Lendrinia Vokilla's Story

Bars always attracted a slew of life. Humans to the siren like Othori and more. Though in this sort of place, the clients were rather...unseemly. In a place like this, a Forge-walker wasn't that out of place in the grand scope of things. Just...Rare. One such Forge-walker argued with a Fungarian that had bumped into her. She was a large specimen, standing at least six foot at the shoulder and another five inches at the tip of her vents. She spoke in a guttural, mangled language; sounding like the deepest of volcanic vents. The Fungarian flinched as her vents glowed a deep blue color and scurried away. Her eyes followed him through the shell on her head, her mood spoiled as she leaned on a steel box that knocked every now and again.

Lendri grumbled in her home tongue, stuck on this forsaken planet due to her ship being out of fuel and unable to get to lift off until her client arrived. Although she had been waiting for a few hours, the bar hadn't let her in. Why? As the bartender put it, 'no animals allowed.

It was irritating. Her kind were rare for sure, but she had found that in some places she was only seen as a beast and in other places something that people tried to fight. But in places like this, everyone needed things done and no one cared who did it. Even if it was something that looked like it was formed in the deepest core of a foundry.

She noted the approach of a trio of Blunu, terribly short frog like beings with water resporators wound their necks. "You have our prisoner?" Lendri nodded, pushing the shaking crate with her tail. "Foowund him cowering in a tree on Corcon V. I hope you have my credits." She purred, her mouth making a noise similar to a roaring furnace. The trio looked at each other and nodded back, handing her a small black card. "30,000 credits as promised." another of the trio said flatly as the other two lifted the steel crate away. It wasn't much in the grand scheme of things, but it was enough to get her ship up and running again at the least and some supplies. A scouter that fit at least 10 of her kind didn't need much, and keeping it maintained was easy due to passed down knowledge. For now, this planets knick-knacks were in order. Even a search mission didn't mean one could remember a planet by some kind of heirloom.

"Take the hood off. Take the damned hood off. I want to make sure. I have to make sure you're not one of them. It's not....It's not possible. Those eyes. Y-you have to be something else, I want to make sure." Wolfe demanded in a slightly trembling voice. His thoughts ringing clear in Vance’s mind. Before Vance could respond he noticed him looking around as if coming to his senses at least a little bit. Vance noticed a large metallic being of an origin he didn’t recognize making a trade with some Blunu, exchanging a large crate for some credits.
"Y-you stay right there at that distance; we're going to that ship over there. It's mine. Don't try anything stupid." Wolfe ordered.
Oddly the ship was parked right next to his own. His was a sleek model from the Ter ‘Entella system. It was shaped like a large teardrop with four bat-like wings in an “X” shape. The ship was big enough for a small crew of four people at the maximum, but could easily be piloted by one. He had also made a number of improvements to the engines and installed an artificial intelligence to make the ship easier to pilot on his own.
“Okay, I’m going. I’ll take my hood off in the ship, I can’t risk it out here, it could cause a panic if anyone saw.” He walked to the ship’s entrance and walked inside keeping his hands raised and his eyes on Wolfe. He saw glimpses of his memories that he had right at the surface. The horrors as Wolfe killed the last remaining survivors of his home world. The sadness and remorse he felt before he ever pulled the trigger. This man may have following orders, but he wasn’t a killer.
Wolfe walked into the ship and Vance waited until the door closed. He slowly grabbed the edges of his hood and pulled it back and down. He lifted his head to face him. His iridescent blue hair shimmering in the dim light of the interior like an oil slick on water. His glowing blue eyes staring at him, not with anger, but with empathy. “Yes, I am Phaige. I’m the last Phaige as far as I know. None of this is your fault, you were following orders. And now you’re faced with a choice; do you finish following orders and kill me as well or will you do what you know is right?”

The inside of Wolfe's ship was incredibly cramped, there were two pilots seats situated at the very front down two very steep steps that cut into the floor more like a ladder. It was like a Space worthy camper van with no windows along the side, only jagged gagues and indicator lights and two handle rails in bright red trailing along the arched roof. The narrow one man hall that made up the body took up the majority of the space and the pair stood in it as they had their interaction, their hairsnot far from brushing the ceiling.

