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Mar 20, 2010 15:14:13 GMT -5
Post by Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice* on Mar 20, 2010 15:14:13 GMT -5
Ss'ss'th's yellow eyes gleamed from the darkness of the foliage as he lay coiled along the massive branch of one of the larger tree's, his orange and black scales showing vibrantly in this environment. He was a desert snake, not a forest snake. On his planet, he was the largest predator. There was nothing to hide from, no real reason to blend in. While he was good at this when he needed, in this forest he could not so much blend as hide behind objects. He was hunter, and in this case, he had relied on his speed and strength as opposed to cunning.
The forest's of Carida had much to offer to the likes of him. Many chriping avian creatures, all over the place. In the trees, in the skies, flapping their wings and flying through the foliage as well as above it, casting dim shadows in the light that filtered through the leaves. Hundreds of the tiny creatures, so insignificant and yet so obvious. Their chirps and squawks breathing sounds of life, sounds so foreign to Ss'ss'th that it was chaotic, confusing even.
There were smaller creatures as well. Tiny insects of various kinds. Spiders, ants, beatles. The beatles were everywhere. Even now, he could see one beatle moving across the branch that he rested upon, his body coiled around it with a tight grip; the beatle was a glossy light red, and it was very small, with two small horn-like mandibles at the front. Ss'ss'th did not know what to think of this great expanse of life, there were creatures great that could kill him; and creatures small that were too insignificant to cause even any real irritation. And then there were even smaller creatures that could kill him; parasites of some kind.
The jungle of Carida was breath-taking for Ss'ss'th. That was the only way he could describe it. He'd been out here for the past three days, and still his adventures left him in wonderment. He'd never seen anything like this at all. If his face could contort in a way to register surprise, than surely it would be showing surprise every second of his adventure.
He'd arrived on Carida not too long ago on a merchants ship; hiding in the cargo bay. He hadn't known his destination when he'd snuck onto the ship, he'd only known that he needed to get off of Nar Shaddaa. This planet, so far, was like his own little paradise. However, it did have its dangers, as any wild lands did. And he did long for the kind of company that forests couldn't bring. It was merely a vacation, he told himself. He was here for a short indenture, and then he'd sneak aboard another ship and explore some other planet.
But for now, he was more focused on---
There was a sharp hiss to his right, and Ss'ss'th turned his head immediately to see the large, yellow python dangling from a tree. The snake was much, much smaller than Ss'ss'th. For a moment, Ss'ss'th pondered whether or not it was even sentient. Sure, it had thoughts, made decisions. But was it anything like the Slith of his own planet?
In many ways he was repulsed by the little thing. He had to push away and air of absolute authority or superiority, had to force his compassion up that he would not wind up offended by this smaller creature's threats and hisses. Ss'ss'th just stared for a long while. The other python was further away, its tiny, insignificant body hanging from an aerial position. The python was being territorial. At first, an arrogance came over Ss'ss'th, and he thought to just scare the thing away, or destroy it completely. But then he stopped, recognizing that as a cruel act of hubris.
However, he couldn't simply capitulate to this...Thing. How could it even think it could win? It was nothing to Ss'ss'th. It couldn't even poison him, what with Ss'ss'th thick scales covering him with armor. These scales would stop that bite and probably break its fangs.
Then it suddenly occured to Ss'ss'th. The python didn't think it could win. It didn't want to fight. It felt threatened, and normally it would probably leave, except that...Ss'ss'th looked a little higher, and saw a hole in the wood, where the snake likely had a little niche; and likely had younglings.
Ss'ss'th returned the Python's hiss, then, after a short, one eyed stare-down, the other eye seared shut and rendered useless from a blaster shot long ago, he turned and slithered away from the tree, coiling his way down to the jungle floor. He would not threaten another creatures young. He was not a cruel hunter; he was not territorial. It would have been only a matter of the swish of his tail, and the Python would likely have been dead, but Ss'ss'th didn't believe in killing. Not unless absolutely needed, not unless it was in protection of the innocent or just.
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Mar 22, 2010 0:02:31 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Mar 22, 2010 0:02:31 GMT -5
((not really a jungle, more of a temperate forest...least that was what was in my mind when we started here...O.o....)) He’d left her alone for a while…hells only knew what he was up to this time…but Vex had instructed her to continue practicing until he returned. She’d been making steady progress with shii-cho, something he seemed at least mildly pleased with, and that always spurred her on to push harder, to perform better during the lessons he gave her. It was more than simply wishing to learn, it had become a drive to see just how good she could become…as well as a desire to make him proud. It was an odd thing, her wanting to make a dark jedi proud. If she were honest with herself, part of her still disliked the idea…old habits and old ways of thinking were often difficult to be rid of, even for someone like her. Aunna knew she was stubborn, bull headed, set in some of her ways so much that it made thinking or acting differently a trial in and of itself. This was also one of the problems she had run across in her lightsaber training. Aunna was talented, very talented, when it came to melee weapons…but a lightsaber was a very different animal, even in that realm. The woman was exceedingly cautious in wielding the weapons, handling them, and using them on her own, without Vex around…if she could help it, she didn’t. While yes, she was becoming more accustom to there being no weight to the blade, knew she could handle the weapon without injuring herself, something still just felt awkward…wrong…about her using one, and it made her a bit timid with them at times. It was something she fought to get past daily, forcing the uncertainty and discomfort down the moment it attempted to creep into her thoughts or feelings. Still, there were times when that was easier said than done. This happened to be one of them. With Vex out of her sight and senses, she sought to move through the katas as she should…as she would if he were there. He wouldn’t always be around, and she needed to be able to trust herself to know what to do, how to react, without injuring herself. Her anxiety was baseless…illogical…she knew how to keep from harming herself, knew the basics of the form, had preformed them every day since they got here, and she was still feeling this way? Why? It made no sense. A sigh escaped her and she shook her head. Nothing was getting done this way, and nothing was going to get done if she didn’t just push on. Pressing down her irrational discomfort, Aunna settled herself and pressed out any further distractions and moved lightly through the first two katas before pausing to readjust her stance. It had been incorrect the first time. Stepping back, she redid the two katas, far more confident that her stances and movement had been correct…and so it went, adding two more, going back to the start and stringing the four together, then two more and making a string of six, so on until she went through all of the movements. From the top of the Consul, 13 watched silently, laying down and allowing the sun to recharge her systems as she studied her partner below. The woman was odd…not at all what she expected of a supposed traitor, guilty or not, and even her conversations with Ayer hadn’t prepared her for meeting the former major. Despite Aunna’s military experience, the woman acted surprisingly contrary to the stereotypical soldier. From the limited time she’d shared with the duo, it seemed that Aunna was quite adverse to taking orders and questioned everything. Perhaps it was just her nature that made her so stubborn and curious? Then there was the way she reacted to Vex himself…almost as if she both wanted to be away from him and be within arms reach of him all at the same time. It was a most puzzling thing to observe at the best of times…downright frustrating at others. Her reactions to that man just weren’t at all logical. Tan wings flickered slightly as she lifted her head and scanned the surrounding area. It was…surprisingly dull with these two. Better than she’d thought it would be, to be certain. The REA Familiar may have been armed, but that didn’t mean she was looking forward to constant fighting or sneaking about. So far the scans showed nothing out of the ordinary…Vex was close by…somewhere beneath her, she suspected from the electrical signatures she’d picked up. He was another strange facet to this whole scenario. He seemed quite keen on being absolutely furious, debasing, and dangerous when it came to 13 herself, but Aunna always seemed to be able to step in and defuse a situation, or intervene in some manner, and get the little droid out of harm’s way. Why, if he was so intent on acting as the dominant role between the two, did he back down enough to allow 13 to remain in one piece? Certainly she was very thankful that he did, but she just didn’t understand it one bit. Why would a dark jedi risk his life to save a woman who had tried to arrest him at one point, even fought him…it was obvious the man cared for her in some fashion, but 13 was still so new to the ways of emotions that she just couldn’t grasp WHY. It wasn’t logical! None of it was logical! As her processes chased themselves in circles, she stood and paced toward a new edge of the top of the ship, to look down and see if she could spot the ever elusive being that was the dark jedi. Ah, there he was…she’d thought he’d been near by…he never really went far anyway. Not that she’d seen. Settling herself down again, 13 pulled up her internal files and began running through her various systems. So many files she had yet to process…hopefully half of them would come in handy…of course they would come in handy. She hadn’t been given these programs and files for nothing…ooh, pong! Aunna had just about reached the final kata when something began to gnaw at her mind…her senses, as she was learning to identify the feeling. Pausing, she kept the red blade held steadily before her as sapphire eyes scanned the area around them. Something was out there. Narrowing her eyes, Aunna took a subconscious step back into the opening stance of shii-cho before reaching out to hopefully find Vex through the force. Through the translucent list of pong scores, 13 noticed her partner had stopped her nearly constant movement and was gazing intently around her. Immediately on her feet, those repulsors flared to life and the pong file morphed into a clear visual of the forest, a myriad of minute and detailed scans scrolling along the sides of her visor, her targeting system locking on to various objects that her photoreceptors tarried on for more than a second. Stinger Operating System: Online Target Acquiring System: Online -- Activate Alternate Targeting Systems? Y/N …..(N) Stinger Tube not loaded: Load? Y/N …. (Y) 13 clung to the ridged side of the Consul, tail curling up and over the top of her as she zoomed her sights further in on the forest surrounding the ship. Nothing…not that she could see from here, but admittedly, she couldn’t see much from this vantage point…not until it was practically within the clearing itself and she didn’t want whatever it was that had caught her partner’s attention to get that far. With a burst of her repulsors, and a swift push from her legs, the metallic little droid moved from the ship to one of the trees in front of Aunna, on the edge of the clearing. Her talons dug into the thick bark and she scrambled her way upward into the branches with only a few scraping sounds, her motions that of any lizard as it ascended a tree or wall in the same fashion, opposite front and hind legs moving in unison to propel her further up and out of sight so that she could get and still have a good, wide, view of the surrounding forest and trees. Clambering out onto a branch, she hung there, tail curved beneath her and the branch now, to provide both an optimal firing ability as well as help keep her balanced. --Vex, please tell me it’s just me that gets the sneaking feeling we’re not exactly alone?--Aunna had narrowed her thoughts down until she was fairly certain that only Vex would be able to catch them…she hoped…she really hoped. The blur that was 13 flickered through the corner of her eyes before the droid, with her mildly orange-tan wings, shimmed up one of the trees and out of direct sight. She flicked her com on so that the droid would be able to contact her from her position without shouting…something they’d agreed upon as being the more intelligent course of action, especially over long distances. Good thing they’d worked out some starting conditions before now…hopefully they wouldn’t have to see exactly how well those conditions worked.
