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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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May 17, 2009 20:08:37 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 17, 2009 20:08:37 GMT -5
(( A/A/V: from Yin and Yang, Queen Sali/Ryn/Rook: from Senator's Gala))
The lower city was a jungle. Everyone on Coruscant KNEW it, but few actually ever dared to SEE it…at least not by choice. This was another case of “not by choice”.
Great looming spires of twisted, molded, and riveted plastisteel and durasteel cast deep shadows over the already gloomy darkness of the back alleys and unlit streets they traversed like the decaying trunks of some unnatural, and unwholesome, forest. This forest wasn’t without its animals either…the skulking, slinking, slithering, and the slimy all had their own niche in the workings of the grimy lower city. Alien and human alike had their hand in creating the urchins of lower Coruscant, both predator and prey. Luckily for the woman of the trio, she was with a predator…and a protective one. This wasn’t to say that she didn’t have claws of her own, but they were considerably less dangerous than his, especially since the weapon she was using was NOT the one she was used to wielding. Every once in a while the trio, man, woman, and droid, would happen across one of the predators of the dank underbelly of the glittering forest of life and light above them. More often than not the bronze haired woman would try to convince the black maned man to simply skirt around the moving obstacle, and more often than not, they would end up doing so. There were times, however, when conflict was unavoidable and, much to her chagrin, her guardian deemed it best to either break the poor wretch’s mind, or kill it…perhaps both. As with most forests, these predators were often only seen in the depths of night, stalking about for their unsuspecting prey, but traveling with Vex was like traveling with a vornskr…through his use of the force it was incredibly difficult to catch him unsuspecting, and he was FAR from anyone’s prey. The daylight was her time. The prey often came around then, slinking through the streets warily on their way to their various destinations, and should one of these more delicate creatures come across their path, it was she who dealt with them. Most were children, romping through the streets in dirty clothes and worn out shoes, that would happen upon them suddenly, giving frightened looks upon seeing the dark, leonine, man. It was times like these that the woman would intercede, her tone and words nearly as soothing as any pylat bird while she calmed them, cautioned them about being reckless, and sent them on their way. The few times that one of these depressing little creatures who ran across their path decided to threaten them, she would take hold of the little being and stare it down…for as kind as she could be, she didn’t like threats, she’d had enough in the past few months to last her the rest of her natural life…after the little urchin was subdued, she would hand it over to Vex, with the express condition that he try not to hurt the child, but simply ‘persuade’ it to do something different than its original intent, and so it would then go slinking off again, confused and slightly dazed. It was in this manner that a full day and into the night of the second passed.
It was through this forest of twisted metal and worn down buildings, in the late hours of the night, that the trio slipped from deep shadow to deep shadow. Luckily they had only run into a few drunks that had decided to haunt the alley they had chosen to traverse, sending them into the street, which was…by now…nearly as dark as the alleyway. As the woman stepped cautiously out of the alley, she hitched the pack further over her shoulder and gazed around from out of glimmering sapphire eyes. The wavering movement of spotlights surrounding the Coruscant Botanical Gardens signified something important was going on there, and her curiosity bubbled up slightly. Rolling out her shoulders a bit, Aunna’s gaze followed the churning lights as her mind mulled over just what might be going on. Obviously it was something big…something important…and that was bad for them. Important occasions meant security forces would be out in droves the closer they got to the Gardens, and unfortunately their destination was on the far side. As they started walking once more, the tawny woman noted the date that was flashing benignly on one of the billboards above a particularly dingy looking nightclub…and that’s when it connected. Halting abruptly, her head swiveled from the glaring yellow date to the ethereal white lights floating across the facade of the Gardens. Resuming her forward motion once more, she came up beside Vex, an impish smile curling the corners of her mouth as she drew up beside the taller man. Even in the dark, though her smile was likely difficult to see, her mischievous mood was palpable.
Do you remember the conversation we had on Manaan aboard the transport? The one where you seemed…rather amused at my apologies for how dirty I was from working on the base grounds?
The smile was evident in her voice, a subtle hint of laughter buried within her words. Aunna paused a moment to let him think back on the situation.
Well…it seems we’re just in time to pass by the Senator’s Gala. Now tell me…are you prone to having visions or was that a fluke?
It was, of course, a joke…nothing more than her teasing him to see what reaction she might receive…at least for the most part. The truth was, however, that she wondered if he DID have visions. There were times when she felt that a dream was prophetic, or sometimes even had flashes of images or sounds she experienced that weren’t truly there while awake. Now that she had someone around who might have similar capabilities, or at least know something about them, she very much wanted to pick his mind clean of the information. Unfortunately, she knew THAT would have to wait until later…for the most part. For now, however, she would make due with the half teasing questioning and see where it got her. Because of the lack of direct sunlight, the little AER droid that lay nestled in her arms had been flickering in and out of stasis all evening. It seemed that his recently restored flight capabilities took quite a toll on his energy stores, and because the pack she now carried had so recently been thrashed because Vex had decided to…rather unexpectedly…carry her and the droid up a wall using his force enhanced speed, there was now no room for him to be carried anywhere but in her arms. Shifting the bird-droid to a more comfortable position, the woman glanced at the sky, her eyes seeming to catch on something streaking across it and toward the ground. She came to a pause, startled, and blinked a moment before realizing that there had been nothing falling. Shaking her head, Aunna dismissed it…and the subsequent feelings of foreboding accompanying it…as nothing more than another strange imagining of hers. That was when Aunna grew far more serious about her half-joke to Vex earlier. Lifting her eyes to look at his masked face once again, she gazed intently at him for a moment as she tried to puzzle out exactly what it was she wanted to ask him.
Vex…can I ask you something seriously…I mean…without you giving a condescending answer?
She doubted he would understand just how awkward she felt about wanting to ask him seriously about what a ‘vision’ entailed…or even what the force ‘felt’ like. Obviously he knew…he’d been a jedi after all. He’d been taught. She, on the other hand, had no clue…not really. Aunna knew she had the talent, the raw ability to use the force to some degree, but was there an actual FEELING she was supposed to look for? Something tangible? Was it even describable? And the visions she’d heard of jedi having…were those real, or just rumors? Curious soul that she was, Aunna wanted to know, but had a difficult time actually asking for fear of looking foolish. For her to get up the courage to actually ask Vex, of all people, had taken more willpower than she would ever let on, and now she’d said something, she was terrified of just what he might think. Why should I care what he thinks? Right?...oh stop trying to fool yourself Aun, you know you care what he thinks…force and stars! What a way to get down to brass tacks. “Yeah, so, what does this force thing feel like?” He’ll laugh at you for sure for that question, but dammit, how am I supposed to learn anything if I don’t ask him?! Groaning inwardly, Aunna resigned herself to the fact that Vex would likely find it funny as hell that she had to ask the most basic of questions…something that even the youngest learners would know. It was not a pleasant, or comfortable, thought.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
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Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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May 18, 2009 4:19:55 GMT -5
Post by Vex on May 18, 2009 4:19:55 GMT -5
There were more than a few times during their travel that Vex let his consternation show about her tender handling of the street urchins and other intelligent detritus that they met upon the streets. The more people that they interacted with, dealt with, the better chance that someone would recognize them and that risked bringing the Republic or hired headhunters down on them. He'd seen the advertisements and bulletins already, even down here. They were considered some of Coruscant's most dangerous, with a hefty mountain of credits offered for anything leading to their arrest.
He would have preferred to make sure that anyone that happened upon them was silenced. Given the poverty of this place, it would be foolish to think anything other than that they would be turned in at the first opportunity if they were recognized. Unfortunately, he couldn't appeal to her common sense all the time...though he was fortunate that she at least let him deal with those that were a true threat to them both. It made it slightly easier to let the other urchins go...though he would make sure that their memories of himself and her were nonexistent, regardless of her wishes.
One could only afford to play around with kid gloves so much.
He quirked a brow at her as she sidled up to him. The impishness of her mood was palpable, radiating in waves from her. He scowled down at her, the expression no less severe due to the mask over his mouth. It carried well enough in his dark stare. However, her words caught him off guard and bearded the lion, at least for the moment. He didn't understand what she meant at the moment.
It took him a few heartbeats for that memory of the conversation in her transport to fully re-materialize in his memory and despite himself, he couldn't help but smirk a bit at it. The Senator's Gala...
"There are no flukes, Aunna. No coincidences. There is only the Force. That is what my old masters would have said. Everything happens for a reason, whether or not that reason is apparent at the time. I've had visions enough to know that, even though you can see, you cannot necessarily plan because of them. The Force has a way of showing you what is needed to drive you toward the actions, the decisions, necessary, but without showing the whole picture. Were the Universe a card game, the Force would be the Sabacc master and it plays its cards very close to its chest."
His sentiments in this regard had been recently learned...stemming from what had happened on Nar Shaddaa. Shaking his head, he glanced up to the Gardens, having been inspecting them and imagining the security that was going to make their progression through this area that much harder. He wasn't pleased with it, despite her amusing moment of nostalgia.
She wasn't guarding her thoughts well. He sighed, pausing in the shadows at the mouth of that alley and leaning against the wall. Crossing his arms, he resigned himself to a moment of instruction.
"The Force can grant many things...including glimpses into the future. It is the rare user that has any control over when such visions of the future happen. Sometimes it is rare...fleeting...like a sense of Deja Vu or seeing something that is not there. Sometimes, like a dream, you can live out an entire event...an entire timeline of action. It all depends on your particular talents or proclivities when it comes to the Force."