For a moment Wolfe stood gun pointed at the Phaige his mind recalling the last moments he'd seen a face like that kneeling before him, loathing in that iridescent glare, the pleading...not even the children...

Wolfe's gun clattered to the floor. He couldn't see straight due to tears welling up in his eyes and he fell to his knees before the Phaige all semblance of speach desintigrating into wails. So many years of post traumatic torment. Travelling from planet to planet to hide from people who never searched for him. He belonged in that empty grave.

Wolfe dug his hands into the thin electrical fabric that coated his face, feeling its crackle as its curtain of electricly charged scales tore like tissue paper. Flakes of golden graft fluttlere to the floor and he rubbed fervently at his eyes to get the contacts to fall away. He crawled to the hem of the Phaige's robe and took his hand pushing the gun into his palm looking up at him with irritated eyes.

"I have waited for a long time....s-surely fate intends for this...for you. The tables are in your hands, I...I am yours now." He muttered incoherently. "It's OK." He said finally.

He sat back on his heels and lowered his head, and then...his mind cleared. The frantic energy of his obsessive paranoia and fear finishing with a decided calm as he realized his easy escape. His solution. His redemption. Death. The Phaige had managed to break him without laying a hand on him. No. He didn't do that. The human military did that when he was ordered to commit genocide. When he was forced to look into the eyes of a family and end them all. His own regret did the rest. Wolfe had been from the start a pawn in a larger game. A pawn of a pawn. A foot soldier in a political mind game that had turned natural human animocity towards the Phaige. Sent it crashing down upon them. Wolfe came from a planet that hailed their destruction, praised it with celebratory flags and goung Wolfe joined that cause out of obligatory pride. How best was an young man to find his honor and place? His family loved him for it.

This planet was unsavory for Lendri. She had been noting the looks she had been getting from the planet's residents as she wandered around the ship parking. While she was large on all fours, she was now carrying a flat piece of metal, a glowing metal tube, and a couple paper texts that made her even taller and larger than usual. She seemed to be a foot larger than the average Arkata, A leonine race from a desert planet that are known for being very tall due to the gravity of their planet. The plate had a purpose however, a wing needed to be fixed as well as needed fuel. Her ship was a re purposed two decked Teludir Scout Cruser, made larger and wider to accommodate atleast 10 to 15 of her kind. Covered in hyroglyiphic writing of her people made from the paint found while planet hopping. It was a good bit larger than other ships, but no less run down if not a bit better maintained aside from a cracked wing plate.

She hummed again, seeing two beings walk into a ship a few parked ships away. She couldn't really tell what they were, but one looked exceedingly paranoid. In this business, that was a good thing. To a point anyway. Lendri knew that not many people would mess with a Forge walker with the knowledge of what she could do. Even then, her size was intimidating. As she ducked into her ship, she noticed things out of place. Somethings in places she didn't put them. A crash from the back of her ship caused her to drop her things and rush to the back with a loud and booming roar. A smaller Steel Claw thief with scrolls and books in his arms and was about to leave with his loot. Now he was squirming under the foot of a purple venting 'walker. "I dooown't know who sent you to collect my texts, but your promisss for credits are for nothing." She growled as the Steel claw screamed in pain from the heat that was being emitted from her hand. Her books and texts were scattered around them as she opened her maw around his head. Within minutes, the screaming stopped as well as the thrashing. The smell of burnt fur wafted through the air as she lifted her head back up to revel that the face had effectively melted under the radiation and heat. There was less mess this way.

Lendri started to rummage through the corpses pockets and bags, taking nearly everything of value. Weapons, credits, even things that didn't seem to matter like the metal bits found throughout his fur and thrown into her maw. At this rate, she was expecting company due to the screams of pain. She threw the corpse out of her ship as she climbed up to with the metal sheet. Fixing this wing needed to be a quick job so she could leave. She had credits to make and time was surely money at this point.

Even all the credits in the world couldn't help the sense of loneliness in her heart. The day of the attack still played on in her mind as the screams of her friends and family scrambled to gather as much of their people's history as they could and hop on any ship to get off planet before the city was cracked open. An entire navy trying to pick off any escaping ships racing through meteor belt to escape. It was only by pure luck that a good majority had scattered like roaches, but the planet was a complete loss as it was over taken. She even knew that her race's counterparts had to have made a run for it off planet to survive.

