A Meeting of Like Minds

Wind-Swept Beach -- Great Western Sea: Valentine's World

        This is a vast beach of glittering, golden sand stretching as far as the eye can see in both directions. To the south, a dazzling sapphire sea sparkles under the sun, driven to dramatic tides by the two huge, cratered moons that fill a quadrant of the clear sky, crashing and receding with familiar regularity. Along the waterline, a flock of long-legged shorebirds with bright blue plumage and saber-like beaks peck at the occasional arthropod that scuttles over the sand. Across the sky, the broad silhouette of a winged aiwha casts a momentary shadow before plunging into the sea to join the pod of cetaceans beneath the waves. In the distance, giant sea stacks form daunting vertical cliffs that rise intermittently like sentinels from the waters below. Looking north, the dunes continue for a couple of kilometers, giving way to a densely packed, emerald green forest of giant trees that obscure the horizon.

Malideus

        A few fingers below the average height of a human male, Malideus still makes for an imposing figure, with his broad chest and workman's muscles. Carrying himself with a stalker's grace, Malideus appears lithe in spite of his pronounced musculature. At a glance, he leaves an impression of health and fitness, save for his eyes, which glisten red, likes tears of unshed blood.

        Every centimeter of Malideus is covered in leather, once black but now faded gray. Boots rise to his knees, secured with thick, primitive laces, tied and retied. A well worn coat with a broad collar adorns the upper half of his body, and articulate leather gloves cover his hands. A hood and mask cover his head and face, leaving none of his skin visible, save for a narrow band of flesh around his eyes.

Kalden

        (( Temporary Description ))

Izara

        Tall and lanky with long limbs, the woman moves like a predator in calculated steps. A mass of black curls flow in spirals framing her carmel complexion. Her face is oval but long with a strong jaw, prominent chin, exquisite cheekbones, and a slightly high forehead. Her nose fits her face perfectly and her lips are full and plump. Large eyes of aquamarine take in every detail of her surroundings, with arched brows shaped perfectly. That being said, her natural beauty is somewhat challenged by her attitude and unrelenting gaze. This near-human is an Epicantrix but her connection to her culture was severed long ago.

        Clad all in black, her long reaching arms are bare, a loose fitting black tank top over a black bandeau is tucked into leather-belted black canvas pants that are well worn-in. A blaster holster is strapped to her right thigh and a large knife is displayed at her waist on the left side. Her feet are clad in worn black combat-style boots.

        At the edge of the water, basking under the Valentine sun, the man in black leather stands looking out across the waves. An ornately carved wooden cane is in his left hand. A trail in the sand marks his path, where he dragged it across the distance between the water's edge and the collection of ships parked further up.

        A gull circles overhead, and Malideus's attention follows it, his red eyes glinting in the sunlight. As impractical as his attire is for the beach, if he's bothered by the heat or moisture, he makes no sign. He watches the bird wheel for a few seconds, then turns back to the waves, continuing his vigil.

         Overhead a familiar sound cracks through the crisp Valentine air, sending some wildlife scurrying to gain speed and take flight into the air while others look on in neutral apathy at a sound which has become too familiar. A Sienar Shuttle breaks the sound barrier on final approach to the beach before taking a sharp bank nearby. The pilot has found his spot on the beach and prepares to land his craft. A few miles away the shuttle skims above the ocean as it decelerates in a long drawn out circular path. With time, it finally touches down on an open spot of sand and lowers the loading ramp. A few creatures depart the shuttle, one of them a Human male by the name of Kalden Vale. His eyes lack the excitement which most of the other passengers seem to have upon seeing a new world. Kalden's are emotionless, taking in every detail of his surroundings. His eyes linger for a moment on the nearby Malideus; one who wears unusual attire for a beach. Perhaps he too just recently arrived on a shuttle which would explain much of his appearance. For a moment the Human arrival seems annoyed by what he notices, "Scum.", mutters Kalden to himself as he looks in the general direction of Malideus. Was he speaking to the man in leather or someone/something else?

        The shuttle entry captures Malideus's attention. It demands it, though Malideus seems less moved by the technological marvel than the graceful, slow swooping of the gull. When the passengers depart of the shuttle, Malideus watches them, his eyes moving up and down each, weighing and measuring. His examination is not hurried, and his attention does not seem to favor the men, women, aliens, or humans.

