Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 7, 2023 6:08:08 GMT -8
Sarazen crossed his arms over his chest, tucking his hands into his armpits with his head bowed, lips pursed and brow ridges furrowed as if in deep contemplation. Humming and hawing to himself, he raised a calloused corpse-grey hand to his chin, stroking bone spurs as he pursed his lips. After a moment he lifted his head and nodded. "I suppose I should start at the beginning..."
"After the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War most of my people resettled on Zonama Sekot, the lost seed of our original homeworld. My people sought a period of spiritual healing, hoping in isolation the wounds to the collective soul of our people could be undone. However, not all agreed with this path. I belonged to a group called the Praetorite Vong, an alliance of castes and domains with an elected representative, who in this case happened to be the head of my own domain, Domain Yin. While the Praetorite Council banned the practice of the True Way, the false faith of my people prior to enlightenment, it did not believe that isolation was in the best interest of our people. Our leader, the Yu'Shaa, he believed that the future prosperity of the Yuuzhan Vong remained firmly set in this galaxy. The Praetorite set out to establish a number of colonies to help replenish our depleted population and as a fail safe in the event something were to happen to Zonama Sekot. Scouts were sent out to assess worlds for suitability."
"Scouts were sent here. The Praetorite was aware of the indigenous rakata population but we obviously missed your more established presence during our initial survey. I was a part of that initial team that set up a damutek, one of our organic structures, beneath the surface of the ocean to serve as a forward observation post. Lehon was remote, abundant in natural resources, with what appeared to be a small native population. The Praetorite selected it as a future site for colonization, with the goal of cohabitation with the indigenous rakata. Their hunter/gatherer existence on the island chains is tolerable even amongst the crotchety senior settlers of Ne-Yorik'tar. However, we were betrayed by one of our own. A heretic shaper, one of my peoples biomancers, turned on the Praetorite and brought about its dissolution. In a final act by the Yu'Shaa to bring her to heel, a strike was led on the damutek located here that she operated out of, leading to the facility's destruction."
"Most of my people are worker caste, intended as the first of many settlers, only to have been exploited as political pawns and set adrift to fend for ourselves. Following the damutek's destruction, myself and the other settlers sought refuge in the coastal cave system that our initial scout team operated out of. There are just a touch over four hundred of us, many young and barely out of the creche, all seeking a new life for themselves here on Lehon. We have adapted what little technology we have brought with us to this world already, with the sea proving an endless resource. The majority of our settlers still live in the caves, though a few smaller structures have been erected along the beach. We call our village, Ne-Yorik'tar, which as you know translates to New Coral Town. The Praetorite Vong organization that we were a part of is no more and we were on our own..."
"Or so we thought, until we saw your sky fire. Like the Praetorite from which we came, the people of Ne-Yorik'tar do not believe our future depends on isolation, but rather seek prosperity through integration into galactic society. We sought your people out, to make ourselves known to you, expressing to you the same interest in cohabitation with which we arrived."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Aug 8, 2023 19:48:05 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
Zotu was deeply ambivalent about the story. Taking it at face value, it contained no details about how the orbital security of the planet was breached in such a major way. This means that little could be done in terms of correcting the flaw beside a general security review. On the other hand, from the sound of it, the people that had managed the breach in the first place were all dead now. This hopefully meant that they couldn't share the information on how it had been done with other possibly hostile forces. It was not the answer he had been hoping for, but it was still far from only bad news.
This was far from ideal in many ways, and he took his time thinking about the options before replying. Given their size, previous isolation, and the recent nearly complete loss of infrastructure, Ne-Yorik'tar would not only be unable to meaningfully contribute to the Mandalorian Empire. It would in fact be more likely to be an active drain for the foreseeable future. And while the Yuuzhan Vong had a powerful reputation of martial ability, this particular group seemed more intent on a more pacifistic role. He also wasn't sure how much of their biotech they had retained given their sudden and recent loses. On the other hand, the Clan Or'dinii, current royal family of the Imperium and founder of many of its current practices had been in a similar state at one point in its history.
