ΜØŦĦ€Ř Đ€ΔŘ is a sims story in which the motherplant isn’t a captive in crater lab, but a crime boss residing in her own fortified lair. To achieve this end, I transplanted the Strangerville mystery into the Star Wars setting. One group of my sims is closely associated with mother, another group, led by George Cahill, opposes her. Given my setup, George cannot just wander into an abandoned lab and start spraying herbicide around, he’ll have be more resourceful.Will he succeed in rooting out the crime queen and if so, at what cost?Read on to find out!FAQI don’t like Star WarsSpoiler (Highlight to read)In this case it’s a coin toss whether you’ll like this story or not. It depends on what exactly you dislike about the franchise. There will be no space battles, but definitely sim on sims violence, organized crime, a military hierarchy and reflections about the Force.When I started writing the story, I didn’t own JtB yet, therefore my sims spent the first half of book one in Strangerville, San Myshuno and Sulani. In this case it’s a coin toss whether you’ll like this story or not. It depends on what exactly you dislike about the franchise. There will be no space battles, but definitely sim on sims violence, organized crime, a military hierarchy and reflections about the Force.When I started writing the story, I didn’t own JtB yet, therefore my sims spent the first half of book one in Strangerville, San Myshuno and Sulani. I don’t know Star WarsSpoiler (Highlight to read)If you never heard the first thing about Star Wars, then surprisingly you need only two informations to follow this story: A space faring evil empire is bent on world conquest and there is a mystical energy field that connects all living beings. Some sims can tap into it to gain occult powers.That said, I’ll make sure to give a brief one or two sentence introduction when a Star Wars concept, official character or organization gets mentioned for the first time.If you never heard the first thing about Star Wars, then surprisingly you need only two informations to follow this story: A space faring evil empire is bent on world conquest and there is a mystical energy field that connects all living beings. Some sims can tap into it to gain occult powers.That said, I’ll make sure to give a brief one or two sentence introduction when a Star Wars concept, official character or organization gets mentioned for the first time.I don’t like StrangervilleSpoiler (Highlight to read)The chance that you will enjoy this story is very small. The whole second book deals with the mystery and unlike Star Wars, that only donated the setting, the Strangerville plot will always be present even when the sims are in different worlds. The chance that you will enjoy this story is very small. The whole second book deals with the mystery and unlike Star Wars, that only donated the setting, the Strangerville plot will always be present even when the sims are in different worlds. Your sims’ names sound familiarSpoiler (Highlight to read)You’re right, of course. In addition to the Strangerville premades I borrowed characters from Detroit: Become Human and Fire Emblem 7, with FE’s Brendan Reed and DBH’s Gavin Reed being the link between the two casts. If you played either game, you’ll have a good idea already how the sims will act in this story. Their looks aren’t correct, though, and this being a PG13 forum, I toned down their cussing. You’re right, of course. In addition to the Strangerville premades I borrowed characters from Detroit: Become Human and Fire Emblem 7, with FE’s Brendan Reed and DBH’s Gavin Reed being the link between the two casts. If you played either game, you’ll have a good idea already how the sims will act in this story. Their looks aren’t correct, though, and this being a PG13 forum, I toned down their cussing. Is this the same story you currently link to in your signature?No, this is an older one. The two tales are not connected (other than using the Star Wars setting).Table of contents:Book 1: Journey to Batuu https://64.media.tumblr.com/ae3687e99604359848a0271ea7bef50c/9b8e7a95936d38aa-75/s1280x1920/c0d5feed5370befeff3560f750ec05b41df633b0.pnjBook 2: Godmother strikes back https://64.media.tumblr.com/369d8b1053dd9f1d2fa23f24762ecd0f/6dee7214b967f22f-24/s2048x3072/5304aad5149e931358d99ecb0d860680389b6776.pnjBook 3: The rise of O’Malley - WIP(no pic yet)

