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Dutch
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Jun 2, 2014 1:33:50 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 2, 2014 1:33:50 GMT -5
The large pane of glass exploded as Levin's body collided with it. Shards of it clattered across the overgrown metal floor, crunching as the Jedi rolled across. A burst of the Force propelled Lev back to his feet, boots scrapping to reassure his footing. Bleeding from countless cuts, the Jedi pushed any glass that stuck into his flesh outwards with the Force. They tinkled to the floor as the healer pooled the Force back within himself, the legion of cuts sealing as restorative energies cascaded from Lev. His eyes snapped to the window he had just come through, the gurgling bloodthirsty cries of a rakghoul horde growing.
Two days ago Levin had arrived to Alderaan on assignment. A mysterious outbreak of Tarisian rakghouls had ravaged the city. With it came a particularly dense nexus of the dark side that had taken root within the remote mountain city. Long had there been a correlation with the vermin and the dark side, naturally the nexus would call out to them. The descending rakghouls had slaughtered and mutated every Republic citizen within the city. Levin had found himself in the thick of the most hostile territory possible within the first ten hours. He had been running for his life ever since.
His Jedi robes were in ruins. The cloak long lost to a swarm of tiny raklings, he shrugged the shredded remnants of the top of his robe from his shoulders. Though all his wounds were healed, his skin would still be marred by dirt, sweat and blood. Levin was tired, more than he would care to admit but less than was worrisome. With a pull of the Force Lev returned his lightsaber to a waiting hand, the silver blade igniting immediately. Just in time as another window shattered, bringing with it a fresh flood of oozing rakgouls.
Levin stood his ground as the filth charged, lightsaber held steady and ready. The first leaped at him, the Jedi smoothly decapitating it with a flourish. A free hand gathered the Force to push a trio back away from him, lancing his saber a second later through the head of a fourth. His boot would connect with the gut of a rakghoul, pushing it away before yet another tackled him. Levin grunted with effort to fight the beast off, his lightsaber clattering onto the ground and hissing off. The Jedi struggled to push away and avoid the rapidly snapping jaws, simply too drained to pull the Force into himself any further.
It was then that whispering voices would speak through the Force, hushed and ominous. A familiar presence making itself known, it was difficult to discern the identity with the voracious beast attempting to devour him.
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Neology
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Jun 3, 2014 9:52:57 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 3, 2014 9:52:57 GMT -5
The rented speeder thrummed to a stop, settling down in the middle of the empty road. Novus unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out, raising a pair of electrobinoculars to her eyes. It was late in the afternoon and yet the city was eerie in it's stillness. No cheerful Republic citizens, no vehicles, no birds. 'What happened here?' She lowered the device and squinted up at the mountain, noting the line of the western face. This was the right place, last glimpsed in the shadows of a strange dream.
Not that she truly needed to confirm. Even with her own presence in the Force tamped down, Darth Novus could feel the darkside here. It was a vibration through the ground, something she felt in her belly and in the soles of her feet, made all the more puzzling because it did not belong here. Alderaan was as deeply ingrained within the Republic as Core Worlds got. There were no Sith, but there should be Jedi.
A strange sound carried on the wind, somewhere between human scream and bestial howl. Frowning, Novus pulled a blaster rifle from the speeder's trunk, letting the weapon rest against her shoulder. She proceeded into the city on foot, silent as a ghost, sticking to the shadows by long habit.
Half of the mystery resolved itself. Rakghouls: she recognized the creatures on sight by their fearsome history as one of the most enduring bits of Sith Magic she had ever heard of. Vicious, inelegant creatures. They cut an enemy force twice, but were nearly impossible to remove from a planet once introduced. Novus focused, feeling out the monstrous creatures by their base thoughts and pushing them away, a sensation not unlike running one's fingers through cold, sticky oil. She suppressed a sudden desire to wash her hands.
'That explains where all the people went, but I wonder, are the rakghouls the symptom or the cause?' Novus nudged a bloated corpse with the toe of her boot. The rakghoul's head lolled grotesquely, still attached by a thin scrap of flesh. Interestingly, the wound was cauterized on all edges. There were Jedi here after all - or had been, she corrected. Rigor had set in, meaning this body was somewhere between three to twenty-four hours old. On the lower end, most likely – rakghouls did not discern. Still, plenty of ways for a Jedi to get themselves killed in between.
Well. It was quick enough to find out, one way or the other. She let her senses furl wide, sweeping the valley for other Force adepts. There was only the one other and … Sudden recognition sent a hiss air through her teeth. Levin. Eight blocks that way, three – no, four stories up. Swearing, Novus took off at a run.
The building was perhaps ten floors in total, glass and metal instead of the careful stonework present in the city's heart – offices, were she to guess. To say that the rakghouls were agitated would be entirely inadequate. A pack of the creatures swarmed the front, bursting out windows and pulling themselves up on the supports. Once she drew their attention, well, she wouldn't be able to just hide anymore.