-Zotu Such interactions with other groups is not unknown to the Mandalorian Empire. In fact, the common name for groups is a Socii System. They tend to be those groups unable or unwilling to defend themselves against the larger threats of the galaxy, and so ally with us in a much more formal way. The general arraignment is for the group in question to tithe a certain amount of economic wealth, as well as able bodied military personnel to the collective defense of the Mandalorian Empire and all its allies.
Another branch is dedicated to improving the standards of those groups too small, underdeveloped, or damaged to a point where they can formally become Socii Systems. While many of those groups still tithe military manpower, it is not universal. And all of them receive fairly extensive and long term aid to improve their own internal abilities. From the sounds of your story, your group would like fit in this category. I do wonder, given your recent losses, how much of the biotechnical art your group has retained?
You also claim to have been formerly part of the Praetorite Vong, but have not given the current name of your group. Does your group have a formal name, separate from its parent organization?
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 12, 2023 5:49:00 GMT -8
A good question. With the dissolution of the Praetorite Vong, how did they now identify themselves as a people? Certainly they were still Yuuzhan Vong, the Children of Yun-Yuuzhan, but they no longer considered themselves the 'chosen race'. They weren't so much inheritors of the galaxy as they were shipwrecked and adrift at the edge of civilization, clinging to the rocks in a desperate bid to survive."We call ourselves the Yuuzhan'avi, caretakers of the sea, though it would be more appropriate for your people to refer to us as the Kanabar Vong or Lehon Vong." He explained. "After the...incident, we discarded or repurposed all our war materials. The vangaak I rode in on is an example of that. We removed the yaret-kor and reshaped their bellies for increased storage capacity. A single trip by one of our water trawlers can keep our community fed for a week." Most of their weapons and war beasts had reverted to farming equipment."We have some capable shapers among our community members. I was stationed as a guard at the damutek prior to its destruction and facilitated the evacuation of several adepts, along with one of the last dhuryam the Praetorite had in its possession. It retains a complete memory of the qang qahsa, our shaping cortexes, in its rikyam." It's brain. His glowing mqaaq'it dimmed as his mood darkened. "We of course would be happy to apply our bio-technology to assist the..." What had he called it? Mandalorian Empire? The name sounded familiar to him, but he had no knowledge of them as a people, as his own involvement during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy had been far from that sector of space. He did seem to recall they had a reputation as warriors, which might explain Zotu's focus on their military capabilities. "...empire, but I feel it only fair to tell you now, we will not be moved to war."The Intendant crossed his arms over his chest, projecting a defiant bearing. "We are not pacifists like the Handmaidens of Yun'Ne'Shel on Ossus, nor are we stricken with blood fervor like the warrior domains serving the First Order. The Yuuzhan'avi of Ne'Yorik'tar follow the Path of Yun-Shuno, the Pardoner. Our battles are in the past."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Aug 13, 2023 3:51:38 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
Zotu knew well enough that Yuuzhan'avi would be more accurately translated as 'Gods of the Sea', but he wasn't going to argue the point. The important part was that while they were currently under-strength, they had all the knowledge of the Yuuzhan Vong safely tucked away and waiting to be used.
-Zotu At this time, and with the restrictions placed on you by your faith, I do not think your could meaningfully contribute to a military effort regardless of your desires. If you are to enter an agreement with the empire, it would be most wise to build up your strength. In the mean time, focusing the strength you have where it can do the most good. The knowledge and skill of your shapers will undoubtedly be a treasure beyond value.
He doubted in all honesty that the war beasts would be much, if any, use to the Imperium in a wide spread function. The empire was simply too large to rely on organically grown equipment. On the other hand, such biological knowledge would be useful in the many flying cities of the empire. Not to mention the scattered worlds as well. Even with the knowledge of the Arkanians, Kaminoans, and Ithorians already well known and used within the empire, adding yet more would undoubted be beneficial.