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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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Mar 22, 2010 20:16:38 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Mar 22, 2010 20:16:38 GMT -5
Vex had bade her to train on her own. He knew that she still struggled with some aspects of that basic form...of working with the lightsaber. She was making great strides, far more than she knew. If this were any other situation, he would be very pleased with her performance. However, this wasn't. Her well-being, her safety, might prove paramount with her ability to handle herself with such a weapon. So he pushed her harder, made her move further and gave her no respite in her training. It was almost an obsession of his. His dreams had drawn no small amount of ire from him and he, therefore, took it out on her in order to make her better and able to protect herself.
It was also the reason why he wasn't there acting as her unforgiving taskmaster either. Instead he was beneath the Consul, on the ramp, working on something. There had been some very specific requests he'd made from Jade as far as components. That led him to what he was working on now. He'd been doing so on and off, whenever he wasn't training her or dealing with whatever ruckus she and that annoying tin can managed to rile up. He was currently sitting, legs crossed beneath him with his eyes closed. The components were there, wavering in front of him. This taxed him. His telekinesis had never been strong...but the proper bonding of the components required it...to seal everything and bring it all together.
Meditation helped, the focus...the clarity of mind...it made it easier, but this would always be his weakness, his vulnerability. It had proven itself once again in the fight against Sihara Horula. She'd managed a cunning defense and use of her powers on offense to thwart him. She'd been foolish, letting down her guard...letting him inside. If she hadn't, he may have failed outright. He focused on that, forced the pieces to settle and still. He needed to make sure she could defend herself...and he couldn't keep limiting his ability in order to do it. So he was working on this...for her...in the interim between now and wen she could build her own.
In that state, his senses reached out farther...it made it easier to keep track of her when she moved. He was pleased enough that she was correcting her own mistakes and building off the katas. While his presence reached out...it came across something else...the cognition of another sentient being. Something had crossed within the purview of his noticed and that immediately put him on edge. Unfortunately, it also killed his concentration on the task at hand. The pieces dropped, only half-constructed.
Scooping them up, he put them back into the pouch at his belt and got to his feet. His hand closed around that violet saber, freeing it from his belt as he felt her react to the same sensation. Even the droid, useless and potentially dangerous toy that it was, seemed to realize that something was amiss.
He walked down the ramp, probing out with the Force, trying to determine where that other consciousness was in an offensive fashion. It would feel like a stab...a splinter in the mind's eye of the interloper if it connected...making a short link between himself and the other. It would at least give him a general idea of the location of this unknown and therefore potentially threatening consciousness.
Hearing her thoughts, he shook his head as he moved sieways off into the trees, away from the clearing, vanishing into the shadows there.
-No-
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last online Jul 11, 2018 23:15:20 GMT -5
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Mar 24, 2010 17:18:57 GMT -5
Post by Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice* on Mar 24, 2010 17:18:57 GMT -5
( Sorry. >.< )
Ss'ss'th slithered across the floor of the forest, quietly, but not exactly invisibly. That is, until he heard the noises. It sounded like fighting, with a loud, odd buzzing background,. He didn't know at the time, but it was Aunna training. It was close too.
He took a quiet and covered path, moving behind the bushes and ground foliage that he found in the forest. He was coming near to a clearing, and he could hear that whoever, or whatever, it was was just beyond the bushes. His curiosity took over, and he decided then to check out what's on the other side. His whole body contracted, and he slowly coiled up closer to the push, making his massive body as small and unnoticable as he possibly could.
There was a noise in the trees up above him and he quickly snapped his head over to look at what it was, his whole body on full caution. He could see, vaguely, a small form scambling up a tree limb not too far away, too close for comfort. It was reptiliian in form, but there was something else off about it. It had a silver sheen from what he had caught in his glimpse, it didn't move like a normal animal, it was fluid, yes, but more machine. 'A droid of some-sort?' He thought to himself, 'Peculiar, but possible.' He didn't know much about the technology of the verse, and most of his encounters with droids had been quite negative. However, he did know this much; where there were droids there were humanoids. And droids could also be dangerous. He'd killed several droids on Nar Shaddaa that had seen him; but he didn't consider a droid's life worth much, they were only machines to him, though he did recognize they had small bits of humanity and personality, oddly enough.
If he had to, this droid would have to be eliminated, but at this point, he was hoping to remain hidden, slowly scooching his coiled body closer to the bushes.
He pushed his head slowly and quietly through the thistles of the large bush in front of him, gently brushing against branches and leaves, pushing them aside with his head. A few scratches made him close his good eye half-way, but the scales on his head kept him from any pain beyond irritation. Slowly, he felt the wind on him, and saw that he was coming out the other-side of the bush. So far, he'd been quiet, but not silent. He hoped they hadn't seen him.
He could see a girl on the other-side. She was equipped for fighting and from the look of the clearing, he got the feeling that she had just been training. He was curious as to why, but even more curious as to what she was looking for. Both her and the droid were on full alert. Perhaps they knew something bad was happening? Could they have sensed his presence? Impossible. He had been sufficiently quiet and they couldn't have seen him as of yet! He didn't hold any fantasies that this humans sense of smell was that keen either. However, there was something else about her, something odd. She stopped moving and seemed to focus for a moment, as though concentrating.
And then he remembered the 'Force'! Of course, that must be it. He'd encountered it once before, in a kindly old Miraluka whom he'd saved from death; only to have them die later. In the times that he'd spent with the Miraluka he'd learned of strange things in universe; phenomonons known as the Force, where select few had interesting and impossible 'powers.' The closest thing that he could relate this to is Ss'g'd, the god of healing and cunning. There had been stories of the Slith gods at times lending Shaman great powers in times of crisis. He'd never seen it himself, but it seemed much like this force.
Except that those who wielded the force had no faith in his gods, and they tended to use it quite frequently. It was a mystery, a frustrating mystery, and a miracle. In some, he'd been told, it could be used to create fires and pains, telekinesis, other dangerous things. In others, it allowed them to sense things. Like the Miraluka himself, without eyes yet he could see better than anyone in the Galaxy. Perhaps they-
There was sharp pain his conscious for a moment, and Ss'ss'th reacted in a rather despondent manner, thinking himself under attack of some odd force power. His head drooped down and his eyes began to swish in either direction. Unfortunately, he cracked a twig when lowering his head in the bushes. In reality, it wasn't too awfully loud of a crack either. However, in his head, he might as well have lifted his tail and slammed it against a tree.
His heart fluttered, the woman didn't seem to have sent that pain into his head, maybe it wasn't the force? Either way, there was a good chance she'd find him now...her or that odd droid. He tightened his muscles, ready to spring out. So far, many people reacted quite negatively to seeing a giant snake...
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Mar 24, 2010 20:26:28 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Mar 24, 2010 20:26:28 GMT -5
--No--
Damn, she’d been afraid he’d say something like that.
She was painfully aware that his saber was at a less than lethal setting, something that may slow an attacker, but not dispatch them…certainly her spear was at her belt and she could switch them out but the time that would take left far too much of a dangerous opening…she would just have to hope that the sight of the glowing red weapon would be enough to deter any would be assailants until she could get to a safer position. They likely wouldn’t know it wasn’t able to kill them…not until it hit them anyway.
With another pace backward, she had been just about ready to shut off the saber and follow after him (better close by him than not, in her mind) when the loud snap of a twig close by in the bushes. That made all thoughts of following Vex vanish…she wasn’t about to turn her back to the sound just to follow after him. Blue eyes scanned the area in front of her, muscles tense, as she sought out that sound visually. This wasn’t helping…there were too many potential places for whoever…whatever…was hidi-
That was when she saw it…the golden orange face and head peering out of the bushes at her. For half a heartbeat she was still as stone.
By the nine hells, it’s real…
‘It’s real?’ What was real? From her perch up in the tree 13’s gaze shot around for whatever ‘real’ thing her partner might be talking about. Spotting the thick trail of displaced leaves, pine needles, and undergrowth along the forest floor she was most displeased to find that it led to a bush almost directly beneath her! By the Wizard’s beard! she cursed internally swiftly weighed her options. Assuming she was directly above her target, she had the perfect opportunity and position to strike, however, the dart would never make it though the thick mass of tangled branches that was the bush…for that fact, neither would she if she decided to attempt to attack the thing with her claws. The trail it left suggested it was quite large and would likely destroy her easily anyway, best not to go that route if possible. Aunna’s reaction, however, also suggested she could clearly see at least part of whatever it was, hence giving her the best view, and likely the best point of attack. Putting herself between whatever this creature was and Aunna would be the most logical means of attack for her small stature and particular abilities…so that was what she did.
In moments Aunna would have a red winged droid hovering before her, tail curled beneath her and taking swift aim at the snake-like creature in the bush. In a moment of instinct she wrapped one hand around the side of 13, catching hold of her.
Wait! Just wait 13…not yet…okay?
‘Not yet?’ Just what was this woman thinking?! Yes, shoot now while it was just as stunned as everyone else around here! What in the galaxy was she wanting to wait for? If that snake struck, with as massive as it was, everything would be over in less than a blink of one of those blue eyes of hers!
Stay alert 13, and stay with me, but let’s not provoke it…
You cannot be serious! With a creature, a snake, that large the odds of…
Koccic sulng. I said don’t provoke it. Be ready to act, but don’t attack…and never tell me the odds, 13, it isn’t wise.
Turning her eyes back to the snake, she let the droid go but didn’t lower the saber. Caution was best with this…keeping cool and not outright attacking would likely save everyone a lot of trouble here. She might not be able to avoid a counter attack from the creature if 13’s dart didn’t take effect and who knew how the saber would effect the thing on the practice setting…those scales looked awful thick and seemed like they could do just as much damage to a person as its fangs or thick muscles could. Only one thing she could think to do to try and defuse the situation…a snake that big had to be from some other planet, and with the feeling she’d gotten she could only guess that it was at least semi-sentient…there had to be some way to talk to it. Nevertheless, she took another cautious pace backward.
