Accessing more files T3-M8 filters through the data, Klyn takes a seat in the cockpit and offers his aid. They soon stumble across the Captain's personal files. The crack some of the code and find a message...too blasted slow. Must find something to facilitate promotion so I can get out of ISC. There are rumours of a Rebel colony in this sector. If only I could find it...

The dull crystalline humanoid spoke in his deep voice in reply to Lyla "two warriors fight. They hold between them a bastaska. When a warrior releases the bastaska the fight is over. The loser then gives up their life. We then conduct business or go our own ways until we meet again".

Lyla tried not to groan too loudly. A fight to the death just to say hi? Cruk, this was why some people continued living in wastelands without spaceships and stuff. Twi'leks, now, were a generally peaceful people who preferred a contest of cunning, to avoid a battle and violence if they could. Lyla raised her voice in protest. 'Well, that's not fair. He's much much bigger than any of us. That's just a contest of weight and mass, not strength. Now, a true contest of strength would be between two people of equal size.'

'So, tell you what, I'll fight Tera here. One of us can claim the life of the other, and then we're all set. Deal?'

Now, what's a bastaska?' she asked, moving quickly on.


OOC: Rolling Deception since I'm trying to trick them. Deception 24, plus FP 2, for Deception 26
10:29, Today: Lyla Rahn rolled 24 using 1d20+7. deception.
10:33, Today: Lyla Rahn rolled 2 using 1d6. force point.

"You same tribe. You share life" the crystal man replied in his deep voice "contest of strength. My tribe against your tribe. If you beat Iponta then you are wor-thy of my tribe's life" the gathered tribe of crystal people all remaine still and silence as the aged crystal humanoid spoke. The alien looked from Oglo and Lyla. His eyes watched Oglo "you sha-man" he said then looked to Lyla "you warrior? Tera warrior?" the old alien considered this and Lyla's words. Rynn who had not spoken and was incased in an enviro-suit was ignored by the crystal shaman. It took a moment before he nodded considering Lyla's offer. He was clearly perplexed by her unusual answer. Finally he replied a compromise "You and Tera fight Iponta. He win he take life, you win you take life".

To Lyla's other question he explained "a bastaka" he pointed to the spear-like staff that he was holding.

"Hold up." Rynn said, his hand resting naturally on the hand of his blaster in his drop leg holster. "You guys are going to wrestle over a stick... and the loser dies? That doesn't sound like a great idea." He exclaimed, after switching his amplifier back on. He looked at Tera and Lyla. "I don't know you, so I won't stop you, but that the crap end of the... well bastaska."

Stupid stubborn backwoods git. The elder wasn't going to be swayed or fooled, a yield a goddess-damned inch, but at least she'd won some concessions. Maybe she could work with that, get something more. Maybe she was taking the wrong approach trying to be tricky with these hard-heads. What I've gotten myself into now? Lyla stalled for time to think. 'We'll take Rynn too. Because we're not warriors. Tera's a healer... And I'm a hunter. I'm a tracker and a scout. I'm the finder of trails and saviour of the lost.' she declared proudly, stepping forward and raising her voice. 'I am Lyl'arahn, the Rampaging Lylek, the Desert Flower, born of the clan Rahn, all slain in a heatstorm. I survived, thrown in a fridge by my mother. As a girl, I walked the burning, blinding Bright Lands, for a five-moon or more, across the searing sands and blasting winds beneath an unmoving sun, and sheltered in deep caves. And I walked the freezing dark Nightlands for a whole three-moon, across the crunching ice and through the razor crystal forests.' She sang her tale with rising passion, grasping the braided story-chain around her neck. 'I scraped lichen off rocks, plucked mushrooms from crevices, sucked water from holes in stone, ate the bloody leavings of a ferocious hunting lylek. I fled from cruel slavers, I hid from spiked gutkurr, and I fought a horned doashim and slew it with nothing but a knife. And I survived! I've survived deserts and jungles and frozen wastelands, I've survived slavers and gangsters, I've survived Imperials and bounty-hunters, and I've survived worse than you. I survive!'

