Cold Comfort (Jenno)

[Poludnica]

Gray wisps of smoke preceded the small human that emerged , the cloud originating from what appeared to be a fresh cigarette sticking out the side of vividly crimson lips. Lipstick smears marked the cig's butt, betraying more than necessary chewing. Ana looked around the alley, letting her sense to spread, catching faint glimpses of living beings. Nothing for now.

The fiery headed woman exhaled slowly and stepped forward, trying to find the way into a small, but fancy restaurant from where drunken singing seeped out of the walls. Sith soldiers were no different than any other, thought their presence might make things slightly more difficult. Her hazel eyes swept across the gloomy surroundings – few discarded cartons, a dead feline rotting behind them and spoiled food filling the trashcan and one ventilation shaft leading to the bar where in a small safe a pack of tea was hidden. Damn collector weirdos.

The Muun owner refused to sell the precious package, as expected, claiming it was a special product for the important guests. For a moment Ana pondered trying to trick him but all the Sith officers around faltered her resolve and the former Jedi stepped away only to appear in the back alley few hours later, hoping to sneak in inconspicuously. It was time to get this party started.

Anushka threw away the cheap cig and stomped on it, killing the last of the flame. With a soft click, she checked if the lightsaber was secured to her belt, sliding her hand up to adjust dark thick sobol coat that hugged her short form. Ana nuzzled her delicate face into the dark, silken fur and pulled the hood up; a few stray locks of dyed, red hair spilled over her shoulders to rest on her chest but the woman quickly gathered them in a tight bun.

One would think such an opulent article of clothing would be impractical on a thieving mission, but Anushka knew the Galaxy, she knew Mygeeto's cold and its treacherous ways, and there were fewer things warmer than Jygat streets. As if to confirm the notion, snow began to fall softly, carried by vicious wind. The human woman was immediately assaulted by the invasive, bone-aching cold. Snowflakes swirled around the singular lamppost like moths; the lamp shone weakly down upon the icy street - its meager light painting a long, black shadow at Ana's feet that stretched across the entirety of the alley.

Damn cold... Anushka's cheeks began to paint with crimson red as cold wind swept over them, making freckles to darken slightly. She sniffled, feeling everything in her nose freezing. . A plume of steam rushed from her flushed lips as she walked toward the ventilation shaft and using the Force pulled the grate which easily freed itself from the wall.
Theme

The low temperatures already eaten through most of the metal clasps away, making them breakable. Still, using of such powers never came too easy to the undisciplined woman who leaned against the wall, feeling creeping headache.

After few moments, when her hands began to turn numb, she decided to climb up the wall and toward the opening. She was almost all the way up the claustrophobic tunnel when last months of laziness and stealing food took revenge and the woman's hips got stuck in the entrance to the vent shaft. Ana yelped, surprised, her legs still hanging outside but upper body closed in a tight space.

Just my luck... For a moment she flailed her feet, trying to free herself but no avail. ”Crap.” Ana breathed, giving up for now, pondering already how to explain all this if anyone decided to see what was going up in the back of the restaurant.

[Jenno]

"If you're trying to lure me into a trap I'll gut you."

"Are you even using that pathetic excuse for a brain. When I kill you, Zurek, it's not going to be right under our Master's nose."

"Couldn't take me anyway. I'd wring your neck before you even had chance to scream, little girl."

"Shut up already, I can't sense the Jedi with you snorting like some sort of reek."

"I'm not the one who looks like a beast, Ilsari."

Now she really had to fight the urge to kill him. She had to bite her tongue, really bite it. The two figures walked along their cold and quiet path as they hunted for their target. Clad in thick robes and fur cloaks, the pair were protected to some degree against the bitter cold, but it still bit at them. The bitterness from Zurek's words, however, was clinging to her more than any cold.

She shot a quick look up at him, she had to, he was a tall ogre of a man, his shoulders, arms and chest thick with his brutish build. Ilsari had no idea where her Master had found him, or how it was even possible that he possessed the brain power to use the Force. There was one thing she knew however, she did not want to see from which two obviously horrendous looking creatures this man was spawned.

But the anger her fellow apprentice so frequently inspired was, in this instance, helping sharpen her senses. Ilsari could feel the presence again, she was sure it was a Jedi. It definitely wasn't a Sith. She'd felt it as they were on their way back from completing a small chore for their Master. Zurek was so poor at sensing others through the Force, so she could understand why he might think he was being led into a trap. Her disdain for him wasn't exactly a well kept secret. He'd have to trust in what she was saying, and it wasn't as if any trust actually existed between them.

