OOC - A few quick notes about Charlatans.
*The are human looking in most respects, tending to be tall and slender, with above average reflexes, sight, hearing and speed.
*CSF stands for Charlatan Space Federation
*Tod-Porta, often referred to as bugs, are similar to the Zerg of Starcraft and the Bugs, a la Starship Troopers. They and the Charlatans have been at war for thousands of years, both sides determined on wiping the other out entirely.
IC:
The small craft slid out of hyperspace smoothly. No longer than 10 meters, the letters CSF emblazoned on the side. They were hunting something, but were about to get a very nasty surprise.
"No bio-mass on scanners, we lost 'em," Alexis Komasaro said with distaste. She hated when quarry got away.
Dariin Stajen shook his head. "No way, that trail was hot, they're here. Where is here anyway?" he asked motioning to the planet below them.
"Don't know, we're beyond our maps by now. Think they now where this is?"
Dariin shook his head, "who knows what bugs now. Where'd they go dammit, they came out here, not to long ago to I'd wager." He had barely got the words out when the ship shook violently. "I thought you said scanners were clean?"
"Scanners were clean, hell, they still are. Guess they're wrong." The ship shook again, harder this time. "Weapons are off-line." The ship shook a third time, "navigation is out, I think we've got a hitchhiker, sealing the cockpit. We're going down, entering the atmosphere, stay cool, 'cause it's about to get warm." Both soldiers heard an unearthly scream as one of they're supposed prey was ripped off the ship's hull, and subsequently torn apart by the atmospheric heat.
The planet, Taijitu by name, although they didn't know that, began to get very large in front of them. "Emergency landing measures online, hang on, impact in 8 seconds."
Chutes deployed, and the reverse thrusters flared on, slowing the ships velocity. It ripped in the dirt, sending a shower of debris into the air, eventually coming to a stop. Dariin Stajen opened his eyes, "what can you tell me Lexy?"
"We're on the ground, and the atmosphere is breathable," she motioned to the gaping hole ripped in the side of the cockpit. "I'm in one piece, and alive, but the ship's done."
Dariin nodded, checking his extremities, making sure everything was still attached. The two climbed out of the ruined hulk. "We've got about a week's worth of supplies, no more, wonder if it's inhabited?"
"We have weapons?" asked Alexis grimly. Dariin nodded, also hearing the all to familiar screech. He tossed Alexis a pulse rifle, and took aim. Three Tod-Porta warrior drones hit the ground fifty feet away, and raced toward them, probably hoping they had been hurt on the crash. The two Charlatans opened fire, dropping one quickly, and a second one about twenty feet away. The last one lunged toward them. Alexis didn't blink, and fired point blank into it's nervous center, ripping in apart. Dariin winced, and silently reminded himself to stay on her good side.
The two Charlatans stalked toward the other two drones, laying in heaps. Dariin put some rounds into the first, to make sure it was dead. He walked to the second, and proceeded to do the same. In the same instant, it lashed out, putting a claw though his shoulder. It was it's last act though, as Alexis put it down quickly. Dariin stumbled back, attempting to stop the flow of blood out of his arm, grinning, "I've had worse," pushing Alexis away, "Just a scratch."
The two walked back to the downed ship, to see what could be salvaged. "Alexis was hopeful, but realistic. "Comm unit is pretty badly damaged, no way we can get a message far, but if one of ours passes by, we might get a message to them. They knew where we were headed, but it'll be a while before a search party is dispatched."
Dariin sat back and broke open a ration. "Don't figure it's gonna be as issue." He pointed to what looked like a high altitude plane. "Probably a surveillance plane, checking to see what crashed. Better hope the locals are friendly."
The two sat back and waited, it certainly would be long before the planets inhabitants made themselves known.
