Yoromishtali observes the room more as the lashunta rants about the King’s Forest.
After the stranger vomits, Yoromishtali clears his throat and steps forward. Giving a bow he asks, ”Excuse me, your Excellency. Why don’t you go there? Is it under the rule of a different monarch or very dangerous?”
"There are things that terrify even the King! I have found happiness here in my forest, and I am not in the habit of invading other kingdoms."
Once again he pauses for some retching.
"Especially other kingdoms with such insane inhabitants..."
He could be talking about us, or anyone else. Has anyone found a way forward yet? Chiaiese asks telepathically of the group.
Then she jumps down from the catwalk into the "king's forest," and gives it a once over with her flashlight, looking for any clues as to his true identity - anything that might indicate he's something more than a vagrant.
"Very well. Your Majesty, may we have your leave to pass through? And perhaps return here if we need to? Should we prepare gifts for the other kingdoms?" Moxie shrugs at Anton.
”Thank you for the information,” the vesk says. ”I wish you success in your reign.”
Yoromishtali bows to the man.
The "King" has now climbed out of the shipping container. At least twice you were sure he was going to do a faceplant right onto the floor, but somehow he managed to stick a clean landing.
As Tremox addresses him, and Yoro bows, a serious look comes across the lashunta's face. He whispers to the two of you. "I'm not really a king. I'm just drunk!" Then he sputters and begins giggling.
When he gets a hold of himself, he steadies himself on the side of the shipping container and asks you all a question. "So where...is it...all of you are headed? because there seriously are places down here you should stay away from. The goblins around here are actually harmless. They either run away, or actually want to trade with you. Some of them have some pretty good intoxicants for sale. But there are other things..."
"More laser proof things? Because I didn't pack any acid launchers."
"The Djinni Mirage," repeats Chiaiese. She had already given up on the conversation with the King, but perhaps whatever was propelling his insanity was wearing off. "Or its captain, Jif McLaren. Do you know where we would find a bay around here large enough for a starship?"
Yoromishtali chuckles. ”A king. Not a king. It doesn’t matter. I’d still show you respect. You might be in line for some Castrovellian throne. There’s more things I don’t know in the universe than I do.”
The lashunta gives Xic a puzzled look. Under his breath he mutters "acid launcher? What in the deep dark void is this one talking about?"
Turning to Chasey and Yoro, the inebriated dweller of this forgotten cargo hold looks up toward the ceiling, scratching his chin, as if in deep thought. "No, I don't know your captain. But I have been in a lot of the..."(the lashunta lets out a hellacious belch)"ummm...a lot of the old holds and docking bays and tunnels and...stuff. What were we talking about? OH! A starship. I think I saw something big enough to be a starship once not that long ago."
Once again the lashunta gets quiet. "I won't go there again though. No way. Not for 16 bottles of the best smuggled Sovyrian wine!"
"Uh, why not? I mean, you see something that was bad? If there was something bad, you wouldn't let some friends stumble into it without knowing, right?"
"I just bought you a drink," says Chiaiese, her arms crossed as she stands next to the other lashunta in the container.
"Why don't you draw me a map." She hands him her datapad. "And if it gets us to that ship in one piece I'll come back and buy you another. So if you know where any traps or nasty critters hang out, don't spare the digital ink."
The lashunta looks at Anton, does some quick arithmetic on his fingers, and still declines. "No. 17 is still not enough. I heard...THINGS..in that room..."
Tremox is unconvincing. "I don't want ANYBODY to go in there!"
Considering Chiaiese's offer, it seems he is more inclined to take the offer. "Tell you what...I'll draw your map IF you buy me another Gargle Blaster now--OH! and some of those lashunta fruit cremes! and then stop by on your way back and buy me another. I'll take a nap in between."
"Deal. Get started and I'll be back in a minute."
Chiaiese takes her sweet time at the vending machine, making sure the king is writing before she returns, then checking his work before delivering the goods. If it makes sense, she gives him the drink and the sweets.
The lashunta man takes his time creating a map. When Chiaiese finally returns with the snacks, she sees that what he is drawing -might- make sense (he is inebriated, after all).
Chiaiese peers over Anton's shoulder. It sort of looks like a map, maybe.
She reaches out and turns the datapad on its side. Seeing it clearly now, she points to the spot along the catwalk where the hatch is hidden.
"There."
The lashunta's map leads the way!
The map directs you to get back on the catwalk and follow out of "The King's Forest". After climbing down a very long ladder and once again crawling through ductwork and out a large vent, you find yourself in a short, very dusty and dark hallway. Ahead on the left there is a door.
The door is stenciled in common with the following sign:
Moxie scurries out of the vent and then stretches himself up to work out the kinks. He dusts himself off and shakes out his fur. He peers up at the sign, not needing any light to read it. "Hey, 14b. We're getting closer, I think."