Novus pulled the liquid-cable launcher from her belt and took aim. The grapple whizzed through the air and caught. She tested the line once, twice before bracing the rifle against her shoulder and engaging the wench. The grapple held. She took a few shots at rakghouls as she flew past them, though most of the bolts went wide. When the line ran out, Novus hoisted herself up the last couple feet, letting the blaster go slack against it's shoulder strap.
Her sabers came to hand, casting a crimson light on the scene. Turning, one of the three rakghouls launched itself at her. A telekinetic shove ensured that the creature missed, falling past her and out the window. Her offhand blade caught the second in the throat, a shallow cut that lay open the rakghoul's windpipe. Novus spun on her heel, running the last through with her mainhand.
“We need to leave.” The words were flat in her ear, the understatement of the century.
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Dutch
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Jun 5, 2014 12:00:40 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 5, 2014 12:00:40 GMT -5
Levin pushed the now dead rakghoul of himself with a grunt, staggering to his feet with labored breaths. The beast's claws had ravaged the flesh of his arms, shoulders and chest. Blood would patter lightly to the ground, the Jedi taking a knee as his head spun. His eyes regarded Novus suspiciously, uncertain as to why the Sith suddenly appeared. The darkside was heavy all through the city, which must have helped mask the already stealthy woman from his senses. Why was she on Alderaan, a core world of all places? Was she somehow responsible for the outbreak? Or was it a Sith plot gone wrong, and the Darth was there to fix it? More importantly, why did she save him? There was no such thing as chance, the Force had brought Novus and himself together again. He trusted the Force, even if he didn't trust the Sith. Levin would have to wait and see what it willed for the duo.
Breathing slowly, Levin did his best to steady himself. He could feel the Force pour into him once again, muddled by the darkness that wafted everywhere. His eyes would slide close for a moment, pulling more restorative energies into himself. One by one each individual gash would seal, as if an invisible zipper tugged his flesh closed. Levin's aura would glow a soft white as he used the Force to purge the disease and filth that came with a rakghoul's attack. Back to physical health, Lev still couldn't deny the sheer exhaustion that gripped him. Bones aching, muscle on fire and eyes heavy, he regarded Novus again.
"The rooftops have been the safest so far. Few of these beasts make it that far."
He would rise back to his feet, ignoring the way his boots slipped on his blood on the floor. Levin knew he was working on borrowed energies, the Force being the only thing to keep him standing. Rest would be needed, and soon. But with the never ending tide of monsters and the new presence of the Darth, Lev wasn't certain he would get that chance. In more ways than one, he was at the woman's mercy. Inhaling the Force into himself once more to bolster his resolve, Levin raised a hand to a door clearly labeled 'Exit'.
"Go, I'll cover our rear."
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Neology
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Jun 5, 2014 13:56:12 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 5, 2014 13:56:12 GMT -5
Novus watched the Jedi struggle to stand, her expression difficult to read beneath a thoughtful frown. A moment later, her sabers hissed off and she turned away, allowing the man a moment of privacy to tend to his wounds. It did not feel right, to be witness to his weakness. Without her intervention, he'd have likely been torn apart by the rakghouls – no one should have to die like that. Yet a very many had. 'Why did you save him?' Broken glass crunched underfoot as she turned to the window, swapping to the blaster rifle and taking aim at the creatures below. She was a much better shot when she wasn't flinging herself through the air.
Levin spoke. She inclined her head, lowering the gun. Blue eyes studied him from beneath the sooty veil of her eyelashes, calculating. His wounds were healed, but exhaustion was a danger in itself. 'Still don't trust me at your back?'
“As you wish.” She turned and went through the door he'd indicated, finding herself in an empty stairwell beneath red emergency lighting. The air was warm and close and stinking. Something dark and still occupied the next floor down's landing. 'Only one way to go from here...' Novus began to climb, thankful for the adrenaline that still sang in her veins. Every two floors she glanced back, making sure Levin still followed.
At last, the stairs came to an end. Novus pushed open the door and strode out into a hallway. Executive offices – empty, so far as her senses could detect. She glanced around, searching for roof access. One of the offices caught her eye first; she stepped gingerly around the splashes of gore bracketing the secretary's desk, peering through the beveled glass. 'A view of the mountain's west face. Well, it's as good as anything else.'
“What about in here? I think we can block off this door easily enough.”
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Dutch
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Jun 5, 2014 20:51:33 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 5, 2014 20:51:33 GMT -5
As Novus passed Levin would hold his hand out to where his lightsaber lay.It rested covered in broken glass, gleaming bright in the gloom. With a tug of the Force the hilt would flip to his awaiting hand, his exhaustion clear by how slow the weapon moved. It would remain clutched at hand as he moved to follow the Sith. The second they stepped into the stairwell, he could feel the darkness press around them. And not just physical darkness, ebbed only by the hazy red safety lights. The dark side hissed out of every crack in this building. It had been the same in all the others, the nexus' tendrils twisting into every stone. One so deeply rooted would be difficult to remove, and that was if he would survive the outbreak.
