracked and leaked, it's very likely some areas of the ship could have high levels of radiation contamination."

Shre'ka looked to her mentor. "If the Sa'ruk hunters seek this Sa'ruk artifact, we can not allow them to find it."

Fey'qua'ri nodded, glancing to Shas'tan. The clan leader drew thoughtfully on a pipe, exhaled, then nodded. "We will put together a War Party and leave at first light," he said.

"If I may," Paz offered, "We have a few suits that should protect against the radiation..."

Fey'qua'ri smiled at the Mon Cal, but held up a paw. "That is kind of you, but it is not needed. Sa'uuk will protect us."

Paz looked nonplussed, but made no further comment.

*****

Three days swift journey on foot and the War Party stood in view of the Dark Tree. While they took a brief rest, Shre'ka pointed to the bog surrounding it. "Do not drink from the puddles," she warned her friends. "The water here is tainted. And watch for t'zzirl snakes and sa'naku as well. They are known to roost in the Dark Tree."

She noticed Hra'tan standing a short distance from Fey'qua'ri, Shas'tan and his sons, Mar'lo and Bo'ku. The big dark furred Cathar seemed agitated for some reason. Shre'ka wondered why he had agreed to come along. He had ceased being aggressive towards her or Mrrowl after his fight with her mate, but his manner had remained cool and less than friendly. He did not appear to be happy to be with them and she felt uneasy. She started to brush against Mrrowl and say something to him, but stopped herself. What could she say? That Hra'tan looked unhappy? They were approaching the Dark Tree! She wasn't happy either. The skin of her shoulders shivered involuntarily with something akin to a sudden chill.

Hearing a gasp nearby, she looked Fey'qua'ri's way to see the elderly Cathar bent slightly in apparent pain. She hurried to his side.

"Sa'uuk Mo'at? What is wrong?"

Fey'qua'ri tried to steady himself with his staff, a paw held to his forehead, a wince of pain on his face. "Sa'ruk...It is very strong...I sense..."

Shre'ka's eyes widened in alarm as she recalled her mentor's battle with the strange bandaged-wrapped Sa'ruk Mo'at not so very long ago, although it seemed to have been in a past life. "The Sa'ruk Mo'at?! He is here?!"

The old shaman drew a deep breath. His gray eyes met his foster child's blue-green ones. "This is beyond your skill, my daughter. You must take your friends into the skyboat and find the Shadow Object. I will take the An'uat, his sons and Hra'tan. We will deal with this." He raised his voice. "Mar'lo!"

The young hunter flicked his ears. "Sa'uuk Mo'at!"

"Take Shre'ka, Mrrowl and the off-worlders to the skyboat entry, then catch up with us." Mar'lo nodded acknowledgement of the command.

The shaman turned to go, but Shre'ka caught his arm. "Fey'qua'ri," she said in a low voice. "Watch Hra'tan. Something is not right." The Sa'uuk Mo'at patted her hand, nodding. Shre'ka squeezed his arm once before she dropped her paw. "Sa'uuk ah meh yah," she told him, flicking her ears and hearing Mrrowl echo the farewell behind her.

"Sa'uuk ah meh yah," Fey'qua'ri told her gently before he moved off with Shas'tan and the others. Shre'ka watched them go a few moments, then joined her friends to make their way into the bog, moving toward the Dark Tree and the ancient Togorian ship buried there.

*****

Mar'lo pushed aside several twisted dead vines and branchlets. "Here," he told them.

"What's past the door?" EZ asked.

Mar'lo looked at him, shocked. "I have not been inside. It is forbidden!"

"Understood," Paz told the young hunter. "Thank you for your help."

Mar'lo nodded. "Sa'uuk ah meh yah," he told them, then swiftly departed.

Paz looked at Shre'ka and offered her a suit. "For the radiation. Last chance."

Shre'ka smiled and placed the suit in her pack. "My People are strong. Sa'uuk will protect me."

"I'd feel better if you'd wear it," Paz muttered under her breath. "You bearing cubs and all." Paz turned back to the door, examining it closely. "It looks to be an outer lock door. This is an exterior part of the ship. No power. Figures."

"Let's try the manual control," Mrrowl suggested, wondering briefly how wise he'd been to leave his suit back on the ship. He shrugged mentally. Too late to worry about it now. There was nothing for it but to continue forward and hope for the best.

With the door open, they peered into the dark interior beyond. "I'm on point," EZ said, stepping to the front. Mrrowl followed with Shre'ka in tow and Paz and two of her IG-88 droids bringing up the rear.

They had not gone far when they discovered a couple of battle droids in the corridor. However the droids were crumpled to the ground, obviously no longer functioning. EZ looked them over. "No blaster fire."

Paz unconsciously checked the fastenings of her suit. "Must be the radiation. The data from their outposts said they were unsuccessful at adapting the droids to it so they could search for the holocron. These droids certainly seem to prove that."

Mrrowl flicked his ears. He glanced at Shre'ka, beginning to regret this already. "Do you feel all right?" She nodded. "Ok, we keep going. Paz, you think you can get some power going in here?"

