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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 7633990" data-attributes="member: 9255">DARKSUN: THE ELEMENTS OF EVILSEGMENT 036“CLUTCH vs CLUTCH”07/11/19SEASON: FRIEND’S VENGEANCE  YEAR 24MONTH: THE NOMADDAY: 27KA: 190It is early in the day (9am) and already the sun is blazing and the temperature is rising over 90.  Koe and Olan are thinking about their recent visits with Lilapaul.  Choro is thinking about the pictures in the book and the little Olan was able to translate.  Drak is watching for possible food.  Yaesha is hoping the crodlu they have makes it to Tyr without dropping dead.Drak swivels his insectoid head and stops.  “Klik-Klik…..Kreen”Koe looks to where he is staring and spots two thin insectoid creatures…. That continue forward walking on two legs.   Thri-kreen.Yaesha, high on the wagon seat spots more coming….. in a hurry.  “Raiders!”Drak is lost…. His thoughts are reeling.   Kreen…. His people…Thri-kreen are attacking.  It can not be!  Growing up in Raam, he had seen kreen.  They were peaceful.  He had heard stories of kreen being vicious hunters and raiders outside of the walls….. its part of why he escaped Raam…. To find out for himself.   But within a few days he came across Koe and the others…..In kreen   “Why do you attack us?  My Clutch and I have done nothing to you.  ”These kreen are all blurred images as they use their psionics.  Yaesha fires his bow at them as they approach running.  His arrows all seem to just miss.  Choro uses his psionics and again, fire erupts from the ground near one as it runs at him and the caravan.Koe kicks and swings at the leaping kreen raiders.  He misjudges every attempt.   Two kreen leap up and over Choro and Olan onto the cart.  Yaesha purposely “falls” off the cart to avoid the attacks.“Need food. Klik.  Need supplies. Klik.  Eggs hatching.” Clicks out the leader as he leaps onto Drak whom sidesteps his attack.   Looking at this leader, Drak assumes he is a young adult.  “Klik- I do not klik understand.”“Liar- or have you been corrupted by klik klik… these soft shells?”The battle goes on.  The visual disturbance caused by the raiders wears off.  It is then the caravaners  have more success against the kreen.   At least some success.  Yaesha’s arrows are sometimes deflected by the agile mantis warriors.  One such deflection finds itself striking Olan.“klik klik…. Call off your clutch…. Click clik….   My Clutch leader will destroy them…..” asks Drak as he struggling with the young leader.“No!    Hatchlings will..klik klik.. die.”The two battle.  Only one strong strike is landed.  Drak’s experience comes out on top as he wrestles and grapples with the youngling.  Arms pinned, Drak demands the young kreen to surrender one last time.  In response, the younger kreen attempts to bite and paralyze Drak but misses.  Drak doesn’t miss.  However, it is too late, the other five young thri-kreen have all been defeated…. And killed.Drak sets the leader on the ground and spots a shadow cover them both.  He hears the creak of a powerful bow string being pulled back.   “Step back Drak.” Commands Yaesha.Continuing to feel around in his pack for the few healing fruits he has, Drak nods no with crossed antennae. “No kill.   He is good.   Seeking to…. Feed hatchlings.”“Likely story.  He threaten me.  Threatened all of you.  Threatened the cargo.  If allowed to live he will do this to other caravans….. other people.  Do you want their blood on your hands?”Drak places the fruit at the mouth of the unconscious kreen and Taesha shifts to the side and just as he is releases the arrow Drak swats at him.  The arrow embeds itself into the ground about an half of an inch from the kreen’s head.  Olan pulls the arrow from his back and reaches for his healing fruit.  Yaesha reaches over and snatches the arrow from his hand and places it onto his bow again.“No.   Not like this.” States Koe as he steps between Yaesha and the two kreen.“Koe….. step back.  You know I am right.”  Choro and Olan stare in disbelief.  “Stand down dammit.”“Hatchlings in danger…. Clutch in danger…. Klik…. His clutch.” He turns his head to look back at Yaesha.  “My clutch….. you and klik… others… click-clik…. Are safe.”Yaesha suddenly is torn between his House and his…. Friends?   “He can not have the House cargo.”“Food and some water…..” begins Koe.“NOT the caravans.”Olan tosses his water skin at the side of the downed kreen.  “Mine….. not the House’s.”Koe and Choro follow suit as they untie and down their water and whatever trail rations they had on them.“Further more, we will take this kreen to his home.” States Koe.Drak looks up at the mul and his antenna twitches a few times.“You would abandon the caravan?”“We are a day or two from Tyr.   You said we would be there for a few days then go south to Alturak.  We return to his home.  Then return to Tyr and continue to Alturak.”“You are placing yourselves on dangerous ground.   The House can not support this.”“You are assuming the House will learn of this side trek.”Yaesha has rarely placed friendship and respect above House rules…. Very-very very rarely.  “We will arrive at Tyr on the first.   On the third we leave.   The caravan will not wait for you.  If any damage is done to the caravan in that time…. Your disappearance will be duly noted.”“Yes.” Sates Koe.“As you will be branded a traitor.”“Yes.”“As Yadda may place a bounty on your heads.”“Hurrrm.    Yes.”“Begone” and Yaesha eases the bow string and walks to the cart.Choro looks at Koe.   “Stay here with caravan.  Protect it.”  Choro is saddened by this.  Olan has already walked to the side of the cart.</blockquote>

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