        When Malideus's eyes land on Kalden, he tilts his head. This one... he stands out from the others. Perhaps its his bearing. Maybe its something about his attire. Perhaps it's the insult so casually offered, though it is unlikely Malideus could hear it over the sounds of the waves rolling against the sand.

        Dragging his cane through the sand, Malideus leaves the water's edge and begins his approach. Whoever Kalden is, he has captured the man in black's attention.

         The Human continues his information gathering. The area seemed peaceful enough. Mostly just beach-goers and sunbathers mixed in with the various space ships which line the beach. As Kalden's attention darts from mildly interesting feature to the mundane, it always seems to pass back over Malideus for a fleeting moment. The red eyes... they should scream danger to the young agent. Instead they hint at something else entirely. Whatever the intentions of the approaching Malideus may be, the new arrival does not seem to be alarmed as distances is closed.

         Eventually Kalden helps to close the last few yards between them, though he does stop well short of striking distance of that staff the man drags around so lazily. The voice seems tired and in truth space travel does not always lead to the best rest for Kalden. Too many ships are kept together by shoestring budgets and the vacuum of space is unforgiving, regardless of the intent of the people inside the ship. "If you are the Harbormaster," Kalden muses, almost as a challenge to Malideus, "I'd sooner put your head at the end of that staff than to cough up a single credit for using this...." His eyes glance along the beach with disdain, "So called spaceport"

        The man in black plants his wolf's head cane in front of him. As Kalden speaks, Malideus glances at the various ships littering what would otherwise be an ideal vacation spot. Malideus nods slowly, turning back to face Kalden.

        "I'm not interested in your money," Malideus says, his voice like an avalanche of rocks, rumbling uneven from his chest. There is something odd about his speach as well, with the hard consonants softer than usual. "You disapprove of the way these people use their beach. Their resources." The man in black does not make this statement into a question.

The statement seems to both impress and catch the agent slightly off guard. The man was intelligent enough to draw the correct conclusion from one statement and confident enough state it as fact instead of posing it as a question. Kalden realizes his mistake as soon as the words were spoken by Malideus. The man was intelligent enough manipulate, however, such feelings were not present in mind. This leather clad man, more likely, shared a similar mindset. Perhaps he could be an asset to the assignment given.

         A deep breath precedes the response. Kalden's voice is still tired sounding although it comes across as slightly more engaged. "This beach is a rare thing in the galaxy.", his eyes watch as sea-mammals struggle to get out of the path of a speeder tearing down the beachhead, splashing up water as they go. Kalden nods towards a group of beach goers. They were mostly aliens, a mix of more prominent species of the core worlds. Whether he spoke of the aliens only or the entire group was opening to interpretation of the listener "They have no regard for what they do, what they pollute and destroy. No purpose... other than to celebrate the fact that at some point in history they developed opposable digits which allowed them be create more means by which to destroy their worlds." A slight pause as he considers what he has said and means to say, "With no proper governance, this beach will become littered with abandoned and broken down ships and they complain about it... then they will move on to somewhere else, never pausing to consider that they are the problem. They need guidance..."

        "Yes." The single word is not shouted, yet is given the full weight of Malideus's voice. He draws in a deep breath as if to inhale Kalden's sentiment and infuse his being with the fellow's words.

        "They do not understand, but that is no excuse for the damage they cause." Malideus raises his cane and points off in the distance, where the city of Tier's tallest buildings reach to touch the sky. "Even now, these people dance around and celebrate while they destroy the very home that gave them life. You speak with a wisdom I rarely encounter amongst the stars. You seem to know what is at stake, and why they all must be taught a lesson. Their precious toys must be taken away, smashed upon the ground. They must be taught. I am Malideus of the Wood, Selas of Telgosse. Tell me. Are you the sort of teacher these people need?"

        A tall slender woman comes onto the beach from the direction of the festival grounds. Izara Dawn hates walking on sand. Her heavy boots sink in so she heads straight away to the damper areas that have been impacted by both the sea and the vehicles parked on the shore. Slipping behind the impromptu flight line she heads towards her boxy cargo ship "Hot Stuff". Malideus catches her eye and she pauses, seeking his attention but hesitant to approach as he speaks with another man.

