Digging in the Dirt, Part I

Cell 2 

This is a sterile cell, about 6X6 feet wide. It is dry and clean, but lacks any material comforts. A low, hard black platform serves as a bed. The gray walls are featureless, and the only way in or out is through the heavy blast door which can only be opened from outside.

Poe lays in the corner, sleeping fairly lightly.

Phoenix is curled up on the bed, sleeping lightly. Her jacket is done up and the shirt she usually wears is on the floor under the bed. She shifts, pinching one of her unbandaged hands and whimpering in pain.

Poe stirs and sits up, glancing over at Phoenix. He leans back against the wall and starts to just stare at the ceiling.

Phoenix blinks sleepily, gazing at the wall across from her. Sitting up and wincing as her hands leave a bloody print on the bed, Ix gazes at Poe, "Hey.."

Poe glances over at the girl, not saying anything for a while. "You'd best sleep as much as you can. Our friendly Overseer informed me we have a 48 hour shift waiting for us tonight."

The only sound from Ix after that announcement is a hissing intake of breath, "Did he tell you who we're working with?"

Poe nods his head, but doesn't give an answer.

Phoenix closes her eyes for a few seconds, "Who, asides from Ponda? Or is that the only one we're working with?"

Poe shakes his head, "That's all. I think Rynacer's still in the infirmary. He might've lost his tongue, but at least he's getting some rest."

Phoenix nods, "Yeah...Baba tried to kill him, I think. He's gonna go after me next." Her eyes close again and then they open, Ix slipping off the bed and picking up her shirt. She gazes at it for a while, falling silent.

Poe stands up and starts to pace back and forth in the cell, working his stiff muscles. "He's not going to kill you tonight at least."

Phoenix shrugs, "So we hope." She glances up at Poe and then back down to her shirt, "Could you help me make this into bandages for my hands?"

Poe looks over at the shirt and frowns. "I can try. I don't think it'll work too well, seeing as it's all dirty." He picks up the shirt, and tries to rip it into shreds.

The shirt is sticky with blood where Ix has been touching it, but, with a bit of effort, it'll tear easily. The main difficulty will be getting it into strips long enough to wrap around Ix's hands. The teen watches quietly, carefully sorting out the strips that result into piles: those too dirty to be any use at all asides from rags and those clean enough to use.

Poe continues to rip the shirt until it's all ripped, then looks over the sorted piles. "We may have to tie a few of these together, and then make sure the knot is on the back of your hand."

Phoenix is sitting on the floor of her cell, her shirt ripped into strips of fabric that have been sorted into two piles: very dirty and mostly clean; the pile of usable strips is larger than that of those too dirty to use but not by too much. Ix nods to something that Poe said, "Yeah.." She turns one hand over, revealing the mess her shifts have made of it - it's cut, blistered and covered with both fresh and dried blood.

From Cell 1 , Ponda Baba wakes up on his newly acquired bed. He sits up, swings his feet off onto the floor. He grunts, looking down at the ruddy brown-red stain on the sheet. Leftovers.

Poe starts to take the cleaner strips and ties them into longer strips. Then he takes Phoenix by the left wrist and gently wraps it around the wounded hand.

Phoenix winces slightly but holds still, silent. When neccessary, she makes adjustments of her fingers and thumb but she doesn't pull away and she doesn't cry out in pain.

Poe finally finishes with the left hand and looks down at the remaining scraps. As it becomes apparent that there aren't enough left to finish the right hand, he grabs his sleeve. With a grunt he tears it from his shirt and begins to tear it into strips.

Like the strips from her shirt, Ix sorts the ones from Poe's sleeve into piles; the clean, usable strips greatly outnumber the unusable ones though and there should be enough to finish bandaging Ix's right hand. Just in case, though, the teen sorts through the dirty pile from her shirt, checking in case there's any usable pieces of cloth she missed.

Poe takes her right arm and does the right hand like he did the left. "There, that should be some comfort. If the blood soaks through, don't take them off. That'll just reopen the wounds."

Phoenix nods, "Ok...thanks, Poe." She smiles shyly at him, glancing down at her bandaged hands. Poe nods his head, wiping his hands on his shirt. "I'm really not sure how well they'll work. I'm not a doctor or anything."

Phoenix shrugs, "Neither'm I...I know enough t'know that getting dust an' stuff like that into wounds'll give you wound-sickness...but I'm not a doctor...I don't even know as much about first aid as Aluk does."