Part of the Mandalorian Creed however, is that people should be able to defend themselves. Both individually, and as a whole. In the present, it will be enough that your people are not helpless. However, in the future, your people will be called on to help maintain the defense of the entire empire. Aiding others in turn, as you will have been aided. As I say though, that is likely distant in the future. By your own count, the normal military tithe for your population would only be two warriors. Unless they were willing to make use of the unliving weapons and ships, they would likely be more burden than aid.
Zotu took a moment to ponder.
Then again, the academy on Plu'tonium Cay might be able to make good use of a pair of ground instructors. I will have to check on that...
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
Affiliation: The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 17, 2023 6:50:49 GMT -8
Sun-baked brow ridges cresting Sarazen's skeletal visage lifted as understanding dawned on him. Ah, of course. This hammer-headed native must had been among the warrior caste of his people. That would explain his preoccupation with defense, weaponry, and the military in general. The Intendant's own domain had a somewhat martial leaning, though currently he was the only member from the illusive and too-often brooding Domain Yin on the planet. Most of the workers didn't even have family domains as many came from the ranks of the former Shamed Ones, disowned by kith and kin, going by singular names instead. Fortunately, the former Executor knew how to deal with warrior caste, or so he thought as he casually slipped the callused fingers of his salt stained right hand into the folds of his coat. When he removed his hand, held in his palm was a bladder-flask containing a healthy measure of sparkbee honey. This wasn't any garden variety sparkbee honey either, but blackstrap sparkbee honey, of much higher potency than the standard variant. The Sea Vong rubbed the puckered end of the living flask with a flick of his thumb, stimulating its reflex and causing the creature to unseal, filling the immediate vicinity with its fragrant aroma as he placed it on a ledge beside them."Instructors, you say?" He stroked his chin, mulling it over. "Aye, there may still be a few old warrior caste among our people with a an eagerness to instruct, but we were thinking of perhaps a more...mmm, lucrative, cultural exchange. Try it." He motioned to the bladder flask, then retrieved a long fluted shelled crustacean from his coat pocket, along with a robeskin pouch. Unbinding the pouch, Sarazen began to remove a dried leafy substance from the container and began to pack it in to a small bowl shaped receptacle on the creature's end. Giving the bowl a quick tap, he triggered the pipe-biot's reflex and caused it to begin immolating the contents loaded into it, while Sarazen began to inhale from the stem on the other end. The Intendant seemed to savor the breath, slowly exhaling a rich grey smoke, briefly assuming the form of a galloping bissop before disapating in the air. "The bladder-flask contains sparkbee honey, which we brew in Ne-Yorik'tar. I made this batch myself actually." He continued to puff away, before placing the smoking biot and pouch on the same ledge as the bladder-flask."We also have this. When we first arrived we brought with us seeds of the sacred herb from Zonama Sekot, what our people commonly refer to as Sekotan Green. Using our biomancy we adapted the herb to Lehon's environment, producing a new strain that we've taken to calling Lehon Lemon Kush, a smoking herb with a number of medical properties that has a somewhat euphoric effect when inhaled or ingested."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Aug 18, 2023 8:16:22 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
Zotu took a sip of the offered drink. It was not the first time he had had sparkbee honey, but he was rather fond of it. He did not, however take the offered pipe.
-Zotu I am familiar with Sparkbees, though I have not tasted it in some time. Yes, such products would be extremely valuable. I admit, there are those in my government that do not see the long term value gained with Uplift Systems only the immediate cost. Being able to produce goods for circulation in the general market will do much to ease their grumbling in this particular case.
He takes a moment to enjoy another sip of the drink. He was not formerly a military officer, but while his species was no longer the xenophobic horrors they had been, they still retained a strongly militant and aggressive mindset. His own implants informed him of the much higher than standard content of the intoxicant and activated automatically to counteract it. Zotu did allow it to give him a slight buzz, though not enough to impair him.
-Zotu I presume that for now, the amounts you can produce locally are relatively small. Due in part to your population size, and the need for secrecy. Obviously, since secrecy will no longer be an issue, you will be able to expand and grow more freely. How much do you expect of these products to be able to produce? And what sort of timeframe are you thinking of?