And she went on with burning anger and accusation, working herself into the state she'd need to be in to accept these lunatic idea. 'So, if you want to say I'm not strong, that I'm not worthy of life, then you can ride to hell on a gutkurr with a saddle made of bees! I will choose the contest. You have to prove yourself to me!'

'Now gimme me the goddess-damned stick!'

When Lyla shared her history the crystal tribe listened in rapt attention when she stepped forward the hulking crystal humanoid that the other named Iponta bowed his head and his crystal eyes shone bright "you ho-nour us Lyl'arahn. I will fight you all if you wish" he lifted his head and extended his arm and touched the base of his spear against the ground. The spear slowly melted into the ground. The tribesman then pounded his chest again and declared "for the great-er life of the tribe!" he reached his hand into the ground, grabbed the end of the spear and dragged it up. It was no longer a spear but a kind of crystal rope about three metres in length.

Iponta offered one end of the rope to Lyla "the first to let go of bas-tas-ka gives up life".

OOC Lyla roll Initiative. If you get higher than 8 Lyla can go first. You are free to do anything except let go of the rope so you can't move. The fight ends one of two ways. One of the fighters can let go of the bastaska or one of them can be knocked out. Whenever a fighter is wounded they have to make an Endurance check, the DC is 10 + the damage taken. Fail the check and you lose your grip and the fight is over.

....Frack. How'd I get into this? Shoulda shut my mouth. Well, if it came to it, they could leg it back into the ship, hold out against the crystal beings, and fight their way back to the Gold. Hopefully the ISC crew would encounter them as well and get into worse trouble. Something was off here though. They'd not said they were offended by the destruction in the canyon, so this wasn't in retaliation for that. And she couldn't believe that the crystal beings killed one of their number whenever two tribes met.

Lyla dropped her blaster rifle, pack, and pilfered items by the entry ramp, keeping only her knife and Puggles Trodd's blaster pistol sheathed at her legs, with a small canister in her pocket. Then she selected one unusual choice of weapon: her trusty ex-military entrenching tool. 'Best fifty credits I ever spent. All it needs is a vibro-function and it's a girl's best friend.' She folded out the pickaxe attachment with some glee. That ought to bash through a tough crystal slab, just as she'd done digging Rynn out.

She returned to find that Iponta had finished planting his spear, somehow transforming it into a pliable crystalline rope. She'd not expected that, and didn't like it. 'If this was for greater life, then you wouldn't be killing folks.' she muttered sourly, rubbing dirt over her hands for a firm grip. Goddess, please take my lost and wandering soul into your hands. She felt oddly calm amidst her desperate anger and fear for her fate. The last Rahn has to die some time. She shoulda died long ago.

Then she grabbed the crystalline rope, twisting it around her wrist and hand to lock it into place. To get the measure of her foe, she struck first and hard, swinging the pick at Iponta's side, then danced back from any retaliation.


OOC: Initiative 22
Attack 13; spend force point, 5; attack 18
Damage 4

The bastaka in his hand the hulking crystal warrior had no way of getting out  of he way of Lyla's fast and fierce attack. Her pickaxe dug into his chest and chipped away at his crystalline skin. Crystal dust and fragments flew into the air. Iponta roared and swung his massive rock fist into the side of Lyla's head in retaliation. The tribal warrior's fist was as hard as Lyla feared it would be and he was the strongest member of his tribe, he had been in many fights for his life.

OOC Lyla takes 8 damage and needs to make an Endurance check DC 18 to keep her grip on the bastaka.

The heavy stone fist cracked her hard in her sensitive brain-tails — oh, right, those — and Lyla momentarily blacked out from pain and dizziness. By the time she got her senses back, she was looking down at an empty left hand, the bastaska gone. 'Cruk.'


OOC: Seriously? First round? Endurance 10, fail. And I was actually trained in it too.
19:41, Today: Lyla Rahn rolled 10 using 1d20+8. endurance check.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:49, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

The ringing in Lyla's brain-tails merged with cheers from the gathered tribespeople as Iponta stood victorious. The hulking crystal knelt down to finish Lyla off but the old shaman waved him away "Lyl'arahn has ho-noured our tribe. Let others that are wor-thy of life come forward" at the command of the tribal elder the big warrior stepped back and held out the crystal rope for his next challenger. The crystal tribespeoples cheering was mute as they waited in anticipation for the next fight.