They were nearing the Jedi now. Ilsari readied her lightsaber. Zurek looked like he was about to spew some barbaric garbage again. "The Jedi's nearby, you idiot, might want to arm yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do." He said before removing his own lightsaber. As they turned the corner and ignited their blades, ready for the Jedi, the pair saw no one. But Ilsari could feel the presence, she edged forward carefully until she spotted the fiery red hair of a woman. And for some reason this woman was stuck inside a ventilation shaft.

"You have got to be kidding me." Ilsari said. "What kind of idiot Jedi gets themselves stuck like that?"

Zurek came stomping over to look down at their catch. He roared with laughter. "With spies like these, we'll win the war in no time." He deactivated his lightsaber, knelt down and smiled, it was a flat, disgusting expression, "what should I do with you, bash your brains in maybe?" One of his large, rough hands clasped the bottom of the Jedi's jaw, lifting her face into the view of his black shallow eyes. "Ohhh, you're a looker. Maybe I'll take you back with me and we can have some fun tog-"

"She's not even remotely attractive you cur. Control your stupid urges."

"Compared to you she's an intergalactic model."

Ilsari froze. Not because of the cold, because of her rage. He pressed the button over and over and over. And now the anger pulsed through her blood. It swarmed through her, and the cold wind bit at the scars across her face. No doubt this Jedi could see them, the red and black and pale white-yellow markings carved into her flesh. The singed trails of a lightsaber, dry cracked markings and the deep agonising scars of those sharp, hungry nails. Ice trickled down Ilsari's spine.

[Poludnica]

Juicy curses spread through chilly air. Puffs of cold mist left Anuhska's lips as she struggled to free herself from the tight space. Icy air began to bit on her extremities, turning them more livid with ever second it gnawed at her. ”Fknnerfherdincrap” She breathed, pressing against the metallic walls with numb fingers. Ana flailed for a bit, feverishly looking around as something came to life in the Force. Two presences, one much stronger than the other , but both burning brightly in the sea of dimmed souls. Force users...Even from that far Anushka could sense the tainted aura that followed them. Her noise wrinkled in a display of instinctive disgust. Ana had many bad experiences with dark siders and wasn't thrilled to relieve it.

Fangs of mind numbing fear began to creep on her, forcing a creeping chill to climb up the woman's spine. Ohcrap. The tainted couple came closer, they spotted her and the red haired woman began to flail helplessly, trying to free her hips from the small opening. Her hazel eyes shot up, only to notice two shadowy figures coming closer. The man was large, hulking figure that could crush her with sheer physical power. His face looked like shaped from brutish, swollen bumps. Small, yellow piglet's eyes looked from under thick, low brows, staring at her with cruel menace. Anushka shuddered, though her features sharpened – she refused to show fear, even of the two could smell it in the Force.

”And who said I am a Jedi?” Ana snorted, looking at the woman. She winced, seeing disgusting scars covered features, twisted and broken by large burns. ”Oh, you are hideous.” The grey jedi whispered and frowned, knowing no matter what she said or did, they would kill her. Hopefully. There were many worse things they could force on a helpless victim. The brutish man seemed to read her thoughts as his large, thick fingers closed on her chin.

They were Sith, for sure. That was even worse than the dark jedi...Anushka struggled against the unpleasant touch but to no avail. ”For that you would have to get me out of here and that may prove tricky.” Ana's eyes narrowed slightly as she smelled vile, acrid breath that whisked her cold flushed cheeks. She didn't comment on the Sith woman comment and just watched the meaningless exchange, seeing her chance in that. The fiery headed woman looked back to the crude, boorish idiot and smiled warmly, seductively even, sudden interest flashing in her eyes. ”But if you get me from here, who knows? I know how to be greatful.” The woman said, hoping the telepathic undertones to the message hid her true intentions and projected something different entirely.

[Jenno]

This scum that lay by her feet dared to insult her. The word horrendous seemed to cling to Ilsari’s mind. How she wanted to place her lightsaber in the Jedi’s mouth and watch the red blade burn through her tongue and throat. Or maybe she could lift her foot and slowly bring it down upon the lightsider’s skull until her eyes popped and brain matter oozed out of the sockets. These thoughts were very much desirable to the young apprentice. But fortunately she possessed something her fellow student did not, an ounce of control, and she was exerting all of it right now.