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
Affiliation: The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Aug 22, 2023 7:01:53 GMT -8
Straight to business with this one. Well, nothing gained without a little ambition he supposed; Sarazen wouldn't be here otherwise. His thin lips pursed and his eye sacs puffed as he visibly mulled, his alien features somewhat performing a mimicry of how an infidel might appear to ponder, though over-emphasizing each detail in a sad parody instead.
"We could perhaps deliver...sixty barrels of honey and sixty bushels of dried herb, every three months? His expression became earnest. "Please understand, we are self sufficient. The sea of Lehon provides for everything we need. We don't require commerce, goods or supplies, anything really. What we wish..." He was getting to the heart of it now. "...is to continue living as we had before we were aware of your presence here. We came to Lehon in search of a fertile land in which to lay down roots, which despite the trouble that befell my people as a whole during the recent Sundering, we have found that in Ne-Yorik'tar. But we know about each other now, so things can't go completely go back to how they were." He made an obvious display of looking around. "It is clear to me your people, this Mandalorian Empire, is an advanced civilization with reach and its own concerns. We can offer these goods as means of fulfilling our taxation requirements, but we have other means to be of service."
"I would wager the horticultural ability of our shapers extend beyond the talent of your best minds. We would be willing to turn our bio-engineering prowess towards increasing your crop yields and repopulating endangered or extinct species. While our preference in organic technology might seem alien or strange to your people, there are perhaps areas in the field of medical science where we can offer an alternative approach to healing, which our expertise at organ grafting and symbiosis between different species." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the docks they had traveled from. "We can help your fishing and game industries perform their duties in a more environmentally sustainable way, while still meeting their deadlines."
Crossing his arms, Sarazen leaned with his back against the wall, head bowed as he looked down at his chest. Slowly, he turned his head to the side, for maybe the first time seeing Zotu for what he was.
"We just aren't interested in fighting. The voyage across the starless sea sickened the soul of my people, turned us into...not ourselves, not as we should be. The war with the galaxy was evidence of how far we had fallen spiritually. We need time to heal. Time without blood on our hands." His ocular implants focused on the Rakatan like two mining lasers boring through rock, intense and full of conviction. "You understand, I think. Not as a Mandalorian, but, as a Rakata. I have read some of what is available about your people's history on the Holo-Net. Most is conjecture and allegory, but the archeologists have pieced together a picture whose accuracy I have long wondered about. Your people, the Rakata, once faced a similar crises of culture and faith, yes?"
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Aug 22, 2023 8:23:52 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
Zotu nodded.
-Zotu More so than you might think. It is not something that a person generally shares, but I am what is known as an Old One, or ancient, or any number of other whispered terms. I grew up in the Rakata Infinite Empire in the days long before humans were anything but slave stock. I annoyed the wrong people in power and for my failure was locked inside a mind prison. While I was there, my people fell, died off, and where supplanted by the slaves for so long that we passed into legend, then myth, then into nothing.
The previous emperor, before he gained that rank, found records of our genetics. He hunted down mind prisons across the galaxy. And the current empresses does the same. I owe them everything. But this is not the galaxy I remember. And it can be hard at times to fit in. So yes, I understand the need to fit in.
He gave a smile full of wedge shaped serrated teeth.
-Zotu But nature has its own say as well. You might say that you are sick of fighting. And that may be true. Today. And next year. And maybe even in a hundred years. Eventually though, some of your people will look back and want a taste of that again. And the Empire will be ready to welcome them and point them in a useful direction. Instead of letting them run wild like the Yuuzhan Vong did when they first came to this galaxy.
Until then, a few barrels isn't much. But it is something. And yes, the aid of your shapers would be very welcomed. Our own doctors are very skilled, especially in the fields of genetics. But they got that way by learning from everyone they could. And I doubt they have had a chance to learn from one of the Children yet.
