Brenon had had just about enough of this smart ass. He'd remained calm up
to this point. In one swift motion Brenon launched his arm out, in mid
swing he balled his hand to make a fist just in time for it to connect to
the pirates nose.... the result sent the Pirate's head reeling back, then
snapping forward. This guy was just scum. Brenon had cleaned shit off his
shoe that was worthier of life than this bastard.
  "....'That' was for being a smart ass." Brenon then looks at the pirates
mangled hand. "Looks like you might have to take
up something other than football, kinda hard to toss a football with 2
fingers. Hope you like 2 fingered bowling...."
  Brenon speaks to Zhirrzh and Telgar. "Gag him, then stash him over there
in the corner... Prepare the other prisoner."
  After they had departed, Brenon flexed his fingers and massaged his
hand. It hurt but not badly. He'd recieved more satisfaction out of it
that pain. Brenon then looked at Raliegh, "I don't see how people do this
do you? But it's a necessary evil. Hell, they'd be doing worse to us if
they caught                         us... so the Pirates are here to mine
huh? I wonder what they were mining? Must be something pretty valuable for
them to protect the way they are. Anyone ever ask LStayric what they had
him mining in those slave camps?"
  Raleigh nods at Brennon's comment, thankful that they had people like
Zhirrzh                         and Brennon around to handle this phase of
the mission. He was just a tech himself                     and didnt have
the stomach for it.
  Realizing his burns again now that his painkillers were wearing off,
Raleigh got up                         and left john Doe #2 to Brennon's
disposal. Approaching Kahliss, he discussed the
medical status of the team...
  "Look, I know we need to conserve supplies but both Brennon and Bud over
there                        are hurt bad. Zhirrzh and myself also are
hurting but not nearly as badly. I suggest                        you do
surgery on Brennon and Bud, Ill see if I can do some minor repairs on
Zhirrzh. What do you think?"
   Once Kahliss was assured everyone was now settled and there was no more
movement in the near future, he looked over Brenon and Bud.  Once he
assertained the extent of their injuries, his next task was to ask Brenon
whether he felt that they should use their supplies on Bud.
  If he thinks we should, Bud becomes the first victim to experience the
Surgical expertise of Kahliss.  If not, he waits for Brenon to finish his
current task before putting him under the knife.  The remainder of his
time is filled with eating, drinking, napping, applying bandages to those
wounded                but not severly so, and changing bandages.
  After finishing with the first prisoner, Brenon and the henchmen head to
the second. Brenon gives him the warning of speaking truthfully or else,
and tosses the two severed fingers in front of the pirate. As Telgar and
Zhirrzh strap his hand to the floor, the prisoner's eyes widen and his
face changes a shade. Sweat beads swell on his forehead as he looks to the
three as rabid animals.
   Telgar finished up stashing the first pirate in the corner and gagging
him. As he straps the second pirate to the floor, he looks at the blood
and fingers then back at the pirate. "Do yourself a favor... be honest."
  Smug with the idea that this prisoner will spill his beans, Brenon
begins. "So Amar, can you give me your first and last name?"
  The prisoner's eyes dart to Brenon. Wide-eyed, he gives a weak sigh of
submission. They cut Crat's fingers off!!! Surely Crat gave away
everything he knows. He heard Crat's yells, but wasn't sure what was going
on over there. He looks up, pale faced, and answers. "Amar. Amar Serham."

"How old are you?"
   The pirate answers. "Thirty three."

"Would you rather accompany us, or stay with the Kurabanda? "
   Amar frowns. "Either you cut my fingers off each time I hiccup or the
Kurabanda torture me. What's the difference?.....I suppose you're better
than a bunch of flea ridden monkeys, though."

"What is your favorite color?"
   "....Blue."

"Why were you in the forest?"
   Amar lowers his head. "We were out hunting Kurabanda, or anyone else
that may've escaped....We figure the couple that have gotten away have
taken off to the forest or died in the desert."

"Who sent you?"
   "Where? Out here?" He shrugs. "We jumped in the jeep and came out here.
Crowded as hell in that Explorer, but more people jumped in wanting a
little action."