Book 1: The journey to BatuuA long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…https://64.media.tumblr.com/60217c73ea246ec3f760eb226e6ab8a7/392d962a29043c13-8e/s1280x1920/c560d5adab66afb6595774709f8247e84e85a835.pngTanglewood is a planet with a cough-inducing, spores filled atmosphere generated by a powerful being known only as The Godmother. https://64.media.tumblr.com/68e01c34bc9a61a16899970d9d8992e5/392d962a29043c13-c1/s1280x1920/60ae7a09c2f8c1960ea1820368880f3f1604fc81.pngGodmother rules her vast crime empire by means of an army of possessed sims who have eaten her fruit. The craftiest of those agents operate even in the polar regions, where Godmother’s spores cannot survive. There is an official government in San Myshuno, but for all practical purposes Godmother owns the planet.https://64.media.tumblr.com/48dc9ce057d6a195ef04a71e4bbd79fc/392d962a29043c13-f6/s1280x1920/25d5ed7a250c4d67d6de5209b496ff423a50e7ad.pngThe space pirate Gavin Dree of the Black Fang is one of Godmother’s many minions, a favored retainer, but not possessed. Captain Dree has just returned from a successful raid and gotten granted the honor of getting received by Godmother herself in her underground lair, the Planter Pot.https://64.media.tumblr.com/a37b284f7e74adc203f77f7ac1ca35b0/8755ab20219f42c4-2a/s2048x3072/2c2e8722a095f029a120b0d1c517be85813c673e.pnjGavin coughs as he enters The Planterbox’s innermost chamber. The spores get sucked out through the now open door, to disperse through the many tunnels before eventually settling down. Only the strongest will reach the surface and contribute to saturating Tanglewood’s atmosphere, in effect turning the whole planet into an extension of Godmother’s body. It is said that she can sense everything that happens everywhere and send her vines to any place in a moment’s notice. (The actual extent of Godmother’s powers is unknown, of course, but it might not be that much smaller than what the legends make of it.)https://64.media.tumblr.com/37070062e78df3d976fc8fd218b03a3b/8755ab20219f42c4-cd/s2048x3072/94baaa36a1b87356f2eda39d6d6ccbbd8359267b.pnjIt takes time until the spores concentration in the room is thin enough to breath, let alone speak, normally. Despite not being negatively affected herself, the plant creature waits for her human retainer to recover, before she opens the conversation:“ΔĦ, Μ¥ Đ€ΔŘ ĆΔƤŦΔƗŇ ĐŘ€€ Ř€ŦỮŘŇŞ! Ɨ ŦŘỮŞŦ ¥ØỮŘ ĴØỮŘŇ€¥ Ŵ€ŇŦ Ŵ€ŁŁ?”https://64.media.tumblr.com/3b589d78b1fb9c425d7ec21e7fa6d1d1/8755ab20219f42c4-20/s2048x3072/8ebf075a369bb98c9f27e27afc195e4ed61ce305.pnj“You already know this, don’t you? The goods have been delivered to your warehouse in full.”“Đ€ŁƗV€Ř€Đ, ƗŇŞƤ€ĆŦ€Đ, ΔŇĐ ƤΔƗĐ ₣ØŘ. ŦĦ€ βỮŁҜ ΔŞ ΔǤŘ€€Đ ỮƤØŇ ƗŇ ǤΔŁΔĆŦƗĆ ĆŘ€ĐƗŦŞ ŦØ ŦĦ€ Đ€ŞƗǤŇΔŦ€Đ ΔĆĆØỮŇŦ, ΔŇĐ Δ ₣ŘΔĆŦƗØŇ ƗŇ ŁØĆΔŁ ĆỮŘŘ€ŇĆ¥. ĦΔV€ ₣ỮŇ ŞƤ€ŇĐƗŇǤ ƗŦ!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/c65dc61ba9f6bd5eb5301bf6d18c02a0/8755ab20219f42c4-6b/s2048x3072/5a9088830e55fddec4be6df86024b6929fc3e245.pnj“Hehe, we will, mom, we will!”Gavin chuckles. His step-mother being a voluntary vessel of Godmother's, sometimes it is hard to tell the two apart. But the Captain counts himself lucky that both women, the human and the plant, harbor motherly affection for him. He and his crew may be reviled in parts of the galaxy, but here on Tanglewood everything is well. Life is good and keeps getting better.https://64.media.tumblr.com/99cd5576f44fe18620aca900c60e3c58/3c94a9bea1541124-8e/s2048x3072/f20caf3c4cfaf0666858faa1e18bc51d8cdda4cb.pnj“ΔŇĐ ŞƗŇĆ€ ¥ØỮ Ŵ€Ř€ ΔβŁ€ ŦØ ƤŘØĆỮŘ€ ŦĦ€ ǤØØĐŞ ŞØ ΩỮƗĆҜŁ¥…”https://64.media.tumblr.com/62bc62b824a63f1f72171b6074ef1cd5/3c94a9bea1541124-9d/s2048x3072/4843e26aa71d83209ad6844b25268d522b4ff9fc.pnj“ĦΔV€ Δ βØŇỮŞ!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/edb394e441fe26d5cddc549f69ff575a/3c94a9bea1541124-dd/s2048x3072/3e9e84a2c3fe5e9f24693de71c7bdfaf911a9b80.pnj“Ah… ha… nah! With all due respect, but I must refuse. My brain is of more use to you when it’s controlled by myself. Besides, I have to pilot the Black Fang!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/0eacf7ff00d57894790cac2f29418c29/abb0af5c3b0704eb-e0/s2048x3072/39278d776c20117daf0f39a68e144e6bec042e01.pnj“ŞØ ĆØŇ₣ƗĐ€ŇŦ? ΜĦΜ-ΜĦΜ…”“Huh? Whoa!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/a9f0fe8665d19b278dcdca94814e2dca/abb0af5c3b0704eb-2c/s2048x3072/86be7ab673fa4be1c75243d1630ed9e8554bfbc3.pnj“I strongly urge you to reconsider, Godmother! At least let me spend that money you just paid me in one of your entertainment palace’s before you take my body over!”That still is the plan, yes? Gavin wonders with increasing panic. Godmother hasn’t decided to just eat him? Is that the consequence of refusing to serve as a vessel? “One way or another you’ll be mine, and if it’s not the one, then the other”?https://64.media.tumblr.com/f5136c738ff8150240c7b698c8dc4e6d/abb0af5c3b0704eb-3c/s2048x3072/54cf60b5b875d33dfa659a33c04a5778e5e4a13b.pnj“¥ØỮ ΔŘ€ ƗŇĐ€€Đ ΜØŘ€ VΔŁỮΔβŁ€ ŴĦ€Ň ƗŇĐ€Ƥ€ŇĐ€ŇŦ. ŞĦΔŘƤ, ĆŘ€ΔŦƗV€, βỮŦ ₣ΔŘ ₣ŘØΜ ŦĦ€ Ǥ€ŇƗỮŞ ¥ØỮ β€ŁƗ€V€ ¥ØỮŘŞ€Ł₣ ŦØ β€.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/dd04248e748b062c3c311e36f1444f32/abb0af5c3b0704eb-dd/s2048x3072/44da0cab0186668f04a4400f8e72d788eb184277.pnj“ØŇ€ ĐΔ¥ ¥ØỮ ŴƗŁŁ ₣ΔƗŁ, ΔŇĐ ŦĦ€Ň Ɨ’ŁŁ ŞŦƗŁŁ β€ Ħ€Ř€, Ø₣₣€ŘƗŇǤ €ŇĐŁ€ŞŞ ₣ØŘǤƗV€Ň€ŞŞ ΔŇĐ ŦĦ€ Ř€ŁƗ€VƗŇǤ ØβŁƗVƗØŇ Ø₣ β€ĆØΜƗŇǤ ƤΔŘŦ Ø₣ ŦĦ€ Μ¥Ć€ŁƗỮΜ.”Come to think of it, Captain Dree's life might not be that good, after all. But it will go on, and that's the important part.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/fb542eef4c36a71bd68f19ed34269266/ed1ceecacf1f19bb-12/s2048x3072/98680e2ddf491867ecadb5b0f74ea063edacfb25.pnjOutside the crater, but still within sight of it, the “Four Fangs”, have set up camp. This is what Gavin’s ragtag band of scoundrels calls themselves, after their spaceship, the Black Fang. There is young Shir, whom Gavin remembers running runny-nosed after him and his childhood buddy, Nita, begging to get included into their games and schemes. Well, now he is, and nobody in the region would call Shir’s choice of career anything other than smart. On Tanglewood, working for Godmother garners a person respect. While Nita doesn’t care about such technicalities, Shir and Gavin stress that they are not pirates, but officially licensed privateers of Godmother. On most of the planet their status gets the fangs into the best clubs, free drinks from admirers included, and in San Myshuno it allows them to at least move about freely without the law enforcement breathing down their neck at every step.Out of sight right now Hank can be heard tinkering, assisted by an R6 droid. The faithful little robot is a regular crew member, yet it doesn’t get included in the “Four Fangs” count.https://64.media.tumblr.com/726a4a9ddbc1e402b30caacdbc030c6d/ed1ceecacf1f19bb-23/s2048x3072/58a576d721131fac819a535183a68568fbcee6ce.pnjFirst thing Gavin does after rejoining his comrades is kicking the droid.Gavin: “Stupid things!”Shir: “Why do you hate droids so much, Captain?”Spoiler (Highlight to read)https://64.media.tumblr.com/43cbe006ac9eef9f5e089813a7ea5697/ed1ceecacf1f19bb-f7/s2048x3072/baa3325de009913a3d0598fbbbce22450f2386b9.pnjNita: “Because they can easily do his job and ours, too.“While R6-TV returns to scanning the old car graveyard for still salvageable components, Gavin frowns at his friend.Gavin: “That’s not funny, Nita. It’s a very real possibility.”Nita: “Aw, don’t fret, friend! Droids are kinda expensive, plus, they don’t procreate. There’ll always be need for human slaves!”Shir: “Now THAT will ease the Captain’s mind, I’m sure!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/27dce867d46c890cfc496fa3293490da/3d371cb626249f17-e2/s2048x3072/bcf0aa179248171e7f546a2049f7c7c0a293bb63.pnjThe trio approaches their fourth member. Hank Sonderan is the oldest and most experienced fang, but not the leader. Not a follower, either. Hank comes and goes, usually showing up three minutes before launch, his breath smelling of nectar, and is sobered up enough by the time the pirates have located prey to do his part during the raid. As of late Hank has taken a fancy to a vehicle graveyard he has discovered in the prairie. The remnants of a simpler time speak to the pirate, because he pictures it as a better one. Had Hank lived in the era where those motorbikes were in use, he’d probably dreamed himself back into horse carriage days.https://64.media.tumblr.com/7008df8ffa09c9d1955e68acca521304/3d371cb626249f17-2f/s2048x3072/f60a4d06470afd532f8600eba50ba196ed14cd32.pnjHank: “I’m off to meet our contact. The Twi’lek who wants to buy all those goodies from our haul that Godmother had no interest in.”Shir: “But didn’t we learn that she has ties to the Knights of Ren? We really shouldn’t have that intimate dealings with them or the First Order!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/99a803b39c87385553ae3d032be67c50/3d371cb626249f17-aa/s2048x3072/2170033ec860dcef778b8d5a2fa3fdbd54b77543.pnjGavin: “Do you want to stay a filthy pirate forever or want your son to be proud of you, Shir? Me, I’ll go places, just you wait! There’s a Hutt whose crime empire has my name on it. But to secure it, we’ll need assistance.”Gavin’s ambitions transcend those of the average space pirate. Being Captain with his own ship, even if he could upgrade that to a small fleet, will never be enough for him. Trouble is, Godmother won’t help Gavin achieve his goal, as she’d lose a valuable pawn if the human became her same-ranked ally.https://64.media.tumblr.com/b2cae206fc991f88dd103eb26cb3ed72/944fe4a60e54199f-04/s2048x3072/19d195658e500c171d2c4a56a252c12119c00b86.pnjGavin: “You sure you don’t want to ride a landspeeder to the capital?”Hank: “No way! I’ve been waiting to see what those bad babes are capable of ever since we started cobbling them together!”Gavin: “Just don’t crash it. First selling the vintage bike, then getting nectar’d!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/beeaf4316559ef6d40aa7cac7e86869a/944fe4a60e54199f-bf/s2048x3072/6674a26a32fc258f7507e933ba1a406d147e57ef.pnjHank: “Say… when you said “assistance”… You are not that big a fool to ponder allying with the Knights of Ren, are you?”Gavin: “Nope. Each of them is a force adept, plus, it’s an open secret that they receive much of their funding from Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order. The knights are out of our league and will still be after we’ve settled down as the new lords of Mos Eir.”Hank: “That’s your only objection? That they make you feel small?”Gavin: “Yeah, yeah, I know, the world is bad, I’m the worst, and it’s nectar time again. Just make sure to…”Hank: “…sell the bike first, check. Take care out here, kids.”Gavin: “Same to you, old fossil. Godspeed!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/0c62029c2de48014bd3fde9b78f55240/f1fd2c6ca851a57e-f7/s2048x3072/294046df3f00ccde24eba8093e7a94555da8db5d.pnjShir: “Why are you calling Hank a fossil all the time? He’s not that old, you know. Just greyed early.”Gavin: “Yeah, I know. It’s not an age-thing at all, more like him belonging to another era. Hank used to be a big thing in the rebel alliance, a *beep*ing officer, highly decorated and respected.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/2b2eaba4b1e83689177cb20e92e962fb/f1fd2c6ca851a57e-61/s2048x3072/68931bf5b2afb98827c9ad17bd14f6c9b542a85f.pnjShir: “I didn’t know that. What made him leave the do-gooders?” Gavin: “His little son died in, I dunno, an airstrike, I think, while Hank was fighting at some other front. That broke him and now what’s left of the man lives on the bottom of an empty nectar bottle. It’s a shame, really…”https://64.media.tumblr.com/43cbe006ac9eef9f5e089813a7ea5697/ed1ceecacf1f19bb-f7/s2048x3072/baa3325de009913a3d0598fbbbce22450f2386b9.pnjNita: “Because they can easily do his job and ours, too.“While R6-TV returns to scanning the old car graveyard for still salvageable components, Gavin frowns at his friend.Gavin: “That’s not funny, Nita. It’s a very real possibility.”Nita: “Aw, don’t fret, friend! Droids are kinda expensive, plus, they don’t procreate. There’ll always be need for human slaves!”Shir: “Now THAT will ease the Captain’s mind, I’m sure!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/27dce867d46c890cfc496fa3293490da/3d371cb626249f17-e2/s2048x3072/bcf0aa179248171e7f546a2049f7c7c0a293bb63.pnjThe trio approaches their fourth member. Hank Sonderan is the oldest and most experienced fang, but not the leader. Not a follower, either. Hank comes and goes, usually showing up three minutes before launch, his breath smelling of nectar, and is sobered up enough by the time the pirates have located prey to do his part during the raid. As of late Hank has taken a fancy to a vehicle graveyard he has discovered in the prairie. The remnants of a simpler time speak to the pirate, because he pictures it as a better one. Had Hank lived in the era where those motorbikes were in use, he’d probably dreamed himself back into horse carriage days.https://64.media.tumblr.com/7008df8ffa09c9d1955e68acca521304/3d371cb626249f17-2f/s2048x3072/f60a4d06470afd532f8600eba50ba196ed14cd32.pnjHank: “I’m off to meet our contact. The Twi’lek who wants to buy all those goodies from our haul that Godmother had no interest in.”Shir: “But didn’t we learn that she has ties to the Knights of Ren? We really shouldn’t have that intimate dealings with them or the First Order!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/99a803b39c87385553ae3d032be67c50/3d371cb626249f17-aa/s2048x3072/2170033ec860dcef778b8d5a2fa3fdbd54b77543.pnjGavin: “Do you want to stay a filthy pirate forever or want your son to be proud of you, Shir? Me, I’ll go places, just you wait! There’s a Hutt whose crime empire has my name on it. But to secure it, we’ll need assistance.”Gavin’s ambitions transcend those of the average space pirate. Being Captain with his own ship, even if he could upgrade that to a small fleet, will never be enough for him. Trouble is, Godmother won’t help Gavin achieve his goal, as she’d lose a valuable pawn if the human became her same-ranked ally.https://64.media.tumblr.com/b2cae206fc991f88dd103eb26cb3ed72/944fe4a60e54199f-04/s2048x3072/19d195658e500c171d2c4a56a252c12119c00b86.pnjGavin: “You sure you don’t want to ride a landspeeder to the capital?”Hank: “No way! I’ve been waiting to see what those bad babes are capable of ever since we started cobbling them together!”Gavin: “Just don’t crash it. First selling the vintage bike, then getting nectar’d!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/beeaf4316559ef6d40aa7cac7e86869a/944fe4a60e54199f-bf/s2048x3072/6674a26a32fc258f7507e933ba1a406d147e57ef.pnjHank: “Say… when you said “assistance”… You are not that big a fool to ponder allying with the Knights of Ren, are you?”Gavin: “Nope. Each of them is a force adept, plus, it’s an open secret that they receive much of their funding from Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order. The knights are out of our league and will still be after we’ve settled down as the new lords of Mos Eir.”Hank: “That’s your only objection? That they make you feel small?”Gavin: “Yeah, yeah, I know, the world is bad, I’m the worst, and it’s nectar time again. Just make sure to…”Hank: “…sell the bike first, check. Take care out here, kids.”Gavin: “Same to you, old fossil. Godspeed!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/0c62029c2de48014bd3fde9b78f55240/f1fd2c6ca851a57e-f7/s2048x3072/294046df3f00ccde24eba8093e7a94555da8db5d.pnjShir: “Why are you calling Hank a fossil all the time? He’s not that old, you know. Just greyed early.”Gavin: “Yeah, I know. It’s not an age-thing at all, more like him belonging to another era. Hank used to be a big thing in the rebel alliance, a *beep*ing officer, highly decorated and respected.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/2b2eaba4b1e83689177cb20e92e962fb/f1fd2c6ca851a57e-61/s2048x3072/68931bf5b2afb98827c9ad17bd14f6c9b542a85f.pnjShir: “I didn’t know that. What made him leave the do-gooders?” Gavin: “His little son died in, I dunno, an airstrike, I think, while Hank was fighting at some other front. That broke him and now what’s left of the man lives on the bottom of an empty nectar bottle. It’s a shame, really…”