Poe nods his head. "They'll probably get soaked with blood tonight anyways. We'll have to use sheets to make new ones."

Phoenix nods and sighs softly, "If we survive shift with Baba, you mean..the overseer said we were going into the East Shaft, down deep.." She closes her eyes, "Poe...the spiders live way down deep..an' they say that the supports in that shaft aren't real good.." There's a note of fear in Ix's voice - a fear that's only common sense. Spiders and weak supports in a shaft can kill a miner faster than the nastiest psycho in the cell block.

From Cell 1 , Ponda gets up, scratches his furred cheek and grunts as he moves toward the door, peering out into the hallway.

Poe nods his head and sighs. He slumps against the wall and sits down. "If we die, at least that tongue-eating psycho will die as well." He snorts and shakes his head, "And Overseer Barrak and a few troopers too."

Phoenix tilts her head to one side, "Why them too? What're they gonna be doin' down there?" She closes her eyes for a few seconds, shivering, "Sand...I hope Baba gets a rock in the head or somethin'..or runs into a spider.." She's silent for a few moments, "He'd probably kill the spider though, so it's probably too much t'hope he'll die that way." She curls up on the floor, quiet again as she gazes at the wall.

Poe shrugs, "If there isn't at least one guard, what's to keep us working?"

Phoenix is silent for a few moments and then sighs, "Good point..." She's quiet for a few seconds, "They usually keep at least two on me, t'make sure one doesn't get tricked into letting me rest or somethin', I guess."

Poe nods his head, "And the Overseer seemed especially happy about our special detail, so I doubt he won't at least accompany us down there and check on us periodically."

Phoenix yawns, resting her head on one arm, "Yeah..." She closes her eyes, sighing quietly.

Poe just continues to lean back against the wall, his eyes closing.

Phoenix murmurs softly, "If I survive my year here, my hair's gonna be so full of spice, all I'll have to do is cut my braid off an' sell strands of it t'people who want a fix.." It's a random sentence but probably true. Ix's hair is covered with dust and the stuff is probably everywhere on her body, not just her braid.

From Cell 1 , Ponda Baba listens to the corridor, waiting, dark eyes gleaming.

Poe opens his eyes curiously. "I suppose that's true. But do you really think they're going to let you out even if you do manage to survive a year?"

Phoenix shrugs, "'Ve only got a year's sentence.." She sounds doubtful though, as if wondering if the Empire wouldn't change the sentence just to keep her here.

Phoenix lays on the floor of her cell, hands bound up with strips of cloth. Dirty pieces of fabric lay on the ground not too far from the teen, some looking like they came from her shirt. Her eyes are closed, a slight shrug her only answer to Poe's words.

From Cell 1 , Ponda Baba is lurking against the wall of Cell 1, arms crossed, waiting.

From Cell Block A , Bardack emerges from the processing center, humming pleasantly to himself. He sees Rynacer emerging from the compound, and says, "Oh ho, my little lad. Just in time for work detail! How splendid."

From Cell Block A , Rynacer nods with no sign of joy.

From Cell Block A , Bardack walks over to cell two, and begins to open the door. "Out we go, my joyful little miners. Deep, deep into the mines tonight!"

Bardack holds open the door, one hand on his pistol. "Come on now, you sluggards. Get up! We're off to your work detail!"

Poe looks up from the floor and gives a fake smile to the Overseer. He stands up slowly, "You know, I've got a friend who can help you with that erectile disfunction that's been plaguing you lately. If you let us go, I'll refer you to him"

Phoenix opens her eyes, glancing up at Bardack. She snorts, "You try gettin' up when your hands're like mine." She stands, wincing as her hands press against the floor. She snickers at Poe's words, trying to stifle it - although she doesn't seem to be succeeding. Ix pauses for a couple of seconds and then says, "Poe, I ain't even gonna ask if you're just makin' that up or if you're tellin' the truth. I don't wanna know. I really don't."

Bardack snorts. "Yeah, yeah, comedians, the lot of you. On yer feet." He places his hand on his pistol. "I ain't had no target practice lately. Nothin' like some insubordinate pris'nors ta keep the skills sharp."

Poe walks over towards Phoenix to help her up. "I'm sure it's reassuring to be able to use at least one of your pistols," he mutters, just loud enough to be heard.