“I like this one!” Zurek’s roaring continued. “I want to keep her.” He let go of her chin as she spoke to him. He liked the way she smiled. There wasn’t much fun to be had with Ilsari or their Master, but maybe this Jedi could be different. Her words were nice, warming even. He looked at where her hips were caught in the vent, he enjoyed looking. “I think we should get her out of there.”

“Shut your mouth Zurek, you’re practically drooling.” Ilsari could see him staring and she could sense this Jedi was directing her powers at him in some form, mostly likely attempting to manipulate him. Of course, she couldn’t tell if it was having any effect on him or if he was just being himself, it wouldn’t surprise her. “We’ll get her out, but not until we’re sure she won’t cause us any problems.”

Ilsari knelt down before the Jedi and now it was her turn to take hold of their captive’s chin and turn it towards her face, force her to look. “You’re in for some fun. Jedi or not our master always enjoys a new toy to play with. No matter how you think I look, you’re going to be much worse off. And then maybe when she’s broken you, she’ll let Zurek have a go. And he’s not exactly a cultured or respectful individual. Welcome to Mygeeto, Jedi.” Her smile wrapped across her teeth, one of the scars that dug into her lip looked as though it would tear and crackle at Ilsari’s enjoyment.

In an instant her smile dropped, the anger and rage that had accumulated during their exchange fed strength to her arm as she struck it down on the back of the of the spy’s neck, knocking her out. She stood up and looked at Zurek. “Make yourself useful for once, pull her out of there. Feel free to break something if you have to.” As the unruly beast tore their prey from the hole, Ilsari was saddened that she didn’t hear anything snap.

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Anushka’s consciousness finally returned. There were hands upon her face, wrapped around it, they were warm and soft. The thumbs held her eyelids open, letting her see the wild flaming eyes before her. Through the thin slit of the mask, an almost gleeful red smile was visible.

“Hello there my darling.”

The intruder was bound to a chair and her hands had been made inseparable.

“My two little apprentices were quite excited when they brought you to me. You should have heard them ‘Jedi! Jedi! We’ve captured a Jedi!’ it was very amusing to watch them paw at me for attention.”

The masked figure was kneeling before Anushka, those uncontrollable burning eyes continually roamed across the captive’s face.

“I’m not so certain you are a Jedi. You’ll tell me truthfully soon enough, though either way I won’t care.”

She smiled again and as she did she ran a hand along the cheek of her new toy, pressing down with her nail and letting it trail along the flesh, breaking through the surface to release a small trickle of blood. Some gathered upon Velorma’s finger and for that moment her eyes left Anushka’s face to watch as she rubbed the liquid between her finger and thumb.

“You and I are going to have so much fun together; it’s going to change your life. But where are my manners, I am Lady Velorma of the Sith. Tell me your name little one?”

Her fingers wrapped themselves around the captive’s chin, nails resting against the skin.

[Poludnica]

The squabbles continued as Ana’s mind feverishly worked on possible solution. Biting cold nestled in her joins, numbing bones and muscles. The former Jedi tried to move or figure out how to sick the dark ones on each other. Her master used to say the dark siders were capricious, disloyal, cruel and egoistic. Not a shred of their beings would feel compassion as all they knew was endless, burning anger with the world. They were like broken, discarded toys. Deadly ones at that.

”Yeah, sure. A Jedi...” She snorted, trying to keep calm, composed exterior, absolutely unsure if the oafish roars of appreciating were a good sign. ”I haven’t been one in a while.” Anushka stated blankly, her words strained from the tight grip. She could feel cold fingers bruising her ghostly pale skin - a terrible need to bite woman’s formed into a solid idea as Ana tried to close her jaws on the assailant finger with one, fast snap.

It didn’t work well...

A rush of anger followed by sharp pain and chilling void. In darkness she floated light as a feather. Distant voices disturbed the painful silence like a wailing echo. Someone lived there with her, a long forgotten memory that refused to die with time. The presence felt familiar and calming, humming a soothing lullaby.

Master?

Sharp intake of breath ended her dream; Anushka fought to regain consciousness. Pain in her neck helped with that as did warm fingers keeping the woman’s eyelids open. She tried to escape from the unpleasantly bright light. ”What...” Ana muttered, still clinging to the leftovers of strange vision. Those red orbs...Had she seen anything like that before?

Reeking stench of dark side enveloped the being, the woman could sense it seeping from the silhouette before her. It made the former Jedi sick. ”Your two apprentices are idiots.” Anushka commented, not caring for the punishment. They were dark siders so there was no escape from that and the woman accepted it with unnatural calm. It had bound to happen sooner or later, wasn’t it what her self-destructive path finally led to? This sort of end?

