Deep space has always been a great unknown. Hyperspace lanes cross the known galaxy like string in a loom but no map can truly chart every square kilometer of the deep void. What wonders are still left to be unearthed?
What horrors are still left to be disturbed?
Fate always had a way of dragging together the oddest of people. And how these two had come to find this bedraggled outpost was straight out of a tall tale.
The shack barely qualified as an outpost in its condition. Its door was continuously cycling against some unseen obstacle, its window caked in dust so thick it may as well be part of the wall. The two Humans had no business here.
But if the story was true…this was exactly where they were supposed to be.
The transponder code for the area had come back garbled, likely from a corrupted relay. It read only W-E-L…P…R-I-N-G before fading to jumbled Binary.
Jai took in the scenery before him in disbelief, seemingly realizing this place has been long forgotten for who knows how long. Taken aback, he double checked the information on his datapad just to make sure there wasn’t an error in the coordinates. He then observes the area in front of him in a look of disgust before looking to his companion.
“You sure we got the right place, J'ai?” Jon asked his compatriot. “from the looks of it I’m not sure that thing even has gravity functioning, much less life support.”
As the words came forward, the pair noticed a slight pressure between their ears pulse and fade. A dull warble came from within the shack as the sensation left. Silence fell, interspersed once again by the door cycling uselessly.
Moments later a ship passed overhead, paused for a moment then left. Likely another explorer of the tale that decided scrap metal was not the riches promised.
“Checks out, maybe looks are just a tad deceptive” Jai responded. “Should we perhaps check for any booby traps before we check out the inside?”
Jai searches the outside of the entrance and surrounding door for anything off putting or out of the ordinary
A slow wave of wind sent gentle swirls of dirt around Jai as he searched. Nothing was evident no matter how closely he inspected the hovel.
“Looks clear to me, wanna head in and check out the place?” Jai asks.
“Yeah, but bring her in nice and slow. You scratch my ship, you’re paying for it.*
Jai lands the ship in a nearby clearing off to the side/front of the building
A massive dust plume covers the area as the updraft from the ship sprayed the ground. What was a clear view became lost. Rapid ticking pounded the ship as particulate ground against the hull.
Jon sighs. “This is going to take weeks to clean.” *He switches on the ships beam lights to try and see through the dust clouds.
“No need, we can hit a spaceport, I’ll have the scrubbers clean ‘er right up when we get back,” Jai says. “Looks like we’re the only ones here, shouldn’t be much to worry about at least.”
The duo felt a heavy pressure descend on them. Almost as soon as the feeling registered, it dissipated.
Nothing illuminated on monitoring and nothing had exploded nearby so where had this feeling originated?
“Did you feel that?” Jai asked to Jon. “I think something or someone might be watching us, I think its best if we keep our head on a swivel.”
Jai helps power down the ship and makes sure everything else on board has been switched off before going to his bunk to collect his belongings and prepares to exit the ship.
As Jai prepares, Jon decides to try an experiment. Reaching into that back corner of his mind that he only recently had become aware of, he reaches out with his newly awakened senses, trying to see who or what is nearby, provoking this oppressive feeling.
The dust began to settle as the two made their preparations. As the building came back into view, it appeared to slant from the stress of the ship landing nearby. A dull groan permeated the air.
Jai turns to Jon “Ready to head in, I’ve got my things and you seem . . ready.” Jai says passively. Jai equips his blaster as a precautionary and heads for the exit of the ship.
Jai heads for the entrance of the building and cautiously approaches the jammed opening, sticking to one side, he peers inside the door way to take a look in.
Inside the building is a long corridor with multiple doorways leading off. The floor is littered with debris from items formerly hung on the walls. Amongst the chaos, a squat Skakoan was running around trying to clean the floor to little effect.
The Skakoan bolted upright in fright at the inquiry. It let loose a garbled squeal of Binary as it bolted through a doorway and firmly shut the door.
I blink. “Huh. I figured he’d at least try to shoot us before bolting.”
“Rather wise if you ask me.” Jai scoffed. “Shall we?” as Jai motions in.
The door guarding the Skakoan cracked open slightly, its occupant drawns out by the lack of immediate looting or destruction.