Those eyes narrowed, regarding her for a long moment before speaking again. "As for the rest of your questions...you should know me better than that. I am never anything but condescending...but perhaps, not for the reasons you fear. The Force feels different for each...is accessed and channeled by each in their own way and manner. I could no more adequately put into words how it feels to me than I could try and decipher how it is for you. I can feel your talent and potential...but it changes. Depending on you...your own feelings or doubts, it weakens as you weaken yourself by attacking your self-confidence. Then, at other times...it blazes, radiating from you...like when you sing. I have never heard of such a thing before...and yet it was irrefutable the night you crossed paths with Andrew. All I can give you are basic steps on how to open yourself up to it more...to accept the Force into you...but they will only lead you to your own understanding of the Force as you learn to utilize it in your own way. Perhaps you'll learn to sing mountains down to rubble and wipe away armies with a stanza..." That smirk reflected in those dark eyes.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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May 18, 2009 7:08:07 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 18, 2009 7:08:07 GMT -5
As he'd glared down at her, she simply quirked an eyebrow and smirked a bit more. She'd been lucky, honestly, that he'd been so tolerant of her actions, however...you could take the girl out of public service, but you couldn't take public service out of the girl. Not entirely. She'd not put up much fuss, and most times she'd made it clear...or she hoped it had been clear...that she preferred not to be seen as well, not wishing to move through the open if at all possible, but not everything could be controlled or avoided, and so they did have to deal with some of the members of this underworld, whether he liked it or not, and she wouldn't allow needless killing, or heavens knew what else, if she could help it. Now, she could feel that he was far from pleased with her, and even as she came up beside him, she could tell she was pressing his patience. Her question, however, seemed to catch him off guard, make him curious about what she could possibly be talking about.
It took a moment, but even in the dim light she could tell that he had remembered, feeling the smirk there more than seeing it beneath his mask. As he replied, the woman caught herself rolling her eyes at his serious reply to her teasing. She listened intently after that first motion, taking in what he had to say on the subject. Eyebrows lowered over that sapphire gaze as she mulled over his words. Her experiences weren't exactly in that category...she'd never seen anything that would lead her to take a different course of action...not that she knew of anyway. Clever eyes studied his face as he, in turn, studied the Gardens ahead of them.
There's going to be a lot of security...military personnel, snipers and such....and jedi. If we can possibly make it around the security limits it would be best...but....that will take us longer and I have no idea where that perimeter would be considering...well, considering WE'RE on the loose.
He paused in his walk then and leaned against the wall there, causing her to halt as well, and tilt her head slightly, silently asking why he'd stopped. It didn't take long for her to receive her answer. Slipping back through the shadows toward him, she shifted Ayer around again slightly so that he rested between her side and her arm. In my mind again, well...that will have to be remedied...she mused, focusing on his words alone so that it might shield whatever other thoughts she might have rolling around in her mind...like her irritation at the fact that he'd heard those thoughts in the first place. It wasn't his fault really, she didn't feel his 'presence' in her mind like she had in previous interactions, no, those thoughts had to have been openly readable...there for anyone...and that irked her. Despite that irritation, she absorbed all she could of what he said. It only brought more questions.
Huffing slightly as her mind tried to process and sort the new information into her past experiences, those blue eyes lowered, brow furrowing slightly as she mulled over each one she could remember...but...it felt like there was something missing. Something important. Something she couldn't quite remember, and she knew it HAD to be a vision she'd had...and it had to do with Manaan. Sighing out her frustration at her inability to remember something that her mind obviously deemed important, but wouldn't unlock for her to remember, the budding force sensitive returned her eyes to the darker man's masked face, those eyes searching his for a long moment as he gazed back at her, his eyes narrowing slightly.
His initial statement was met with another slight roll of her eyes, this time accompanied by a smirk. How true his statement was...he was, indeed, almost always condescending. Aunna absorbed his words, filtering through them, allowing them to settle into her mind as he imparted his knowledge and opinions to her. She had never thought that her confidence, or lack there of, would change her ability to feel the force...the idea had never even crossed her mind until he mentioned it, but she could understand it. The concept itself made sense in a way...like anything else in life, any other 'normal' abilities, confidence (or lack thereof) allowed you to excel...or not...so if the force was like any other ability, having confidence in one's self would automatically instill the drive, the willpower, to use it, hone it, wield it.
Her eyes, face, her entire person had become closed off, silent, serious, and thoughtful as she'd listened to him, her eyes dropping away from his face and toward the ground, but moving as if she were looking without seeing. It was close enough to the truth, she was looking inward, testing her memories against what he said to find the truth of the matter, but as he spoke about her encounter with Andrew her eyes snapped to his face again, the surprise visible in her eyes.
You heard me? You knew I was singing? H-how? Even those two fiends could barely hear me, I was singing barely above a whisper....
She shook the questions off as best she could to listen to the rest of what he said. There wasn't much more, but....there was a meaning behind those words that she didn't quite grasp yet. Part of her, something deep within, wanted her to ask him then and there to teach her, to help her learn, but she was uncertain...she doubted he would...why in all the galaxy would he ever teach her anything like that? She doubted that his words were the offer that that buried part of her wanted them to be. Her eyes had lowered again, unconsciously, in her thought and subsequent doubt, especially self doubt. Finally, she stopped herself from thinking and just acted.
Blue gaze met with his and she just looked at him for a moment, never allowing herself to break that eye contact. She needed to be sure of herself, to be sure that she really did want to follow through with what she was about to ask him, for she felt that by doing so she was going to be making a decision she could never turn back from and never turn her back on...that it would, indeed, effect her entire life, and potentially her relationship, for better or worse, with this man. She noticed, then, the subtle changes in his mannerism that she had missed before, and this only made her curious...she couldn't afford to be curious right now so she dismissed the amused look his eyes held. After the few moments that, to her at least, felt like an eternity, Aunna took a deep breath and almost sighed it out, it was not, however, a sigh, but rather her sign of acceptance of her own decision. Blinking up at him once, then twice, she squared her shoulders.
Vex, I doubt very much that my singing could ever do such things, and even if it could, I'd never wish to use it that way if it could be helped. Also, I have far to many questions for you to be able to answer them all right now, or even in a day, and we can't wait here much longer, but before we head off into whatever chaos might wait for us, I do have one very important question to ask you.
Will you teach me? ...train me to use whatever abilities I have in the force?
It was in his hands now. If he said no, that would be the end of it, she doubted she would ask again and she wouldn't press him for a different answer. If he said yes, however....
Even as she prepared her mind to accept the less favorable answer, she wondered why she had felt such a strong urge to ask him. Why now, of all times? Why? Again the cathar's voice echoed through her mind from back on Nar Shaddaa...Why? Oh that infernal question, how it has haunted me for so long... Yes indeed, she was beginning to see the nagging "why" that kept popping up everywhere around her these days.
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Squee
The Keeper
2,286 posts
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I am Deception, and I defy your holiest moralities.
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last online Oct 24, 2016 0:33:56 GMT -5
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May 18, 2009 23:31:32 GMT -5
Post by Squee on May 18, 2009 23:31:32 GMT -5
Sali hadn’t been sure if she was thrilled to have a Jedi accompanying her the entire trip back to her planet. Grateful, maybe, but that could be expected. She was incredibly annoyed with her security force for alerting the Jedi to her problem. It was her problem. She had dealt with it once before. She had survived once before. The Queen of Onderon had confidence she could survive and deal with this problem once again, and be sure to secure and file it away for good. And she hadn’t NEEDED Jedi involvement the last time either. What in her security’s right mind believed they needed Jedi now?
However much she believed this, she would not turn down Ryn’s offer. He had approached politely about it. She would oblige; for the sake of his behind (so he didn’t get chewed by the – oh, what was it?- Council) and to make her security detail happy. Sali understood that by doing this, her guards would feel more at ease. She recognized they were atrociously concerned about the assassin problem. The former assassins had managed to succeed in their assaults toward Sali’s parents, the former King and Queen, and had nearly accomplished ending Sali’s own life as well. And when Sali was appointed Queen, she helped the government root these assassins out, expose them, and end their regicidal motives. The sons of these former assassins appeared to be none to happy about this. With this, and the fact she hadn’t changed what had been proposed by her parents by the formers, this new regicidal threat had resurfaced. And for this reason, Sali had been sent away to Coruscant for a while. Task forces were back home, working diligently to capture these new assassins.
As she walked up the ramp, the guards posted on either side dipped their heads respectfully of their queen. When the Jedi had followed her up, they closed the ramp, one peeling away to follow the queen.
“Your Majesty,” he said when he caught up to her, “I see you have found the Jedi Knight we were alerted of.”
“More like he found me, Captain,” she replied smoothly. “Captain Jirech, this is Jedi Ryn Sundar, a Knight of the order. Knight Sundar, my captain, Hersh Jirech. Are we allowed to return home?”
“No other threats have been found. From what I received, our assassins have been… quiet at home, my Queen.”
“Does that mean we can return to Onderon?”
“My lady!” interrupted a frantic screech, enough that the captain cringed slightly. Sali did not, however, used to hearing such squeals from her over caring handmaiden. Loud, obnoxious, and ultra-caring as Narisia was, the queen would admit she was the best she had. “You’re back! Captain Jirech, why didn’t you inform me?”
“I only just arrived, Narisia,” Sali spoke before the captain, saving him from commenting irritably. “Now, now, no need for the pampering to begin now. Here, at least take the crown from my head,” and as she said this, she was untangling the device from her hair, “and take the jewelry, and just lay out something comfortable and, please, casual.” And Sali shooed her maiden away with a wave of her hand, after handing over her accessories.
