First Shot | Video

[erranthero]

[After she'd gotten herself out of that stasis pod and dressed, holstered, and strapped up, Kerra Holt took a moment to have a look around. This was definitely not where she'd intended to wind up when she'd made that last jump. Hell, where was this? And...what freak had shoved her into a tube naked?

Of course, when Kerra found the commlink, she was definitely going to poke at it. And set off the video thing accidentally.]

Oh. OH! Hey. Video? That's...different.

[Not Sith-tech, unless it was from Calimondra. No way any of the others had that sort of thing. Or Republic make? Or...the Hutts. Either way, it was broadcasting.

Kriff. Broadcasting. That wasn't good. People could see her face. Well...time to put on a smile and ask some questions then, Kerra.]

Right. So. If you can hear this...I guess I'm the new girl around here. And I've obviously got a few questions for anyone with the inclination to answer. Starting with where the hell am I? What system? What Quadrant, even. I don't even know if I'm in the Core Worlds or out on the Outer Rim. Last I knew I was making a Hyperspace jump and now I'm here.

[And just to be safe...but polite at the same time, may as well give the other name.]

Oh, and the name's Mercy.

Comments

[video]

[erranthero]

War with a dome. What's the reason? Are the locals rebels or something?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

That would be a not inaccurate way to put it. The so-called 'Outer Authorities' from within the dome either want to oppress or destroy the people out here; reports vary. I haven't seen them acting much like rulers but they do seem to consider the outsiders a threat. At times they patrol the wastes out here. They're dangerous and should be avoided.

[video]

[erranthero]

Right, do they have any distinctive markings? Or vehicles? I'm not exactly going to go looking for a fight, but if I run across them I'm not going to back down unless they give me a compelling reason. Easier to avoid them if I know what I'm looking for, yea?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

At this risk of sounding hyperbolic, you'll know them when you see them. The story goes they attack from strange flying metal horses, and keep their faces covered because to breathe the air outside of their city can make them sick.

[video]

[erranthero]

Flying metal horses? You mean speeders?

[Kerra shrugs]

They don't sound difficult to recognize. Have you encountered them yet yourself?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

No. But everyone I've talked to so far will offer about the same story. Frankly, I consider myself fortunate.

[video]

[erranthero]

Guess I will too.

So, where's one get food around here? Looks like I'm here to stay, and I've only got a few weeks of ration bars left.

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

There are farms, but the main option for most of us is hunting, or trading. Though if you make your your way to what is known as "the Flop" where most newer arrivals stay, someone might be willing to share with you for a start, if you have no other recourse.

[Though it's not strictly speaking, Mulan includes herself among the unnamed collective "someone"s. She gets by with what she can catch, and letting people starve has never done her any favors.]

[video]

[erranthero]

Hunting I can do. Tracking too.

[Kerra's pretty good at that.]

What's the game like?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

[What a coincidence. So can she.]

Ranged. The terrain around here tends more toward the arid, so it's mostly small things with fur, a few stringier birds, and the occasional over-large reptile. [Beat.] The meat on the reptiles is surprisingly not bad, though tough to clean. And of course there are larger creatures that fight back occasionally, that one should be on the lookout for.

[video]

[erranthero]

When you say reptiles, you mean those things called dinosaurs, yes?

[Already learning!]

And how much larger? Three, four meters tall? Or bigger?

[There's an audible hint of excitement and interest in her voice, almost as though she wants to find something big to take down.]

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

Dinosaurs, yes. [She's heard them called that, sure.] The ones I hunt are mean things, no bigger than a largish dog.

But rest assured, I've been forewarned they come much, much bigger. Larger than a man, at least.

[video]

[erranthero]

Sounds like fun.

[Really, it does!]

How about living outside the city, is that possible, you think?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

It might be. It doesn't sound like anyone else has attempted it, though. I think everyone here is far more concerned with preserving their safety in numbers.

[video]

[erranthero]

I suppose.

[She's not sounding terribly convinced, but...she's always been kind of a loner.]

What's the city like?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

A less than enthusiastic description might be that it has seen better days.

But the people there have done everything they can to fix it up. And there is plenty of space to be found, though many of the buildings are in need of repairs.

[video]

[erranthero]

And I suppose it's the best chance to stay out of bad weather.

Speaking of, what's it like around here?

[video]

[girlworthfighting]

Wet, chilly, but I haven't even been here a month yet and so far this week has already been getting warmer. In short, I'd say it's likely variable.

[video]

[erranthero]

Right, so at least it's not an ice planet.

Anything like where you're from?

Re: [video]

[girlworthfighting]

Somewhat. But where I come from, there are not nearly so many varied or advanced contraptions. The ship we awoke in, for example...there's nothing even remotely like it, back home.

I think by comparison my ways must seem quite primitive. It keeps being hard for me not to attribute the way things work here to sorcery.

[Video]

[erranthero]

Really? It's not...that different from something where I live.

[Raised eyebrow at the mention of sorcery.]

Is that common where you're from?

[Video]

[girlworthfighting]

Is it really? I got the impression I was in the minority.

Common enough. But where things stand as I left, I'm afraid dark magic has thoroughly overpowered the good.

[Video]

[erranthero]

Well, this ship's a bit bigger than the one's I'm used to. But no it's pretty normal. Space travel is pretty common.

Sorcery...is not. There is on the the Force.

[Video]

[girlworthfighting]

"The Force"? I'm not familiar. Is that what you call magic, where you're from?

[Video]

[erranthero]

Not magic. It's a natural thing, an energy field created by all living things. Binds us together. Some people can sense and manipulate it.