A quavering line of Binary slowly morphed to Basic like a poorly tuned radio.
“Who are you and what do you want? You already destroyed everything of value.”
“Easy there! We havent destroyed anything! We’re just, uh…” Jon turns to look towards J'ai for some assistance.
“We’re just to here to make sure everything is running smoothly, but looks like we may be a bit late.” as Jai nods in an agreeing tone towards the Tambor.
“Can you tell us what happened?” Jai asks.
“Why don’t you tell me?! First I am preparing a meal and next…” The Skakoan trailed off as the feeling of pressure came through again just as suddenly as the first time.
“I think we are just as confused as you are, tell me, how long ago did this happen?” Jai asks. Jai looks around the room and takes in the mess and scattered debris littered on the floor.
“Which part? The disrepair or the whole place shifting because someone landed a ship on it?”
The voice was steadier with each word replete with indignation. An awkward silence followed.
“Sorry. Its been a long time since visitors didn’t immediately try to rob, maim or blow me up.” Two hands curled over the jamb, pressing the door fully open. “Perhaps some refreshments and we can have a proper introduction. I think I still have some caf…”
A slow streak of sparks lined the Skakoan’s collar as his voice modulated back into Binary. A despondent warble leaked out as blue smoke ringed their head.
Jon shakes his head disapprovingly. “For certain, there be some truly malevolent miscreants this far out from the more well traveled hyper space lanes. One wonders what brought an enterprising individual such as yourself all the way out here?”
{I hope these weirdos [dialect] because I lack the parts to fix my vocoder} Earthenware clinked and clattered as they blathered on. The caf station coughed out a puff of green smoke as it rattled to life. {Oh you think you can break now too? So much for the warranty.}
The pressure returned, greater than before. Swinging widely, the host grabbed at his head as a low warble filled the room. This time there was a dark miasma that seemed to fill the space. Every shadow seemed to move. And just as before, the pressure left immediately.
A long wheeze came from the Skakoan as they regained their composure. Snatching up a service tray, they worked at pouring out a thick substance that would be more at home in an engine than a carafe.
Jon looks to Jai and whispers so the Skakoan can’t hear: “Something here isn’t right. It like… Something else is here. And I don’t like to imagine what long exposure to… That has done to our little host over there.”
A crash interrupted Jon’s aside as a laden service tray landed roughly on the only standing table in the room. {I lack condiments, apologies!} Eyes bored into the duo as hands gestured to the mugs and carafe.
“Yeah I think you might be right about that.” Jai replied.
Jai looks towards the Skakoan and asks, “do you mind if I take a look at your circuits? You seem to be in need of some maintenance,” Jai asks.
{Maintenance? Me? I know what maintenance you can start with!} A broom and dustpan seemed to magically appear in hand. The Skakoan offered them out to Jai. {You can start with the hall.}
Jai shrugs, taking the broom and dustpan in hand and heads down the hallway to “clean” but is more interested in investigating the nearby doorways. “Uh yeah, sure thing. I’ll get right on that,” Jai replies.
Jon takes a seat across from the Skakoan. “By the way friend, we’ve been rude. My name is Jon and that fellow with the dustpan is Jai. And you are…?”
{I am…I am…} The Skakoan seemed perplexed for a moment. {Ohm} Digging into their ruined collar, they pulled out a small component and pointed to it.
{I am Ohm}
Jai begins sweeping up some of the debris in the hallway and makes little piles here and there. As he scoots further down, he looks where the nearest doorway leads to but doesn’t quite venture further beyond the arch/door.
“Pleasure to meet you Ohm. And what brought you all the way out so far off the beaten paths of the fair galaxy, if you don’t mind my asking? The view? Running from Hutts? Or did you just need to get away from it all?”
“I told you this was the place!” Mao’han said, covering his face from the plumes of dust that the wind kicked up at him.
Trailing behind him, a dingy looking pit droid chittered indignantly.
“Yeah, and we had to walk all the way here because of it, and Tendo’s not gonna like it if we let his ship get stol-ahhh,” the Clawdite’s voice trailed off as he clutched his head, a strange surge pulsing through his skull… and then it passed.
