Artifact Tournament 4: Wild Riders

Umishi orders a drink from the bar.

From On the Holovid, The ICS logo flashes in the holovid image, along with a brassy fanfare. The image then shifts to that of a Llivori commentator sitting on a stage with the ICS logo as a backdrop. "Welcome to our fourth bout in the first round of the Interverse Combat Series tournament! The denizens of Comorro Station have won two of the first three bouts. Tonight, we'll see if they can muster the strength to seize a third victory in a row!"

Umishi takes a sip of her drink and watches the holovid.

From On the Holovid, The image shifts to a desert on a world beneath a blue-green sky, with mountains on one side, a bubbling blood-hued sea on another, dense jungle to the south, and a churning maelstrom of sand and debris off to the western horizon. In a flash of blue light, Ren Arnassis materializes on the crest of dune where a bobbing cambot waits.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis lets out a breath of air as he materializes on the dune, rolling his neck back and forth on his shoulders and taking a look around. His eyes pause on the cambot for a moment, and he coolly regards the audience at home.

From On the Holovid, "Welcome!" enthuses the voice from the cambot. "Tell us your name and what motivated you to sign up for this tournament!"

Haanrik steps into the tavern, cane tapping lightly as he makes his way, slowly but surely, to the bar and orders a beverage of his own. He's quick to notice Umishi. "I must congratulate you on a fine performance during your bout, my dear. You are quite the warrior." he says with a smile as he settles in to watch the festivities.

Umishi ear twitch, "Thank you, I have been training at Markiel's academy pretty hard."

"Yes... your teacher didn't seem to think you had it in you. I however, knew you did, having seen you fare against the Vaaxtorban." Haanrik says as his drink is delivered and he takes it in hand.

From On the Holovid, "Ren Arnassis," says the Lunite, apparently finished bestowing attention on the cambot. "Signin' up? Seemed like a good idea at the time." He squints at the debris off on the western horizon.

From On the Holovid, "Splendid! Splendid!" Another flash of blue light draws the attention of the cambot. It's a Lotorian who just arrived, looking a bit grumpy and disoriented. He's got mangy-looking fur and rough leather armor. He bares fangs at the outverser, then spits at the cambot. "And who are you?" the commentator inquires. The Lotorian answers: "Aztiazmar. Blade of the Dark Hall." The tone of the last suggests it should mean something, but the cambot doesn't rise to it. Instead, the commentator says, "Great! Let's get to it, shall we? The two of you are in for quite a treat! On the ground behind you are two crates. Each crate contains a staff of summoning. Please open the crates and remove the staves. Then await further instructions."

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis turns, opening the crate pulling out the staff. He tests its weight and sizes up the Lotorian he's being pitted against. "Dark Hall, huh," he muses, while they're waiting, not looking terribly impressed. "What, they can't afford to pay the power bill?"

"I hope this Outverser is victorious this evening. To see the Zar fall further behind in artifacts would be most pleasing to this old one's heart." Haanrik says, adjusting his monocle as he focuses his attention fully on the holoviewer.

From On the Holovid, The Lotorian opens the long crate, then draws the staff from within. He taps the bulbous cap of the staff with a furred paw, grunting at the "ting" noise it makes. Then he sneers at Arnassis. "I make people's lights go out. Permanently. Yezzz." Umishi blinks, "Isn't that the Lotorian from the fogotten quarter..." squints at the holovid.

From On the Holovid, "Before everyone gets too chummy, let's go over the plan: You'll jab both those staves into the dune before you," the commentator explains via the cambot. "By doing so, you will each summon a crawler. The crawler will provide transportation. You must remain on a crawler throughout the combat. Falling off your crawler will constitute elimination from the tournament. The first combatant to remain on a crawler *and* acquire the Hekayti Worthing totem from its hiding place in the Zolaza Maelstrom will be the victor."

Umishi and Haanrik are at the bar sipping drinks and watching the holovid.

"Sadly, I would not know." Haanrik replies. "I have never ventured there. I have not had a reason, come to think of it."