Lendri lifted her head to the sky, watching ships lift off and fly to other worlds like she had been for the past four years. It was tiring, knowing more of her kind were out there but unable to connect. That or she was looking in the wrong places. It wasn't easy to find your kind when you all never had a distinct style of ship. Still this planet had at least some variety in terms of being and to her knowledge this was a planet outside council control. With another client that was a no show and things to sell, it wouldn't hurt to mill around.

The Wing itself was stable with her maintenance. A quick weld and flick of the shields to see if it would register was all it took. Telidir ships had pretty good defense and good for trade work. She hopped off of her ship on all fours, shaking off the shock with a clang of her plates. As flexible as they were, they were still mostly metal. The ship yard was mostly barren, which was mostly normal. Assuming most were either away or asleep in them. But it was the sound of two people talking, what about she couldn't decipher at the current moment, but it was something. They weren't her clients, but having a lead wouldn't hurt if they had any information.

The gait was slow and thoughtful. Making sure she speed off at a moment's notice if they proved to be hostile. Though this didn't stop her from knocking on the side of the ship with purpose. "Fotxilan*, if one does not mind, I would like to ask you some questions." Her English was passable at best, enough to understand most clients fine. At the very least she hoped that she would get her point across.

*Fotxilan = roughly "excuse me", literally "I wish for your attention"

Wolfe froze as a muffled metallic clanging rang against the side of his ship. He pulled open the top drawer if his desk and armed hunsekf with a pistol before squeazing past Vance to get back to the entrance hatch. He released the door and kicked the short ladder down to peer at the alien milling around looking for him.

"What do you want? I want no trouble." He said stoutly. He had never deeen a creature such as her before and he wondered vaugely if she was less creature and more machine. "Answers require payment."

He didn't point the gun at her, frankly he wasn't sure the energy bolts woukd penetrate her...well...whatever it was. But he made it clear that he was armed, holding the gun in his right hand.

Lendri's eyes blinked behind the face plate, tilting her head to the side as she rumbled with curiosity. "I come with no trouble. I have credits, weapons...a working engine for this pod." She couldn't help but notice the condition of this little ship of his. It looked like it could barely hold hold him let alone her. Steam bellowed out of her vents like a sigh as she kept her attention on the ship's occupant.

"I only wish to know if you have seen anymore like me. In another system or planet maybe?" Her words were measured, as if she were making sure that she was using the right words. Her head tilted to the side once more, eyes falling on gun in his right hand. "Also, that will not help you against my kin. It bounces off every time." she mentioned matter-of-factly. It happened quite often. Other races try to drive her off from her own ship thinking she was a monster and shoot at her with energy bolts only to annoy her. Then again, being an advanced race that once quietly tended to it's own affairs made things difficult once everyone had to scatter to survive. She even wondered if the Ice-scrapers were having this same issue. Then again they might have had it worse since they looked even more like beasts due to their cold side of the planet.

Wolfe looked her over and glanced down at his pistol. He could say without a second thought that he had never come across a creature like her before. She was....bizarre. It looked as if her insides were made of fire and magma, steam billowing from her vents as if she were a steam powered machine. Any human from his home planet would have called her a demon. "I don't suppose you'd sell me a weapon that could harm you, would you."

It was a joke, a dead one at that, he didn't chuckle afterwards, only glanced back at his ship. "I'm selling her, I don't need an engine, and I'm sorry to say but I have never seen the likes of you before." He turned, about to enter the ship again when he paused. Wolfe had survived all these years by finding information, things others couldn't find themselves. Surely he knew of someone who could at least point her in the right direction. That would take time, time he no longer had now that he was aiding the Phaige. "I am very busy at the moment...but with time, and credits I can find someone who may know something. What's your name and origin?"