Beside him, the pit droid quizzically peered up at its owner’s sudden episode.
“I don’t know,” Mao’han said, his voice taking a more grim tone than before as he gazed around at the clearing. “Let’s go.”
Approaching the shack from either side of the door, the two peered in for a moment, spying a man in Imperial Scout armor sweeping the halls as he tried the various doors in the hallway.
Placing a hand on his blaster, Mao’han called out from the door. “Hey there. Find anything interesting?”
(<@264152910315782145>)
{Ohm is home. Home is Ohm. Ohm has always been home. No reason to leave home.}
Ohm tilted their head as they spoke then shrugged.
Shouting back towards the entrance, “Negative! Just an old bunk and some piled tins, all caked up in some dust or silt, definitely dirty though.”
Jai moves on from the sleeping quarters and scurries off to the nearest door to him all while brushing small piles of debris and dirt into larger piles
With nothing but a simple shrug, the pit droid at Mao’han’s side strut confidently into the outpost.
“Right. Just waltz right into the crumbling shack shifting with the weight of an entire ship on it. What could go wrong?” Mao’han shook his head, following the droid in. “Skrunch… Don’t touch anything.”
An annoyed chirp came from the droid, ignoring its owner’s command as it investigated the nearest doorway.
Mao'han swallowed hard against the churning feeling in his stomach as he approached the door, putting a hand out to the wall for support as he leaned against it.
Taking no notice of his master’s sudden sickly condition, Skrunch pulled at the edge of the door in an feeble attempt to pry it open.
“It’s locked, you bolt-bucket,” Mao'han said, pushing past the nausea to point to the access screen affixed to the panel.
“So tell me Ohm, since you’ve always been home what was it like growing up in such a magnifier locality as this one? Did your parents always live here too? Any siblings? It must’ve been a magical.childhood, tell me everything.”
Ohm was silent as they noticed the approach to the locked door. Eyes locked on the fumbling attempts at access, they gave a monotonous whine.
{Unable to remember. Ohm is home. Ohm must stay home. Directive states so.}
“Directives?”
{Correct. Directive states…} Ohm trailed off as a solid thump of upended papers came from down the hall.
“Say why don’t you give the grand tour? You can tell me more along the way. Let’s start with the grounds outside, shall we? Could use a little fresh air!”
A clash of miscellaneous papers fall onto Jai and out into the hallway shortly after Jai had entered a different room. “Agh! What the h-..” he catches himself before brushing off the papers and articles before standing back up. “Who puts stacks of paperwork right next to a door way anyways?” Jai said under his breath.
Jai, still eager to continue his investigation after that embarrassing moment, continues to look around the room for anything out of the ordinary.
Ohm started at the sound and stood swiftly. Leaning out of the doorway, they gestured at the spray of printouts.
{Do you have any idea how long it took to sort those?}
Shaking their head, they returned to Jon. {Companion 1 has already helped themselves to a tour. Perhaps they can show you around and you can instruct them on proper visitation etiquette.}
Looking morosely at the ignored caf, Ohm warbled a sigh.
{Ohm can not consume this.}
Jai begins to look over the toppled paperwork to see if he is able to decipher any of the writings or salvage any of the data scattered about.
He emerges shortly after with notes in hand
“Hey Jon, this could be some useful information.” Jai says aloud. “Looks like some sort of vessel was associated with this place at some point in time, what do you think of it? Also, can you make out the code here?” As Jai points to the numbers.
As the words left Jai’s lips a low whine followed a series of clicks sounded out. Another printout floated to the floor beside Skrunch and Mao'han in the hall.
Losing interest the door, Skrunch curiously grabbed the paper at his feet, turning the page over and over as he tried to orient himself with it.
Ohm glided over to the droid and unfurled his hand to the droid.
{Report requires notice and filing. Please deposit in my hand.}
As the Skakoan bent over to retrieve the paper from the pit droid, a shimmer of light from beneath his tunic caught Mao'han’s eye.
Snatching the paper from Skrunch’s hands, Mao'han stepped between them, taking Ohm’s outstretched hand to shake it. “Name’s Mao'han Vane. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Ohm stood upright then looked dumb at the clasped hand.