Phoenix manages to get standing on her own, muffling a giggle as she hears Poe. There's a few spots of blood leaking through the bandages, probably from opened cuts.

Bardack smirks. "Oh, laugh it up, you slug. Ya won't be laughing long, ol' Bardack promises ya that much!" He moves to the door, to lead the others out of the cell.

Cell Block A 

This passageway leads through one of the main cell blocks of the prison. The floor is a dull black metallic grid through which a reddish white light pours, and the walls are a dull gray. There are security cameras and remote gun emplacements set in the ceiling here, and every so often along the walls can be seen a heavy blast door leading into a cell.

Rynacer stands still like a zombie displaying his flesh wound mouth as he doesn't say anything and doesn't even bother to look at his allies.

Bardack walks over to cell one. "Now, just a sec while I get ol' Ponda here from 'is cell."

From Cell 1 , Ponda Baba grunts, staring at the overseer.

From Cell 1 , Bardack keeps his hand on his pistol. "Come on now, Ponda, time for work detail. On yer feet."

From Cell 1 , Ponda Baba hnghs, nods, moving toward the door.

Poe glances over at Rynacer and offers him a sympathetic look.

Phoenix shifts uneasily, glancing at her bandaged hands. She smiles slightly at Rynacer, saying softly, "'Ey.." She sidles towards him, trying to avoid getting her hands bumped as she moves.

Ponda Baba emerges from his cell, clawed hands swinging at his side, dark orbs for eyes reflecting the cell block as he looks around. They settle on Rynacer. He chortles softly.

Rynacer looking straight at floor pulls some extra bandages he had gotten from the nurses in the Infirmary, and hands them to Phoenix.

Bardack moves toward the processing center. "All right, come along, the lot of ya. An' Ponda, NO SNACKING." He smirks, and heads for Work Detail Processing.

Phoenix smiles at Rynacer, murmuring a soft thanks and taking the bandages, slipping them into a pocket which she closes as well as she can. She grimaces slightly at Bardack's words but follows along, keeping as far away from Ponda as she can.

Work Detail Processing 

This is a staging area for the work gangs that are sent down into the spice mines. There is a control station here manned by an officer and two technicians. Prisoners enter from the cell blocks in groups, and their prison IDs are scanned at the control station, where they are cleared for entry to the mines and assigned to a work gang and mine section. By the lift leading down into the mines are two guards who hand out mining equipment as the prisoners enter the lift.

Bardack moves to the processing desk, and says to the officer there, "Got this bunch for the East Shaft detail."

Ponda Baba follows along after the overseer, grunting as he walks.

The officer nods, enters a few commands into his console, and speaks for a moment in his commlink. "All right, you're clear to take them into the mines," he says.

Phoenix shifts uneasily, not saying anything. She wanders towards Rynacer, trying to squeeze his hand reassuringly; the state of her hands, underneath the bandages, however, keep her from doing this easily as well as the fact that he might not want to touch her hands.

Rynacer lets Phoenix squeeze his hand as he doesnt squeeze back but doesn't fight it.

Ponda Baba walks toward the lift. Stops, crosses his arms, and waits.

Poe clenches and unclenches his fingers as he walks, remaining quiet now. But ast they pass the officer he looks over at him, "Were you aware that erectile dysfunction effects one in ten Imperial Military officers? Ask the overseer about it." He knows he's digging his own grave, but he's as good as dead anyways.

Bardack ignores Poe, and steps onto the lift. "Come on, you slugs, hop to it!"

Bardack steps into the lift headed down into the mines.

Rynacer steps into the lift headed down into the mines.

Phoenix lets out a cough that sounds a lot like a snicker as she hears Poe's words, hurrying after Bardack.

You step onto the lift headed down into the mines.

Northern Mine Shaft 

This is a deep vertical mine shaft beneath the surface of Kessel. The light here is dim and the air is stale and hot. Gangs of prison laborers work along the walls of the shaft and in narrow side-shafts, digging for and harvesting supplies of glitterstim spice, which sparkle brightly when exposed to even dim light. Many of the miners stand on repulsor platforms, and others cling directly to the walls with ease in the low gravity. The weblike spice veins extend up and down the shaft, leading deep into the planet.

Poe steps out of the lift leading down from the prison.

Ponda Baba steps out of the lift leading down from the prison.