From On the Holovid, "Great," Ren says, darkly. There's a long pause. "Let's get this going." He jabs the staff into the dune, as instructed, alert for whatever might happen next.

Umishi blinks again "I have been done there a few times..though i try to avoid it."

From On the Holovid, The Lotorian nods, plunging the metallic staff into the sand with a huff. He waits, watching. It doesn't take long. The caps of both staves begin to shimmer in the fading light of the trio of desert suns. A deep hum emanates, shaking the hands gripping them and making hair stand on end. About twenty yards away, disruptions start in the sand until two massive black chitinous beasts with hundreds of spiky legs and segmented armor plates emerge and start their sidewindery slithering toward the combatants.

The sound of shuffling cards precedes the entrance of a tall Aukami into the establishment. He also makes his way toward the bar. The card shuffling? A deck of outverser poker cards. His eyes glow a neutral shade of light green as they turn up toward the viewer, "Interesting," is the only comment he makes.

"This will be interesting... I suspect those beasts will be quite hard to stay mounted upon. This Outverser will need to keep a cool head and a firm grip if he intends to win." Haanrik comments, taking a sip of his drink.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis grunts as he struggles to retain control of the staff sliding around in his hands. When the beasts approach, his eyes widen. "Oh," he mutters, tone still dark, evaluating the dark-colored things. "So that's a crawler." He looks from the staff to the crawler and back. When his creature gets close enough, he lets go of the staff and trots out to meet it, apparently opting to have both hands free as he tries to hop on a leg and clamber up.

From On the Holovid, Aztiazmar does much the same, releasing his grip on the staff so that he can make his way atop the crawler after it arrives to meet him on the dune. He grimaces as he sees himself reflected a few dozen times in the clusters of black compound eyes that cover the upper hemisphere of what appears to be the creature's head, below two antennae and above some wicked-looking pitch-hued mandibles.

From On the Holovid, Step one -- getting up there -- complete, Ren rocks back and forth a bit atop his creature as he gets accustomed to its sway. Between jerks to and fro, he glances around for purchase, shifting his feet. One hand slips on the chitinous surface of the being's armor and he grunts, his nearly automatic scramble for balance finding a well-placed spike with one foot. Bracing his boot on the base of that spike, he searches for another. The finger of one hand taps the rhythm of the footsteps of the creature's upper limbs as he attempts to position himself within reach of those antennae.

From On the Holovid, The Lotorian chuckles, watching as the outverser tries to make himself comfortable atop the alien beast. "You might as well give up now, Ar-na-seeezzzz. Big desert. Big storm. Big monster. Accidents happen, yezzyezz?"

From On the Holovid, "Keep talkin', furball," Ren snarls back, taking the time to get himself good and sturdy. "You make yerself a fuckin' soliloquy. Me an' Tiny here are gonna go win while we wait for you ta finish." Experimentally, he gives the antenna closest to the Lotorian's creature a tug. Perhaps he's looking for the steering system?

From On the Holovid, That's not it. That's the piss-off-the-big-millipede system. Immediately, the beast rears with a chittering hiss and then charges toward the north, making for the mountains rather than the storm of sand and debris to the west. Aztiazmar almost falls off his own crawler from laughing.

Miklos nods to Haanrik, "They look..like nothing I've seen before," he comments. His eyes turn away from the viewer and toward the bartender, "I would like a Deathwhistle please," he asks of the Hekayti. An observant one might notice a darkening of his skin just around his jawline where the collar of his jacket is turned up, perhaps in an attempt to cover it.

From On the Holovid, The amused Lotorian gives a stomp to the back of his crawler, clutching the edge of the armor segment ahead of him as the beast starts skittering across the sand. He tries to guide the crawler west, toward the maelstrom.

From On the Holovid, "Shit," Ren grumbles, eyes widening as he damn near falls off the giant millipede and it changes course. Scrambling for purchase, the Lunite grabs a pair of thinner armor plates between the creature's head and its shoulder-equivalents. Tugging on one of them, he manages to get his critter headed into the maelstrom as well. He bunches himself up atop the crawler. "C'mon, Tiny. Put some giddyup in it."

