It was a brutally hot day in northeastern Issiq, and most of the team had gathered in the work tent in an attempt to stay cool. Sea and Rubus pored over the samples and regional scans, but Lambent and Chase had a different topic of conversation: something was stalking their camp. The night before, the perimeter sensors had gone off. They were set to alert only if something large approached their camp, or if they were messed with. When Lambent arrived on the scene, the sensor was tipped over. There were other odd happenings as well: objects moved, food taken. Always when the team was out researching, or overnight when they slept. Whatever it was, it was smart.

Lambent wanted to confront the creature and drive it off, but Chase suggested setting up cameras. Lambent shook her head. The moved sensor was an escalation; it was growing bolder. Eventually, Sea looked up. "Cameras are a good starting point," she said. "You'll want to know what you're dealing with before you fight it. Besides, we have plenty."

The expedition was well stocked, both with research equipment and with necessities. They had to be, given that their mission was to map and study one of the most remote regions of Issiq. Why DPIP had sent a bunch of Mirehi on the mission and not the people that actually liked heat and sand was a subject of ongoing debate among the group. Regardless, they were here now. Rubus, as the team physician, had been sure to brush up on his knowledge of treating heatstroke. Sea, the primary scientist, was eager to map the landscape and potential new cave systems. Lambent was head of security and took her job very seriously. And last, Chase was present to manage relations with any other Xunari they came across.

Lambent huffed. Sea had a point. "Sure, but we'd better get those cameras up sooner than later. I'm going on patrol," she replied, then turned and ducked out of the tent. It was quiet for a moment. Rubus reached out, trying to draw Sea's attention to a plant specimen, when a shout came from outside. The rest of the team piled out of the tent just in time to see something dart out of one of the sleeping tents. It was fast, incredibly fast, but paused just long enough at the edge of camp for them to see their mysterious visitor: an oat-colored tsabhua. Lambent charged after her, but the tsabhua raced off, vanishing into the canyons and scrub.

With the visitor revealed to be a person and not an animal, debate on what to do quickly broke out. Lambent, of course, wanted to prevent her from coming back. Rubus was inclined to agree, not knowing the intentions of the strange tsabhua. Chase and Sea, however, argued for finding a way to talk to her before making any decisions. Eventually, a plan was hatched: the oat-colored tsabhua seemed incredibly curious, and would likely return. They simply needed to wait for her, and then cut off her escape route.

By the time the details were worked out, it was nearing nightfall and the temperature was cooling. The team made a big show of having their dinner outside on a flat rock, and then conveniently forgetting to put the leftover food away as they raced back inside the work tent to "rescue" one of Sea's experiments. Lambent snuck out the back, finding a hidden position to wait, while Rubus, Sea, and Chase watched the cameras they had set up. Hopefully, the oat-colored tsabhua would be fooled by the charade.

Darkness fell. Night creatures chirped and rustled, and the team grew impatient as they waited. Then, movement: a tsabhua slunk out of the shadows, headed toward the rock with the discarded food. It was the same one as before: rounded ears, with a spotted coat. Sea was the first one out of the tent, stealthy as she crept toward the oat-colored tsabhua. Rubus followed shortly after, but Chase stumbled over a rock as she stepped out. The oat-colored tsabhua's head shot up, alarmed to see three strangers approaching her, and she turned to run. Lambent, the stealthiest member of the team, was already behind her, luminescent spots and stripes dimmed by mud made from canteen water and sand.

The oat-colored tsabhua tensed, watching the team warily. Chase, recovered from her stumble, stepped to the front. "We're not going to hurt you," she soothed. "We just want to talk, and ask about why you're visiting our camp. What's your name?"

The strange tsabhua eyed her, then the others. "Kukimbia," she replied, terse and nervous. "I was….curious. What is all this stuff?" She spoke in a more local native dialect, but the team's translators interpreted her words without trouble.

Sea's eyes brightened. Talking about her work was one of the few things that could hold her in conversation with someone else. "It's scientific equipment! We're studying the region, since it hasn't been mapped in detail before!" she enthused.

