Predator and Prey

[russiandog38]

 Ashlin was in a place where she loves to spend her free time, the bar. She didnt travel often into this system, but a contract she had been hunting down had led her to this planet. So here she is, taking a swig of her alcohol as she tampers with her PDA, eyeing every person that enters the building.

[Star_Dragon]

Trask entered the bar, safetied his weapon, and sat at the bar next to Garrus. "Bartender... a glass of Romulan Ale, please," he requested. His face bore a look of genuine concern, after what he'd seen in that cave. The bartender poured him a glass of Romulan Ale, and Trask began to sip it slowly.

[Clearwater]

He liked the nomad's way of living. Roaming wherever he went, doing what he wanted when he got there... Much better
to get out and see the world, rather than just sit on his butt and let it go by.
Salto took in a deep breath through his nostrils as he beat his wings together, paused, then exhaled through his
mouth. This warm air was so refreshing. Another perk to being a nomad.
Salto Gelado - the English translation of his name being 'Icy Waterfall' - was sick of city life by the time his
fourteenth birthday came around. He wanted to get out and see the world - be a proper wild bird, like all the others.
So that night, he grabbed his backpack, loaded it up with food, provisions and equipment, took his headset and echo
hat so he wouldn't stay cold, and just... left. Where? No one knows. Not even Salto knows where he's going. He's
been on the road for three years straight now, and here he was, the dawn of his 16th birthday. Today, he found
himself flying high above a colony known by the locals as 'Virnat'. Looking down, Salto had a clear view from above
the streets and buildings. Moving through the air as he watched from above, the speakers in his headset (Which was
currently tuned in to his favorite station) began to blare out an electronic dance song. Salto grinned. He loved this
genre of music. As the synths and pounding drums filled his ears and mind, he contemplated taking a break from moving
and check out this... colony that he was flying past right now. He came to a decision.
''Oh, what the hell,'' He muttered, his voice containing a distinct Brazilian accent. Folding his wings over to his
sides and closing his eyelids, Salto let gravity take over his body and just fell towards the rooftops and buildings.
He was falling.... falling to the colony. As the buildings and roofs drew closer and closer, Salto opened his eyes
and wings, righted himself, and stretched out his talons, ready to land on the slopped sheet of corrugated iron
that made up a roof. The agile red-and-green macdaw slid down it, and jumped off at the bottom, his legs propelling
him over the street below. He landed, dropped and rolled, coming up on his knees. Still crouched, Salto mesured up
the network of winding streets and skyscrapers that lay before him. He cracked another smile, more smug than last
time.
''I can do this.'' He said, taking off at a fast pace again. Jumping off the ledge of the roof he was currently on,
Salto's talons hit a domed, curved section of stone. Pressing down on his right leg, he took off ninty degrees to
the right, and was now heading for a tall tower. Seeing the power cables above him, Salto jumped up and grabbed
one with his wings. He span a full revolution, before leaping off and grabbing the second, higher cable, this time
with his talons so he was hanging upside down. Continuing to spin until he was sure he was going fast enough, Salto
made a huge leap, soaring high into the air. Spreading his wings, he glided down to the top of the tower he was heading
for and landed, tucking his wings back behind his body.
''Nothing to it.'' He said curtly, sitting down and taking in the sight.
Salto was a born freerunner. Using those strong wings and talons of his, he could overcome any obstacle that lied
in his way. Big he had to get to from the ground? No problem, he's just plant one foot against the wall, jump up,
plant his other foot onto the wall, and just keep his rythmn until he reached the ledge at the top and haul himself
up. Cables criss-crossing everywhere? Salto would put on his best Tarzan impression and leap back and forth between
the cables.
If he put his mind to it, Salto was able to overcome anything in the world of freerunning.
Salto took off the black knitted echo hat he was wearing and scratched his head with his wing. The head feathers on
the front drooped down and his right eye behind them. He kept this hair style ever since he became a nomad.
The song that was being played through his headset ended. Salto grunted, switched it off and licked his beak. He had
forgotten how thristy he was.
''I need a drink,'' He told himself, gliding back down to street level to seek out a watering hole.