“I do believe we can return home, Your Highness. At least for a short while until they arise again with threats. As quiet as they become, I can’t help but fear those assassins are planning something. And something rather dreadful.”
“Alert the pilot then. Let’s go home.”
“As you wish, my Queen,” Jirech replied with a swift dip and walked for the cockpit. Sali turned to Ryn now, and she let a small smile rest on her face.
“This way, Mister Ryn, please. I’ll show you to the spare quarters we have and that you have full permission to occupy.” And she led him straight forward, down a mildly lengthened corridor and followed a shallow curve. Passing a door on each side, she paused by one on the right, sliding her hand over the controls. It slid open and a comfortable area was opened before them, and the queen stood off to the side with her hand held to the side to invite him inside. “Here you are. My personal ‘chamber’, as I like to say, is the first door after that second soft curve that is behind me. And as a side note, you may establish a personal code. Only I and the Captain will have the override, but, I’ll instruct him to leave you alone. Please feel free to be comfortable. And if you so as feel like it, there’s a galley back the way you came, that left door that we passed walking here.”
Some would find the Queen welcoming the guest to her ship a bit odd. Sali enjoyed doing it. She could extend her hospitality beyond the title “Queen”, where any other royal member would have a servant or another do it for her. It would sound a little more genuine coming from the welcoming host herself. Sali aimed to be different among those royal, while still holding a rather regal image.
The ship shuddered noticeably beneath their feet. Sali’s brow wrinkled a little and she glanced at the wall. But her expression smoothed, her hand dropping to her side. She smiled politely. “Excuse me,” she dismissed herself. “I will leave you to your devices.” And she turned as the ship shivered slightly, lesser than the first time. Again, she paused, concerned for a moment. That hardly ever happened. If it continued, she would visit the pilot, because, though it concerned her subtly, continuous shudders like that would worry her. Not to mention her handmaiden.
The queen continued, rounding that gentle curve and allowing herself into her own quarters, where Narisia awaited her to help her comb through her mess of a hair. Pins, invisible against her hair color, were taken out. Hair was sponged to loosen the stiff bits from spray, braids were undone, and it was combed through several times by Narisia while the Queen removed her make-up to reveal the very normal face underneath. The ship gave another second long shudder, making the Queen blink around her cabin, and Narisia paused.
”I’m sure it’s nothing, milady.”
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Dire Wolf
So who's ready to help me sock ol Adolf on the jaw?!
2,894 posts
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Have dakka will travel
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last online May 6, 2020 18:55:51 GMT -5
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May 19, 2009 1:16:16 GMT -5
Post by Dire Wolf on May 19, 2009 1:16:16 GMT -5
Ryn cursed silently as he went to readjust his beskar'gam gauntlet, which wasn't there... he had left his armor back at the temple because he wanted to appear “Jedi-like” to the politicians. Not that a single one of them cared in the least... the only things they tended to care about were money and power. Both were objects that Ryn cared little for, especially the latter... money was of no consequence to the man, just as power in the political sense meant less than nothing to him. Spiritual power, however, that had always found a way to elude him... but physical power. That was easily his strong suit. His prowess with a light saber was unmatched by most of his age... even a few young masters (that were consulars of course.)
The Jedi Knight looked over at this new man, Captain Jirech, as the Royal introduced him. The rounded and youthful expressions on Ryn's face didn't so much as twitch as he spoke, not revealing a single emotion that was going on behind those milky white eyes.
“Hello.”
He averted his unseeing eyes towards the woman that he was to protect during this small trek back to Onderon. The Jedi could not see her face, no, he was not that skilled in his Force Sight just yet... but he could see the Aura that clung to her body... distorting her features enough for him to barely make out what could possibly be a face. So instead of looking for a pair of eyes in the skewed mess that he saw he merely gazed at the color that clung to her form, which was ironically a hue royal blue, as she began a little dialogue with this Captain Jirech.
Suddenly a frantic screech ripped at the man's ears, Ryn instantly thought the worse. Someone was attacking... that meant that he would have to defend the Queen, even if it meant taking a bolt or two. He could take it far better than any of the people that stood around him... especially Sali. The Jedi snapped his gaze towards the source of the disturbance, a woman: her yellow aura was rather obnoxious to the man's vision... but that couldn't be helped.
Sundar's muscles tensed as he prepared for the worst, but the worst did not come. Only more dialogue. Ryn hated speech, dialogue, whatever they called it. He tended to follow the “Acta non Verba” philosophy, words were all well and good... but often he found that a single action could reach far more than the most charismatic and enthralling of speeches. Actions did not need to be translated into another language, were often easily read, and even easier to react to. But those were mere leaves in a forest when it came to why Ryn disliked speaking... sometimes words for that matter.
Though he did find out one thing... a power of sorts... that words had over people: They had the potential to hurt far more than actions ever could, yet they also had the ability to lift a person up far more than one could do without them. The “blind” man gave another sigh, he did not need to muse on the successes and shortcomings of words. What he needed to do was pay attention to what was transpiring and ensure that nothing happened to the Queen while she was under his care. As if on cue Sali offered him a spare quarters. He almost said no to the offer... almost. Even the politically moronic Jedi Knight was intelligent enough to not refuse a host's hospitality. Especially when that host happened to be the Queen of Onderon. The room that she showed him looked oddly comfortable (something he wasn't used to)... he may just be using the bed after all.
“Thank you, m'lady.”
He said in a fairly soft tone before heading into “his” room, if it could be called that. The Jedi were technically not supposed to “own” anything, yet they allowed him to keep the Mandalorian armor that for some insane reason he elected NOT to wear. Why had that been bothering him so much? Was it the “visions” of that strange man that had him on edge? Or was the Force trying to hint at something.
The Force.
It always hinted, schemed, made its plans dark and impenetrable as the night. It rarely revealed even a glimpse of its master plan to the knight, up until he “lost” his sight he deemed such a thing impossible for that matter. But a curious thing happened at that Gala... he couldn't quite make sense of it. Why had it shown him a man with just... Dark... features? The rebreather... the long black hair... the leonine facial structure... who was it? A Dark Je-. He cut his musings off at that very instant as he remembered seeing the very same face of a Vex Praetor on the “look out for these guys” list at the temple. So the Force was showing him Vex, what did that mean? Was he going to confront the man? Bring him in? Be slain by him? There were far too many questions and not nearly enough answers to all of Ryn's questions.
Though he had a feeling that all would be revealed to him very soon.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 3:28:28 GMT -5
Post by Vex on May 21, 2009 3:28:28 GMT -5
"We shall make it through...so long as we are careful and the droid doesn't make the mistake of erupting out into flight during an inopportune moment." He seemed quite confident about that, even though he had no particular reason with which to know one way or ther other. His precognition through the Force was inconsistent as usual and he did not sense anything out of the ordinary or anything that should be taken as a warning.
He quirked a brow at her when she emoted her surprise that he knew she was singing. Hell, anyone within a twenty click radius that had half an ear for the Force would have been able to pick up what she'd been emanating. "Perhaps physically, Aunna...but that has little to do with how much it radiated out through the Force... it was quite, unexpected."
At her unexpected question, he grew silent for a long moment. Looking up at his features, one could almost see the wheels and cogs turning in his mind as he weighed the pros and cons of her question and his potential answer. Dark brows furrowed, his expression seeming almost brooding. Finally, he spoke.
"You will not like me as a teacher..."
It wasn't a "no".
He began to walk away, to continue their travels.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 4:06:01 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 21, 2009 4:06:01 GMT -5
((Note: Yes, Aunna's seeing things...the ship doesn't have to have crashed yet, considering by the "pull" she's feeling, they're not in the right place to be there for them anyway. Edit: My note came to late!....well, for now she's still not seen it explode or fall, she will next round however.))
At his confident statement about making it through the area, and his further comment about Ayer, Aunna chuckled despite herself. Watching his reaction, she wondered what was making him so confident about it? Perhaps it was simply his confidence in his skills...she didn't know. Listening further, she tilted her head slightly.
Unexpected? Yes, I suppose suddenly hearing a voice from no where would be "unexpected"...
She shrugged slightly just as his third comment reached her ears. The brunette couldn't help but chuckle at that. Following after him, she shook her head a tad, hair waiving about her lightly.
No, I suppose not...but I didn't like my sword or staff teachers either...I still have a slight discoloration from one of the welts.
Her paces matched his as they moved along the darkened roads, however, the further along they moved, the more hesitant she felt, until she finally paused and looked around. She couldn't shake the feeling that they needed to go a different way...it was like a magnet was drawing her in another direction, and the further away she moved from that path the more difficult if became to continue onward. Furrowing her brow, she looked up and again she saw that falling object.
Vex...wait....can you feel that too?...And did you see that falling....I'm not sure what it was, but...--it looked like a tran...no--
She trailed off and shifted uncomfortably before taking another few steps in the direction Vex was following. Again she halted, uncertain, and gazed in the direction of the pull...her head swiveling to the right to look behind her slightly. Another uncomfortable shift, eyebrows coming together further over her blue eyes.
Can you feel that pull?
Questioning eyes turned to gaze at Vex, hoping that it wasn't just her. It was the most uncomfortable feeling she'd had in a while...nearly five years if she remembered correctly...and she'd been happy enough to be rid of it. Those blue eyes went cold and narrowed as she looked past Vex at their current course and the one that pull called her toward. Huffing, she took the last few steps toward Vex, stubbornly trying to ignore that nagging feeling.
