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It is early evening, and another clear one out on the Baile. As the planet is in its 'Autumn' phase, the sun has already started to dip. The wild things don't seem to mind, of course, and neither does the dusky half-Qua sitting under a tree in the field. She has a small cooler sitting open beside her, with a battery-powered lantern dangling off the side. It appears that there's some kind of food in there, which she occasionally takes bites out of and occasionally flings bits of off into the grass. In some manner of peculiar phenomenon, the grass breaks into rapid-fire ripples, arcing from various locations over to where the food landed. Rustle rustle rustle.
From the city gates a silvery scaled idaran dressed in mostly black clothing resembling combat gear, comes walking out of the city. As he does he looks around examining the surrounding flora and fauna of the planet. Trying to assess how dangerous everything is.
The ripples in the grass stop suddenly, and Alhambra stops mid-toss to peer at the Idaran in combat gear. Her expression very much resembles a very large dog who's seen someone in the yard and isn't sure whether or not it is for biting. She stands up slowly, and being somewhat tall for a human, unfolds herself before rotating both shoulders. As the Idaran is assessing how dangerous everything is, she is sending off clearly unspoken signals of 'Yup. I am dangerous'. As she looks right back at him, the ripples in the grass suddenly all erupt forth at once, and a chorus of tiny hisses and chitters rises from the border of the field. Looks like she's just watching and waiting right now. Well, watching and waiting and flexing her shoulders in a muscle-headed way.
The idaran notices the lady standing up and also the movement in the grass. he gives the woman a kind nod and then keeps an eye on the creature in the grass. He considers the side of the creature and the sounds. Whatever it is it could not be much of a threat but being on a strange planet you never know.
Alhambra grunts. Very classy. It seems to be a -lot- of somethings in the grass, all darting around in the underbrush out of sight. The burly human picks something out of her teeth and then utters a two-toned whistle. "Come on back, littl'uns," she drawls, and the ripples in the grass all arc back in her direction, parting around her to disappear behind the tree line. All but one, a tiny, russet-and-black creature about the size of a chipmunk. It runs up onto her shoulder and bristles his tiny tail aloft. "Rikkkitttt-tch." Finally, she addresses the Idaran, arms folded. "You lost, son? Or missy? Can't rightly tell from here."
The idaran watches the movements in the grass and the creatures moving about. Then as the woman addresses him he shakes his head and slowly walks closer. "Not lost. Just looking around." says the Idaran without hair on his head.
"Yeah? You miss the bus out, then? Y'know the rest of you folks went and hoofered it back to your home di-mension on account of getting whupped by the Heks," Alhambra drawls, feeding a chunk of something to the tiny fangy Ser on her shoulder. He stuffs the whole thing into his mouth with a defiant expression. "Whutcha lookin' for?"
Qraco'Xar Nods as he gets closer but stays at a distance for now. "I know most of dominion's forces went back. Probably all of them. They however forgot about me since I was stationed on a world instead of on one of their ships." He says smiling as he notices the ser. For once seeing a creature he has already seen on this planet. "As for what I am doing here. I'm looking around. I am cut of from any way of going home. It gives me time to think about whether or not I want to go home."
Alhambra folds her thumb over her index finger and cracks it. "I see. They ain't too friendly to their own neither, then? Kind of a dick move. Not sure if you know whut that means. Ain't sure scaly folks got any of that but well it's a euphemism thing for guy parts and also for bad kind of behaviour. Y'know? Anyways as long as you behave yourself you're welcome on the Baile, but if you make any trouble I'ma beat you flat and feed you to things on this planet that're bigger'n scarier'n the both of us."
Qraco'Xar nods agreeing. "of course. I do not intend to make any trouble. Unless trouble find me, then I will defend myself." He says and looks around. "Bigger and scarier creatures you say? Like what?"