[Star_Dragon]

The unseen hunter observed this fascinating nomad he'd just spotted from another tower. He certainly was more acrobatic than the other targets he'd seen; he leapt from one building to the next, as though he were a Yaut'ja Hunter chasing his prey. This one would make an excellent trophy...

[russiandog38]

 Ashlin eyed Trask as he entered the bar, not recognizing him, but somehow finding him familiar. Perhaps he had a bounty? She fired up her PDA and looked through the diffrent wanted bountys,  both offical and black market.

[Star_Dragon]

"You present the appearance of a man with something on his mind," the bartender stated, noticing Trask's aloof demeanor.

 

"You could say that," Trask answered.

 

"So what's up?" the bartender asked.

 

"Saw something I wasn't expecting to see - not here on Virnat," Trask said.

 

"Right - and if the look on your face is any indication, that something is something you've seen before, during your stint in the military?" the bartender surmised.

 

"Yeah," Trask sighed, sipping his Romulan Ale.

[Naza Sutera]

(sorry, been out for a few days. Allow me to rejoin the action.)

The camera followed Amelia as she professed how much of a scary-ass Derek was, while Derek himself just brushed it off. If being afraid of having his intestines eaten by a giant bug is wrong, then he didn't want to be right.

 

They entered the bar/cantina/whateveryoucallamathingit and took as seat to figure out their next move.

"Hmm... I forgot to get that guy's name," Amelia said.

[Star_Dragon]

"If you refer to the man you nearly collided with, his name is Trask," said a Romulan that entered behind Amelia. "Formerly Commander Trask Ulgo, Romulan Military Foreign branch. He and I served on a ship together. As for me, my name os Tovan... Tovan Khev."

 

"Tovan?" Trask asked. "You get done this early?"

 

"Like you, I work fast when my ass is on the line," Tovan chuckled. He and Trask fist-bumped, before Trask noticed Amelia and Derek after sipping his ale.

 

"Amelia, Derek, this is an old friend of mine, Tovan. He and I--" Kyle began.

 

"Yeah, I already told them," Tovan interrupted him - much to the irritation of Trask.

 

"I hate it when you do that," he grumbled.

 

"Did you find the source of our Khellid problem?" Tovan asked. Trask's face changed back to his concerned look.

 

"Yeah," Trask answered. He looked to Amelia and Derek. "You two want something to go along with your documentary?"

[Clearwater]

Dropping down from a building and landing in the street, Salto licked his beak and coughed. He was getting
thirstier by the second. Walking down the bustling street, he eyed what seemed to be the entrance to a cantina.
Raising an eyebrow, Salto turned into the entrance and had a look. The place was fairly empty, safe for a bartender,
a wolf-like figure talking to two other people, a female desert fox in the corner toying with something strapped to her
wrist, and an alien figure with an eyepatch who appeared to be deep in thought. Salto made a noise of approval and
moved to the bar, sitting down next to the wolf and awaiting the bartender.
''Excuse me, Senor,'' Salto quipped in English, ''Do you have anything preferrably non-alcholic that can quench my
thirst?''
While he waited for the bartender to respond, Salto shifted his view to the wolf, who was in conversation. He
caught his concerned like face as he talked.
Did you find the source of our Khellid problem?" Someone asked.
"Yeah," He answered. He looked to the two others. "You two want something to go along with your documentary?"
''Pardon me,'' Salto asked the wolf, sounding interested. ''You guys said you had a problem on your hands?''

[russiandog38]

 Ashlin over heard a name, Trask Ulgo. "Former military eh?" She mumbled to herself. If he was famous he certainly would have a bounty against him. She switched her PDA over to a black market server, typing in the name and , sure enough, finding a bounty for the man at the bar. It was a decent amount, but maybe not enough to waster her time on. Deciding to scope the situation out first, she got up and moved next to a bird on the bar. "Bartender, shot of whisky."

[Star_Dragon]

The bartender poured Ashlin her glass of Whiskey, then turned his attention to Salto. "We have a number of soft drinks - imported and otherwise - and we have water. Take your pick," the bartender told him.

 

Trask turned his attention to Salto. "Yes, we had a problem - and if what I saw in the Khellid cave was any indication, our troubles today have only just begun."

 

"What?" Tovan asked as Trask retrieved his rifle. "What did you see?"