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Squee
The Keeper
2,286 posts
95 likes
I am Deception, and I defy your holiest moralities.
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last online Oct 24, 2016 0:33:56 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 8:21:30 GMT -5
Post by Squee on May 21, 2009 8:21:30 GMT -5
((A little hurried and crappy. But, it's the morning, and I just felt like posting.))
For a few long moments while Sali freed herself from her Gala gown, there was no shuddering rippling through the ship like some kind of animal shaking its body free of water drops. Without the distraction of keeping your balance stable, Sali was able to appear as some semi-normal person aboard the ship. Her gown was simply… less gaudy. And at least a single color of soft sea-green. Sali liked this gown quite a bit, so therefore her thoughts and actions here circle this simple little piece of clothing.
And then the shuddering returned, a little more violently. The upward angle of the ship changed, as Sali managed to notice beneath her feet. The ship leveled horizontally and didn’t angle upward again.
“What is going on?”
“I’m sure it’s a little problem that the pilots are having to fix, my Queen. Do not be so worried about it.” Narisia was trying to assure the Queen. Sali knew what her handmaiden wanted; for her to get some sleep. She had been out most of the night to this Gala and Narisia believed she needed rest.
“Narisia, I wouldn’t have NEED to worry if the ship and my pilots performed their acts as they do every single time I use this transport.” Sali knew she needed rest. But she couldn’t, not now, when things were acting… bizarre.
And then she exited her chambers and strode down the hall with strides as long as her gown would allow her legs to stretch. Narisia followed close behind, her footsteps a little quick to match the master stride of the Queen, who lifted the front end of her gown to free up a little more space for her feet when the next spine of the ship shivered again as if from cold. It wouldn’t do to trip on her gown, not when she was an expert in walking around in them. That would always be an embarrassment. Stars forbid she ever tripped up on her gown again.
There were more footsteps, urgent, and Sali glanced behind her to drink in the copilot’s fearful expression but determinedly set jaw. She blinked in first, a little surprised to notice fear in the young man’s face. But she caught his arm as he tried to scuttle by.
“Pilot? What is wrong?”
“I have to get to the pilot.”
Sali shook his arm. “Pilot, I am your Queen,” she snapped, hating to pull this on him, “I wish to know what is going on.” Translation: Dammit, I am your Queen, and I demand to know what is going on.
“There’s… there’s a bomb rigged with the engines.” this he replied after a moment’s hesitation and glanced away.
Sali let go of his arm and he took off for the front cabin with her following not far behind. She had just entered the cockpit when the copilot was relaying his news to the pilot and the Captain. Faces had drained white.
“How long? Can we get it off?” the pilot was asking quickly, shifting his gaze briefly to the instruments on the ship as the copilot said the bomb had a timer. The copilot gave a startling answer at how little time they had. For some reason, nothing was reading about anything toying with the engines. And everyone in that cabin were thinking the same thing: How had someone sabotaged them?
“Milady, we have to get you safe,” Captain Jirech stated.
“And what are you going to do? Chuck me out of the airlock and back down to the planet?”
“Er…”
“I thought so. Whether you like it or not, I think the assassins found me. Who else would want to bomb my transport? Someone get the Jedi out of his room and bring him up here. I mean NOW, he’s the only one, besides a couple of guards that is closest to that bomb.”
Something gave a deafening thunder toward the back as one of the explosives went off. The ship lurched and Sali tumbled against the wall. Another one went off as Sali all but shrieked at the copilot to retrieve the Jedi. However, if a Knight was deaf to that and not already knowing something was wrong, he probably wouldn’t be worth saving. More than just the engine must be hitting some damage. Dull thumping was heard outside the hull and the ship began to list at a downward angle.
“Why didn’t anyone examine the bloody ship before we took off? What kind of idiots do I have as my guard? My personal pilots?” Angry thoughts were creeping through Sali’s head as she waved Captain Jirech off her. There was no way he could do anything to save her from a crashing ship.
“The seat, milady, please sit down and strap the crash webbing…”
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
583 likes
Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 10:57:20 GMT -5
Post by Meira on May 21, 2009 10:57:20 GMT -5
Rook was walking on air. After having closed the door of the small transport behind Sali and Jedi Ryn, Rook waited for a short while as a transport for himself was brought around. The tune that he and Sali danced to still lingered in his head, and he hummed it lightly to himself, shifting his weight on his feet to the beat. This warranted a few odd looks from the security detail's younger staff, while one older man watched him with a knowing expression and a light chuckle. Love was a funny thing sometimes.
Not to say that Rook was in love, he hadn't been in love for quite some time. But he was most definitely smitten by Onderon's queen. He enjoyed the near forgotten sensation of feeling light as a feather, almost like if he jumped right now, he might not stop until he hit orbit.
The transport was brought around and Rook settled himself in the back. After giving his driver instructions, Rook leaned back as the cab pulled away from the Gala. He watched idly out the window, not fully registering the streams of light and metal as they flew past his window. His eyes were too distant to take it in. He was remembering Sali's laughter and teasing words. He smiled unconsciously.
A sudden change in the world framed by his window caught the Prince's attention. He had to blink away the foggy film that had clouded his vision. A sudden brightness drowned out everything else around it some distance from where he was speeding past. Rook had to squint his eyes to make out the shape of a ship amidst the fire and smoke. Aside from the normal shock any sentient being would display at the sight of such an event, Rook felt a sudden pull, as if someone had attached a hook to his rib cage and was trying to pull it out through his back. He couldn't draw the air he needed into his lungs. His hand gripped the handle of the door so tightly his knuckles strained white against the bone.
All living beings are sensitive to the Force. Some more than others, some barely at all. Rook had the normal amount of midi-chlorians for a human being, like the majority of his kind. There was nothing strong about his connection to the Force. But he would have no other explanation for how he KNEW that the ship he had just seen explode, the one that was slowly crashing towards the ground, belonged to the Queen of Onderon. Every cell in his body cried it out so loud, he had no hope of trying to deny it. Rook opened his mouth, but no words came out. It wasn't until he clenched his jaw and forced his lungs to expand and take in air that he was able to speak.
Turn around! He barked, his words coming out hoarse. Did you see the explosion!? Go! NOW! Over there!
His driver was startled by his passenger's sudden outburst. He had not seen the explosion. But when he turned his head to look back at Rook, he did.
Holy.... The driver couldn't manage any other words.
Turn around NOW! Rook repeated his command. The driver looked at Rook with fearful eyes through his rear view mirror. It was obvious he didn't want to do it, but after a few moments, he brought the cab around and the two were racing towards the falling, burning transport.
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Dire Wolf
So who's ready to help me sock ol Adolf on the jaw?!
2,894 posts
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Have dakka will travel
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last online May 6, 2020 18:55:51 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 14:32:52 GMT -5
Post by Dire Wolf on May 21, 2009 14:32:52 GMT -5
((starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Force_Sight < Just incase my explanation of Force Sight was as bad as I thought it was.))Curious. Ryn thought as he finally felt one of the tremors in Queen Hyria's ship. Then another. He didn't need the Force to realize that something wasn't quite right with the ship, so naturally the man would go out and figure out just what was wrong. The first place he would go to was the cockpit: If anyone on this ship knew what was going on it would be the pilots. With a heavy sigh he got up out of his meditative position atop the luxurious bed and exited his quarters. He saw a man pass on his way up to the bridge, if he could see his face Ryn would have known something was wrong... but he could not. Ryn's sight worked much like a Mirakluka's: He saw beings in Aura's, each one being as unique and individual as the person that it surrounds, that flowed with the form of the individual it surrounded. Another curious thing he could do: See through doors and walls. Though they were not completely transparent (he could only see a phantasmal image of the wall or door.) “Sir... sir! What is wrong?”The only thing that the man did was turn his head over and give the Jedi a quick nod as he strode past him. This worried the Jedi to no end. If things were so dire that one was in too much of a hurry to explain what was happening to a Jedi Knight then the situation was bad. Very bad. With that small revelation Ryn quickened his pace towards the bridge of the ship. He was nearly there before he heard a thunderous thud resound in his ears. Then another. Then he heard a series of thumps and the ship began to lisp downwards. Ryn's rather stoic body language belied the true emotion that lay within the young knight: Fear. Not for his own body, no, fear for the people aboard this ship. He could not protect them all, not even the greatest of the Jedi could do that, but he could protect one being aboard for sure. So he entered the bridge and sat down on a random chair, strapping the crash webbing across his body. After he gave himself those (meager) provisions to protect himself he began to meditate on Queen Hyria. She would probably feel a certain warmth and calm about the air as he enveloped her in a protective bubble of the Force. He was never especially skilled at the aspect of protection, a fact for which he cursed himself silently, so when it came time to protect someone he had to focus his whole being on protecting that single entity. So he did while the ship's power failed and it dropped out of the sky like the multi-thousand ton durasteel-ceramic rock that it was. It felt as if the knight's stomach slammed into his brain on the drawn out decent, his hands had a deathgrip on the armrest of the seat, and his face looked strangely serene. It was odd. Here he was sitting on the bridge of a starship that was plummeting towards the ground at now terminal velocity... and his face looked almost as if he was happy. Obviously this was far from the case, he was simply ignoring all of the above facts while keeping the protective walls around Queen Sali up and fortified. Once they contacted with the ground it was very likely that Queen Hyria would be hurt very little: maybe a scrape or bruise on an extremity... but it would not be anything to worry about. Ryn however, was not quite so “lucky.” The knight had more broken bones than he cared to count, plenty of internal bleeding, and all in all he just looked disheveled. He let out a ragged and painful breath as he looked over at Queen Hyria. “Qu-... Queen Hyria... ar-... are you... alri-... okay?”
