18+ The Hunt

[Drahkma]

Corvis had planned to head back to the safehouse immediately. Or at least, be there at in a reasonable amount of time. However, he found himself in one of the seedier bars, filled with the type of people that would happily shoot a stranger and think nothing of it. 'My kind of place' the hunter thought, sipping his drink, and propping his boots up on the chair across from him. He'd never been overly concerned about wandering into dangerous places. Not for the past decade or so, anyways. Plus, he doubted any of the others would come looking for him in here. And he needed to think over the intel he'd received.

Kaylin Ataro was on Eregin, most likely somewhere in Blacklight, and didn't seem interested in even attempting to conceal her identity. It was becoming obvious to him that the catch would be much easier than he'd originally thought. Which meant he had to start thinking about what would happen when they had to split the reward. Corvis had no plans to double cross his companions, not openly, anyways. He doubted Varastian and his companion would try anything. The scarred girl that didn't speak, well, she didn't look like she could do much, unless Marek or his lady friend was holding her hand. Marek might try something, but Corvis doubted it. At least, not if he was likely to be shot before he could escape.

The Khajiit woman looked like she might try something. She had a look about her that said she was more accustomedto killing than catching people. The new comers, the Argonian, the small woman, and her large Khajiit friend, he wasn't sure about. The black armoured man that had arrived with Marek, Corvis didn't trust as far as he could throw him. With him always sneaking around, ignoring the others. Motion at the bar got his attention, and he cringed as he recognized the woman and her Khajiit companion. Apparently, they'd met their contact here, or around here. "Oh blast it" he muttered.

 

[Simus]

Kraguul demanded Simus, begged him, to see that he was not an illusion. Simus didn't want to believe that. He didn't want to believe that this was really his old friend Baroth or that Baroth was still alive after who knows how many years. That meant he had never found peace. He had never been able to die.

That theory was looking more and more plausible. If this was really Kraguul, Simus would have broken his illusion by now. He had Kraguul down, pinned him to the ground and caused him pain by letting Ashes and Cinders' shock enchantment lick at his throat. No illusion, no matter how well done, could survive that. Simus brought his sword up for a moment and Maybe-Baroth took the opportunity to slug him square in the jaw. Simus grunted with pain and rolled off of Maybe-Baroth, who then pulled Simus onto his feet by his hair and headbutted him square in the nose. The combined pain of his bleeding nose and bruised jaw, along with the impact dazed Simus. He felt weak, slow, barely strong enough to stand. His stasis sleep had sapped him of nearly all his strength and what little he had was now gone. He dropped his swords and fell flat on his arse. Baroth pulled one of two identical weapons attached to his hips out and pointed it right between Simus' eyes. He didn't know what it was and that scared him. It looked like some sort of dart or bit of metal could come out of the hole at the end, maybe even a blast of magic. Any of those would kill him.

"LOOK AT ME! I'M ALIVE! I'M REAL! I AM NOT AN ILLUSION! I'm...i'm real. Who are you?! Huh? You're ....god...you're f***ing dead...i just...i....i....I GRIEVED for you. I cried for you....oh god..."

He dropped the weapon in the sand and fell back on his arse, staring at Simus. Then, as they stared each other down, Baroth started to cry. Yes, this was Baroth. it was the only answer. This man was no illusion and Simus still recognized his old friend from...however long ago he had been asleep. Simus' fear was overcome with awe and amazement. Here he was, with no idea where or when this place was, and he just happens to be revived by one of his best friends. The gods really did exist.

It must be years in the future, Simus figured, and everyone must have given him up for dead, because Baroth had completely lost it. He put his head between his legs and rocked back and forth slightly, holding himself. Simus had never seen him cry before, and was shocked when he started openly weeping. Baroth clearly felt guilty about leaving Simus behind, even though he ordered Baroth to do so. Now that guilt was crushing him. Simus knew what that was like all too well.

"Oh god...who am i....who...i'm sorry....i didn't....i failed you....i never meant to.....god help me......" He cried to himself as he rocked. Simus got back up, sheathed his swords and walked over to Baroth, filled with pity. He helped Baroth to his feet and pulled him into a big hug.

"Shhhhh..." Simus said soothingly, rubbing Baroth's back. "It's all right Baroth. It's all right. I'm here now. You don't have to suffer anymore."

Once Baroth quieted down, Simus released him and gave him a wry smile. "Now, mind telling me where I am and what year it is? Unless the sky decided to rearrange itself I'd wager that we're a long way from home."

 

[fellowknight]

"Shhhhh..." Simus said soothingly, rubbing Baroth's back. "It's all right Baroth. It's all right. I'm here now. You don't have to suffer anymore."

Once Baroth quieted down, Simus released him and gave him a wry smile. "Now, mind telling me where I am and what year it is? Unless the sky decided to rearrange itself I'd wager that we're a long way from home."

Nodding and wiping his red, teared eyes, Baroth gathered what was left of himself and turned to walk over to his helmet and scoop it out of the sand. He was glad to see Simus, but he wasn't used to breaking down like that, in front of anyone. To him, it symbolized weakness, and everybody knows you can't be weak in this type of galaxy unless you've got a senator under your thumb or an assassin up your rear. Pouring the sand out of his helmet, he briefly looked up at the sky before putting his helmet back on. His default visor options popped up as he turned to face Simus, who still looked quite puzzled. Nodding to Simus once more, Baroth decided he would start out with explaining what happened after Simus went into sleep. Then he would tell him where he was and what Baroth was wearing. And after that, they could plan out what they would do form there. Damn it was good to have Simus back.

"Ah, Simus. it's good to see you again. It seems like ages since we talked, hm? Well i suppose you're confused right now, so let me explain. i'll uh, start from the beginning. When you sacrificed yourself and apperently took cover n this Hyper Chamber, I officially lost my mind. I fell into depression after depression, never leaving my house. i even stopped looking for a cure. I was broken, and convinced nothing and no one could save me. And they never did. I mean, my friends stopped by every now and then but... Years later, almost a whole seven centuries after your death, the Space Age started. First Cyrodiil, Then Summerset, And Skyrim. Soon enough, all the continents were colonized in space."

"They tapped Nirn dry of her resources to power their ships and space stations, which allowed them to search the galaxy further. No one's returned to Nirn since, i heard it's a no-fly-zone. As for me, i took what coin i had and left long before that happened. Got to the Starflare space station, and saw what my options were. Man, if you could've seen what we came up with back then. It was...amazing doesn't even begin to hint at it. But anyways, i loved it. I drank it all in and loved it. The galaxy was amazing and it...it....it..."

He took a shameful pause, looking away for a second before running his foot through the sand. After a full half minute of silence and hot winds, he continued. ".....it took me. I fell, Simus. I fell to the corruption and greed of this...f****** galaxy. I became a bank robber at first, low degree. I was an amateur then. Then after a while, i got better, took the more complicated places. I soon became a bounty hunter, taking small jobs for hard credits. Then, since i figured i was skilled enough i...became a part time assassin, to meet and pay bills where ever i stayed."