 

"Tovan... remember that one encounter at the mining colony? The time we went toe-to-toe with an Elachi Warship?" Trask asked.

 

"Elachi...?" Tovan repeated. "Yeah - they abducted the miners there and we never saw hide-nor-hair of them until that run-in with the warship."

 

"I found one of their beacons inside the Khellid cave," Trask said. "And it was active."

 

"Did you shut it down?" Tovan asked.

 

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," Trask answered. "But I think the real question is... what do the Elachi want with Virnat?"

[Clearwater]

Salto pondered the choice of drinks the bartender had just offered him.
''Um... Do you have any fresh, cold orange juice?'' He requested. ''Could do with something nice and cold.''
Salto turned his attention back to the wolf who was now talking to him.
"Yes, we had a problem - and if what I saw in the Khellid cave was any indication, our troubles today have only just begun."
"What?" The other stranger asked as the wolf retrieved a rifle from his back. "What did you see?"
"Tovan... remember that one encounter at the mining colony? The time we went toe-to-toe with an Elachi Warship?" Trask asked.
"Elachi...?" Tovan repeated. "Yeah - they abducted the miners there and we never saw hide-nor-hair of them until that run-in with the warship."
"I found one of their beacons inside the Khellid cave," The wolf said. "And it was active."
"Did you shut it down?" Tovan asked.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," Trask answered. "But I think the real question is... what do the Elachi want with Virnat?"
''Hang on, hang on a second, did you say there was a beacon in the cave where you went?'' Salto asked, making sure he
heard what he thought he heard. ''I've just had a thought. Perhaps the reason that those, um... What did you call it?
'Elachis', was it? I think the reason they set that beacon up was perhaps so they could see what security measures this
place has and how much carnage they could cause before they were caught. That way, they could process that data and
use it to their advantage. I'm not the brightest bird from where I come from, but it's logic, and if you put half and
half together, it makes sense. And what like the wolf said, the troubles here might've only just begun.''
Salto paused to extend a wing to the wolf.
''Oh, where are my manners?'' He stated. ''I'm Salto, but my amigoes simply call me Sal.''

[Star_Dragon]

"Trask," Trask introduced himself. "Formerly Romulan Military. Settled here after the destruction of Romulus and Remus." He moved his head to indicate the Romulan next to him. "This is my old friend, Tovan. He and I served on the Retribution's Thunder together."

 

The Bartender poured Salto a glass of ice-cold orange juice as he asked, "So what would the Elachi want with Virnat?" he asked.

 

"It's an agricultural colony, so I doubt there'd be any military interest here," Trask said. "I'd assume they want us - the colonists. It was the same way at the mining colony. They abducted people right out of their quarters. What they want with us, however, is... difficult to say."

[russiandog38]

 Ashlin had her ears perked, listening in on the conversation.  Suddenly her mind was off trying to capture Trask and now on what he just said. "They cant possibly take a while colony worth of people, not without a huge fight." She butted in.

[Star_Dragon]

Trask looked to Ashlin. "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't a military colony," he told her. "We have no fleet defending this world, no planetary garrison or army, and only a handful of security volunteers. We'd have little chance defending this place from an Elachi invasion."

 

"Could it be that the Elachi are working with someone?" Tovan asked.

 

"Can't imagine who," Trask responded with a shrug.

[Clearwater]

Salto heard the sound of a glass being set down on a table. He turned to see that the bartender had served him
his glass of orange juice. Salto smiled and nodded.
''Gracias, senor.''
Salto picked up the glass and took a swig from it. When he set it down, the macaw wiped his beak with his wing.
''If this colony really has no way of defending itself, then perhaps we should focus instead on getting everyone
out of here alive.'' He proposed. ''But I severly doubt that the word of...'' He paused to count up the amount of
people in the cantina, including himself. ''...8 strangers would be enough to get word spread right across this
place. Unless... Ah, hang on, I've got an idea.''
Salto turned away and switched his headset back on, but only to recieve a ton of static. He grimaced and turned it
off again.
''Maldito,'' He cursed in his native Portugese. ''That idea's just gone.''

[Star_Dragon]

"What was your idea?" Trask asked.

 

"We could warn the colony at the Festival tonight," Tovan suggested. "Everyone's gonna be there."

