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2008

"Maybe, it's a sorry excuse for an ambush."

2008 Day Two:

The four riders approach from behind the half-track, moving swiftly and confidently. As they come closer you can see that they are covered in simple garments of leather and fur, their heads and faces covered but for their eyes against the elements with simple scarves. Each carries a spear and they have a musket strapped to the side of their beasts. One has a local animal fastened to the top of his saddlebags, clearly killed recently.

They slow their horses to a walk and then stop short of your vehicle and the lead rider removes the scarf from his nose and mouth, revealing a face like tanned leather. He raises his spear hand in greeting and begins to speak, "well met off-worlders, we use this place often and will share our bounty! Interested?"

2008, Day Two

Trask leaned back against the half-track and whispered to Phebia, who just happened to be standing in the troop bay, "Could these men really be simple locals? If so, they might have some information on recent events."

2008

"Perhaps so." Marco said quietly to Trask. "Keep me covered."

Slowly, Karibi walked out from behind the half-track into plain view in front of the riders, keeping his revolvers holstered. As he approached them he raised a hand in greeting.

"Good evening." He called out, doing his best to sound friendly and respectful. "I am Marco Karibi, Scholar of the Colleges Hetaireia Lexis. My comrades and I are passing through this region." He gestured at the freshly killed animal. "You are hunters, I take it?"

Tsukiyumi wrote:"Incoming,"

Enrick woke in a snap movement. His Long-Las butted to his shoulder. Noticing nothing in front of the cab, Enrick turns around and aims out the rear of the half track. His weapon aimed into the approaching group. Whispering to Pahr "targets sighted, awaiting orders!"

Rochey wrote:2008

"Perhaps so." Marco said quietly to Trask. "Keep me covered."

Slowly, Karibi walked out from behind the half-track into plain view in front of the riders, keeping his revolvers holstered. As he approached them he raised a hand in greeting.

"Good evening." He called out, doing his best to sound friendly and respectful. "I am Marco Karibi, Scholar of the Colleges Hetaireia Lexis. My comrades and I are passing through this region." He gestured at the freshly killed animal. "You are hunters, I take it?"

2008 Day Two:

"Hunters, yes!" The local replies and then smiles broadly at Marco, "you wish to share? Plenty for all, we cook, swap ale, tell stories." The man swings down from his saddle and approaches Marco, extending his hand.

2008

"We're a little short on ale," Phebia said, letting her carbine dip a few inches.

2008, day two

Having sprung to her feet at the warning, if a second or two slower than the rest, Haxta let her lasgun fall as the riders came in with no obvious hostility. When it became clear that a battle wasn't about to break out, she slung the weapon back over her shoulder, and quickly snatched up her respirator, as much to hide her face as to deal with the strong smell of the men and their animals.

2008

Marco took the hunter's proffered hand and shook it. "It would be an honour." He answered him.

2008-2100 Day Two:

"Excellent!" The rider proclaims as he vigorously pumps the Adepts hand. "We prepare.", he turns and says a few words to his comrades in a dialect not familiar to you, they dismount and proceed to make camp. One starts a fire and proceeds to clean and dress the animal while the other two erect two small tents and arrange the spears so they stand on there own outside them.

The rider who spoke to you hands out bottles of ale to each of you and his comrades and joins his companion in preparing the meat. They say little to each other, working quickly and efficiently. While they do so you notice each carries a long, heavy sabre at his side in a leather scabbard but not much else. Apparently they prefer to travel light.

Before long the air fills with the smell of roasting meat and the riders motion for you to join them around the fire, having placed some large rocks around it, each covered with a small leather pad.

2101

"I must say," Marco said, sitting down next to who he presumed was the leader of the hunters. "I'm rather surprised to encounter you all the way out here. The region doesn't look all too hospitable. Are you from the city?"

2040 Day 2

When the rider offers Phebia a mug of ale she does her best to decline demurely. "No thank you," she says. "my Order forbids it. Water will suffice."

2101

Phebia took a seat farthest from the riders, turning slightly to keep her revolver out of sight.

2101, Day Two

"Just the ticket," Milo said under his breath. He stepped forward, took the proffered bottle, and nodded his thanks while Karibi engaged the hunter in small talk. Checking to see that the bottle had been sealed, he thumbed open the top. Raising it toward the group of primitives, he said, "Your health," and took a long pull.

Rochey wrote:2101

"I must say," Marco said, sitting down next to who he presumed was the leader of the hunters. "I'm rather surprised to encounter you all the way out here. The region doesn't look all too hospitable. Are you from the city?"

2101 Day Two:

"No, Exiles." The leader spits into the fire with venom. "Once we rode with a mighty Warlord, now we merely live. Worked for at new shrine for while, bishop not well. Live for ourselves now."

The man does not seem all that pleased about their predicament and takes a swig of ale, the smile returns to his face shortly though as one of his comrades hands him a knife and he begins slicing thick slabs of meat of the roasting animal. He hands one to Marco and takes one himself, he then passes the knife down the line for the others to choose their own cut.

He doesn't stand on ceremony and simply tears off a portion with his teeth and starts chewing. He glances over at Marco, "what you doing out here? Not many off-worlders come."

2102, Day Two

Milo finished his pull from the bottle and said, "The bishop isn't well, you say? Hmmm... we heard rumors in Port Suffering that the shrine was behind schedule..."