In another moment of instinct, or perhaps the force was guiding her, Aunna reached out to the snake mentally…not enough to actually brush against it’s mind, but enough to allow her intentions to be known…essentially, she was allowing it to absorb her feelings and base thoughts on the situation. She didn’t wish to harm it, and she didn’t wish to be harmed…if it backed down, so would she. They could go their separate directions and not fight. Immediately after, she had a strange thought…reaching out to Vex, she hoped he was listening.
--Vex…If you can’t see this thing yet, it’s the biggest snake I’ve ever laid eyes on. Swallow a person whole big…I dreamt about it a few nights ago, but I didn’t think something like this was real…do you think it’s sentient? Could we communicate with it? Perhaps we can get it to leave without anyone or anything being damaged.--
She really hoped that wasn’t going to just bounce off of his mental walls…with as clammed up as he seemed at the moment it wouldn’t have surprised her if it did. Almost without thinking she spoke.
You come from the desert, don’t you…that’s where I saw you in my dream…the desert…certainly not here. Just what are you? Where did you come from?
Aunna was, in reality, speaking more to herself than the snake who’s giant face gazed back at her tensely, or 13 who’s red wings shimmered and flickered in her alert and highly agitated state. For all she knew, even if the thing were fully sentient what were the chances it would understand her, or even be able to reply if it (by some wild chance) did understand?
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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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Mar 28, 2010 19:32:54 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Mar 28, 2010 19:32:54 GMT -5
He'd entered the forest and slowed considerably, making sure the Force was drawn tightly around him has he crept slowly through it along the perimeter. He was cautious, letting the Force help place his feet to minimize any sounds while he probed out, seeking the source of that consciousness he'd felt. He'd felt her start towards him and then stop. He was pleased that she had. While the woman was a quality fighter, he had his doubts about her ability to be stealthy...at least as stealthy as required. As much as he hated to admit it, Aunna worked better as the bait for this particular scenario. She, at least, wasn't defenseless this time.
Then his probes managed to connect with that consciousness again. He felt the mind recoiling against it, sensing some sort of attack, but it was all he needed. His own presence snaked tendrils of itself into that of the other, not trying to break in, but simply to give the Dark Jedi something to hone in on...following that metaphysical tether. The sound of the twig snapping in the general direct that his senses were pointing that presence toward further cemented that he was on the right track. He kept that saber in hand...unlit for the moment as he drew closer.
He paused when Aunna reached out for him. He had to keep himself still or else he would have yelled out at her for being so foolish. Always she was trying to reach her bleeding heart out to anyone or anything, regardless of whether or not that thing mught wind up killing her. A snake? Some giant snake was there and she wanted to have a conversation with it. She wanted to sit down at a pow wow and make friends with the thing. About the only good thing that came from her thoughts was the fact that it allowed him a better understanding of the alien way the creature seemed to think. That better understanding allowed him to burrow in deeper, trying to break in further. He'd let it know, now, that it wasn't alone there in that serpentine skull. Something, someone, else was there, knocking at the door. No...at this point, he may as well have been slamming his boot into it, seeking to make sure this thing wasn't going to be able to threaten Aunna.
By this point, he'd managed to keep walking, circling up behind the presence. From behind, given its stark contrast to the foliage around it and its size, it wasn't as hard to see. The thing was focusing on the apparent threats in front of it, after all. It wasn't cognizant of what was creeping up behind it. That changed as Vex let go of his control on the force and its concealment of him. He didn't just let go, he pushed out his presence, making it feel like a dark, oppressive weight slamming down around him...easily catching up that creature in it at the same time that he thumbed that violet saber to glowing life. Unlike Aunna's, this one was not on the training setting and it hummed threateningly from only a few feet away.
"For your sake, creature, you had best be able to understand me. If you so much as move in her direction, I will flay you from tail to fang while making sure it takes you a very long time to die."
He let his words reverberate through the Force on waves of telepathy when he spoke. If there was a langauge barrier, he circumvented it by pushing out that telepathic communications and coupling it with mental images of his intentions.
Never say Vex Praetor was not one for diplomacy.
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last online Jul 11, 2018 23:15:20 GMT -5
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Mar 29, 2010 3:18:28 GMT -5
Post by Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice* on Mar 29, 2010 3:18:28 GMT -5
Ss'ss'th coiled up defensively as she saw him, thinking the droid would see him soon as well and try some offensive maneuver, but then, instead of that, he saw it leap forward and flutter near Aunna, red wings aglow, a flying droid? How odd. It seemed to...Real to be a droid. But Ss'ss'th had little time to contemplate the reality of this strange little creature in front of him. They were hesitantly retreating. Ss'ss'th's own heart fluttered within him.
He didn't want to cause trouble. He'd only been curious of what the noise was. Now it seemed that he struck fear and antagonization. His instinct as a Slith told him to destroy, quickly and mercilessly. However, his compassion as an individual ceased those thoughts immediately. He was the intruder, he was at fault. He should leave now before things got too heated. And yet how could he, a secret part of him thought, there before him was not just another creature, but an opportunity. Who was she? What kind of personality did she have? She was scared, but perhaps he could coax some sort of trust out of her, a conversation at the least? A part of him bled desperately for the company of another sentient being, other than the short company of battle or the time it took for them to run away and return with a band of angry citizens or mercenaries or something just as bad...
You come from the desert, don’t you…that’s where I saw you in my dream…the desert…certainly not here. Just what are you? Where did you come from?
Ss'ss'th suddenly froze, an entirely new demeanor striking his mind and body, though other than the sudden tension of his muscles, his serpentine face could give away little to no emotion.
'She knows? What? How does she know where I come from? There's no way she could---Dream? She saw me in a dream? Could she do that? Even with her force? Even worse, does she know where my people come from?' Suddenly the stakes were high; very high. She might very well hold the secret of his people, a secret he did not take lightly. Enslavement or curiosity pieces was not something he would allow. No Slith would be put through that which he had gone through. Now Slith had a painful decision to make, trust this woman to try and ask about how much she knew, or kill her out-right to ensure the safety of his people.
The decision was obvious; he couldn't kill an innocent, it simply wasn't in him. He was all set to speak words of surrender and capitulation when...Something struck his mind hard and fast, probing in at him, and it didn't seem to be that woman. Her intentions were displayed clearly on her face; a weakness of humanoids.
And suddenly the presence was very strong, pulsing almost. Right behind him he became aware of someone or something. The strange buzz-whir sound of the lightsaber igniting and being held was evident, too close for comfort as well. He resisted the urge to do what was tactically right, lash his huge tail out for a killing, destructive sweep of everything behind him, and instead turned his whole neck and body backward in one quick motion, a very angry and defensive hiss coming from his throat.
"For your sake, creature, you had best be able to understand me. If you so much as move in her direction, I will flay you from tail to fang while making sure it takes you a very long time to die."
Ss'ss'th did not feel too threatened by this humanoid. Afterall, they were weak and delicate things when it came to it, easy to crush---and there were only two of them, and one of their little piece of scrap toys. Hardly the threat of one Slith opponent on Yavin XIII, and he'd killed many Slith, larger than himself. Of course, they did have those glowing weapons, superheat, as he'd been told, could cut through steel and, he had little doubt, quite possibly his scales. He knew they could deflect blaster shots well enough, but how was their defense against the lightsaber? He may probably be able to survive and win combat if he kept his head from slashing range...but...
Not a theory he wanted to test.
Ss'ss'th allowed his thoughts to flow into the English vocabulary, and felt the familiar vibrations of the voice box rumbling within him; he stared at Vex, tilting his head so that his good eye got a full view of the creature before him. What it was, he had no idea, but it spoke basic and though it looked rather fiersome for a humanoid, it had warned instead of attacked, which was a good sign.
"Perhaps you do not understand the brevity of this situation." Ss'ss'th's monotone voice came out, "My size is much greater than you can tell as I am coiled; my speed and strength are beyond your comprehensions. If I had come here with the intention of harm, there would be nobody left for your bravado and sneak attacks to benefit. Appreciate the fact that I have too much compassion to act out of pride or hatred. Please, disignite your weapons, I mean you no harm if you mean me none." He spoke quickly, unable to use any fluction in tone or voice to convey his words, every word needed to be taken as literal, and he wanted to finish the sentence before they tried to attack.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Mar 29, 2010 21:51:50 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Mar 29, 2010 21:51:50 GMT -5
The snake’s emotions twined about her easily, almost readily. With her still developing senses pushed outward to try and glean any kind of useful information about the creature, his emotions were horribly difficult to feel. Curiosity, anxiety, hope, sadness…no…loneliness? She blinked at the creature silently, weighing her options. With Vex wound tight and no doubt moving in, and with the creature’s real intents still unknown she couldn’t really trust her own senses to be correct…but her gut instincts typically didn’t lead her wrong. A small smirk formed on her face and she huffed in mild amusement. No doubt Vex would argue the point and bring up her facing him down on Selonia, or her saving him on Nar Shaddaa, or her asking him to help the jedi Ryn, or even her current relations with him. That smirk formed into a knowing little smile and she actually chuckled at the thought, shaking her head slightly as well. It had been that point she’d reached out to Vex and spoken to him…
Wonderful…he’d misinterpreted her words…she could all but feel it in the air, whether or not it came from him, she just knew he had. Only barely was she able to keep from rolling her eyes at him or saying anything else. It wouldn’t help anything, only serve to raise his ire and that would prove bad for both her and this other creature…especially the snake. He might not harm her, but he wouldn’t hesitate to harm pretty much anything else, and this creature was a threat. She didn’t know where Vex was yet, but he had to be close to the snake by now. 13, on the other hand, saw him quite easily…both of them. While she’d kept her tracker on the snake, those optics didn’t miss Vex’s cautious movements around behind the thing. Between the two of them the thing really had no chance. If it attacked Aunna it would find her there to send a dart into its eye or mouth, and that wasn’t to discount the dark jedi. The former Major, however, was busy with the feelings of fear and sudden indecision that radiated from the snake at her words. Emotionally she recoiled, knowing she’d unintentionally spoken wrongly. Something she’d said had bothered the snake, but it showed that it could understand her…there was no room for thinking otherwise now, and no room for mistakes.
As he let go and pressed out his signature, bringing that violet saber flaming into the world, Aunna gritted her teeth, watching and waiting to see what might happen. To her mild relief he didn’t go for the half expected “strike first, ask questions later” approach, but rather a threat. Well that was wonderful…everyone responded well to threats, didn’t they? “Obviously they do…look how the snake is reacting…perfectly calm and ready to try and rip him to shreds.” With a heavy sigh, she listened to the reply the monotone and mechanical voice of the snake gave in reply. Oh wonderful…just wonderful…more threats…and this time directed to the one person here you shouldn’t threaten. Despite the final words, she was fairly certain Vex had only heard the threat, and if he didn’t, then he might just attack out of principle.