Bardack moves over to a large repulsorlift platform and steps aboard, turning to wait for the others to board. "Come on now, I don't 'ave all day."

Ponda Baba shuffles onto the platform, silent, although occasionally glancing toward Rynacer.

Rynacer ignores Ponda and keeps walking.

Phoenix slinks towards the platform, trying to stay as far away from Baba as she can without going too far away from Rynacer. She keeps her hands still, the fingertips of the bandages on them now soaked with blood.

Poe walks ahead of the other prisoners, just slightly. His eyes are constantly shifting, gazing at his surroundings.

Bardack keys in the commands to the platform's control panel to make it begin its descent. "Hold on tight," he says. "Don' wanna lose none 'a ya, we got a looong way ta go."

Northern Mine Shaft  You are deep beneath the surface of Kessel, in one of the deeper parts of one of the main spice mine shafts. The weblike veins of glitterstim are woven more densely here, and at this level there is the vague threat of the energy spiders who are rumored to dwell deep in the mines and are the source of the legendary spice. Nevertheless, work gangs move to harvest the spice, which glitters brightly as it is exposed to even dim light. Some miners actually climb the walls by hand, a task made easy by the below-standard-gravity of Kessel. Nearby there is a cross shaft leading to another vertical mine shaft.

Bardack brings the repulsor platform in line with one of the cross shafts, and brings it to a halt. "Come on now, you slugs, step lively! Quick quick!" he hops off and trundles into the cross shaft.

Ponda Baba steps off the platform, following the overseer.

Rynacer follows

Phoenix shifts uneasily, obviously not happy with being this far down. She follows after Rynacer, silent.

Cross Shaft 

This is a horizontal shaft connecting two of the deep vertical mine shafts. Gangs of workers haul equipment along the passageway in the dim light. There are a few imperial guards watching over the activity from here.

Bardack moves at a rapid pace toward the central mine shaft. "Come on now, don' make me get my whip!"

The Aqualish moves smoothly after Bardack, unhindered by the dim light, taking in his surroundings with glittering black eyes.

Poe glances around, taking note of where the guards are placed and the low numbers compared to the prisoners.

Phoenix follows quietly, eyes adjusting to the light. Once they have adjusted however, she doesn't move much faster, still keeping her distance from Baba.

Central Shaft <Spice Mines: Kessel>

This is a deep vertical mine shaft. The light here is very dim, but in the darkness every so often can be seen the sparkle of exposed spice, which reacts quickly to even the dimmest light. Gangs of prison workers, under the watchful eyes of guards, work on repulsor sleds to harvest the weblike veins of spice. Beneath you the shaft descends into the distance, with low ledges and platforms set into the wall every few dozen feet.

Bardack steps onto another waiting repulsor sled and waits for the others to join him. "Come on now, we're going real deep!"

Phoenix says nothing, just moaning softly with unease as she continues to follow; not that she has much choice in the matter. Odds are, if she didn't follow, Baba would hang back and try to kill her.

Bardack directs the platform to descend.

Central Shaft <Spice Mines: Kessel>

This is a deep vertical mine shaft. The light here is very dim, but in the darkness every so often can be seen the sparkle of exposed spice, which reacts quickly to even the dimmest light. Gangs of prison workers, under the watchful eyes of guards, work on repulsor sleds to harvest the weblike veins of spice. Beneath you the shaft descends into the distance, with low ledges and platforms set into the wall every few dozen feet. Nearby there is a cross shaft that leads to another chasm. At this depth, there is some danger from the mysterious energy spiders that are said to be the source of the spice.

Bardack continues the descent.

Central Shaft <Spice Mines: Kessel>

This is a deep vertical mine shaft. The light here is very dim, but in the darkness every so often can be seen the sparkle of exposed spice, which reacts quickly to even the dimmest light. Gangs of prison workers, under the watchful eyes of guards, work on repulsor sleds to harvest the weblike veins of spice. Beneath you the shaft descends into the distance, with low ledges and platforms set into the wall every few dozen feet. Nearby there is a cross shaft that leads to another chasm. At this depth, there is some danger from the mysterious energy spiders that are said to be the source of the spice.

Bardack steps off the platform and heads for the nearest cross shaft. "Almost there, almost there! Come on now! Quick quick!"

