Spiders Man!!

[Alysanne Drast]

Great Swamps, Naboo​

Having made contact with the Gungan High Council and brokered something resembling an agreement with them, the Rebels had but one obstacle left in their path, convincing the Gungans that they were worthy of being their allies. They had some weird traditions, these amphibious natives of Naboo, and while their leaders agreed that the Rebels had much to offer in exchange for permission to settle on the surface, they still needed to convince their people of the same. And these trials were how they were going to win the respect of the locals.

While others had to face off against Gungan champions, or tame their customary mounts, this was probably their most dangerous quest. The Gungans hadn't shared a great deal of information with the Rebels about these nightspiders, but what little they had been able to explain hadn't been particularly encouraging. They had brought the rebels to the surface near their city, and lead them to a nearby swamp. They wanted two Rebel champions to head into the swamps and clear out a small nightspider nest, bringing back some proof of their success.

Alys was sure the two men who had stepped forward to face this test were more than up to the mark, she might not know them personally but even with her limited training she could sense something in the Force around them, and helped calm her. The Force was with them, and so despite this being the hardest quest, she was more calm about this one than the others.

So she waited with the other Rebels outside the swamp, for their champions to return and prove their worth to the Gungans. All Alys could do was wait patiently for their return and say a small prayer for their success. "May the Force be with you!"

@Insalius @Vosrik

 

[Omnis Waszylla]

Unlike a lot of other people he knew, Omnis didn't really mind spiders all that much. What he did mind were when spiders, or any dangerous creature, posed a danger for innocent civilians. No matter what other reasons others had to hunt these Nightspiders, Omnis was doing it so that a family wouldn't lose a loved one to the deadly venom the creatures contained in their ferocious fangs. His weaponry secure on his person, he gave a smile to his partner as the other man arrived, the light from the sun glinting off of his teeth from hitting at just the right angle. "Hello! My name is Omnis and I'm ready to do my part to help. I'm ready to go when you are!" He held his hand out to shake, a smile on his face and conviction in his eyes. Just like on Tatooine, he wouldn't fail in this mission. To do so could put others at danger, something he'd sworn to not let happen as long as he could prevent it.

@Vosrik

 

[Devrim Wolfe]

theme​

With boots squelching in the muck of the swamp, Devrim scanned the trees and foliage for any sign of the spiders. For the time being, their surroundings were relatively quiet. It seems that the Gungans dropped them off in the general vicinity of the Nightspider nest, but far enough away that they weren't in any immediate danger themselves. Devrim had heard that these giant arachnids were incredibly deadly — hence why it was one of the trials required for the rebels to gain the Gungan High Council's trust and approval. Such a dangerous mission was placed in the hands of two of the Alliance's most qualified and capable members who had journeyed to Naboo as part of the diplomatic escort — Devrim and Omnis Waszylla.

The broad-shouldered rebel hadn't met his companion for the assignment until today, and it was only just now that the two had the opportunity to properly become acquainted. Omnis spoke first, introducing himself and amiably holding out a hand to shake. "Devrim Wolfe," he replied with a simple nod and returned his companion's outstretched hand with a firm shake. "I don't like the sound of these spiders. From what I've heard, a few of them have the ability to spit highly toxic venom." Devrim raised his R5R Blaster, ramming a fresh power pack into the magazine and flicking off the safety before placing his index finger flat on the trigger guard and pressing the butt into his shoulder. "Let's hope we don't run into that particular subspecies."

For this assignment, Devrim was fully equipped with his usual armour and arsenal. While Omnis had decided to not wear a helmet today, the broad-shouldered rebel's head was fully encased in his white duraplast helmet. At Devrim's side was holstered a DH-7 blaster pistol and his brand-new Quickdraw pistol that he'd acquired as a reward for his service to the Galactic Alliance. It seemed that he had managed to regain the favour that he'd lost due to hailing from the extremist cell on Dxun. On his belt were attached four grenades, which would definitely be useful against any swarms that the two rebels came across. They were ready to proceed. "Let's go," Devrim stated, beginning his advance through the swamp towards the direction of the spider nest. While the man wasn't keen on destroying Naboo's natural fauna just to prove something to the Gungan High Council, at least they were also making the surrounding area safer for the natives. He couldn't imagine how difficult purging pests like these would be without the use of blasters.