         The Human scoffs at the idea, "Me.. Their Teacher?" Kalden was no teacher to these people. He had little patience for those who viewed as being stupid or his inferior. "I am no teacher in the traditional sense nor in your conflated definition." His eyes continue to scan the surroundings during the conversation, noting a woman who seems familiar with the man he is speaking to. "I am Kalden" he adds as a side interest to the main point of discussion. He intentionally failed to provide any useful details beyond a first name. "I am not a teacher. I am the eyes, ears and sometimes the hand of a teacher." A grin crosses the features of Kalden which have otherwise been neutral so far. "It is important to know one's place otherwise order cannot exist. Tell me Malideus of the woods... Are you a teacher, have you disciples?" the agent asks, nodding slightly towards Izara.

        A flick of Malideus's eyes towards the Epicanthrix is all the man in black has time for -- he's still caught up in the Righteous Passion Keldan sparked with a few words. It doesn't matter if his conversation partner does not outwardly express the passion. The words are enough. The Rightness of conviction.

        "Mastery of the body, leads to mastery of the mind, leads to master of the spirit." Malideus's voice is smoother as he recites the benediciton. "This is what I wish to teach these people, though I am also not a teacher. But even for one such as me, it is a simple truth. One anyone should be able to learn."

        Malideus pauses and raises his cane to beckon an invitation to Izara. "As for disciples, I am hopeful to find one. There is a possibility. But I am not a teacher, as you say. I am called to be a predator."

         Yes it is true that Kalden does not fully speak his mind. Although they seemed to be well aligned from what he could tell at this time. Both would be foolish in laying all their cards out for the other to see. "Wise words" Mastery of the 'body' is something that Kalden seems to take less seriously than the other man. He was not out of shape by any means, yet he certainly was not on a mission to be the largest beefcake at the gym. The agent grins yet again when the word 'predator' is thrown out. Although they likely had different takes on it, Kalden himself was one in his own way. "If they had more honor... I'd be a bounty hunter. I walk a similar path, but a path with purpose." The arrival of Izara is acknowledged with a slight nod of the head. He had hoped to learn of this one before she arrived with his previous question, however, no such information was given. Perhaps she is not as closely aligned as he had assumed, the the man with red eyes was also wise enough to not lay all his cards out at once. "Am I intruding on important business?", Kalden asks. His first minutes on this planet had already netted him an interesting contact to follow up on. There were likely others out there to find as well, hidden among the dung piles that the locals pass off as buildings.

"You asked of disciples," Malideus says, his voice returning to the deep chest-rumble baritone he'd used when they first started speaking. An invisible tension surrounding the man in black evaporates, and Malideus grounds the cane in front of him, both hands resting gently on the wolf-head at the top. "I will need to speak to my friend." He nods to Izara. "We will see soon what sort of teacher I am called to be."

        Like the ocean, a conversation ebbs and flows. The Telgossian recognizes the current of words going out, and gestures towards a dilapidated ship run through with vines and other strange plant-like growth. "That is \_The Stark Contrast\_. If you wish to speak again, seek me out there. I think our paths will align again."

        The newcomer is regarded slightly when he nods again in Izara's direction but her stance remains firm. She's not about to spill the red-eyed man's business without leave from him. In the 'business' within her business, some deals were only for certain customers while in this case the news of Izara's success is only for Malideus. There's something about Kalden that reeks of a superior attitude and she decides this one she does not like and her stare becomes a glower that holds until Malideus nods in her direction. But words don't always giveaway their meaning or intent. She turns her head towards the leather clad man and says, "You'll get what you want. First thing in the morning."

         Kalden senses the disdain dripping from Izara's eyes although he could only hazard a guess as to why it has been leveled at himself. He assumes that his presence is likely just holding her up and that it is nothing more than that. The agent offers a polite bow of the head as he prepares to leave the two to their dealings. "Thank you Malideus, I suspect you are correct. I'm sure we will cross paths again." He does not wait for a reply before turning away from the group. The young Human snakes his way through the trash heap as he heads for the town. As if the force was determined to prove that Izara was correct in her assumptions about Kalden, he stops briefly to pull a cloth out of a pocket and wipe off his arm after an alien brushed against it. Moments later he is lost from sight.