Among the more battered, grimy looking ships that populated the landing area, there sat one that differed from the usual line-up if one cared to give it a second glance. It was sleek of form, its body almost leaf-shaped, with a pair of swept wings on the sides. The hull was dark green in colour, with what looked like a faint honeycomb pattern on the plating, and the cockpit windows were polarized and appeared opaque from the outside. From within said cockpit, Ebensomanth looked out at the other ships as he took his time with the pre-flight checks. He and his colleague had spent the past day or so looking for odd jobs here. Plenty of work that involved 'removing' certain individuals causing inconvenience to certain other parties, though there wasn't much the Armojan could find that suited his own specialties short of tending to one or two gunshot wounds.

The scientist snapped out of his boredom upon seeing a large, metallic creature make its way out of one of the buildings, carrying a few metal parts, possibly for ship repairs. A Forge Walker! He had never seen one in person before! Scrambling out of his seat, Eben dashed off to find his Helvan companion. Such a sighting could hardly go by unreported.

"Khazrin! Come quickly!" he called out, his beady black eyes gleaming with excitement. "Out on the landing strip, I've just seen a Forge Walker! I didn't know there were any living around this region... Or could it be a traveller, perhaps? Often are, around a place like this..."

The Helvan nodded lightly, and stood up after polishing his sword. Their recent 'tasks' got some stains on its blade. While not as excited as Eben, not really grasping the wonders of alien lifeforms, the sight of a such a weird and unusual creature certainly awakened something in the stoic bodyguard as they left the ship to investigate. Could it be curiosity?

Khazrin preceeded the scientist a couple of steps, warily scanning the surroundings until he saw the entrance of what appeared to be a space ship - and the metallic creature standing before the hatch. Quietly, Khazrin pulled the Armojan closer and slid behind a wall tall enough to conceal him. "There's a human," the Helvan whispered through his visor, not concerned but rather doubtful. "He is armed. How do we proceed?" He asked Eben, even though deep inside he knew the answer...hopefully, the human won't mind the...'interruption'.

The Armojan chuckled good-naturedly in the face of his companion's concern, though he did have a point. People with weapons drawn in places like these were more inclined to shoot first and ask questions more as an afterthought. "Proceed? Hmhmhm... Why, we shall convey that we mean them no harm, of course! If things do turn sour- not saying that they will - then we know what to do from last time, don't we?" Listening in on the conversation at the ship, Ebensomanth could easily make out the Forge Walker's booming voice. Sounded like a female, unless he was mistaken. She seemed to be talking about fixing the human's ship.

"Ah! Pardon me, but would you happen to be a Forge Walker?" he enquired hopefully as he walked towards them. "It is very exciting to finally see one of your kind in the flesh. Or steel, rather. I had read that they were more sedentary creatures." He made sure not to look threatening, though the bodyguard behind him may have hampered his efforts. Who knows what sort of reaction the sight of an Armojan in an ill-fitting trenchcoat designed for two-armed creatures and a Helvan in battle armour might evoke.

Lendri sighed, another cloud of steam rolling out of her vents. Another dead end. She rumbled a frustrated mutter in her language to herself, just about to turn and leave; but his proposal of finding someone for her to aid her in her troubles. That was something new. Her head tilted a again at his request. "I am called Lendrinia Vokilla. A Forge-walker from Krocrekstil*." She bowed slightly, a common gesture of her kind when giving a name and standing upright. The human was at least helpful, even if she towered over him. It was not very often she met another that was all tall as her to begin with.

Her vents turned in the direction of the inquiry, an excited tone that confused her enough to even have the vents turn in the first place. If anything she was more used to having other flee or be very very careful around her. "What does one want with this Yigbaryi**? And sedentary?" The word choice was confusing to say the least for her. Not she didn't understand the word, she did as a matter of fact. But she wouldn't describe her kind as such. More like the opposite unless they were spending time on the surface. Now that she thought about it that may be why he mentioned it. Time outside of the twilight band left them quite tired and unwilling to move much once they returned to their cities under the surface. She turned toward the pair to look at them. She only seen an Armojan once or twice from a distance and she had never seen a Helvan in her life.

She dropped down to all fours again, lifting a paw up to open a hologram of what seemed to be database of some sort. It flicked through pictures of other raced that she encountered before it shut itself down. Another bellow of steam rolled out from her vents, she was starting to crave water at this rate. Even hot metal needed to be quenched every now and again.