Following Novus up the stair well, it didn't take long for his legs to begin to burn. He would focus so much on keeping his legs moving that every time Novus would slow down to check on him, Levin would look up just in time for her rear to be right at eye level. Each time he would huff lightly and instantly glance away without a word. Finally reaching the top of the stairs, Lev would follow the Sith onto the top floor. Beads of sweat fell down his brow and over his chest, leaving lines in the dirt and blood that stuck to his flesh. He watched the woman move forward, calling his attention to the office. Levin knew little of the layouts of corporate buildings, but he did have to assume that whoever was on the top floor would have a decent security suite. And there was still power in the city, meaning whatever automated defenses were on the floor could be used.
"I agree." He replied with a small nod. Levin approached the door, testing the handle with a couple fingers. To his surprise the handle fully turned, unlatching with a click. Throwing the door open to step in, the room would suddenly be bathed in a silvery light as his lightsaber ignited. With a flick of the Force Lev his the light panel, soft artificial lighting lifting the silver sheen of his weapon from everything. His eyes peered around the large office, quickly noting the lack of movement from within.
"Seems clear..." Levin would say, switching off his lightsaber before hooking it to what remained of his belt. He would move further into the room, the layout what he would expect to see in some sort of executive's office. A polished wooden desk, a bar with backlights gleaming off the mirror behind it, a cozy looking conference area with a small couch and two matching chairs. A door opposite to the one they had just came through could only been the owner's private bathroom. The Jedi would turn to regard the Sith, curious what her plan now was.
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Neology
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Jun 6, 2014 11:00:36 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 6, 2014 11:00:36 GMT -5
“Good.”
She followed the Jedi into the room, hiding a smile in her sleeve as he brandished his lightsaber to the empty room. Lucky for Levin, nothing came jumping out of the shadows. Once that lightsaber was safely stowed away, Novus grabbed his wrist, steering the exhausted Jedi toward the couch.
“Sit. You look like hell.” She let go of his arm and moved over to the desk, reading the heavy bronze nameplate before sinking down into the chair. Her fingers skimmed over the console, bringing the machine to life. Minutes ticked by. “Here we go.” A mechanical hum started up in the walls. Moments later, heavy steel shutters slid down over the windows and exterior doors. That left only the rakghouls already in the building... She set about blocking off the office door with spare bits of furniture. A bit of telekinesis made short work of the task. She stood back, surveying the blockade with a frown. A determined pack of rakghouls could, given enough time, break it down. But it wouldn't be quiet.
Satisfied with her work, Novus let her eyes wander to the Jedi. He really did look drained. How long had he been out here? As long as he'd known there was a problem, she suspected. Levin didn't seem like the type to just walk away, good sense be damned. She disappeared into the bathroom, returning a few minutes later with a paper cup filled with water and a damp hand towel. Novus handed them both off to the Jedi.
“You should rest. I'll keep an eye out.”
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Dutch
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Jun 6, 2014 15:13:41 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 6, 2014 15:13:41 GMT -5
He didn't expect the woman to seize his wrist so, Levin beginning to mutter a protest before she tugged him along. Again she had touched him without his permission, what was with people and all the touching? Would it not have been simpler to merely speak her mind to get her point across? Instead Novus chastised him and commanded that he sat. He did sit, hesitantly at first. The couch was exceedingly comfortable, far more so than anything standard issue among the Jedi.
Levin began to look himself over, inspecting his flesh for any signs of the rakghoul virus. All his wounds had healed, and from the feel of it no bones were broken. No flesh appeared to fester, and his skin tone would remain the same. No paling, no twisting, no mutation. He would be brought out of his thoughts as the heavy metal shutters fell, sealing with a hiss afterwards. That did bring him some relief, from what he had seen only the large, red, hulking ghouls were strong enough to bend metal.
The Jedi would also frown at the barricade Novus constructed, but admitted he wouldn't have been able to do any better. Flashbacks from a similar mission wafted through his mind, wraiths created by the dark side having infested a prison space station. Always it seemed vile creatures were drawn to the darkness nexus' exuded, Levin wondered if he would ever see a time where evil wouldn't flourish. Yet with every nexus he sealed, more opened across the galaxy. Even as deep in the core as Alderaan. He looked up to see Novus standing near him, offering drink and a means to clean himself.
"I... thank you." Lev would say, eyes meeting Novus for only a brief second before accepting her offers. Instantly he gulped down the cool water, grateful for his first drink in what felt like days. He set the cup down on the coffee table that sat in the middle of the conference area. The towel would be brought up, the Jedi beginning to wipe away the blood and grime.
“You should rest. I'll keep an eye out.”
"Why are you here?" Levin would ask bluntly, moving from finishing his face down to his neck. He would continue rubbing the gunk off of his skin as his eyes turned to Novus.
"And why are you helping me? You know how many Sith I've brought to an end, what I can do to them. Do you not fear I'll erase the darkness within you? Do you wish for it? Did you come to Alderaan seeking me? Or the nexus that has formed?" Lev would ask as he finished cleaning his bare chest and arms, moving the rag to attempt to awkwardly clean his back and shoulders.