This story sounds interesting! Bookmarked.

Thank you, @Sims4MagicalTales ! I enjoyed breathing life into the motherplant a lot.

Tanglewood, despite being dominated by Godmother’s spores, isn’t exactly a one-biome planet. The north and south polar regions have a cold enough climate that doesn’t allow her spores to survive. Here a number of city-states can be found, the largest of them being San Myshuno, that also houses the planet’s only space port. https://64.media.tumblr.com/d54a3cfe2a7152a33ea2e91910607821/a54dd232425f3212-b6/s2048x3072/2c484c082350027e09d385508f684418b4b63b54.pnjBecause of its importance for commerce, San Myshuno is affectionally called “the capital” by the people of Tanglewood. In truth, the city state is rather isolationist and would drop everyone but their own settlements on a moment’s notice if it benefited from that.Spoiler (Highlight to read)https://64.media.tumblr.com/1aadd3353ef1efa5f26bf28d0645db1f/a54dd232425f3212-f7/s1280x1920/9a80c029dca9670548b6ff2fa472927954845e17.pnjWhen Hank arrives in town, he regrets not having donned a warm coat for several hours already. He severely needs a full meal, a schnaps and a warm bed. At least the first item on this list has to get satisfied before meeting the fence.https://64.media.tumblr.com/de69cac5a093ebd965391113d9d1a31f/a54dd232425f3212-82/s2048x3072/c0565c9b9618b703a6e1ea87ea72b0189f09a6a6.pnjA junior officer of the First Order in casual uniform hogs the vendor stall, a reminder of their far-reaching influence. In a galaxy full of turmoil, the First Order has risen from the ashes of the old Empire, that in turn had succeeded the Old Republic. Gone for a mere two generations now, the republic already seems like a myth to the people. The First Order had deemed many a banner to flock to, until it had become apparent that the order they brought was a stifling one that suffocated individualism. Their idea of combating poverty was to pay a small sum for every toddler that was given to the military for lifelong indoctrination. The result was a more costly than normal, but scarily efficient army.Hank tries his best to ignore the officer when he approaches the stall.Vendor: “Hello and welcome to San Myshuno! What would you like? We have a great iceberg salad today!”Danilo: “Can recommend!”Hank: “You know what? I’ll buy one. The one this man here hasn’t paid for, to be precise. And a spicy soup for myself.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/9201ef422162fb8afc5103bb20e36c42/405eebb60b251fd2-2c/s2048x3072/1d108baa9040ced43e6b6dc04c5d59beacd9a1d4.pnjHank hasn’t completely finished his Hot & Sour soup, when he sees the fence pass by. The woman stops briefly, smiles and waves. https://64.media.tumblr.com/1f204f61c19894ee64eb2fa2e01e7c54/405eebb60b251fd2-ea/s2048x3072/06089604f0b1ed82945de3fae6a6ea7e1ca2dc3f.pnjThe gesture could be meant for any person on the square and Hank makes sure to not follow immediately after having seen it. Only after wiping the last bit of soup with a piece of bread and returning the empty bowl to the vendor, does he casually stroll into the same direction as the Twi’lek.In Hank’s back the Lieutenant takes out his comlink. https://64.media.tumblr.com/0dba48369032e67db97633d6c790a399/405eebb60b251fd2-bb/s2048x3072/720b14522d13a16092a12ecd9c3685ee4896916c.pnjHank had noticed in passing the marks that looked like scars on a casual glance. On closer inspection they would have turned out to be assembly joints. Except for half of an arm, this man’s limbs are robotic prostheses, and the same goes for his right eye. He is more machine than human.“PL-600 here, Sir Ren. Target approaching.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/5739becc16c1ccac6267109194ce1d07/dd5a9a949fdd0244-0d/s2048x3072/1b282c2136ca7c17bfdddda9177e4e3511623a19.pnjAfter a few meters, the Twi’lek breaks into a dash. Hank gives chase, but isn’t a match for an at least twenty years younger scoundrel, especially not one who knows every nook and shortcut in San Myshuno’s space port district.“You want me to be out of breath for the haggling, don’t you?” the space pirate curses under his breath. “Congrats! You just raised the price of the goodies.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/ce155f6a4c12325b06c8bba7de42a858/dd5a9a949fdd0244-68/s2048x3072/440516eb310e06a92c7d5ea23522f82fed1d9a9c.pnj“Alright, gal, here I am! Real talk n… No… No way… Not YOU!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/e8bb098dfcf0e313896b59a756dc7ed2/dd5a9a949fdd0244-ed/s2048x3072/b33c5108be2427b4fe5efd5ee985fdab9c3f6541.pnjThe Twi’lek is nowhere to be seen anymore. Having done her part, she has slinked into an alley. No one wants to be present when Roan Ren deals with a target, after all.Of all the Knighs of Ren, Roan is an oddity in that he is just as ruthless, albeit less emotional than the rest. His force sensitivity also leans greatly towards subtle mind powers. A supreme assassin, these two traits nonetheless impede Roan’s advancement to the point where he is seen as still a squire by Kylo Ren.https://64.media.tumblr.com/7351cf93536becd14664cc7f20858deb/dd5a9a949fdd0244-01/s2048x3072/4ab09a13d099049bfbfc0a4ff217cbe7b57d72c8.pnjHank, to the contrary, sees only one thing in Roan: The murderer of his son. This mask was the last thing six year old Cole Anderson had seen in his life.https://64.media.tumblr.com/1aadd3353ef1efa5f26bf28d0645db1f/a54dd232425f3212-f7/s1280x1920/9a80c029dca9670548b6ff2fa472927954845e17.pnjWhen Hank arrives in town, he regrets not having donned a warm coat for several hours already. He severely needs a full meal, a schnaps and a warm bed. At least the first item on this list has to get satisfied before meeting the fence.https://64.media.tumblr.com/de69cac5a093ebd965391113d9d1a31f/a54dd232425f3212-82/s2048x3072/c0565c9b9618b703a6e1ea87ea72b0189f09a6a6.pnjA junior officer of the First Order in casual uniform hogs the vendor stall, a reminder of their far-reaching influence. In a galaxy full of turmoil, the First Order has risen from the ashes of the old Empire, that in turn had succeeded the Old Republic. Gone for a mere two generations now, the republic already seems like a myth to the people. The First Order had deemed many a banner to flock to, until it had become apparent that the order they brought was a stifling one that suffocated individualism. Their idea of combating poverty was to pay a small sum for every toddler that was given to the military for lifelong indoctrination. The result was a more costly than normal, but scarily efficient army.Hank tries his best to ignore the officer when he approaches the stall.Vendor: “Hello and welcome to San Myshuno! What would you like? We have a great iceberg salad today!”Danilo: “Can recommend!”Hank: “You know what? I’ll buy one. The one this man here hasn’t paid for, to be precise. And a spicy soup for myself.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/9201ef422162fb8afc5103bb20e36c42/405eebb60b251fd2-2c/s2048x3072/1d108baa9040ced43e6b6dc04c5d59beacd9a1d4.pnjHank hasn’t completely finished his Hot & Sour soup, when he sees the fence pass by. The woman stops briefly, smiles and waves. https://64.media.tumblr.com/1f204f61c19894ee64eb2fa2e01e7c54/405eebb60b251fd2-ea/s2048x3072/06089604f0b1ed82945de3fae6a6ea7e1ca2dc3f.pnjThe gesture could be meant for any person on the square and Hank makes sure to not follow immediately after having seen it. Only after wiping the last bit of soup with a piece of bread and returning the empty bowl to the vendor, does he casually stroll into the same direction as the Twi’lek.In Hank’s back the Lieutenant takes out his comlink. https://64.media.tumblr.com/0dba48369032e67db97633d6c790a399/405eebb60b251fd2-bb/s2048x3072/720b14522d13a16092a12ecd9c3685ee4896916c.pnjHank had noticed in passing the marks that looked like scars on a casual glance. On closer inspection they would have turned out to be assembly joints. Except for half of an arm, this man’s limbs are robotic prostheses, and the same goes for his right eye. He is more machine than human.“PL-600 here, Sir Ren. Target approaching.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/5739becc16c1ccac6267109194ce1d07/dd5a9a949fdd0244-0d/s2048x3072/1b282c2136ca7c17bfdddda9177e4e3511623a19.pnjAfter a few meters, the Twi’lek breaks into a dash. Hank gives chase, but isn’t a match for an at least twenty years younger scoundrel, especially not one who knows every nook and shortcut in San Myshuno’s space port district.“You want me to be out of breath for the haggling, don’t you?” the space pirate curses under his breath. “Congrats! You just raised the price of the goodies.”https://64.media.tumblr.com/ce155f6a4c12325b06c8bba7de42a858/dd5a9a949fdd0244-68/s2048x3072/440516eb310e06a92c7d5ea23522f82fed1d9a9c.pnj“Alright, gal, here I am! Real talk n… No… No way… Not YOU!”https://64.media.tumblr.com/e8bb098dfcf0e313896b59a756dc7ed2/dd5a9a949fdd0244-ed/s2048x3072/b33c5108be2427b4fe5efd5ee985fdab9c3f6541.pnjThe Twi’lek is nowhere to be seen anymore. Having done her part, she has slinked into an alley. No one wants to be present when Roan Ren deals with a target, after all.Of all the Knighs of Ren, Roan is an oddity in that he is just as ruthless, albeit less emotional than the rest. His force sensitivity also leans greatly towards subtle mind powers. A supreme assassin, these two traits nonetheless impede Roan’s advancement to the point where he is seen as still a squire by Kylo Ren.https://64.media.tumblr.com/7351cf93536becd14664cc7f20858deb/dd5a9a949fdd0244-01/s2048x3072/4ab09a13d099049bfbfc0a4ff217cbe7b57d72c8.pnjHank, to the contrary, sees only one thing in Roan: The murderer of his son. This mask was the last thing six year old Cole Anderson had seen in his life.