For a little while as they proceeded, little could be heard other than the sounds of birds and other creatures prowling in the distance. As the two rebels approached the nesting grounds, however, an unnerving chittering and clicking got louder and louder. Seeing low-lying foliage being rustling and moving, Devrim halted and raised his rifle. Out from the ground poured a swarm of nightspiders, clearly hungry and more than eager to attack prey that wandered too close. The rebel was revolted to see what must be twenty ♦ of the beasts rushing toward them, mandibles clicking and their lime green legs lighting up the forest floor. Forget the semi-automatic — it was time for something much stronger.

Letting the R5R hang from its sling, Devrim pulled the pin on one of his frag grenades and tossed it into the oncoming swarm. After a few seconds, it exploded and atomized seven of the nightspiders. ♦ "They're closing in!" Devrim called out, raising his rifle again and preparing to start shooting like mad.

@Insalius​

 

[Omnis Waszylla]

At the sight of the swarm of spiders, and the thought of the harm they could cause his companion as well as innocents in general, something snapped within him. The regular Omnis was pushed aside and Potencia took over. In a flash a grenade was in his hand, that smile on his face as the flames of conviction burned in his eyes. "Foul creatures, you will torment the innocent no more!" triggering the grenade, he channeled what he could of the Force into his body as he winded back for a full throw. "FELUCIA FASTBALL!!!" With all his force he threw the grenade right into the heart of the advancing swarm. The result was surprisingly devastating.

The grenade hit one of the spiders right in the face, the enhanced force behind the throw causing it to fly back into it's fellows. They were caught up in a tangle of limbs by the sudden impact, causing a pile-up of a half dozen of the chittering fiends. That was when the grenade went off, the shards from the fragmentation ripping through their exoskeletons and slaying the lot of them. Between Devrim and Potencia they had defeated near half of the deadly swarm coming at them. If he were afraid at all, Potencia didn't show it. No, his grin only widened as he dropped into a combat stance. He was a Hero, after all, this was exactly his job.

@Vosrik

 

[Devrim Wolfe]

His blond-haired companion having the same idea, both frag grenades had devastating effect against the spiders. In the back of his mind, Devrim knew that he only had two more frag grenade and one concussion grenade left on his belt — hopefully they would be enough for the rest of the nest. Realizing that his semi-automatic rifle would be far too slow to stem the tide of oncoming nightspiders. Letting it hang from its shoulder strap, Devrim drew both his DH-7 and Quickdraw blaster pistols, leveling them at the approaching swarm. Squeezing the triggers in both hands, it became clear that he was completely unused to the accuracy and recoil of his recently acquired Quickdraw, as all of his shots from that pistol missed wildly and fizzed out in the puddles of the swamp. ♦

However, he had much more success with his well-used DH-7, continuing to loose shot after shot from the reliable pistol until the remains of six nightspiders lay smouldering on the swamp floor. ♦ Devrim was certain that Omnis would be more than capable of slaying the four left, and with their first victory of the day the rebel peered into the underbrush again for more creatures. Seeing none for the time being, he nodded toward Omnis. "I think we're safe for now. Though once we get closer to the broodmother, I'm sure there will be plenty more to fry." Stepping over the rotting remains of a fallen tree, the rebel advanced in the direction that the Gungans had told them to go.

@Insalius​

 

[Omnis Waszylla]

Ah yes, the Broodmother. Turning to look at the nest, Potencia could see the remaining spiders waiting for the new prey to fall into their trap. The Broodmother was all the way in the back, just waiting to strike, as the two Rebels would have to go through whatever amount of webbing and poison to get there. At least, if they went in there at the regular pace, or perhaps tried to come through the side. Potencia had an easy resolution for this problem, involving the Force again. He powered up his legs, his grin of conviction on his face. With a cry he leapt with surprising speed, flying over the webbing and straight at the Broodmother. CORUSCAAAAANT CRAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!!!!" Redirecting the Force from his legs to him arm, a stream of light seemed to flow from his fist as he punched the Broodmother right in her ugly-ass face.