"Have you ever heard of the Streel Corporation?"
   Amar nods. "Yeh, I heard of Streel. I'm from Pale. Just a big mining
company that took advantage of the war and is now the largest mining co on
the planet."

"What can you tell me about the Star Devils?"
   "We specialize in making money. It's a business thing. We're out here
away from the political pulls of the Frontier governments. We got here
first, that's all."

"What is your specialty?"
   "I work on the mining computer systems back at the base."

"What weapons are you proficient in?"
   "I'm a techex, not a merc."

"Are you right handed or left handed?"
   "Right handed."

"Are you married? "
   "No."

"How long have you been on Volturnus?"
   Amar thinks a long momen. "Damn if I've been here almost a year. 'bout
ready to head back home. Get good money working with the Devil." He grins.

"What is your favorite drink?"
   The prisoner shrugs. "Rick Firestrom and Coke".

"What is your favorite place?"
   "I've been on Pale all my life. I guess the mountains up north are the
prettiest place to be."

"Have you met anyone in this room before today?"
   "No. I don't know who any of you are."

"What is your partner's name over there on the floor?"
   "Crat Jacobs."
 

"How old is he?"
   "I dunno. Younger kid."

"What does he do? What is his specialty?"
  "He works in the loading area. I don't know what he does."

"Do you like him?"
   "I think he's a young kid trying to make a name for himself. I'm not
around him much."

"Who amongst your party was leading you? What was his name/description?"
   "I guess Swag was in charge of the party. The Kurabanda got him over
there."

"What's your favorite game?"
   "Good game of poker works for me."

"Do the Star Devils own any Star Ships? If yes, what kind?"
   "Yeh, they got ships. The business is doing well for them. I came here
in one of the freighters. I think there's a small cruiser that comes by
every so often."

"Why are the Red Devils on Volturnous? What brought you here?"
   Truane's Star is wacking themselves trying to figure out how to come
out here to Volturnus for the mining. The story's no secret - Before the
war everyone was abuzz about this new system and for years they've been
stumbling over their damn red tape trying to get out here. Again, we took
the initiative and we got here first."

"How did you hear about Volturnous?"
   "Everyone on Truane's Star knows about Volturnus, if you're in the
mining industry anyway. Rich in ore and everyone was hoping to get a gig
out here, but the quake, the war, and the government beuracracy put this
planet next to the shitpile."

"Do you have any known or treatable diseases?"
   "No."

"Any kids?"
    "No."

"How big is your operation on Volturnous? How many bases and personnel?"
   Amar pauses, eyes moving to the bloody fingers before him. He knew
telling the truth was in his best interest. "We got 2 bases. I work at the
small one, near here. We're hunting some potential ore down here. The big
one is further north. Probably got 40 guys up there. Bout 20 of us at our
place."

"What ore are you mining?"
    "Loads of vibrillium and tomarillium."
   Raleigh answers unasked questions. "Yeh, those ores are used in a lot
of industrial material. Hard stuff but still a little lighter than iron
ore." He nods. "Pretty good stuff. It's used in a lot of armored or thick
plated items. It's not a rare ore, but its prices are pretty premium."

Brenon listens to Raleigh and turns his attention back to the prisoner.
"Could you take us to your base of operations?"
   "It's right to the east. A few hours ride from here."

"How long since you ate last?"
   "Been about 6 hours."

"Are you thirsty?"
   "Yeh, I could use some water."

"What race or races are you using as slaves?"
          Amar pauses again, rolls his eyes and speaks. "Yeh, they're using
     some peanut looking things called Edestakai or something. We don't
     have any of them down here, but there are loads of them to the north.
     Tried using some of these filthy Kurabanda, but they're worse than
     monkeys themselves."

