The Beast of Bacrana

Bacrana, Bacrana System, Expansion Region

Work Camp

Stopping in front of the hulking droid the diminutive, comparably, Gand expressed his wishes to speak to the discontented factions. Before the impressively armed machine could issue a response, a weathered Twi'lek approached, checking the charge on his blaster and clearly an associate of the droid. Without any sort of greeting other than an offer to reach out to a contact he had in the medical clinic, the gunslinger pulled out his comlink. The reply, nearly drowned out by the roar of the crowd, while seemingly appreciative of the offer of extraction thought the act might touch off the crowd.

A crowd that had finally convinced their crew boss to speak on their behalf. Elira Voss was a practical, tough leader that was respected not only by those under her supervision but with management as well AND currently the least intoxicated of the crowd. Mounting the rickety stairs, she bid the crowd to quiet down, managing to bring the volume to a dull murmur, as she addressed the unruly mob, thanking them for their participation in the demonstration, as she began to paraphrase the local myth of some great and powerful figure, wondering aloud of they might have disturbed something ancient and powerful ... the sense of unease, the cold tingling of Kitichick's skin, seeming to grow in intensity.

---

Matey turns to see who is talking to him, seeing Kitichik and the child on the little speeder he says, "Greetings, small insectoid-biological.

I am sorry to inform you, but no one has aggreived... this droid... yet. And I cannot direct you to those who have aside from..."

He is about to gesture to the general crowd but then Elira takes a place of prominence and looks poised to speak.

"Oh! Perhaps her?"

...

He clicks on his comm and his tin-can voice buzzes, "Reynar, are you down here?? I think something is about to happen...

Here are my coordinates...", he gives his coordinates.

The droid, as indifferent as one would expect a machine to be, bluntly stated that he had no involvement in the current protest and helpfully directed Kitichik to the woman mounting the stair. The Jedi, whose command of Basic was exemplary, mildly struggled with decorum, not that a droid would be one to notice.

Murmurs of 'Jedi' circulated through the crowd, irritability momentarily replaced by awe and fear as they parted for the diminutive Gand, allowing Kitichik to approach the makeshift dais. The woman, momentarily loosing her train of thought paused, her eyes flicking towards the alien that had calmly emerged from the crowd, to quickly regain her composure, voice rising in volume as she listed the corporations grievances, the mob voicing their agreement and displeasure at the policies. Elira demeanor remained confident, however she spared the occassional glance at the Jedi, curiosity and apprehension evident, worry no doubt as to Kitichik's intentions.

Matey motions to Kitchik as the Jedi walks away, and addresses Reynar, "I believe the insectoid is also trying to exploit the situation for credits.

Should we stop it? Follow it? Bargain with it?"

The director, still poring over whatever reports were on his screen and still uninterested in what may or may not have been happening outside his shoddy, prefabricated office pod, turned his head as he caught sight of Deng quickly pacing towards the door. Dorell's bored expression quickly turned to surprise, then panic, his protestations on the tip of his tongue as the doctor opened the door, beckoning the Jedi in with a hurried wave of his hand.

The crowd, while clearly still irritated, seemed cowed enough by the presence of a Jedi to at least stand in place. Despite the slight cooling of the mob, Kitichik could not shake his feelings of discomfort.

At the periphery, Reynar and M8-T began to take stock of the situation, content for the moment to hang back. The Corellian, well into his cups, eagerly retold the story the foreman had so eloquently delivered just moments before, swearing that while he had not personally seen a monster he knew someone, who knew someone, who knew someone. The disappearances however were occurring, so someone or something was harassing the miners.

Matey's processors buzz and click, as he receives Reynar's request to follow the gand.

He looks up to the woman speaking and then the crowd and then the gand, and then starts plodding along following the rag-tag, disparate contingent into the building.

When he gets there. just a couple steps behind his comrade, he bumps into the door - finding it freshly locked - making a metallic *clank!*, accompanying that with a mild exclamation of "Oh!?"

His processors buzz and whirr again, as he turns in place, slowly and dignified, standing before the door to face outward toward the crowd, muttering.

"... I really didn't want to go in there anyway..."

The murmurs of the crowd quieted to a dull buzz, the tension and expectation hanging in the air as the strange group, a Gand Jedi at the head, calmly and politely pushed their way through to the front and entered the dingy office. Drunken gazes silently shifted to Elira, who moments before had delivered their grievances, and remained standing, hesitant and unsure of what these newcomers pertained. Eyes widening, with a small squeal, she pushed her way through the door just before the camp doctor pushed it shut, locking it with an audible click.

The Director, who had been rising from his chair, the horror of his suddenly crowded office clearly etched on his face slowly returned to his seat, sinking low as if to hide behind his monitors at the sudden scrutiny as the Jedi motioned in his direction. Silently observing the proceedings with an air of worry and apprehension, clearly dismissed from participating in the discussion, at least at this early juncture.

Despite seeming to have a firm handle on the situation, choosing to engage with the more amicable camp doctor, Kitichik would not shake the uneasiness and discomfort he felt, the sensation mounting in intensity even as the situation seemed to be de-escalating.

---