Cross Shaft <Spice Mines: Kessel>

This is a horizontal shaft connecting two of the deep vertical mine shafts. Gangs of workers haul equipment along the passageway in the dim light. There are a few imperial guards watching over the activity from here.

Eastern Shaft <Spice Mines: Kessel>

This is a deep vertical mine shaft. The light here is very dim, but in the darkness every so often can be seen the sparkle of exposed spice, which reacts quickly to even the dimmest light. Gangs of prison workers, under the watchful eyes of guards, work on repulsor sleds to harvest the weblike veins of spice. Beneath you the shaft descends into the distance, with low ledges and platforms set into the wall every few dozen feet. Nearby there is a cross shaft that leads to another chasm. At this depth, there is some danger from the mysterious energy spiders that are said to be the source of the spice.

Bardack steps aboard another repulsor sled. "One more level down, and you can begin yer work." He keys in the command for descent.

Eastern Shaft <Spice Mines: Kessel>

This is a deep vertical mine shaft beneath the surface of Kessel. The light here is dim and the air is stale and hot. Gangs of prison laborers work along the walls of the shaft and in narrow side-shafts, digging for and harvesting supplies of glitterstim spice, which sparkle brightly when exposed to even dim light. Many of the miners stand on repulsor platforms, and others cling directly to the walls with ease in the low gravity. Along the walls every so often are steel platforms or stony rock outcroppings where miners have carved side passages into the rock. The weblike spice veins extend up and down the shaft, leading deep into the planet. At this extreme depth, work crews frequently report attacks by energy spiders.

Bardack brings the repulsor sled to a halt at a short platform, where there are several large containers and enough mining equipment for all the members of the party. "Fill these containers," Bardack says. "Nice rich spice vein here. I'll be back for ya when yer shift is up."

Ponda Baba grunts, nods, then moves to grab a container and extracting tools.

There is a faint rumble that echoes through the shaft, from far above.

Poe moves to grab some equipment. He glances up at the rumbling, frowning slightly.

The Aqualish tilts his head, huffing, and then turns his dark eyes toward the ceiling.

Ix's only answer is another moan of unease and a soft, "Oh sand..." She glances up at the rumble, tensing slightly as she moves to get some tools and a container.

Bardack looks up the shaft, and shakes his head. "I told those fools ta be careful with the mining charges when I got crews this deep. I'll teach 'em a thing or two..." he steers his repulsor platform up into the shaft above.

Ponda Baba hrnghs, scratches his cheek, and then takes his tools toward the vein so he can begin extracting spice from the walls.

There is another, somewhat louder rumble. After a few moments a shower of fine grains of dust rains down the shaft, onto the crew and many of the other nearby miners.

Rynacer picks up his tools, and begins to work away from ponba.

Phoenix does the same, working near Rynacer. She ducks her head when the dust falls, shaking as much of it out of her hair once it's over.

The Aqualish seems to disregard the rain of particulate matter, concentrating on his work.

Poe works away from the others, he seems to just be concentrating on his work.

The mining tools are what you might expect...some are very low-tech, shovels and the like. The most advanced are vibro-pickaxes.

Ponda Baba extracts some spice into a bucket, then takes his load toward the waiting repulsorsled containers. He grunts, glancing toward Rynacer. "sooork tiirr chik trripzok sooork vrt"

Once again, there is a rumble high overhead, followed by another shower of dust, which lasts longer this time.

Ponda Baba dumps his first spice load into the container, then grumbles as the rumbling resumes, bringing more dust with it. He lowers his head, shielding his eyes with a clawed hand.

Poe looks over at Baba and down at the pick-axe in his hand. He shields his eyes from the dust and continues to work.

Phoenix hunches up as the dust falls, eyes closing until it's over. Once her eyes are open again, she extracts as much spice as the bucket she has can hold, carrying it to the 'sled and muttering,

"They're gonna bring the shaft down on our heads.." She growls softly, returning to the vein she's working on, extracting as much as she can and loading the bucket again.

There is a somewhat different sound...more of a boom followed by a dull roar. Above there is shouting, and in the darkness a thick, swirling shadow descends rapidly. As it approaches the roar grows deafening.

Ponda Baba is swept away in a cascade of loose dirt and rock as the cavern wall collapses...

You are swept away in a cascade of loose dirt and rock, and find yourself falling....