ΜØŦĦ€Ř Đ€ΔŘ | EA Forums

EnkiSchmidt
Hero
10 months ago
Meanwhile at Tanglewood:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/8a2127ff8fc3cc842392f1c236eea966/a8dd5e9a77ed65fd-4a/s2048x3072/373f92db4e255beeea46ada36a2e3d44f8d9352e.pnj

♪♫ Two moons in the sky, high the way they go ♪♫
♪♫ To their hidden hall, well the way they know ♪♫
♪♫ Wanderers are we, free we find our way ♪♫
♪♫ Through forest over hill… ♪

*RING! RING!*

https://64.media.tumblr.com/b821c8ee8b38d755fdd431bf46b89770/a8dd5e9a77ed65fd-06/s2048x3072/4fab99f6738544148658e8c6c67df64e39788c47.pnj

“Uh, hello?”

“This is an automated message for the Captain of the Black Fang. 106 galactic credits launch fee have just been charged to your account. The transaction is now complete. Thank you for using San Myshuno Spaceport & Facilities, have a pleasant journey & we hope to see you again soon!”

“And people ask why I hate automatons…”

Spoiler

https://64.media.tumblr.com/6f2166fcd34c6f979c8b12a49be247f6/6e480e860edd0f16-26/s2048x3072/eea5fd3bf6685b07ed50b7b5ea37963bff363e40.pnj

Gavin: “Nita! Shir! Tin can! Wake up! The Black Fang has just launched from San Myshuno - without us!”

Shir: “So Hank’s loyalties were with the rebellion, after all.”

R6-TV: *sad, disappointed beeps*

https://64.media.tumblr.com/9165ba14684ea09659be6b73eec61829/6e480e860edd0f16-b2/s2048x3072/539422b3fd356db879b82e7eb7e518d1fe35c0e5.pnj

Gavin: “That makes no sense. We are not sworn enemies of the do-gooders.”

Nita: “So you think the Knights of Ren did us in?”

Gavin: “That makes no sense, either, as we are not a thorn in the knights’ paw. More likely the fence captured Hank for a bounty on whoever’s behalf. We won’t find out if we do not give chase, get the old fossil back and ask him!”

Nita: “What with, pray tell? As you just said yourself, we’re fresh out of a space ship.”

Shir: “Well, there’s always… the Old Penelope!”

The Old Penelope!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/c25950f1a0f0dd1092676d278fa0a13a/9931bba5e5607fc2-34/s2048x3072/6c90aa3e990dce830da399922a728abab94231c4.pnj

Contrary to common belief, the is another space port on the planet, and it is conveniently close to Godmother’s base. The place is run by old Captain Cahill, his half-Mawg son Pries and his household slave, Dart. Both younger men are also expert rocket technicians in old Cpt. Cahill’s image.

Oh, and Whitaker the loyal guard dragog, of course:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a570abfc041ddc7419ae1757c4fa924e/9931bba5e5607fc2-ec/s2048x3072/52af35d4fe4b4185fcbf87175b6e29fee0a75d4a.pnj

This private space port is used by everyone who cannot afford San Myshuno’s fees, or who has to avoid dealings with the planetary governments. Of course this brings such daring (or desperate) souls deep into Godmother’s domain, so whatever business brought the strangers here in the first place often enough it ends with them being without a ship – or literally ends them.

Whenever that happens, George Cahill can add a new heap of plastic and wires to his collection, to use as spare parts to sell to the needy or to upgrade the Old Penelope.

The smuggler Dan Lambert had been such a case, who had his rocketship literally ripped apart by a cloud of spores. He survived by sheer luck and now lives under the name “Dart”, a feeble protection from Godmother’s still smoldering anger at him.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/4532921fcf9e6d9b2596f3880de9b69b/9931bba5e5607fc2-4c/s2048x3072/f7f6ad76c320e5d782619e8011c3d242fa2fffbe.pnj

George: “Can you imagine who just called? The Four Fangs! They’re in serious trouble.”

Pries: “The mommy-boys? Have they finally gotten on their Godmother’s wrong, uh, root?”

George: “We’ll know soon enough…”

Dart: “Their version of the story, anyway.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/09bb17797bd9f7b4388d3767881f6a03/2497c54400b3a6da-5d/s2048x3072/a54114b26d32244f85e7f60cdc9a237f3a137e37.pnj

George: “There they come…”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/b0953596abc72ec4a67ac8e59f582f59/2497c54400b3a6da-9f/s2048x3072/7975f6a0391f38785d193592061f5b5ef8bafd1c.pnj

Pirates… smugglers… con artists… Despite never having crossed the line into crime himself, George Cahill harbors no animosity towards scoundrels. Only the Black Fangs and people like them, who willingly associate with Godmother, are the target of the fringer’s loathing.

For the lady of the Planter Pot is a murderous one, who way too readily snacks on minions who have disappointed her.

George has held people at gunpoint in his life several times and often shudders at the question how he could live with himself, had he been forced to pull the trigger. Through cleverness and force of personality, he has always managed to avoid this.

Now Godmother is by far more cunning and charismatic than himself, George knows, yet she rarely makes this effort. Ruling a crime empire, yet acting on her whims, the motherplant is a fickle, dangerous neighbor.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/6f9db17c11b50a051213a85c174a6782/2497c54400b3a6da-5b/s2048x3072/9a4b27fdba10667ffed03dedfabd5871189d5c7c.pnj

But the Four Fangs not only don’t seem to mind, they even respect their liege.

Couldn’t they at least have the decency to say they needed Godmother’s patronage to afford their lifestyles, while at the same time spitting at her name? How can they drive in her so casually, those “godchildren”, when Pries’ mother had been eaten alive by that monster?
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
10 months ago
https://64.media.tumblr.com/b6bfd4cff3f944948ba8d81e58884c8c/e3f8c140565a651c-17/s2048x3072/2df7f6ae475c73abe6f6880bbc8066e44f637e59.pnj

George: “The Four Fangs… minus one.”

Gavin: “We need to talk. Business.”

George: “And who exactly needs to talk to old and humble Captain Cahill…?”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/acda4c612817ebca739f2963949fd5cf/e3f8c140565a651c-0f/s2048x3072/a85e189aa84e62379cea1da310953b1fe3b7ea75.pnj

Gavin: “Just the Fangs. Were you hoping Godmother was open for you to negotiate for more privileges or afraid she might have sent us to finish you off? That’s not our job. Mom has other, more specialized minions for either of those tasks.”

George: “None of which she adores as much as her Fangs, though.”

Gavin cannot help but notice half of a question mark following the statement. He doesn’t comment on it, but instead casually takes a seat in front of George’s trailer.

Spoiler

https://64.media.tumblr.com/3757cae4a4c26741b58d10fdc8885827/e3f8c140565a651c-31/s2048x3072/20cf699cdc561af882a8f66a894c0c8bd5757c7d.pnj

“So it’s true that you need my help? Wow, thats…”

“Have a fart on it!”

After listening to Gavin’s explanation:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/16637aa5db7edd97fe541e1fae1989ec/5266451a5910d31e-25/s2048x3072/d40a57e88735645adc796ed6e46fad59cffb9aaa.pnj

“So the Four Fangs got marooned. Without a space ship. And also without the only decent human being among them. Why would I want to help you?”

“Because Hank is in trouble! You just admitted that you value him as a person.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/a3b9a049b37e26bcb16f79239c1df4ad/5266451a5910d31e-d2/s2048x3072/f7541073effea72f21647d760b8a681bee5a9755.pnj

“In trouble? Nah. More likely he defected. Again.”