"Then, as decades went by, i got better and better at it. It's like it was...a part of me. I took to it like a calling and made even more credits than before. I even fell in with a gang. They died off from lack of wit. Another came. They died. Then, after around six gangs rolled and died with me, i came upon one that could actually think and process. We were good, boy. Damn good. We had our moments where we turned on one another, but goddamn we were good at what we did. But we got tired of pulling small time job seperately, and dividing the massive pay. We wanted more. Way more. I was greedy then, and hungry."

Another short pause.

"We called it 'Gold Rush.' It was big. Theren, Eregin, Starflare, and Cyris all in one day. We pulled it off too. Would've been the biggest robbery in history since the old times. We did it, but we never got away with it. Some...c***sucker sold us out. And when we were making off for the loot we were shot down over Eregin. We crashed in Blacklight and from there..we died. The Metro Police dispatched and lost so many men that day. The Legion Special Forces even took a little turn to it. We caused a little stir, yea. But they got us...me, good. Killed every one of us but me. I was thrown from the roof of one of the slum's houses from an incendiary projectile."

"I was broken when i landed. I just layed there, in the middle of the sandy alley, hearing them coming. Coming for me. No. Goddamnit, no! I wasn't gonna let those....those pig f***ers take me! No... But uh...after i escaped, i went dark. Complete and total isolation. Cut off contacts and executed witnesses to my work. I was alone. But i didn't need to be alone. On the third night of the fifth week after my escape, i broke into one of those hotshot labs where the Imperial Legion was doing research for 'Artificial Intelligence.' Wasn't easy neither, but it sure as hell was worth it. I got the heart of their research and made off with it. Call it my final job if you will. Then, it was just a matter of saving. Saving up credits to set myself up for life. I'm still doing it."

He lightly kicked the sand and looked around before continuing.

"A day or so ago, i heard rumor of a Fifty-million job to catch some Kaylin Ataro. Pissed off the wrong people i guess. That's why i'm here, on Eregin. Yes, this is Eregin. One moon, hot sands, and some damn stinky thugs. The temperature drops extremely at night, so be sure you find shelter. But you wouldn't need to do that. You can go with me on my ship, the Hustler. There," He pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the Hustler at the base of the slope they were on. "he is. He's not pretty but he's damn tough. Gotten a lot of heat off my ass and saved more than that. Speaking of which..." He bent down and gingerly picked up his rifle, holding it up to Simus.

"V16 Plasma Assault Rifle fit with an EMP blast of up to 800 volts with a range of 32 feet, flame-thrower with a temperature of 900 degrees and a range of 14 feet and a green laser sight. Damn good and damn expensive. Luckily i didn't buy it.. Here here, hold it. Shoot it if you want. It's like a crossbow, but...faster and more powerful, if you will." He said, handing the rifle to the curious Simus, who studied it hard for a solid minute before aiming it and firing into the sand. The shot echoed and he jumped slightly, before nodding and handing the rifle back to Baroth, who continued, slapping the rifle on his back and pulling the sniper rifle off his back.

"V15 Laser Sniper Rifle with a range of up too 121 yards, green laser sight, optional stun ammunition switch lasting up to 7 hours, and a red target designater. Accurate with a smooth reload. Here." He handed Simus the rifle, who once again went through the same two minutes of studying before firing and handing it back to Baroth, who smiled. His old comrade's curiosity was only outmatched by his wit. Good. Nodding again, he pulled up one of his pistols and nodded.

"V8 Energy Pistol that uses the power of electronics around it to fuel it's power cells, meaning it doesn't need ammo. Quick-heal button, Bio-scan, small 130 volt EMP blast, And an unrecognized radar scanner. Good for getting out of a tight spot, and then some. Basically..." He pulled up the pistol, pointing it at one of the small boulders around them. Then he looked at Simus. "if i had pulled the trigger earlier," He shot a blast at the boulder and instantly in a white flash of light, a little under half of the boulder was vaporized. He gestured to it. "Your head would look just like that. Here." He said with a chuckle, handing him the pistol.

After carefully studying it, he fired one shot into the sand and handed it back to Baroth. He slapped it back on his thigh and nodded. Hovering his index finger over his waist of grenades, he finally wrapped up, hovering his finger over a different grenade after explaining it's finction briefly. "I know you may have a few questions so i'll make this quick. V10 Grenade with explosion range of up to 8 feet, flash-nade with range of up to 7 feet, EMP-nade with range of up to 10 feet, and a Toxic-nade with range of up to 12 feet. I'd let you try them out, but i only have two of each."

Straightening himself out, he pulled off his helmet and wedged it under his arm, smiling to Simus. "Now, i know you probably have an arsenal of questions. Go ahead. I'll answer them as good as my mind and mouth allow me. But first, let me ask..... How the f*** are you involved with Kraguul?"

 

[Simus]

The sun was setting over Blacklight and it was getting cold fast but Jessica welcomed it. She never liked heat and her skin was sensitive to sunlight. That's why she had always spent much of her time indoors. Her suit had gone from oppressively hot to quite comfortable with the sharp change in temperature and it was nice to stretch her legs and make small talk with Skylar. They didn't talk about anything in particular, they both needed a break from all the seriousness. When they arrived at the imperial embassy Jessica was a little nervous but neither of the guards recognized her and they went into the three story building without a hitch. It was in a nicer part of Blacklight than the safehouse and was guarded by a chain link fence perimeter and armed legionnaires. So long as no one inside made trouble they would be safe.

While they had been walking, Jess had taken the time to hook herself up to the extranet and draft a message to the Red Sabres mercenary group. Captain Yil' Tar' ia, or Ria as she liked to be called, had recruited Jessica to help in the search for the Dominion star destroyer Glory of the Altmer eight years ago. She had stayed in the Red Sabres since then and had garnered an impressive service record aboard their flagship the Dragon's Talon. She was on a leave of absence to look for her parents when she was captured by Mengsk. He had informed Ria of Jessica's capture and they probably thought she was dead by now. The Sabres would be happy to hear that she's alive and as she was technically still a Red Sabres she could use their resources in the hunt for Ataro. Jessica confirmed that Ria's address was still valid and read over her message before sending it.

[[[MESSAGE ENCRYPTION BEGINS]]]

To: Captain Yil' Tar' ia, Red Sabres, Dragon's Talon, commanding
From: Jessica Psyrakon, Red Sabres, Dragon's Talon
Subject: I'm alive

Captain

As the title suggests, I'm still alive. I was able to escape Mengsks' lab on Cyris and I made sure that he will never take me ever again. That bastard has finally paid for all the live he ruined and damn does it feel good. It's not all good though. He subjected me to some pretty nasty experiments. Cut my head up like a watermelon and severed my vocal cords so I can't talk anymore. I attached some pictures so you can see it's really me. Also did something to my brain so I can't write anymore. I can still think and I can talk through comlink.

Marek found me on Cyris after my escape. My ship had crashed and I was freezing to death, he saved my life. He took me in and is taking care of me now. He's my only ride at the moment so I'm going to have to stick with him until he decides to take me back. Plus I feel honorbound to repay him in some way for saving my life. You might not understand that but this is something I just need to help with to be right with myself. I'll keep in regular contact and will return to duty as soon as I'm able.