Collapsed Chamber <Spice Mines: Kessel>

It is pitch black. You can see absolutely nothing. You can feel loose dirt along the walls, and it is impossible to gain a purchase to climb. You can hear the faint sound of flowing water.

Rynacer lands with a thud and is nearly buried by loose dirt and rocks raining from above.

Poe lands with a thud and is nearly buried by loose dirt and rocks raining from above.

You are hit by several mid-sized rocks and sustain several deep bruises and perhaps a cut or two.

Poe slowly tries to stand up, pushing some dirt off of his body. He glances around, but seeing nothing, tries his best to listen to his surroundings. He assumes Baba is down here, and doesn't want to give away his location, so he doesn't shout out.

Ponda Baba is partially buried in loose dirt, and is bruised. But he's otherwise unhurt. He hears other movement. And he looks around in the shadows, taking advantage of his night vision.

Phoenix moans quietly with pain as she's hit with several medium sized rocks. She's not seriously hurt and quickly hushes up, blinking and trying to adjust her eyes to the lack of light.

The rumbling sound continues all around and above the chamber, as more of the shaft above collapses. There are several loud BOOMS as heavy equipment or particularly large rocks slam into the bottom of the shaft, which is above where you now sit.

Rynacer tumbles down the shaft as small rocks come down and hit him on the head leaving several bruises and a cut to his forehead.

Ponda Baba quietly gets to his feet, moving until he is against the wall of the overhang, scanning the darkness for survivors. He makes no sound if he can avoid it, says nothing, save perhaps for his breathing.

Phoenix sits up, looking around. The utter lack of light hinders her ability to see anything at all however, so she relies on her ears for the most part, trying to figure out where Baba is so she can avoid him.

Poe turns his head toward the moans, but doesn't move. He just stays where he is, not wanting to make noise, so that he is undetected and so that he can hear the noises others make.

Rynacer lays still on his body and doesnt move.

The rumbling at last dies down, and at length there is stillness and nearly total silence, except for the breathing of the other survivors near you, and...oddly...a distant sound of water.

Ponda Baba lets his orb-like eyes take in the other survivors as he drops into a crouch, arms draped over his knees. He ponders the situation. Calculates. Looks from Rynacer, prone on the ground, to Poe, then to Phoenix. Thinking.

Phoenix just listens quietly, blinking as she hears the sound of water. She doesn't say anything though - let someone else speak up and let Baba know where they are.

The Aqualish makes his decision. His choice. Moving slowly, he tries to flank around and take Poe by surprise from behind, saying not a word.

And now Ix speaks up, sounding puzzled, "Does..does anyone else hear...water?" She looks around, seeing only black-on-black in the gloom.

Rynacer lays still on the floor like he has been knocked out.

Poe starts to move, slowly, then says out loud. "Ix, are you okay? I've got a hunch that Baba can see in the dark. He didn't seem as affected when we were getting into the darker tunnels. But if we stick together, we'll be better off. That goes for you to Baba. If you work with us, and not against us, we might be able to escape." He tries to walk in the direction her voice came from, quickening his step..

Phoenix answers, "I'm okay. Is everyone else alright?" She works on standing, slipping into the same crouch Baba seems so fond of.

As careful as Ponda Boba might imagine he *wants* to be, he's still a big lumbering Aqualish, and the loose sand and rocks get in the way of his shuffling. He can see in the dark, but he can't *move* any better than he can in the light. He stops dead in his tracks, realizing his movements are exposed by the sound.

Poe turns his head, hearing the large shuffling of the creature, but just continues towards Phoenix. "I'm fine. Rynacer?"

Rynacer ignores the comment made by Poe and is silent like a dead man.

Ponda Baba drops into his crouch, dark eyes settling on the prone form of Rynacer a few feet away. Finally, he speaks: "Kill him. Save air."

Phoenix manages to get fully standing, hesitant since she has no idea where the ceiling is, "Baba..we can't kill Rynacer. We might need his skills at some point, just like we might need yours or Poe's or mine in order to get out of here alive. We kill him, an' sure, that much air is saved..but what if we run into trouble that only he knows how to deal with along the way?" There's that and the fact that Ix just doesn't like killing people who haven't done anything to her or people she cares about..but this explanation is more likely to be understood by Baba.

Poe turns towards the voice, away from Phoenix. As he starts to walk quickly, not daring to run in the dark, he says "No! You kill him, we don't help you. Are you all that sure you can survive on your own?"