10 minutes ago...
  Slowly, wearily, hobbling under the weight of the load of dried branches and
the pain of his wounds, BudRREEPboopboopboop tosses the last bundle of
branches on the pyramid-shaped funeral pyre.  As he leans forward to untie
the vines that bound the bundle, his membrane feels the vibration of the
distant screeching again from above.  "Wait a minute," he thinks to himself,
"That's no Rastie pack . . . that screeching came from the tree huts!"  Bud
stands upright and tightens his membrane to hear more closely.  After a
moment or two, he heard the screeching again, or more precisely, the
*screaming*.  "Great Convergence!" Bud thinks to himself with alarm, "That's
the humans!"
    Bud leaves the last bundle of sticks scattered at the foot of the nearly
completed funeral pyre, and hobbles as quickly as he can toward the tree
huts.  "What's going *on* up there?!" he wonders.  Slowly, and uneasily, Bud
begins his ascent to the tree hut...
    Zhirrzh stepped back, taking his knife away from the hand of the second pirate. A clear look of disappointment settled on Zhirrzh's face. He had enjoyed carving the first pirate. The screams of pain had brought a modicum of satisfaction. Now, it didn't look like there would be any more screams.
    Zhirrzh sought and found Brenon's eyes, his own expressing a question as to what was to come next?
Telgar after hearing the final answer from the pirate and sensing that the questioning was over, Telgar looks down at the table. Looking at the severed digits of the last pirate's hand and then at the still intact digits of the present pirate's hand, he gives Amar a reassuring glance confirming that Amar had done the right thing in telling the truth.
    Telgar looks at Brenon, "What's the call?"
Inside, relief overshadowed guilt as Brenon finished his questioning of
the second prisoner. This guy didn't seem so bad, your typical
run-of-the-mill Jack trying to flip a buck out on the frontier. Then the
carnage of today's events filled Brenon's mind. Brenon contained his anger,
trying to keep his judgement sound. They needed this bastard alive...

Brenon continued with a few more questions:
"When you say there are 20 or so Pirates at the nearest mining camp, do you mean
there are 20 currently there. Or are they half that number now due to today's
festivities?"
   Amar shakes his head. "Twenty. That's it." He looks around. "I don't know how
many made it back, but there are only 20 guys there."

"What kind of security does this mining facility have?"
   The prisoner pauses, frowns, then shrugs. "Obvious stuff. Electric fence
around the perimeter. A couple cameras. This is a small outpost down here."

"How many buildings? What is the purpose of each building? Which building houses
the slaves?"
   "There's only one building. I told you, we're just a small outpost a few
hundred miles from the main establisment. We're researching and stuff down here.
Starting to establish another mine. We're constructing a larger building to
handle warehousing and we've got techies here help construct and set up cargo
loading. But we're small down here. There are just a few slaves here, and
they're kept in the main building as well."

"Zhirrzh, Telgar. Put him in the other corner, opposite the other prisoner. Then
come huddle up, we all have to talk"

Brenon gathers everyone up for discussion.
"I want this to be an open forum of discussion, speak your mind. But I want
ideas. First let me share my concerns with you. We know one of the pirates
got away. It won't be too long before he's telling his buddies about what
happened in the forest. Those 'Buddies' will most likely radio the other
mining camp for reinforcements. We were lucky today but there's no way in
hell we can take on those numbers. We'll have pirates up the ying yang
looking under ever rock for our arses. When I speak with the chief I'm
going to plea that he allow us to leave very shortly, I'm also going to ask
him if he would like to send some of his warriors with us to even the score
and to potentially eliminate the pirate threat in this sector. I'll inform
him of what we've learned from these two. Also, I'm going to give him
Pirate #1 as 'gift' and see if we can take Pirate #2 with us. Bud, I know
we haven't known you long but we'd be happy to have you join our party.
This might be your chance to exact some revenge on your previous captors
and do some good. I'd also like your help in speaking with the Chief if
you're willing?" <Brenon gives a questioning Glance to Bud, as if waiting
for a response>
Once Brenon gets his answer he will continue.
"Perhaps we can free the prisoners and arm some of them with the arms we
obtained from the pirates? What do you all think?"
    Raleigh listens to Brennon's proposal, taking the time to rub some more of the medicine mans healing ointment on his burnt arm. Once Brennon finishes, he steals the opportunity to offer his two creds...
    "Im with you Brennon, I dont think we stand much a chance against a combined force as is. If we can maybe get some Intel on there actions though, that could help down the line with establishing a plan of action against the pirates. Maybe, just maybe, we can talk both the Ul-Mor and the Kurqabundai to help run em off planet."
    Hesitating for a moment, he looks at the second pirate, "and for the record, I think we should keep him with us," motioning toward the pirate, "he's proved that he has a wealth of information and that he's ready to give it to save his neck."
    Brenon will also bring to light the status of the team. Two of it's
members(Raliegh, and Bud) have been hit pretty hard. "Kah'liss, If we do
decide to go through with this plan of action, there will probably be
medical supplies at the pirate operation so you have my authority to use
our medical supplies to bring Bud and Ral up to fighting condition."