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Neology
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Jun 6, 2014 16:16:48 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 6, 2014 16:16:48 GMT -5
“No problem.” One shoulder rose and fell, a lazy shrug. Idle, she moved over to the bar, leaning over to check out the selection. Nothing she recognized – unsurprising, as she rarely drank, but it was a shade more polite than open staring. Eventually, she selected a plastic cup of coffee. She shook it and cracked the lid, bringing the tiny heating unit in the base to life.
Levin spoke, a flood of questions. Not unexpected. He probably hated missing pieces of information nearly as much as she did. Well, they were out of immediate danger.
“Why am I here?” Novus repeated the Jedi's first question, a tiny smile on her lips. She moved back over with precise, careful steps. She took a seat on the edge coffee table, long legs folded carefully, crossed at the ankle; invading his space with a vague sense of retaliation.
“I had a premonition. Brief, but intense and at a moment when I should not have been able to feel the Force. These mountains, as they look at sunset.” Another shrug. She sipped her coffee, deciding to leave a few details out. He didn't really need to know that she'd been on Coruscant. “It took a little research to match the mountains to the planet, but I came as quickly as I could. I've been driving all day.”
Her eyes tracked his movements. There was very little else to look at and certainly nothing quite so arresting.
“As to why I've been helping you … It felt right, at the time. I hope you will not cause me to regret doing so.” A sigh. He was trying to clean his back, to little avail. She held out her hand for the grimy towel. “Let me do that. Turn around.”
The rest, she didn't quite want to put into words. Mostly she didn't want to admit that she didn't know why the darkside nexus had manifested. Iniquitous didn't trust her, not quite. Had he left her out of his plans? Dangerous, if true. The silence dragged for a moment. She busied herself with efficient scrubbing.
“No, I don't know how many you've killed, Levin, and I don't care to. No, I am not afraid. No, I don't know what is happening here.”
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Dutch
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Jun 7, 2014 20:57:38 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 7, 2014 20:57:38 GMT -5
Levin shifted slightly back from Novus as she sat on the table before him, well within his own comfort bubble. Going back to his cleaning, he kept his eyes averted from the woman. Quietly he listened to the Sith, her responses clean, concise. A couple times he would glance up at her, finding her eyes gazing over his body as he scrubbed it. Each time he would flush lightly and quickly look away. Always she seemed to be invading him in some way. Was this her tactic? To try and fluster him and lose his focus? Novus' sigh followed by an offered hand broke his thought track, blinking in surprise towards her.
He would pause, momentarily unsure if he should turn his back. From that vantage, she could stab him, choke him, or worst of all behead him with her weapons. Yet he didn't doubt in their current states with her unblemished and himself exhausted to the core, that if she had truly wanted to kill him she would. Levin reflected on the fact that she had had more than a couple opportunities to let him die. Slowly the Jedi stood to his feet, eyes never leaving hers until he now looked down at her. Without a word he turned and moved to settle back onto the couch, crossing his legs and straightening his back.
The Jedi would shiver slightly as Novus began to scrub him. He would never verbally admit that the steady, cleansing motions were very pleasant. Levin too sat in silence with the Sith, unsure of what to do with himself other than sit and let her scrub. Slowly he would let his eyes fall, relaxing them for the first time since landing on Alderaan. His shoulders would slump ever so slightly, but still far more than Lev normally sported. He could hear her responses to his earlier questions, slightly at his approval of her retorts yet too tired to fight the feeling.
"Fair enough, Novus." Levin would murmur, his last words before he slumped with sleep.
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Neology
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Jun 8, 2014 7:24:29 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 8, 2014 7:24:29 GMT -5
The Jedi's breathing evened out to a peaceful rhythm, tension flowing out of his shoulders. Asleep, finally. She had begun to wonder if he ever would, stubborn creature. A rueful smile touched her lips, briefly, then was gone. Could she sleep, were this situation reversed? 'Yes.' Levin was dangerous, she knew that for a fact. No doubt he had killed many Sith, and yet … She rather thought that he would tell her, before trying to kill her. That blunt honesty of his was strangely endearing.
Besides, he was right not to trust her, Novus had to concede. She was Sith. When they'd remade the order, they chose to live beneath the weight of all that frightful history, a long tradition of betrayal included. And was that not what this was? She'd saved this man's, this Jedi's, life – there was no way to sell that to Iniquitous as the right thing. Levin would keep killing and all those screaming ghosts would have her to blame. Perhaps he felt the same way about her.
'It's not too late. You could fix this.' Knife – no, too slow. It would have to be the saber, death all at once instead of wicked away in drops of crimson. 'No. No no no.' She would not murder someone in their sleep for imagined future sins, or for the sake of her guilt. The dirty towel, tortured into useless shapes by idle hands, fell to the floor. Novus sprang to her feet and paced the room, putting some much needed space between herself and the sleeping Jedi.
Her eyes cast about, shifting along the walls as though she wished she could see through them. How to fill the empty hours? Left alone with her thoughts, she was worse than useless. Exploring wasn't an option. Investigation … Novus stared at the desk and it's built in console with doubt, suddenly wistful for the Empire, or at the least, for an Imperial data forensics team. Her own middling skill was unlikely to disgorge any of the machine's secrets. Just as well - another glance at the nameplate - she sincerely doubted Annie Camden of GalaTec Solutions had anything to do with this disaster.
