Ask Kashyyyk Where There's a Rancor, There's a Way

[Hauron Solus]

Spoiler: Music

Song

Acyzik - Kashyyyk’s 3rd forest moon
Wookiee Moon C3 (by Imperial records)

Xizzy Yrka was a small town on the third moon of Kashyyyk. It was a mostly tree-raised settlement with some of the buildings being on the ground. It's name sake came from a less well known dialect of the Wookiee language known as Xaczik. When translated it meant “Sky Tree” and certainly had canopies that are second only to that of Kashyyyk. Roughly sixty buildings made up the town which also was predominantly populated by Wookiees. However one out of ten people were either humans or trandoshans in most cases.

A private landing pad soon became occupied by the bulk of Hauron Solus's starship the Beloved Lance. The rasmus class starship set down safely, its engines quickly cycling down as the mandalorian pilot got ready to depart. <"Keep it locked down. Let me know if anything happens. I might be gone a few days."> He spoke to the S3 ship integrated AI suite. It replied in mando'a on a screen, autotranslating the droid speak silently and confirming the parameters set.

The moon had a secret base on it occupied by Rancor Squadron. But the mandalorian was not here on official squadron business. Instead he had a few reasons for coming to Acyzik alone. There were reports of poachers possibly visiting the settlement of Xizzy Yrka. As a favor to Kashyyyk the mandalorian let the governor of the planet know he would be investigating the matters personally. Furthermore the mandalorin had a personal vested interest in the forest moon's security.

The mandalorian's rancor was running wild on Acyzik and could very well be targeted by hunters. That was always a risk whenever Hauron allowed the animal to roam with its sibling. Both Red-Lad and Blue-Boy traveled together however Red-Lad had returned to Hauron's father alone. Now the mikkian was going to find his proud steed and mascot of rancor squadron.

The first thing that caught Hauron's eye as he walked down away from his ship was another rasmus class starship parked nearby. He paused, admiring the vessel and wondering who it belonged to. The mandalorian saw he had already drawn a few stares but continued towards an visitors information desk. A terminal with details on maps, local attractions and more was navigated after a few quick taps from the Solus's gloved hand.

It appeared there were three options to choose from in terms of local drinking establishments. Three were out of business. The Dark Mare sounded like a quiet, low-key bar. Slaughtered Mountain looked like the opposite, a raucous dive. Lastly there was what appeared to be a members-only club, the Laughing Stag. If I was a poacher where would I hang out? He stood before the terminal, tapping his finger against a vambrace gently out of habit.


@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Finding out who you are is harder than it looks.

Because, well, Clove had no idea where to begin. She reasoned that the first step was to return to therapy, which seemed to be a good choice. Although it wasn't particularly comfortable, healing never was. Her therapist gave her homework after the first few sessions: go to the last few places in her memory where she felt truly happy and sure of who she was. It took some digging, but three examples came to mind. Kashyyyk, Thyferra and Altair's big yacht. Because the yacht was out of the question, her attention was drawn to the two other memories. To say she was truly happy during those times would be wrong. Kashyyyk's glassing and the Killik attack on Thyferra were not exactly happy events. But the way she was able to actually help, to fight not as anyone else but as herself, gave her chest a warm feeling.

Thyferra she had fewer ties with, but Kashyyyk? Those big friendly Wookiees have always treated her with kindness and warmth since she helped the planet. So that's where she started.

When it was Altair's turn to look after Zara, Clove and Bib, a towering prideful creature with large white feathered wings and four eyes, hopped into the Sunshine, her Rasmus class starship. For the first time in years, she left on her own in a simple yet elegant white wrap-on dress. Sure, she tried to look presentable when Zara, Altair or the other Dins were around, grabbing the first dress she could find and some white sneakers, but it was for them. On her own, she didn't care. Sweatpants and a simple top would do. And, while her outfit today was nowhere close to her decorated self from the past, especially with her blaster rifle swung over her shoulder for protection, it was a start.

She had no idea what to do when she arrived in Kashyyyk. There was no Force to guide her and she had no plans beyond going to Kashyyyk. So, after flying a few rounds on Bib's back, allowing the creature to properly stretch his wings and enjoy the wind through his feathers, she decided to go to the visitors' information desk and ask if there was anything fun she could do or help them with.

While Bib was waiting back at the ship, Clove made her way towards the terminal. It was empty, assumedly they were having a lunch break, so she waited idly, leaning against the terminal with a hum and her eyes lowered. She had barely noticed the man entering the room, but the sound of his armor's metal eventually gave him away. The chocolate brown eyes of the half-Annfyn rose from the terminal and danced to the armored man, noting that it was a Mandalorian. Nothing too special or too weird.