Alhambra chortles. "Son, I ain't telling you whut's coming, then you'll be ready for it. Suffice it to say, stay inside the fence, do what you're told, and nothin'll eat you. Go out over there? There are things smarter'n you out there and they do like foreign takeout. This ain't a huntin' friendly planet." She grins, big and toothy. "Big things, little things, most of 'em are damn smart and they got all them awesome brain tricks too."
Qraco'Xar listens carefully to the woman. "I see. Thank you for your warning. I will keep it in mind." He says. "A strange planet with strange creatures. if it is so dangerous. why did you decide to make your city here. Or rather grow as I have been told."
"Eh? I didn't do it. I don't even live here, most of the time. I just made friends with the place," Al replies, closing the top of the cooler and sitting down on it. "And it ain't dangerous to folks who are respectful and cautious and whut-all. You be good to the planet, it'll be good to you. Be bad? Well, you gonna get punished, then." She belches, quietly. "I find it to be a fair way of doin' business. Kinda happy you lot didn't come round here and fuck things up, 'cause it's nice here. So if'n you see your big-tittied squeaky idiot friend around here somewhere, you tell her I see her I'ma grab her by her shiny flowin' locks and bang her face off a tree. I tell you whut."
Qraco'Xar thinks a bit at the description given of the fellow idaran. "Not sure I know who you mean. But I will pass on the warning to any I see, if ever. To be honest I am not expecting to find any idarans any time soon."
Alhambra makes a 'very large breasts' gesture. "You know, yer... fuck did she call herself. Head of the Intergalactic Commerce something or other. She was on the news and everything. Well, whutever. And don't go makin' trouble on Pyracan, 'cause that's where I live and one of their territories is actually dumb enough to give me martial authority. I like to punch folks." She leans back a bit. "So you all dressed up with no place to go, then? Or did your buddies there leave you stranded with no change of clothes?"
Qraco'Xar Thinks again. "I think i know who you mean now." he says thinking a bit more. "As for clothing... I got one more set. But... not much different from this one." he says and looks back to the woman. "Pyracan you say? is it in... this universe? or does one require a rift capable transportation to get there?"
"Psh I ain't got no fancy ass starship. It's in this universe. Pyracan is a planet of great and noble canid warrior people. Also they got a settlement of Outversers, like the Falari bird folks and a buncha humans too," Alhambra describes, making grand gestures. "An' their leader is Alpha Sarr. He kicks ass. I seen him kick a hole in a wall last time some idiots pulled some invasiony nasty shit. It was awesome."
Qraco'Xar nods. "sounds like an interesting place to visit. Much like this place. Maybe I will visit it after I have seen enough of this place."
Alhambra half-stands to rummage something else to eat out of her cooler. "Yeah I like it here. The weather's nice, it smells nice, it ain't all cityfied, and the critters like me." She feeds the little Ser on her shoulder another chunk. He's still eyeballing the Idaran like he's waiting for trouble. "Maybe. As long as you don't make no trouble, you can go where you like."
Qraco'Xar smiles. "Like I sayd I do not plan on making any trouble. But sadly there are always people who would seek trouble with my kind for whatever reason. If needed I will defend myself against those."
Alhambra takes her own bite of what looks like a piece of sandwich. "Eh. I usually let folks start shit if'n I'm looking for a fight, anyhow. It ain't hard. Folks'll start shit for whutever, and then i get to punch 'em in the face. Or neck, whutever. Ain't fussy."
"You do look like a capable woman." The Idaran says. "I prefer to avoid combat but like you said. Some people just seek it there is often no escaping those."
"I don't like avoidin' it. I love a good throw down. I think it's great when folks start shit with me and then I get to whup it up. Most of the time they're damn surprised!" Alhambra drawls, wearing a great big old grin before reaching for a drink. "So the whole fighting shit ain't a cultural thing with you guys? Some big higher up doofus decided y'all should go invading places and you had to go along?"