*Krocrestil - Forge-walker homeworld

**Yigbaryi - literally "one of the core", what the forge-walkers call themselves.

While Wolfe went outside to investigate the source of the thumping on the side of the ship Vance pulled his hood back up to hide his face. He walked out of the ship to find three other aliens. He recognized the plant-like Armojan and his Helvan companion, the Armojans had traded with the Phaige in the past and surely they were aware of the destruction of his home world which seemed all the more reason to keep his face covered. He didn’t need too many more beings finding out that he had survived. The Forge Walker was a race that he had only met once in the past. For the first time in a long time he felt at a disadvantage, he wasn’t able to hear the thoughts of the Forge Walker due to the metal plating, nor could he hear the thoughts of the Helvan because of his armor. However, his empathic abilities were working perfectly, but with so four of them so close together it was difficult to tell which emotion was coming from whom. There was an overwhelming feeling of cautious tension in the air as well as excitement and optimism. He had heard the Forge Walker asking about seeing others. He watched the hologram of all the different species she had met until it was over. He took note that there was no picture of the Phaige

“I’ve met one of your kind before. I think he said his name was Kaztild. He set up a shop on a junk planet in the Tar ‘Entella system. He was a nice guy, he helped me rebuild this thing from the ground up.” He said as he raised a hand and pointed to his sleek black ship parked next to the one he walked out of careful not to let anyone get a glimpse of his face. “I believe the planet was Tharas Nine.” He turned back to Wolfe as he was picking up thoughts of worst-case scenarios with these aliens from him as well as a bit of anxiety. He took a step towards him and whispered just loud enough for Wolfe to hear. “Calm down, they don’t want to kill us.” Though he knew that Wolfe already knew that, this would be a terrible place to kill them, too many witnesses. “How about we all go get a drink?” Vance suggested to the group picking up on the Forge Walker’s thirst.

Normally he wouldn’t have suggested this, but he remembered that Armojans had history with humans as well and he might be able to get some information that could be of use. After that, though, he knew he had to return to Phaigea, his planet. Specifically, he had to go to the mining camp on the third moon where his parents were working. He knew that even if the humans knew about the mines on the planet, they had no idea about ones on the moons. He knew there was a recording of the final communication from earth before they fired their weapon. If he could get that to the non-human members of the Galactic Council, he could get justice. That’s where Wolfe would come in, Vance couldn’t just walk in to the council building without being killed by the human guards, but Wolfe could get the recording and any other information to the non-human members with less chance of being caught.

Wolfe could live without the extra credits he could have earned from the metal beast, a disappointment though it was but the sudden invitation to bring them all out for drinks gave him pause. "Now, hold on...Is that wise? Let's not forget where we are we can't just bring Happy-go-lucky and his tin man into a brawl bar. Not when they mistake a landing dock for a safari of curiosities and intrigue. At least the furnace seems like she can handle herself...n-no offense." He glanced sidelong at Lendrinia. "He's too showy. Listen...I know someone who could keep an eye on my ship and we can get out of here. Safer among the stars."

Fact of the matter was he hated the curious energy the Armojan was giving off and even more the dutiful silence of his guardian. They didn't belong there. He faltered slightly, remembering the fact that the only reason he still drew breath was out of kindness of the Phaige. He had no right to make complaints. "Or...at least...we should at least get to the orbital, there's a sit down restaurant and its a regular by-way for merchants and shippers. Safer."

Wolfe was making some good points, however bluntly he was doing it. “Alright now, no need to fly off the handle.” Vance said in an attempt to calm Wolfe’s paranoia. “I’m sorry about this, he’s been under a lot of stress and almost got himself killed earlier today.” Vance said turning to the others and giving a light chuckle. “I’m Vance and this is Mr. Wolfe. In our line of work trust doesn’t come easy. He does bring up a good point however, the orbital and its café are a great place to find information and surely if I’ve seen a Forge Walker, there must be others out there who have as well.” He turned to head off in the direction of his ship.

“Ravie, open the entrance.” He spoke into a small remote he took out of his pocket.
“As you wish.” A disembodied female voice spoke from the ship. A hatch opened and lowered a set of stairs.
“So we’ll meet you at the orbital then?”