 

"We'd be waiting too long," Trask said. "And we don't want to start a panic."

[russiandog38]

 "Tonight would be to late? Jesus when are these guys going to be here? You know what, nevermind. I dont care." Ashlin got up from the bar, downed her whisky, and payed the bartender. "I have a contract to complete, then when thats done im getting my ass off this planet."

[Star_Dragon]

"Not very chatty," Trask commented.

 

"Could we at least alert the Maiori?" Tovan asked.

 

"We could, but there's not much he can do presently, what with him prepping for tonight's festival," Trask answered.

[Clearwater]

''My plan was to see if there were any radio stations or frequencies that were being broadcast from this place.''
Salto explained to Trask. ''If there was, I would've been able to wire into it and broadcast a message. But for some
reason I can't get a signal - nothing but static, which is strange, seeing on how I can get a perfect signal anywhere,
even if it's miles from civilisation.''
Salto sighed and took a sip from his glass of orange juice, while pushing his head feathers back over so they covered
his eye.
''The only thing I suppose we can do right now is wait.'' He said, finishing his drink and getting up. ''I'm gonna
go scop out this place; get the lay of the land a bit better. Public channels might be down, but if anything develops;
try this frequency and let me know if it works.'' Salto told the others, pulling out a pen and a scrap of paper, writing
down the number '137.42' on it and giving it to Trask.
''I'm outta here for now, so I'll see you later.''
Salto slung his bag back over him, and headed out of the cantina. Back in the street, his expression on his face changed to
one of concern, like the once Trask bore. Breaking off into a run, Salto jumped and wall-ran diagonally across the wall
on his right, the jumped across to the one on his left and continued until he reached the top, where Salto jumped,
spread his wings and flew off, heading back to the tower he was on earlier. Once there, Salto sat back down and sighed again,
uncertain of what was to come.
''So then, Sal,'' He said to himself. ''You gonna help this people or what?''
Glancing out over the colony, he made his mind up.

[Star_Dragon]

The unseen hunter jumped when Sal appeared. He came very close to colliding with him, and the hunter didn't see him coming. His vague, shimmering and distorted figure stared Sal down as the hunter looked at him through various visual filters - Everything from Infrared to Ultraviolet. As far as he could tell, the person wasn't armed.

 

But he was still a threat - his presence could not be known. Wrist blades extended with a metallic Schwiink! and his eyes flashed yellow as he made a guttural growl.

[Clearwater]

Salto, deep in thought, was wondering what that humming noise coming from behind him was. Snapping his head around, he  could see nothing - just the view of the colony from the other side. Something didn't quite feel right... He felt a presence in the air...

Salto realized that someone WAS there - only invisible. He exclaimed and in one swift move, jumped up and lept out of the way, just before his unseen attacker slammed down his blades into his body.

''Not good,'' He grunted, as he turned and lept off of the tower. He had to warn Trask and the others.

[Star_Dragon]

The hunter chased after Sal, but soon stopped upon realizing where he was going. Killing him in public would certainly blow his cover; but there was a chance that whoever Sal was going to talk to wouldn't believe him. The hunter returned to another high perch and continued to observe the colony.

[russiandog38]

 Usually Ashlin would of tucked tail and ran at the threat of an invading force. She liked to have control over combat situations,  and facing a whole army would not give her control. But she had been chasing this contract for to long, coming so close to bag it to give up now. She huffed the dufflebag that contained the peices to her sniper over her shoulder and walked down the street, looking up at the buildings to find a good vantage point.

[Clearwater]

Salto, dropping down one roof by one, went at a fairly fast pace, in case his unknown attacker was still hot on his
tail. He continued his pace for a little while, then when he was sure he was no longer being followed, stopped.
Salto took in a deep breath. What was that... thing? Somehow completely invisble to the naked eye...?
''Was that one of the Elachi?'' Salto asked under his breath, jumping over a gap between two buildings. ''I'd better
tell Trask about this; he might know something.''
Salto dropped back down into a street, and begun walking the rest of the way back to the cantina he was in not too
long ago. On the way, he accidentally bumped into someone.
''Oh, excuse me,'' Salto apologised, but when he got a look at the face of who he bumped into, he stopped.
''Wait a second. Weren't you that fox who I saw in the cantina just now?''