A Feast for Crows

[Asha]

Asha angled her ship down towards the sweltering jungles in Saleucami's northern hemisphere. Days ago, she had received a transmission from Leah, her Jedi Master, informing her that the Alliance needed a temporary fall-back base for their clandestine activities on Mon Cala and that this base needed to be located at the edge of Sith Space, yet somewhere neutral and safe. The young Padawan accepted. She needed to get out more on her own, after all, if she was ever going to become a capable Jedi Knight. Saleucami had some old mercenary hideouts in its sweltering jungles that could serve as temporary rebel bases for the duration of the operation, so she decided to go there.

Leah was traveling with Greybok, so Asha took Mig along with her. She had never seen a Gotal before, but she had heard all about Mig and his antics. She was interested to see how this hairy alien, who was almost as popular in the Alliance as Greybok himself, acted during a mission of this magnitude. As they sailed through the atmosphere towards their destination, she decided to test the waters and find out just that.

"Have you ever been to Saleucami before, Mig?" she asked as she steered the ship through a large bank of clouds. "They say it's pretty hot down there. Sure you'll be okay with all that fur?"

She, for once, was glad that she wasn't born with a carpet for skin. How the Gotal or the Wookiee handled rebel bases like Tatooine or Savareen, she would never understand. And Saleucami was a tropical, volcanic world so she imagined it wasn't much better. @Cazar

 

[Mig Cabra]

For this particular mission Mig had left his own ships parked with the alliance. The Gotal instead was riding shotgun with this girl named Asha. He had never met her or really heard of her, but he was excited to make a new friend. So excited that she would certainly regret asking him a question before landing. His eyes went wide and a smile spread across his face. This was the type of small talk that friends made. He was in.

"I have not! It is so exciting to see a new planet!" Mig replied ecstatically as he stared out the windows. "Each planet is a new and wonderful adventure!"

A word one might use for Mig would be overkill. His equipment for this mission was enough to take on a squadron of tanks. Mig was not one to pick simple, traditional weapons. The bigger and badder the damage, the more he loved it. The Gotal even flew a bomber for space missions. If he was not over doing it in some way, he might as well not be doing it.

"The fur? Oh it's fine!" He exclaimed in response with a bit of a laugh. "It works both ways! Keeps me cool in the heat and warm in the cold."

Mig patted his fur happily. It was nothing he had truly considered but it was truly a blessing. An extra layer of comfort no matter the weather. He only disliked being soaked. That's when the fur seemed to be a drag. Mig was always happy and looked on the bright side though. His new friend had an interest in him. That made him plenty happy.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

Theme​

Asha set Dark Sister down in the largest jungle clearing she could find. So focused was she on discussing the usefulness of fur with Mig, that she didn't even bother to look out the viewport to see what was waiting for her outside. She simply unstrapped her buckles and beckoned Mig to follow her outside. What she found waiting for her there stunned her. She had been warned by Alliance Command that pirates used old mercenary hideouts and might pose a problem to she and Mig's mission here. What Alliance Command had failed to mention was that a very large tribe of cannibals had long ago driven the pirates away and now were the primary residents of the jungle.

Standing on her landing ramp, Asha found her ship surrounded by dozens of humans. She couldn't count all of them in her stunned state, but there were at least fifty gathered in the clearing. Maybe more. All of them wore an assortment of tribal clothing. Nothing about them seemed particularly happy or welcoming. In fact, they looked ready to hoist both Asha and Mig off and roast them alive. In that moment of tense silence, Asha realized that if they did not run, that was exactly what was going to happen to them.

She reacted instantaneously, bolting off the side of the landing ramp and running straight through a cap in the assembled crowd for the jungle. Fortunately for Mig, the cannibals were far more interested in this running woman than they were in the big, hairy Gotal. The entire tribe broke out in a war cry and began to run after her in unison. Not exactly according to plan, but Asha had learned by now that things rarely ever went according to plan. She ran aimlessly through the jungle looking for anything that might give her a better chance of escaping her pursuers, but she could already tell that today was going to be a long day. @Cazar

 

[Mig Cabra]

Mig walked out with Asha as they landed, the smile never having left his face. He had even seen the people but figured they were friends coming to greet him so he said nothing. Once they walked out and he saw how afraid Asha was, it clicked. These were the enemies they were supposed to be clearing out. The Gotal laughed at how silly this was when she began to run away. An angry tribe chased after her and forgot all about poor little Mig. That hurt his feelings a little but he knew they were enemies now.

"Rude friends!" Mig shouted after them as he hoisted the PIPE onto his shoulder, aiming at the middle of the crowd chasing Asha. "Wooooooossshhhhh!"