Qraco'Xar smiles. "To be honest Fighting is a part of my family's history. My family has been in the army for generations. But unlike some of my family I do not go looking for a fight." he thinks a bit. "I didn't introduce myself. My name is Qraco'Xar, of the Qun'tilu."
Alhambra belches again, and moves to stand. "Yeah unlike my family I ain't a druggie snack-snarfing nomad, so I suppose that's all right too. Name's Al. Al Meers. Fell outta Earth nineteen ninety-four, now I'm the Sheriff of Eiru, Pyracan." She puts her hand out. "Nice to meet you, Qrr-aco'zar."
"Qraco'Xar." he repeats his name so Al can hear it again. "Nice to meet you miss Meers." he says shaking her hand a bit. "So your from earth to, Like that gentle men with the tiger I met earlier?"
"Oh, Kethren? Yeah the white tiger, right? Or the penguin, depending on how weird he's feelin. Yeah I know that guy, he lives here. He's my pal. Got him a big girlfriend, she's a good doc, and a lot nicer'n most of them Heks," Al says, and then her brow furrows thoughtfully. "Well I suppose you'd know that pretty good. Heh. But uh yeah." She doesn't squeeze the handshake TOO hard, but she does do it a little before letting go. "Don't know if him and me is from the -same- Earth, because apparently there's a bunch of 'em. Just to make shit more confusing, I tell you whut."
"more then one earth?" Qraco'Xar asks. "That can be confusing indeed. I thought the time thing would already be confusing enough. I'm glad I only have to worry about which universe I'm in for my home world."
Alhambra settles back down atop the cooler. "As far as you know, anyways, heh heh. Remember, up till y'all showed up, sure, we ain't never seen none of you before, but whut if there -is- another... planet of the warrin' snakey folks? Then whut? You gotta be careful whut rifts you go on into. Could wind up like that whole damn -station- that up and disappeared." She chuffs, quietly. "Kinda suckin on that one but it's not like you could tie a damn string on it and follow it, y'know?"
Qraco'Xar nods. "I know what you mean. Without that station I going home is not so easy for me now. But then again it gives me time to think and see more of this universe." he sighs a bit. "sometimes I wish i was born in a family of explorers. oh well. One can't choose there family."
Alhambra pops open a can of whatever it is she's drinking and takes a guzzle. "Har. Well, if'n you ever find the Earth -I- came from, around the nineteen seventies or eighties or so, you can go travel around the southern United States of Amurrica in a busted old bus with the hippie guitar-totin' explorers that was MY family. Not that I wanna trade families or nothin' 'cause yours kinda sound like jerks. No offense."
Qraco'Xar smiles "none taken. miss. It sounds like you came from an interesting world and time."
"Yeah, it was some kinda party. An' now I live in interesting places and fight crime and talk to animals and shit. It's pretty cool," Alhambra muses, and then stands up again. "You want a drink or something? It's just like, canned juice and all 'cause I'm on call back home later tonight, and I got some wrapped up ham sandwiches. There's a funny little purple lettuce that grows on Pyracan and so help me it tastes just like pickles. So it's like pickles on your sandwich, but it -don't make the bread soggy-. How awesome is that, right?"
Qraco'Xar Raises his hand. "Thank you for the offer but I am getting a bit tired. I should find a place to rest. Do you know of any place nearby?" Alhambra points back towards the city gates. "Coupla places in there... uh... think there's some rooms up above the One Tree tavern, an' if you're looking for something nicer there's the Knot. Good food there, kinda fancy for my tastes. I could just sit out here eatin' sandwiches, ya know? It's just so nice here. Have a good one, man."
Qraco'Xar looks into the direction Al is pointing. "I see. I will find it then. Many thanks for this convertation miss Meers. It has been interesting."
Alhambra chortles again. The little critter on her shoulder chitters, seemingly echoing the amusement. "Yeah, I hear that a lot. Be good, Mister Quraco."
Qraco'Xar nods and turns walking back towards the city gates.