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
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Post by Nem Yin on Sept 10, 2023 7:39:58 GMT -8
The elected speaker of Ne'Yorik'tar had no idea what a mind prison was, but if it was anything like what the name inferred, it sounded horrific. Zotu had faced his own trials it seemed. In the hammer-headed alien the Yuuzhan Vong felt he had found a kindred spirit of sorts, despite their vast differences.
"I expect my people will be pleased with this arrangement." He said, slowly nodding his sun baked head. Reaching into the fleshy folds of his sleeveless long-coat, the Intendant wrapped his spindly digits around a scrap of parchment and small cylindrical insect with a narrow stemmed proboscis. It's purpose became clear when he placed it to the piece of vellum and scribbled a set of coordinates in dark ink across its surface. Returning the stylus biot to his pocket, he handed the piece of parchment to the Rakatan diplomat. "No doubt from what I've shared thus far and from where your people came across my vangaak, you've probably already surmised the location of our settlement, but here are our coordinates all the same as an expression of our trust."
That settled things, for the most part at least. There were other minor details likely to be worked out, but all that could be dealt with in time. He wouldn't allow something as infectious as hope to poison his outlook, but for now at least, the future seemed a little less bleak.
"With that settled, I should return to Ne'Yorik'tar and share with the Yuuzhan'avi news of our exchange." His eye sacs puffed. "When possible, you should visit our community and see it for yourself. It would please me to share the hospitality of our people."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Sept 17, 2023 10:52:35 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
-Zotu I would be pleased to be a guest in your home. My orders do not specify a location I must remain in. Only that I send updates periodically.
The fact that those updates were sent in effectively real time, and over his own internal cybernetic systems was something that could be brought up at a later point.
-Zotu I am willing to ride along back with you as proof of friendly contact to your people. Or we can arrange another time for my visit, if that would be more acceptable. I am well familiar that some communities do not like to spend resources in keeping guest accommodations ready at all time. A choice that is both practical and necessary in many situations.
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
Affiliation: The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Dec 14, 2023 11:57:01 GMT -8
Sarazen crossed his arms over his sunburnt chest and lifted a hand to his chin, stroking the nubby bone ridges thoughtfully as he considered Kotu's proposal. While he had not been expecting to host a visitor so soon, he had extended the offer, and an Intendant of Domain Yin always honoured their word. It's why they were often so careful about selecting them. The corner of his lip twitched, then twisted upwards, his mouth spreading into his best approximation of an infidel grin exposing his crooked yellow teeth.
"Nonsense." He said, shaking his head. "The sea provides a hearty bounty and my people are nothing if not hospitable. Ne'Yorik'tar welcomes you with open arms. Tonight we feast to the bonds of friendship between our two peoples." The bone-hooks lining the bottom of his robe-skin long coat rattled together as he turned, casting his piercing cobalt blue gaze back towards the way he arrived, then returned his attention to the Rakatan. "Have you traveled by Vangaak before? You would perhaps find it comparable to one of your metal submersibles. I had a hand in shaping the one I arrived in. It is temperamental, but against the summer ocean storms I would trust no other creature with my life."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Dec 15, 2023 22:11:44 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
Zotu pauses for a long minute thinking back. While he thinks, the pair of them travel back the short distance to the dock.
-Zotu I have ridden a great number of beasts. Including ones so long ago your own people might not have yet left their original galaxy. But I can't think of a time when I rode in a biot grown by one of the children. Have you by chance ridden in a submersible?
He looks out over the beast wallowing in the shallows against the stone dock. He also couldn't think of a time when he rode in a submersible either. Most of his experience was either on starships of one type or another, up in the air of a planet, or on the surface.