Just as Clove was about to turn her head away once more to give the Mandalorian some space, she did a double take. His armor... Although she couldn't put her finger on it, something about it kept tugging at her memories, screaming at her that yes, she'd seen him before. "Hello." She said this in her usual gentle tone, deciding to strike up a conversation with the man rather than stare creepily. "I'm sorry for being so bold, but have we met before?" The woman's lips curled into a gentle smile that matched her tone.

---

tag @Darasuum ​

 

[Hauron Solus]

The tendrils hidden behind Hauron's helmet twitched as they heard the greeting from the stranger. At least that was what the mandalorian thought at first. His visor turned to look at the beautifully dressed woman. Her outfit seemed elegant but looked like it belonged on someone attending a garden party rather than someone hiking through the jungles. Then again there were plenty of tourists that visited the jungle moon without leaving the settlement. The blaster she sported however told a different story. Then again the mikkian was someone who normally wore armor and an arsenal on his person for most of his day so he knew not to judge a book by its cover.

For a moment Hauron wondered if the near-human had just seen him on the bounty boards. Then the Solus figured she might just have mistaken him for some other mandalorian. The rally master's armor was painted predominantly black with red detailing and only a few small symbols to denote his allegiance and accomplishments as an individual. But he realized that it was none of those things. The pointy ears, the color of the woman's hair and her voice linked the man's memories back to Thyferra. To the time he had nearly died from a joiner arkanian dragon.

"Thyferra!" He said with no small amount of enthusiasm which was followed by a chuckle. "Wow." he exclaimed as the time that had passed took hold. It felt just like yesterday and yet a lifetime had passed since then and yet somethings had not changed.

"You look...amazing." the Solus cleared his throat and turned to fully face Clove. "Clove, right?" That day they had been introduced to one another briefly and there had been many notable faces there. The mandalorian had recorded that day on his helmet and rewatched it a few times but had never expected to run into the annfyn-human hybrid let alone for Clove to pick him out of a crowd. The badger was surprised she had remembered him from that day at all. "How have you been?"

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Clove couldn't help but laugh softly as the Mandalorian excitedly said 'Thyferra,' the final key needed to unlock her own memories and place where she'd seen him before. "That's it. Thyferra." She'd met the Mandalorian before, only briefly. But she'd seen him, seen his brave fight, and seen him get thrown into a building. She had always assumed he had died. And yet, here he was, alive and well, his armor flawlessly maintained. While he wasn't a friend and she'd only known him as an ally on the field, the news caused her lips to curl into a delicate and gentle smile. One fewer death.

And it felt oddly fitting, to be on Kashyyyk while meeting somebody from Thyferra.

"Thank you, you look very well yourself." Clove replied, her hands clasped in front of her body. "Yeh, Clove's right." The woman's fluted ears lowered slightly as she looked in thought, trying to recall his name from her memories. Unfortunately, it was one of the few things her brain decided to throw away. "I'm afraid I can't recall your name, only how courageously you fought." It was an incredible sight to see him fly into the sky, and it was no doubt the reason she remembered his armor.

"I've been... better, but I'm still on my feet." Though Clove wasn't the type to just lie, even now, she also wasn't going to get all teary-eyed soppy. So a neutral response would do. Plus, she was more interested in the Mandalorian. "What about you? What has brought you to Kashyyyk? I can't imagine the weather being lovely for your suit."

During their conversation, a Wookiee with a translation droid approached the terminal. Her fur was a lighter brown and her frame was petite. For a Wookiee, at least. She still towered over the two people near the terminal with ease. "Can I help you with anything?" The droid politely translated after the Wookiee let out a few growls and howls.

---

tag @Darasuum ​

 

[Hauron Solus]

The events after Thyferra were a haze but that was probably due to Hauron having received a concussion somewhere along the way. But he still remembered Clove and the other bright eyed people that were there along with some of the more sinister that had shown themselves. The mikkian was glad to see the half-annfyn was doing well which hopefully meant the others had survived too.

Hauron was glad to know he had remembered the woman's name correctly and he was even flattered she thought of him as courageous. "Hauron Solus." He answered when she asked for his name. Not recognizing him definitely meant she was not a bounty hunter. There were enough people these days that wanted his head.

He noted her hesitation about catching up. They did not know each other and were still practically strangers. He had to just accept her answer with a nod. Sometimes Hauron just said he was fine when he did not want to get into it. Clove probably did not want to share such details with someone she barely knew. Still, the man wanted to be friendly.