Vex…I don’t want to test either of you against each other.
--Please, min larel, come by me. If it attacks it would be better for you to have both of your sabers and I'm better with my spear anyway. There’s no point in handicapping you. I honestly believe it doesn’t want to harm us anyway. Call me a bleeding heart if you like, but it’s alone out here, curious and seeking companionship. We may not be able to give it companionship but we can, at least, let it live if it really means us no harm like it says. If it does intend to harm us I'm sure you’ll find out sooner than I will. I can’t imagine you’re not already in its mind to some degree.--
Both of you, please just back away from each other. Snake…it isn’t wise to try to compare yourself to my companion. He’s stronger, faster, and more deadly than he looks, and while I’ve no doubt you are very capable of killing us, he is just as capable and very protective of me. He…has an odd way of going about things…but he’s only trying to make sure I stay safe, and while you may have the compassion to keep from acting out of pride or hatred…I'm afraid that, out of the three of us, I'm the one that has the lion’s share of compassion…and he’s the one in the position to strike.
She was trying to be reasonable. With Vex, when in doubt: appeal to reason…appealing to emotion never seemed to work out with him. It was reasonable that he would be slightly handicapped by only having one saber should the snake attack them. It was reasonable to think that he’d gained entry to the snake’s mind, and therefore reasonable to believe he would know the full scope of the snake’s intentions better than she would, and far sooner. It was also reasonable for Aunna to want him closer to her. While yes, he could, no doubt, attack the snake swiftly and easily both mentally and physically, if it decided to attack her it was likely it could reach her even with being stunned and injured, and she didn’t feel like being a snack for a snake. Appealing to the snake, however, might be a bit trickier. She’d had to appeal to both reason and be careful so as not to potentially offend or insult the thing, as well as fill it in on some of the method behind the madness that was Vex Praetor. She also was acutely aware of the fact that she had to mind where she tread as far as Vex’s pride were concerned…she couldn’t just go ‘assuming’ he would strike the snake down for the same reasons it implied he might.
13 had relatively little to say or do in the matter. If it had been her, she likely would have put the blade through the snake first. It was a potential threat, yes? She didn’t understand why her partner was so adamant about letting the thing live. Her confusion shown plainly in the green and brown mottled coloring of her wings, still edged with a bright and dangerous red. Instead of interjecting herself, she decided that it was likely best to just stay silent and watch for a cue as to what, exactly, was going to happen.
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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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Apr 4, 2010 20:58:06 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Apr 4, 2010 20:58:06 GMT -5
Vex was already smiling when the first words came out of the creature's mouth. He didn't need the words to know what the creature was trying to say. It had shifted to thinking in Basic. Clearly whatever it was using to speak with was not a natural part of its anatomy. In that he could relate. Fortunately, switching to that method of thought made it easier for him to insinuate himself amongst its consciousness...making the patterns easier to follow. It was a Rosetta Stone for this odd creature's mind, if you will. He knew what it was going to say before it could finish saying it. That, of course, meant that the smile that was on his lips was anything but pleasant. Indeed, it was wolfish and lacked mirth. It was fortunate the expression was largely hidden by the rebreather mask over his mouth and nose.
Riding the current of the creature's thoughts, he spoke to it through the mind, letting that telepathy echo softly in the creature's head. -You are too arrogant, Reptile. I understand more about your capabilities than you think...because what you think, I can know. You, on the other hand, assume disparity of size equates superiority. The only reason you are not regretting that assumption is due to the female's wish that you not be harmed. You may be fast...but I will wager I am faster. Even you cannot act quicker than thought...and that is all I will need in order to incapacitate you and then kill you at my leisure. The fact that you do not come seeking to harm is the only reason I warned instead of striking first. Unlike you...I have no compassion...and I will gladly strike out of pride and hatred.-
He kept half an ear and his consciousness on Aunna’s words and her thoughts. Smart girl, that one: appealing to his reason instead of trying for some bleeding heart tactic. It was more likely to work than anything else. While she did have some point to her words, the quickest solution would be to simply kill this creature and end the threat then and there. It couldn’t attack her if it was no longer on the living plane and permanently made one with the Force. That…unfortunately, wasn’t in the cards, it seemed. There were times he wondered what happened to the woman that had faced off against him. What had happened to the woman that had given him no quarter when they fought…had gone toe to toe with him in word and deed. Now she seemed much more sympathetic for…everything… it made his life much more difficult.
Reaching out to her with his consciousness, he became aware of something else. There was a danger…a violent intent nearby. He turned those black eyes back toward the snake…but it wasn’t emanating from him. Much as he may wish to kill the creature…if for no other reason than its pompous assumption that he would be an easy opponent…he wasn’t the priority now.
Focused on the apparent threat, he wasn’t paying attention to the rest of the forest around him. When he’d loosed his presence in the Force like that, most sane creatures tended to run away and get as far from it as possible. That was the intelligent thing to do. That was called a “survival instinct”. Several creatures, however, did not heed that warning. That push of presence in the Force was felt and taken as a challenge on an instinctual level, drawing four creatures toward the source. Now that Vex was paying attention again, it became apparent to him that these creatures had closed in and were now almost on top of them. In fact…one was almost behind him. That one wasn’t his concern, however…as the other three were coming: two from the side and one from behind, toward Aunna.
The snake wanted to see how fast Vex could move…he would now. He was there…and then he was moving. The snake was relegated to a threat level somewhere below the annoying little droid. He could deal with the combat arachnid that came out of the trees, lunging down on the spot where Vex had been and getting momentarily confused by the lack of prey. It wouldn’t last long, twelve faceted eyes focusing on the large serpent that was before it. The crystalline, spiked arachnid let out a screech before rushing forward to attack the new prey.
Vex moved at an angle from the snake, leaving it to its own devices to kill or be killed. Once around the other side of a tree and into the clearing, he shot forward toward Aunna like a bold of dark, twisted lightning. Even as he reached her, the other three creatures were breaking free from the underbrush and trees. Reaching out, he’d attempt to wrench the saber from her and reset it…giving it back all of its lethality. The Dark Jedi positioned himself to best put himself between Aunna and the three other creatures. That left the snake guarding her back, so to speak…but he figured the other spider would at least take some time enough to kill the serpent and feed.
“Get to the ship, Aunna. Close the hatch and warm up the systems. Get the defensive systems online.” He put a mental compulsion behind the commands. It might work…it might not. He didn’t have time to batter down her mental defenses fully, not now that he’d been helping her make them stronger. Besides...she rarely listened to him at the best of times.
The three creatures…slightly longer than a speeder bike and about half the width of a speeder, began crawling toward them, letting out another echoing cry at the sight of food. Vex would grit his teeth, both sabers humming now as he threw himself forward to intercept them.
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last online Jul 11, 2018 23:15:20 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 10, 2010 14:56:12 GMT -5
Post by Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice* on Apr 10, 2010 14:56:12 GMT -5
Ss'ss'th listened to Vex's words without contempt. He took the insults in stride, practically blinking them off and returning them with only cold, hard understanding. What Vex said made sense in a way. Vex was a creature who was of this strange and mystical Force, this Ss'ss'th already knew, and he knew it woudl be a frustrating thing to him. However an advantage that gave Vex, Ss'ss'th was confident, if arrogant, in his abilities that he would overcome Vex, his lightswords and his cerebral penetration.
In a matter of seconds, however, it all became a moot-point. Ss'ss'th's survival instincts kicked in not too long after Vex's force. He heard more than saw the Spider's approach yhtough the forest. He hadn't thought any wild creature would be dumb enough, but when he saw in the top of his vision, the vague from of a large, spiny limb poking around one tree, and movement in the foliage, he knew for sure that creatures had come to attack the obvious source of Force power. Ss'ss'th was just about to cry out a warning when Vex whipped back with incredible speed, just as the spider flashed forward, leaping on the spot where its prewy had been. And then Vex was gone, disappearing into the foliage. Ss'ss'th saw him for a few more seconds, moving around the spider, but he allowed his eyes to ignore that. Let Vex get to Aunna, he figured that's what he was doing, and Ss'ss'th would deal with this.
The spider turned. It was large and it had twelve limbs, with a gaping maw at the front full of razor sharp fangs, and spiky, crystal ridges all along its back, legs, and face. Even the belly was well protected. With all of the crystal ridges, that meant that Ss'ss'th wouldn't be able to constrict the body of the spider, posing him with a challenge. His eyes closely studied the spider for only a few moments longer. The legs. They had spines as well, but not as much, not as deadly. He could try destroying this spider's legs.
The thing screeched at him, a feral noise that grated at Ss'ss'th's noise. Then it barrled forward at Ss'ss'th, legs scrambling, maw wide open, teeth nearly glittering in the light. Ss'ss'th didn't move until the last second, when the creature was only a few feet away and it leaped forward. In the moment Ss'ss'th uncoiled and raced forward just as fast as the spider approached, his massive body straining every muscle and expanding from its coild, showing his true body mass and length. The spider passed over Ss'ss'th as he passed underneath it, and he sent the bottom of his tail into a slight, upward swipe, the back of it curling around on of the spider's spindly, spiked legs.
It wrapped tightly around it, feeling as though a human would squeezing onto a prickly weed with their bare-hands, the spikies pressing against his scaled protection, and some of them pushing passed, causing prickling wounds that weren't too serious. Small spikes weren't too much of a threat. The spider, however, was in a much more precarious position as Ss'ss'th yanked forward, stopping its momentum so hard that it almost broke the leg it was holding, then tearing the spider out of the air and hitting it against the ground. Ss'ss'th continued forward still, his whole front half long ago passing forward the spider. And now he dragged the spider a good ten meters away from the other two, leaving pushes split apart from the massive serpent and the dragging arachnid body.
Behind him, Ss'ss'th heard the arachnid scrambling and hissing. He turned to see that it was getting up, its other twelve feet propelling it toward Ss'ss'th's tail, and then it was dipping in toward him, it teeth separating and stabbing into Ss'ss'th's tail, the top half of its jaws closing on the top of Ss'ss'th's body, the teeth grinding to a halt on scales, some penetrating the surface of the scales, causing him to bleed. The bottom half of the jaw managed to stretch beneath Ss'ss'th's body, and it bit into softer underflesh. The razor sharp teeth imbedded themselves deep within Ss'ss'th, drawing a pained and furious hissing noise.