From On the Holovid, Glancing over his shoulder, Aztiazmar spies the outverser making up for lost time, coming up on his right. He starts angling his crawler toward the one ridden by Ren Arnassis, intending a parallel course and, it would appear, leaping proximity.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis smirks. Ren seems content with his crawler's current momentum and speed, but while Aztiazmar is focused on steering, Arnassis is shifting his footing, moving down a little towards a more broad and stable part of the beast, and angling himself slightly towards Aztiazmar's millipede.

From On the Holovid, Once he has moved within range of Ren's crawler, Aztiazmar turns, releasing his grip on the armor segment, and makes an arcing leap from his mount toward that ridden by the outverser.

Umishi sips her drink whiskers twitching.

Haanrik widens his eyes at this move. "I say, how unsporting of him!" he says, watching the Lotorian make a leap towards the other crawler.

Miklos smiles at this, "All's fair in war," he says with a mischivous smile, his eyes shifting from that green to a light and merry shade of peach.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis's ready. Able to keep a better eye on Aztiazmar as a result of his positioning, Ren knows when the Lotorian is jumping. Now that he's back on fairly stable footing, as soon as Aztiazmar jumps, the Lunite reaches up again to tweak the piss-off-the-millipede button.

Umishi says, "I think the Outverser has something in mind though..Yeah..he does."

Haanrik snorts at the Aukami. "All's far in war, but this is a sporting event!" he counters, looking to Umishi. "Indeed... let us hope it works to his advantage, and the furry one takes a dive into the sand."

From On the Holovid, Aztiazmar's crawler, now without a rider, starts burrowing back under the sand again - leaving the Lotorian and the outverser atop the remaining beast. As Arnassis tugs on the antenna again, the creature rears once more and swerves toward the north with a jarring jolt and a noise like dozens of pickaxes dancing in the sand. Both riders manage to keep their balance and footing despite the change in course. The Lotorian unleashes a kick at Arnassis, intent on knocking him from the mount.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis cocks his leg and thus avoids the blow, lowering his hands to a set of armor plates farther down on the creature's shoulders. He returns the favor with that cocked leg, delivering a simple kick back at the Lotorian -- presumably with the same intent.

From On the Holovid, Aztiazmar mimics the Lunite's evasive maneuver, then pops a fist at his face.

Miklos shrugs, "Might be sporting, but the same rules apply. At least there is the no killing clause, right?" he says, hand wrapping around the drink when it arrives and he pulls it close.

Haanrik shakes his head at the Aukami, and focuses his attention on the fight. "Such dis-honorable actions lessen my respect for him nonetheless." he states.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis's head snaps to one side as he's punched in the jaw. He grunts, and the force makes him lose his grip with all his limbs except one hand. He manages to regain his balance rather spectacularly, and shifts to face the Lotorian. His expression darkens. "Aight," he grumbles, bringing his leg around again in a swift low kick towards the Lotorian's knee.

From On the Holovid, The kick strikes Aztiazmar in the knee, and he drops in response, landing with a hiss. He manages to stay on the crawler's back, using his tail to try and lash around Ren's legs to tug him off balance.

From On the Holovid, The old man is quicker than he looks; as the crawler continues to lumber around to its own devices, Ren braces himself with his hands and lifts up first one leg, then the other, and the tail sweeps nothing but air. The sweep complete, Ren presses the attack, denying the Lotorian more space on the crawler and kicking at the same leg he struck before.

"To each his own," Miklos replies, the drink brought to lips and he takes a deep drink, eyes watching the screen. "The fuzzy little pet isn't doing too badly," he comments.

From On the Holovid, Aztiazmar lifts his leg clear, then uses his tail to try once again to snatch at Ren now that the other foot is already up and potentially off-balance. Meanwhile, the crawler is cresting a high sloping dune on the verge of the mountains to the north.

Haanrik takes a drink of his own. "As is the Outverser. This contest is not yet decided."

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis barely manages to avoid the tail, hopping from foot to foot again. As things start getting rocky, Ren sends his fist lunging forward towards the Dark Hall's face.