BudRREEPboopboopboop enters the tree shelter and looks around the place,
trying to discern what all the shouting was about.  His eyespots fall upon
the bloodied, fingerless hands of the pirates, and the bloodied knives held
by the party.  A foul stench wafts from his pores and the membrane over his
eyespots seems to furrow.

"Whabat ibis gobing obon ibin hebere?"  Bud asks incredulously.

<<[Brenon responds,] "Bud, I know we haven't known you long but we'd be happy
to have
you join our party.  This might be your chance to exact some revenge on your
previous
captors and do some good. I'd also like your help in speaking with the Chief
if
you're willing?">>

Bud's pseudopate flattens and he stammers, "Joiboi -- ...revebenge?"  His
pseudobrow furrows again and the foul odor returns.  "Whabat habave youbou
dobone tobo thebese meben?"  Bud grabs the wrist of one of the pirates and
scrutinizes the *handiwork* (no pun intended) of the party.  "Thibis ibis
barbabaric!  Ibee wibill habave nobo pabart ibin thibis!  Ibee wabas hoboping
thabat youbou woubould hebelp mebee gebet oboff thibis plabanet aband baback
tobo cibivilibizabation, bubut ibif thibis ibis ibindibicative obof youbour
mebethods, theben youbou abare nobo bebetter thaban thebey!"  Bud points to
the pirates with a single pseudodigit.

Bud's voice softens, "Youbou mubustn't gobo obon toborturing thebese meben!
Thebe cobombat ibis obever!  Whabat youbou abare dobing ibis ebevil!"  Bud
unfastens the bandages from his own wounds and wraps them around the pirates'
gaping, bleeding wounds left by their severed fingers.