Immediately Ss'ss'th began thrashing wildly, holding onto it by the leg and wildly tossing his tail back and forth to either side. At first the arachnid held its grip on Ss'ss'th's tail, but then it lossened and lost, ripping out flesh and drawing a small pool of blood. Ss'ss'th lifted his tail, and the spider flipped upside down on its back, then was held upside down, suspended in the air by its leg. And like a club Ss'ss'th swung his tail to the left, pounding the arachnid against a tree.
The spiked carapice shattered in several placed, destroying bark on contact. The arachnid wailed in pain, then was sent into another tree in one swift motion as Ss'ss'th changed direction, slamming him again and again between two trees, until finally, the spider's leg couldn't take it anymore and the limb snapped off at the joint, ripping out in a spray of sticky green blood, and the spider flew off into the ground, tumbling for a moment.
Ss'ss'th turned around, wounded just as harshly as his spider-friend. The spider was dazed, however, and though it was already stumbling upward and turning to face Ss'ss'th, he wouldn't be given it much of a chance.
It turned to face Ss'ss'th just as he adjusted distance, height, range, coil, and then snapped forward, Jaws spread open, great fangs burrowing in on the spider's unprotected face, the two fangs ripping straight into a cluster of four eyes on the left side, and burrowing into a cluster of two eyes on the right fang. The spider screeched as venom poured into its face and veins. For a creature this large, it was intoxicating. For a smaller creature, it was lethal.
However, Ss'ss'th didn't let go. He thrashed his head to the side several times until finally a chunk of the spider's face ripped right off, sending it flying away. It still wasn't dead. But it was entirely intoxicated, feeling numbness, nausea, and disorientation, as well as now being incredibly mauled. It was no longer a threat in this fight, and would be lucky if it could stumble home. Ss'ss'th turned his atttention to the others, returning to the bush he'd been at earlier to survey how well they fared...
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Apr 10, 2010 18:01:26 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Apr 10, 2010 18:01:26 GMT -5
((Deceit....we have a damsel in distress for your Ss'ss'th to come and save....))
The slight narrowing of his eyes from that smile had Aunna even less pleased with the situation. With half an ‘ear’ to the feelings she got from the force, she shifted slightly…almost uncomfortably. No doubt it was the tension between Vex and this serpent from her dreams that was making her fidgety, but that feeling just nagged at her. 13 swiveled her head around to look at her partner quizzically as the woman shifted tensely behind her. Aunna felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck begin to prickle uneasily and her attention flickered from the two before her to the forest around them, her eyes moving swiftly along the edges of the clearing, her breaths small through tensed muscles as she attempted to figure out just what the source of this feeling was. Obviously there was danger near by…she knew the feeling from her years in the military, but WHAT was causing it?
13…scan for other life forms around the clearing. Something’s wrong here, but…
Her voice was calm enough, and quiet so only the droid hovering before her would hear. While only slightly confused, the draconic little droid shifted her head around to take in the clearing, long range scanners flickering to life as she did. Sure enough…she detected movement in the forest in several directions, but she couldn’t yet make out just what was causing the disruptions. Aunna, on the other hand, had felt Vex reach back toward her (perhaps to reply to her words) when his attention tensed and diverted. That had her focusing more on gnawing urge to defend or flee the area. Why hadn’t he felt it before? Had he felt it and just decide the snake was the larger threat until now? She didn’t bother wasting time in pondering the whys and wherefores of Vex’s senses, instead thumbing the activation switch. By the time Vex would appear there beside her, he’d find her all but shoving his saber at him, the blade off so as not to injure either of them in the process.
The familiar shape of her collapsed spear met her hand even as the three other spiders lept out of the brush. Immediately she recoiled, something between habit and instinct getting her to trigger the extension of that spear without so much as a thought. Spiders…why did it have to be spiders? For once she wondered if it couldn’t have been a rancor instead. Steeling herself, she glowered at the spiny things as he moved between her and them…or most of them.
“Get to the ship, Aunna. Close the hatch and warm up the systems. Get the defensive systems online.”
That compulsion prickled at, and partially seeped through, her growing defenses. The not so subtle urging from him was felt and acknowledged for what it was, but that didn’t mean it held sway over her mind. Luckily for Vex, however, she agreed with him that she would be better off with the ship. Its weapons would be far more useful against these creatures, and it would keep her out of the way of both Vex and the snake. For once Aunna was actually going to listen to Vex. Surprising, certainly, given her track record…but don’t die of shock just yet. Nodding once, she gave him a short “right” of acknowledgement before calling the droid’s attention and started for the Consul. While Vex may have put himself between Aunna and the three approaching arachnids, the size and build of them would certainly make them difficult adversaries even for the dark jedi all at once. Luckily for him, only two of the three attacked him, coming at the man from the front and left sides as the third crouched down and lept over the fray.
The spiny creature landed in a mass of legs, body and eyes nearly between Aunna and the ship. Its sudden appearance had the woman stopping short so as not to accidentally run directly into the thing, and it was good she had reacted that way. It had swiftly scuttled to the very space she had been about to run through, gnashing dagger sharp teeth at her, its fifteen beetle black eyes glistening at her creepily. Ranked just below the dark jedi they’d fought on Nar Shaddaa and being captured by the Republic again, this spider was one of the most frightening things she’d faced…at least…to her it was. With a growl, she attempted to shrug off the sharp screeches of the creatures attacking the three and hold her ground as it threatened to pounce on her and make her today’s lunch. 13 was already on the move, shooting up into the sky before hurtling back down, sharp little talons poised to strike. Her initial dart had nearly stuck into the large cluster of eyes, but by the time it reached the beast, its head had moved and the dart bounced uselessly off the carapace of the thing. If she attacked, however, she could change directions to hit her intended target.
Viciously it snapped again and swung one of those spined legs at her, falling through the air where the woman used to be. She’d ducked below the motion, her spear settling between two of its spines to help guide the leg past her as she moved away. Even as she moved away from the initial strike, Aunna knew she was in no better a position than she had been before. With five other legs on this side alone (not counting the one she’d just avoided) there was any amount of possible strikes the creature could perform against her. Letting go of her initial fear of the creature as well as the daunting build of it, she danced away from that first leg striking out at her again as the combat arachnid whipped around to face her once more. A swift jab at the face of the creature had it rearing back slightly just as 13’s blurred form collided with the cluster of eyes like a strange cross between a cat with its back arched, claws out, and an eagle stooping down on its prey. The effect was another shrill screech from the wounded spider as the little droid powered up into the sky again, taking four of those bulbous eyes with her.
Eyes narrowed at the sharp cry of the creature, but Aunna took the opportunity to wedge her spear between some of the spikes on the throat of the partially blinded thing. The head of the spear had already started crackling with the energy created by the mini electro-generator that had been installed in it by her brother, and pulsed upward along the insulated polearm. The miniature arcs of blue lightning that seemed to jump between the spines of the creature where the spear had touched sent the spider leaping backward with a hiss and swinging at her with both front-most legs to batter her away. As it had moved, she’d managed to dislodge her spear without damage to it (or herself) and had already been moving already, the unsettling feeling wrapping around her mind bringing that spear up defensively. Each flowing turn of that weapon knocked back the next sweep of those legs moments before it would have collided with her. The feathers of that auburn hair flared out as she spun away with the last defensive turn of her spear and just out of range of the two sharp ends of those legs that came stabbing down on where she’d been moments before. Pulling its legs from the ground, the speeder-sized spider lept forward she was forced to roll to the side, barely missing its body crashing down upon the spot she’d been. She was up again in moments, the crashing in the forest from the snake and his spider only barely heard past the hissing and screeching of the ones closer to her.
Having rid herself of the eyes she’d torn from the beast, 13 had looped herself around for another pass on the spider just as it lept forward. Barely able to shift directions in time to keep from getting impaled by its spines in the process, the little droid attached herself to the side of the ship only moments before the spider pulled itself up and whipped around again. Right about now, she was wishing she had 10’s flamethrower or 14’s thermal drill…yes, the thermal drill would have been handy. Since she was equipped with neither, however, 13 pushed off from the side of the Consul with a heavy thrust from her legs and repulsors and shot toward the arachnid, to claw at some of the less spiny areas of its head before darting off again, zipping around its face to draw its attention away from Aunna as she recovered her feet.
It didn’t take long for the former Major to do, coming out of the roll on her knees and hopping up. Vex was still busy with the two attacking him and hells only knew where the snake had gone off to…so it seemed she was on her own with this one. While 13 distracted the beast she whipped around her spear and pulled back, her body braced and tensed to throw the weapon as one would a javelin. Done hard enough, she knew it would kill the creature…all she had to do was manage to get the spear into the black bundle of eyes. For a moment time seemed to still around her, slowing, the sounds of the world dimming around her until all she could hear was her breath and the subtle whispers of something else entirely. Those blue eyes widened and the moment fell away as she moved to block a blow that didn’t seem to be in the making…until it happened half a heartbeat later.
The spider had caught her actions through some of those bulbous eyes and focused its attention back on her instead of the annoying little droid that kept threatening its vision. As she’d readied herself in a blur of motion, it had coiled up and sprung forward. She’d barely blocked in time to keep its teeth from closing down on her as it knocked her backward toward one of the landing struts. Stumbling a bit, Aunna managed to keep her footing, bracing herself and pressing the pole of her spear forward with a grunt as the arachnid pushed her backward, teeth chomping at her, until she was nearly up against the ship’s support. 13 swooped in again to try and buy the woman time but one of those long legs flicked out, the spider finally getting wise to the droid’s actions and keeping it at bay as it focused on trying to consume its lunch.
A…little help here might…be good if you….could spare a moment!
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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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Apr 16, 2010 22:04:06 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Apr 16, 2010 22:04:06 GMT -5
The Force sang in his blood as he pulled it to him, pushing himself to move faster. Just as he committed himself to the charge, the one leapt, clearing over him. Were that he could use the Force like those of his contemporaries. If so, he could have intercepted that maneuver and dispatched it via its underbelly. Unfortunately, however, he could not...and changing his trajectory now would be a tactical error. The time, short as it might be, that he would need to stop and shift his momentum back to help her would leave him too close and too vulnerable to the other two creatures. Even if he avoided them, he'd simply be bringing them towards her and exacerbating her vulnerability. Aunna was not incapable of defending herself...he simply had to trust that she could keep herself safe until the time that he could move in to assist her.