{Violation of infection control protocols noted. Will disinfect at earliest opportunity.}
Pulling back, they extended their other hand towards the paper. The pendant swung loosely on their chest
“Not much for introductions, I see,” Mao’han said, pulling the paper away as Ohm reached for it . “Or manners. It’s not polite to snatch things out of people’s hands, you know.”
Behind him, a miffed chirp replied in contention.
“You don’t count,” Mao’han said, kicking a foot back to bump the droid. “And as for you…” Flicking the paper to straighten it, Mao’han looked it over. “What are you not telling us?”
“Mao'han, I believe it is?” Jon said, rising from his seat. “This is our new friend Ohm. Ohm, this is a gent by the name of Mao'han, please excuse his lack of manners. I was just asking Ohm here if he wouldn’t mind showing us around his humble abode.”
While talking, Jon slyly takes the piece of paper Jai was offering him and glanced at the code, trying to make heads or tails of its meaning.
Ohm seemed to shrink under the attention. Hastily stuffing the pendant back under their robes, they drew in a breath.
“I…I think I need to ask you all to leave no…oooowww.!”
Ohm dropped to the floor, curling in agony. The pressure was back, a rising crescendo that blunted the moment Ohm went down. The feeling seemed to persist for longer than before.
The printer screamed again, a bright yellow banner splashed across the resultant report.
Containment Flare - Suppression Bank 1 depleted
Mao'han clutched his head, groaning in unison with the Skakoan. “What… is… HAPPENING?!”
Jai watches in awe, not quite sure how to take in what he is seeing. “Well, not sure what to do about Ohm here, but what is this Containment Flare thing that’s blipping up over here?” Jai asks the rest as he points towards the report.
A low nearly imperceptible rumble shuddered through the ground, accompanied by a dimming of the lights in the building.
The printer spat out another page as Ohm relaxed. Shaking his head off, he snatched up the new page and scanned quickly.
“Hmm, good. That’s working.”
“What’s it say, Ohm?” Jon asked curiously.
Ohm looked up in dismay. “Nothing to concern yourself with…” They trailed off, moving to add it to the stacks near the refresher.
“Well you’ve been such a gracious host to us, it’s only fair we repay the favor. Perhaps we can help out with some upkeep around here. Anything need maintenance?”
Overhearing Jon’s question to Ohm, he grabs for the broom and dustpan once more to actually clean the floors up a bit. Moving back into the hallway he continues on and brushes the small piles into one larger one before sweeping it up bit by bit and exiting the building to shake out the debris before heading back inside.
Jon subtly gestures for Mao'han to do the same
{You could have left me and this place alone, but you just had to investigate. While I appreciate you not shooting me on sight, I am beginning to believe you are just as bad as the last visitors} Ohm got into Jon’s face, jabbing a gloved finger at his chest.
As Jai continues to sweep along the hallways, making sure not to miss the crevices and corners, paying no mind to the conversation between Ohm and Jon. He then begins to hum one of his favorite Jizz songs quietly.
Jon puts a hand to his chest dramatically, faking hurt. “Ohm, that hurts. I apologize sincerely for the… ill manners of my colleagues, but I’ve come here for nothing more than exploration, looking.to meet a kindred spirit on the outskirts of galactic society. I’m genuinely sorry that you feel that way, let me make it up to you, eh?‘
The Skakoan blinked mutely.
{Analysis incorrect. Apologies issued and offer of making up refused.}
Ohm shook their head as if an insect was buzzing their ear. {Ohm feels weird}
{Inquiry: do you have your access cylinders on you? Are you monitors?} Ohm perked up with the question, eyes darting to each member.
“I have my old cylinder from when I served in the Empire, unless you are referring to something else. .” Jai trailed off, as he stared at the blank wall.
Ohm points to door at the end of the hall, a previously unnoticed cylinder reader becoming evident.
{Please verify} intoned the Skakoan.
Jai looks behind him towards the reader on the wall, takes out his code cylinder and begins to walk towards the door without hesitation.
Shortly after, Jai reaches the door and inserts his code cylinder into the reader and awaits a reponse.