In the meantime, perhaps you can help us. We're involved in a manhunt with several other hunters, including Derek and Kyle from the star destroyer mission. We're on Eregin in the city of Blacklight and we're looking for a woman named Kaylin Ataro. She must have pissed in The Emperor's coffee because the bounty is fifty million credits! Have you heard that name before? Do we know anything about her? Any information you could offer would help and get me home to you guys sooner.

It's good to talk to you again ma'am.
Jessica

P.S: Let the crew know I'm alive will you? Garza and Jon will be happy about that and I know Griffith and Mila will!

[[[MESSAGE ENCRYPTION ENDS]]]

By the time Jessica sent the e-mail she and Skylar were in the embassy. Jessica kept her bodysuit's hood up to hide her head and to keep herself warm. She knew Skylar was an Imperial agent but little ense. Not even her last name. She also knew that Skylar was technically supposed to detain her for murdering Mengsk and this would be the place to do that. That probably wasn't why they were here, considering the kind of person Skylar is and the nature of their mission, but Jessica wanted to make sure.

"Skylar, I think we ought to talk." Jessica said, able to use her comlink now that Skylar had one. She took a quiet sigh and continued. "I know you work for Imperial Intelligence and that you're supposed to bring me in. I murdered an Imperial admiral, albeit a rotten one, and that is by definition a capital crime. You care about me and want me to be happy, as does Marek, so we're probably not here to throw me in jail. We're probably here to meet a contact to help with the job. You and Marek will take care of me while we're together and I'm really grateful for that, but I still committed a crime and by Imperial law I still have to answer for it. I just want you to know that after this job is done I will gladly answer for Mengsk's death, and accept whatever judgement the courts render. That's justice after all. And if you're the one that has to bring me in, so be it. I just wanted you to know that okay?"

Jessica gave Skylar an honest look, waiting for her to respond. She liked Skylar but she understood that she still had a job to do.

 

[willowwisp]

Lyssa and Mar had been relaxing, enjoying themselves as much as possible, when in a dangerous part of town like the cantina they'd met their smuggler contact in. Then, Mar glanced over his shoulder, froze, and turned on his stool slightly, so that he was facing Lyssa. "Looks like we've got company. Your eight o'clock." He rumbled softly, and Lyssa turned cautiously until she was facing the direction Mar had indicated. The bounty hunter in silver armour had a whole table to himself, and it looked like he'd noticed that he was not the only bounty hunter in the place.
"Well, I suppose we'd better go say hello" she said, slapping a few high denomination credits on the bar, "are you coming?" she asked Mar, but the Khajiit shook his head. "This one will stay here and...observe" Lyssa shrugged, before leaving her stool and heading towards the table that the silver armoured man sat at.
She grabbed the chair across from him, grinning as she heard his booted feet hit the ground. She set her helmet down across from his and took a seat. "So. You find anything useful, or are you just here to admire the view?"

 

[TheArgonianDrell]

"Likewise, friend. If you don't mind, we have to meet with a contact. I suggest you do the same" Derek inclined his head, and moved off with the other green armoured man, Kyle. 'I suppose I should get to work. It's doubtful the others will take kindly to me sitting around, while they work' Fortunately, he didn't need to go far to find his own contacts. Being an assassin meant that Argus had a plethora of contacts to choose from, but few were the rich or influential. No, he relied on the poor, the homeless, and the street urchins that one could find on any planet, if one looked hard enough. He left the safe house, remembering to keep an eye out for Dunmer or Dominion soldiers.

He doubted they would take kindly to finding an Argonian assassin slinking around the city, at night. He was guessing that they would shoot first, asking questions later, and Argus had no wish to be shot. He scanned the night streets, his repeating blaster held lightly against his chest by its' strap, pistol holstered. He'd learned long ago that it was important not to frighten a potential contact. Especially if Argus wanted to use said contact in the future. After a few more moments of searching, he discovered a potential source of information.

A young male Dunmer, with shifty eyes, worn beige shirt and pants, and a thin, malnourished frame. He nearly leapt out of his skin when he noticed the Argonian assassin approaching. Holding out his hands, palms up to show he was unarmed, Argus said "I've come only in search of information. I will not harm you" the young elf still looked relatively ready to bolt, but he took up a less defensive stance. "Oh yeah? Like what kind of information?" "I'm part of a team hunting a woman that is either very dangerous, or very stupid. She may have come to Eregin lately, and may be recruiting local mercenaries as protection. Have you seen anything odd?"

The man thought for a few minutes. "I don't know anything about a woman, and most of the locals here that can shoot a rifle were drafted. But, I did see quite a few humans around here lately. Not the touristy type either. Tough guys, lost of muscle.They were headed deeper into the slums, I think" Argus nodded. That made a certain amount of sense, especially if Kaylin had landed. She might have bought her own body guards with her, or perhaps hired a mercenary outfit to come to Eregin. "Thank you. You've been very helpful" with that, he turned on his heel, and headed back towards the safe house.

 

[Simus]

After he recovered Baroth launched into a full history of the last...thousand years and his place in it. Simus had no idea what he was talking about for the most part and the bits and pieces he could understand didn't put his mind at ease. Tamriel's nations exploring the stars? Tapping Nirn dry for resources? Space stations and colonies? Were such things even possible? If so, how could they be achieved? How many resources would it take to put one man in space, much less the population of the entire world?

Simus was beginning to realize that everything he had ever know was gone. He didn't even have a world to go back to anymore. He started to panic in his mind and had to take several moments to force himself to calm down. Baroth had just lost all composure in front of him. He couldn't do the same. Not here and not right now. They needed to get to a safe place first. Baroth's ship was like nothing Simus had ever seen and he couldn't understand how it moved with no sails or was on land in the first place but it seemed like as good a place as any to talk.

Baroth then decided to show Simus his weapons and the old imperial's primal fear of the unknown was completely eclipsed by wonder. He held the V16 plasma rifle as Baroth called, it like a caveman holding a burning branch and seeing fire for the first time. He studied the weapon, felt it, looked at it from all sides. It had a shoulder bracing stock like a crossbow but there were no bolts. There was a rubber and metal grip with a trigger on it like a crossbow but it was much more comfortable to hold. Much more ergonomic in his hand. The weapon ended at a long hollow tube and there was a detachable box in front of the trigger. Simus had worked a hammer and forge for over thirty years and was a master blacksmith and a good machinist. This experience let him make an educated guess that the tube was the launching point for some sort of projectile or magical blast. Whatever was in the box was probably the ammunition for the weapon, physical or magical. With some encouragement from Baroth, Simus leveled the rifle against his shoulder and shot at a nearby rock. The weapon had remarkably little kick for its size and the blast of energy it discharged hit the rock exactly where Simus had aimed. He became very excited at this and wanted to try the other weapons. Baroth's sniper rifle was longer and heavier and when Simus fired it it kicked much harder. It also fired a large shaped piece of metal instead of an energy blast and made a deafening BANG! Simus tried it again but got down on his stomach to make himself as steady as possible. His elbows were on the ground as well and the weapon was much easier to control when fired. He hit a more distant rock when looking through the strange scope with the same accuracy as with the rifle.