”I am no Jedi.” The redhead replied with a disdain reserved only for the most abhorring beings. And spiders. Hiss of pain stopped another scornful comment from leaving her cracked lips. Trickle of warm blood traveled down pale skin, leaving crimson marking that ended on Ana’s exposed neck. The former Jedi turned her hazel gaze away from the sickening sight.

” A Sith...Of course, you reek like a dark side sewer.” To highlight her words, Anushka inhaled deeply thought instead of defiance, one could sense a lingering resignation; a detached smirk ghosted across her lips. She knew the stakes and still provoked the dangerous woman, still pushed the border to finally step over the edge and fall into her death. The former Jedi tried to wiggle her wrists but the binds were tight - there was no escape from this but Ana would sooner die than let a dark sider to break her. Like years ago. Not that the Order’s outcast had grown stronger but this time around Anushka had absolutely nothing to lose aside from life in poverty with powers she didn’t want.

[Jenno]

“None of those words were names, my dear. Did Ilsari give you a concussion when she knocked you out?” Velorma moved her prisoner’s head around slightly, as if examining her. “How unfortunate.”

“I do apologise for my apprentices. You are right, I confess, they are idiots. You must forgive me, they have only been in my possession for a few months, but give them time.” Velorma was focused entirely upon Anushka as she spoke. Ilsari and Zurek stood at the room’s entrance, they were motionless.

She smiled again, though it was faintly visible through the slit of her mask, this toy was amusing her. “You’re a defiant one, though from what my apprentices tell me, you are the one who is more likely to be found crawling around in a sewer.”

“But you are pretty; I can see why Zurek is attracted to you,” she finally removed her nails from Anushka’s chin, “not that he’s particularly picky. I wonder how he’ll feel once I’ve discarded you. Ilsari,” Velorma raised a hand and gestured for the apprentice to approach, “come here my child.”

Fear had frozen Ilsari, it had encased her. It slowed her movements considerably as she walked towards them. “Yes Master?”

Velorma seemingly ignored her apprentice as she remained focused on Anushka. “Ilsari was pretty, you know. She got the attention of all the Sith boys, they chased and lusted after her, you might have said that she was beautiful.” Velorma grasped the prisoner’s chin again, this time more aggressively, and turned her face towards Ilsari’s. “I probably won’t kill you, my darling, but look at her. Days, weeks, perhaps months, we’ll play together, I’ll slice and singe and you will scream. We’ll have so much fun.” Ilsari’s gaze had shifted away; she could not bring herself to meet the prisoner’s eyes. “Both of you, leave us.” Velorma’s words were straight and sharp; they had lost their playful nature.

The two apprentices were unquestioning; they bowed their heads and stood together before the room’s entrance. The door hissed opened. “Who the kriff are y-“

A powerful blast sent the two apprentices flying across the room. Velorma turned to face the doorway immediately. A cloaked figure stood there. It paused for a moment, observing the room. “Let her go.”

“Vreem. You came, my Lord.” Velorma spoke with a mixture of excitement and anger. Her presence in the Force began to fluctuate rapidly.

“How did you-“

“Oh, I never forget a face.”

Vreem pulled down his hood and looked upon this Sith. He couldn’t see her face for the mask which covered it, but her presence felt familiar.

“Do you not remember me? Is it every day you leave someone to die on a ship you’ve set to blow up? How exciting your life must be.” Rage surfaced within her like a storm, its waves engulfing her in power, lightning streamed from her hand.

Vreem was barely able to ignite his lightsaber in time. He raised his guard and withstood the torrent that surged against him. He could recall her now, though he wished he couldn’t.

Her outburst ended and she removed her lightsaber. She took a few steps towards him and raised her weapon. Vreem waited for her to come at him. Her attacks were strong, but he was quicker, and his intention was not to engage her. He parried her strikes and through quick footwork, managed to position himself between the Sith and her prisoner.

He tried to create some distance between them, but she would not allow him to do so, she was fervent in her pursuit of him. As he engaged her, Vreem made sure to maintain his position in front of the prisoner. He did not know who she was or why she was here, but he could feel the Force within her, and once the other two Sith regained their senses he would be outnumbered three to one.

Vreem met one of the Sith's downward strikes, it was heavy, but he held her to a deadlock. As they fought to overpower each other, the Jedi saw a small opening and acted upon it, firmly landing an elbow strike to her masked face.