Khazrin followed Eben, not protesting his protected scientist's decision despite deeming it rash; he will get used to it, eventually, but until then, those who interact with the Armojan should learn to pay no mind to his eerie stares.

Apparently, the Forge Walker did not seem as aggressive as she actually looked. But he will still keep an eye on the alien, perhaps intrigued by her noble quest. The other two - the armed human and his cloaked fellow recalled his attention, too - but be it that they are not as rare as the Forge walker, or that they had a sinister vibe echoing beneath their skin, they did not leave a positive remark in Khazrin - especially the shrouded one, that just invited Eben to have a drink at a nearby local. Khazrin looked at the Armojan scientist, and awaited his answer. Most certainly, the Armojan understood that this invite wasn't out of sheer kindness.

Eben's interested perusal of the Forge Walker was interrupted by the hooded figure's suggestion of hitting the bar for a drink, followed by his human partner's objection. Apparently they would be heading up to an orbital station. Much more secluded there. How fortunate that the Armojan and his accomplice were about to depart anyway.

"With so many different species packed together, it's really more like a safari than you might think," he stated, his tone somewhat calmer than it had been mere moments ago. "Not to mention there are many things that may bite. Or try to tear off the stabiliser fins on your ship unless you shoo them away. Most inconvenient, myes. Anyway! We shall meet you in orbit." Turning on his heel, Eben began to walk away, briefly stopping to turn back to the Forge Walker.

"Ah... Lendrinia, was it? Ebensomanth Gragantha, pleased to make your acquaintance. I shall certainly look forward to speaking with you later, if I may." Giving her an amicable nod, he and Khazrin went back to their own ship. The Armojan pulled out a datapad from within his trenchcoat and started looking for which stations were in orbit. The human hadn't given the name of the restaurant, so they would have to tail the other ships and hope for the best.

Lendri nodded, about to comment about how the Armojan knew her name and then realized in that same moment that her voice was quite loud in comparison to the others here. That and she was by far the biggest. The invatation to the orbital made her nod, as any place to get a drink was quite alright with her and not having to argue with the door man again about letting her in was also a treat. "Yes, that would wonderous." she said plainly, before turning away but not before letting the amojan speak. "Yes, I would not mind speaking with you."

With that she turned back towards her own ship, trotting towards it as the hatch opened to let her in. The ship spoke in a rumbling sort of language as she climbed into the hatch. The ship had been rebuilt from the ground up by her hand as all Forge-walker built ships were. Most brought back from junk planets or those that had crashed landed on their world and their inhabitants killed off by the harshness of the surface. Teludir ships were common as they often discarded their older model ships and in turn were taken in by the Yigbaryi. In inside, however, was notably her people's own. A mix of carved stone and hieroglyphs on the walls. Monitors seamlessly integrated into stone and wiring looked more like veins in an ore mine. This was the last semblance of home since her people were driven off world. She wondered if the hooded figure's ship looked something like her own since he did say one of her kin built his ship as well. She didn't remember if the hooded one said a specific station, so she would have to follow his tail. The engines of her ship roared to life with that familiar purple light this ship provided. She supposed after a drink she would head to the planet vance had mentioned. Junk planets were full of good finds and where there were good finds there were walkers seeking them.

As the others departed to their own ships, Vance also went into his. The inside was sleek and a majority of the controls were touch screen panels with the exception of control stick used for manual control and steering. Vital readouts displayed as projections on the cockpit window, while those of lesser importance displayed on the touch screens. The cockpit had two seats as it was flown optimally by two people, but with the AI he had installed flying it alone was not difficult.
He waited in the cockpit for Wolfe to get the rest of his stuff or to find someone to watch his ship until he could sell it. He would meet up with the others at the orbital. There was only one with a café and a market place, so he figured the others would be able to find it with a simple scan.
“Ravie, get ready to take-off when Mr. Wolfe gets aboard.”

“As you wish, Vance. Which one is Mr. Wolfe?”

“The Human, Ravie. Take off when the Human gets on.”

“Very well.”

