ISR - AoD: War
Saturday Session 10.2022-03.2023
Written by Courtney Lambert
When Kairon leaves the Milky Way and goes to Andromeda, Gwenyth accompanies him. He gets
an update on the political and social climate of the region. The stone gates have been opening. Clan Leou has been attacked on all fronts. There is an unknown force that seems to be using the same tech as theirs and employing the same kind of guerrilla warfare that the Clan uses. He makes contact with them carefully and is intrigued by the rhino-like race. They do seem to be able to communicate psionically like the Forgeborn prefer to and reject any attempt to transmit information in that manner, preferring only the written data. After a while, Kairon is able to make an agreement of sorts with them.
After some time has passed Kairon ends up meeting with the Duulia, one of the many houses of Clan Leou. This particular house piqued Kairon's interest because of their use of Forges in their technology. He hopes that he can establish good relations so that the Forgeborn can benefit from the Forges and perhaps share some of their technology with the Duulia. Upon arrival in the Duulia's planet, Kairon and Gwenyth are struck by the intricate, detailed, awe-filling structures that seem to be one with the forests that surround it. The cities seem to be filled with plants, trees, and the forest and compliment the environment that they are in. The Duulia tend to gather history and knowledge and integrate it into their designs. They also have a keen sense of beauty and dedication. This only increases Kairon's desire to know them better.
The interaction is off to a rocky start when Kairon spots a ShenJen advisor, an untrustworthy, manipulative race that lurks in the shadows of Clan Leou, with one of the Duulia ladies whom he is meeting. However, they quickly befriend each other, finding common ground in their love for the gathering and preservation of knowledge and history. He learns more about the political tensions within Clan Leou itself while he is there.
Gwenyth leaves Kairon who has already secured the attention of the two Duulia ladies and takes the underground rail system that the planet has to the mercenary guild house that she learned of when inquiring how their guild system worked. She is mesmerized by the beautiful scenery and finally reaches the guild house.
Upon arrival, she tells the greeter what she needs and is directed to a small table where a woman sits. The woman raises a security field that makes their conversation inaudible to those around them. Gwenyth begins to explain the nature of the mission, what kind of person she is looking for, and what she needs done.
“A mission like that is going to cost money,” warns the woman as she filters out most of the mercenaries available.
“Money is not an issue with me,” Gwenyth responds. “I just need the job done by someone qualified enough to do it well and not get caught.”
The woman presents her with two options: Erica Reaver and a man known by another name Hatchet Jack. If Gwenyth were able to remember her past before being with the Forgeborn, she would have known that she met Hatchet Jack once upon a time in a dark corner of the black market while she was on a mission for Layla. Out of the two, Erica has fewer missions and seems to be less known. She is currently on a mission, but Gwenyth is willing to wait for her to complete it.
She chooses Erica to do it.
“It's all done.” The woman collects the payment and sends the information to Erica Reaver. “They'll be in contact.”
Gwenyth leaves the guild house and makes her way back to where Kairon was entertaining the Duulia women with gifts from old Terra and the descriptions of the Forgeborn's homeland. She is not sure if this mission will bring her any closer to the answer that she seeks, but she hopes it will at least reveal something important. The more she figures out, the farther the answers seem to be, eluding her grasp like the nagging pocket in her mind in the quiet of the night.
Written by Courtney Lambert
To see more of her work, check out her other blog postsand her own website!