revivalproject | Heat Wave

Entry tags:

Heat Wave

WHO: Cal Kestis and you
WHERE: Temba & Sh'Ka
WHAT: Just keeping at it
WHEN: Post-Storm
WARNINGS: N/A

I. Finder's Keepers (Temba)
There are worse things than reliving memories. Cal had already been subjected to such, haunted by his past, hiding from it. But he's grown a lot since then. He's learned to accept things, to own up to the decisions he'd made and to learn from them as he kept going.

It's why he feels that the past storm hasn't been outright terrible, but he knows that others might not feel the same way. But it still hasn't gotten them any closer to figuring things out, and all that he thinks he's gained is a good soaking aside from a trip down memory lane.

The shift back to such awful heat surely isn't any better. At his feet, BD-1 borbles his concerns as they pick their way out of a collapsed building. Rain had weakened the foundation but also revealed some places to pick through, and despite the heat, Cal considered his efforts well-rewarded.

"Heh. Yeah, got it buddy," the Jedi replies as he unhooks the water bottle from his belt to take a long drink. There's way too little shade along the roads but it's the only way to get back to the workshop. "We can stop at the diner and I'll see about grabbing something to eat."

He can't help but smile crookedly as he spies someone else out and about in the sun, and he raises a hand to wave. "Guess we're not the only crazy ones."

II. Second Thoughts (Sh'Ka)
"Maybe we should just migrate for the summer," Cal suggests as he looks out from the shadows of the entryway he stands at. It's quite the contrast feeling the coolness of the air at his back, protected from layers of the stone edifice behind him, and the warmth that sat like an invisible wall in front of him, warmth he can feel on his face, stretching greedy fingers towards him.

BD-1 hoots pensively in consideration before turning a question towards his Jedi friend.

"Yeah, ready to go when you are. I know, I know- that'd make this so much easier but this way's kind of fun too, right?" He grins, stooping down to hold an arm out as his droid titters and hops up to clamber behind him again.

The paths between some of the places around the city here are at least plenty shaded by the plentiful and sometimes towering trees. Honestly, there are a lot of things that make Sh'Ka more preferable to Cal than Temba. But then there's plenty of reasons that it might not be the most ideal place either...

Coming across the Jedi, one might find his behavior a little odd then as his steps have slowed to a crawl, his attention drawn upwards towards the thick foliage above. He turns his head as he senses that they've got company, looking towards whoever's happened in this direction, and he raises his hands in quiet warning before gesturing up with a nod of his head.

Almost camouflaged against the deep greens, the large Deleons however are quite noticeable once one knows what to look for, and for the fact that there are perhaps an unsettling amount of them. A few stare back down with unsettling intensity.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cal isn't the only one known to frequent Sh'Ka. In the winter it can be difficult with snow-packed streets and little in the way of amenities for visitors. But in the summer the stone buildings sometimes offer relief, holding cool in their interiors to combat the heatwave outside. In the absence of actual air conditioning, it's not a bad choice.

Plus, Sh'Ka is usually sparsely inhabited. Sometimes a person just needed his space.

The sun is just starting to really bake down on the landscape, making the shade of the trees attractive indeed. The Soldier — because weather is no excuse — had been out for a run when his path took him near a familiar figure. It's only when he gets close that he notices Cal's positioning and the caution in his gestures. The Soldier comes to a stop, looking up to the tree branches even as he shifts into a fighting stance. They're not alone, and the pack of creatures in the tree look as if they're considering a Jedi-and-assassin brunch.

Briefly an almost amused look touches Cal's face as the very person they'd been looking for happens to find them first. Typical. Of course, the current situation necessitates more attention, so the Jedi is quick to return it towards the creatures above.

He can sense it, the hunger and the tension, the underlying warning of having wandered into unwelcome territory. He takes a slow step back, not really wanting to fight the bunch of lizard-like creatures but between their unusual numbers and there being only two of them, he doesn't much like the odds.

Funny how they seem to come together at the most weirdly convenient times, right? Almost like they were being controlled...

Regardless, Cal's caution finds its echo in the Soldier's own stance. They've wandered into the creatures' territory given the number of the herd, the things might feel a certain level of confidence in taking on two warriors. Or perhaps it's purely territorial, protection of young or something of the sort. Whatever the case the Soldier doesn't know that they'll escape without a fight, and he's already moving to ease a knife from the holster at his hip.

~~The muns were the Atroma all along...~~

Cal can understand being overprotective, and if he concentrates he can sense some smaller amongst those gathered up in the trees. But more mouths to feed means more necessity for food, and that's where the Jedi will have to draw the line.

"Easy...." he says lowly although it's unclear whether he's addressing the Soldier, the Deleons, or perhaps even both. Taming creatures through the Force isn't particularly his forte but doing anything to influence this may is simply out of the question.

A couple of the larger creatures begins to slowly slink along the branches, tongues flicking as they taste the air...or are they communicating? Cal has no idea, but it's just then that another thing tingles at his danger sense, and abruptly he turns, just as BD-1 squeals in warning as another of the creatures makes a leap from where it had circled behind them. Awkwardly it hovers there in the air, as though caught by an invisible hand, Cal's own hand extended towards it to hold it in place as it hisses its frustration, clawing at the air.