Novus sank into the upholstered office chair and browsed through what company files she had access to. Her thoughts wandered. 'Survivors?' No. Surely Levin would have already looked into that, and she could hardly do better. 'How did this start?' One could rule out accidents. With no sign of planetary aid incoming or, at the least, a containment effort in the works … It became rather obvious that communications weren't getting out. This was not tiny mountain village, but a city. The corporate offices, at least, would be soon missed. Whoever had planned this had to know that, even if they could not have planned for her and Levin.
A strange sound, like ball bearings rolling over metal sheeting. It took her a moment to realize the cause. Rain.
'Oh.'
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Dutch
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Jun 11, 2014 17:04:55 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 11, 2014 17:04:55 GMT -5
Levin's dreams were clouded and hazy. No images were clear, and all sounds were muffled. The city they were in, flooded with a black slime that bubbled. Each popping bubble released a scream, or a rakghoul's howl. He stood on the side of a building, looking down at the black flood as it slid by. Novus smiled knowingly at him, floating in the air above his head. She nodded her chin to his left, the city suddenly spinning. Now looking down at the face of an Alderaanian opera house, the black ooze poured forth from its every window and door. Novus stood on the steps of the opera house, ignoring the black tide as it oozed around her. A deep, low growl would sound from within. From the ooze his apprentice would slowly rise, pale eyes blank as they stared at him. A flash of red, and both women's heads would roll from their shoulders.
Thunder would crash, and the Jedi would rise suddenly from his slumber. Alter and saber already at hand, his eyes would scan the room quickly before sliding back to where he saw Novus. It had been near four hours according to the chronometer that glowed on the wall. About average for Levin lately, always plagued by nightmares whenever he slept. Especially lately when the darkness had taken such a hold on the galaxy,he never made it past a few hours of sleep each night. He would clip his lightsaber back to his best, averting his gaze from Novus for a moment.
"I know where we need to go."
He stated bluntly, looking back to the Sith. Long had Levin been adept at heeding his dreams. The Force oft spoke best in similar states, and the Jedi knew to follow it. And she was in his dream, she needed to come as well.
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Neology
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Jun 11, 2014 20:15:58 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 11, 2014 20:15:58 GMT -5
Novus did not dare sleep. She filled part of the time checking over her gear and skimming the executive's console, though that route proved inadequate distraction. 'Well, you were Jedi once. You know this dance.' Unfortunately, patience did not come as naturally to her as it once had.
And yet ...
Minutes slipped by, and then hours. At last, the Jedi woke from restive sleep, reaching for his weapon even as his eyes fluttered open. Novus watched, winged brows rising in curiosity.
“Bad dreams?” She intoned softly, letting the question hang in the air as largely rhetorical. Standing, the Arkanian stifled a yawn and stretched like a cat. A few steps brought her back around the desk and to Levin's side. She offered him a hand up, her fingers cool and dry beneath his. Blue eyes studied him with the same kind of detached appraisal that she usually saved for various Imperial minions.
'Exhausted, hungry, dehydrated, and you still want to march off to save the world?' Novus shrugged, then nodded once.
“Alright. What are we going to do when we get there?” She slipped away, returning briefly to the desk. Deft fingers punched in a code, releasing the emergency lock down, then closed around a set of company keys. A telekinetic tug on a few choice pieces of furniture didn't so much bring the barricade down, but rather rendered it easy to climb over. Novus did so, stepping out into the empty hall.
“Let's go. You can tell me your plan on the way.”
A few hours with the GalaTec console had the added benefit of familiarizing her with the building's floor plan. After a quick glance around, she led the way to the freight elevator. Novus pressed the call button and a moment later the door slid open with a pleasant chime. She climbed in, waited for Levin, and keyed in the code for the garage. The elevator began to descend, a little too slowly for her liking. The occasional growl or scream from the rakghouls echoed very strangely in the enclosed space.
“When we get down there, look for something fast with the GalaTec logo. I'll drive.”
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Dutch
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Jun 12, 2014 17:51:06 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 12, 2014 17:51:06 GMT -5
Levin cautiously took Novus' offered hand, half expecting her to suddenly lop it off with a saber. Instead she moved to release the lock down, moving to exit the office. She seemed to know where she wanted to take them, so he followed the woman closely. He would gently reach out in the Force around them, probing for life in the building. It was difficult to discern what was rakghoul and what wasn't, the pervasive darkness clouding his inner eye.
The elevator down confirmed his worry, panicked screams followed by hungering howls echoing through the shaft. He would shift uncomfortably, weighing whether to stop the elevator or not to try and assist the survivors. Yet that would mean diverging from his doctrine to seal the nexus first. For moments he battled with the decision, blinking when he noticed that all and any screaming had stopped. He cast a look down to Novus, his eyes the only thing that showed his sadness.
"Survivors..."
