Chapter Text
Rosalyn Taylor, former drop commando in the Federation’s special forces, has long since left government service and has been working for herself. Or, more specifically, she’s been working for her team. The work’s important, but looking after the team, that’s more important.
C’hting was the scientist on the team. A Vrusk, the insectoid species, she was brilliant, analytical and logical.
Bakchu was the team’s security expert and survival specialist. A Yazarian, his gangly limbs concealed an incredible strength.
Drelm was a professional thief who had been recruited to the team on a previous mission. It might seem odd, but they had access to a wide variety of technical skills they’d used in their previous career. A technician, as opposed to a sciensti, they could open almost any door and drive almost any vehicle. A Drasalite, they were generously described as a blob that could produced a varying number of arms and legs.
Kashkash was the second human on the team. Pink haired, she brought a very rare talent. She was a psychic, a rare individual capable of transforming mental energy into telekinetic and telepathic power. She was also Rosalyn’s girlfriend, but that wasn’t really a special skill.
Their latest mission was supposed to be a mission of mercy. Pan Galactic Corporation and the government of Truane’s Star had sponsored an exploration mission to the Zebulon system, to a newly discovered planet called Volturnus. Rich in minerals and life forms, it promised to be a very valuable colony.
In the decade since the massiave war against the Sather had concluded with a federation victory, life was finally starting to return to normal in the Frontier. Colonies were among that, people were finally feeling confident enough to strike out towards new land and new settlements beyond the edge of known space. And the governments and corporations whose hands were on the money flow were more than happy to encourage it; discovering new resources and opening up new markets.
But of course, before such things could be done, surveys had to be done. Resources had to be located. Dangers had to be analyzed. Satellites and scout ships could only do so much. The real work had to be done on the surface.
And so a team had been sent to Volturnus , led by another former soldier, Commander Louis V. Jameson; to conduct the initial survey and file an initial report.
And everything had been going well until they missed three consecutive check ins. And now the backers were worried.
And that’s where Rosalyn and her team came in. Troubleshooters known for being able to take on and solve any number of unknown problems. T heir contact at PGC had gotten in touch and explained the situation. And since the team needed to lie low after busting up a Sather spy network, she accepted the job.
And of course, things went wrong. Shortly after they arrived in system, the vessel they’d taken passage on had come under attack by pirates. Pirates working for the Star Devil, a notorious figure in the Frontier’s underworld.
With the ship overrun, Rosalyn made the decision that thigns would be safer on the planet. They rescued a Yazarian steward named Dryll; not wanting to leave anyone they came across behind. Other crew members and passengers had either been killed or were too well secured. Unfortunately, that included their gear. Weapons and survival gear, they got off the ship with barely anything outside of a few emergency survival kits.
The lifepod landed in the desert, where they travelled for days, having made a plan to find the first expedition’s base of operations, and use their communications to call for help and alert their backers of the pirates.
Surviving off of hidden wells, the team soon found that they weren’t alone on the planet. A species of intelligent native life called the Ul-Mor claimed the deserts as home. The Ul-Mor were a race of sapient octopi, who rode loping horse like animals through the desedrt. With the help of Kash’s telepathic abilities, the team was able to communicate, discovering that the species were all natural psychics. They agreed to assist the team, but they would have to undergo certain rites and trials as was their custom.
Making their way through a labrynthine cave network, the team cross under a massive region of burning gases and pillars of fire, towards one of the Ul-Mor’s permanent homes. A cave in separated the two groups, but Bakchu’s survival skills and C’hting’s knowledge of the sciences helped them plot an alternate course over a vast, underground lake; and they reconnected with the Ul-Mor, lead by Arthu Sea People’s Bane; who guided them to the Place of True Warriors where many Ul-Mor tribes gathered.
There, they underwent an adulthood ritual; which entailed fighting a vicious creature known as a quickdeath. It was more dangerous than anything they’d faced so far, but the group fought well with their offworld weapons. Calling upon techniques that Kashkash had heard tales of from the Ul-Mor, she was able to distract it with her telepathic abilities, enough time for the group to finish it, and earn the allegiance of the Ul-Mor.
During the celebrations, Arthu revealed that other tribes had told them of a new people, living among the Kurbanda people beyond the shard plains. Humans. Likely the other expedition.
And with a new guid, Kahai Long Rider, a young Ul-Mor who was fascinated by Kash’s telekinetic abilities, the Ul-Mor only being able to use telepathy.
*****
Three days later
Rosalyn left her tent, stretching and yawning. The time at the oasis had been good for the group. No threats, no worries about water or food, no concerns they’d be found by pirates. A chance to just… stop… after everything they’d been for.