The Mon Cal looked around. "Think so, if we can find some kind of power junction or terminal. There's another door here. Let's see what's beyond it."

"Wait," EZ said. "Before you open that, let's check this side corridor." The others followed the clone trooper into the blackness, lit only by the light on his helmet. EZ stopped short. "Another droid. Same as the others."

Suddenly one of the IG-88s buzzed and crackled, collapsing to the deck. Alarmed, Paz turned to the second one. "IG-88, report status!"

"Affirmative. Operating at 80 percent," the droid responded.

"Return to the entry and wait there," Paz ordered.

"Affirmative," the droid answered before clanking back down the corridor and out.

The group returned to the door they had discovered and after manually opening it, they stepped into a new corridor just as dark as the first. However, Paz noticed a power relay and began tinkering with it. "This is old! Not sure this'll work," she said as she tried to reconnect wiring and replace burnt diodes with their present day equivalents. "Ah! There, that should do it!"

Lights flickered to life and the soft hum of power filled the corridor. Bolstered by this success, the group continued to explore the ship, coming to a room with computer access. Paz's technological skill again proved invaluable. She pulled up a schematic of the ship as well as the Captain's log. "You sure you want Shre'ka to hear this?" she asked Mrrowl in a low voice. The Togorian brusquely motioned for her to play the file.

The screen filled with a visage not much unlike Mrrowl's, but older, with a great scar tracing its way from the Togorian's striped fur temple across one eye which had been rendered white and unseeing to end along the opposite cheek. The being identified himself as Captain Grouularr of the Togorian vessel, the Vraaladash. He related they were transporting a holocron containing ship schematics and a shipment of Cathar slaves from Cathar to Mandalor when the hyperdrive relay cracked and brought them out of hyperspace. Due to the subsequent radiation leak, the crew was unable to repair the damage, several dying in the attempt. The log showed a great space of time following that entry, before another entry from Captain Grouularr reported that the Cathar slaves were able to free themselves, and with food low and the radiation spreading, had agreed to work with the remaining Togorian crew to survive on planet while they awaited rescue, eventually settling away from the site when their hope for discovery had dwindled. His final entry requested for his log and the flight recorder/transponder on the bridge to be returned to his family's house on Togoria, if it was ever found.

The room darkened a bit when the screen went black. Shre'ka bowed her head, lowering her ears. "Fuurr’sssang, Skyboat Mo'at Grouularr," she murmured.

Mrrowl's ears flattened. He looked at Paz. "Where is the bridge from here?"

Paz pointed it out. "But, Mrrowl," she protested, "The bridge sits above the engine core. The radiation level there is probably going to be high!"

Ignoring her warning, Mrrowl hurried down the corridor. "We're getting that recorder!"

Shre'ka, Paz and EZ had to run to keep up. They reached a small hall leading to the bridge.

EZ caught the Togorian by the arm. "Let me and Paz go!" he offered. "We have the suits to protect us!"

Paz nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mrrowl, stay back! Think of your mate and cubs! You and Shre'ka wait back here. We'll get the recorder for you."

Mrrowl looked from the clone trooper to Paz and laid a heavy but gentle paw on each of their shoulders. "I appreciate the offer, my friends, but this is something I must do. However, if you would, stay here with Shre'ka."

Reluctantly, they nodded. The Togorian looked at his mate. "Stay back here, mri'te."

Shre'ka nodded, though she murled unhappily to herself. She knew why Mrrowl wanted her to stay back and she knew why he was insisting on getting the recorder himself. She could not find it in her to ask that he stay and betray his honor, but something occurred to her and she brightened. "At least let Paz go with you," she suggested. "She can help you retrieve the recorder quickly."

Mrrowl paused, then nodded. "Come on," he told the Mon Cal. Paz needed no encouraging. She raced down the hall with Mrrowl and they entered the bridge, closing the door behind them. Mrrowl shuddered a bit once inside, feeling a wave of nausea sweep through him. "Oh, yeah, there's radiation in here," he grated.

Hurriedly, the two managed to locate the recorder/transponder and remove it from the console housing. Returning to where EZ and Shre'ka awaited them, they then headed to the elevators Paz had located on the schematic. Attempting to take one of the lifts to the lower level, they were shocked when they were suddenly attacked by three strange looking felinoids with white unseeing eyes.

A furious fight ensued and the hulking creatures were swiftly put down. Shre'ka leaned down to examine them closely, realizing with a shock the beings were mutated Cathar, indeed three of the Nine that had been assumed dead. A strange red crystal was embedded in the forehead of each tribe member. Angrily Shre'ka pried the crystals loose. Gently speaking to each of the deceased Cathar in turn, she called them by their name, telling them to be at peace and for Sa'uuk to be with them.

Gathering the crystals, Shre'ka placed them a short distance down the hall, then calling upon Sa'uuk smashed them to bits. A strange red vapor arose from the crystals, dissipating into the air as she watched, growling in her throat.