“Agree to disagree, but that’s beside the point. You will want to help me, because I have Godmother’s favor.”

“Prove it!”

“Doubting mom’s love or the kids’ dedication to their family? In any case, foolishness is a privilege of youth, right? You, dear Captain, must feel real young right now. Here - have a look at this!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/ca4ec2108c567f2a8d0bd275944d2c10/5266451a5910d31e-aa/s2048x3072/92dff47416322f2ea79d31f1bfd40cdf313bf031.pnj

“The fruit! Godmother gave you one without forcing you to consume it? She gave you a choice?! AND let you walk away with her gift after you refused to eat it?”

“Grudgingly, like any parent whose career advice gets turned down.”

Not for one moment does George consider that Gavin might have stolen the fruit. That would have meant Godmother’s security was compromised to the point of her empire collapsing any minute now and of that he’d heard.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/39a55605ecf2de6921c5f0473e6da6cb/5266451a5910d31e-62/s2048x3072/4eda12d39a41ff8d4ead11d1435f72ce275da63b.pnj

“Tell you what, Captain Cahill: Certainly you must have made an enemy here or there? You can have the fruit, to use for whatever purpose. On top of the normal charges for passage on your Old Penelope.”

“Tempting, Captain Dree… Alright! Pries and Whitaker will give you a ride. But do you even have an idea where to go?”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/866220ad38bac4d9a62d1daddf401cd5/5266451a5910d31e-ee/s2048x3072/c37d2cacf03f82679b226c0fb7463f9c6ecfbea8.pnj

“Yeah. R6 can track the Black Fang as long as she doesn’t hyperjump, and so far she hasn’t done so. Looks like Hank is headed for Batuu.”

“Ah, makes sense. Whether Hank got abducted or ran off with your ship, Black Spire Outpost on Batuu is the closest rundown settlement where the only question people ask is “How much?”.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/0fda1a431833fab893aec9ebb87a977d/8d73c84ccb01c227-59/s2048x3072/659d29024970956cf4813e964c4fa8645dcdf272.pnj

And so Pries Cahill’s ship, the Barbed Melantho, takes off with her passengers.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
10 months ago
https://64.media.tumblr.com/a7a260566dfaa26e15875d6ada21a7f2/ff80c9e31f7a16ba-a4/s2048x3072/cad6b35d2f0b7857656e810681a672ade94ea536.pnj

On the Barbed Melantho the Four Fangs are itching. During their pursuit of Hank they have passed - and had to pass up - several promising cargo ships as well as another one that had seemed to carry a politician, who’d have fetched a nice ransom.

But time isn’t on their side and Pries Cahill wouldn’t surrender his ship for pirate activity anyway. So it’s coffee and playing Pazaak for the trio day in and day out.

Spoiler

https://64.media.tumblr.com/59b483de4638e8d58e54f856f492a66c/ff80c9e31f7a16ba-71/s2048x3072/d111dc1e21d14ce5fc1182523cbbe4c9929e3960.pnj

One day Pries wakes the trio up early:

“We’re approaching Batuu. Aresix says the Black Fang went down there, so grab your things and dress!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/01beca76df1a2e61d7599014938b83e2/ff80c9e31f7a16ba-e2/s2048x3072/604566dacd86fbcadf5e23d87c7ce77e0d1df4c3.pnj

Nita: “What do you mean, “dress”? We never undressed in the first place.”

Pries: “Well, you’ll want to don a breath mask at the very least. I agreed to take you to Batuu, never said anything about landing there.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/166bed1795048862cd5e6f82f75624db/32ee8f5322565e1c-4a/s2048x3072/5e933e65e55aa2801e002405ca75872dce582c0f.pnj

Planet Batuu (yes, really)

One… two.. three… four splashes disrupt the hitherto serene ocean, but only three bodies surface again.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/e2e635479068fdf045648de9a0e2c473/32ee8f5322565e1c-d4/s2048x3072/06bba6f7414aaf6a6427d5ab18bc83ec093a1cbd.pnj

Gavin: “I can’t believe that mutt just dropped us from midair!”

Shir: “Seriously! Uh, where’s Aresix…?”

Gavin: “Went under like a rock the moment it hit the water. And that’s the only saving grace of this landing.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/85c0a8e7b1fd396227f922d9ea64b1c7/32ee8f5322565e1c-b2/s2048x3072/57a9376ba0d78bb6533b0c802bf7572d24401670.pnj

Nita: “Okay, it’ll just walk on the ocean floor, then. - So where has the tracking device led us? Where did Hank park our ship?”

Shir: “Hopefully not in the middle of an ocean?!”

Gavin: “Nah, we’re close to the shore. And there seems to be a settlement. Looks small… a fishing village, maybe.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/fd6a7cae76f5f8f82ba6d450a37f00e9/32ee8f5322565e1c-09/s2048x3072/3e434aab19bb76232d0b1a16fb4f8a4df6e318e6.pnj

Nita: “I hope they are selling garum! Right at the source it should be dirt-cheap!”
…
Nita: “On second thought, if they did, we’d smelled that by now.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/0b61a0ddc2858d3ccb71c8a825c91814/eb9889ef6f95ae26-7c/s2048x3072/f3e79e3cace904db73b856591a6fb09562a0313c.pnj

As the trio begins to swim towards the shore, suddenly a dark shadow appears beneath Nita and Shirs. It’s growing larger…

Nita: “R6-TV? That you…?”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/1362d8460368df64d66d8a800679378c/eb9889ef6f95ae26-36/s2048x3072/442a6004e1a0d18039568576f4302b32b36a7130.pnj

Gavin: “Whoa! Hold on there, Nita! We’re coming!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/fda144c9b4c08263d18a57adbe15b7e1/eb9889ef6f95ae26-aa/s2048x3072/75e2641bee34424bc79e2d29f228a01eac805cdb.pnj

Struggling against whatever has gotten hold of her, Nita briefly manages to get her head and shoulders above the water.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/8ea0ee853e75200362ac72272dde33e2/eb9889ef6f95ae26-d3/s2048x3072/c9532cdb8c0fc823796905aa97d11b3713f3e3e3.pnj

Shir seizes the chance to grab her and drags her away from the dark spot.

The trio swims on. Have they triggered to a trap, encountered a sea monster or was it simply an accident involving a vortex created by a sunken fish trawler? They’ll probably never learn, or at least not in the next ten minutes.

In any case, with obstacles like that in the water, it looks grim for poor R6-TV.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
As the group hits the shore, they find themselves standing less than hundred meters from a fortified compound.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/702f722e0064a2e9db2671188d3a8dfb/66c15c2546be220a-c9/s2048x3072/2b454580d66e8c88a749a2a44f74cf11a03682ec.pnj

Spoiler

Now isolated villages sometimes sport heavy defense, but these fences and towers give a different vibe. Everything about the place screams “Military Base” and Nita’s encounter with the black blob just now might just have been one of the base's defenses.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/2cc9cf569d1dadf0420490a487a7c0e1/66c15c2546be220a-fc/s2048x3072/be3e1c752532c55cb7a803c7ae21367dca0a2557.pnj

So this is the place where Hank has taken the Black Fang. Has the former officer turned on his pirate-friends, after all?

https://64.media.tumblr.com/7095f536f9f844fd6df75c938109a1e1/eb8a0f727b315006-e3/s2048x3072/1204cddcf4f2e738276c4642cc1fe3a14f208905.pnj

The trio circles the compound. The Force - or just plain luck - must be with them, because three aqua zippers have been taken to shore a little out of sight of the main gate and left there.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/6833ad2210146e320ef874c0f6dc4124/eb8a0f727b315006-45/s2048x3072/f9573de7e60b8b9ed336da1bd0bea31a821f0622.pnj

Of course this could be another trap, but the space pirates shrug off this possibility as unlikely. They quickly cut the aqua jets’ safety cables with their knifes and shove the vehicles into the shallow water.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/82a3defc7e96fb76b08cd9c987e5f10c/eb8a0f727b315006-25/s2048x3072/c6db1d7a49e155e24d487dd5c037a545802a4821.pnj

Shir: “On second glance, this place looks too clean and well maintained to be a rebel base. First Order, more like it. - Yep, there’s their crest, too.”

Hank Sonderan would never willingly ally with the First Order, that much his friends know. And that means he must be held captive in there!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/bb36acd6c34318c3f6c5a3294a772fbc/eb8a0f727b315006-e5/s2048x3072/5877a70e8ac3d82ae8c6f4bb82692bccd56d6a04.pnj

Gavin: “The First Order owes me a space ship AND Hank now. For starters we’ll take these jets as compensation for the Black Fang. And for keeping Hank captive, we might just as well get ourselves their commander!”

Shir: “Wait, are we REBELS now?”

Gavin: “Got a problem with that? I mean, no, of course we aren’t rebels! Only insofar as everyone is, these days.”

Shir and Nita slowly nod. The Fangs are not even card-carrying subjects of the First Order. Nita was born in San Myshuno and the men on farms close to the Planter Pot. Their IDs state “Upper Strangerville” as place of residence and “Citystate of Strangerville/Planet Tanglewood“ as their nationality.

So if they are not citizens of the First Order, then Shir, Nita and Gavin cannot be rebels. That stands to reason. Enemies of the oppressors, now that label the Fangs can live with. But rebels? What an outlandish idea!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/14a3e0a0fa1c7b27d7233b2f7f15d185/36f038ae29607aa1-2d/s2048x3072/bc6683c3013af9e20ef82ce8dcdefb4c436e8ef2.pnj

To free their friend, the Fangs need weapons, at the very least, and for that they’ll have to find their way to a settlement, ideally Black Spire Outpost.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/360173e4bc3139de3740810ec2420e4c/36f038ae29607aa1-88/s2048x3072/13803ab742222632a9add8f4784bf26478dad5f3.pnj

Gavin calls up a map of the planet on the aqua zipper’s computer, when he sees something gleaming in the corner of his eyes. Turns out it is a fish with scales looking as if they were made of gold. Of course they won’t be, but even so, collectors and gourmets might just be interested in paying good money for such a strange fish…

https://64.media.tumblr.com/7b95cf0a5e45c48ba999e0850e612c54/36f038ae29607aa1-3f/s2048x3072/440cf0a7a224c147979cf89a7bebfe706dcfc63e.pnj

Aaaand there it vanishes again. No more dreams of riches and power, at least not for today.

