Azraelius slowly rose to his feet, keeping his gaze steady on the trader. Lysandra looked at him with a mixture of worry and fear, clearly concerned about the potential for violence. He motioned for her to move towards the leader. The leader was about to intervene, but Azraelius held out his hand, signaling her to hold back.
"Look," Azraelius began, his voice calm and measured, "We don't want any trouble. There must be a way we can resolve this without resorting to violence."
The trader, his accent thick, sneered at Azraelius, "You don't want trouble, eh? Well, all we want is a fair trade for those weapons, and we'll be on our way."
"We've already told you, these weapons aren't for trade," Azraelius replied firmly. "Now, lower your weapons and let's talk about this."
The trader's grip on his needle pistol tightened, his frustration growing, "You don't have much choice, mate. Give us the weapons, or we'll take 'em by force."
In a swift, fluid motion, Azraelius lunged at the trader, grabbing the needle pistol from his hand and wrenching his arm with enough force to break it. The trader cried out in pain as Azraelius then turned his attention to the guard on the right. With a powerful punch to the chest, he sent the guard reeling, the sound of cracking ribs echoing through the air.
The guard on the left managed to fire a shot from his rifle, the round hitting Azraelius in the shoulder. To his surprise, the pain was less intense than he anticipated. His body seemed to withstand the impact more effectively than expected.
Ignoring the injury, Azraelius grabbed the guard's rifle and struck him over the head with the weapon like a club, sending him crumpling to the ground. The camp fell silent, the air heavy with tension, as Azraelius stood victorious over the now defeated trader and his bodyguards.
Azraelius turned to the tribe leader, offering an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry for the trouble."
To his surprise, the leader didn't seem angry. Instead, she appeared to be quite impressed by his combat prowess. "You have incredible skills," she said, her eyes wide with admiration.
Lysandra chimed in, "You should have seen him earlier when he took out over fifty people with his mind!" The tribe's people began to mutter amongst themselves, no doubt discussing Azraelius and his remarkable abilities.
The trader, nursing his broken arm, shouted at Azraelius through gritted teeth, "You'll be sorry when me boss comes, I tell ya!"
Ignoring the trader's threats, Azraelius marched over and began tying the hands and feet of the trader and his guards with a rope he found nearby. He then inquired, "And where is your boss now?"
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"He's tradin' with some species called the Tau," the trader replied, his voice strained from the pain.
Azraelius tossed the captured weapons over to the tribe leader, who picked them up without hesitation. He then asked the trader, "When will your boss be here?"
The trader smirked, his confidence shining through despite his predicament, "I don't know, mate, but it'll be soon enough."
Azraelius made sure the knots binding the trader and his guards were secure, while the tribe leader summoned a few of her people to move the captives. They dragged the bound men to a more robust shack, one that had been built with extra care to withstand the harsh conditions of the planet.
Feeling a responsibility to investigate further, Azraelius decided to inspect the trader's ship. As he approached, he observed its relatively small size, measuring just over 200 meters in length. Its design was undeniably human, with the distinct characteristics common among vessels of the Imperium.
Boarding the ship, Azraelius discovered a handful of slaves held in the cargo hold. Their gaunt faces and ragged clothes spoke of the cruelty they had endured, and they looked at him with a mixture of hope and fear in their eyes.
In addition to the unfortunate souls, Azraelius found crates filled with exotic fruits from far-off worlds. The colors and shapes of the fruits were mesmerizing, hinting at the riches that trading across the galaxy could yield.
As he continued searching, he stumbled upon a crate containing over a dozen Lascarbines, along with ample ammunition. The sight of these weapons made it clear that the trader and his boss were involved in more than just bartering for fruits and trinkets.
The discovery only deepened Azraelius's concerns about the trader's boss and the potential danger he posed to the tribe. With every new piece of information, it became increasingly clear that a storm was brewing, and Azraelius would have to face it head-on.
Azraelius carefully moved the crates out of the ship, making sure not to damage their contents. As he brought the crate of Lascarbines to the tribe leader, he warned her of the impending danger.
"Take these weapons," he said, his voice heavy with concern. "A storm is brewing, and you and your people need to be ready."
"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused," he added, looking at the ground with genuine regret.
The tribe leader scoffed, shaking her head. "Trouble? These weapons more than make up for any trouble you've caused. We are in your debt."
Over the next week, the tribe worked tirelessly to strip the trader's ship, using its metal to build a makeshift wall around the camp. With each passing day, the wall grew taller and more formidable, offering the tribe a much-needed sense of security.
During this time, Azraelius took the opportunity to train the tribe leader in the operation of the Thunderhawk. He knew that if the coming battle proved as fierce as he feared, they would need all the firepower they could muster. The transport, though battered and worn, still possessed formidable weapons that could turn the tide of a fight.
As the tribe leader learned the intricacies of the Thunderhawk's systems, she marveled at the power it held. The ancient machine, a relic from a bygone era, seemed to hum with the potential to protect her people and help them weather the storm that was fast approaching. She couldn't help but feel a growing sense of gratitude towards Azraelius, who had brought these newfound resources and knowledge to her tribe. In the face of an uncertain future, they would stand together and face whatever challenges awaited them.