When it came time for him to answer he took a deep breath, placing both hands on his hips and blew air between his pressed lips briefly. "Pppt...I uh...lost my pet, Keb'ika." His tone admitting a slight hint of embarrassment or guilt. "I think some poachers might take a shot at him so I'm trying to find them before they find my Lil' Keb." Hauron was a pretty good tracker but in jungles like the ones on this moon were easy for even a rancor to hide.

"The weather's not too bad." He added after a moment of hesitation. But he did not elaborate further. The badger had trained in swamps, mountains, forests, deserts and more so he was able to deal with the jungle. He even enjoyed the climate, flora and fauna. But that did not mean it was easy to deal with the jungles of Acyzik on a regular basis. It was what also made it an ideal place for a secret base. Hauron did not want to give away any indications he had spent weeks and months at a time on the moon already.

An information clerk approached the terminal the two were conversing at, thankfully with a protocol droid. Hauron's Shyriiwook was rusty and it was murder on his throat. "How does one become a member of the Laughing Stag?" His blank visor waited patiently for the wookiee to tap a few times on a datapad. Then after a few soft growls and rumbling barks they answered and the droid translated per their programming. "You must pay an entrance fee of fifty credits. Secondly you must slay a either a Kashyyyk Bantha, Uller or another Kashyyyk creature with worthy horns or antlers before you are allowed to become a full member."

"Thank you." After hearing that Hauron thought about his options. He looked back at Clove and then back to the wookiee and droid. The woman had her own reason for being here probably. "I think that's it for now." He did not want to monopolize the terminal or the wookiee clerk. But he was curious to know why Clove had come and it seemed polite to ask her. "How about you? What brings you to this moon of all places?"

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Clove felt a pang of guilt; she hadn't expected Hauron to be so honest about how he was doing and why he had come here. All the while, she couldn't even say in honest how she was doing. Regardless, despite that, she paid close attention to what he was saying. Her face flushed with concern at the news of his pet missing and the potential threat posed by poachers.

Ugh. Poachers.

The Mandalorian politely mentioned that the weather wasn't too bad, and she, like him, didn't press for an answer. Plus, she had no idea if he was actually withholding information or not. For all she knew, the suit could have an inbuilt fan to regulate the temperature. So she nodded, that delicate and gentle smile still on her lips. "That's good."

She listened to Hauron and the information clerk in silence. She had no idea what they were talking about at first, could've been jibberish, but as they talked more, she realized they must've been talking about some sort of club or group that you could only join by slaying an animal and paying a price. A poacher club? Called the Laughing Stag? Again, ugh.

For a moment Clove stared thoughtfully, wondering if he was trying to gain access to the Laughing Stag in order to find out more about his pet's whereabouts. It would make sense. She'd do the same thing if it was Bib who went missing. Before she got too far into her thought, Hauron broke the silence. She returned her chocolate brown gaze to the Mandalorian, debating what to say for a split second. But, in the end, she decided to be truthful as well. She owed him that much after he was honest as well.

"I'm not quite sure, I didn't have a plan." Clove's head leaned slightly to the right. "I've been struggling with some issues and I'm going back to memories where I felt happy or... like myself. And I have a few such memories here, but I didn't think beyond just flying to Kashyyyk." She murmured for a split second before another thought entered her mind, causing her ears to perk up. "If you want I can help you find Keb'ika?" Her pronunciation wasn't as perfect as his, but she made an effort. Although, her pronunciation, in general, was off; her usual accent was gone, and she spoke perfectly average galactic basic. It hadn't been a conscious decision, and she wasn't even aware of it until she tried to concentrate on pronouncing Hauron's pet's name. Anyway. "My own pet may be able to sniff out something and he has large wings, so maybe we can fly overhead to see if we can spot something?"

If he agreed, she'd accompany him to her Rasmus Class Starship, where Bib was patiently waiting, his wings stretched out all the way, bathing in the sunlight.

---

tag @Darasuum ​

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron was a bit taken aback by how forthcoming Clove was. The elegant annfyn was honest about why she was here as far as the mikkian could tell. He could relate a little to her sentiment a bit. His own past had its fair share of darkness and it helped to have the brighter moments shine through. That was why the Solus mandalorian was surprised by her offer to help him.

The man smiled behind his helmet at her saying Keb'ika's name. It was close enough to the pronunciation. She would have plenty of practice to say it later. "Really?" He would not say no to the help. The fact Clove went on to explain she had a pet with large wings made him even more convinced he could use her help. "Yes!" He replied with a smile. "Um... let me go to my ship and grab something of keb'ika's."