"Apparently, shooting this ship down was a very good idea... too bad it ended so badly." commented Klyn as they worked on the crypted files.

"Still, there is still more to find, no doubts." he added before going back to work, not really expecting T3 to answer. He was worried about the others outside and talking did help him when stressed. He is used to talk to the ship while working on her, so talking to a droid, even an unresponsive one, was not a problem.

16:31, Today: Klyn Cors rolled 29 using 1d20+9. use computer.

The encryption on the captain's files were only part of the problem, the ship and its computer had suffered serious damage in the landing too. Klyn knew machines and coaxed out some more information ...Have spent an extra week in this sector against orders. Where are the Rebels... The one thing I can be thankful for on this assignment is a loyal crew. They'd probably follow me into the heart of the Rebel fleet... there were other entries Klyn accessed but all of the others simply contained more bile spilled about either the Rebellion or Tonth's desperation to get promoted out of the ISC.

Tera was petrified given she was now due to take hold of the rope. She reached the rope and lifted it carefully in her hands. She had an idea, but it would rely on something she'd not really practiced a lot, but this needed to end quickly and to the benefit of all of her friends or else the Empire would find out about this place and kill everyone here. Tera pulled on the rope experimentally for a few moments before realising she'd never win it fairly. She breathed deeply sending herslef into a calm she'd never experienced before. She hoped that if the crystal person dropped the rope it would not end his life as she closed her eyes. Reaching out to the force, she said "Drop the rope" reaching out to influence Iponta's mind.

23:22, Mon 03 Feb: Tera Inkari rolled 27 using 1d20+9. Mind trick.
I'll use a Force point if necessary to better the result.

Stood with his feet braced and a stern face the great Gutretee warrior held the crystal rope firmly. He beat his chest "for the great-er life of the tribe" he repeated as he enacted the well rehearsed ritual again. Then to the stunned reaction of the Gutretee tribe the rope was dropped. Iponta looked confused as his own hand relaxed and he dropped the bastaska.

He hesitated only a moment though before he knelt down before Tera. The old Gutretee stepped forward "now, new-com-er. Put your hand on de-feat-ed one and take life."

Lyla was still rather dazed as she walked away from Iponta, and not just for the possible head injury. She was in shock at what she'd just gone through, and failed. She could have died in this stupid fight. She still could. Her clever idea for them to weasel out of it had been thwarted by the old shaman's stubbornness. And now Tera was to suffer the same.

Then, amazingly, she won, without a blow. Iponta dropped the rope! Maybe Lyla had hit him harder than she'd thought? 'Huh.' Lyla blurted, then cheered 'Go Tera! Woo! You go, girl!'

Tera paused for a moment wondering about how she would deal with this part of the contest. She walked forward placing her hand on Iponta. "I have won the contest and claim life. I take the life of Iponta, a strong powerful warrior. It would be s hame to waste the life of one so powerful, when so many more might benefit from it. I give Iponta back to your tribe as a gift. So he can show the living proof that our two families are united as one."

"Hmph." Rynn said, scratching his head through his body suit. "Way better than anything I could have planned..." He said with a chuckled. "You don't supposed they can get that crystal off my ship? I can radio for a tow back to the starport for you, and get after those imps, at least warn the starport to lock down outbound flights." he explained.

When Tera laid her hand upon Iponta she felt a tingling sensation. The sensation rushed through her body and her mind was suddenly filled with a flood of images. Tera realised she was seeing the alien warrior's life, through his own eyes: finding mineral deposits in the ground for food, hunting frightening beasts also made of crystal, riding crystal waves across the surface of Isis at fast speeds.

Tera also sees the kind of duel she had just engaged in. Iponta had apparently engaged in several of these and in each of the fights he won many more images were added to the warrior's memories - images of the defeated warriors' lives. Suddenly Tera realised that none of these fights ended in death - the loser gave up copies of their memories, not their life.

