Frostbite Galore

[Gunner Stahl]

HOTH
​

Gunner was seated in the back room of the small transport airship, a dim light floating above head and providing minimal lumination as it appeared he was studying some form of scripture. Glancing towards his datapad, he uploaded a miniature map along with star studded coordinates upon it which continued to glow as he fiddle with the console screen. Stench of cigarettes polluted the cabin of the vessel as it appeared every soldier within the cargo hold was actively smoking. They were a small platoon, about six men total including the lieutenant.

Small chatter was common though a majority of the ride was completed in silence as every man separated from the life they adored were reminiscing of thoughts of when it was a simpler time, perhaps that farm on tatooine doesn't seem so bad after all. "You boys get through your new IDs?" He questioned his soldiers; this mission to Hoth involved a potential encounter with the Deucalian raiders and given the history of the two factions, it was imperative that no one knew they were of imperial allegiance.

They were an independent expeditionary force from Serenno, searching for an artifact. That was their bluff, and hopefully they would be able to fill the remaining gaps when necessary. As the airship glided over the frozen mesas, the men quickly prepared their gear. Usual ebony armors were replaced with white medium duraplast bodies, the archaic ancestor of snowtrooper wear. Easily camouflaged within the tundra of Hoth, these would help conceal their presence as much as possible. The weapons were different than usual deployments, preferring blaster carbines and snipers made from generic companies, they bore no insignia or connection to the Empire.

With parachutes engaged, the six men leaped from the flying ship, engaging their apparatus as they all descended and came to crawling halts upon the unwelcoming ice terrain. From here, it would be a long journey into the Morrsh Moraine glacier system. Two snipers in the group moved in the rear, while the lieutenant with his carbine in hand led his group out in front. Heavy winds and snowstorms would make their journey encumbered, though with persistence and conviction, they stayed true to their course.

@Xorism

 

[Ivar Frosted Helm]

Ivar had set off that morning on another hunt along the frozen terrain of Hoth in search of the large native game as it was his usual activity during downtime. His armor was covered in white furs to help him blend in with the snowy white banks and further keep him comfortable on the long trek out. He carried with him his spear in his left hand while his axe hung attached to his back.

Today he was hunting the giant herbivore Icetrompers who frequently traveled in herds across Hoth. These lumbering giants were generally non-hostile towards humans that left them alone, however, their massive horns coupled with the size they grew to would mean any attempt to take one down would require significant effort and skill on the part of the hunter.

The thick hides and blubber would provide valuable resources for the Deucalian to trade back home and in addition, further cement his position amongst his clan as a successful big game hunter.

The heavy winds and snowfall was a blessing and a curse, it both made it harder to track his prey but at the same time, it would aid him by keeping his presence masked to the animals that he was after. His tracking that morning had brought him to the Morrsh Moraine glacier system which initially unbeknownst to him would set him on a collision course with outsiders.

He overlooked a plateau ahead of him sitting still, hoping his prey would be nearby.

 

[Gunner Stahl]

Heavy winds and snowfall kept pouring on the foreigners, whom by many accounts would have been considered unsavory had anyone asked the locals. Their white armors and thick over-coats kept prying eyes away, at least that was their given the camouflage; though boot marks in the gentle snow were more difficult to hide. It was inevitable before any other parties would stumble upon them. Perching onto a knee, Gunner took out his datapad and scanned through lists of coordinates, attempting to find any evidence of a wreckage nearby which would contain the missing blueprints he was searching. Who would have thought that the architects designing these superweapons would have taken refuge on Hoth, then again, there was the entirely plausible explanation that this whole thing was a wild goose chase.

Eyes attempted to gaze through the horizon, seeing what appeared as a small figure atop a plateau to their right. Glancing through the adjustable sniper scope, he looked upon Ivar as the Deucalian made his way to Marrsh Maraine. He had not yet been debriefed about the inhabitants of Hoth and whether they would be receptive to their presence. It was well understood that most planets did not appreciate foreigners visiting; and in this case, it was paramount that they kept their Imperial lineage well hidden.

Not much to do about this at the time, the party continued on its way, moving closer to a crossing point with the Deucalian.
@Xorism

 

[Ivar Frosted Helm]

Ivar did not possess optical equipment beyond the pair in his skull that had been well trained after many years of hunting. One thing that he had learned early on as a child was to never abandon your back to potential predators who may be lurking just outside of your field of view. Although the distance was great, it was unmistakable to see several distant movements being made through the snowy field to his left which was seemingly coming toward him at a slow pace.

Ivar did not know if he had been spotted but rather than taking the chance in case that he had, he would move slowly toward a large ice pillar that would mostly cover his presence should the objects turn out to be predators that he should be avoiding.

As they approached, however, Ivar was able to positively identify them as human-like. Their heavy, uncoordinated trudging through the snow and unfamiliar outfits would make them easily stand out as non-Deucalian but in the middle of nowhere and in such a large group he could not fathom a reason why they would be here. Even if he had been spotted, so far they were not showing signs of it and so he waited safely to see if he could figure out who they were but to no avail.

Once they were within speaking distance he would call out to them.

"Who are you and why are you here, answer me."

 

[Gunner Stahl]

The imperial platoon continued on its track near the glacier system. Utilizing coordinates through a datapad, the lieutenant attempted to steer them southwards into the deeper glacier ravine. Old data sets had identified signals from an old vessel that had landed here at some point. Though the officer was unsure as to the accuracy of this information, it was his closest source of information.