Ravie, short for Ravager, had been the closest thing Vance had to a friend, even if she was just an artificial intelligence, in the eight years he’d been in hiding. She was able to control the ship as Vance would when he needed to rest or was unable to pilot. There were a number of retractable robotic appendages within the ship and Ravie was also programed with a library of medical texts regarding the Phaige so that she could help Vance if he were injured. Also the ship was equipped with a medical synthesizer that was used to replicate synthetic Phaige plasma so he could feed. There were few alien species that the Phaige could actually feed off of in spite of what the tales would have you believe.

The control panels lit up and the engines began to hum. An electric blue glow began to emanate from the engines. The engines weren’t combustion-based like many of the older human ships, they were negative field engines powered by tridaxium. The radiation of the tridaxium, although harmless, was the cause of the blue glow in the negative field generator ports which would normally have a pure white glow.
“Ravie, display anatomy of the following races: Armojan, Helvan, and Forge Walker.”

“As you wish.” She replied and a holographic display showed up in the middle of the room showing three figures and displaying the anatomy of all of them.
Vance studied them as he waited for Wolfe. He didn’t think things would come to a fight, as none of them had any violent feelings that he was able to pick up on while they were present, but just in case he studied the displays for any type of weakness he could exploit if it came to that.

Wolfe vanished back into his ship and tucked his earpiece behind his ear. It was a very old ship type. "Computer, ring up Zoma from the Three Suns station. Send him the following message: Zoma, I have a rust bucket for sale, if you want it in one piece with all its salvageable parts you'll send your bucket head goons in to collect it before the feline vermin on this planet steal the last bolt and rivet. Attach the coordinates and apply my usual encryption. He'll know who it is...and if he's smart he'll know what he owes me when it's sold."
The computer confirmed the message, read it back to him and sent it all while Wolfe went from room to room with items in his hands stuffing notes and messages and files into his bag. He had very little actual personal items, just a few sets of clothes, the torn badge and a journal that had pages and photographs poking out. He left most of his guns as well favoring the one pistol he had tucked under his pistol, an old fashioned hand made hand gun from his home world styled after the ones they used to use on earth. It fired actual bullets and was worth half as much as the ship he was selling. He tucked it into his belt and stuffed the last of his research into a large case and shuffled his way out of the ship, with difficulty.

Vance's ship was a lot bigger and a lot fancier than Wolfe cared for. He strode on feeling a bit grimy as he looked about. It was leagues beyond his clumsy little machine. Wolfe could feel silence overcome him as he felt...a bit awkward at their situation. He had killed this man's...well...kin, had aided in their virtual extinction and now he gazed about for a place to stow away his undergarments in his ship. He still felt as if he shouldn't be alive, the feeling tugged at his chest like a spidery hand trying to grab a slug, he felt a bit like he wanted to be sick.

"My ship will be fine here. Salvagers will come by probably around the time the sun sets."
He knew it was strange for someone to cast aside an asset like a ship so carelessly, shrugging it away as if it were a broken plastic spoon that needed to be thrown in the bin. Wolfe wouldn't have been so rash before meeting Vance. He had accepted his death mere minutes before, a ship was worth less. Wolfe stared at Vance for a long time, his gaze tired. "Do you have a plan? Revenge? A-......are you going to wipe out mankind?"

The last question came out slowly, reluctantly, the thought making Wolfe look older and more tired than he was. It would be a just thing to do. Humans had it long coming even before the Phaige war, but it didn't take empathetic abilities to see that Wolfe still had family out there.

As Lendri wandered around to make sure her ship was ready for lift off, she looked up to see the hooded one's ship take off. "Well built, takes to the stars easy. Must be forge built." she muttered as she tapped on the console. She set the pilot to follow the duo's ship and within seconds her own scouter was in flight.

The trip didn't take long at all, but it was enough time for her to relax. She wasn't on the job here. No bounties to capture, No ships to steal and take apart, and hopefully no fighting another in defense of her person. It felt...nice, almost peaceful. As the ship followed the course the other ship had taken, she took the time sit on her haunches, her tail coiled around her as she sighed; another cloud of steam rolling from her vents. As peaceful as it was, she missed the halls of history she used to tend to. The walls filled with sheets of maps, texts of their history and gods, texts that she was sure had survived due to the amount of her people able to care most if not all of them out of danger. She even had a large library of various texts stored in the back of her ship.