Velorma fell back and Vreem took his opportunity. He rushed over to the prisoner, swiftly cut the bonds that held her in place and summoned into his hand a lightsaber that rested upon a nearby table. He offered it to her. “Are you alright? Can you fight?”

The storm of rage and darkness began to gather again. Velorma's teeth ground together. The mask upon her face was cracked and falling apart. She clawed at its remains and threw them away. “Look. Look at what you did to me.” Her face was laced with scars, her flesh plagued with burns. “Get up!” She yelled and cast short bursts of electricity at her apprentices who screamed in pain. They slowly got to their feet, filled with pain and anger, and ignited their lightsabers. Vreem and Anushka were surrounded.

“I will have my revenge.”

[Poludnica]

The annoying thing about the dark siders was their sense of grandiose self-importance. Anushka cared little for anything else than own skin - dark, light, honour, power. Those were just empty words for a former Jedi who focused on living through today with at least one hot meal and a bottle of booze. At the same time the red haired woman knew cooperation would help the survival, just as usually couldn’t help running her mouth. ”You want a name?” Ana asked indifferently though there was a soft tremble hidden in every word. ”I know one homeless drunk on Nar Shaddaa. His name is Crook. ” She finished, wincing when the other woman touched her head, forcing it to the side.

The grey jedi didn’t acknowledge Velorma’s next words, only a grimace of disgust crossed her features when the dark sider female commented on her looks. It was one of the things - and there weren’t many - that could spread panic in Ana. The fear of being abused and helpless like she had been all those years ago shortly after putting away her lightsaber in front of the Council. ”I smell better even after a tour around a sewer.” The grey jedi muttered but without the same defiance. Fear started to gnaw at her core when she couldn’t escape the sad realisation: this situation wouldn’t get better any time soon. Her eyes darted to the sides when the other woman wagged her tongue, pleased with own voice.

When the cold fingers grabbed her chin, Ana tried to bite them but ended up wounding only own lips. Her ghost pale, freckled skin blanched even more when she focused hazel gaze on the damaged apprentice. This woman was bats hit crazy and even normally too indifferent to judge Anushka could see it clearly. When a promise of suffering was made, the grey jedi began to struggle in her bonds. No.No.No/ Ana repeated inwardly, trying to quench panic that swept through her like a wave. The doors hissed open, Ana thought that maybe there was another pet apprentice but the dark siders were as surprised as her. A cloaked silhouette painted rough shadow against the background.

Let her go.

The shadow ordered and Anushka snorted, shocked and inadequately amused. For a moment the grey jedi was worried the new arrival was some old friend, judging by Velorma’s excitement, but quickly figured there had never been much sympathy between them. The Force around the one called Vreem swirled in light, comforting whirlpool while Velorma’s was muddy, cold and dark. Old enemies. Ana concluded, just before the hiss of sabres and the woman’s angry words proved her assumptions. She had to get out of there, quickly, but the bonds were tight.

Anushka only had a chance for a quick glance that told her the man, maybe even a Jedi was a near human Epicanthix - judging by pleasantly exotic features, but Ana had no time to admire them. Too focused on own troubles. The stranger, Vreem, held enough power to scare Ana: dark or light, she belonged with neither. The Epicanthix put himself between her and the crazed dark sider, Ana didn’t know if on purpose but the fact he wanted to protect her caused unpleasant discomfort.

The bonds wouldn’t let go, so Ana did the only thing she could to help the light sider. She began to cheer. ”Kill that crazy b*tch!” Anushka called out just in time for Vreem to land a painful blow on the woman’s face. Ow. Ana though idly, oddly detached. It felt like she was watching a holo movie and her own body felt alien. Vreem moved with a swift, admirable grace, Ana knew she would look clumsy next to him. Strange thing to ponder now…Suddenly the reality came back, hitting her like a club. Fear, anger broke through the wall of detachment the moment Vreem cut her bonds. Without a word Ana grabbed her yellow sabre and nodded, eager to get some revenge. ”Oh, I can fight, alright.” She hissed, unusually agitated. This indifferent women often felt cold, apathetic but not now. Now she was pissed.

There were hideous scars hidden under the mask and Anushka grimaced at the sight. ”Damn, you are ugly.” The grey jedi commented venomously and gracefully jumped to her feet. She was never a good warrior, but counted on the one called Vreem in that regard. We are so screwed. The grey jedi sighed inwardly as the apprentices began to rise.