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
Affiliation: The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Dec 17, 2023 8:06:50 GMT -8
Have you by chance ridden in a submersible? "Aye. Once..." Replied Sarazen in a monotonal voice, his blue mqaaq'it seemingly to glaze over and stare blankly ahead, the world around him fading away as memories best left buried in the past were dredged up to the forefront of his mind. During the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy, Domain Yin had participated in an attack on the temporary capital of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances on Dac. The battle had largely taken place beneath the surface of the watery world, as vangaak crawlers collided with Mon Calamari subs and Yuuzhan Vong warriors spilled across oqa membranes into enemy ships. Those narrow corridors and confined spaces had been the perfect place for the shadowy assassin trained Intendants of his domain to ply their trade. He looked down at his hands, turning them over and seeing not his naked corpse pallor palms, but red slick fingers and pools of dripping vitae. There was always so much blood, no matter how vigorously he scrubbed them with coral, or how often often he scoured them clean with volcanic stone, they always seemed coated in the haunting phantom fragments of his own barbaric actions. A full minute of silence transpired between them before the former Executor realized he had drifted off into nightmarish day dreams of the past. He looked up from his hands and met Zotu's gaze, speaking somewhat soberly. "It...it's not a memory I'm fond of."Like many Yuuzhan Vong survivors of those events, the leader of Ne'Yorik'tar suffered trauma from the war, especially in light of the revelations of Shimraa Jaamane's lies and betrayal. For what Sarazen had done, there would be no forgiveness in the afterlife. He didn't deserve any.Shaking his head, he fought to dispel some of the PSTD that briefly afflicted him and indicated the vangaak as they arrived at the waters edge. Some of the green dora-mu scales on the water trawlers back had retracted to expose a dilated hatch-sphincter leading into the organic vehicles interior compartment, which was illuminated with glow lichen and lambents symbiotically adhered to the inner lining. Millions of microscopic tendrils treaded water to keep the creature at the surface, which were also used as its main method of locomotion through the water. Sarazen stepped from the dock onto the vangaak's back, offering Zotu his hand to help him cross and steady himself on the uneven surface that rose and fell with the waves rolling into shore.The seas were a bit turbulent this time of year. The warm temperature combined with cold winds from the north were a recipe for hurricanes, something the small Yuuzhan Vong colony had quickly learned to adapt to."With Bessy here..." He crouched down and patted the vangaak on its rigid scaly hide. "...we should reach my home in the better part of two hours. Fortunately I'm well provisioned for such a journey." He patted the left lapel of his robeskin long-coat before peeling back the layer to reveal a bladder-flask of sparkbee honey hanging from the inside.
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Dec 17, 2023 20:20:43 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Middle Beach>>
He watched as the Vong got a look that was all too familiar to Zotu. He might not be a military officer any more, but he had seen enough, both in this life and the last one, to recognize the haunted look. After a moment though, the other being managed to shake off whatever demons plagued him and return to himself. He had no hesitation about taking the offered hand to help climb up. A glance down as he crossed saw that the water around the beast was churning from its contact. Though he didn't have the least fear. Rakata were born to the waves. Despite the many predators of this world, both large and small, Zotu loved the water.
-Zotu She must be able to make excellent speed then. Are we riding on top of her the whole way, or moving inside as we head out?
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Nem Yin
The First Order
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Post by Nem Yin on Dec 20, 2023 5:23:37 GMT -8
A wry grin swept across Sarazen's features. "A bit of both." He crouched down and stroked the vangaak's scaly back, his fingers tingling upon contact as he seemed to activate some reflex in the organic water trawler through the symbiosis of his physical contact. It immediately lurched forwards away from the docks, picking up speed as it cut through the water. The large mouth at the front stretched wide, allowing sea water to pass through and filter out gills along the side, allowing it to capture fish and the like as it moved through the ocean. The Intendant stood back up, the tail of his sleeveless robeskin long-coat flapping in the sea air coming off the brine. He removed the bladder flask from his coat and stroked the top, unsealing it before taking a long swig, smacking his skeletal jaw before dragging and bare arm across his mouth. "We'll descend when we get closer to Ne-Yorik'tar. The reef around the island is a sight to be seen up close."