It was impossible for Mig to fire the PIPE without making the sound effects. There was a childish joy that came with the Gotal. Nothing had seemed to be able to destroy it yet. He was someone who enjoyed life no matter what the situation. Friends, food, and fun where the three 'F's of his happiness. That's all he truly needed in life. Also he needed explosions. Mig liked explosions. The current one in front of him was spectacular too.

Red mist was a mixture of dirt, blood, and explosive material splattering all over those in the back of the crowd. The explosion did not kill everyone, but it did take out about half a dozen instantly while stopping about another dozen from being able to walk. The rest of the crowd would pause and quake in fear but they'd still chase Asha if not just to get away from Mig.

"Where are you going?!" Mig shouted after Asha and the tribe as he reloaded the PIPE.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

Thoughts of the mission had flown out the window and Asha was running for her life, only momentarily throwing a glance back over her shoulder when she heard the explosion. Was Mig bombing them?! Either way, it wasn't helping at all, as it only succeeded in driving more of the tribesman towards her. Fortunately, she spotted a wooden bridge ahead and bolted for it. The wooden bridge was suspended over a massive ravine, with a river of magma waiting below, but Asha somehow managed to make it to the other side unscathed. However, to her surprise and horror, so too were the tribesman.

"What the hell is that thing made of?" she cursed to herself.

Again she ran, back into the jungles on the other side of the ravine. The tribesmen's cries were getting louder with each passing second and she wasn't as focused on the terrain in front of her as a result. She kept looking back to make sure he was still ahead of them. As a direct consequence, she didn't see the crag in front of her and went right over into it. The fall was shot, and she screamed on the way down, but it ended in a hard thud and splash as she crashed into a rather deep creek at the bottom of it.

She dragged herself to the nearest rocky shore and laid there flat on her back for a moment to catch her breath. The cannibals would find her shortly, but she didn't have the strength to move right now. Digging her comlink, which she hopped had survived the fall, from her pocket, she clicked open a channel to Mig and, exhaustively, said, "Mig? I could really use your help about now."

She closed the channel, and her eyes, and breathed heavily for a moment. This was not how she expected today to go. Not at all... @Cazar

 

[Mig Cabra]

A call for help came from Mig's partner as he began trotting after them. Luckily it was not hard to follow a stampede so he caught up in time to see the tribe starting to climb down towards where Asha must have been. The Gotal activated his jump boots to make a big jump while screaming as loudly as he could. That was sure to scare them or get their attention. Mig was almost surprised when it worked and the spooked tribe turned their attention to him. A hairy, armored, heavily armed, and partially flying enemy was screaming at them as he landed a few meters away.

"Leave her alone!" Mig shouted using actual words for the first time since screaming. "Or I make another boom!"

Eyes went wide as many remembered the absolute barbaric explosion from earlier. Mig was pointing that PIPE at them again and they were all clumped up trying to get ready to climb down. A shot from here would be devastating to everyone. They didn't need to understand that part though. Asha was down and Mig was back so they'd just take some aftershock. It might be worth it if these crazy cannibals did not leave.

Many of the tribe began to back away. Some seemed to even begin shaking and crying. Their bad karma had finally caught up with them and they were afraid. The crowd had not dispersed yet but they at least began to give the pair space. Mig kept swinging the explosive rocket launcher around as they got further and further away. They did not surrender but they did retreat to regroup. Likely all of them would be returning to the base to regroup, re-equip, and get ready. Asha was safe for now and would have time to get up, but they had a good chunk of enemies waiting for them still.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

"We mean you no harm," Asha grunted, pulling herself out of the crag and onto the grassy knoll. Her words were nonsense, of course, what with Mig literally having shot a rocket at them earlier, but if violence and running wouldn't win than diplomacy had to win instead. Pulling herself up into a standing position, Asha continued, "We need to make use of your village. For a few weeks at most. Then we'll be gone. I promise you that."

She was uncertain if they understood her. The tribespeople looked at her strangely, then each other, and then one uttered something in a language Asha didn't quite understand. Suddenly, the whole group began to move, passively, through the jungle. Asha took that to mean that they had obliged and were taking the two rebels to their village. There, Asha planned to set up the temporary headquarters she and Mig had been assigned to create.

She looked to Mig. "Go get the ship," she told him. "I'll use my comlink to send you our new coordinates. Besides... if these guys turn on us, we're going to want to make a quick escape." With that, she left Mig to his task and went off following the cannibals. It probably wasn't her smartest move, but she didn't really see any advantages to just sitting around when there was work to be done. @Cazar

 

[Mig Cabra]

It was a big responsibility to have Mig fly a ship for someone else. The Gotal had never flown that type of ship so the controls would be a bit new to him. Mig was also a bit nervous about flying the ship and crashing it. He slid into the pilot seat and managed to power it up and check the systems. Everything seemed good so far. The coordinates were locked in and he began to guide the ship shakily towards the village. Everything seemed to be okay with a nice, slow flight. Once the fort village thing came into view, Mig grew more excited. They were here!