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
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Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 15:34:12 GMT -5
Post by Vex on May 21, 2009 15:34:12 GMT -5
No, Vex wasn't paying attention to her. He closed his eyes even as she was looking up at the sky and the scene that was playing out well above them. The world seemed to swirl about him suddenly and he lowered himself to a crouch, resting on a knee, head hanging low. He'd dealt with these circumstances before...he'd learned the hard way that it was best to put one's self in position to do the least damage to one's self as possible. The ride could be a trip. It didn't happen often, but sometimes, when the Force so wished it and the circumstances were dire enough in time, they violated his whole world and consciousness. His face was shrouded by that dark mane as he breathed deeply, letting the wave of precognition wash over him like a tsunami.
He found himself somewhere else...though it was easy to see that they were still in the underbelly of Coruscant. Though he knew they were not in the same place, theplaces almost looked he same, such was the decay and lost decadence of these lower levels. Ahead of him, he could see the remains of a ship that had suffered a very bad landing. The rear of the vessel was mangled badly by the engines, but the majority of the damage had exploded out, meaning it had been done before the ship had hit the ground. Sabotage, most likely, Your standard sublight engine just didn't blow itself up too often.
He moved closer, seeing the mangled cockpit as well. Bounding off of a few of the larger bits of debris nearby, he made his way up to where the main transparisteel view port was. One of the rusted girders had managed to shatter through it, slamming through the transparent surface at an angle as the impact had skewed the ship around. It had utterly destroyed the pilot, slamming through him and pinning him to the starboad bulkhead like a moth on a pin. He never would have known what hit him.
The copilot was similar, though his wounds had been taken from the shattered transparisteel, a shard of it all but decapitating him and embedding itself in the copilot's headrest. a few inches to the left and it would have continued its path directly into a rather elegantly dressed woman of obviously noble lineage.
Vex dropped down through the gaping hole and into the room. It was a charnal house with broken bodies that had been flung all about during the landing, many twisted in ways that standard physiology clearly stated should not be possible. Still warm bodily fluids, mostly crimson, was everywhere.
There were only two that seemed to possibly be alive still...at least that he could see. One was that woman...who seemed to be well off, all things considered. Shifting his gaze over, he looked to the other potental survivor. His blood froze.
A Jedi.
Vex snarled into his rebreather, a lightsaber hilt appearing in his hand. Through the Force, he could tell the man was damaged and broken from the landing...but he was still breathing...still conscious. In Praetor's book, that made him still dangerous. He couldn't be allowed to stay alive, to put Aunna at risk.
He heard the *snap-hiss* of that violet blade as it sprang to life. Twirling it around in a reversed grip, he brought it over his head, preparing to strike he killing blow...
...and then he snapped back into reality.
The vertigo washed over him and he had to fight his stomach and its plan to repaint the interior of his rebreather with this morning's breakfast. At this point he could start to understand what she was saying. Something about the sky, a pull...yes, it made sense now. Her latent connection was feeling strongly about this, trying to compell her. From what he remembered, the woman looked important...probably a senator, maybe even a noble of some sort. That she was being escorted by a Jedi meant that she was important. That meant that there would be a lot of people searching for her. That mean that, as long as they were alive...they risked bringing half the Republic down on Aunna's head.
Grimacing beneath the mask, he pushed himself up and looked at her.
"It was a transport...there is someone...a woman of importance there. Whatever you are feeling...I believe it is the Force, trying to guide you along the path you need to take."
If he knew Aunna, that in and of itself would be enough to get her to follow that pull. He didn't feel it, but he didn't have to. All he had to do was follow her. Once he had...well, he wasn't bout to tell her about the Jedi because she would guess his intent. He would take care of this problem swiftly, once she led him to the crash. He had already seen himself getting there first and given a couple moments of time alone with the woman and the Jedi. It would be all he needed and then the threat would be over.
"Perhaps it will prove to be some way to assist us in our endeavors. We should hurry, however, for there are injuries."
He would wait for her to lead the way.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 16:39:16 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 21, 2009 16:39:16 GMT -5
Aunna only barely noticed as Vex knelt down, bracing himself. She didn't have time for it, she was already engrossed in her own experience. She'd had visions before, several times (mainly on Manaan, though she didn't quite remember them yet), and so it came as little surprise that, when she felt the wave of painful death that made her mind reel and her stomach turn itself inside out, the sight of twisted metal met her eyes. She couldn't piece it together at first, but the flickering light, the suffocating smell of smoke and blood, it all fell into place in her mind. A crash...that had been what she'd seen in the sky, a ship on it's deadly descent. Vaguely she heard words, little more than a whisper, and she could barely make them out (most were unclear) but she heard them....Queen Hyria? I know that name, but which planet...gah, doesn't matter, they need help! Still entranced by what she saw, she didn't even hear Vex's words, but started moving automatically in the direction of the pull that had grown so much stronger that it was like she were tugging against a rope tied to a speeder.
Shaking her head, she pulled herself away from the disturbing sights, the scent of smoke still in her nose, as Vex spoke again. Wait...this was too easy...something had to be wrong. He WANTED her to follow that pull? Despite the fact that the crash would no doubt draw attention? Nothing was ever this easy around that man, it was never that simple. Growling slightly, she shot him a glare as if to say "Don't you dare pull any stunts, Vex" before darting off into the darkness, a hound loosed on the fresh trail of it's quarry. No doubt Vex could, and would, keep up with her, so she didn't bother to wait for him or give any sign that she was going to move...she just did.
Down darkened streets she followed that pull, around corners (nearly sliding and losing her balance once as the pack had swung wide and set her footing off to compensate for it), past the dilapidated remains of the jungle settled below the jeweled city above. One arm pumped, the other pressed uncomfortably to her side to pin the AER droid there and keep herself from dropping him, boots thudded lightly along the pavement as her legs reached to eat away the distance between herself and the transport. A flash of movement and an uncomfortable twinge in her gut and her head whipped to the left, hair flying around her with the motion, to spot a shadow slip away. The woman didn't stop to bother with the thought of what it might have been but kept running, putting distance between herself and the threat as she closed on her goal. Another sharp turn and the boot that held the her weight slid and slipped on the collected water causing her to break her stride by having to throw her other foot out and slam a hand to the corner of the wall she had just turned to keep herself up, her arm holding the droid clenching down as she nearly dropped it. Surprisingly, even to herself, she managed it and kept on swiftly regaining her former run, though her strides were considerably smaller at first.
As the crash entered her sight, twisted and burning, debris scattered everywhere, she let out a light growl and pushed forward with a renewed sense of urgency. She still felt death lingering around the transport, but also something else....life?.....she wasn't sure, there was something in there, but it was faint and growing fainter by the moment. Another urging from her mind for her muscles to move faster and she felt something more flow through her, much as it had on Selonia. A burst of new speed and she welcomed the feeling gratefully.
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Squee
The Keeper
2,286 posts
95 likes
I am Deception, and I defy your holiest moralities.
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last online Oct 24, 2016 0:33:56 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 17:27:57 GMT -5
Post by Squee on May 21, 2009 17:27:57 GMT -5
Fear exhaled with every breath Sali took in. Panic was the inhale. Fear was exhale. Panic, fear, panic, fear, panic, fear…
Narisia sat, strapped, to her right, and the Jedi, she had noticed that the Jedi had come in a whirlwind of fear himself. But he sat down and quickly strapped himself in when Captain Jirech did not. Instead, her fool for a Captain went about alerting the other guards, even as the Onderon transport began to angle sharply downward.
Panic, fear, panic, fear…
The Jedi relaxed, as she watched, his sightless eyes fluttering close. He exhaled a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing, hands limp, brow lightly furrowed for a few seconds. And then that too lessened, and then Ryn seemed more at ease than the rest of the crew. Narisia had a death grip on Sali’s wrist, her handmaiden’s eyes were shut out to the horror of the fast falling ship.
Another pop and thump within the ship sounded, indicating yet another explosion. The ship began to groan with the stress, and it creaked and moaned like a giant, wounded animal. Narisia whimpered at that. Sali could hear the buzzing shouts of her pilot and copilot, who were struggling with the bulk of mass metal, and struggling vainly to rein in as much of their uncontrollable animal as they could. And the Jedi… and the Jedi remained at ease, serene, face projecting nothing but calmness.
And that’s when Sali began to think the temperatures were rising. Heat kissed her body, wrapping around her and making her skin burn warmly. Not hotly, just warm, like sitting around a fire and putting out your hands to heat away the biting cold. That cold, however, was Sali’s emotions. The new warmth welcomed her, and Sali felt oddly… safe. Panic and Fear still covered more than half her senses, but their strength over the Queen had faded a bit.
Panic… Fear… Panic… Fear…
And so she breathed.
And then, she saw out the view port. The very nose of the ship struck a ledged building, jostling the Queen as she gritted down on her teeth, Fear welling inside her throat and willing her to scream as her handmaiden did. The pilot let out a loud yelp as well, and a horrible crunching sound filled the cockpit, and the squeal of bending metal was excruciating. Sali’s fingers dug into something as Panic seized her muscles, and her brain didn’t register the pain from her handmaiden’s own nails.
Panic, fear, panic, fear, panic, fear…
The ship moaned again, and then something roared. She felt the change in angle, sliding back now as weight lay in the back of the ship while the nose was nestled into a ledge. There were those few awful seconds until the weight was transferred, and the front end of the ship slid off the ledge, and the plummet continued. Sali’s heart and stomach had taken up residence in her throat, her handmaiden screamed, the pilots were helpless, and the Jedi was still so calm as they were tossed about.