A highly experience combat Veteran, Rosalyn knew full well how much down time could relieve a troubled mind; and while she had full faith in her group, it was like any other machine. It needed to be treated properly or it would start malfunctioning.
“Hey sweetie,” Kash said, coming up behind Rosalyn, and then giving her a quick hug and a kiss on the back of the neck. Another benefit to the time at the oasis, the ability to bathe regularly and wash their clothes and travel gear.
“Hey yourself,” Rosalyn replied, taking her hand and continuing towards one of the brilliantly blue pools that dotted the area around the Oasis. The Site of True Warriors was less busy than it had been the other day. With the rites done, most of the tribes that had gathered here had since left and returned to their various territories in the desert. “Ready to set out?”
“As relaxing as these three days have been,” she replied, as the two gathered ceramic cups of water and a variety of roasted vegetables. “It’s been too long, we need to get moving.”
Drelm joined the duo. Drasalites weren’t built for heat, so he’d spent most of the time in this desert paradise finding various places of shade. “I can’t say I’m looking forward to another trip through those caves, but the sooner we link up with the first team… or find out whatever happened to them… the sooner we can head for home. I don’t think I’m cut out for exploration.”
Kash smiled at her short companion. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Oh, believe me, I know. And if we need to steal this comm rig from the pirates, well then, you’re going to see how much I can really contribute on this amazing vacation of ours.”
“I’ve finished the gear prep,” reported C’hting, joining the trio from her tent. “Once we’ve packed up the rest of our tents and survival gear, we’ll be prepared. We’ve enough food and water for twenty days, more than enough time to take us to these shard plains based on the maps I’ve been studying.”
“Excellent news,” Rosalyn said, taking a long draft of water, before passing it to Kash, who swallowed it gratefully. “How are we for ammo?”
“Less fortunate there. We only have two magazines left for the gyrojet, and the power belt is drained; so the laser rifle is dead. I took the liberty of consolidating the charges. We’ve three mostly full power packs left for our laser pistols. We do have a number of spears that the Ul-Mor provided. I suggest we begin practicing with them.”
“I can help there,” Backhu said, appearing with a plate filled with meat taken from the Quickdeath the team had dispatched. “You learn to use such things.
“We’ll have evening drills every night while we travel. If we get attacked, we all need to be able to defend ourselves. And that includes you, Kash,” Rosalyn said, bopping her on the nose. “I know you don’t like melee combat, but until the danger’s over, I want you ready to defend yourself by any means.”
“Fiiine,” she said, in a mock whine, before giving it up and giggling. As they had talked and eaten, the group had made a circuit of the pool, and eventually returned to where the tents were.
A number of Ul-Mor from Arthu’s tribe waved at them as they passed by. Despite the group’s odd appearance compared to the Ul-Mor, they’d been easily accepted. The team had long since learned that there were two other intelligence species on the planet from the Ul-Mor (the Kurabanda and the Edestekai), which made the planet unique among all the systems that the Frontier species had ever surveyed. The Ul-Mor didn’t get along with them over cultural differences, mind, but there were contacts on the edges of their territory and some amount of trade that took place between the different species and socieites.
Dryll was waiting for them, and had begun decamping the last of their gear. The young Yazarian flashed a thumbs up as they approached. Of all them, he had been the least experienced; but he’d proven to be a deft learner on the hazardous journey across the surface of Volantrus. A more cold blooded team might have left them behind… but Rosalyn and her troubleshooters weren’t like that.
If they could save someone, they would. It was one of the guiding principals that had kept them together.
“I’m going to miss this place. The caves and the desert aren’t going to be fun again.”
“Well, once we’ve gotten back to Port Loren after we got off this planet, you can come out here whenever you want,” Bakchu noted. “In fact, you might want to think about it.”
“What do you mean?” the steward asked, a little puzzled by the elder Yazarian’s words.
“Think about it. Once this place is properly contacted, they’re going to need diplomats and people experienced with the Ul-Mor to help make contact. We’ve got more experience than anyone else in the Frontier. They’ll fall over themselves to get you to help.”
Dryll paused, considering the future plans his career might take, roads he’d never thought of following.
“Hey friends!” Kahai called over, the eight legged Ul-Mor coming over, pushing through the sand with her four largest limbs, the other four moving idly as she walked. While Ul-Mor were equally adept with any of their limbs, they preferred oto use the larger ones for locomotion, and the smaller ones as other species used their arms and hands. “Athru sent me to get you. Are you ready to go?”
Kash had finished putting the last tent on the back of their lopers. Rosalyn looked at the group, and saw the smiles, the nods and the ready to go expressions.
She was right. Three days of downtime had truly eased their minds.
“We’re ready,” she told their new Ul-Mor friend. “Lead on!”