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Clarylla
That's 'antidisestablish- mentarianism' with five I's, deary.
92 posts
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Data Fiend, Instinctive Grammarian, Consummate Lexophile
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last online May 27, 2014 11:28:12 GMT -5
Youngling
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Dec 18, 2011 21:31:19 GMT -5
Post by Clarylla on Dec 18, 2011 21:31:19 GMT -5
Mifta C'ynnet hummed quietly to herself, three-fingered hands folded placidly in her lap. Had the middle-aged Caamasi been the type to pace, she would have worn a groove in the ship's decking by now...but that would be silly. Worrying never fixed anything. What would happen would happen.
Of course, it never hurt to be prepared to give Fate a nudge in the right direction. She had spent almost the entire trip considering the many situations the rescue group could encounter. They could arrive to find Kaiven dead, or somewhere else entirely. The whole thing could be a set-up, a trap!
But that was neither here nor now. The important thing was that Kaiven be rescued with as little fuss and loss of life as possible. Her job would be to provide back-up, in in the unlikely case the Sith were more interested in negotiating than notching their sabers, and healing in the very likely case that someone ended up injured.
Her sensitive nose twitched as a stray draft swirled through the cabin, and she kept her eyes shut, sifting through the environmental scents to find those of her erstwhile companions. Mifta did not know any of them by name - not that names really mattered to a Caamasi - and set about learning their scents.
The pilot she ignored, only taking a moment to set his placid, leathery scent in her memory. He would stay in the ship, ready to take off when the others got back with Kaiven.
Strong and smooth, with a sharp metallic tang underneath - that was the Echani, her confident and economical movements stirring the air. Mifta sighed softly. The silver-haired female would not be one to negotiate before drawing her weapon. It could not be helped, even if Mifta had known her well enough for a dissuasion attempt; Mifta had little influence with most other Consular Jedi, let alone warlike Guardians.
Before she could continue cataloguing scents, Environmental clicked on, sending a stream of nose-stingingly clean air whistling from a vent directly behind Mifta's head. Shaking her head to clear her nose, blinking to moisten her yellow eyes, the Caamasi stood and moved to stand at a viewport. She had to suppress a violent sneeze when the change landed her in the middle of a choking cloud of anxiety. A moment's analysis of the scent - musty cinnamon, with fired clay beneath the dusty topnotes - identified the origin as the towering Togruta.
Curious, Mifta steadied herself against a bulkhead and studied the young Knight. Even if Mifta could not smell the nervousness that oozed from the Togruta, the crossed arms and tense smile shouted it to anyone who cared to look. Loose robes, traditional sash, simple saber - if the Jedi Watchmen needed a Consular holomodel for the front of their informational packets, this montral'd female could have been it.
Three steps took her close enough to reach up and pat the Togruta's elbow reassuringly. "Worry not," Mifta said, tilting her head far enough back to meet the Togruta's startlingly violet eyes, her own yellow ones warm and bright. "The Force is with us, after all."
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last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 19, 2011 0:53:53 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Dec 19, 2011 0:53:53 GMT -5
Sherasti closed her eyes to clear her mind of jitters, but almost immediately noticed someone approaching her. It didn't take Force senses to tell that, since Togrutas had a special sense of spatial awareness. Describing it was... hard. Impossible even without a frame of reference. It wasn't seeing, it was... feeling. You just felt motions and knew exactly where things were.
That alone was the greatest reason for Sherasti's success at swordsmanship. She could feel where everything was positioned, and that gave her, among other things, a special aptitude for dealing with groups and attackers coming from behind. But by far the most mundane benefit to the sense was that sneaking up on her was impossible.
The Togruta Consular opened her eyes and stared politely at the one who'd walked over, a Caamasi. They were an alien species by most standards, and a far cry from near humans. But that didn't faze Sherasti at all. All races were people, with similarities waiting to be found. What mattered wasn't the way someone looked, it was who they were.
Caamasi were peaceful and compassionate, and if legend was correct the Jedi had even sought their advice for how to wield power with mercy and kindness. Of course even if that was just a story, the basic elements were all true. The Jedi and the Caamasi had great similarities, and a Jedi who was a Caamasi had a certain unique qualification.