Before he could say anything else, the lift dinged before the doors slid open. Instantly Levin's lightsaber flipped to his awaiting hand. One hand protectively hovered over Novus as he peered out to see if any ghouls awaited them. Satisfied that they were safe for the moment, Levin peered back at Novus. Quickly his hand fell when Lev realized it had been hovering just above her chest, looking away once more to hide his awkwardness.
His eyes scanned for the logo he had seen inside the building, a two seated air speeder catching his attention. Levin motioned for Novus to follow, doing his best to keep below the line of vehicles to keep out of sight. From somewhere in the garage Levin heard the sound of claws scraping metal. The Jedi froze in his tracks, again a hand rising to stop Novus. This time unaware of where it hovered, his sole attention was turned towards the source of sound. Again the claws squealed against metal, a gurgling hack following. Levin's eyes slid closed, again reaching out with the Force to assess this threat. It was big, it was evil... and it was moving away from the pair.
Moving cautiously again, Levin stepped for the speeder's passenger side. He was grateful that the woman had taken off swiftly, feeling a bit safer in the speeding vehicle.
"Ten miles south of us is a historic opera house. The Force has shown me that is the source of the nexus." Lev looked to Novus, unsure of how the woman would take to being exposed to the Light. Maybe... maybe she would turn from the Sith? Maybe she would be saved? The only Sith to have faced his power so far, had done so in combat. Never had one been near him willingly as it happened. Would Novus flee when she discovered his direction?
"The 'plan' is simple, Novus. Get to the opera house, find where the nexus is darkest... and purge it."
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Neology
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Jun 12, 2014 23:30:30 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 12, 2014 23:30:30 GMT -5
“Anyone that's managed to last this long is better served hiding then with us.” Scant reassurance, that, despite it's truth. She could just imagine trying to do this with half a dozen scared civilians in their keeping. It was not a particularly pleasant train of thought. Novus shook her head, trailing slowly after the Jedi, eyes on that hand he held out in front of her. His sudden concern for her safety was interesting, a thing to be filed away and examined later.
Claws on metal. Judging from his stance, Levin heard it too. She held her ground until he motioned her forward again.
The company speeder was a sleek thing, almost predatory in it's lines. Dark, shiny, and perhaps earmarked for the very same executive whose office they'd taken shelter in. She flashed Levin a quick appreciative smile and climbed in. Her touch brought the engine to life, a deep bass purr. Novus spun the wheel, speeding them out of the underground garage and up the ramp to the empty street.
“Right.” Whatever he meant by purge, he presumably had the means to effect.
She turned once, twice, then let the speeder climb to it's full acceleration. The rain was cool and pleasant on her skin, sticking her long hair to her scalp. She reached up, brushing a few strands behind a pointed ear, hiding a grin. There was something very pleasing about a fast speeder and an empty road. Any apprehension about helping the Jedi seemed suddenly dim beside that base exhilaration.
It was not to last. A overturned transport skiff blocked half the road, a hulking creature partially obscured by the cabin. Novus made to swerve around, illuminating the beast in a blurred sweep of headlights. A rakghoul bloated to massive scale, crimson instead of fish belly pale. It was not, exactly, an improvement. The creature roared and leaped after them, scrambling on all fours, whatever meal it had found swiftly forgotten. Novus watched it in the mirror, swearing darkly.
It was gaining on them. Quickly.
“When I say now, jump!”
She leaned back from the wheel, letting the Force hold it steady. A moment later, the blaster rifle was in her lap, free from her shoulder strap. Long fingers moved deftly over the powerpack, jury rigging a manual overload on a very short timer.
“Now!” Novus leapt from the moving speeder, winching the wheel around with the Force to turn it back toward the charging beast. She hit the ground with a roll, wrapping the Force around herself to cushion the impact, and came up with a saber in each hand.
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Dutch
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Jun 13, 2014 15:55:23 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 13, 2014 15:55:23 GMT -5
Levin now second guessed his choice for an open top vehicle. Yet that was the closest GalaTec vehicle he spotted. The rain quickly soaked the Jedi, wishing his robes and cloak hadn't been shredded by rakghouls. He suppressed a light shiver from the cool rain, glancing to Novus. Lev watched as she fought to hide a pleased smile, eyes following the motion of her fingers as she brushed her silvery hair back. It was strange to him, to be sitting in some corporate speeder next to a Sith that only caught his eye more and more. Yet she had proven not to be like other Sith, had she not?
He would be distracted by an urgent whispering in the Force, looking up just in time to see Novus slide around the largest rakghoul he had seen yet. Levin looked to her at the word 'jump', expression slightly alarmed as he saw she wasn't joking. His friend's had long worked at him 'getting jokes', and with the overall strangeness of the situation he couldn't tell anytime Novus was jesting. She clearly wasn't when he missed her cue to jump, reacting a moment later as she jerked the wheel with the Force.
Instead of gracefully leaping and rolling to their feet like Novus did, Levin felt his body launch from the speeder. He curled himself as best as he could into a ball, forcefully slamming into the top of an overturned bus. The metal squealed in protest as the Jedi punctured the bus, sparks shooting from wires torn by the impact. Not a moment later Levin would appear from the same hole he had created, bleeding from several ragged gashes. The Force would twist in the air around him, purifying as it filled his presence.