Bud whimpers as he works to wrap the men's bleeding hands, "Ibee wibill
hebelp youbou tabalk tobo thebe Kuburababanda ibif youbou hebelp mebe gebet
baback tobo Ibinner Reabeach, bubut Ibee wibill habave nobo pabart obof
youbour barbabaric behabavior!  Greabeat Drabalasite philobosopher
SCREECHburp sabay, 'Tobo habarm obone libife forborm ibis tobo habarm thebe
greabeat ubunifibied galabactic oborganibism'!"
    Brenon listens to Bud's argument, then responds, a twinge of impatience in
his voice. "I mean no disrespect to your philosopher 'sabay', but we don't
live in a Utopian society where only the good guys live and everyone helps
each other. We live in a society that steals, kills and manipulates for the
shear pleasure or power of it. Take these two(Brenon motions to the
pirates), do you know why they were in the forest today? Do you know why
they killed your friends? Both of them told us it was for the mere pleasure
of killing monkey men, "sport" then called it. What harm have we done the
universe in removing those that destroy life in such a manner? I'll answer
that for you. None."
    "And trust me when I say that I hate using 'Barbaric' methods to retrieve
information but lives are at stake here. How soon before the trees are
crawling with bands of pirates? It's only a matter of time before the one
that got away reaches main camp. Hell, he's probably there now, getting
medical treatment and telling them about how they just got their arses
kicked by some 'large' number of soldiers in the woods. In turn, they'll
probably radio the other mining facility for reinforcements.... now you can
see the pieces of the puzzle starting to come together, no? So, we're left
with two options, high tail it and get the hell away from here, and leave
the fate of the Kurabada in God's hands. Or we can put and end to the
piracy in this region and free some slaves? But whatever we do, we must do
quickly! If we opt for the later, I'm gonna need ever arm that can pull a
trigger. If you can't pull a trigger or don't want too, then I have no use
for you and you'd be in the way and using up our supplies. I will promise
you this though, if you choose to remain here, we'll mark the coordinates
down and make sure when we do get off this rock that we come back by and
pick you up......"
     A small group of Kurabanda approach the shelter and announce the chief is
ready to speak with you, and to follow them..
    Raleigh stands quietly off to the side, listening to Bud, then Brennon's point of view on events that had just occured. Looking down at the flood stained floor, his stomach turned slightly. Had they lost their humanity? Were they barbarians? Suddenly everything seemed so borderline...
    No! The pirates had already tried on two occassions to kill the group. He himself had barely avoided death at the hands of two pirates back on the Serena. The dralasite had a valid point, Raleigh didnt enjoy the torturing, but it was a means to an end. Bud seemed like a good individual overall, but here he was wrong. Innocents had died because of those pirates, they must be brought to justice!
    Raleigh lifted his rifle and slung it over his shoulder, thankful that it was time to see the chief. He had no desire to listen to this debate any longer.
        Zhirrzh looked back and forth at Bud and Brenon, then looks at the knife in his hands. A thoughtful look passes across his face as he considers what he's done. Then, his motions deliberate and exact, Zhirrzh wipes the blood on his knife off on either side of the first pirate's face. Looking back at Bud, Zhirrzh curls his lips in a mock snarl, inviting a derisive comment from the Dralasite whose life they had saved.
    'There are always those who are to weak to handle all aspects of battle. The Academy had taught us that fact,' Telgar thought to himself. He merely waits for the debate to end, confident that Brenon would prevail with the group's point of view in the end.
    Bud continues to tend to the pirates, the men who had only weeks before been
his captors.  He uses his own bandages to wipe away the blood that Zhirrzh
disdainfully smeared on  their faces with his knife.
    Bud responds to Brennon's impassioned defense, "Ibee wibill helbp youbou
tabalk tobo thebe chiebief, aband ebeven tabake ubup abarms tobo debefebend
ibinnocents frobom thebe tyrabanny obof thebese maraubauders ibif youbou
hebelp mebe gebet baback hobome.  Bubut Ibee wibill habave nobo pabart ibin
ubunebecessary crubuelty subuch abas thibis.  Lebet ubus gobo tobo Chiebief
Kongonchudu, tobo whobom Ibee wibill pleabead fobor thebe Kurababandaba tobo
spabare theibeir libives."
    Brenon did not share Bud's empathy. He also found it odd they Bud sought
to comfort his previous captors. Thoughts began for form in Brenon's mind;
'Perhaps he's one of them? Perhaps he befriended the Kurabanda only as an
informant of the Pirates? That would explain his poor shooting. Now that I
think on it, his shots did seem misplaced, as though he weren't even trying
to hit the pirates.... But then again, he was wounded badly....' Confusion
set in and Brenon made a mental note to keep an eye on this one. 'Perhaps
he just has a profound respect for life,whether good or bad...' Brenon
thought to himself as an afterthought.
    With that, Brenon stood up and motioned for all to follow.
    They were on their way to see the chief.

    The team stands; some of you shift awkwardly at the exhange of words between the Enforcers from Streel and the Dralasite BudReeeep. The Kurabanda guards watch carefully as the conversation comes to an end and the escort gestures again to follow them. Chief Auramada is ready to receive them.
    Some of the guards grab the prisoners and heave them up on their poles. They precede your group. A second group of Kurabanda grab the other two pirates.    You follow the Kurabanda fifty meters to the other side of the massive tree and to a very large wooden platform extending 50 meters from the base of the trunk. Large  branches protrude from the platform at varying intervals, giving the impression that this platform is built between several different trees. A raised platform before you houses a wooden throne. A fierce looking Kurabanda sits here, sword in hand, and waits for the party to advance.
    Kurabanda surround you on both sides as you walk up to the platform.  Applause and shrieks break from the Kurabanda as they see the 4 prisoners, hanging upside down, lead the parade. The Kurabanda guards painfully dump the prisoners  in two piles at the base of the platform: Amar and Crat in one, the Kurabanda's prisoners in the second. The escort presents you as the team that fought the "Demons from sky" and move to the side of the platform, granting the chief full view of the team.
    Chief Auramada looks you over quietly for several long moments. Once or twice his nostrils play with the air, as if trying to get the party's scent. He looks at the group of prisoners before him, then back to the team. He speaks, again in Pan-Gal.
    "Hed....ou...hed uour teem. Leedr speek."
    The team stands motionless for a few seconds until you deduce the chief is asking for the leader of the group to speak. Brenon takes a few steps in front of the group.
    The chief's jaw grinds back and forth as he looks over the Human. He then pounds on his chest, causing the wooden breastplate over his body to rattle. He then gestures all around. "Me.....Cheef Auramada. Cheef Kurabanda vilgage." He looks back to Brenon and throws his hand to him. "Whou....Ou?"