Simus was electrified by these new weapons. These guns. They were large and powerful and made him feel dominant. The noise they made kept him alert, the kick they put into his shoulder made him feel alive and the ease and precision they had in destroying several large rocks made him feel invincible. Baroth showed him his pistol and it was impressive as it vaporized half a boulder but when he tried it himself Simus thought it didn't feel the same. Baroth spoke up again as Simus handed him his gun back.

"Now, i know you probably have an arsenal of questions. Go ahead. I'll answer them as good as my mind and mouth allow me. But first, let me ask..... How the f*** are you involved with Kraguul?"

"Well...that's a bit of an odd question to answer. Let's just say we met in a dream. He did something to me while I was asleep that let me see him killing my men, the others who went to sleep with me after establishing that there was no way out of that cave and no hope of rescue. Somehow, Kraguul was able to show me the deaths of my men over and over in increasingly horrifying ways. I would wake up after each execution, find my men alive and well and then watch as they died again. When you woke me up, I thought it was another dream. That's why I attacked you. I'm glad to see I'm really awake now."

He looked down and tightened his fists in cold anger.

"That son of a bitch owes me five lives and I intend to collect. He'll be the last."

He then took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, relaxing himself. He faced Baroth again. "But I suppose that'll have to wait. I'm a long way from home in the middle of a freezing desert and if what you say is true than everything I know is gone. Right now we need to get inside this ship of yours and out of this cold. I feel weak, I'm hungry and I'm very tired. I guess being frozen for a thousand years isn't a substitute for real sleep."

Simus' eyes betrayed his inner feelings. He was a step away from cracking and wanted nothing more than to bash his fists against a rock until he fell asleep, his throat was too sore to scream or he froze to death out here. But he still kept a general's bearing. Generals never cried in front of their men. Ever.

 

[fellowknight]

"Well...that's a bit of an odd question to answer. Let's just say we met in a dream. He did something to me while I was asleep that let me see him killing my men, the others who went to sleep with me after establishing that there was no way out of that cave and no hope of rescue. Somehow, Kraguul was able to show me the deaths of my men over and over in increasingly horrifying ways. I would wake up after each execution, find my men alive and well and then watch as they died again. When you woke me up, I thought it was another dream. That's why I attacked you. I'm glad to see I'm really awake now."

He looked down and tightened his fists.

"That son of a bitch owes me five lives and I intend to collect. He'll be the last."

He then took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, relaxing himself. He faced Baroth again. "But I suppose that'll have to wait. I'm a long way from home in the middle of a freezing desert and if what you say is true than everything I know is gone. Right now we need to get inside this ship of yours and out of this cold. I feel weak, I'm hungry and I'm very tired. I guess being frozen for a thousand years isn't a substitute for real sleep."

Baroth nodded and began turning to his ship, when he noticed a little twitch in the General's eyes. It was only momentary, but Baroth caught it. He felt the General's anger for Kraguul. He needed to die, slowly, painfully. He need to feel all his sins come flowing back to him in a rush of eternal suffering and mind-numbing pain. But not yet. Baroth wouldn't stand a chance against that Warship he had. Now, it was just a matter of taking Simus in and showing him exactly how the world has changed. It would be even more difficult to show him the footage of Heimskr's death... Or maybe he would hide that from him. All he knew was that it was freezing major frost giants out here and he need to get Simus inside the ship before they both froze over. Nodding to him, Baroth gestured towards the ship and began down the hill.

"Bring everything you have. Some of it might still be useful. Come on!" He yelled over his shoulder, before remembering something he'd done earlier. "Oh! Unmute." He muttered, as the winds picked up, sweeping sand over both of them thoroughly.

"Gah! Why do you always mute me? You know i wouldn-"

"Nevermind that. It's different this time."

"Different? How.... Wait, who's that?"

"He's an...old friend. Just lower the ramp, will you?"

"...Fine fine. But we're talking about this later." She said, as the ramp lowered with a loud Wiiirrrr and set itself in the now-cold sand.

Trotting to the side of the ramp and waiting in the sand, he helped Simus up and into the ship. Immediately the eon aged general wore a curiously confused and cautious look of wonder. Clearly he was new to something like this, so Baroth would have to walk him through it. Stepping up behind him as the rap lifted, Baroth nudged the blissful general's shoulder and earned a solid grunt as he studied the whole of the engine room.

"Don't worry Simus. Nothing here will harm you unless i want it to." He said with a grin, walking by him and past the double door the made way for the double hallway of the ship. Motioning for Simus to follow, he went down the right hallway that cut through the lounge. Upon reaching the lounge, Baroth stopped and turned to face Simus, offering him a seat and food and water, which Simus gladly accepted. As he sat on the gentle beige couch of the room, Baroth hurried over to the fridge on the left side of the room and opened it. Inside were variations of foreign and common foods, like a slice of Buttermilk Pie and a plate of meatloaf with rice. Pulling out the meatloaf with rice plate, Baroth popped it in the microwave and set it for a minute and thirty seconds, then he set the Buttermilk Pie and a jug of milk on the counter before facing Simus, whom was now lying on the couch comfortably. Walking over and tapping his leg, the general sat up slightly and looked up at Baroth with groggy eyes.

"Hey Simus. The food is in the microwave so.." He trailed off as he realized something. Simus was completely new to this age. He had no idea what a microwave was. Damn. They had alot to go over. Stepping aside slightly, Baroth pointed to the black microwave on the counter. "When that beeps and the lights inside go off, grab the handle, pull it open, and get the food inside. It's meatloaf with rice. Then, after you finish that there's some buttermilk pie on the counter, still cold. And here's two bottles of water. I'll be in the cockpit over here if you need me. " He said, handing off the waters and walking to the cockpit door. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the button to open the doors and not a second later, Packle flew out, pushing Baroth aside.

"GOD! I almost froze my ass off in there! What the hell took you so long?"

"I found somethi-...someone, in that chamber that fell. Look Packle, he's going to be staying here for a while."

"Who, and for how long?"

"He's a friend of mine. And i'm not sure." He glanced over to see Simus eagerly digging into his food with a fork. "As long as it takes."

"Well...alright. He better not be involved with any gangs."

"Trust me, he's not involved with anyone. Just...give him some space. As matter of fact, i got some armor pieces you can use. They're in the Cargo Bay. Check 'em out if you want. Better than that prison suit."

Zarek stood in silence for a moment, staring down the aged elder man as he wolfed down a whole plate of meatloaf and rice. Who the hell was this guy? Was he a spy? Maybe an assassin? A thief? No, he was far too old to be any of those. He'd just have to wait and see. But the man looked harmless enough, for time being. Nodding in silence, he walked past Baroth and down the hallway, turning right towards the hall to the cargo hold. Sighing, Baroth walked into the cockpit and sat in the pilot's seat on the left side of the long console in the middle of the room. Pressing the button tat was two switches and one button up, he turned on the engines and pulled the ship off the ground. Leveling the ships's altitude just above the desert floor, he blasted off towards Blacklight. He didn't mean to take Simus to the safehouse. Adding another person, especially one aged by eons, wouldn't exactly be helpful. He'd probably have to give him enough credits to rent an apartment. Even then, he'd have to buy him some durable armor. Then bring him to closes with that fact that he has a long descendant who admires him greatly. God this was going to be a long night. Speaking of which, he opened a line to Oracle.