Kukimbia tilted her head. "Equipment for….science? You talk oddly, where are you from? And….what is that?" she asked, gesturing at Lambent, who snorted in offense.

"She's a tark'ee," Rubus replied, just as Lambent spoke up, "What, you haven't seen a tark'ee before?" Tark'ee had been spreading far and wide across the land- the area must be isolated indeed if Kukimbia hadn't encountered one.

Chase waved at them to quiet down. "We're from Wayward Station, a colony in Mireh," she explained, but Kukimbia's confusion only seemed to deepen, a frown crossing her features. "Oh, dear," Chase continued, "Have you heard of DPIP? The Department of Protected Inhabited Planets?" The other tsabhua shook her head. "Well, it seems we have much to explain. Come, sit down. Sea, please, could you get us some lighting? And Rubus, some tea? Thank you." Chase led Kukimbia to the rock where they had been eating earlier, followed by Lambent, as Sea and Rubus left to do as asked. It seemed Kukimbia had a lot to get caught up on.

Total Wordcount: 1008
1 to 200
It was a brutally hot day in northeastern Issiq, and most of the team had gathered in the work tent in an attempt to stay cool. Sea and Rubus pored over the samples and regional scans, but Lambent and Chase had a different topic of conversation: something was stalking their camp. The night before, the perimeter sensors had gone off. They were set to alert only if something large approached their camp, or if they were messed with. When Lambent arrived on the scene, the sensor was tipped over. There were other odd happenings as well: objects moved, food taken. Always when the team was out researching, or overnight when they slept. Whatever it was, it was smart. Lambent wanted to confront the creature and drive it off, but Chase suggested setting up cameras. Lambent shook her head. The moved sensor was an escalation; it was growing bolder. Eventually, Sea looked up. "Cameras are a good starting point," she said. "You'll want to know what you're dealing with before you fight it. Besides, we have plenty." The expedition was well stocked, both with research equipment and with necessities. They had to be, given that their mission was to map and
Mention Counter
Chaser of the Sunrise: 2 mentions
Rubus: 1 mentions
Sea's Call: 2 mentions
Lambent: 4 mentions

201 to 400
study one of the most remote regions of Issiq. Why DPIP had sent a bunch of Mirehi on the mission and not the people that actually liked heat and sand was a subject of ongoing debate among the group. Regardless, they were here now. Rubus, as the team physician, had been sure to brush up on his knowledge of treating heatstroke. Sea, the primary scientist, was eager to map the landscape and potential new cave systems. Lambent was head of security and took her job very seriously. And last, Chase was present to manage relations with any other Xunari they came across. Lambent huffed. Sea had a point. "Sure, but we'd better get those cameras up sooner than later. I'm going on patrol," she replied, then turned and ducked out of the tent. It was quiet for a moment. Rubus reached out, trying to draw Sea's attention to a plant specimen, when a shout came from outside. The rest of the team piled out of the tent just in time to see something dart out of one of the sleeping tents. It was fast, incredibly fast, but paused just long enough at the edge of camp for them to see
Mention Counter
Chaser of the Sunrise: 1 mentions
Rubus: 2 mentions
Sea's Call: 3 mentions
Lambent: 2 mentions

401 to 600
their mysterious visitor: an oat-colored tsabhua. Lambent charged after her, but the tsabhua raced off, vanishing into the canyons and scrub. With the visitor revealed to be a person and not an animal, debate on what to do quickly broke out. Lambent, of course, wanted to prevent her from coming back. Rubus was inclined to agree, not knowing the intentions of the strange tsabhua. Chase and Sea, however, argued for finding a way to talk to her before making any decisions. Eventually, a plan was hatched: the oat-colored tsabhua seemed incredibly curious, and would likely return. They simply needed to wait for her, and then cut off her escape route. By the time the details were worked out, it was nearing nightfall and the temperature was cooling. The team made a big show of having their dinner outside on a flat rock, and then conveniently forgetting to put the leftover food away as they raced back inside the work tent to "rescue" one of Sea's experiments. Lambent snuck out the back, finding a hidden position to wait, while Rubus, Sea, and Chase watched the cameras they had set up. Hopefully, the oat-colored tsabhua would be fooled by the charade. ((Darkness
Mention Counter
Kukimbia: 3 mentions
Chaser of the Sunrise: 2 mentions
Rubus: 2 mentions
Sea's Call: 3 mentions
Lambent: 3 mentions