"We may encounter more of these," EZ warned her.

Shre'ka turned an ears-flat look the trooper's way. "There will be no more killing of the People!" she snarled.

EZ cocked his helmeted head to one side. "Yeah, but, they're trying to kil-"

Shre'ka's fur bristled. She bared her fangs. "There-will-be-no-more-killing-of-the-People!"

Mrrowl glowered down at the trooper. "Set your weapon for stun."

EZ complied, shaking his head. Paz stepped up beside him as they continued on. "My weapon doesn't have a stun setting," she said quietly, giving the clone trooper a significant look.

Entering the lift, the group continued down to the lower level and emerged from the elevator. There they encountered two more of the mutated Cathar. With weapons and Shre'ka's Sa'uuk powers, they stunned both tribesmen to unconsciousness. Paz pulled some tape from her pack to bind their hands and feet. Shre'ka realized dealing with the embedded red crystals in their foreheads would have to wait.

"We should wait until the metal medical man on the skyboat can see what he can do to help them," she said.

"Good idea," Paz agreed, nodding.

"They should be all right for now," Mrrowl said. "Which way is the Sith artifact?"

Shre'ka concentrated a moment. She scowled, pointing down a hall. "That way!"

The group hurried down a hall to another door. Opening it, they and two humans stared in shock at one another. The humans immediately began to raise blasters. Mrrowl swung his axe down on the one in front of him as Shre'ka stepped beside him. Calling upon Sa'uuk, she hurled the unfortunate human into his comrade standing behind him, sending both crashing against the far wall. They slumped to the ground.

Mrrowl and Shre'ka stepped through the door just in time to see none other than Cad Bane holding a strange item in his hand. Pocketing it, he briefly touched the brim of his hat, giving Shre'ka a wry smile. "Nothing personal, little lady. Just business," he rasped before darting down a far corridor.

Mrrowl and Shre'ka chased after him. EZ and Paz were following hard on their heels when the Mon Cal and Clone Trooper were brought up short by another group of bounty hunters emerging from a far room. EZ fired, the blasts from his weapon immediately ending their threat. He ran to the room to make sure the situation was under control and noticed several wired charges placed about the chamber, lights blinking.

"Uuuuhhhhh...Captain Paz?"

The Mon Cal ran up beside him, her eyes widening in alarm. "Thermite! There are charges set out here, too!"

"Well...see if you can disarm them!"

"I'll try," Paz replied, setting to work.

Mrrowl and Shre'ka gained on Cad Bane even as one of his accomplices fled past, outdistancing them all. Drawing upon Sa'uuk, Shre'ka stunned the Duro and Mrrowl's expertise with melee weapons allowed him to knock the infamous bounty hunter prone. Unable to escape, the Duro reeled as Shre'ka stunned him again, collapsing on the deck.

Shre'ka removed the object from the bounty hunter's coat, putting it in a pouch on her belt. It occurred to her that it was not safe to leave Cad Bane alive, but he had had her in his sights before and spared her life. He was a hunter, a very dangerous one, but not an indiscriminate killer. And he had helped them when they were attacked by the Mandalorian and his bounty hunters at the apartment on Vaynai. She could not take his life. Not like this. Not this time.

She looked at her mate. "I owe him a life. I will not take his," she said before turning to run back the way they had come.

Mrrowl snarled, looking down at Bane. His ears flattened. It was foolish to let the Duro live. He knew it. If he had any sense of things, the bounty hunter would probably be on their trail very soon. But like Shre'ka, the Togorian recalled the Duro's aid on Vaynai. Honor demanded payment in kind. A heavy sigh gusted through his whiskers.

As he pondered the situation, one of Bane's henchmen came to a sliding stop just out of range of Mrrowl's axe. "Just business..." the big cat muttered, then directing a fierce glare at the henchman, he hissed "take your Boss and get out of here!" Pondering thoughts of honor and doing the "right" thing, the Togorian hurried down the corridor after Shre'ka.

When Mrrowl and Shre'ka caught up with Paz and EZ in the hall, the Mon Cal's frightened eyes warned the two felinoids of disaster.

"Thermite charges!" Paz warned. "They're trip wired! I can't disarm them! They've been set for remote detonation! We need to get out!"

Mrrowl roared in alarm, realizing that Bane probably possessed the remote and practically shoved Shre'ka down the corridor toward the lifts, Paz and EZ hard on his heels. They gathered up the two Cathar and rode the elevators up to the top level, running down the corridors and out the entry.

Stumbling away from the Vraaladash, they were all startled to see a battle raging outside. Laser and blaster fire crisscrossed the air as several Republic ships descended from the sky, a smoking Separatist ship engine core plummeting to the ground with a fiery crash. A much smaller ship closer by ascended into the air, obviously attempting to make a swift departure.

Even with her heart pounding as she and the others fled from the ship as fast as they could, Paz couldn't help but smile. "Shre'ka!" she shouted triumphantly. "Your message got through!"

to be continued...

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