"Hey Oracle, can you locate my vial of CaffeineX20?"There was silence. She never liked how he weekly took those vials to keep himself awake. She hated it. For some reason, it made her worry about him. His health. But she was too afraid to tell him. For now, she would have to go with him. Simus simply didn't notice because of the lighting, but Baroth had rings under his eyes.

"Uh..yeah. The carbon sealed drawer to your right."

"Right, thanks. Bring up that footage and set an auto course for Black light. Get Rex in here to pilot us toward it." He said, opening the drawer and pulling out the white vial. He popped off the cap to reveal the needle under and pulled his helmet off. Aiming the needle over the back of his neck, he injected it straight into one of the nerved running down from his brain to his spinal cord. Immediately, he felt that rush of energy surging through his spine to his brain then invading the rest of his body. His vision blurred for a few seconds and he shook slightly, his muscles locking up and stopping him from moving. He'd done this a few hundred times already and had finally got the hang of it. But his first time, man he lost it. Almost died really. Oracle wasn't with him at the time, so she didn't know. They argued about it once, a long time ago, but it was useless. He wasn't planning on stopping.

Tossing the vial in a bin under the console, he slid his helmet back on and heard the door open. The metal clank told him it was Rex, and he talked over his shoulder at him.

"Take the chair next to me and bring us to Blacklight."

"Yes sir." He said, sliding into the chair to the right of the console and taking control of the ship's pilot systems.

Baroth sat back in his chair and watched the footage on his side of the console. And when it was over, he replayed again. And again. This man...Heimskr, it was no illusion. He was no illusion. He was real. But how? No..it had to be a glitch of some sort. A mess up in the camera's systems. No. He watched it over again, just to make sure. What made him freeze, was hearing the door open, and seeing Simus's reflection on the glass. Swiftly reaching up, he pushed the third button on the second row to his right, closing the hologram down. Then he turned around and quietly hoped Simus hadn't seen it. But he had to tell him eventually. No, soon. Not now. It was too soon.

"Hey Simus. Full already?"

(Hustler's interior. Except the ramp in the back, between the engines and not on the side, making the docking stairs wider.)

 

[Drahkma]

Corvis glared at the other hunter as she yanked away the chair across from him, and claimed it as her own. Her hulking Khajiit partner stayed at the bar, dwarfing most of the other patrons. The woman had taken off her helmet, revealing a pair of piercing grey eyes, and braided brown hair. She wasn't unattractive, even with the scar at the corner of her mouth, but Corvis knew better than to get into a relationship. They never seemed to end well. "So. You find anything useful, or are you just here to admire the view?" Corvis quirked an eyebrow at her. The question was straightforward enough, but it made him wonder what exactly he should say. In the end, he settled for his typical attitude, leaning back in his chair and smiling at the woman.


"Sure, all kinds of interesting intel. But I wasn't born yesterday. You show me yours, I'll show you mine" he said with a shrug. Their mysterious employer probably wouldn't be pleased with his attitude, since he wasn't exactly being co-operative. Still, if the man didn't like it, he could fire him. He took another sip of his beer, waiting to see if the other bounty hunter would come forth with he own information. Corvis was also interested in learning what the people he'd be 'working' with were like. Most of them seemed like typical hunters, just there to do a job, and get as much as they could out of it. Except for maybe the scarred, bald, mute girl, and the weird black armoured man who seemed to have problems staying in place for more than five minutes.

 

[fellowknight]

The walk to Barnan's house was relatively short, considering it was literally down the street from where he exited the sewers. He was surprised when they ran into an ancient basement door which housed a rusted lock. He was aware the village was poor in most ways, but he figured Barnan would at least be one of the few to have an up-to-date house. Maybe the inside was different, but it mattered very little to him. He was here to learn the blade, not complain about and observe his surroundings. He looked around the starry night sky as Barnan was kneeling to open the lock. He noticed a small, bright light falling from the sky to the ground some miles off in the freezing desert. He would have said it was a missile, but it would have never survived the entrance through Eregin's atmosphere. Whatever it was, it curved near the desert floor and eventually disappeared behind one of the many dunes. It had little to do with him and his business but he found it interesting. Maybe later he would go investigate. Creaking in possible centuries of age, the basement doors were flung open and both Barnan and Binsk walked down the stone steps into the first room.

The interior of the basement room reminded Binsk of one of the undercrofts of the chapels of ancient Tamriel. He learned about Nirn in school a LONG time ago, when he had dreams of being an archaeologist and adventurer. Electric-powered lights lit the room in four places after Barnan pushed a button on his belt. On the left side of the room, a stairwell entrance was revealed, lit up by one of the lights. The floor was wooden, probably oak or hazle, but it look well preserved either way. The lights on the ground around the wood looked like they were bendable but otherwise couldn't be moved, probably because they were wired into the floor. After the few seconds it took him to study the room, Barnan had already closed the doors behind them and stepped forward, facing binsk as he presented the room with a hand gesture.

"This is one of two rooms you'll be training in. Here, you will tests out your moves and practice them alone. But we can't get to training just yet. I have to show you around first."

"Seems a little open, don't you think?"

"Open?"

"Like anyone can walk in when they want."

"What? Oh, no. As far as the village is concerned, this house is a hideout for a murderous gang that rarely leaves and sticks to the sewers often. No one's walking in here unless they're stupid or ballsy. And i locked the doors behind us. Now, onto the next level. Come on."

"Right..." He said, following the elder man to the stairwell that led deeper underground. After two flights of stairs, they exited on the second floor and Barnan once again explained the room. But he didn't have to. Binsk knew what this was. Wood and paper walls and doors, mats and flat beds, low tables and closed spaces. This was a dojo. One of the few kept maintained too. They had arrived in what looked like the main room, an arena of some sort. Off to both the left and right side, closed slide doors possibly housed other rooms or storage areas. Stepping forward once again, Barnan confirmed his analysis with a precise explanation of the room's layout and it's purpose.

"This is where i will teach you new lessons and moves and practice them with you. You'll spend the better part of the next few months here so i have one of the rooms, off to the right of the main room, open for you. To the left, past the slide doors, is the bathroom and washroom. To the right, there's a lounge room by the bedroom. Today, however, we will not be doing any lessons. You'll simply get familiar with the place and settle down a bit. I'll say this once and i mean it when i say it: Get comfortable here. This place may as well be your new home, assuming you had one before. Come on now. One more to go." He said, turning to the left and following the stairwell the rest of the way down. Rock and sand gave way to a strong, surprisingly clean steel hangar. Reaching down and pushing another button on his belt, Barnan activated the hangar's floodlights which revealed a ship in the center of the large space. Binsk classified it as a Light Corvette, defense/offense division. They were among some of the fastest, airdynamic Starships out there, and that was just without any modifications. Assuming Barnan had some.

"Finally, this is the hangar. It' sole purpose is to house my ship. although, now that you're here, you can use it as well. Some of the challenges you'll be sent on will require you to have a ship, for travel or combat. I know you have a ship, i saw you land in it. But, should you require it, you are granted to my ship. But i doubt you'll need it. Any questions? Get them off your mind now, so you can concentrate."