So he kept himself committed, twisting on his. heel as he planted a foot and shifted his momentum thirty degrees to the left, bringing himself alongside one of the spiders that had lunged to intercept him...wicked teeth snapping through the space where he should have been. Crimson and violet thrummed about in a circle as he pivoted, the blades slowing only minutely as they cut through one and a half of the creatures limbs. That caused it to squeal with that wicked sound, the audible cry echoing with pain as it scuttled back and away from any follow-on attacks. He moved in to follow up…to continue to press the creature and dispatch it, but he was forced to duck and roll to the side, away from a second set of jaws as the other combat spider came in from his flank and attempted to maul him. Those sabers flickered and arced even as he rolled away, but the creature managed to pull its head back just in time and avoid the attack. That brought him back to his feet and he was forced to flip those sabers around before him, warding off attempted lunging bites and jabs from the creatures legs. Certainly, one was missing almost two hold appendages, but it still moved quickly regardless.
Violet and blood flickered and twirled around him as he used them like walls to ward off the attacks. The creatures had certainly seen what they’d been able to do and they avoided them like a plague. As quick as he was, he was hard-pressed with both creatures boxing him in and keeping up the attack. They were fast enough he hadn’t been able to catch either of them with the sweep of his blades. Every time he got close, the other creature would come in, forcing him to abort the attack and avoid it. They worked surprisingly well as a pair, keeping him boxed in. Once again, if he had the mastery to leap like some…or use telekinesis to open up space, the battle would have been much simpler, but he could not…which gave them the momentary advantage.
While he was in that deadly dance with them, they managed to twist the positions around so that they were now between him and the conflict going on between Aunna, the droid, and the other spider. He heard the thrashing, pained cries, and other evidence of combat in the woods, but the cold-blooded interloper was hardly a priority concern for Vex. If the creature managed to get itself eaten, it was no problem for him. His concern was simply getting back to Aunna…especially once he saw her going on the defensive and start getting pushed back by the attack of the creature as it tried to devour her. That sight and the distress coming from her had him hesitating for a split second, his attention focused forward on her instead of the battle at hand.
He was lucky it was just a spiked appendage slamming into his shoulder.
It knocked him down, tearing into the tunic as well both on entry and on removal as it pulled back. The pain coursed through him as skin and cloth tore, but he forced himself to roll away from the definitive threat and come back up on the defensive. His rage was nearing its peak as he saw her getting backed up and pinned to the strut. He swung his arm, flicking his saber at the closest creature. As expected, it dodged the dangerous projectile. It seemed like a bad move except that creature (the one with close to two less legs) was, for a moment, unable to attack him. That freed up his hand and allowed him to channel the Force in a way he hadn’t since Nar Shaddaa. Ozone grew ripe with its scent around him as he called forth destructive power, Force lightning crackling out and slamming into the still-landing creature. This time its squeal was one of agony. His other hand kept his violet saber, keeping the other from coming in close as its compatriot cooked.
At this, it simply lunged, attempting to go in for the kill despite its position. Vex brought up his blade to bare, both hands now holding the saber. Superheated light had no trouble cutting through that belly carapace, but he found himself still knocked back by the inertia of the creature. . Even as the saber allowed him to punch a hole through the creature…but as cool as that might be, it wasn’t what he’d intended. Now he was pinned by the weight of the dead creature. Half out but lacking an arm, with a weapon, he could only begin attempting to cut himself loose. It wasn’t hard, but it was time he didn’t have right now. Time Aunna didn’t have. He already heard the sound of her attacker go from pained to hungry in a flash. He struggled, attempting to cut more of himself free from this mock imprisonment….but it was much harder than expected. Meanwhile, she was still in danger while that creature bore down and he couldn’t help.
"Aunna!"
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Apr 17, 2010 21:05:40 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Apr 17, 2010 21:05:40 GMT -5
That moment of hesitation on Vex’s part followed by the spined leg that slammed into his shoulder, digging into his skin, proved to be the exact catalyst Aunna needed…unfortunately it seemed to be a growing trend. Like on Nar Shaddaa (and again on Coruscant) Vex’s pain, and the danger of the situation as a whole, had caused her to reach just a bit further, delve just a bit deeper, push just a bit harder. She was NOT going to let this thing get the better of her and she was NOT going to be what caused him to be further injured because he was worried over her safety. Yes, she’d felt his attention hone in on her, but she hadn’t had the time to do or say anything to get his attention back to where it should have been…she’d had her own problems. As those jaws threatened to close over her spear and her arm once again, the familiar feel of music twining around her mind caught her attention. Welcoming it and wrapping herself in it as best she could she pulled both arm and spear toward herself in a blur of motion and kicked out as those teeth closed on empty air. Her boot connected with that glinting row of closed teeth, knocking the head back with a sharp jerk and dazing the thing slightly with the extra strength the force put behind the action…minor though it was.
13! Get his other saber!
No sooner had she spoken than the droid shifted direction and hurtled toward the discarded saber. Unfortunately, that also gave the arachnid time to regain its wits and start for her again with a hungry cry that made her wince painfully. Glaring back at it defiantly, Aunna brought that spear to bear again in both hands, ready to punch through those eyes…before one thick front leg launched out and slammed against the spear. Her grip loosened with the blow and she nearly lost her grip on the weapon. Another, similar, strike from the spider and it did…her spear flying back away from her and (unbeknownst to Aunna) toward the giant snake, landing in the grass with a dull thump.
“Aunna!”
…Vex…
Despite her new, weaponless, position Aunna was (rather surprisingly) not as afraid as one might expect. Sapphire eyes flashed and glinted as, rather than fear, Aunna felt an uprising of determination. Turning back toward the arachnid after the jarring motion of having her spear knocked away, the woman seemed to pause for one, breathless, moment as those dangerous jaws opened once more to try and end her…
--In the dark, I can feel you in my sleep In your arms I feel you breathe into me--
It started as a flicker of blue as those words grew clearer in her mind and the world around her slowed and seemed to almost shift before her eyes to something…more…than just the physical. Images flicked swiftly through her mind, emotions, thoughts, a whirl of consciousness in which she ensconced herself and took comfort in…
--Forever hold this heart that I will give to you Forever I will live for you!--
That flicker swiftly solidified as his voice echoed through her mind as well…
She’d been through too much… Survived too much… Come too far…
It wouldn’t end like this...
…She had too much to live for.
I'm awake! I'm alive! Now I know what I believe inside Now it's my time I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life!
Silently she spoke those words, allowing that blue barrier created by the force to solidify further and expand to shield her as the Arachnid slammed against it. The drain she felt was instantaneous…and heavy…causing the barrier to flicker and dim even as the spider rebounded slightly. Speaking those words was helping, connecting her further, but it was luck…following the urges of the force and letting it guide her…she couldn’t control the barrier she was using and she didn’t know if it could take another hit like that…Aunna knew she had to get away from where she was, or else...
Taking the opportunity, Aunna moved to get around the landing strut and hopefully have a clear way out and back to her spear…
It wasn’t that far…
13, in the meantime, had been forced to claw under the smoking and fallen corpse of the spider that Vex had charred with that lightning, its carapace having acted as an oven…cooking the thing until it died. Unfortunately the giant spider had fallen with one heavy leg pinning the weapon she sought to retrieve to the ground and she was having difficulty getting the saber from under it swiftly enough. Her head lifted and swiveled to look over her shoulder and back to the struggle between her partner and that last spider. It wasn’t going well. It took half a second to target the thing again with the Stinger Program and another half a second to fire the dart….as expected the dart simply lodged itself uselessly into the carapace, but she’d had to try. 13’s wings flicked agitatedly, turning a deep red, mixed with veins of fiery orange as she churned up the ground around the saber hilt with her claws to dislodge it.
Here, right now! I'll stand my ground and never back down I know what I believe inside I'm awake and I'm alive!
No sooner had Aunna gotten around the Consul’s strut than the Arachnid slammed down on her again, that force barrier flickering dangerously and vanishing even as the spider bounced back slightly once more. The blow left her feeling weak and like she’d just run a marathon then decided to attempt to lift a speeder. The idea wasn’t much of a stretch considering the size of the arachnid that had just come crashing down on that barrier. Panting heavily from the drain on her energy, Aunna pushed through the fatigue and turned to run…praying 13 would get that saber to either Vex or herself in time…
…Her spear was looking a hell of a lot farther away than it had at first and the arachnid would be after her again at any moment…
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last online Jul 11, 2018 23:15:20 GMT -5
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Apr 20, 2010 0:54:24 GMT -5
Post by Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice* on Apr 20, 2010 0:54:24 GMT -5
The spear landed with a heavy thud right next to Ss'ss'th. His head snapped to regard it, checking its features to find its use. Ahead of him was a flurry of movement, the Spider leaped, Aunna was done for. Ss'ss'th almost exploded into motion then, but suddenly the Combat Arachnid...Stopped? No, he was blocked. Some sort of force shield. The next thing he knew, Aunna had slipped away, 'get in the ship already...' Ss'ss'th thought to himself.
But her compassion for this Vex character won over, and she headed toward her spear. The Combat Arachnid turned to follow. She was going to get herself killed. Ss'ss'th ignored the pain in his tail, ignored his own gore trail he'd left after escaping the first Arachnid. His wounded tail slipped forward and grasped the spear, wrapping neatly around it. The thing was a little smaller than the spears that he used on his home planet.
The metal shaft of the spear grated only slightly against the reptillian scales, causing Ss'ss'th to wince in great pain as he delicately lifted the spear, admiring the metallic sheen and craftsmanship for only a few moments. It was much, much more sophisticated than anything on Yavin XIII. If there was one thing these humanoids had over the Slith, it was their intelligence and knowledge of the properties.
Ahead of him the Arachnid was gaining speed on Aunna. Ss'ss'th came out of hiding then, his massive body shooting out like a curving, wiggling arrow. He stopped just in front of Aunna. Behind him he moved his tail to ready the spear. He moved his body to the side and then forward, doing his best to block Aunna from the Combat Arachnid just as it screeched and leaped forward for a brutal kill, its rows of sharp teeth ready to tear her to ribbons.
