Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Aurilie Alde]

After finding a herd of icetrompers yesterday, Aurilie decided to return back to the icy wastes in the morning to do more scouting. The herd would likely alter their route after getting the sense of predators (being them) were in the area, it was a good idea to track them in case they were needed again or ensure that their numbers weren't thinned out too much. Despite food being a necessity for the camp, it didn't seem fair as temporary residents to disrupt the local ecosystem drastically.

She walked along the wastes until the rumbling clouds above caught her attention. Hm, the storm was getting close.

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno had decided to join the Alde Prince to watch her back in the wilds. He wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but that never bothered him. He had his survival pack and blaster rifle with. He had mostly remained quiet thus far, focused on their surroundings.

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie might have been content speperiodshes of time outdoors without saying much but that would make her rather poor company on this hunt. While they might be an easier target than a herd of icetrompers but there don't seem to be too many predators around this area.

"Thank you for joining me this morning, Zeno," she said finally as she walked, recalling that he was fine with just being called his first name when they first met. "This might very well all be for naught when the blizzard hits. I imagine that the herd will cover a large amount of distance. The elements do more to protect them than hinder them. While we know where they'll be going, they could very well be out of reach."

[Zeno Thul]

"Hopefully we catch up to the herd before then. What have we figured out about the animals? I haven't actually looked them up yet."

He makes some adjustments to his tuk'ata helmet, changing the settings in the scanner goggles.

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie looked at the clouds in the distance that seemed to be gathering overhead of them. "I might be a tight squeeze if we're going to beat this blizzard. Hopefully, someone can generously spare a ship ride to hull both us and the game back. I haven't been asking for rides, considering the number of working ships and our present situation. Do we know if they are watching the airspace here?"

"It's a sizeable herd of icetrompers from what I've seen, probably impressive for a herd neighbouring a few settlements. Maybe the blizzards have kept them mostly safe for now. However, they seem to have only a small number of young, which makes me wonder if they've been exploited by the local pirates or some equally shady character."

[Zeno Thul]

"My ship is not big enough for 3 or I'd have Lady Savagery fly it out. Maybe Riss?" he suggests.

He keeps an eye on the encroaching storm but doesn't seem too worried. "Are we sure the young haven't just had difficulty with wampas? Could be a natural problem. If it was related to one of the local settlements then the herd would probably have moved somewhere safer. But if it is a herd claimed by the locals they might cause us headaches in response to taking their stuff."

[Aurilie Alde]

She couldn't help but let out a small sigh at the mention of Riss's ship. "I don't think that the Rimma Rounabout is quite in the shape to be flying around and running errands. If that were the case, I think that her ship would be better served for medical purposes than a hauler."

"I'll admit that we're likely more of a disruption to the local ecosystem than the pirates, it would be nice to think that we're doing more good. That was my hope, at least. I suppose that might only be the case with the merchants, they must enjoy the surge of profits they've been able to rake up from us." She gave offered Zeno a glance. "Have you been to Junktown yet?"

[Zeno Thul]

"I have not," he replied. "And I am not really planning to visit either. Not unless we develop a plan of action that includes an assault on the pirates holed up there."

He looked to Aurilie with his questions. "Is there something of specific note there? Otherwise, probably just need better negotiators to get the things we need. I'm not much for all that trade and quartermaster stuff."

[Aurilie Alde]

"Well...none that I've really happened on yet." She frowned on that note. "It's a developed population with its own citizens. There's a surprising open door there, especially since all that they ask is merely a tribute of credits to be allowed entry. There's a supposed Queen, who you can get an easy audience with. No doubt she's well surrounded but it still seems all too easy to shoot first if you don't value your own life. I've been through the motions and they don't seem non the wiser that I was with the Republic. They're either dull or overly confident. I'd almost say the former on first impression but I can't say for sure. I'm a bit curious to see how far they'll let us go. Maybe they'll give us enough leeway to bring them from within."

She didn't bring magnifiers with her but took a look at the scope of her rifle, which served the same purpose in a pinch. "It should be this way...but there were a few thoughts that came to me during this ordeal, I don't know if it's the cabin fever talking or otherwise. However, you don't suppose that they're holding us hostage from afar, do you?"

[Zeno Thul]

"If that is the case, why do we not just load a high yield explosive into a protocol droid and blow it while it delivers a message?" he asks with curiosity, dumbfounded that they would be so unprotected.

But otherwise he follows along and keeps his scanner goggles scanning. "I don't think they're holding us hostage, but I would be surprised if they are not planning a follow up assault."

[Aurilie Alde]

"I'm sure someone might be planning that already...although it seems that they have a power structure. When I visited the Queen, she didn't seem to have her first mate around. It wouldn't do much good if they have the resilience of cockroaches. We can kill a few but there are still a few to take the fallen one's places. However, perhaps all the more reason you should consider visiting to get your take on it. I'm surprised it hasn't become the talk of the base by now...but I think everyone is trying to find some angle to approach it." She shrugged.

"A droid with a high yield explosive...never really guessed that was your style, Zeno." She said looking at him curiously.

[Zeno Thul]

"It's not my style, but I also am not a fan of playing fair with a proven superior opponent. They took out two capital ships with relative ease, so why play around with them?" he explains with a shrug.