"So, if there's no blade lessons today, then what are we doing?"

"Well, it depends on where your skill level is really. You ever use a blade before?"

"I swung a metal sword before. Did a few spins with it before putting it back. That count?"

"It's a start. Ether way, i have to give you the history of where the blade descends from before we can do anything."

"What, why?"

"So you can appreciate that piece of metal hanging from your waist. It's rare to get one of those, you know. Only the richest of the richest have one of those. Some armies still use metal, though most use Viberblades. And only a select few of the best of the best use lightsabers. They aren't cheap, i promise you."

"Alright, alright. Let's go."

"Right, follow me. To the second level." And with that, they went back up the stairwell, leaving the Hangar in darkness.

(The basement.)



(The second level.)



(The hangar would be the one off of Halo Reach. His ship, the Ranger, is pictured below. The blue one.)

 

[willowwisp]

Lyssa shrugged. She wasn't eager to spill her info, but if they were going to work together, the silver armoured bounty hunter would find out about it eventually. "Fine. Mar and I encountered one of our contacts here. Apparently, there's someone, or multiple someones' out in the desert that want some hard to get explosives. The kind that gets you arrested if the Dominion or Empire sees you asking around for them. If there wasn't one going on already, I'd say someone's planning a to start a war" she said, not particularly bothered by that fact. Sure, it was a little strange that someone would bother to contact a smuggler from off-world to work for them, instead of just going to the Black Market on Eregin, but maybe they were picky about their kit. It was a not so well kept secret that black market equipment tended to be expensive, but not overly durable.

As she watched the silver armoured man, another question popped into her head. "Okay, your turn. And while you're at it, mind telling me what got you into bounty hunting in the first place?" She chuckled "it isn't exactly a luxurious lifestyle"

 

[Drahkma]

She'd given him her information. And as far as he could tell, she was being honest about it. "I think my intel is a little more interesting: I have lead on Kaylin Ataros' whereabouts. Apparently, she arrived only a little while before we did. I can't say for sure if its' her buying all this equipment you mentioned, but I'd bet my ship it is" he listened to her second question, and chuckled without any real humour " I got into bounty hunting fiarly early. I think I was eighteen, nineteen maybe. Someone cheated me, and had me left for dead. So I took up bounty hunting. My parents weren't too thrilled with my decision." He shifted in his seat, then put his helmet on. "Come on. We'd better get back to the safe house."

 

[Simus]

As instructed, Simus took the food out of the microwave when it made several beeps. He opened the door and was amazed when the food was hot! Hot enough to where he needed to use a nearby rag to hold it! He put his plate down on the table and simply watched the steam rise lazily off of it.

"By Talos." He muttered. "It's as if it just came out of an oven. And that contraption did it in minutes. Incredible, absolutely incredible." He cut a piece of the meatloaf and it was delicious. Moist, flavourfol and piping hot. Exactly as if he had made it himself. The rice was just as good. It wasn't like the brown rice he was used to, but soft and yellow with little black grains scattered about. It had a more complex flavour than brown rice and an ample amount of what could only be butter. He poured a glass of milk and ate slowly, savoring every bite. It had been so long since he'd eaten and he wanted to stretch it out for as long as possible. To get the maximum experience out of one of his favorite hobbies. The pie was truly excellent. It had a rich, creamy filling and flaky crust with sweet pecan brittle that had a very satisfying crunch. Overall the meal was excellent. Better than some he had shared with Jarls in Whiterun or Solitude.

Once he was done he went looking for Baroth and remembered the door he had gone through. It opened when he pushed a button on the side and Baroth was in a comfortable looking chair in front of some sort of set of controls. He was watching something and Simus got a glance at it over his shoulder. He wished he hadn't. It was Heimskr's execution. That insane Orc, Kraguul, had summoned some sort of burning sword from a hefty metal cylinder and had driven it through Heimskr's chest. Then he used it to cut his head off just as the spark of life was leaving his friend's eyes. The sword seemed to cut the good priest's neck as if it were air, and the wounds it left were charred and red, like leftover wood in a fire. There was no blood, the fire had sealed Heimskr's neck, but to kill so easily. So effortlessly? Simus had killed, he had ordered good men to their deaths, he had even burned men alive before, but this? This was murder for its own sake. For Kraguul, this was sport.

That monster had to die, and Simus was gonna kill him.

"Hey Simus." Baroth said, seeing his reflection in the window in front of them. "Full already?"

"So it really happened then." Simus said darkly. "That's how you can see it in...whatever viewing machine you have there."

The impact of how much he had lost had it him. He blinked back a tear and sniffled his nose. "They're all gone aren't they? Even the ones Kraguul didn't kill. Everyone I've ever loved is gone. Carlotta..." A tear escaped his left eye. His voice became thick. "My Titus." His breathing became heavy. "Cilla...? Mila...?"

"Alice?!" He sobbed. He couldn't hold his tears back anymore. He slid down against the doorway, sat against it and started crying into his own hands. "My children...my babies...the lights of my life...they're all gone!"

 

[fellowknight]

As Baroth held his breath as Simus reacted, he was surprised to hear a small sniffle from the General as he responded.

"So it really happened then." Simus said darkly. "That's how you can see it in...whatever viewing machine you have there."

The impact of how much he had lost had it him. He blinked back a tear and sniffled his nose. "They're all gone aren't they? Even the ones Kraguul didn't kill. Everyone I've ever loved is gone. Carlotta..." A tear escaped his left eye. His voice became thick. "My Titus." His breathing became heavy. "Cilla...? Mila...?"

"Alice?!" He sobbed. He couldn't hold his tears back anymore. He slid down against the doorway, sat against it and started crying into his own hands. "My children...my babies...the lights of my life...they're all gone!"

Under his helmet, Baroth's facial expression twitched. He felt a shred of Simus' grief, among his own losses and sacrifices in the past. He knew what loss meant. He always did. He knew it all to well. He stood from his chair and grabbed the bottom of his helmet and dropped it to the floor, walking over to where Simus was sitting. He eased down in front of Simus on one knee, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, Simus. Everyone you knew, loved, or even liked, is dead. And i'm sorry. I should have....." He said, as long lost tears escaped his sore, tired eyes. He lowered his head and fell on his rear, occasionally glancing at Simus as he spoke.

"When you died....they were so lost, Alice most of all. She was devastated when you sacrificed yourself in Blackreach. She wanted guidance and i could give her none. I myself was still in deep depression. I, was lost. She was so lost too. She couldn't.... She was weak. But after a few years of mourning, she was able to get back up and grow stronger. I offered her it. My gift. Just like i offered it to the others. Like i offered it to you. And just like you, they all said no. Alice said she'd rather die a mortal than live as a lost soul. I respected that. Carlotta... She...she lost it. She mourned with Alice and Milla and Cilla. Titus grew to become an Old Captain of the guard, if i remember. He died with honor. They all did." He sniffled now, doing his best to regain his composure. He'd broken down once in front of Simus. He didn't want to do it again. "I visited their funerals. Each one of them. I watched them die... And it...it hurt Simus. It really did. Jen, Gorbit, Barnan, Arigom, Soldin, Dabiene, Hale, Marek....even Marius. Dead. They're all dead..."