Sherasti's violet eyes met the other Jedi's yellow ones in silence, and then the other spoke.
"Worry not, The Force is with us, after all."
The Togruta nodded, with a thin smile that seemed a little more natural than the expression she'd had on her face before. Yes. She was right of course. The Force would be with them, always. Whatever happened here would happen, and be for a purpose. Even if some of them died, there would be a reason. Ripples would extend and impact others, and nothing would be wholly wasted.
"Yes, you're right of course," Sherasti acknowledged. "I'll try not to worry. It's just, this is my first mission where I may wind up crossing blades in combat. I don't know if I'm ready."
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Clarylla
That's 'antidisestablish- mentarianism' with five I's, deary.
92 posts
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Data Fiend, Instinctive Grammarian, Consummate Lexophile
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last online May 27, 2014 11:28:12 GMT -5
Youngling
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Dec 23, 2011 23:24:22 GMT -5
Post by Clarylla on Dec 23, 2011 23:24:22 GMT -5
"Yes, you're right of course, I'll try not to worry. It's just, this is my first mission where I may wind up crossing blades in combat."
Mifta's dark, tufted eyebrows arched in surprise. To find a Knight who had yet to engage in "real" lightsaber combat was no common occurrence; even Mifta herself had dueled once or twice, albeit reluctantly.
"I don't know if I'm ready."
A slight frown twitched the corners of her mouth as she focused on the more important revelation. Doubt could be as deadly as confidence. Too much doubt, and you move too slowly, reacting instead of acting; too much confidence, and you overreach and leave yourself open. It was a fine line to walk, being aware of both your weaknesses and strength and playing them against each other to bring balance, and one the Caamasi had learned to find instinctively.
Mifta shook her head, more of a twitch than a true shake, and folded her short legs to sit comfortably on the floor. Absently, she shifted the short silver cylinder of her lightsaber so it did not dig into her left thigh. "Sit, sit." She patted the tiles next to herself. "You'll only wear yourself out, standing up like that, and I promise the wall will not collapse without your support." The gentle jibe was balanced by the kindness in coruscating yellow eyes.
"I am Mifta C'ynnet, and I would offer you sage advice, but I have found that last-minute pep talks are rarely as effective as the holodramas portray." The very tips of razor-sharp teeth showed in a sympathetic grin. "I also have very little advice to give - my forte is healing and protection, not battle. The one useful thing I do know about combat is that if you go into a fight 'knowing' that you are going to lose, then you will lose. If you wish to win, to come out alive and possessing a more-or-less whole skin" - she pulled back the rich blue fabric of her left sleeve to reveal a lightsaber burn across the outside of her forearm, then let it fall with a shrug - "then you must always be confident in yourself and your ability to wield this." Long claws tapped twice on the Togruta's lightsaber hilt with a metallic clink. "You are a Jedi! The Force is with you, my dear. Trust it to guide what you already know and have inside you, and you shall be fine."
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last online Apr 19, 2013 18:45:53 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 26, 2011 13:07:43 GMT -5
Post by Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy on Dec 26, 2011 13:07:43 GMT -5
"Confident in myself..." Sherasti repeated as she listened to the Caamasi Jedi and tried to feel a little more confident. It wasn't as if she was incompetent. She was skilled in Shii Cho and Makashi, and in training sessions she'd always been told she was perfectly adequate, making graceful movements with speed and refinement. This was all just a matter of applying the skills she already had in a real setting, where the stakes were that much higher.
Surely she was still entitled to be a little nervous.
"Trust in the Force." She nodded her assent as she repeated the statement. That was really they key, wasn't it? Simply trusting in the Force to see to it what was right happened. Of course that wasn't to say she had to take absurd risks. No, it just meant she had to do her best and have faith in the rest. She could do that.
Yes, she could.
"Thank you Mifta," Sherasti said with a much more relaxed tone. "I appreciate your speaking to me."
(OOC: Short. Sorry.)
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Kella
Fire and Blood
4,089 posts
5 likes
Fire cannot kill a dragon.