Excited by the prospect of finding his beloved pet sooner, the black armored mandalorian turned and headed back towards his ship. He would return with a piece of armor meant to be worn by the rancor and approached the rasmus starship. "Keb'ika, or Lil Keb is Mando'a for blue boy. He's a rancor so your pet might want to keep to a distance. He'll only listen to me." The man wondered if she would still want to help knowing it was a rancor they were looking for.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

Clove's lip curled into a small but pleasant smile without her even noticing or trying. Something about Hauron's enthusiasm, when she offered to help, triggered a warmth in her chest that she hadn't felt in a while. Even though she couldn't see his smile, she could tell by his tone. It wasn't enough to fill the void, to cut back the black tendrils that tried to entangle her heart, but it felt like she took a breath of fresh morning air, clearing her head ever so slightly. "Meet you at my ship." She responded to him.

Returning to her ship, the now-meeting point, the half-Annfyn saw Bib standing outside, glaring at an insect that was crossing the railing. She approached him, reaching for the white feathers on his cheek to gently stroke him. "Hey, Bib." Her voice was hushed, almost whispering. "A big man in heavy armor will be flying with us, so be ready. He's nice; we have to help him." Bib chirped back, his head pressing against Clove's hand. She had no idea if Bib could understand her; communicating with him had felt so different since she had lost her Force. Flying still worked (thanks to a modification to her flying gear), and he seemed to pay attention to certain words, but it was different. The strong bond in which he understood every single thought she had was no longer there. Still. She was glad she had his company.

After a few minutes of cuddling with the large bird-like creature and stroking the fur around his cheeks, Hauron appeared with a grandiose armor piece. Clove raised her head from the feathers and looked at the armor, clearly processing the fact that Haundor's pet was a rancor. But after a second of silence, she shrugged. A pet is a pet, and she wasn't going to back down. "Sounds good, we'll make sure we stay high enough in the air in that case."

Looking back at the feathered creature, she tilted her head. "Okay Bib, take a sniff from the armor." Clove gently guided the beast towards Hauron, motioning towards the armor. It took a second for the creature to realize, but once he did, he sniffled the armor piece, taking in the scent. After a few seconds of sniffing, Bibs abruptly lowered his body to the ground, his neck lowered. It was a clear indication that they could climb to the top of the saddle. "Alright, we are good to go."

Unless Haudron needed a second or protested, Clove climbed on the saddle and shuffled all the way forward, to give Haudron room to crawl behind her. It wasn't the most spacious saddle, especially considering it was designed for Clove's height, but it was just big enough for them to fit if neither of them sat in the middle. As soon as it seemed that both were comfortably seated, she gently tapped Bib's side of the neck, signaling the animal to spread his enormous wings. "Hang on tight!" She called out. With two beings on his back, he crawled up on his legs, took a step or two back, and then, once he reached the speed required for lift-off, he sprinted and jumped into the air. As Bib climbed into the sky, away from the platform nestled in the Wookiee tree and towards what appeared to be a plain surrounded by trees, the wind brushed past their ears.

---

tag @Darasuum ​

 

[Hauron Solus]

Hauron was a little taken aback by the size of Bib when he first laid eyes on him. His look of surprise was hidden by his helmet and even with a warning, it was wild to see such a large creature in the cargo hold of a relatively small starship. But compared to Keb'ika's bulk and might, Bib was slender and lithe.

The mandalorian had not entirely expected the claws and teeth either. Perhaps a winged horse, or maybe a floating puppy dog or angelic bird. Bib certainly looked beautiful but at the same time had the makings of a predator. Then again, Clove too was carrying a blaster, her ship was well armed, Hauron needed erase any assumptions he had about her.

After Bib took a wif of the armor piece Hauron looked between Clove and her pet. But the winged creature already had their snout to the ground and had caught something. The Solus's apprehension was lessened at the prospect of a lead being found and replaced with excitment and hope. Clove's optimistic voice and cheery tone brought a smile to his face along with a nod from his head. "Oya."

The Group Leader of Rancor Squadron had ridden many animals before. Eopiees, dewbacks, rancors and more. But this was a first for the mikkian. "Um...okay." He cleared his throat and tried his best to get in the saddle without causing a fuss. Not only had never been on a flying creature before, he had never ridden on another animal with a partner. Not for the last time, Hauron was glad to have his helmet hiding his blushing expression. His head tendrils twitched in their bonds beneath his helm.

Focus​

Bibs padded steps and mass moving beneath the mandalorian reminded him why he was there. His heart rose and fell in opposition with his stomach as Clove's pet climbed into the air. Flying was nothing new but when it was on the back of an animal it was a different experience. Clove would feel him tense slightly, unintentionally pressing against her and also trying to give her room at the same time without falling off.