The chief waits the answer. He then continues.... "Ouu....hu--man....lak Commder Lous Jamson. Ouu Commder?"

"Ou....fat demun fom skie. Yuo fat demon fom skie?"
"Ou Commder.....Commder look for Commder Lous Jamson?"
"Yuo....heer...wat fore?"
"Ou....hep Kurabanda.......Yuo hep Kurabanda. Ou hep fat? Ou no no Kurabanda."
"Ou com fum...ou liv were?"
"Wat ou want Kurabanda? Ou hep fro wat?"

The chief takes the answers and looks to the rest of the group. His eyes drop on Zhirrzh and he gestures to the Yazirian.
"Ou.....no Kurabanda. Luk lak Kurabanda. Whu ou?"
"Whi ou go wit hu-man Brenun Maroo? Hu-man better fat than Zhirrzh?"
"Ou com wit hu-man? Ou lak Commder Lous Jamson?"
"Ou lak demon fum skie?"
"Whi ou in goop? Whi ou wid hu-man Brenun Maroo?"

Auramada looks to the two vrusks and seems to snarl. He sniffs the air again and gestures them forward.
"Ou...beeg bug?"
"Ou....tak?"
"Whou ou?"
"Ou....were ou liv? Ou live in wood?"
"Whi ou fat demun fom skie?"
"Ou eat leef fum tree?"
"Whi ou go wit hu-man Brenun Maroo? Vrusk no fat good?"
"hu-man Brenun Maroo ou cheef?"

The Chief looks to Telgar, motions to him.
"Whou....ou....hu-man?"
"Ou fat....hep Kurabanda. Whi hep?"
"Ou cum fom sam hoam....sam dat hu-man Brenun Maroo cum fom?"
"Wha ou dutie? Wha ou do?"

Auramada gestures to Raleigh.
"hu-man......whou ou?"
"Wha ou do in goop?"
       {{after answer}} "Ou....fix truk? Fast barrel? Ou no fat.... Ou fat Demun fom skie. Whi ou fat? Fat cous hu-man Brenun Maroo say fat?"

The chief nods, beckons again to Brenon and gestures to the prisoners on the floor before him. "Ou, brav....tak demun. Wha ou do wit demun?"
The chief snarls at the prisoners. "Demun evil. Kill Kurabanda....demun di....Kurabanda hapie."
 

OOC
After he questions you. You may ask....it will eventually lead to mention of Louis Jameson (the commander of the original expedition). Auramada will say the following.

IC
   "Yeh.....Hu-man Louis Jameson....an dralsite Grodd....sta heer....crash woood....sta heer. teech Kurabanda speek of big Frunteeer. Big Frunteer com heer....hu-man louis jameson say....speek frunteer good....speek to many creetres." He gestures to the diversity of the party. He grins and gestures to the Vrusks. "hu-man louis jameson true....Kurabanda speek to big bug vrusk wit speek of frunteeer!" Many of the Kurabanda laugh and chirp excitedly in their own tongue.
    Auramada nods. "Hu-man louis jamson tru....good hu-man....bad hu-man too. demun." He gestures to the prisoners with an evil glare. "DEMUN FRUM SKIE.....EVIL....DEMUN MUS DIE!" The chief crashes his sword down before him, in an execution style. The Kurabanda around you scream in delight. Drums go off. This applause goes on for nearly a minute before calming back down.
    "One day.....demun frum skie cum....kill Kurabanda.....tak hu-man louis jamson....tak dralsite grod...Demun keep come...Kurabanda fat off...kill demun....but hu-man lous jamson an dralsite grog no com bak....demun keep com....ou show in biggest demun fat. how ou no....demun com big now?"
    The chief will finally ask why they are here and what they want with the Kurabanda.
 
 
 

End Turn.