Miklos turns eyes toward the old Hekayti, "A friendly wager perhaps?" he asks, one silver eyebrow raising just slightly.

From On the Holovid, The Lotorian ducks his head the right, avoiding a blow to his snout, and then tries to head butt Ren Arnassis in the throat.

Umishi gets up from the bar and exits the tavern.

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis ducks below the Lotorian, crouching so low that one knee almost touches the crawler's chitinous back. He rises up again, gripping at the Lotorian with one hand as well as attempting to brace against him with a shoulder. He's attempting to take advantage of Az's short stature -- since he doesn't have far upwards to go, he can keep his other hand on the crawler for stability -- and the Lotorian's momentum to attempt to throw him off the crawler.

Haanrik looks back to Miklos. "Gambling is the arena of fools who desire to let go of their money." Haanrik states with a bit of a snort. "I have no desire to do so."

From On the Holovid, Aztiazmar hops up onto Ren's shoulder, then thumps down his back to settle on the other side. Both riders manage to stay atop the creature, although it's a close call for the outverser as he nearly stumbles off. The Lotorian gives a hissing cackle and gives the antenna a tug.

Miklos simply grins like a Cheshire cat and turns his attention back toward the viewer.

Both Haanrik and Miklos are at the bar, eyes glued to the viewer as the competition continues to be broadcast.

Volidana enters the bar and looks carefully about, despite not seeing who she's looking for, she gives the monitors a glance

From On the Holovid, The Lotorian's action causes the crawler to buck and swing east along the curve of the dune. It is successful inasmuch as it sends Ren Arnassis tumbling off toward the slope. But it's less successful inasmuch as Aztiazmar can't maintain his own grip. He tumbles off the other side and starts rolling down under the churning pickaxe legs. What comes out the other side isn't recognizable as a Lotorian. The remains streak the dune with pooling blood.

From On the Holovid, "Shit!" Ren hollers, rearing as the crawler rears, and falling head over heels towards the back of the crawler like a tumbleweed. He does an inadvertent backflip off the crawler's ass and makes a little plume of sand when he hits it.

From On the Holovid, The cambot whirs across the dunes toward the surviving combatant. It arrives just as the last segments of the outverser's mount are vanishing beneath the sand. "Ren Arnassis," the commentator's voice says via the bot. "Your opponent is dead. While you cannot be held responsible for Aztiazmar's demise, the fact remains that you were unable to remain atop the crawler to get the Hekayti Worthing totem from within the maelstrom."

Haanrik slams a fist on the bar. "Blast it all." he says, downing his drink. "At least in consolation, the Zar did not get any more."

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis drags himself to his feet, brushing sand off of himself and rubbing at his jaw. "Guy risked killin' 'imself to make sure I didn't win," he says to the cambot with a shrug. "Can't say I wouldn'ta done the same. 'S just that he gambled and lost and I didn't." He looks off towards the mountains and sniffs. "Well," he says, and turns back towards the cambot. "Anyhow, I had fun."

Miklos shifts his gaze to get a look at the Hekayti from the corner of his eye. Nothing is said though, just a look.

From On the Holovid, "We were not unprepared for such an eventuality," the commentator replies. "Given the circumstances, it is the decision of the ICS to award the victory in this bout to Ren Arnassis. You have demonstrated fair play and, had the Lotorian not behaved so rashly, perhaps he would still be alive. The ICS acknowledges that you did not physically acquire the totem. Nevertheless, we will grant this victory to you. As a result, you advance to the second round."

From On the Holovid, Ren Arnassis raises both eyebrows. "What." He sounds surprised.

From On the Holovid, "Until next time, Ren Arnassis," the voice says. And then a blue cloud envelops the Lunite before he rematerializes aboard Comorro Station.

"I say, a good call!" Haanrik shouts. "Honor and fair play wins in the end. An even better outcome."

From On the Holovid, The image on the holovid shifts back to the studio. "And there you have it: Ren Arnassis, an outverser, wins the fourth bout. The enemies of Zar Hideg Fekretu have a solid 3-1 lead thus far in the series."