As her ship landed at the orbital, parking itself next to the hooded one's ship; she trotted to the back of her vessel. Again, she noted that she wasn't on a job so some attire wouldn't hurt. She placed her claws into a pad next to her sleeping nest until it glowed and opened on it's own, revealing a set of vestments that looked like a cape if she were standing covered in red and gold feather like scales and tassels of the same color that went around her neck. The head piece swept back between her vents giving her a regal look...a look that she had long since had to abandon to survive.

Lendri muttered a phrase that sounded more like a rumble in her vents to open the bottom hatch, letting her drop to the ground below with a shimmering sound due to her vestments. The orbital itself reminded her of the markets just on the edges of the habitable surface zone on the heated side. It was quaint to say the least. She nodded toward the ship next to her and trotted along to find the hooded one once more and bow slightly in greeting. "Your ship takes to the stars quite well. You speak well that this is forge built." she rumbled, her mouth slightly stretching into a smirk. "But now we wait it seems. Unless our orb of excitement is already here."

Ebensomanth sat at in the pilot's seat of his ship, Khazrin not too far away, as usual. Much like the outside, the interior of the Armojan ship was made up of smooth parts, almost organic in appearance. The walls were a soft green colour, with what looked almost like the veins of a leaf if one cared to look at it very closely. Small lights were embedded in the ceiling that gave off a warm glow similar to that of natural sunlight, and even the temperature and humidity within the ship were made to simulate the preferred climate of the Armojans and Helvans.

Watching the other two ships take off first, the scientist initiated the startup sequence for the ship's ion drives, gently taking off from the landing strip and soaring to the upper atmosphere and beyond.

"I think that went rather well, considering how things usually turn out," said Eben. "That one in the hood seemed a little shifty though. What do you think?"

"Suspicious. Both the hooded one and the human with the gun." Khazrin said, and looked at the ships docking at the orbital. "I recommend we avoid making deals with them, until we learn more about their personal background."
The Helvan turned towards Eben now, and asked the scientist the now routinary question "What are your plans exactly, Ebensomanth?"

The Armojan leaned back in his seat, for once quiet and contemplative. "Hmm... Our purpose is to study new and rare alien species, is it not? The Forge Walker is indeed an interesting specimen. Rather polite, too. And that hooded one... I'm not sure what species he was, but I can tell that it wasn't human like the other one. Something about those eyes..." Eben resumed his musings until he caught sight of the orbital station very close by on the ship's sensors. "Ah, but we have arrived at our destination! We shall have plenty of time to consider such things later."

Khazrin sighed lightly, just to complete what was becoming his habit and part of his being. Despite having served the scientist for several years, the Helvan will never comprehend the Armojan's curiosity and obsession for xenobiology. "They do not usually enjoy being studied, these 'new' and 'rare' alien species, Ebensomanth." Khazrin said, knowing that his words wouldn't dissuade the scientist.

"Oh, I don't know. Miss Vokilla seemed most cooperative," replied the Armojan as he prepared the ship for docking procedures. "If anyone does try anything, however, then I suppose we could always make do with an autopsy."

With the ship landed, Eben disembarked to find that the interior of the station had been built to resemble the conditions on the planet they had just left. Perhaps the natives preferred this to cold metal corridors. It didn't take long for him to see the group, with Lendrinia acting as an effective landmark. Waving to them in greeting, he and Khazrin made sure their ship was locked before going to join them.

"Your ship takes to the stars quite well. You speak well that this is forge built." The forge walker spoke. "But now we wait it seems. Unless our orb of excitement is already here."
“Yes, there are few who can take junk and turn it into treasure with as much skill and finesse as the Forge Walkers. At least that’s what he told me.” Vance replied to the compliment.
At that point he saw the Armojan ship land and the other two walk out, the Armojan waving at them. “Looks like Mr. excitement is here.” Vance muttered dryly. He lacked the enthusiasm, but could still see the potential for information. “Wolfe, we should get going.” He called back into the ship. He assumed Wolfe was still getting acclimated to the ship.