"We got it!" Mig cried into the comlink, not realizing how low he was flying into the village. "I'll just park over he- AH!"

A disgusting, volatile crunch could be hear as the ship scraped along a big pillar. That was going to leave a mark. Mig at that moment wondered how angry Asha would be about a damaged ship. He did not think about the pillar he just broke off and the huge noise disturbance he caused. Plus they would probably think the rebels incompetent for such a move. The Gotal was just blissfully ignorant of all that though. He would land and come out expecting everything to be friendship and magic.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

The cannibal village was situated high in the jungles of Saleucami, on the side of a ravine, but tucked neatly beneath tall and jagged mountains. Asha decided that this was the perfect place for a temporary base. It was the last place the Empire would look for rebels striking at Mon Cala should their mission be compromised. It was also remote enough that the Alliance could operate without drawing any local attention.

All that was left was for Asha to negotiate with the tribespeople, a process she began right after sending coordinates to the village to Mig via her comlink. "We will not stay in your village long," Asha was promising one of them by the time Mig arrived. "Just long enough to complete our task. Then, I promise, we will leave you in peace and will never return."

She realized how ridiculous she must look to be standing there negotiating with cannibals. She didn't even know if these people spoke Basic. But she did know they understood fear. Mig's rocket weaponry had scared them badly. They kept looking to where the Gotal had landed, as if they expected him, at any moment, to emerge and eviscerate them. This proved to be quite fortuitous, as the tribe seemed to accept her proposal almost immediately by nodding furiously and talking rapidly in their native tongue.

She returned to Mig shortly thereafter. "I don't know how you did it, but you made it happen, Mig," Asha praised the goat-man. "You are certainly a being who lives up to his reputation — that I certainly cannot deny." She glanced back towards the natives, who were still jabbering away in their native tongue. "Have you any idea what they're saying? I don't know if I got them to agree to give us their village or eat us for supper." @Cazar

 

[Mig Cabra]

Mig was happy that his partner did not seem to notice the damage he had caused to her ship. The focus seemed to be on this tribe of primitive cannibals. It was a bit uncertain if they would cooperate or not due to language, but Mig was confident that they would be attacking if they meant harm. The Gotal listened closely to what Asha had to say, and was a bit confused about his reputation. He was not sure he had one of those but apparently he was becoming famous. That made him smile and gain some confidence as well.

"Reputation? I am famous? Thanks, friend!" His beaming smile and loud voice caused some heads to turn, most recognized him instantly and stepped back in fear.

All eyes were quickly on Mig as he stood next to Asha. Most seemed to be afraid of the Gotal after all the damage and power he displayed. Everything Mig had learned about diplomacy was that you either had to hold all the cards or find a mutual goal or benefit. Here it seemed the Rebels held all the cards of power. Mig saw them trembling and decided he would become their god. Someone they could serve while he was here and they would worship the Gotal visitor for generations to come. Painting Mig on caves and on the walls of their structures.

"Thank you, friends!" Mig shouted, raising his arms into the air in victory. "We will not be here long, and you will be greatly rewarded!"

A moment of confusion passed before many began to kneel before Mig. Soon every single being in the old fort was showing service to Mig the Great. They would be hard pressed to rebel against the Alliance now. Perhaps they could even be convinced to join it. Mig was just happy to help. These loyal subjects would be rewarded in good food and supplies. Maybe they wouldn't be such dangerous cannibals after that either.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

Asha couldn't believe her eyes. She doubted anybody back at base would believe her either. Mig, worshiped as a god? She supposed stranger things had happened, but, if they had, she had never seen stranger than this. She slowly inched away from the Gotal and his newfound followers. "I'm... just going to go back to the ship and, uh, get the long-range transmitter," Asha said as she backpedaled. "Let the others know that it's okay to... um... land."

She had never left an assembly so fast. The silence and emptiness of the ship was welcome, but temporary, as she dragged the large long-range transmitter down the landing ramp and into the village. On her way down, she spotted the scratch Mig had made on the side of her ship. She squinted in irritation. Glancing back over her shoulder, she could still see the Gotal being adored by his newest fans and wondered how much they would worship him after she dragged him over here by the horn and made him touch up her ship's paint-job.

She rolled her eyes and decided to worry about that later. Setting the transmitter down in the middle of the village, she keyed in the comm channel for the rebel base on Al'doleem, scrambled the communication so that her message could not be intercepted or decoded easily if it was, and then transmitted to base: the path to Mon Cala is clear, and Saleucami was the jump point. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she cast an annoyed glance over at Mig, who was having a grand ole' time while she did all the heavy labor.

"Well," she muttered to herself, "at least he put away the damn PIPE."

The End​