Panic, fear, panic, fear…
Every breath, every second, scarred into Sali’s eyes. And the Queen… she couldn’t close them. Not just yet. The ship's back end caught something now, and she gnashed her teeth as the cackling screech that should belong to a witch buried itself into her ear drum. The sound stung pain across the base of her skull, until the Queen was shaking her head like some rabid dog. Finally, her eyes were closed.
And then the ship was freefalling forward again. Few seconds past and the nose plunged into something solid. The terrible roar of the crippled ship was accompanied by the sounds of folding metal and shatters of delicate things. Sali was thrown against her restraints one last time, and she gasped to breathe against the pressure on her chest. Her handmaiden’s shriek was suddenly cut off. The world continued to rock and then the ship rumbled her last breath and then all was silent except the distant crackled of fire and the hiss of all things gasses.
Panic, fear, panic, fear, panic… Fear… Inhale… Fear… Inhale… Fear… Inhale… Exhale… Inhale, exhale.
Adrenaline still pumped wildly through her veins as she opened her eyes and controlled her breathing to some degree. What she saw nearly made her puke. The copilot was still over there, strapped down into his seat, but his head was lopsided, only determined sinew and muscle and odd tissues kept the last bit of his neck together. Blood was poured across the back of his seat where the fountain of crimson had spurted up, and it still bubbled slightly. The pilot, however… she traced the skewering girder to just next to her seat, where the pilot hung like an animal on a pole. Blood was seeping through around the beam and was dripping down on the dead body of her handmaiden…
Whose decapitated head was bleeding, resting on the line between her arm and thigh.
And then, Sali screamed, letting it tear from her throat as she moved her arm and let the head roll away. Her hands trembled as she flustered on her crash webbing, gulping great breaths of air while tears streamed down her face.
“Qu-... Queen Hyria... ar-... are you... alri-... okay?”
“Ryn, oh my God, Ryn, you’re still alive!” the Queen cried out between quivering lips. Big and wide brown eyes turned on the Jedi as Sali freed herself from the crash webbing. “I-I-I’m okay. I think. H-h-h-h-here… I’ll help you ou-out of that.” Her voice cracked and pitched to some degree, those shaking fingers reaching across the help the Jedi with his webbing. “The… The others a-a-ar-are all dead though. They’re all dead.”
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Dire Wolf
So who's ready to help me sock ol Adolf on the jaw?!
2,894 posts
49 likes
Have dakka will travel
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last online May 6, 2020 18:55:51 GMT -5
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May 21, 2009 23:12:54 GMT -5
Post by Dire Wolf on May 21, 2009 23:12:54 GMT -5
Pain. Agony. Anguish. Ryn thought that he knew the meaning of these words... he was wrong. The agony of having most if not all of his bones broken, dislocated, or misshapen in some way was beyond words. It dwarfed the torment that he was put through when his eyes were turned into inutile orbs from the incomprehensible heat of the lightsaber on Korriban. It made the explosion of Force energy that nearly shattered his body on that same world feel like a slight tinge. Despite all of this the Jedi gave no signs of his agony: His eyes were unreadable, his face still had that serene look about it. The Knight's voice was the only real thing that gave away his anguish: it was barely above a mumble and just had that aire of pain about it.
“I kn-... I know... I ca-.. can't protect... everyone.”
A lance of electric pain shot through his arm, up his spine, and straight into his brain as he tried to unlatch the crash webbing. He looked down at the said limb to see a little ragged white protruding from the tan skin, his breathing grew ragged as a new pain was added to the already staggering repertoire. Ryn clenched his jaw as he powered through the pain, managing to unlatch his “saftey” webbing as he let out a painful sigh.
He could feel two entities tinge at the edge of his awareness; the first was of the light side... he gave a pained smile to this fact. They might just have some help after all. Then he felt the second one, which was distinctly dark. He could pick up hints at malevolent intentions... and turned to the already scared woman who sat beside him.
“Go. Hi- Hide. I... hold off... long as I-...”
The Knight didn't even finish his sentence before he slumped over and hit the deck; the combination of pain, blood loss, and overexertion caused him to slip into unconsciousness. Now free from control of his flesh, the man's mind began to wander slightly... so this was how he ended? Protecting life? A noble end. He not only allowed this end but he was happy to have it.
Death would not take him, however. Not yet. The Force had other plans for him.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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May 22, 2009 2:35:49 GMT -5
Post by Vex on May 22, 2009 2:35:49 GMT -5
Vex was surprised when she tapped into that connection unconsciously by her desire to get to the crash site faster. The connection responded and she did move faster...faster than an normal woman could. He doubted the woman was even really aware she was doing it. Before she'd met him, she probably simply chocked it up to the fact that she had adrenaline rushing through her system. There was so much more, however, and so much more potential. Would he train her and show her how much...most likely. He wasn't going to lie to himself.
He had to pull himself out of the musings, however, because he couldn't let her beat him there. He needed to get there first, to be able to dispatch the threat before she had a chance to interfere. He called upon his own connection, his movements easily matching her pace as she wound her way almost recklessly through the myriad maze of the under levels. He wasn't encumbered by the pack and their metallic friend, however, and thus he was quite confident that she would be slower than him, when the time came. Besides, she didn't know the quickest way to the cockpit and its occupants.
He did.
Finally they reached the last stretch and he could see the scene before them. It was just as he had peered at through his mind's eye. She sped up more, but she was reaching her limit with her untested ability, while he was simply cruising along. He sped up, shooting past her, his feet hitting the familiar spots from his vision and almost causing him to fly up the debris and onto the ship. He dropped down into that ravaged opening, paying it little mind as he'd already seen it once before.
The scene was slightly different. The woman had moved. She was now crouched next to the Jedi. The time he'd taken, speaking to Aunna...staying with her along the run in order not to arouse her suspicions...those conscious choices had changed the outcome slightly. The snap hiss of his lightsaber was heard as he brought it up.
"You may move, woman, if you wish to live."
The woman could prove useful, he didn't want to kill her until he knew how useful she could be. The Jedi did need to die, however, and if she gave him trouble, he was already resigned to dispatching her out of necessity. Those black eyes bored into hers, making it clear she had only a heartbeat or two to decide before the Dark Jedi decided for her.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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May 22, 2009 5:47:17 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 22, 2009 5:47:17 GMT -5
(( Notes: You all should know the drill, but just incase... Italics = private thoughts, color italics = thoughts force users can hear, color = regular speech Song: "Orchard of Mines" by Globus << Link )) A blur of motion, the sound of material snapping in the wind, the feel of displaced air....it could only be one thing...Vex. Cursing slightly in the aftermath of the man's sudden appearance in her view, then again as he easily outstripped her, Aunna wondered just why he felt the need to get there FIRST. No, something was definitely off about all of this, but what?! A twisting in her gut gave her another jolt along her nerves...she needed to get there faster or something very WRONG was going to happen, but she couldn't...she just COULDN'T get there faster. She was tiring from the combination of the length of the run and the way she was pushing herself, but she wasn't about to give up...Vex was acting strangely and as much faith as she had in him keeping her safe, she didn't trust his actions. Due to her own 'vision' she had no reason to assume that he knew what was going on in that transport or that he had even seen anything himself. Because of this, and her missing his first words directly after his vision, the woman could only react on her knowledge of the man himself. That was what drove her now. More than just the need to help the people inside the transport, it was the need to keep Vex from doing anything horrible to whatever he thought might be in there aside from the Queen...she doubted he'd do anything to her unless she became a threat herself...she was too useful to him. She'd watch him bound up and vanish into the cockpit....then wonder HOW he knew about that shattered opening. Skidding to a stop at the base of the crumpled and twisted transport she dropped the pack and growled at the fact that she couldn't just leave Ayer there. If the pack vanished, they could live, but if Ayer vanished...no, she just wouldn't follow that line of thought. Following Vex's path as best she could along that twisted metal and displaced duracrete she clambered up and tossed ayer up and into the cockpit once she was able to see inside it slightly. Having to use both hands to hoist herself up, she saw the dusky forms of three people in there. Planting one foot on the control console Aunna noted that Ayer had landed upright not far from where she now stood. She didn't have time to think of that, however, as that crimson saber ignited, she launched herself forward even as he spoke. There was barely room between him and the woman (who she was guessing was the Queen) for her to stand, and less between the Queen and...a jedi? The mangled form of the jedi was obviously unconscious and even if he had been conscious he didn't look like he could have defended himself from Vex right now. Vex! Stop!Don't taint this ground with the color of the past Are the sounds in bloom with you? Cause you seem like an orchard of mines Just take one step at a timeShe allowed her voice to serve as warning of her arrival and subsequent actions so he wouldn't strike out at her unintentionally as she followed her words and bodily made more room for herself between the leonine man and the Queen and unconscious jedi. To insert herself into the path of that lightsaber, Aunna had needed to come into direct contact with Vex's own person, her body pressing lightly against his for a moment before she moved away, but the close quarters allowed little more than an inch of space between them. Blue eyes gazed up at him with a "forgive me" look for invading his personal space. She'd pushed his limits on tolerance for allowing...well, really ANYTHING...to live and now a jedi. Chances were slim that it would work and she knew it...that knowledge showed in her eyes...but she couldn't just allow Vex to kill the man either, and her determination also showed in her eyes. If he wanted to kill the jedi, he'd have to go through her first. One hand came to rest against his chest lightly, whether out of instinct or some other subconscious compulsion was uncertain, and she looked up at him half pleadingly and half determinedly. Please, Vex, don't....he's no threat to us.Her voice was quite, taking on a strangely soothing tone. At first it had been no more than a prickle at the back of her mind, a soft melody, but nothing to gain the majority of her attention. Melody became words as she'd placed herself between his larger form, poised to strike, and the two huddled on the floor behind her, their comrades dead around them. Word turned to song, as she willed him to reconsider his actions. There was no order to her words, there was no trick there, not intentionally anyway, she just wanted him to reconsider his actions for a moment. I'll say it to be proud, won't have my life turn upside down Says the man with some, with some gold forged plan Of life so incomplete, like weights strapped around my feet Tread careful one step at a time
And you seem to break like time So fragile on the inside, you climb these grapevines Would you look now unto the pit of me on the ground And you wander through these to climb these grapevines...As the song formed more fully, she found herself wishing that she could share it with him...but now was not the time...perhaps later. It felt....private. Gazing up intently into those fiery black eyes, Aunna slowly reached her other hand up toward the arm wielding his saber. She barely breathed as her hand came up and nearly reached for that arm of his, but she stayed her hand for a moment, fingers curling lightly to close her hand, indecisive of if she should continue with this action. To know, to feel, to play me once again Do you denote from what we feel Do you not know, i see you play the game Do you denote...