Time to leave this place!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/c4e00341cd3fe4fec18cf66b0601f2e4/75fef3f7343b75e8-b3/s2048x3072/9892c614ef865117fa4da0e9ef1263a6c9050d9d.pnj

The space pirates start up their aqua jets. Circumstances aside, this is fun!

Spoiler

https://64.media.tumblr.com/f3728d116d7cf37e208c2768d97650af/75fef3f7343b75e8-8e/s2048x3072/cb4bbfedd3459639bd4eb3ede26ee152f2729803.pnj

Gavin: “This way and then along the coast until we find a river mouth. If we follow that upwards, we should reach the village of Peka and then within another day Black Spire.”

Shir: “But by then it could already be too late for Hank!”

Gavin: “Well, we can’t cruise in circles here. We have to do something, go somewhere, and getting out of sight of the military base is a good first step!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/b6f657f9a232464025f4932f3f8d1493/25559a9aa9a60f9d-61/s2048x3072/889ffcb0d4f0bb8ddeee40392762bbae43b22d92.pnj

Night has fallen and except for a potty break the trio hasn’t allowed themselves rest, no matter how sore they get in their wetsuits. There had been an unlabeled, yet clearly marked spot on their vehicle’s maps and they are eager to learn what exactly it is.

When they close in on the location, one, two, maybe even more long houses with thatched roofs come into view - a little village!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/f9bf2243ba4b838ff658d887d5b2e708/25559a9aa9a60f9d-3b/s2048x3072/41ffdc5b4ea5350a105291ae4562830c6f6729fd.pnj

At the same time Nita’s aqua jet spouts first sparks and then fire.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/9eca9f42c0c6d5254f30dc289c6179c1/25559a9aa9a60f9d-f8/s2048x3072/a35bb780b91245b910f61541b657ab6c93e1c3db.pnj

She barely manages to put her vehicle on shore, when it goes up in flames and oblivion claims the driver.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
The same night, at the First Order base:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/489a9179755e043c356d726319b1f5ea/0be16519147a1ecd-e8/s2048x3072/05707b13f523243895c5a886732038ae9ff06572.pnj

Roan: “Lord Kylo Ren will soon arrive at Black Spire. That means as a squire I’ll have to stand ready to perform a series of menial tasks, each one less important than the one before. It’s sickening…”

Danilo: “Mhm…”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/1fd42ee1870a1481b22dcc952e580f1d/0be16519147a1ecd-ee/s2048x3072/daecb487fe6e6d96317a1a5f7af34cb5a9fbdd15.pnj

Roan: “But I have a plan! I’ve heard of lightsaber parts having been uncovered near Black Spire. Unfortunately all of them have already ended up on the black market, but maybe there are more. If I had my own lightsaber, maybe Kylo would respect me more!”

Danilo: “Sounds like a plan. So one way or another, Black Spire would be the place to go if I wanted to learn more about the Force?”

Roan: “That stands to reason.”

Note:
Spoiler
At this point of the story I decided to leave these two’s characters arcs to the game. Whatever color of lightsaber crystal they’d win or find would determine their allegiance to the light or the dark side.

Spoiler

https://64.media.tumblr.com/dbc105f2df88995a82e444dce792ce1c/310043f26f05309e-97/s2048x3072/8101322bdcbb3d66930b30d24722d770ec640429.pnj

Roan: “Although for a quick first taste, the nearby cave will suffice. You’ll find a visit there… educational.”

Danilo: “That little hole with the weathered away mural? My men have been in there, and returned in one piece. That doesn’t sound very dark-sidy to me.”

Roan: “Just ride with me to…”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/c7e4ffbbfb0fd7f95d3f3e9b30b68a88/310043f26f05309e-73/s2048x3072/1f86ede110069968af3ac48ceb54e8c4a0296c51.pnj

Roan: “Oh. The flood washed away our aqua zippers. You should discipline whoever didn’t secure them well enough.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/c0ca09f272ffc713234dd5d1daaaeb9d/310043f26f05309e-6e/s2048x3072/d84dba041cf9cece57bb515dab1622a0628305a4.pnj

Danilo: “No, Roan, my soldiers are better trained than that! I bet it was those squatters of Jericho! And although we cannot prove they are rebels, in stealing property of the First Order they have committed a crime! I’m going to round them all up and put them to work on Mua Pel’am island - as I should have done long ago already!”

Roan: “No, you’re going to visit the cave with me!”

Danilo: “I AM a lieutenant and this IS my military base. It takes as little as a phone call to put my men to the task. Afterwards I’ll hike to the cave with you.”

Roan: “I never contested this being your base. Sore point much?”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/c82287d2bcd2cd1bfc2578e25dc999ee/310043f26f05309e-6f/s2048x3072/2cccbbe90a04e9e096cbad0be0cc4501bab77567.pnj

Danilo: “Matter of fact, yes. The academy trained officers never let me forget that I got promoted in-field and lack their refined background. I mean, look at the facts: Lt. Agnon got the prestigious command over the First Order district of Black Spire and I… this dump in the jungle.”

Roan: “To some all of Batuu is no more than a dump. But I won’t even try talking you out of your perception. A fair bit of anger goes a long way towards mastering the Force. You’re set up well in this regard, my friend.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/f8d0ceccaf5eb699f2bb4ed7e3d7f144/b8e147337d4f5365-ae/s2048x3072/b7f8495c66a027efc34b7c68a092837f3b092bc7.pnj

It was early in the morning already, when Roan Ren and his apprentice reached the cave. Danilo had postponed issuing the order to attack Jericho to the First Order soldiers. He wanted to try out whatever new powers he’d gain in this place on the thieves.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/8bc5b87efc0fa23859cce821c0737f04/b8e147337d4f5365-a5/s2048x3072/49a086e02eaca61b6d76d50945992ef721f9fd92.pnj

Danilo: “What exactly will I find in there?”

Roan: “Only what you’re taking in with you. And then you kill it.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/903d5ee76b789799c05f299cbf2aa714/b8e147337d4f5365-d9/s2048x3072/816d984a0590f5dba6a591e1d448063f501440b8.pnj

Danilo: “Sorry, but that’s too vague to base a strategy on. I better equip my new arm! Could you hold the old one for me?”

Roan: Dear Sir Ren, founder of our knightly order, I commend your spirit to the Force for having come up with the mimic-concealing masks. They are much apprecciated!

Roan: “Definitely NOT.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/e81ca3b44435c2d9008f80a09ae14407/7ec009db8accdd7a-93/s2048x3072/d5136155a7dadf37ef4c00364d04769c3eca171c.pnj

Roan: I may just have made the record for fastest loss of an apprentice. But if he’s as good as I think he could be, the gamble will have been worth it in the end. We’re attuned… like the old texts say about a dyad in the Force. And if we can realize it, then limitless power will be ours, no more need for the brutish Knights.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/8fa99c35aa9f2777beed64a2bc407033/7ec009db8accdd7a-fc/s2048x3072/9bca4e86bfd64c1f397c7eae6ed36bd164c473c3.pnj

I made Danilo enter the cave and got this result:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/f6a506c415bfb5eb087d55ae815e5310/e6a49813ca5fb9f7-e3/s2048x3072/b5422913190146a8a8e3dc0dfd1c4d612c9b2322.pnj

As Danilo stopped walking for a moment and the echo of his steps ceased, he heard the sound of dolphins.
Excited to be able to watch dolphins in the wild, Danilo followed the noises to a wellspring. A group of dolphins was playing in a natural pool in the cave, tossing a bushel of algae around. It didn’t take long for the dolphins to spot Danilo and swim to the pool’s exit.
Standing there alone with the algae, that had been left by the fleeing dolphins, saddened Danilo decided to leave, too.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/4a18313f4549afa71c1ab64c437e785a/e6a49813ca5fb9f7-cf/s2048x3072/903a20cc043592f04a07e686d6d023147d110ab1.pnj

Roan: “Dolphins, Danilo? Hahahaha!”

Danilo: “So, what? Maybe it’s a sign of some kind. There’s plenty of the buggers in the waters around the base, let’s go catch one!”

And so the duo returned to the shore. They stripped out of their clothes and entered the calm, warm water. A couple of swim strokes later they had already left behind the shallow water, but not yet entered the zone where you couldn't see the ocean floor anymore.

Here Danilo stopped swimming and instead turned onto his back to drift along with the gentle movement of the waves. Roan turned around. Was the officer taking a relaxing bath or what? Didn't they have a quest?!

https://64.media.tumblr.com/2537c8785c161a87a8679101dc42c020/b719d1f8466b4759-6a/s2048x3072/34c423301be1c8e686bb866d53e93c4a8b3f8a10.pnj

Danilo: “They deserted me, Roan. The dolphins, I mean. Like everyone else ever did in my life. Like you will someday. That was the lesson the cave had to teach me.”

Roan: “Maybe I won’t leave you. Maybe I will instead betray you.” *splashes him*

https://64.media.tumblr.com/70249a9b49fa765768c231a55bc097f8/b719d1f8466b4759-89/s2048x3072/3972869f59e695069d8ee1566deeb238fe9eb75d.pnj

Danilo: “I’ll run you through where you are standing, should you try something like that!!!”

Roan: “I’ll run YOU through first!”

Danilo: “I believe you, Roan. But first we need our lightsabers! Without them this isn’t a proper dark side killing pact!”