Near the end of this incredible sequence of images Tera sees the Imperial scout ship racing down the canyon trailing smoke, then crashing landing at the bottom of the canyon as Rynn blew apart the canyon walls. Apparently Iponta had been watching from the top of the cliff. Tera sees through Iponta's memories the Imperial survey team as they left their ship and headed away down the canyon on their skiff, moving too quickly for the tribe to intercept or challenge. Tera also sees images of the Alabak's Gold crashing and the X-wing being buried.

When the exchange of memories was completed a great cheer went up from the whole tribe of Gutretees. The old Gutretee walked over to Lyla. The old shaman laid a hand on her. The crystal hand was cool to touch but as the contact was maintained Lyla felt a great warmth and her injuries rapidly healed. In contrast cracks appeared on the dull and worn skin of the shaman. When Lyla was recovered the shaman then did the same for Iponta, the chip Lyla had taken out of Iponta's shoulder transferred to the shaman.

Recovered Iponta eyed Tera oddly then shrugged his massive shoulders and went to hug Lyla "it is good to fight, eh?" The rest of the tribes also came over and greeted them. Many of them slapping Tera and Lyla on the back.

OOC Lyla regains 6 hit points as the shaman uses Vital Transfer. The shaman 3 damage.

Tera gains a +5 circumstance bonus on any Knowledges check concerning Isis and the Gutretees.

Lyla had an eye on Tera's ceremony as she answered Rynn quietly. 'You're lucky you didn't have to fight...' she said, rubbing the tender side of her head. She'd get a mighty bruise later. 'If they can make those bastaska all flexible and surf crystal waves, then they must be able to get your ship out. If they wanted to. But do you really think it would still work? It's probably crushed now.'

She watched with concern as Tera held her hand on Iponta's head a little too long, seemingly in some kind of trace. Should she pull her away? This seemed normal to crystal beings. Fortunately, it soon came to end, with some cheering too. She hoped that meant things were going well.

Then the old shaman touched her, and the pain in her head and the aches and bumps across her body all faded away. Lyla gasped in surprise, feeling the breath of the Goddess flood through her. Then she watched in horror as her injuries were transferred to the old shaman. 'You didn't have to do that.' she said dumbly, not sure what else to say before he left to do the same for Iponta. Lyla winced to see her pick-wound appearing on the old one. She hoped the dull and cracked creature could heal all that.

Because Iponta's crushing hug and all the friendly pounds on the back she was receiving threatened to do her in again. 'Ow! Easy, I'm all squishy, not hard like you.' she complained, though she laughed with joy and relief that they'd ended this peacefully.

Tera bowed in front of Iponta. "Thank you for the gift. I shall treasure it always." She turned to face the shaman. "Your tribe faced the Imperial vessels crew and saw them escape on a skiff to the spaceport. Do you have any means of transportation that would allow us to get there?"

Oglo had watched the two ritual battles with detached interest.  He couldn't help but think these crystal people were savage.  They needed to develop a different form of honor that didn't involve rising to tests of strength.  There is more to life than strength.  The fact that no one dies if they lose was beyond the point.  One lucky shot and that big beast of a tribesman could have smashed Lyla's head like a melon.  They're squishier than these crystal people presume.  If this was their idea of life, Oglo wanted nothing of it.

Now the traditional tribal greetings had been performed the crystal people were friendly. The old shaman told you his name was Yustavan. Yustavan nodded his head to Tera "we can travel there by wave" he replied.

"I'd like to find out if it will fly or not, if the armor can handle space battles, I'm sure a little crystal didn't break it." Rynn said to the Twi'lek, as he moved over to the rest of the gaggle. "Waves are well and good, but I'd like to fly there... do you think you can help unbury my ship?" He asked the shaman. "I really need to warn the starport about what happened with the Imps."

Once she'd been put down by Iponta, and stretched herself back into shape, Lyla joined Tera and Yustavan, feeling rather wobbly. 'How long would it take to get there by... "wave"?' she asked curiously, wondering if this wave was safe and fast enough to get them where they needed to go, or if the ship wouldn't be more reliable. If Klyn and T3-M8 could get it working again. 'And, are you able to help us put our ship the right way up?' she asked carefully, not wanting to demand too much of the crystal people — Gutretee, she'd learned.

'Uh, by the way, we're sorry for the damage to your canyon.' she added, a little sheepishly.