The view was undeniable as they rose into the air. Hauron was awestruck by the landscape despite having seen it many times before. The mikkian blinked several times and began looking for any visual signs of a rancor in the jungle below. But it seemed Bib had the scent and was leading them to a specific destination. "This is amazing!" He was grinning from ear to ear as the wind whipped past him. Even though a lot of Clove's hair was hitting his faceplate, the Solus hardly minded. The mighty and consistent flap of Bib's wings on either side of them felt empowering. Hauron could see why Clove enjoyed it.

@LilyNion

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

It was strange to fly with another person on Bib. Sure, Clove has flown very slowly and gently with Zara between her legs, but that was her daughter. This was a man she'd seen once before, an ally at the time, who was pressing up against her to avoid falling while also clearly trying to create space out of politeness. It was odd. But it wasn't odd enough to bother her. She was on a mission, along with that man and Bib.

Plus, she couldn't deny that hearing his amazement and the grin in his voice lifted her spirits, if only for a moment.

"It is, isn't it?" She responded to the Mandalorian. Clove closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Bib knew where he was going, and with the wind blowing past them and the sound of his heavy wings, talking would require yelling, which she was not in the mood for. So she decided to simply enjoy the moment, the freedom, the sensation of flight while sharing it with somebody else.

The landscape of Kashyyyk flew past them, with Bib flying nimbly past the large trees. Down below, there were only ferns, rocks, and wildlife that slowly lifted its head before returning to grazing. For a few minutes, anyway. Because after a while, there seemed to be a lack of wildlife. It was quiet. No birds chirping, no hooves rustling the leaves. Something had scared them off. As the realization dawned on them, Bib let out a cry. "I believe Birb found something. Can you see anything?" Clove's ears were immaculate, but her eyes... not so much. But the Mandalorian wore a visor; maybe he could see what was going on?

---

tag @Darasuum​

 

[Hauron Solus]

Spoiler: Music

Song

The mandalorian did not allow himself to get distracted out of excitement from the flight. Hauron looked at the ground below trying to find any semblance of a trail Lil Blue may have left. Torn tree trunks, claw marks or maybe discarded prey would give him a clue. It was hard to see at this elevation the details but it was better than traveling across the jungle floor.

Kashyyyk's moon was just as beautiful as the planet it orbited with many of the same species. Hauron had noticed some of the flora and fauna were similar but slightly smaller or evolved into slightly different subspecies. Hearing Clove's voice made him squint harder behind his visor. Then, suddenly a flock of avian creatures burst from the canopy of a tree as a loud bang echoed across the landscape.

"There!" He yelled over the wind and pointed at where a pair of trees on the top of a hill which were bending to either side. Something large was passing between them with such size and weight that it was forcing the large plants to groan. The blueish mottled tough skin of a rancor was just visible through the green overgrowth.

A loud CRACK echoed across the land followed by a second and a third. Hauron knew the sound of slug throwers all too well. That was probably the poachers firing. It would make it hard locating the attackers at first. Lil Blue was likely charging towards them.

Without wanting to endanger Bib or Clove, Hauron jumped off of the large flying creature. The Mandalorian lacked wings but he had a jetpack. The backpack ignited and sent the warrior rocketing towards what he thought to be his pet rancor. Hurtling through the atmosphere, the mandalorian's aggression was building with each second he drew closer to his target. Someone was attacking his rancor, his friend, his child.

He flew over the large creature and sure enough, it was Keb'ika. The Rancor let out a monstrous roar as he was struck with small arms. The tough hide of the beast was hardy and able to withstand the initial attack but the Rancor had already sustained some minor injuries. This served to only anger the animal and Hauron.

The T visor was switched to infrared, finding heat signatures among the cool greenery. Banking his body, the Mikkian torpedo dove low, flying over Keb'ika and announce his presence to the poachers. Lowering one wrist he aimed the associated wrist rocket at a pair of hunters hiding in the shadows of bushes. Daddy Rancor has come to protect his kid.

Now that he had a closer look at them, Hauron could see they were packing net launchers, heavy stun blasters and even tranquilizers. They may have poisoned or special ammunition for taking down big game. The mandalorian flew over another poacher who did their best to shoot at the flying metal man. But his lucky shot only pinged off of his durasteel chestplate, leaving barely a mark and was rewarded with an energy cord looping around his torso. The poacher let out a pained "GRK!" and was yanked off their feet as the mandalorian landed beyond the length of the yellow glowing energy cord. The rest would get the same treatment. Each of the poachers was trandoshan so far. Maybe it was the same for the rest of them.

@LilyNion