Hopefully the Soldier's still focused on the main body as the pair that had been moving into position take the opportunity to drop.

~~The big reveal!~~

Avoiding a fight is the best case scenario but it looks increasingly unlikely. The things might just be hungry enough that they're counting on numbers. And they're fast too, though Cal has the first well in (invisible) hand. Two and Three though—

The Soldier moves barely a breath before the things drop from the trees, determined to stand at Cal's back. A smartly wielded knife should make them think twice, as well as the threat inherent in the strength in his left arm.

"Got any good ideas?" Both capable fighters, and both the kind of people who recognize that fighting isn't the only choice. Still it looks like they might have to get a little physical to get out of this mess.

"Make them think twice about having us as a meal?" Cal suggests. "I'm not sure how many of them might be keen on trying, but hopefully if we convince them we're more trouble than it's worth, they'll change their minds... Duck for a second?"

Given the Soldier obliges him and heeds the warning, Cal flings the hovering Deleon at the other two.

"Got any tricks to make us look less delicious?" Hopefully without too much violence. Though if the creatures are thinking about eating the two of them, maybe their numbers need to be thinned out. Sh'Ka might not be hugely populated but people did come here, and not everyone had the means to defend themselves. "You didn't bathe in barbecue sauce this morning, did you?"

He ducks as ordered, the animal flying over his head to bowl the advancing two down. Unfortunately it's not enough discouragement to prevent another from springing at them, hissing angrily. The Soldier aims a punch at its side.

"Unfortunately no," Cal admits with a grimace. "And my animal handling isn't as great as say, someone like General Kenobi. Actually it helps when the creatures you're dealing with aren't already intent on eating you."

The Soldier's barbecue sauce comment still gets a snort of a laugh from him. He turns once he flings the creature, gasping as several more leap at them from the trees. Bringing his hands up, Cal sends them flying backwards, back into the canopy.

"Dinner and a show, except we're both?" Is Billy's stubbornness about treating the Soldier like a person instead of a weapon finally having an effect? Perhaps the time spent in the space station, falling back into the man he'd been in the Fleet had knocked something loose? Or maybe the Soldier just feels that much at ease with Cal, knowing that there's something of trust there. Whatever it is, he got Cal's back.

The trouble is, the creatures want to take a bite out of both of their backs. And their fonts and sides too. They're outnumbered, and they're only so much throwing the things back that they can do. "If we're keeping this non-lethal, we're probably going to have to run." Because the things keep coming despite Cal's wider efforts and the Soldier's more direct, catch-one-and-throw-it approach.

It's not a laugh, but it's a strange bit of levity in spite of an otherwise not very fun situation. "Eat and run without the eating part? Yeah, probably. That likely won't stop them from trying again if they get the chance though..."

Cal unclips his lightsaber, igniting it with that unique snap-hiss, the blue blade thrumming subtly with his movements as he gives it a twirl. "They'll probably all make a move the moment we try to make a break for it and I'm not sure how intent they'll be in pursuing us. We might have to get a little messy if they don't get the message."

He'd hoped that a glowing blade would give the creatures some second thoughts, but it hasn't seemed to slow them too much. "Guess we need to clear a path. You want to do the honors or should I?"

"We'll have to decide what to do about that." If the creatures pose that much threat, they may have no choice but to thin out the herd. The two of them are capable and combat-familiar, but plenty of others aren't. Still, it's a conversation that can happen once they've gotten away from their current predicament.

"You know I can cover you." The Soldier would prefer if they could keep things non lethal but he won't hesitate to use deadly force if necessary. He's not sure if Cal is comfortable doing the same, and if he can prevent his friend from being in that position, all the better. "The direction I came from was clear. Back that way?"

The Jedi nods his agreement. He's unsure whether later will be sooner than they both expect, but he's still pretty confident that between the two of them they can get away.

"Sounds as good a direction as any," he says. He's...unfortunately no stranger to applying lethal measures, kind of a necessity when they don't leave very much option for otherwise. It's not something he enjoys, but learning the hard way that survival isn't an easy thing to do when the galaxy writes you off as the enemy has toughened him to some degree. Being everyone's target just got you a little fed up eventually.

"BeeDee, tell me if those guys behind us make a move," he says, readying himself. Something tells him that the guttural sounds passing between the creatures is some sort of coordination effort, and he senses a split second before the droid screeches a warning as the Deleons make their move.

He turns, snatching one of the creatures out of the air to fling off to the side, his blade a whirl as it meets claws from another, causing the creature to yelp as it breaks off its attack. He throws his hands out to send it flying as well. "Come on!" Cal shouts over his shoulder, making a dash down their cleared path.

Any direction that gets then away from the current situation is a good direction. The whole situation concerned him though; what if the herd had come across someone not as able to defend themselves? They might have to put some thought into creature population control.

That could all come after escape though.

The creatures explode into action but so too do their supposed prey; the Soldier's movements might not be as elegant as Cal's lightsaber but his knives are no less deadly. And perhaps it said something that they could work so seamlessly together, covering each other's back and flanks while breaking for freedom.

The things might pursue but the two of them had enough skill in clearing various obstacles to make it difficult.

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