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last online Oct 30, 2014 9:41:46 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 27, 2011 20:45:33 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Dec 27, 2011 20:45:33 GMT -5
The Force works in mysterious ways. It seemed to have, with great deliberateness, placed on that ship a foil to the young Togruta.
While the one spent the waning minutes before touchdown gazing anxiously out the window, the other was working her muscles to a warm thrum, running through Ataru forms in the unoccupied storage area of the ship. She'd seen a great deal of combat for a night her age, where the Togruta had seen none, which was mostly owed to the fact that she was a Guardian, a creature of the blade and of physical action. In fact, the Selonian's life was defined by action. That was not to say she was violent; for instance, as she carried her body through those precise, disciplined movements, no blood was shed, but any doubt or uncertainty melted away.
So, while the Togruta was plagued by anxiety, the Selonian was utterly at peace. She finished her form crisply, balancing upside-down on a palm. She stayed like this for a moment, still save for the deep movement of her chest as she breathed. The room twisted as the Selonian's padded feet touched the ground. She lifted her bandolier from where she'd set it on one of the storage crates, and slipped it back into its usual place across her chest, checking to make sure that her saber was still securely in place. The hall felt cool, in sudden contrast to the stuffiness of the storage room.
The ship wasn't terribly large, and she'd soon joined the room where the rest of the Jedi stood. Here, her appearance offered even more of a contrast with her foil. While the Sherasti towered above the rest, tall montrals atop taller bones, commanding attention, Sellah commanded something different. She was barely taller than the average human, quite short for a Selonian, and had a naturally deferent demeanor. And yet, there was something, perhaps an air of solidarity, or the ripple of her muscles, that could be greatly intimidating.
Her golden eyes darted around the room, while her nostrils flared to draw in all the smells. This was a very quiet group of Jedi. Sellah liked that. She wasn't really one for talking. She noted the man, the Caamasi, the silver-haired girl, and the Togruta. Five Jedi against a baseful of Sith. She would have to do her work precisely and diligently.
At that moment, a shudder rolled through the ship, and the gloss of shields distorted the view of the planet below. She heard the various computers on the bridge begin to chirp and whine, listening closely to the Pilot's hurried orders to the crew.
They hadn't managed to arrive undetected, after all.
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
145 likes
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 28, 2011 1:02:23 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on Dec 28, 2011 1:02:23 GMT -5
"There, that balcony over there," Elsie pointed at the side of one of the fortress towers. "Get in close and fly by quickly. "Hopefully, if we take out the two guards quickly, the rest won't notice our arrival." She reached back, ran her fingers along the leather wrappings wound around the handle of her sword. The pilot nodded. "Lower the side ramp. Let's do this."
As the ramp opened, the wind rushed in, howling and screaming. Elsie held on to the side of the ship in order to stay on her feet, counting down in her head as the ship sped towards the tower. She could see two Sith guards on the balcony moving, raising their hands to their eyes as they squinted at the ship. The Sith knew their ship was coming, but they had not seemed to catch on to what they were about to do. The guards hadn't reached for their comlinks yet. Good.
Elsie turned towards the Selonian. "I'll take left, you take right. Five... Four...
She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath. The air tasted... sour. Force of thunder. Strike like lightning.
"Three... Two..."
She readied herself. Lead with Cobra lunges from the Tall Grass, and then...
"One!"
With a quick running start as she leaped out the side of the ship. With a weak Force barrier thrown forward to pad her fall, she tucked in her head and rolled. The Sith guard's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what was happening, and he reached for his weapon. He barely had time to grab his saber before Elsie was coming out of her roll, her forward momentum continuing to carry her forward. Her sword slid out from its sheath, and before he knew it the shining steel tip had pierced his shoulder. The lightsaber fell from his hand.
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Kella
Fire and Blood
4,089 posts
5 likes
Fire cannot kill a dragon.
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last online Oct 30, 2014 9:41:46 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 28, 2011 19:21:34 GMT -5
Post by Kella on Dec 28, 2011 19:21:34 GMT -5
Sellah approached the ramp next to the silver-haired girl -- she remembered her name now, Elsie. Sellah could hear nothing except for the roar of air, which she could feel along the whole length of her body. She wore no armor, nothing save for her bandolier and a golden band at the base of her tail. The wind whipped through her short, dense fur. A chill coursed down her spine. Maybe from the wind, but maybe simply from this place...