The Broodmother and the other spiders, the ones of the spitting venom variety, seemed completely stunned about what happened. As far back in the nest as possible, the initial rocking punch didn't make the Broodmother fly back and instead stay in punching range. With a grin he started to lay punch after punch to her horrifying head, aiming for eyes when he could see them and dodging her surprised and weak attempts to bite him. He trusted his partner implicitly to back him up, not even thinking that it was possible that Devrim would leave him out to dry. He believed in the other man, so how could any other outcome happen when he believed in someone so absolutely?

@Vosrik

 

[Devrim Wolfe]

Trudging onward, it was barely a few minutes longer before they arrived at the heard of the swamp where the nightspider's nest was located. And a revolting sight it was to see indeed. With silky webs strung from the swamp floor to the canopy above, the sickly-green excretions stuck to Devrim's armoured boots as he approached with caution. There, nestled between a clump of trees and muck, lay the broodmother of the nightspiders. Corpses and bones were strewn about and stuck up from the ground, the remains of previous meals that the giant arachnids had devoured until naught was left but marrow and calcium. Though his abilities were undeveloped, the rebel could sense a buildup of immense power from his companion. The broodmother hissed in warning, clicking her giant mandibles and bristling the coarse hair that covered her fluorescent green and black legs. Devrim knew he couldn't trust himself with any display of the Force, so he stuck to what he was good at — shooting guns.

As Omnis charged headlong into the queen, the dark-haired rebel turned his own attention to the three spiders that guarded the broodmother. They were different than the ones they'd fought before — bright green ooze dripped ceaselessly from their mandibles, and their black hides seemed to house the same liquid beneath them. These must be ones from the spitter subspecies, capable of launching virulent poison straight into their opponents. Despite being garbed in his full set of armour, Devrim knew he'd need to be careful. Aiming with both his DH-7 and Quickdraw, the rebel squeezed both triggers toward the spiders. However, despite the spitters being focused on the man striking their queen, one released a stream of poisonous ooze in Devrim's direction. Dodging the shot, his aim with the DH-7 was compromised and he failed to hit any of them. However, he had much more luck with his Quickdraw unlike before. The rapid-fire pistol sent two shots of burning plasma into one of the spitters that squealed and collapsed as its exoskeleton melted instantly. ♦

Adjusting his aim towards the next spitter, a single squeeze of the trigger left yet another spider in a steaming green puddle on the swamp floor. ♦ The broodmother, seeing its prized children die so horribly, shrieked in anger and hatred. Revealing a set of fangs coated in the same glowing poison, it lunged once again at Omnis' frame. However, this pause in its attacks would have given the blonde-haired hero a huge opening to strike it once more. The remaining spitter reared, coughing up more lime green liquid to spray the intruders in caustic acid.

@Insalius​

 

[Omnis Waszylla]

To Go Beyond The Limit

No, not yet, he couldn't fail here. Not now, not like this. The people weren't safe yet, the danger wasn't over. He could feel the exhaustion from having used the Force so much already, sweat pouring down his brow and condensing on his arms and legs. The dodging of the spit and strikes from the broodmother had tattered his clothing, though he managed to keep just a step ahead. He just couldn't seem to land that finishing blow, though, and if it came down to a battle of attrition then he would lose. He just wasn't as skilled as the Sith were in the Force, he'd never gone to an academy. Regardless, he said it was impossible for him to fall. If he did, what would happen to Devrim? He had a duty not to just protect the people of this planet but his partner as well.

He couldn't see the blasts that Devrim had sent, killing the spitting spiders, but he saw the broodmother open up for her vicious poisonous attack. That was the opening he needed. He didn't care that he was tired, he pushed past that barrier, grabbing as much strength in the Force as he could. In his mind it seemed like different flashes of colored power flowed into his arm, giving him the speed and strength to finish the fight. He lunged forward in an insanely quick punch, grabbing the broodmother by the face after delivering the tree-shaking punch with the Force of all the burning conviction in his heart. Halting her attack, Potencia picked her up by one hand and threw his body back, legs still planted firmly, in a one-armed suplex. "REPUBLIC REAPER!!!!!!!!!!" He cried with all the air in his lungs, giving everything he had to this attack. With all the damage he'd given the broodmother before, her tough chitin cracked and broke at the impact. Her head turned to so much of a smear on the ground, completing their mission. He stood up, the remaining spiders stunned by the loss. Potencia looked at Devrim, shakily raising a hand with it's thumbs up at the young man. "Don't worry...I am here!"