La flama niposa, la ombra dispare La noce immortale, la voce murmure
To know, to feel, to play me once again Do you denote... Do you not know, i see you play the game Denote...Finally she decided, slim fingers unwrapping themselves again as she followed through on her action. She'd started the potential folly of this action, she might as well finish it....
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Squee
The Keeper
2,286 posts
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I am Deception, and I defy your holiest moralities.
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last online Oct 24, 2016 0:33:56 GMT -5
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May 22, 2009 10:57:45 GMT -5
Post by Squee on May 22, 2009 10:57:45 GMT -5
His reply to her puzzled the frightened Queen.
“What… What protection?” she asked, her tone stating she hadn’t the faintest idea what he meant. “How could you…” And she stopped, glancing about the misshapen cockpit and the unfortunate souls the crash had taken. Death should have his feed tonight. Sali shuddered at the sight of the head on the floor, turning away from the spectacle behind her and looking back at Ryn. “Your Force, right?” “That was the heat I felt.”
“Go. Hi- Hide. I... hold off... long as I-...”
He slumped forward, falling unconscious as he had said those words. Sali’s jitters returned, as she was afraid he was going to die on her too. She reached and moved out, however, and caught his body. Her hands had a first witness to how fragile his bones were, and she felt one of the breaks slid. She almost dropped him then and there after she let out a startled little “yeep”. But she made sure his body touched the cockpit’s floor safely, in a way.
Hide? HIDE? She didn’t have the first clue what was beyond the damaged cockpit and its soulless victims. ….Not like a crashed transport was a safe as that was. She had seen explosions because fire hit fuel and of the like, but that wasn’t going through her head. Ryn had to be unconscious. Not dead. He had survived the crash, right?
“Get a hold of yourself Sali… You’re not a five year old. He could be dead. And that means you’re on your own, but…”
There was a series of thumps as someone’s feet hit metal. However, the sound was coming from outside what was left of the tranparisteel view port. Sali’s hands came up to cup her nose and mouth, letting a last sniffle and wiped the tear stains from her face. Her eyes reopened to see a swirl of black flash through an opening. Her heart still pounded loudly in her throat, and, though the Queen was still trembling a great deal, she had more control over her body’s actions and was working on her emotions and thinking about how she wanted her voice to sound.
But then there was a snap-hiss and Sali looked over her shoulder to see a glowing red blade rather close to her. It was a weapon, even Sali knew that. But it took her a moment to recognize it as a lightsaber, since she had never seen a Jedi carry blood as their color of choice.
"You may move, woman, if you wish to live."
Sali turned around, turning her back to her Jedi and scooting backward the one or two inches it was until her back was against her unconscious Jedi’s frame. She leaned on her hands, one arm crossing the Jedi’s body and planted firmly beside his head.
“I should be dead already,” were the first words from her mouth. The Queen was surprised at the strength of her voice. “I don’t know what your problem is or whether its against this man behind me,” “And I might be an unarmed fool at the moment, but I’m not sure if I care about that or not.” , “But if you’re looking for blood because you aspire to be a vampire, you can drink from the other bodies. They’re just as fresh dead as we’re freshly alive. I’m not moving.” Her voice was stern and she glared back into the man’s highlighted black eyes. His weapon bathed the area in blood and richened the already spilt blood with an angry, fiery glow.
“Vex! Stop!”
Sali turned her head slightly, seeing a woman as she scrambled down from her perch on the now useless controls to the ship. Stop? Did the woman want the man to stop from killing her? Or was the woman going to be as cold as the man and wanted kills for herself?
“That was rather cold-hearted of yourself, Sali,” The Queen thought to herself.
The woman, however, wedged herself in the space between her and that looming dark void of a man. Sali drew her legs back so the woman did not step on them and barely managed to grab the edges of her dress out of the way before the woman stepped into place. The Queen glanced down at Ryn and back to the strangers as she heard the woman say there wasn’t a threat. For a long, long time, to the Queen (far too long for the nervous Queen), they simply stared at each other. And then, the woman’s hand made a slow ascent toward the lit weapon in the man’s hand. Her hand rested on the man’s arm. She was going to try and lower it! Sali felt somewhat relieved, but, letting eyes fall on the man again, she wondered if that was the right decision. The man seemed to be someone you didn’t want to underestimate, especially with a lit lightsaber of an odd color in his hand. He seemed dark and unpredictable.
And Sali knew those two forces never worked hand in hand for the better of another. And, in this case, Sali and Ryn, and possibly the woman, could be drawing the short end of the stick…
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
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Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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May 22, 2009 11:06:31 GMT -5
Post by Meira on May 22, 2009 11:06:31 GMT -5
Rook was leaning forward, his head just through the partition between the driver's cab and his passenger section, as if sitting like this might help his transport go faster. He was hissing instructions at his driver, who looked like he was about to vomit, or soil himself... or both. They blasted through the Coruscant skyline, narrowly avoiding countless collisions, and yet Rook had never felt so slow. When the descending transport struck a building, the last of Rook's driver's courage ran out. Rook was nearly thrown through the front windshield as the driver brought the cab to a sudden halt. He brought them down on the roof of a building and jumped out, sprinting for the nearest door. He never looked back. Rook scrambled out the back door of the cab and stood, stunned, watching the man run away. From deep within his chest, a rumble of a growl grew until it burst from his mouth. COWARD!Only a moment later, Rook was in the driver's seat, starting up the cab. The Queen's transport had disappeared from view down into the lower recesses of the city, but it had left a trail of smoke, flames, and shattered walls to lead him to it. Rook slammed his foot on the accelerator and the engines roared to life, lifting the cab up and shooting it forward. When he arrived at the scene of the first building the Queen's ship had struck, he angled the cab downward into a near vertical nose dive. Rook wasn't a particularly good pilot, but something inside him drove him forward. Perhaps something was protecting him, perhaps he was just lucky. It didn't matter. What mattered was that Sali was on that ship, somehow he knew it, and she needed help. He had dove too quickly, and his reflexes were insufficient. He brought the cab out of it's nose dive too slowly. He didn't crash head first into the ground, but he did skid along across it in the wake of ruble the Queen's ship had left behind. His foot held the brake to the floor, but his previously gained speed was still strong as it slid him across the gauntlet of debris. Finally, after ricocheting off a number much heavier objects, Rook and his busted cab succumbed to the laws of motion and came to a stop just a few yards behind the mangled rear of the Queen's transport. Rook had a cut on his forehead that was bleeding slightly, and a few scrapes and bruises along his torso and limbs, but he ignored them. He jumped from the cab and tore away his ruined coat. His white shirt clung to his frame in the areas where sweat dripped from his body. Rook suddenly realized how close he was to the still burning ship and staggered off to the side, and not a moment too soon. Rook had not noticed the fuel that was leaking from the busted tank of his cab, nor did he notice the falling bits of embers and little flames that were still settling on the ground. One such tiny flame landed lightly on the growing puddle of fuel near the cab. The shock of the fuel explosion wasn't nearly as powerful as any other explosions that had happened that night, but Rook had been close enough to feel it slam against his chest. He stumbled backwards and had to catch hold of a crumbling wall to keep his balance. New embers had been pushed up into the sky, and one landed on Rook's pant leg, quickly burning a hole through it. Rook let out a yelp of pain as he tried to shake the offending ember out. It eventually did, but not before leaving a searing line down his leg. Once free of the burning ember, Rook finally looked back towards the wreckage. He clambered up over part of what used to be the exterior of the hull. He slid down the rounded surface on the other side, arms held wide to keep his balance. He was now standing somewhere in what might have been the middle of the ship. He picked his way carefully through the debris until he came to the front. Just beyond the remains of a wall, Rook could hear voices. He froze in that instant, straining his ears to hear. He couldn't make out the words, but one voice was male, and the other... female. A combination of joy, fear, hope, and utter terror caused Rook's stomach to first jump then sink, almost causing him to lose its contents. But then more noises brought his attention back. With impossible speed, someone had just jumped into the cockpit area. Rook crept forward. He had no weapon to defend the Queen with, but if he had to, he would put himself between whatever danger that had so quickly found her. It must be the assassins come to make sure she was dead. Rook thought to himself. How else could they have gotten here so quickly?Rook's eyes peered around the edge of the wall that separated him from the carnage of broken bodies. But he had no time to observe the fate of the Queen's crew. The only thing his eyes could see was a man, his face almost completely hidden behind a breathing mask standing over the Queen and the Jedi Ryn Sundar's broken body, holding up a menacing lightsaber. Rook had not heard the man's words that offered the Queen a chance to move. All Rook saw was an assassin standing over Sali. And not just any assassin, a Dark Jedi. Against all logic, Rook was steeled to leap forward against the man. No matter that his chances for survival were less than zero. If it gave the Queen even the remotest of chances to get away, he wouldn't think twice. His muscles tensed as he prepared to sacrifice himself. But at that moment, a voice rang out clear. Another figure clamored into the space. Rook couldn't make out the features, but her frame and voice were enough to identify her as female. Again, his ability to register and understand words eluded him, and so Rook was left only with what he could see. And what he saw was a woman putting herself in the man's deadly range. Was she a servant to the Queen? A survivor of the crash? She didn't seem hurt at all, but then again, neither did Sali. Well, brave as this woman might be, Rook wasn't about to let her die as well. The time to put his courage to the test had come. Rook was about to truly earn the bloodstripe he had been falsely given. He sprang forward, his features set into a determined grimace and a resolute cry erupted from deep within his chest. He charged, one shoulder leading forward. His only hope was that he could close the gap quick enough to push Sali and the other woman out of the way before the Dark Jedi could react. It was a stupid plan, but Rook had no other option. However, at about half way between where he had jumped forward and where the three people before him were, something stopped him mid stride. Rook struggled to keep his feet as his eyes widened at the shock of hitting what seemed like an invisible barrier. ((OOC: I left that open so that Vex could hit Rook with a force push or something along those lines. Feel free to send him flying back against the wall... but just don't hurt him toooo much ))
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
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Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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May 23, 2009 5:20:06 GMT -5
Post by Vex on May 23, 2009 5:20:06 GMT -5
The woman's words gave Vex a half moment of pause. Beneath that pampered exterior there was a spine, strength of conviction and bravery. He could almost admire it. Pity there wasn't more common sense and regard for one's own life thrown in there for good measure. He made the move to dispatch the woman and the man she was trying to protect...but stopped when Aunna's words echoed in the macabre room.