Roan: “No, first-first you need to call up a dolphin. C’mon, I want to see you try! Click-click-click-eeeeeeeee-tehehehehe-eep!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/916c3ae820554a1a5125094e56a7d5df/8138ada86432eeee-d7/s2048x3072/bc6124aae1db2e254c9a30839f50afd7c231b92e.pnj

Roan hasn’t quite finished his mock-dolphin noises, when an actual one emerges from the waters!

Danilo: “Aw, friend, don’t let Sir Roan and his freakish noises frighten you!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/23f6efed971db0497a019d46af9e9d53/8138ada86432eeee-0f/s2048x3072/734886607ef8f59534ae00fa2cd483babea4b9f5.pnj

Roan: “I cannot believe this worked! I… just… cannot…”

Danilo: “There had to be something your high-pitched voice would be good for. I’m glad we discovered what exactly that is. - Here, have a fish!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/5cd8ff2c959c168591acd3e201a11769/8138ada86432eeee-dc/s2048x3072/96aa7fc30368f7bfacbe491692fea9bb0b553418.pnj

The dolphins catches and swallows the fish, then dives. When it returns to the surface, it isn’t alone. A whole pod of the animals accompanies it, and between them they move an R6 droid upwards. It is none other than R6-TV, the droid that the Four Fangs had lost the day before.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
And so the droid is re-united with one of his masters.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/df39cafca6d90679b9c20a9ce6871403/9a0f8d82efcbbf6c-22/s2048x3072/0353bd0027e99ae2d8a90d71a500bb361f72cdf9.pnj

Hank: “Aresix?! Oh, just great… About the last thing I wanted to see here.”

R6-TV: (sad beeps)

https://64.media.tumblr.com/d9de4ada65ad088bcc5d09cfb29222ed/9a0f8d82efcbbf6c-05/s2048x3072/ec263988f9e779ac22eb684ce59adf0856a8131e.pnj

Hank: “Huh? Noooo, that’s not it! I don’t hate you, little buddy. To the contrary! But a friend really is the very last one you’d want to see in a prison cell with you, ‘cause it means that friend has gotten captured, too. - Can you even understand what I’m trying to say?”

R6-TV: *rattle rattle*

Hank: “Is that a Yes or a shrug?”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/f200be528cbe76fe39d1685badeff9b1/550ee7547e49d43a-0c/s2048x3072/5fa35345788b74777420f6f0b3f5cc3c694f3b14.pnj

Hank: “Much as I doubt the Fangs coming to my rescue, I can even less imagine a droid making the journey on its own. Except… they may have wanted their ship back, not me. I’m just the bonus. - That about right, Aresix?”

R6-TV: *starts playback*

Hank: “Good old Captain Cahill…”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/b9956f520a6803542e81dd2802cf16eb/550ee7547e49d43a-84/s1280x1920/14ed7b336c0488dcebbc6ba6d10e2461bbefe4d7.pnj

Hank: “And good old… quick, Aresix, help me say something nice about them!”

There’s the ruthlessly ambitious Captain, who doesn’t care whom he has to screw over to advance his own plans, the apathetic mechanic, and the gunner, seemingly a good kid until one noticed his tendency to follow orders without questioning anything.
Gavin would kill innocents if he gained something from it, Nita because they were interrupting her solitude and Shir because someone higher up had told him it was the right thing to do.

Hank: “You know what, Aresix? Those kids never had a chance. Maybe in another time… under different circumstances… they might not exactly have turned out heroes, but decent people. It’s their generation that we fought for in the Alliance, first against the Empire, now the First Order. Now the rebels are losing ground by the hour… It hurts to lose a battle, but seeing the results of our blundering hurts even worse.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/84039b7d2e1c7cf07fae98fe54498af1/550ee7547e49d43a-fe/s2048x3072/208eb2fb530cdc3c4d73fae7203ae254c1481f18.pnj

R6′s memories end abruptly at the point where Pries Cahill had dropped his passengers and the droid had went under.

Neither R6 nor Hank know about the stolen aqua jets. The most likely follow-up to this scene, from their perspective, is their friends having drowned or gotten captured, too.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/f1afe0728d9f948f48189dbd7cb1da4c/044130b5af0606d9-f7/s2048x3072/277820651b5debc805978309ab38178e72b8206d.pnj

Hank: “So if the Fangs are Cole’s prisoners, he’ll soon start torturing them to break me. I hope he’ll start with Gavin, he certainly deserves a force lightning strike or two…”

R6-TV: (excited beeps, followed by mournful ones)

Hank: “Yeah, I know. That’s no way to go, not even for rats like the Fangs. And quite frankly I do not want them to die at all, rats or not.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/5dfe975d337528fa742a490ea32b2f60/044130b5af0606d9-82/s2048x3072/7ec3ccebe7ecf162deabc5489227c7a3325c9878.pnj

R6-TV: “Beep?”

Hank: “What Cole wants from me? I didn’t know myself, at first, but then the pieces snapped together. As of late, the First Order has trouble with resistance pilots employing a certain maneuver against them.

Turns out it is one I invented during my officer days and now the First Order thinks I’m a tactical genius or somesuch. They want me dead, just to be on the safe side. Except for Cole, he wants me to join them and I don’t know what’s pollinating worse!!!”

R6-TV: “Beeeeeeeeep…”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/74a4af42a07de3f1f0f8b79d7194feca/044130b5af0606d9-f2/s2048x3072/5824654c15f1a6b25e035ba7ac6f8be920fa9735.pnj

Hank doesn’t understand this latest comment of the droid. He isn’t really fluent in Binary, just intuits a lot of what Aresix says.

But one thing Hank knows: If Cole threatens to kill the Four Fangs, the decision whether to live as a turncoat or to die is out of his hands. He will join the First Order to save his friends, however strained that friendship sometimes seems.

From officer of the rebel alliance (although Hank has a nagging feeling that he might have picked up a few habits that would make it hard for him to fit in again) to space pirate to… yes, what exactly?

Hank has no real idea of his surroundings. Cole is the guest of that Lt. PL-600, who in turn seems to be some sort of occupation force commander. Joining him would make the Fangs… cops?!

Hank: “Can you imagine, Aresix? Us - officers of the law? Joke of the century!”

Spoiler
This is a bit of an inside joke. They all used to be in the detective career together in my rotational save. Hank is retired now and Danilo switched to teaching.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
Unknownst to Hank, the Fangs are not held prisoner by Lt. PL-600.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/61d3f58bc05e00ecb7a45ed87b740a97/c8e11b6f71da8de1-28/s2048x3072/ab8f0c07cc39277534bb5e601b6df80ba22170e6.pnj

To the contrary, they have safely escaped and reached the shore behind the cliffs opposite the military base.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/942ba91d72bbb1ded39f69b66f18b4e6/c8e11b6f71da8de1-97/s2048x3072/fd5bda9d483477d6ad693d916a698187556a78d3.pnj

One of their the three stolen aqua jets is only a heap of smoldering plastic and metal anymore. Nita, however, has made it through the explosion and is just now coming to back her senses.

Spoiler

https://64.media.tumblr.com/8ef28ca530a40cc359c48ef72711dc2a/da62d72a73659fe4-e5/s2048x3072/e5882eb046fb7e570b6695bba7b52a26cf4037ec.pnj

Nita: “Guys…? Is that cowplant milk in a coconut I’m smelling? And why does this feel like a lounge chair? Am I still dreaming?!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/69c3de8461bb42fb48d1c7521ff68282/da62d72a73659fe4-37/s2048x3072/1a599390ea6da0898ce00513b1b48a74fa05cd4b.pnj

Shir: “You better brace yourself, Nita. This is wild! After we pulled you out of the fire, we were found by…”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/d9820bfb03f53ccb8c2c3c6099031a84/da62d72a73659fe4-c5/s2048x3072/9b5ed3efcac51920f2e3063cbf8a8450dc450aaa.pnj

Markus: “Welcome to Jericho! Where everyone is free and…”

Nita: “Okay, I died.”

Markus: “Welcome to PARADISE!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/640a1229e79fdc52fcf1aba3b1a05b24/f87b1f01a13e5608-bd/s2048x3072/f65a21fa7462b950a6d6bc9caaae60186c03da60.pnj

Nita looks around… She sees bridges connecting several smaller islands. Huts are scattered throughout the archipelago, their placement following no rhyme or reason.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/ccacbc6387f25c5eff0116aa248209dc/f87b1f01a13e5608-22/s2048x3072/6a06e452be278603aa02a480365e8486ce6a540b.pnj

All over the compound people dressed in colorful, bird-, fruit- and flower patterned shirts go about their carefree business, all in all maybe thirty people. They wave and smile invitingly at the arrivals.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/4318532dfa52c75467a8fd81673c261a/f87b1f01a13e5608-71/s2048x3072/629e7802026fbc7655d0292c52bd1c34b69fe949.pnj

Jericho is a place every pirate ever would have wanted to make merry at. Only problem: the Fangs are space pirates, used to the neon lights and the jingles of a casino.

Nita: “I wanna throw up and it’s NOT the concussion.”

Gavin: “You know what’s REALLY selling this place? The prancing dolphins.”

Shir: “Thanks, Captain. Now I can’t unsee them anymore.”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/3b892cbdba6beccd9b0d5b20d9bd40a8/e7308324af068ff2-8c/s2048x3072/f245281e8b4bdac69f3ed4366dbdb7ea9aa20ab6.pnj

A man who is the spitting image of Lt. PL-600 greets the newcomers. Having never met the officer, the Fangs cannot make the connection, of course.

Simon: “Hello, I don’t think I’ve officially introduced myself yet? My name is Simon! Are you settling in well?”

Shir: “Yes and no. Look, Simon, we’re grateful for your hospitality, but we came to Batuu to rescue our friend. He’s held captive in the nearby First Order base. To free him, we need weapons… body armor… a new aqua jet… Any idea where we might get all those things?”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/e0c90942ce246d18af28fc1d786549ca/e7308324af068ff2-a5/s2048x3072/66dc206e3a49fdb8c45b9a50b6467c82dec77da6.pnj

Simon: “I’m sorry about your friend. But you should cherish what you still have… your lives and freedom… and forget about the First Order. You won’t ever have to return to that dreadful place!”