He turned to face the horizon, the empty ocean ahead that seemed to sparkle beneath the bright sun in the sky. "But nothing beats the smell of the ocean, the wind rolling off the water. There is some comfort in the emptiness of the sea. No past, no future. I find it peaceful." He handed the bladder flask to Zotu as they rode atop the vangaak. "Tell me about your people, Zotu. You mentioned your imprisonment. I understand what it is like to feel trapped, but surely there is something fond your remember of it."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Dec 20, 2023 10:12:37 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Open Ocean>>
Zotu returned Sarazen's smile with one of his own. Shark like teeth shining for a moment in the sun. The feel of the sun and water was indeed extremely good. He took another sip of the offered drink before passing it back. While he did so, he let him mind wander back past the ages of boredom to his live before. Objectively, his position in life was much improved, much less stressful. But at the same time.
-Zotu I think the thing I miss most is the certainty. When I was from, the Empire had absolute, unchallenged control of the galaxy. It had been for tens of thousands of years, and would have it for nearly as long after I was imprisoned. Everything was definite and certain. You worked to keep those below you in line, and to try and take what you could from those above. To us, it had always been that way, and always would. Even the lowest of our number were like royalty or even deities to the slave races. I was fairly low ranked, in the empire. But any whim I wanted, I could have, provided for by my slaves. But what we really craved was power over each other. Not just over the slaves.
He paused for a long second, letting memories and regrets wash over him like the salt spray and sea breeze.
-Zotu Of course, the bad point was that you could never trust anyone. Underlings would try to supplant you. Superiors would try to suppress you. And those of the same rank would try to outmaneuver you. Even your slaves would rebel if given the slightest chance. I'm told that in the end, it was that last that eventually broke the so call Infinite Empire. The new one, this Infinite Imperium, it seems to have learned from the mistakes my people made. It even brought my people back from the grave. But it is still young. Barely more than a hundred years old. Only time will tell if it can stand, but I will likely not live long enough to see it either way.
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
Affiliation: The First Order
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Nem Yin on Dec 21, 2023 11:27:52 GMT -8
Joints cracked in a series of sinuous pops as Sarazen lowered himself from his standing position to sit hit butt on the rigid scales of the vangaaks back, sliding his bare feet over the side as the tendrils propelling them through the water churned the sea and kicked up a bit of salty spray that tickled his naked soles and toes. He rested his arms on his knees, taking another swig from the bladder flask before holding it loosely in his hand, staring out across the ocean.
"We weren't so different, when we got here at least. I was born during my peoples travel through the intergalactic void, an ocean of another sort. We called it the starless sea, because out between the light of distant galaxies, there was nothing but darkness. It ate its way into the heads of some. We called it void madness, those that gave into despair and accepted we were adrift without hope of ever finding a port to call home. I'm told we destroyed our home galaxy, and I can believe that, even though I've never seen it. I'm not sure if we were the monsters this galaxy saw before we ever left, or if that happened sometime during the crossing, as though the darkness found its way into our souls. Either way, you know what happened when we got here. We lorded over this galaxy's people, made slaves of some, murdered even more. Despite years have past, I'm still trying to make sense of it all."
He took another drink, this one longer than the last. When the bladder-flask left his lips, the Yuuzhan Vong shuddered, closing his eyes as he heard echoes of the past as surely as he heard the vangaaks groan and churn of the water around them. He looked over at Zotu, a bitterness writ across his alien face, eye sacs puffed in controlled rage that stewed just beneath the surface.
"My domain was lied to by our supposed savior. Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane, the voice of Yun-Yuuzhan, chosen by the Yun'o. Pffft." He snorted. "Maybe chosen by Yun-Harla, but not the rest. Like quednak being led by a tamer, we allowed ourselves to be deceived by that bastard. He bled my domain dry for his avarice. Now there are maybe a handful of us left." His shook his head. "Our domain leader, the one I told you about earlier, he thinks there is still hope for us, but he's made so many mistakes. I'm not sure he's any better than Shimrra, truth be told. There is a darkness in him he can't seem to let go of." He bit his lip, drawing a black bead of oily blood, then spat over the edge of the water trawler. "I'm done with it. I'm not bleeding for anyone else. I plan to die here, on this world. In Ne-Yorik'tar, preferably, then let the sea swallow my bones."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Dec 22, 2023 7:40:00 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Open Ocean>>
Zotu continued to stand, at ease and swaying gently in time with the waves below and the movement of the beast. He had known a fair bit of that history, given his own specialty. But it was still a personal account and there were new details as well. Many of those he had talked to in the past didn't remember the voyage. Either too young, or having purposefully sought to forget.