It wasn't even the spoken words that brought him to pause...no, it was the power of the words unspoken but no less heard that rippled forth from her through the Force. That was what brought Aunna the pause she needed to intercede her form between himself and his quarry. A very feral sound echoed forth from his throat, reverberating in that breathing apparatus as she slid against him, her hand pressing against his chest, willing him to still, to not make the strike. He could see in her eyes that she was playing on dangerous ground and his own eyes widened in black disbelief.
"No danger? You have no idea how wrong you are, woman, given your bleeding heart mentality." Despite the low, heated vehemence to his words, he tilted his head to the side...mentally trying to ward off the effect of the lyrical tremors in the Force. He shot her a deadly look when she made to reach for his arm and get him to lower his blade. She made the intelligent choice of stopping...but only for moment before she'd dare to try again.
He snarled...but not at her. Given her presence and his own heightened anger, he hadn't been aware of the other lurking nearby, watching it all...but now the man's thoughts were practically screaming...a war cry that echoed forth heartbeats before the man himself came barrelling out like a mad bull.
Vex could not manipulate the physical world the way most Jedi could. Such telekinetic talent was all but lost to him, but that hardly left him without options. This predator just used a different set of claws.
For all the lack his powers had in the physical world, it would feel very real as he let his rage slam down on the brave but pathetically short-sighted man, the mental onslaught barreling into the man with the force of a runaway airspeeder. The man's own determination and will helped him to absorb some and kept his mind from being ravaged and wiped like others had, but it would stagger him from his path.
Then Vex moved, wrenching from Aunna's grasp. Her fingers may have well been trying to grasp a tornado. He spun about, his elbow leading and connecting solidly with the man's nose, directly upon the bridge of it. Continuing the spin, unpitying fingers dug into the man's throat as Vex used his own natural strength and Force-imbued speed to reverse the man's charge, slamming him back into the bulkhead wall and holding him there at arm's length by the throat so he had to be on his toes lest he begin to choke.
Vex had extinguished the lightsaber as he moved so as to not risk harming Aunna as he moved. The hand holding swung up, bringing the emitter end of that weapon up none too gently into the would-be hero's "crown jewels."
It would only take a simple brush of his thumb over the activation switch to skewer the man on a lightsaber spit.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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May 23, 2009 15:12:03 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 23, 2009 15:12:03 GMT -5
His fury had not gone unnoticed. No, Aunna could feel it now more than ever, radiating off of him in waves like a thickening fog to shroud the area. Vex statement only made the shorter woman pause for a moment, but only a moment and she shook her head as she worked to ignore the sickening feeling of death from the men around her who were already dead....the man behind her was nearing it as well, and that was what made her sense it the most.
Vex, you should know by now that he's not going to live unless he's healed. Of the two of us you should have felt it first.
It wasn't until after she spoke that she again considered the fact that he might not know what the hell she was talking about. Former jedi or not, she knew that he didn't have every skill in the book, so what made her assume he could feel death's claws coming for the man? Dark head tilted slightly as he looked at her and she blinked back, wondering what he seemed so confused about. It didn't occur to her yet that he could hear the song that had wrapped itself about her mind. No, that questioning came moments later, but eventually it did come. That had to be the only reason for the motion. Black eyes flashed a deadly warning at her when she reached for his arm and she'd paused, but, when all was said and done, the former major persisted in her action. Her touch on his arm wasn't meant to overly restrain him, she simply settled the hand there lightly, not even attempting to catch hold, but she added a slight pressure to urge his arm to lower. Something prickled along her mind and skin, however, and though she wanted to say something more to Vex, the nagging feeling of approaching danger wouldn't let her, instead she tensed.
Vex's snarl had the tawny haired woman moving, only furthered by the bellow from not far away. By the time Vex moved the only part of her still touching him had been the hand that was resting on his arm and even that was swiftly removed. She gave a slight duck to his turning motion to keep herself out of range of that saber (which she hadn't known had been deactivated), and allow him to move away. If she moved now, in these close quarters, she ran the risk of hindering him, of getting into his way again, and considering even her barely attuned senses had felt the danger, Aunna wasn't about to stop him from doing as he saw fit to this one. The man (it was a man for that type of bellow couldn't be made by a woman in the same way) had either been very confident, very blind, or very stupid to attack a being holding an ignited lightsaber. Her silver chain had fallen out during that motion, the tinkling of the silver 'angel' wings and her medal (for that was, in fact, what it was) adding a surreal texture to the scene. Once Vex had moved sufficiently, Aunna was moving around the queen, her hand already at the blaster tucked into Vex's...former...belt (which still rested around her waist), and ready to defend the weaponless noble. Vex, however, had it covered...as usual.
By the time Aunna took the time to actually look at the scene that had just painted itself, Vex had the man against the bulkhead wall, nearly off the floor, gripped by the throat, and with his saber....oh...ouch. She almost snickered at the position the idiot had put himself into...almost. She might have had Aunna not noticed the blood stripe on the man's pants. Following it up, she noted the coat, cursing inwardly she moved sapphire eyes to the face.
Frozen hell and damnation of the galaxy!
Rook Solosten...Prince Rook of Corellia...another part of her past had come back into her life for the moment and she was most displeased. Not to mention she was far from comfortable about WHY she was so displeased. Rook and herself had met at his oldest brother's wedding 10 years ago, and they had hit it off right away, feeling a sort of kindred spirit in each other that had swiftly developed into the beginnings of a serious interest. The two had been forced apart, however, by a snake of a man who had all but ripped Aunna's virtues apart and denied her access to the youngest prince the two times she'd actually tried to reach him. After that she'd just stopped trying, leaving an injury to the heart that became a scar called "first love lost." It was for the better, she reminded herself then, and again now, even in her surprise.
Rook?! What the hell are you...
She stopped herself. No, she had to use those blasted formalities now, and despite herself that noble breeding bubbled up in her again.
Prince Rook, you've done something very foolish in your actions, attacking a man with a lightsaber. Please, Rook, don't fight him....it's a very BAD idea right now.
With that said she looked at Vex and sighed heavily.
Vex, you are currently strangling Prince Rook of Corellia...would you mind not doing so? Much as I'm not welcome home any more, I'd really rather not make the Royal family send their own hunters and assassins after me.
Besides the fact that she certainly didn't want to have the blood of a member of the Royal family of her home world on her mind, and making matters worse by having them send their own people out to find her, the woman certainly didn't want to see Rook himself die. He had meant to much to her, he still did in a way, and...maybe...if things went...well, more like if things didn't get any worse...she might be able to ask Rook to get that information out to the public for her and bring Vinay down with it. Sighing, Aunna drifted closer to the two but didn't interfere, not physically. She was likely to get a mental bludgeoning for this, but she slowly tried to give Vex a mental "tap on the shoulder" to get his attention before swiftly recoiling to keep from any potential harm as much as possible.
Vex...they can be of use to both of us. I know Rook from several years ago and technically he's still my sovereign. I might be able to get him to help us more than you might expect...but only if you don't persist in killing him OR the queen...the woman behind us...she's Queen Hyria of...I'm thinking Onderon, but I can't swear to her planet. Either way, we certainly need both of them alive.
She gazed at him intently, hoping he'd actually been listening...for once...instead of just allowing her words to bounce off those mental walls of his.
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