Ss'ss'th rammed his own body into the Arachnid and there was a massive tangle of great bodies, Ss'ss'th's sharp scales and fangs ripping into the Arachnid, and the Arachnid's heavy carapace slamming hard and destroying scales on Ss'ss'th's body. Blood actually splattered outward from both combatants, and a viscious tangle ensued, with the arachnid kicking and squirming its carapace into Ss'ss'th and trying to bite, while Ss'ss'th wrapped his body around the carapace and quickly realized that was a mistake.
His tail lashed out, and the end of the spear artfully rushed up against a leg, its tip slamming into the leg at the joint. There was a split and awful cracking noise, followed by a spew of sticky green blood and screech as the leg of the spider hung limply. The next thing Ss'ss'th knew he was somehow undulating his powerful muscles into a body-slam, knocking the furious creature aside and onto its back. Quick like a whip, Ss'ss'th recoiled, moved his body, and readied himself. The combat Arachnid flipped over and rose with fury.
Before it could to anything, Ss'ss'th was ramming his tail forward and jamming the spear straight and hard with a fury of his own into the Combat Arachnid's screaming face, piercing into eyes and digging deep, deep within the body, so that only a small part of the shaft was visible, which Ss'ss'th clung onto. He ripped it out, purposefully awkward, taking a chunk of Arachnid face and the rest of its eyes. It was already dead.
Ss'ss'th lay the spear on the ground, and turned to examine his own body. Torn. There were breached scales all over the place, like broken tiles on a ceramic floor. Blood and pain oozed from these wounds, but Ss'ss'th knew he'd survive and heal. He'd experienced worse at the hands of his fellow Slith. The most important thing was to make sure Aunna and Vex were Okay, so he slid his form toward Aunna, "Are you Okay?" He asked, turning toward where he'd intercepted for her.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Apr 20, 2010 17:17:41 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Apr 20, 2010 17:17:41 GMT -5
Yes…she very much wanted to get into the ship, the snake would have NO idea just how much she wanted to be in the Consul at that moment, but there was one very BIG problem with that…
…it had twelve legs, very sharp teeth, and (now) eleven eyes…and just happened to be between her and the landing ramp still.
Certainly she could have attempted to run past it, but with as exhausted as she was feeling at this moment in time, it was unlikely she would make it without the creature snatching her up in the process…especially without a weapon to fend it off with. At least if she were armed she stood a chance, could push past the exhaustion and make it into the ship…that was the idea anyway. That was why she’d headed for her spear first…no delusions of saving or helping Vex, no delusions of killing the creature herself…it was simple self-preservation. At this point in time it was the best way she could help her dark angel…keep herself alive. Without a second glance to the spider that she knew was there, the woman had gone for her weapon and prayed the extra room would help her instead of harm her…either way it was too late to change the decision now. The arachnid had gotten around the strut and was after her like a demon from hell.
-I frelling hate spiders!-
That thought was swiftly followed by a thought similar to “ohshipe…BIG Snake” as Ss’ss’th appeared before her with his tail wrapped about her spear. Not another thought was given as she lept over the thick body of the slith as he moved to protect her, and hit the ground with a roll on the other side of him only moments before the arachnid had lept forward. 13 finally managed to pull the saber from beneath the leg of the cooked arachnid and in a flash of silver was over to Aunna again with it as she struggled up again, the tangle of python and spider near by having the woman up in moments and catching the unlit saber as the little droid dropped it into her hand. It was time to move again…staying anywhere near that fight would just end up worse for all parties, and the pain radiating out from the snake had her wincing internally, knowing it was being further injured.
Silently cursing her obvious inability to defend herself, the woman headed for Vex to help cut him out from under the corpse that had him pinned down. At least then she might be of SOME use…maybe. It seemed like he was doing well enough at getting himself unstuck…but the thing was large and thick and the arm that had his weapon was obviously the one pinned. Panting, she would appear there beside him and start cutting him free as well, careful not to injure him further in the process. When she reached a point where she felt she couldn’t do more without possibly causing him more damage with the crimson blade she held, she handed it over to him so that he could free himself the rest of the way. No sooner had she turned his second blade over to him than the final sounds of fighting died away. The woman slowly sank down to the ground and attempted to keep herself from staring off into nothingness or outright passing out. Aunna certainly felt tired enough to do the latter. As Vex finally got himself free, she looked over at him and offered a weak smile before wrapping her arms around him and pressing her face into his neck lightly, careful of his injured shoulder.
Vex…
“Are you okay?”
The toneless and mechanical voice had her looking up again and letting go of the dark jedi against her own desires to keep him close to her right now. She nodded slightly and looked up at the golden colored snake through dulled grey-blue eyes.
Yes, I'm okay…thank you. I…I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn’t been there. You were hurt because of me, to save me…I'm sorry…very thankful, but sorry that you had to go through that.
13 had remained on alert, watching the end of the battle between the slith and arachnid tensely and prepared to help in any way she could…not that she could. It had come as a rather nasty blow to her that she had been incapable of helping her partner more against her enemy. Her stinger system hadn’t been enough…hadn’t been strong enough…or perhaps she hadn’t been fast enough? Obviously she hadn’t been fast enough…if she’d been able to get the lightsaber to Aunna sooner perhaps she would have fared better? Even now she was of little use in cutting Vex out from under the arachnid he was pinned beneath. Certainly she’d been tested as capable against humanoids and creatures without armored skins, but armor was a bane to her…the darts she had just didn’t cut it against armor. There HAD to be a solution!
Watching Aunna sink to the ground, the little REA dropped down in front of her and settled back on her hind legs, front claws (still covered in dirt and muck from digging the saber out) clasped in front of her chest, wings a mixture of blue and grey. She was swiftly searching for something to say, a way to apologize for her failure and to reassure Aunna that she would be searching out a way to amend the problem so she could be of better use in the future when the woman had wrapped herself around Vex. Well…that negated the possibility of her saying anything at the current moment. Shifting, she lowered herself to all fours again and turned to look at the approaching snake with a tilted head. Once he stopped, she was forced to sit up on her haunches again to be able to look up and see him properly…he was quite tall right now, after all, his head and part of his body up off the ground to better look the two humans in the eye.
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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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Apr 24, 2010 22:12:12 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Apr 24, 2010 22:12:12 GMT -5
When he'd been a young padawan, the former Enery Winsliyn had been frustrated by his inability to do anything but the most basic actions with telekinesis. That weakness had always been a sore spot for him in his youth, when he'd strove to be the best that he could be. He'd come to realize just how much of a windfall being brought into the Order had been and he'd wanted to give back to it. Being laughably weak in one of the core talents of a Jedi despite many hours, days, and years training in it had been an early blow.
He'd learned to circumvent that weakness...to know it was there, but not keep him from doing all that he could. Many of his fellow learners then had relied on it, using the telekinetic abilities almost like a crutch, relying on them and not using the most powerful ability in a Jedi's arsenal: the ability to think. That WAS his strength...the strength of the mind. Once he'd come to realize and accept that, it had changed his entire perception. While he knew that it was a useful tool, it was not the only tool. If one only let themselves see only one method for completing a task, that was all they would ever use. It would make them predictable. He'd strove to be anything but predictable.
There were, on rare occasion, situations where that talent would have been very useful, however. This was one. Pinned as he was, his normal quick reactions and speed could not get him out. His mental powers, prodigous as they were, could not do anything to a creature that no longer had brain functions. His ability to do damage via talents like Force Lightning would only be dangerous to himself in this position. He was limited to simply using the saber he had pinned with him to try and free himself. It was a very difficult and dangerous, especially with him trying to go as quickly as possible to try and get to Aunna. There wasn't really much margin for error when it came to using a lightsaber pinned next to you. If one wasn't careful...they'd find themselves without a leg.
He was fortunate the snake finished the situation before he had a chance to get desperate enough that removing a limb might be a conscious decision. Focused on trying to free himself, he almost started when he found Aunna there, suddenly, working to try and help free him. He was relieved, both by her apparent well-being and the fact that she'd given him the saber before too long.
She still needed to work on her fine saber control, after all...
At last, the sounds of battle died down as he was pulling himself out, finally free, if messy and bleeding. All in all, his wounds weren't severe. Aunna was, thankfully, rather unhurt, which he found out as she clung to him so. He looked up when he heard the snake speak again, querying about her condition. Dark eyes looked up, taking in the damage the creature had suffered in its bid to save Aunna.
Vex was many things...most of them vicious, dark, and anything but pleasant. He was not without honor though...or in appreciating those who aided him, especially when it was unnecessarily...without profit to themselves. He'd done so with Aunna during their early days, with and without the reasoning of her continued usefulness. It had also happened with Ayer...though that had taken much longer and had been much less pleasant for the droid.
He'd given the construct hell, but in the end, Ayer had proved a valuable ally and earned the Jedi's grudging respect even if he'd never know it. This snake...this Slith...had done the same. He pushed himself to his feet, taking a step away from Aunna to stand before Ss'ss'th directly. That dark head bowed toward the creature.
When he spoke to it, he'd no doubt sound like a stranger to Aunna. The tone was right...the voice...but the words would seem almost foreign, coming from his lips. "I am indebted to you. You put yourself in harm's way to save Aunna when you did not have to...without potential personal gain for yourself. If you would allow it, I can help see to the mending of some of the wounds received as a cost of your assistance."
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last online Jul 11, 2018 23:15:20 GMT -5
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Apr 29, 2010 17:33:44 GMT -5
Post by Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice* on Apr 29, 2010 17:33:44 GMT -5
Ss'ss'th stared at Vex, his eye opening wider for a fraction of a second, the slit pupil appearing as though it expanded. Then he was normal again; the most emotion his features had been able to show on the exterior in several years. He slowly leaned in toward Vex, who had just been so very humble, so uncharacteristic toward what he had been earlier. So far Ss'ss'th had only seen two types of people; the good and the bad. Vex seemed something strange and austere to him. Vex was straddling the line between good and bad.
He allowed his body to move slowly forward, wearily moving just his head, maneuvering it around Vex's body to get a full view of him. After a moment, he retracted his head from view, having examined Vex thoroughly. He wasn't quite sure what exactly he was looking for. He knew that on Yavin XIII, one Slith could tell another Slith was deceiving by their stance. He assumed that body language was a universal thing. After all, emotions of the face could be manipulated.