The acidic reek of the air hit Sellah like a slap on the nose. She hissed a breath in past her teeth, and her muzzle tightened to seal off her nose, as it usually only did when she was underwater. Sellah cleared her mind of everything but Elsie's count, crouching at the edge of the ramp.
Three. Two. One.
Sellah's body uncoiled with as much snap as a spring, and she was soaring through the air, a well-timed beat behind Elsie. Time was fluid, her ears numb as she soared through the air. Sellah could feel the Force flow into her bones.
She hit the ground with a jolt that brought back her senses, and felt the Force suddenly flow from her limbs at it absorbed the impact. She rolled, coming back onto all four paws and sprinting forward. The guard's eyes were wide with surprise as the Selonian darted under his raised saber and slammed into his shins. The man stumbled and fell back, head cracking against the pavement. Sellah quickly recovered from the impact, moving forward again to pin the dazed man down. She easily plucked the saber from his limp hand and deactivated it. His eyes began to focus, so she used the hilt to club him over the head.
He was out cold. Sellah stood, then threw the saber with as much might as she could muster over the rail of the balcony. She then quickly turned to check on Elsie, fully aware that the fight might not be over yet.
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
145 likes
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 29, 2011 2:17:36 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on Dec 29, 2011 2:17:36 GMT -5
Elsie pulled her blade free and spun around, transitioning smoothly into whirling kick. The back of her boot made contact with the side of his head, and the guard fell to the ground, out cold. The small puddle of blood began to form on the floor from the wound in his shoulder.
She knelt down, using a piece of his robe to wipe the blood from the tip of her blade. She turned towards her companions as she flipped her sword around in her hand, so that the blade faced downwards, the tip a few inches above the unconscious guard's body. "We best get moving quickly. Do we leave him to bleed out, or shall I give him the quick mercy?"
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Clarylla
That's 'antidisestablish- mentarianism' with five I's, deary.
92 posts
0 likes
Data Fiend, Instinctive Grammarian, Consummate Lexophile
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last online May 27, 2014 11:28:12 GMT -5
Youngling
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Dec 29, 2011 11:36:50 GMT -5
Post by Clarylla on Dec 29, 2011 11:36:50 GMT -5
Mifta climbed to her feet and stood, swaying slightly with the motion of the ship, as they approached the tower. Giving the Togruta one last reassuring pat on the elbow, she moved to stand with the musky-earth Selonian and bright-steel Echani near the slowly lowering side ramp, paws folded neatly together in wide blue sleeves.
"Five...four..."
Aaah! The air! Mifta's eyes watered as the acidic atmosphere burned her sensitive nasal passages, spilling tears that spotted her robes with momentarily darker blue. Worse than the polluted air was the pain, hatred, suffering, anger that emanated from the base and clawed at her mind - this place was a festering cesspool of the Dark Side. She shuddered, and breathed shallowly through her mouth for the moment.
"...one!"
Selonian and Echani dove towards the balcony in one fluid motion; Mifta followed rather more cautiously, streaming eyes alert as she hopped quickly from the ramp to the railing to the terrace. Before she could do more than blink twice, the Guardians had disabled the guards. One Sith was out cold, his saber consigned to the abyss beyond the railing, and the other lay bleeding on the ground, Bright-steel's sword an inch above his nose.
"We best get moving quickly. Do we leave him to bleed out, or shall I give him the quick mercy?"
Mifta winced. Every fiber of her being resisted what she knew the other two Jedi saw as necessary, whispering that she could put the wounded guards to sleep until long after they left...yet that would give someone else the opportunity to raise the alarm if they found the two bodies obviously neutralized by Force-users.
With a sigh, she nudged the Echani's sword away and knelt between the wounded Sith, laying one hand on each forehead. "We are not here to slay Sith, but to rescue Kaiven." Just the slightest of nudges with the Force, suggesting that really, rest and healing were what were needed, and the Siths' breathing slowed to those of one in a deep sleep. The "These two will not wake any time soon, but I suggest we move on quickly, before someone thinks to check on them."
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