 

[Devrim Wolfe]

With the final spitter subspecies of the nightspiders rearing up, its two front legs raised threateningly, it released a high-velocity stream of putrid toxin toward Devrim's frame. Ducking and stepping deftly to the side, the spray missed him entirely and hissed as it landed on the damp ground, sizzling and bubbling. Stepping forward, the rebel drew his vibroblade and hurled it deftly at the spider's bio-luminescent thorax. Despite its terrible aim, Devrim realized it was much more agile than he had initially thought, as it skittered out of the vibroblade's trajectory to the rebel's annoyance. ♦ A heroic shout from his companion drew the attention of both Devrim and, surprisingly, the spitter nightspider. With one mighty blow, the broodmother had been turned to nothing more than a lime green puddle. "Good work!" Devrim called out, returning his attention to the spitter that lay only a meter or two away.

Stepping forward to stomp on the final one, it scurried away again and sprayed its virulent saliva in defense upon Devrim's armoured boot. ♦ Having had enough, he raised both his DH-7 and Quickdraw pistols again and unloaded both in the spitter's direction. Finally catching it and killing the beast, both his pistols jammed and needed to be holstered to cool down. ♦

"Good work, Omnis," Devrim complimented his fellow rebel as he approached the corpse of the broodmother. "I think this will impress the Gungans well enough, though I suppose we need some proof for them." Reaching down, he grasped one of the mandibles of what was left of the spider's head and held it up with disgust. "I think this should do." Turning with a nod of victory, he was about to leave before seeing one final group of nine spider drones coming to take revenge for their fallen broodmother. ♦

"One final bout, then," Devrim commented wryly, shouldering his blaster rifle. These nightspiders certainly didn't give up easily — the rebel could see why the Gungans wanted them dead so badly.

@Insalius​

 

[Omnis Waszylla]

Potencia nodded at Devrim, taking another grenade from his belt. Being his last frag grenade, he hoped that this would help take care of the last spiders fairly quickly. Luck or the Force must have decided to take a break at the moment, though, as when he threw the grenade it went off before it had time to get to the spiders. Luckily it had gone just far enough to not damage either Devrim or himself, though Potencia felt the shockwave of the blast even with no fragments. His legs were wobbling from how much Force he had used and he considered his options. Perhaps Devrim would be needed to pick up the slack. He didn't want to be the cause for their failure when victory was already at hand.

@Vosrik

 

[Devrim Wolfe]

Despite the fact that Omnis' grenade detonated early while it flew through the air and the shrapnel simply bounced off of the rebels' armour, it was still strong enough to rip through the exoskeletons of a few of the closest spiders. Three of them shrieked and shriveled up, clutching their thoraxes with their eight fluorescent legs. ♦ Raising his rifle, Devrim managed to fire off three rounds, slaying a spider each blaster bolt, before the last four were upon them. ♦ Realizing his companion was weakened by his earlier exertion, the broad-shouldered rebel stepped forward to meet the rest of the spiders head-on.

Drawing his vibroblade from his belt, Devrim flew into action. Stamping hard on one of the arachnids, he plunged the blade into the face of another as it approached. The gooey insides of the nightspiders spat out from the corpses of both, hissing as they started corroding Devrim's armour on his boot and hand. As the last two reached the rebel, he unwittingly drew upon the Force to aid him. Instinctively throwing his hand out at the two creatures, Devrim released his pent-up power in a single formless push that launched the nightspiders into the air and slamming them into trees and rocks. The nightspiders were all finally dead.

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Devrim wiped the blade of his knife on some nearby moss. "Let's take this head back to the Gungans," he suggested, looking at what was left of the broodmother's face. "I'm sure they'll be more than happy that the nest is now dead."

Fin​

@Insalius @Wit​