He sensed no body language that suggested deceit. In fact, the relaxed position suggested that Vex was allowing himself to be without defenses. If Ss'ss'th so wanted, he could snap out and throw his fangs around Vex's throat, around his skull, inject him with venom strong enough to paralyze him. Or would that even work against this foreign species? ( Or against his Force, though Ss'ss'th hadn't thought of that as a possibility. )
Ss'ss'th lowered himself Vex's level, thinking of the offer given...Ss'ss'th's wounds were enough that he needed them treated. He could treat them himself, but he didn't know any of the local plants. He had no facility, and only his fairly crippled methods of wielding different tools. Oh, and no tools of which to wield, "That would be appreciated." Ss'ss'th submitted. "Tell me, where should I go that would be convenient for the processes of healing?" He asked, a sudden exhaustion overtaking him. After the adrenaline wears off, the body begins to quit. He just had to keep himself awake long enough to get where he needed to be.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Apr 29, 2010 19:39:13 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Apr 29, 2010 19:39:13 GMT -5
What had gone wrong? What hadn’t she done? Certainly there had to be some failure in her logic or programming or targeting or ability to perform for her not to have been of more assistance. As she watched the dark jedi cut himself out from under the corpse of the arachnid, then the exchanges between himself and Aunna, then the exchange between him and the snake, she almost idly started cleaning the dirt and residual eye-goop off of her claws without ever really noticing what she was doing. Certainly part of her processor was focused on cleaning them off, but the rest of her was flipping through folders, running diagnostics, replaying short term vid files of the fight and analyzing them, running numbers and statistics…searching for flaws she could correct or how to correct them. Every time she ran into the same situation…the creature was physically resistant to all of her darts and bolts save for in the area of the eyes, and with as much as it had been moving the STINGER hadn’t been able to get the shot off before the target moved again…and that was saying a lot for a droid. Then she came across an oddly numbered folder in her ammunition…1842…opening it she found the one thing that could have helped her…the one thing that might have save them all a lot of trouble: incendiary bolts. With a heavy sigh she shook her head and relabeled the folder appropriately…it should never have been 1842. Never. File Rename? --- (Y) / N
Rename file to:
--- 1812
File Renamed While the familiar DID notice the very…strange…words and tone of the man, he was (at the moment) the last thing on her so-called mind. Aunna, on the other hand, was stunned. As he moved away from her, standing and looking at the large snake before them, she was incredibly still in both mind and body. Wide blue eyes flickered between the two, unsure if she was actually seeing and hearing what she was. This WAS Vex, correct? He hadn’t been possessed by some strange spirit, hadn’t suffered some sort of head trauma, didn’t suddenly develop a second personality? He was actually offering to help the being of his own volition? Strange as it was to experience, Aunna found herself more than able to accept it as fact. He had willingly saved the jedi that had fought him (she still wasn’t entirely sure why, but she wasn’t going to question his word on the matter again) and he had willingly saved her multiple times. He cared about her…had feared for her safety, for her life, just a few moments ago…this snake had saved her. As he had said, he felt indebted to this being for his selfless assistance. They both were indebted to him. With a soft, tired, smile Aunna allowed her presence to brush against Vex gently, her approval and understanding of his actions showing clearly as they mirrored her own feelings and desire to help the snake who had saved her life. She watched the snake move in slowly, cautiously moving his head around both sides of Vex as if studying him through his good eye. She caught snippets of his thoughts, vague ideas through the force and those eyes narrowed again. She was able to at least piece together some of the meaning behind those thoughts as images and she wasn’t liking what she was seeing. Despite her desire to act the protective sand panther female, the former major was just too drained to do much more than narrow her eyes and bristle emotionally until the creature pulled back again and lowered himself to eye level with Vex. “That would be appreciated. Tell me, where should I go that would be convenient for the process of healing?” Allowing herself to ease down again for the moment, she looked between the two, deciding to keep quiet for now. She hadn’t the slightest idea how to heal anything through the force and she was going to have to wait for a bit to actually MOVE again unless her life (or his) once more depended upon it. Vex, there’s a medical kit in the Consul, would you need anything from it?
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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 2, 2010 12:14:20 GMT -5
Post by Vex on May 2, 2010 12:14:20 GMT -5
The emotions and thoughts coming from Aunna were practically a scream, given her disbelief over his words and actions. He couldn't help but smirk a bit at that as he shot a glance over his shoulder to her when she reached out, brushing her presence against his own. Everyone assumed much about him...he preferred it that way. It made it easier to catch them off-guard when they assumed he would only act in certain ways. Predictability was lethal, after all.
Turning back to the snake, he'd respond. "I'd rather you did not move at all. The experience will be beneficial for your well-being, but it will not be pleasant." As he spoke, he let the tendrils of his mind worm their way in to the mind of the Slith. His will became bindings, tying around Ss'ss'th nerve endings, wrapping up the part of his brain that allowed him to control his motor functions. As that hold strengthened, he'd clamp down, cutting off the snake's consciousness from his body, effectively causing the same results a broken spine would: complete inability for Ss'ss'th to move his body. Even that eyelid and that jaw would only, just barely, be able to move...the feeling similar to that of heavy medication. Breathing and other involuntary functions were not affected, but the snake was a far less threat now, unless Vex chose to stick his arm in his mouth. "In fact...you will likely think I am trying to kill you."
"Get something to wrap the wounds, Aunna. I can heal the serious damage, but not all and he would still do better if further bloodloss was as limited as possible." He moved towards Ss'ss'th, using that control to make the creature move its body, curling itself up more and leaving only the major damage from the tail. There was more, of course, from when he'd tried to constrict, but those were less severe. The Force would travel to them and do what it could.
Kneeling next to the grievous wound, he'd rest his hand upon it. Closing his eyes, he pulled upon the Force, drawing it into himself and focusing it to the hand that rested on those scales. He would attempt to block some of the pain that the snake was feeling, but it would only be partially effective. A true Jedi healer would have, no doubt, been far more effective in that regard. Vex's talent worked differently.
Cupping his hand, he released the pent up Force he’d been collecting. That dark energy crackled between his palm and the Slith’s body, the stink of ozone rising up as that energy pierced into Ss'ss'th, hooking into him like a vornskr’s fangs and not letting go. That rippling, jagged energy coursed through his veins like fire, coalescing at the points of major damage.
It was not gentle.
It was not kind.
But it was effective. Broken bone wrenched itself back into place, welding back together as it should. Muscle stretched, knitting together, the feel like a thousand needles stitching into his very being at once. Shattered scales were cauterized and restored, the excess liquids seared away.
It was fortunate that Ss'ss'th was accustomed to pain...even if this was far more than he'd ever had to deal with before.
Relativity made minutes feel like decades while Vex kept his hold on the creature's mind and keep him incapable of moving or attempting to strike back to stop the pain. It was a necessary measure. At last, when he felt that he'd reached the limit of his talent's ability and the rest would have to heal naturally, he relinquished that push of Force into Ss'ss'th.
He did not, however, release control on his motor controls. Not yet.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
Master
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May 2, 2010 22:18:18 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on May 2, 2010 22:18:18 GMT -5
Aunna barely heard the words Vex spoke to the snake, but managed a slight chuckle at them anyway. Oh yes, she would never forget her own experience with his healing abilities. He’d been kind with her, however, and she knew that now…after the fact…but even so, she’d felt the distinct desire to die rather than deal with the pain. The only thing that had kept her holding on at that particular moment in time was him…the light she’d seen…felt…in him. It had given her mind, her very being, something else to focus on besides the pain he’d put her through. Vex’s words reached her once more and she blinked up at him for half a moment before nodding, groaning slightly as she pushed herself up shakily and gathered her feet under her again. 13 seemed to be a step ahead of her, taking off in the direction of the Consul as soon as she’d heard Vex’s request. With a slight shake of her head, she huffed another chuckle at the droid’s actions, mildly amused.
I'm sure I can find something for that…
Blue eyes flickered over to the snake and she gave him a thin half-smile.
It’s unfortunate he’s telling the truth…hang in there, though…you’ll be better off for it.
Even as she replied she passed behind Vex, resting a hand on his back for half a heartbeat before she went along her way. Once back inside the Consul she headed to the cargo bay and went to set of compartments that held the medical supplies. 13 was there before her, her claws clean and still dripping slightly from having washed them off. The compartment had been unlocked and opened, waiting ready for Aunna to sift through. Mildly surprised, the woman thanked the little familiar and began pulling out gauze, patches, kolto and disinfecting liquid. It didn’t take long, but it felt like forever to her tired muscles…had what she’d done really taken that much out of her? It certainly seemed so. With a tired sigh of air, she headed back outside again.
Vex hadn’t finished yet, and she stood back a minute to allow him room to work without her being too close…if there was such a thing as ‘too close’ with this particular talent of his. Quietly she watched, keeping to herself as much as she could in the force, and keeping a tight hold on her thoughts so as not to disturb his work, but when that energy tapered off again, she was there beside him in less than a moment. For a moment her concern for him radiated out from her before she attempted to wrangle it in again, pressing a bottle of water into his hands before going about her own business with the slith…it was about all she could do for him without slowing her own work on the snake, or knowing more about him and those vials he carried with him.
Her eyes combed over the snake before she deftly began cleaning out the injuries, applying the kolto and patches, stopping the bleeding in places where she came across it, then repeating the process. Moving swiftly up the snake’s body, those long semi-dormant memories of medical classes easily returned to her as she worked. 13 aided how she could, preparing the patches, holding down the gauze or opening the kolto tube or disinfectant bottle. Between the two the job got done swiftly and efficiently.
There…that’s about as patched up as I can get you…um…what IS your name, anyway?
With her job done, Aunna sat back on her haunches and rolled out her shoulders, gathering the bits and pieces of trash and left over materials as she waited for the slith’s reply. Standing once more, she moved over to Vex, kneeling down beside him and studying his injured arm for a moment.
You’re next, Praetor…I’ll need that shoulder bared if you expect me to clean it properly. So either you can have me do it now, or I’ll be sure to corner you about it later…but I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
Yes, she was teasing him…mild though it may have been. A gentle smirk showed that she had no ill intent, but she would be the one helping patch him up. Her smile grew warmer and more sincere as she gazed at him for a moment, despite the fact she was fairly certain he wouldn’t have much enjoyed being teased…she couldn’t quite help it though. They were both alive, and none the worse for wear…that was big relief to her, and that came out in her mood. Despite the previous teasing her words were warm and gentle as she gazed into those black eyes of his.
It’s the least I can do after all the times you’ve patched me up…
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