The door slides open to reveal a cavernous hangar. Though it's hard to see some of the corners in the room, there are flickering security lights that at least partially light the area.
Directly ahead is a large pile of crates and shipping containers. They seem to be haphazardly piled within the room.
To the left is more cargo. These boxes and crates seem to be somewhat better organized than the pile in the middle of the room.
The largest feature in the room is the shrouded form of a starship that extends deeply to your right
Much of this ship is covered with tarps, though it appears that rear doors are accessible (though they are closed).
Moxie scurries into the room, unperturbed by the darkness. He looks around, immediately spotting the form of a ship. "Hey, there's a ship. Maybe we find two of them on this job!"
Chiaiese follows Moxie into the hangar. She begins looking for evidence of recent occupation. Based on the king's warnings, she expects danger at any moment.
Yoromishtali moves into the room, scanning the ceiling for threats. He decides to check the more organized pile of crates first. ”I guess whomever was supposed to get this failed to do so.”
Xic will stand nervously by the door, preferably near a console, with his blaster drawn. Last time he walked into a room, he needed to use a fire extinguisher on a laser-proofed plant beast.
”There’s a blue crate over here,” Yoromishtali calls out while looking at the cargo containers about twenty feet away. ”Does that mean medical supplies or perishable goods?”
Chiaiese steps under the starboard wing to inspect its designation. She suspects this must be the Djinni but wants to be certain.
Chasey, it's awfully dark, and most of the ship is under a heavy fabric shroud. Some light, and a little work to pull the fabric down may reveal the true nature of this apparent starship.
|
"Does anyone else hear that?" Anton asks as his attention is ripped away from the nice and tidy stack of boxes he was happily looting going through.
"It definitely sounds like...laughing? Chortling? Guffawing? Giggling! That's it, it sounds like giggling coming under that...terribly disorganized stack of boxes in the middle.
Uh, Yoro? Would you mind pushing over that stack of boxes so we can see what exactly is laughing at us?"
As a nervous reflex, Anton makes a rapid Wall of Cardboard from some of the less full boxes and crouches behind it.
Vivian turns in the air and stares unwaveringly at the happy stack of boxes.
*beep*?
With her trusty flashlight mounted on her armor, Chiaiese rolls up her sleeves and sets to revealing the starship in all its glory.
Moxie glances around at the boxes. "Uh, hello? Is someone there?"
Chiaiese pokes around under the wings of the starship. There she finds a set of registration numbers.
These registration numbers indicate that this is indeed the Djinni Mirage.
There is more giggling, this time loud enough that it's unmistakable and everyone can hear it. It's coming from the central pile of crates.
"Hey, where are you?" Moxie peeks around some of the crates.
Having satisfied her curiosity with the identity of the ship, Chiaiese turns her attention to the crates. She hears the giggling as well, and cannot help but wonder what terrifying creature could make such noises yet scare the King half to death. Perhaps he was truly mad.
She walks up the blue crate and kicks it with the heel of her boot.
"Come out now, let's see what the fuss is about."
”Okay, Anton,” Yoromishtali says as he flexes his fingers and rolls his shoulders, warming up his arms. ”Let me move some of these boxes.”
He raises his voice speaking clearly in Basic. ”Hey, giggler, don’t feel threatened. I’m just going to move some boxes so we can see you. It’s only polite to appear when greeting people.”
He moves closer to the box, squats, and lifts it.
"Not at all, Xic says sarcastically, hands only shaking slightly as he keeps his gun at the ready
"It sounds almost like a sinister child." Moxie becomes a bit more wary as they look around.
For a second the giggling stops, then all hell breaks loose. In the dim light at least three small, dark figures show themselves. They begin gesturing and pointing at you.
One of the small humanoids emerges from the neatly stacked boxes in the corner. It advances, softly laughing as it does.
The other two were under the wing at the far side of the ship. They advance, baring tiny razor sharp teeth. As they move it appears that they float just an inch or two OVER the floor.
One of the humanoids advances and attempts to bite Tremox.
1. Green
2. Tremox
3. Xic
4. Blue
5. Red
6. Anton
7. Yoro
8. Chiaiese
"Nope nope nope nope!" Xic spends a move action with his exocortex to analyze the movement of the red spookum, and fires his Azimuth at the critter.
"Whoa, hey! Buy me dinner first at least! Or tell me your name!" Moxie draws his pistol and at first seems to try and club the creature before he jumps back.
Xic isn't messing around.
He pulls his pistol and shoots one of the creatures, who appears to have taken a nasty scorch wound from the shot.
Tremox jukes and jives, leaving another of the creatures somewhat confused.
The creatures press the attack, with one attempting to inflict a nasty bite on Yoro, and the other one angrily attacking Xic, who burnt him just now...
1. Green (flat footed)
2. Tremox
3. Xic (-3)
4. Blue
5. Red (-3)
6. Anton
7. Yoro (-3)
8. Chiaiese