601 to 800
fell. Night creatures chirped and rustled, and the team grew impatient as they waited.)) Then, movement: a tsabhua slunk out of the shadows, headed toward the rock with the discarded food. It was the same one as before: rounded ears, with a spotted coat. Sea was the first one out of the tent, stealthy as she crept toward the oat-colored tsabhua. Rubus followed shortly after, but Chase stumbled over a rock as she stepped out. The oat-colored tsabhua's head shot up, alarmed to see three strangers approaching her, and she turned to run. Lambent, the stealthiest member of the team, was already behind her, luminescent spots and stripes dimmed by mud made from canteen water and sand. The oat-colored tsabhua tensed, watching the team warily. Chase, recovered from her stumble, stepped to the front. "We're not going to hurt you," she soothed. "We just want to talk, and ask about why you're visiting our camp. What's your name?" The strange tsabhua eyed her, then the others. "Kukimbia," she replied, terse and nervous. "I was….curious. What is all this stuff?" She spoke in a more local native dialect, but the team's translators interpreted her words without trouble. Sea's eyes brightened. Talking
Mention Counter
Kukimbia: 4 mentions
Chaser of the Sunrise: 2 mentions
Rubus: 1 mentions
Sea's Call: 2 mentions
Lambent: 1 mentions

801 to 1000
about her work was one of the few things that could hold her in conversation with someone else. "It's scientific equipment! We're studying the region, since it hasn't been mapped in detail before!" she enthused. Kukimbia tilted her head. "Equipment for….science? You talk oddly, where are you from? And….what is that?" she asked, gesturing at Lambent, who snorted in offense. "She's a tark'ee," Rubus replied, just as Lambent spoke up, "What, you haven't seen a tark'ee before?" Tark'ee had been spreading far and wide across the land- the area must be isolated indeed if Kukimbia hadn't encountered one. Chase waved at them to quiet down. "We're from Wayward Station, a colony in Mireh," she explained, but Kukimbia's confusion only seemed to deepen, a frown crossing her features. "Oh, dear," Chase continued, "Have you heard of DPIP? The Department of Protected Inhabited Planets?" The other tsabhua shook her head. "Well, it seems we have much to explain. Come, sit down. Sea, please, could you get us some lighting? And Rubus, some tea? Thank you." Chase led Kukimbia to the rock where they had been eating earlier, followed by Lambent, as Sea and Rubus left to do as asked. It seemed Kukimbia
Mention Counter
Kukimbia: 5 mentions
Chaser of the Sunrise: 3 mentions
Rubus: 3 mentions
Sea's Call: 2 mentions
Lambent: 3 mentions

1001 to 1008
had a lot to get caught up on.
Mention Counter
Kukimbia is in 3 chunks
Chaser of the Sunrise is in 5 chunks
Rubus is in 5 chunks
Sea's Call is in 5 chunks
Lambent is in 5 chunks
Avatar of Wayward Station

A Stranger in Camp

In Diplomacy ・ By Wayward Station ・ 0 Favourites ・ 0 Comments

Chase, Sea, Rubus, and Lambent attempt to discover who's been sneaking around their camp....and find a very isolated tsabhua.


Submitted By Wayward Station for Woo a Native ・ Location: Issiq (B'Av)
Submitted 3 weeks ago ・ Last Updated 3 weeks ago
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[A Stranger in Camp by Wayward Station (Literature)](https://www.xiun.us/gallery/view/2004)
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