He sat up into a kneel and pulled Simus' hands away from his face so he would look at him. He'd have to dig deep from the next part. He gripped Simus' shoulder again, looking him directly in the eyes.

"Look, i know we'll never get things back to the way they used to be. That time is over. But we got each other. We're survivors. We're fighters. And we're not too far gone. We're warriors of the old code and we know it better than any two bit brawler. Your children died a good death. Honorably. Maybe one day, death will finally visit us old men and give us that long sleep we've been dreaming of. But for now, we fight! For what's left. For each other. You're all i got, Simus. My last brother. And i'm all you got... We got each other and together...we will end Kraguul and his legacy. Together."

He released Simus and stood, extending his hand outward to the sobbing man.

"Now get up! Get up and stand proud! Stand for me! For Alice! For Carlotta! For Milla! For Cilla! Stand for Skyrim! Stand for Nirn! Stand, Damn you! Stand like the proud man you are. Stand like a General! Come on! Nothing is over yet! Put aside your mourning! Turn your grief into vengeance! Stand and fight! Stand legendary! Stand tall!"

He found his own soul pumped up, rejuvinated. He encouraged himself. Found words he never would have thought up on his own. He was encouraged from himself. With his hand still outstretched, he turned and saw the city of Blacklight coming into view. He turned back to Simus, and hoped he would get up. They had little time to decide what to do from when they landed.

 

[TheShadedOne]

Dah'Sharrah worked her way through the cold, moonlit streets of Blacklight. While she moved, she kept her wits about her. She wasn't particularly worried about being attacked, but she'd learned, sometimes the hard way, that only a fool let their guard down in unfamiliar territory. The Khajiit only saw a few Dunmer, most of them either heading home from work, homeless settling down in a corner, or others heading towards the bars. A few soldiers patrolled, but didn't seem overly alert. They'd become complacent, allowed their reflexes to dull, especially now that the Dominion was here.

They probably felt there was no need to keep a keen eye out for infiltrators. Not in the slum district, anyways. She shook her head at their idiocy. Ignorance like theirs made her job much easier. She reached the safehouse, entered, and realized she was one of the first there, besides the Argonian male, she'd seen earlier. She inclined her head slightly, and took a seat on one of the couches in the living room, content to wait for the others before sharing her information.

 

[Baneloth]

The two green armoured bounty hunters departed the space port, and headed back towards the safe house. Derek kept his head up, keeping an eye out for anyone that wanted to pick a fight, but Kyle seemed to be deep in thought, helmeted head staring down at his boots as he walked. "Something bothering you, son?" He asked, and Kyle glanced up at him, before nodding. "Yes, actually. Ataro. It doesn't make any sense she'd be hiring mercs. I mean, think of all the people we've chased down. They had bodyguards and gangs protecting them, but it never helped. This Ataro woman seems intelligent. I'm sure she's looked into our backgrounds. I would want to know who'd been hired to hunt me, anyways" looking at the problem like that, it did make a certain kind of sense. Ataro could have used the credits she was spending on mercs and supplies for said mercs to hide herself away, erase her trail and for all intents and purposes, cease to exist. "Okay, let's say you have a point. Anything else?"

Kyle shook his head, then paused. "Nothing to do with Ataro. I've been doing bakground checks on our fellow hunters. Marek, we already know about. Same with Jessica. Mareks' friend, Skylar, though" he shook his head, and Derek was sure he wore a confused expression. "I can't find her last name. I've run it through every legitimate and not so legitimate channels, and it seems she just has the one name" that was odd. Most people couldn't hide much from Kyle. Not for very long, anyways. "I'm guessing she's part of some intelligence organization. The rest are fairly routine. The silver armoured guy, Allendis, has quite a track record. Relentless, and very callous about collateral damage. The Khajiit woman, Dah'Sharrah, is a lot more dangerous than she looks. I'd say she used to be a professional assassin. Seventy eight of her bounties are brought in dead. Even if it means a lower reward"

He paused for a breath before diving back in. "The bounty hunting team I picked up at the slaver ship: Mar, the Khajiit, doesn't have much in the way of records. But, whatever happened to both of them, the Empire isn't too keen on having them breathing much longer. Lyssa, the woman, I got a little more on. Born on Theren, near the space ports, raised by an alcoholic father, who apparently died of alcohol poisoning when the kid was seventeen. Became a merc, then a hunter. The Argonian, Argus Drell. Used to work for the Argonian government, went free lance a few years back. And then we have our black armoured friend. If anyone fits the 'hired thug' label in bounty hunter, it's this guy. Worked with a gang of thieves for a while before they got wiped out. He managed to avoid being caught. I'd say he's worth keeping an eye on. I didn't trust him before I did a background check, I certainly don't trust him now"

 

[Simus]

Simus stopped crying when Baroth started to talk. His rallying speech wasn't so well executed but it was sincere and he deserved credit for that. It helped Simus remember that even though his world was gone, he was still here. Baroth was still here too. That means they had each other at the very least. Simus also remembered that he was still a general and Baroth was once under his command. Generals never showed weakness in front of their men and they never cried. Ever. He wiped his eyes and nose, got up and stood tall.

Baroth had changed so much but his brother was still in there. His impulsive and bullheaded but very brave brother. So much time had passed and, Simus felt, Baroth had even greater need for guidance. "Baroth, Kraguul didn't kill my children. It sounds like they lived and died happy lives and in that they are already avenged. Kraguul did kill my men but killing him won't bring them back. The only purpose killing him would serve is to have him answer for his crimes, and that can wait. For all he knows I'm dead and you don't exist, so we've got some time."

He leaned against the doorway. "For now, I've got a whole new world to explore and I'm going to need your help with that. I'd like to start with any descendants I might have. If you can help with that, I ask that you choose to do so." Simus ended with a pointed question because Baroth was no longer the paragon he used to be. He had become darker, harder, much more of a renegade. Simus could read it plain as day. Baroth had probably done things he wasn't proud of. Things that Simus would berate him for or at least disapprove of. But he wasn't about to judge his old friend. Only the gods could do that and if he had lost his way than they would help him find it again.

They approached the brightly lit city coming out of the desert and after entering it the ship stopped in the air and then descended into a huge structure. It was a huge room of metal and stone with many levels and platforms. It reminded Simus of the old Dwemer ruins but it was so much bigger and so much more polished. The ship landed on one of these platforms and the door that Simus used to enter it opened. He and Baroth left the ship and walked onto the brightly lit platform. So much light bothered Simus' eyes but it was a welcome change from cold darkness.

"So where's this place we're going Baroth? And how exactly did we get here? I've already gathered that your ship doesn't go in the water and flies through the air somehow but how does it work?"

 

[fellowknight]

"So where's this place we're going Baroth? And how exactly did we get here? I've already gathered that your ship doesn't go in the water and flies through the air somehow but how does it work?"

Baroth sighed and looked about the large, metallic Hangar. Today was going to be a long day and there was still much to be done. He still had to get back to the safehouse and report his information to Derek. He took a deep breath and glanced back at his ship, where the booster engines were, then turned back to Simus, launching into a full explanation of where they were, how they got there, and what descendants he had left. At least he had children to mourn..