Shir: “You say this as if you’d think we’ve been prisoners of the First Order, too. But we weren’t! We…”

Simon: “I know. You are deserters from the military base. Battle slaves, raised with the only purpose to kill on command. What is much, much worse a fate than merely having been prisoners.”

Gavin: “What? Bullshit! We are not deserters! We never even saw the base from inside!”

https://64.media.tumblr.com/ceb001f270edbe4dc6a778d88ce158ac/e7308324af068ff2-fb/s2048x3072/e637ca29fa97fd72c6161af669eeed1c431605a7.pnj

Simon: “So how do you want me to believe you came here? Fell out of the sky right next to the military base?”

Gavin: “Yes, exactly!”

Simon: “Haha!”

Shir: “It‘s true! The scoundrel who gave us a ride to Batuu dropped us over the ocean.”

Gavin: “Because the First Order stole our own ship!”

Simon: “I guess for stormtroopers that’s an astonishingly creative story… But you need not resort to lies. You’re save here. And welcome!”

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Shir: “Do you have a leader? Could we maybe talk to them?”

Simon: “I guess so… if interacting with our authority figure will help you open up, who are we to refuse you this chance?”

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One quick “tag, you’re it now” later, Markus approaches the guests.

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Markus quickly realizes that whatever the truth about their origin might be, the trio won’t let their hosts talk them out of infiltrating - or outright attacking - the First Order base. One or two ways to pull this off with Jericho’s resources alone come to his mind unbidden, but Markus shoos them away.

Markus: “Hm, I see. Maybe you should see Lucy. She’ll know what is best.”

Gavin: “I thought you were Jericho’s chief?”

Markus: “Only insofar as everyday organization is concerned. Lucy is our spiritual leader. She listens to the Force. If Lucy agrees that Jericho should help you, you return to me and we’ll talk plans. But if she says we better keep out of it…”

…then there’d be cowplant- and coconut milk until the pirates died or decided to leave, Gavin conjectures. Of course the Fangs could always try taking what they need from the hippies, but something tells the Captain that this wouldn’t end well. There is something about those people that suggests they could be more than happy-go-lucky society dropouts, if they decided to.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
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As the spiritual guide in an extremely isolated community, Lucy turns out an unapologetic cultural magpie. With no one around who could have called her out on it, she fully plunges into her preferred imagery that is cobbled together from several ethnicities and religious traditions.

Lucy radiates a jolliness that all of Jericho combined cannot match and a gleeful pride in her abilities without so much as an ounce of malice. There is, however, an undeniable glint of mischief in her eyes.

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Lucy: “The Force connects all living beings. Meet one, and you will have met everyone this person ever met. I can sense the ripples created by any such encounter and how they will shape the future. But people mingle all the time, and even as we speak, bonds are getting forged… and broken up. Therefore always in motion the future is.”

Spoiler

Gavin: “So how does this work, exactly? Godmother told me the Force was generated by micro-organisms in all living cells. Do you need a blood sample?”

Lucy (ignoring Gavin): “You’re looking for someone! And it’s important that you don’t give up but find them, even though not long afterwards your paths will divert again. That’s all I can see clearly, everything else is in flux… volatile… permeable…”

Nita: “What?”

Gavin: “A-changing!”

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Lucy: “Change… For two of you nothing will change. One will start to heal. For one, their greatest wish and their greatest fear will come true. And one will die.”

Nita: “Guys, she listed FIVE fangs, so that last one obviously refers to Aresix. It drowned, so that part is checked off already, nothing to worry about.”

The part of their greatest fear, however… Each Fang silently considers what they have to win and to lose here, should this piece mean them personally.
Nita is not overflowing with nurturing energy, but the death of her son would be the worst for her. Shir doesn’t even have to go that deep, his little boy merely getting taken away, even if he’d live and be happy, would be unbearable. Or Susan. Shir shudders, being unable to tell whether his child or partner are dearer to him.

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Gavin: “Well, I’m good.”

Shir: “Just because Aresix bit the dust doesn’t mean another droid can steal your thunder.”

Gavin: “Believe it or not, but my greatest fear isn’t droid-related.”

The thing he is afraid of the most actually the same as the man’s biggest, unspoken wish, but that information Gavin doesn’t divulge to his friends.

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The Four Fangs haven’t realized how hungry they were until Lucy starts whipping up a meal for them. Her celebrating every little cooking action like a magic ritual helps taking the thoughts off their empty stomachs a little.

Eventually there is a whole wrapped mudcarp garnished with island fruit for everyone. The pirates dig in heartily!

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Lucy: “I see John walking up the hill. He’s carrying a bowl of Kava and he beams from inside. Good woohoo?”

Gavin: *whistles innocently*

Shir: *broad smile*

Nita: “Uh, guys?”

Gavin: “Pretty sure she said “Voodoo”.”

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Nita: “No, she said Woohoo. I listen to the smallest irregularities of engines, I don’t mishear. You were thinking of Susan just now, Shir! It was basically WRITTEN into your face! Your greatest fear is losing her, yet you are actively taking actions that might lead to exactly that?”

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Shir: “Uh, well… Oh, pollination!”

Gavin: “Yeah, that. We passed the time while you were out.”

Shir: “But what happens in Jericho totally stays in Jericho!”

Nita: “Let’s hope nothing else of you stays in Jericho nine months from now.”

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After stressing how important their search for Hank is, Lucy sends the Fangs away, after all. Jericho will not play a part in this chapter of the chronicle, she claims, but listening closely, her words sound as if she were expressing a faint hope instead of a firm decision.

The clothing the hippie community provides the questers with could have been far worse. But even so, they cannot wait to finally be in a place again where they had access to their bank accounts.

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The trio starts their trek through the jungle light footed and comparatively relaxed. Between them they are confident to have all the skills needed to make their journey a breeze covered: All three are decent fighters, Nita is also versed in handiness, Gavin has a surprisingly deductive mind and Shir has some gardening expertise.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
The trek through the jungle is taxing.

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The trio makes good progress with just their knifes…

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… and a single can of spider repellent.

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But then both men get poisoned from wildlife encounters and eating green fruit in the hopes these may cure the green poison only sounds logical, when in truth it isn’t.

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Eventually they find traces of civilization again - the village of Peka, and with that a real cure, is near!

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In Peka the Fangs first see the trees that gave Black Spire Outpost their name. Some unknown cataclysm in the planet’s past had left trees charred, not to crumble like ash, but petrified. They are is a strange sight, as is that of silvery lichen growing on the trees and rocks.

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While Nita negotiates passage to Black Spire outpost via the river, Gavin and Shir ask around for an antidote. Turns out the locals are willing to brew one, but they need the bonedust the Fangs have found in the jungle.

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Gavin recovers on his own before he is forced to drink a concoction that contains the grisly remains, but Shir is not that fortunate. He can only hope that the bones came from some sacrificial animal, not a sentient creature.

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Even having come straight from talking to giant plants that run their own crime empire, all of this is a bit much for the Fangs.

Spoiler
I kept the jungle trip short for now. The jungle itself and the temples will play a prominent role in book three.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
9 months ago
That evening Roan and Danilo share a gymnastics session. It is their last peaceful evening for the foreseeable future. Tomorrow Roan is expected at Black Spire Outpost and Danilo holds true to his plan to accompany him.

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Danilo has switched out his lower left arm now, too, and is eager to see what his new artificial limbs are capable of. However, the joy in the shiny new toys wanes quickly when the man realizes something…

Spoiler

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Danilo: “I’ve only ever been able to do this because of the Force, right, Roan? Not because First Order tech was any good.”

Roan: “Ey, it’s decent, I guess. I mean, they can destroy whole solar systems and stuff, that should account for something. But, yes, those pathetic little tubes of plastic could not steady you without force assistance.”

Danilo: “Thought so. So if I were whole, and wouldn’t need to channel most of my power into basic locomotive functions, I could accomplish so much more…”

Roan: “Feeling angry? Left out? Betrayed? That’s good! Keep those emotions close to your heart! Feed of them and with fuel like that you’ll attain heights of power that sneer at your physical limitations!”

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Danilo: “Okay, that’s enough for me for today. I’ll go back in and dispatch a handful of troopers to round up the thieves who stole our aqua jets. If they set off right now, they should arrive at Jericho by morning.”

Roan: “But wouldn’t the scoundrels be well rested and combat-ready by then? Better wait half a day longer and take them in the night!”

Danilo: “No offense meant, Sir Roan, but you do not get out much, don’t you? Zero six hundred is when everyone in Jericho goes to bed. Even I know that.”

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“Sleep well, Master Roan!”

Even the commander of a First Order military base has to relinquish his bed to honored guests - especially the commander of a First Order military base.

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Danilo doesn’t mind the arrangement. His little flat offers more space than all of his soldiers have together and it is certainly more than he has ever known as a trooper.

Danilo doesn’t remember the chamber above a cantina that he had shared with his mother, or what the family’s living conditions had been like when his father had still been alive…

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Danilo had been an only child and because that was a sad fate for a kid, he had invented an imaginary friend to play with. The make believe little boy had looked exactly like him, because Danilo had once seen his reflection in a puddle. At least that was how the drill sergeant had explained things to Danilo, to which the toddler had replied that he pitied the adult for being so poor that he didn’t even know what a mirror was.
But whether a puddle or a mirror had been the cause, having an imaginary friend was childish and didn’t befit an elite soldier of the First Order.

That was Danilo’s first memory of having cried. He was dimly aware that he must have cried for other reasons, back before joining the squad. But this one occasion stuck in his memory up to this very day: Other child cadets had cried from fear of punishment or homesickness - Danilo had cried because he was afraid he’d get sent away. He had WANTED to be an elite soldier and in service of none other than Supreme Leader Snoke!

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Fortunately his instructors had helped the youngest stormtrooper get over his silly notions. In time Danilo not only stopped talking to his imaginary friend, today he only vaguely recalled having had one in the first place…

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