Phoenix sighs softly, "Y'know..I like my explanation better.."

Rising to his full height, watching the human approach, flexing his clawed fingers, the Aqualish snarls. "How help? Bleed on rock? Dissolve? Useless." He kicks a plume of dust toward Rynacer. "Skills. Pah. No skills. No need. No hope. Die. All die." He jerks a thumb at himself. "Die last."

Poe ducks down as he approaches, searching the ground for a large rock.

Rynacer moans as he grabs his head and wakes up with the attitude of a man who wakes up in another world. He glances at the words spoken out of the Aqualish.

Phoenix snorts, "Baba, there's /always/ hope. Even if it's just managing t'survive the next shift or getting out of here one day. Everyone dies sooner or later...if we die now, there's nothin' much we can do about it, is there?"

Ponda Baba watches Poe, who might as well be doing this blatantly, in broad daylight, in front of Ponda. He doesn't appreciate it. He closes the distance on Poe, and comes up swinging at his gut with a fist.

Ponda Baba hammers his fist into Poe's belly, roaring in the cavern, feeling the satisfactory WHUFF! of air from the human's internal air sacs. His goal is not to eviscerate - his claws are banked within his fists - but merely to wound and knock Poe off his feet.

Poe gets a fist in the gut, and falls backwards, landing on his back. He is too stunned to counter attack right away, but tries to maintain his grip on the rock.

The rock is dropped.

Phoenix swears softly as she hears the sounds, "Bloody -- cut it out, both of you! Baba, you don't try an' gut Poe an' he won't try t'smash your head in with a rock or whatever the heck he was doing with that stone. We've gotta call a truce or none of us are gonna survive very long, ok?"

Ponda Baba stalks toward Poe, then straddles him and drops to one knee on Poe's chest, clawed fingers closing around the human's throat. He growls. "Hoo-man lie. Hoo-man say want help, not want help. Want kill Ponda. Ponda kill. Why not? Silence. Lies." The last word trails off into a hiss.

Rynacer uses the last of his energy to get up and grabs the mining pick laying next to him and slams it into a groove of rocks near where the water can be heard. He is now pissed off and trys to show his mates that he isnt going to die here without a fight to get out.

Phoenix sighs softly, "I ain't lying, Ponda. There's stuff you can do better'n any of us, stuff that I can do better then you, things that Rynacer an' Poe can do better then anyone else here - we have t'work t'gether if we're gonna get through this alive, Ponda. Believe me, I /don't/ want t'kill you. But the spiders couldn't care less if you want t'kill us or them or anyone else. They'll just suck us /all/ dry of energy." She blinks, heading towards Rynacer; she doesn't try to be quiet. Not only can she not see a thing in the dark, if she were quiet, most likely Ponda'd think she's trying to kill him or something, and Rynacer might think she's Baba.

One hand searches for the dropped stone or another like it, while Poe's other hand tries to pull the hand off of his neck. He winces as Baba's knee presses on his bruised, possibly broken ribs, and says through clenched teeth, "You try to kill my friend, I defend him. If you don't try to hurt me or them, I won't try to hurt you."

"If kill you, no hurt me, certain," the Aqualish growls. "All thing do talk. No good other." His voice drops into a guttural rumble, like the rocks shifting overhead: "Keep fighting. Keep reaching. Ponda kill."

Poe stops searching for the rock. He doesn't take the hand off of Baba's, though he stops trying to pull it off.

Phoenix sighs quietly, "Poe, stop whatever you're doin' t'tick Baba off. Ponda, let Poe up, ok?" She crouches, reaching one hand in front of her as she tries to locate Rynacer.

"Debt," Ponda Baba grunts at Poe. "Could kill. Not. Hoo-man owe Ponda." The Aqualish huffs, digging with his knee a little sadistically as he pushes himself up and away from Poe, releasing his grip on the human's throat. He keeps watching Poe, though.

Rynacer lets out a hissing noise from where he is standing showing his anger of the fighting and the slow progress his mates are showing.

Phoenix blinks, halting as she hears the hissing, "Rynacer, 's 'at you?" She carefully stands, gazing in the direction the noise came from.

Poe gasps, not getting up right away. He just lays on the floor, catching his breath from the pain. He doesn't reply to Baba, but looks over at Phoenix, or where he thinks she is, "We should head for that water, together. But I've got to rest a bit first."