Right This Way

[Professor Mors]

Sa’ato sighed heavily and set his databook down on his thigh. Rubbing fingers across his gnarled eyelids, the Neti internally bemoaned these age old questions and his complete lack of desire to answer them. It was hardly Slade’s fault, to their credit. As something of a minority species, the academic had been viewed as an oddity for most of his five hundred years of life. The retired teacher would much prefer addressing more potpourri on Rattatak or any number of other topics, but any good dialogue had to start somewhere.

Turning to glance at his companion, the professor physically reigned in any lingering signs of disdain on his face before responding, “I generate as much heat as my genetic makeup requires to keep me alive- my natural resting temperature is comparatively lower to you humanoids”. Sa’ato tapped a finger on his chair’s armrest and recalled his odd few excursions in tundra areas before adding, “Like most humanoids, my body will shut down when exposed to freezing temperatures. Unlike you, however, rather than perish, I’m more likely to enter a state of forced hibernation under such circumstances”.

Rolling his shoulders, the Neti took a breath and leaned over to rest his cheek on a balled fist, “Typically yes, we alter the shape of our lower limbs to anchor ourselves in the earth. That said, any part of our bodies can be adapted to draw fluid in from our surroundings”. Sa’ato paused once more and attempted to catch a glimpse of the cockpit viewport from where he sat. “Apart from water, we convert sunlight into fuel for ourselves”, the academic explained with a flex of the wrist, “We do not possess most normal organs in truth- you might say we’re a large cluster of cells that all more or less serve the same function”.

“As to where we reside”, the professor moved to conclude with another light sigh, “Our records- few that they are, tell us that our homeworld was destroyed in a meteorite millennia ago. We are a scattered people, and due to our extreme incubation periods and lifespans few Neti ever actually meet their progenitor. I’ve never known of any settlements populated only of my species, and I doubt I ever will”.

[Decker Willo]

Decker Willo hadn't been listening onto those in the back of the shuttle, it would be rude to eavesdrop...right? Yeah, it would be rude...but halfway through what conversation they were having, the pilot couldn't really help himself and started to adjust his seat back just to listen in a little. Something about...records, scattered people. And Decker being Decker, he couldn't help but put something in.

"So you're scattered across the galaxy? Sounds like a pretty quiet life...ever thought of just gathering up your people and making a settlement somewhere?" To him it sounded smart to even add to the conversation. To them, who really knows. "Oh, and name's Decker Willo, if I didn't say that already." The other passengers were not really conversing, but did give an odd look over to the pilot. Mostly they just wanted to sit in peace and quiet.

"So what brings you to where...well wherever it is you are going? Looking for more of your people? Outer Rim would be a great place to look, after all." Where else would someone look for some quiet, to hide away for safety? Besides pirates...

[Slade Xandir]

His stomach growled, and he was almost immediately mad that Ali girl had taken to liking those Porglettes. They would have been roasted nicely and kept him afloat with a warm meal in his belly to last him atleast for the night. But he called off such irritation. He had to remind himself that she was useful. 'Do NOT think of eating her pets, or her. You just GAVE her those.' the voice hissed paternally in his head, one of the hundred souls already trying to guide him in some moral sense. He swallowed.

"That's if they care to meet one another. If not, surely they'll stay as they are, I'm sure," Slade waved off the solution. Maybe they didn't care for one another. It seemed like they lived forever.

Days had gone by, allowing for the men to get used to the travel, and provide ample time to sleep. He needed it. But eventually, they would arrive at this foresty mountain planet, and they would find the one thing he had come for.

[Professor Mors]

Sa’ato paused for a moment as the pilot addressed him out of the blue. His first instinct would have been to scowl with indignation over such a conspicuous interruption. However, given the circumstances, and the need for a dedicated, subtle transport, the retired teacher merely raised a quizzical eyebrow as he met the young man’s gaze. “Perhaps someone, somewhere has”, the Neti answered cooly, studying the off-duty Imperial from head to toe, “But there isn’t much of a culture left to bind us together after our ancestral home went up in smoke”. The professor smirked in spite of himself: a missed opportunity for death star humor.

“As a result, we are far more interested in worlds and peoples not our own”, the academic moved to conclude with a curt nod, “As coincidence would have it, my associate and I intend to perform a geological survey in the Outer Rim”. Sa’ato shot Slade a knowing side-eye before carrying on, “Unfortunately, the system we have in mind is far from a paragon of the rule of law. A simple shuttle will not serve. We need a hardier vessel- and someone willing to pilot it”. The Neti figured it would do no harm to pitch the jon to the serviceman in advance. Slade had dropped the promise of credits, all Sa’ato had done now was give only the most bare-bones of details.

[Decker Willo]

Well, that just seemed like all kinds of dreary. Their ancestral home gone, their people scattered...yeah, that would dampen ones hopes of uniting their people once again. Decker simply nodded. He had no words that would make himself feel less awkward for suggesting it.

Then he frowned. A survey, but the way they phrased it made it seem...well unusual to a typical archaeological survey. He pondered it over. Was this an extension of an offer?

"Well...there are the other passengers. Say I drop them off first, on the way to your destination," he said in a rather hushed tone. "And we will make haste there next, and discuss this more. If you wish to?"

[Slade Xandir]

While Slade was not too keen to share their mission with anyone outside of the pack, the side eye the Professor had given him lowered his hackled only just a bit. The Professor was a sly man, and he knew well what he was doing in matters of seducing aid. Seemingly, it had worked, as Slade keeping mum and not warning either one of them that interference was not the best of ideas allowed the pilot to edge in closer as an asset rather than another jugular he'd have to split open. He swallowed a growl in the matter, and decided to let the two ease it over, as his opinion would only ruin the Professors guiles.