As they saw the Deucalian approach there was visible tensions that arose through the ranks though the lieutenant had to diffuse any concerns his underlings may have had. Violence at this place would serve nothing and perhaps this stranger could assist them in what they were seeking. The armors were white to match with the heavy snowfall, cloaks rippling in dense breeze. Their gait came to a slow halt as it appeared the two parties would soon be intercepting and coming into speaking distance.

A single, gloved hand removed itself from the hilt of his carried blaster and went straight upwards in greetings towards the Deucalian. The other soldiers soon followed suit and it appeared as if the party as a whole had come to a halt. "Greetings". He stated, attempting to feign a friendly demeanor though all of the soldiers were ready to pull out their blasters and pulverize this man if necessary. "We are an expeditionary force from Serenno, independent tracking. We are looking for wreckage from a vessel that crashed here in the past six months..and what brings you out here in this frigid tundra?"

@Xorism

 

[Ivar Frosted Helm]

Ivar shifted uneasily in the soft snow, the group was large and likely better armed than he was if they were indeed from off-world. Recent events had devastated the Deucalian peoples and had damaged what little trade that Hoth was able to manage. It would be some time before they would recover properly, if at all on this terrible planet.

"Ég bý hér hálfviti uh hunting great beasts, many sizes bigger than you."

The gap now closed, Ivar walked confidently with his axe drawn in his right hand and spear in his left to within three meters of the leader of the party. His stance suggested he was prepared to strike if provoked but otherwise he would remain still.

"Sith gera mörg skip falla.. There are many wrecks such as you say, what is yours?"

 

[Gunner Stahl]

Despite Gunner's best efforts at defusing the situation, there was still some visible tension between the group and the Deucalian. Afterall, it would have been difficult as a foreigner to interact with indigent species while from Ivar's perspective, these could have been unsavory foreigners. Regardless, the snow soldiers remained silent for now allowing their leader to conduct his interaction. Gunner moved in closer towards the Deucalian, removing a data pad from his side as a three-dimensional image of a small transport vessel was visible on the console screen. "Well, friend" He used the word loosely, in efforts to possibly derail any continued hostilities Ivar may still harbor against them.

"It was a small vessel, would have soared over this ravine and crash into the bottom there". He stated, using his free hand to point towards where he expected the wreckage to be. Have you seen it?"

@Xorism

 

[Ivar Frosted Helm]

Ivar shifted to a less combat orientated stance but still remained poised and on edge as the group, all clutched their weapons waiting for something to happen. Ivar felt he could take at least the first couple by surprise but the entire group would be risky.

"Verð I know of a ship you seek, I will take for the price. Price is Icetromper."

Ivar understood basic enough to speak clearly but these strangers would perhaps underestimate him if they thought he was primitive.

If these strangers would complete the hunt for him he could take the rest of the day off for a quick stroll in the snow and still take home a trophy to show for it.

 

[Gunner Stahl]

Gunner could see the slight confusion on the faces of his men, all of whom were wondering what in the blue hell an Icetromper was. However, the lieutenant had done some last minute reading on the creatures that typically inhabited this world and was vaguely familiar with the beast that Ivar was referring to. He tilted his head to the side as he pondered the decision before shifting his eyes back towards the Deucalian. "Deal, we help you hunt Icetromper, and you take us to the wreckage." It seemed fair; he realized his troops didn't really understand what entailed to hunt down these beasts and even with a large party such as theirs, it would be a formidable challenge nonetheless.

He glanced down at their weapons for a moment, before looking back at Ivar. "It seems our weapons however are designed to melt the flesh, perhaps you take us to village and we use your weapons?" He motioned towards the spear but then when he glanced at the axe, it was as if he was slightly mesmerized by the craftsmanship. The legendary thermal axe; he had read and heard about them in his education, though this was the first time he would be seeing one in person. A free hand pointed towards the weapon on Ivar's back, the officer questioning, "What is that?"

Now the curiosity had peaked for the others as well, soldiers stretching out their necks as they attempted to glance at the weapon mounted on the Deucalian's back. For the moment, Ivar was a star, he likely hadn't received this much attention since he hit puberty and was a local hit with the thralls. Gunner chuckled lightly but preferred not to speak, he wasn't sure if this man would be appreciative of the same humor as himself. Now the Sith Master Xornoth he met the other day in Serenno, that lad seemed like a funny bastard, but this one, he seemed a bit more serious.

@Xorism

 

[Ivar Frosted Helm]

Ivar noticed the look of intrigue that the stranger held for his weaponry, in particular, his axe. Taking it off his back and holding it in his hand he showed off the weapon, igniting its thermal component for all to see.

"Drepa Not buy, only with family. Or kill. This is my Dþrúkállík It cut. It burns. Same time. Come I show you ship."

Ivar would seldom let the axe out of his hands for friends, let alone strangers. The only way for the stranger to ever dream of touching his own would be to kill a Deucalian warrior and taking his weapon, or by stealing one like a coward.

The journey to the shipwreck was only about an hour in the snow although Ivar didn't know if it was the same one they were after or simply the first they might have to visit. He wasn't entirely sure of what they were looking for, as there wouldn't be any chance of survivors and the freezing temperatures would likely damage all nonprotected technology.

Spoiler: OOC

Apologies, I accidentally posted with the wrong subaccount