"We're in Hangar A-12 of the capitol city of Blacklight on Eregin. Eregin is one of the thousands or millions of planets in this particular Galaxy. It's classified as a sandy, Dominion owned planet with temperatures past the high 70s and 80s during the day and past the low 20s and 30s at night. Yes, the Dominion and Legion are at war and yes we are on a different planet. So much to explain...uhh.. The hangar! Yes, this large room we're in is formally known as a hangar. It's made of metal panels and heavy wiring under that which keeps it lit up like this. Yes, we found new sources of light besides torches and candles. Anyways, there is a thing called electricity now. It's basically like lightning mixed with...fire? I can't really explain it so you'll understand it. Gah! We have alot to catch up on...how about we just stick to the basics for now?"

He pulled off his helmet and once again tucked it under his arm, running a hand over his buzz cut hair and sighing as he pointed to the engines of the ship, motioning with his index finger how they were wired and how they ran.

"Those are TZ129836-14 Fusion engine systems. Er, well...they are what makes the ship fly. Using the power of...electricity, it generates enough power to lift the ship itself off the ground. It has a built in hyperdrive, which is a system that allows it to jump from different planets and galaxies. And...i think that's it. Yea."

Moving on to the next subject, Baroth remembered the gruesome figure of Jessica and fully faced Simus now.

"As far as descendants go, there is one I know of. Her name is Jessica Psyrakon, daughter of Alice Psyrakon. She's here, Simus, but she's not in here. She's in a safe house above ground, probably talking with another bounty hunter. If you want, we can go see her, but i highly suggest you get everything straight first. Is there anything else you have to ask me before we leave? Want to practice your fighting moves? Take an inventory check? Maybe look around? This city is known for it's crime rate so i want you to be prepared when you go out there."

Before Simus could answer, Packel walked down the ramp with his shotgun strapped to his back and pistols holstered to his thighs. He wore the same deep-space exploration suit Baroth used in his early years of discovering the galaxy. With a bullet proof chest plate, full-faced visor, harness belt, one day oxygen supply, and leather fiber made material for easy running, the suit was a goldmine for any wanna-be drug dealer, especially Packel. Baroth was just as confused as Simus was back then, but nonetheless prepared. Walking towards the two, Packel gestured to himself.

"Finally found something my size. I know you won't mind. And you owe me anyways."

"Yea, yea, just bring it back!"

"Sure thing, 'buddy'. See you around or where ever the f*** you bounty hunters go. Watch your ass, I'll be seeing you really soon."

"What? Hey! Hey! Gah.." He sighed as Packel walked off with his suit and disappeared past the hallway door. He slid on his helmet and looked over at Simus.

"Well Simus? Anything else?"

 

[Simus]

"Let's just get to this safehouse of yours." Simus answered as he watched the man in the tight fitting combat suit walked off and into the shadows. His tone of voice broadcasted that he and Baroth weren't exactly friends but otherwise Simus had no idea who the man was. He decided to simply drop the matter and let Baroth worry about it. Simus had plenty to worry about himself as it was. He then remembered that the backpack he had sealed with him in the pod was still in Baroth's ship and it contained what little possessions he had left. "Right after I go get my bag. I packed a few things before I froze myself for whenever I woke up."

He walked back up the ship's ramp and returned with a large brown backpack a few minutes later. Considering he had no idea where or when he would be when he woke up, Simus had inventoried and packed everything of use in his little tomb of Blackreach before going to sleep. These contained, among other things, a flint and steel, some tinder sticks, a whetstone, Four healing and four mana potions, some rope, a steel dagger, a roll of paper, some quills and two ink bottles, a couple of books and 1,000 septims. He also had some trail rations in the form of beef jerky, dried apple slices, a small loaf of bread and a skin of water. It appeared that everything had been preserved with him and was still edible, even if Baroth's food tasted much better.

"Looks like everything survived the eons with me. I've got enough food and water to last a couple of days if something happens. We also might look into getting me something else to wear. I seriously doubt people still wear Stormcloak Blue dragonplate armor and carry around ebony swords?" He chuckled the last part, giving himself a touch of comic relief. It helped cope a little. "Who was that guy by the way? I can try and track him down if you really want your suit back. I haven't forgotten how to navigate a strange city. Talos know I've been to plenty of them." The evocation of the Hero God of Mankind raised more questions in Simus' head but he let them go for now. He was excited to meet whoever else was in this safe house and a little nervous about meeting this Jessica, this distant descendant of his. How would she react to seeing her great X 10 grandfather?

Meanwhile, Jessica and Skylar were done with their outing and had returned to the safehouse. Jessica had gotten a response from Ria on their way back but hadn't had time to read it yet. She was anxious to do so somewhere quiet but wanted to see about their dinner situation first. She hadn't eaten all day and was very hungry. As she entered the house with Skylar, she saw Derek and Kyle standing in the living room. They had clearly just arrived as well. This was the first time in years Jessica had seen Kyle and he had become quite handsome. She smiled and walked over to greet him after making sure she was on his comm frequency.

"Hey Kyle." Jessica transmitted as she reached out to hug him. "It's me, Jess. I'll explain why I...look the way I do later. Right now it's really good to see you. I can see the hunter trade serves you well, as does living with Derek. How's it going?"

(OOC: Sorry I scripted Skylar back to the safe house Marek, but I wanted to get this moving. You can post for Skylar's business later and just end with her coming back with Jess. Or something.)

 

[Baneloth]

Derek and Kyle had been back only a few minutes when Jessica returned, by herself. She immediately walked towards the two green armoured bounty hunters, and stretched her arms out for a hug from Kyle. The younger hunter glanced nervously at Derek. The older man nodded reassuringly, and Kyle returned the hug. Awkwardly, of course, but at least it was something. Guessing Jessica wanted to talk with the younger bounty hunter, he turned and headed towards the kitchen.

"Hey Kyle." Jessica transmitted. "It's me, Jess. I'll explain why I...look the way I do later. Right now it's really good to see you. I can see the hunter trade serves you well, as does living with Derek. How's it going?" Kyle let her go cautiously and stepped back. He wasn't exactly comfortable around women, but he didn't want to offend her either. He decided to try talking to her, without making a complete fool of himself. It couldn't be so hard. After all, they would be working together, and they'd have to talk eventually. 'Unless I hide aboard my ship the whole time' he thought grimly.

"Hey, Jess. I haven't seen you since after the...well, for a while." He didn't think she wanted to be reminded of the star destroyer where they'd all nearly died.
"Yeah, I've gotten pretty good at hunting people. And I owe it to Derek. Actually, I owe him everything. But, don't tell him that, okay? He doesn't like it when I talk about owing him. He says he was just doing what anyone should have done." He shot a nervous glance over his shoulder, to where Derek was preparing himself a meal in the kitchen, helmet off, looking completely oblivious to the conversation.

"I've been-" he wondered if he should tell her about the nightmares, but decided against it. Those were way too personal. He barely spoke to Derek about them either. "I've been good. How about you?" Then he winced. Most people with as many scars as she'd collected tended not to reply positively to that question.