His aura glowing in the Force, Levin's wounds sealed up. He would look to the red rakghoul, now stumbling back to its feet from the speeder exploding. It too was bleeding from several massive wounds, yet the beast only appeared angrier instead of injured. The beast bellowed, an offensive pink paste beginning to ooze from the wounds before it spread to coat the injuries. Levin looked to Novus with a determined eye.
"Together." Levin called out to her, his lightsaber flipping to his hand and ignited. The silver blade hissed in the rain that fell, sending pale trails of steam to rise from the lightsaber. Clasp firmly in his hand, Levin charged forward with his weapon angled to attack.
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Neology
Damsel out of Distress
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Jun 13, 2014 18:08:42 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 13, 2014 18:08:42 GMT -5
The glossy landspeeder sped at it's intended target, though she barely registered Levin's body as it was flung by the reverse momentum. 'Idiot!' Her senses stretched out, searching for the Jedi, and were momentarily overwhelmed. The power pack explosion was accompanied by a wash of plasma from the speeder's fusion engine, lighting the street as if it were day for the span of a breath. The rakghoul screamed mightily, reverberations from the sound seeming to shake the ground beneath her feet. Angry, not dead or dying. Much to her dismay - that had been a good trick. Now she was out a blaster and a speeder.
Novus staggered then straightened, blinking away sunspots in her vision. She felt the Jedi before she saw him, a bright blaze in the Force that was growing increasingly familiar. He climbed from some wreckage, trailing water and a smattering of dark drops from wounds that closed as she watched. Had no one told him that Force healing was supposed to be hard? She'd never had any talent at all for the technique. He seemed to wield it as naturally as she drew breath.
”Together.” What an odd concept, though with another glance at the rising beast, she was rather forced to agree. Novus nodded, sheathing one of her blades and wishing dearly for a ranged weapon.
Levin charged the beast, and she soon lost track of his movement. Novus extended her empty hand, focusing on the nexus and it's latent power. It swirled around her, wild and waiting. Lightning arced from her fingertips, aimed high at the beast's head. The creature recoiled, screaming, and raised it's arms in a strangely human gesture of shielding. Novus redoubled her efforts - the Jedi would likely not get a better opportunity to attack.
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Dutch
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Jun 14, 2014 17:40:42 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 14, 2014 17:40:42 GMT -5
Levin could feel the Force twist as Novus channeled the latent darkside energies. The nexus churned as the Darth pulled from it, the obvious power it granted suddenly being flung from the woman's open hand. He could feel his heart drop at the reminder of what Novus truly was. What she had chosen to be the avatar of.
The hulking ghoul had reared back against the Sith's assault, giving Levin the opportunity he needed. With a burst of the Force Lev would lunge forward, silver saber whipping through tainted flesh. The gash opened the thigh to the bone, a fresh howl coming from the rakghoul. As it fell to one knee the Jedi would leap to that knee, another slash from his lightsaber opening another gash into the beast's chest. He would duck under the beast's elbow, a swipe of the lightsaber taking most of the elbow out. Another burst in the Force would propel Levin upwards, descending down saber-first.
The rakghoul would shriek horridly as the lightsaber plunged down the back of its head, the Jedi giving a grunt as the blade was pulled to the right. The fetid stench of poisoned meat burning would waft in the rain as the beast was beheaded. It would fall to the ground with an audible thud, the body instantly collapsing as well. Levin jumped off the falling corpse, landing solidly and switching off his saber. The Jedi turned his eyes to Novus, and nodded once in approval.
He would keep the lightsaber at hand, moving towards Novus as he glanced back at the red hulk to make sure it wasn't getting up. It lay there stinking and still. Confident in the kill he stopped before the Sith, also as soaked as he was.
"We're not far. Let's go."
Lev would move around Novus, glancing back to make sure she was following. Sticking close to the sides of buildings, the Jedi would tread as silently as possible. All around he could hear the rakghouls moving. Some howling, some wrecking vehicles, some doing something that Levin couldn't but the sound to. He shivered lightly at the thought.
They would turn the last corner needed to find the opera house, the grand building suddenly taking up the entire side of the block. Black stone with red and yellow accents, it was every bit the classic Alderaan architecture he had seen in holos. Levin peered around, surprisingly no rakghouls in sight. He looked back to Novus, slightly raising his eyebrows before stepping out into the street to head towards the front door. Levin would pause before it, one hand on the handle but not yet opening it. If Novus wasn't fully prepared for what was about to happen, it could put both of them in danger.
"I need to know Novus. Have you ever experienced a nexus being sealed?"
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Neology
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Jun 14, 2014 20:28:44 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 14, 2014 20:28:44 GMT -5
The beast fell, transmuted by the Jedi's blade; deadly adversary to mere pile of stinking meat. She gathered from the smell that the creature had already started to rot. The body would not last long, corrupted as it was. Novus turned from that gory vision, letting the arc of lightning fizzle out. The power of the nexus continued to lap at her heels, seeking outlet like floodwater through a channel. With an effort, she shut it out.