-Zotu There is always hope. I never thought my own people could change. But we have now. I have subordinates I not only trust to follow orders, but that will do what they think I would want even when I don't order it. And colleagues that I can trust not to stab me in the back. It is strange, and at time I have to resist the urge to return to the old ways for my own gain. But I resist. The old ways didn't work, and if I did ever use them, I would lose the respect they have for me. I see no reason your own people can't change just as much. Of course, hopefully your own people don't have to go extinct and then be summoned back to make the change.
The last was said with a predator's grin. There was more than a touch of self-deprecation in it, but also a lot of truth.
-Zotu As for my bones, I'm not sure what happened to them last time, so it seems a bit unimportant to me what happens to this set.
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Nem Yin
The First Order
The dark expanse of the intergalactic void is not as empty as they would have you believe...
Posts: 425
Affiliation: The First Order
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Nem Yin on Dec 24, 2023 7:03:05 GMT -8
"It was the fear of extinction that drove the Praetorite to attempt to colonize worlds other then Zonama Sekot." He acknowledged. "The thought process being, the more spread out we were, the less chance of us being wiped out completely. So far it hasn't all worked out like we had hoped, but if we hadn't made the attempt, I wouldn't be here and have found a new home for myself and the Yuuzhan Vong with me. One of the few things I agree with my domain leader about is the need to integrate ourselves into galactic society. Look at the humans. They can be found on a thousand different worlds in the galaxy; the odds of their eventual extinction are next to none. That's part of why I'm in favour of this friendship between our communities. It's clear we can't go it alone, though we have to be cautious in our approach. The Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy isn't so far in the past as the Rakatan Empire." He looked at Zotu. "Yuuzhan, I swear I'm not trying to one up you but it's an undeniable fact. The scars we left are still fresh for a lot of worlds and their people. Many can be slow to forgive, and I don't blame them that. I'm not sure we deserve it."
He took another drink, or attempted to, soon realizing as he held the bladder-flask out in front of him that he had already drained it dry. Scowling, he tossed it over the side into the brine, allowing it to sink below where it would soon become easy food for the fishes.
"There are some trying to earn our way back into the galaxy's good graces. Mira Yim, the greatest Master Shaper my people have produced in the last century, has headed up a terraforming effort on Ossus to restore the planet's damaged biosphere. That's earned the Shaper Caste and the Handmaiden's of Yun-Ne'Shel, the religious sect she belongs to, a few friends amongst the Jedi that call the planet home." He grimaced. "I was a bit nasty to her the last time she reached out with an offer to help, actually. In hindsight I regret my harsh words, but bitterness is sadly a common trait among my domain. I'm not proud of that. Mira was born after the war, so her outlook is a lot less pessimistic than my own. She hasn't seen what we've lost, she only sees the potential for what we can become. I wish I could..." He turned over his palms, looking at his callused hands. "...but these hands have too much blood on them. I leave it to the next generation to decide our future, and pray they don't make the same mistakes we did."
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Dec 24, 2023 8:54:56 GMT -8
==Vong of Lehon== +Zotu Vomdo+ <<113 PP (123 ABY); G11 Sector, Lehon, Open Ocean>>
-Zotu I didn't think you were trying to one up me. On the other hand, your people never made it out this far. We didn't have the same wounds inflicted on us here that others, even other clans of mandos, suffered. Perhaps that means it will take less time for the wounds to heal.
Reaching into the small carry all he had retrieved from the cart on their way back, he pulled out a flask of tihaar. While not as strong as their previous drink, the cherry brew was stronger than most humans would be comfortable with. After taking a sip himself, he held it out toward his host.
-Zotu As for the jedi, I have nothing for or against them. We have our own organization of force users in the Empire. Though in the modern empire not everyone is a force user like it was in my time.
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