"Some republicans would still try to negotiate, but the pirates already gave their opening offer and it needlessly cost us lives. I'm not keen on any non-lightsaber diplomacy given the circumstances."

He continues to follow along, pausing and giving a signal to pause. He raised his rifle and took aim at something through the scope, but then lowered it. A piece of plasteel had apparently fallen from one of the crashed ships and it had the outline of a torso on it. But it was also uselessly broken.

[Aurilie Alde]

"They've really decided to throw negotiations out the window in their actions, I suppose the Empire being in the same orbit might have driven them to a certain action but of course, I'm not saying what they've done is actionable in the slightest." She sighed with a shake of her head. "I'm sure the Empire would wage a military campaign if they could but even they realize that we're a bit hamstrung in offensive capabilities...or they must be waiting for something."

"This is admittedly all conjecture on my part. I have spoken to any of them at length in the slightest."

[Zeno Thul]

"Sure, but if we identify and locate their leaders we have more than enough warriors here to assassinate them and watch it devolve into chaos. I think my teacher in flight school called it asymmetrical warfare or something. When you have limited resources, you target resources and supply chains from adversaries and replenish your losses from them."

[Aurilie Alde]

"Well, I don't doubt that will have the intended effect. I just want to be sure that this house of cards doesn't exactly fall on us when it starts collapsing. I'm surprised there isn't more talk about this but I suppose someone might have to bring it up to the ones who've taken the responsibility of status around here." She said as she walked on, boots crunching on the snow. "Do you have a pulse of what's going on in the base and everyone is getting along with each other?"

[Zeno Thul]

"I mean, neither side would really trust me but I do get to basically float anywhere in the base. And neither trusts me so they also don't talk about important stuff with me usually. But the general sense I have is that there is grudging acceptance at the worst, but most are more welcoming to cooperation than that."

[Aurilie Alde]

"Mm," she murmured after his answer. "I don't have much to share outside what I've told you about Junktown. I got the feeling that those more used to a military structure were going to find themselves at odds with the situation, considering that at least half of the people here don't exactly adhere to their chain of command. We have necessities, which are good and we can easily work toward those as it will benefit everyone. Organizing a plan of action on how to deal with these pirates might be something else entirely. That's also overlooking the dynamic between Jedi and Sith, which I knew less about."

[Zeno Thul]

"I'm not actually worried about people sharing things with me or not because it's an understandable position. But even if they don't trust me, I can at the very least be supportive of both sides and help out pretty much anywhere as needed. And I think that alone, just people choosing to be present for everyone, will have a positive impact on our survival and eventual success."

[Aurilie Alde]

"That goes without saying, I suppose. It's the minimum of what we should do, although we're going to need more than that if we're going to get through the next few days," she said without sure knowledge that it might be the next few weeks.

She paused for a moment to reevaluate a print on the ground. "This doesn't seem that old, so we're on the right track at least...I take that you must have left a lot at home with this assignment."

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno nods his understanding to the tracker and continues after. "Shouldn't be too long to catch up I think."

"In a certain sense I left everything at home. Everything that drives me to be a better and stronger person. But that's just my poetic everything. My literal everything means I brought my aggression and desire to end something that was having a negative indirect impact on my family. Also, the whole disturbance in the force thing you've probably heard from the Jedi. Just had to come."

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie gave a slow nod of understanding at that. "I suppose I can understand the two divides on your part. We too left our children back on Alderaan, for all of our sakes. I don't think we would be pleased with them being in danger and I'm sure that us needing to be on duty constantly would as bad for them. Rhia's presence is easily less out of place than mine, considering her notable experience in the military already. We miss them all and I agree to want to commit everything to an end to be with them again. The paths aren't so direct, unfortunately."

[Zeno Thul]

"Very few paths are. That's why we bring trackers to show us the way. Someone will figure out the right path forward and it's not likely to be the angry red guy that is spoiling for a good fight," Zeno says with a smirk. "I came in case negotiations broke down. So I'm just waiting on the word from the senator or Yulani that we need to kill the pirates. I'm mostly cleaning up and doing what I can to help out until then."

[Aurilie Alde]

"I shouldn't be surprised that the Republic has already brought a few contingencies in case peace efforts go south. I'm sure all of us will have to take part in the fight once a real war is realized. I suppose a cold war is a bit literal here," she said without the intention of making it a joke. While she was armed, her rifle didn't typically shoot at more sentient beings.

"How old are your girls again now?" She asked curiously as a topic change.

[Zeno Thul]

"They are 11 and making life exciting," he says with a chuckle. "I think Opila may choose to join the Jedi in a few years if they'll have her. I won't let them make that decision until they are of appropriate age, but she kind of follows the more famous ones. Kasha is a bit more independently minded and may just work with me and the Paladins. Though none of that takes their mother's expectations into account."

He wasn't usually one for shooting sentients either. Lightsabers are far more fun. Not that he's had opportunity since the coup outside of sparring.

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie blinked once at this, rather surprised at first. "...You're children are...Oh, that's right. The choice of joining the Jedi would just be merely up to the children?"

She gave a shake of her head and backtracked to explain herself. "My apologies, this isn't a question of your parenting but how the process works. I confess I know little about it but I had assumed that they would often request them to be trained rather than accept them. It seems unlikely they would allow talent or a gift to escape their notice so easily, especially when the Force seems to grant clairvoyance on certain paths. And your wife? What would she rather happen?"