Levin approached. She greeted his words with a shrug and a smile. That had worked surprisingly well, all things considered. Even if he hadn't listened when she'd said to jump from the speeder. It must be very bizarre, to have that luxury – to easily spring back from almost any injury. The Force likely didn't spare him the pain of those wounds, however, and being ripped apart by rakghouls would still prove quite deadly, in time.
'Why so reckless, Levin?' Novus moved to follow him, smile fading into pensive thoughtfulness. Moving quietly was second nature to her, as so her mind wandered. She hadn't taken the Jedi for suicidal, and yet, if the Force had not sent her here … She had questioned his faith once, months ago in the Vendaxian jungle. Teasing, for he spoke to her in dire absolutes. Had there been some truth in that, after all? She flinched away from that line of thought in sudden distaste. Nothing about this made sense!
The opera house loomed up suddenly before them, and she dutifully followed the Jedi up to the big double doors. She could hear rakghouls in the streets, perhaps even in the building, though none met the sweep of her eyes. It seemed the monsters would allow them their space, for the moment. She knew that would not last. Sustained by or sustaining, they were connected to the terrible power of the nexus, centered on and pooling in this place.
Levin paused at the last, hand on the door. She frowned at his question.
“No, of course not.” A pause. “I can guess that it wont be easy. What do you need me to do?”
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Dutch
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Jun 19, 2014 0:26:47 GMT -5
Post by Dutch on Jun 19, 2014 0:26:47 GMT -5
Levin removed his hand from the handle, eyes scanning for any ghouls but seeing none within eyesight. He avoided looking at Novus for a moment, taking in the sight of the street. Crashed speeders, dead bodies, murals done in blood and gore. So much pointless, hateful death. The Jedi looked back at the Sith, noting how... small and pitiful she seemed soaked to the bone. Lev considered what to say a moment, blinking once before responding.
"That is an accurate guess. It is never easy, and always violent. Every sinister creature nearby will be drawn in as the nexus tries to defend itself." He paused, unsure of how to describe what would happen. "You will see things that aren't corporeal. You will hear voices with no source... You will feel pressured to act in a way you do not wish."
The Jedi looked down from Novus to the door to the opera house. He knew that as soon as they entered the nexus' domain, all hell would likely break loose. Levin wondered if it would be strong enough to break Novus' will and commandeer her flesh, forcing her to attack him. The only cure for that kind of possession would be for him to end her. In all truth, he didn't desire the woman's death. How curious. His eyes found Novus', wondering if it'd be the last time it would be her looking back at him.
"I need you to survive." He said bluntly. "When exorcising the nexus, I will not be able to defend you. Do not risk yourself for me, focus on staying alive."
Levin wasn't sure what else to say after. Wasn't sure if she realized what kind of horrors she was to face in mere moments. To be a Sith was one thing, to face the literal incarnation of evil was another. From what Lev had seen thus far, Novus had not proved to be evil per se. More so was on the wrong side if anything. His hand moved once more to the door handle, the metal freezing cold to the touch.
"Are you ready?" He would ask, gaze never leaving hers.
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Neology
Damsel out of Distress
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Jun 19, 2014 3:10:36 GMT -5
Post by Neology on Jun 19, 2014 3:10:36 GMT -5
Novus listened attentively, chin angled toward him, her expression closed and thoughtful. She'd known there would be a fight coming. Hallucinations were another thing. What nightmares would the Dark Side conjure up to torment her? It would not care for her power, for her title, lashing out as a dying thing. Memories of her apprenticeship surfaced unbidden and were cast aside with effort, nails digging half moons into the meat of her palm. She gave the Jedi a little nod of gratitude for his warning.
“Lovely.” Her lips turned up into a sardonic little smile. His eyes met her's, quite engaging at this range. Inky pupil, bands of green and silver in the iris, white sclera. Not exactly human. Eerily intent.
'You need me?' What a very strange thing to hear from a Jedi's mouth. Her brows rose as he went on, a momentary flash of confusion. Whatever could he need her for, if not to fight for him now?
“Wait. What do you mean 'defend me'?” She shook her head, posture turning rigid. “I was under the impression that I'd be defending you, while you do … Whatever it is that you do. Unless you just want to be rakghoul chow.” In which case, she'd be a lot safer using this distraction to make her way back to her speeder. Then Levin would probably die, of course. And so. The Force hadn't sent her here just to watch one stubborn Jedi destroy himself.
“I'll be fine, okay?” She vented a small sigh, trying to let go of that resentful defiance. His concern was not, necessarily, intended as an insult. Novus tried on a reassuring smile, found it did not suit her. Instead, she stepped forward, closing the gap between them. She kissed him, lips parting, tongue insistent. Her hand climbed his back, tracing the narrow wing of shoulder blade. At length she pulled away, eyes dancing mischievously, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
“For luck." Quite the incentive to keep living, that. "Now I'm ready. Let's go.”
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