The Sweeping Tide of Seduction (Fox)

[NitroGatsby]

((Hopefully I gave you enough to work with))

Space was cold. Rennek had always heard that, but had never fully experienced how cold it could be. The Scovus-class transport screamed along light-speed, making its way toward the edge of Sith Space. Years back, Rennek had resolved to run to the Empire, to avoid the inevitable pursuit of the Jedi. But fear took hold, and he feared being outed as a Jedi, so he resolved to float, making port whenever they needed supplies. They. Upon leaving Alderaan, Rennek had coerced the two original pilots to fly with him. Coercion in this case involved promise of payment, death threats and no small amount of the Force. Since then, however, the two had become rather comfortable with Ren on board, and they frequently interacted as friends. But recently, this cold seemed to be driving a wedge between the three.

Rennek sat in his chambers, the hood of his cloak pulled up over his head, casting shadow on his face. His eyes were shut, as he sat in a deep trance. The Force seemed to circle him, empowering him. He couldn’t tell which way pulled more, the light or the dark. More importantly, even in the two years since he had slain his master Atokan, he wasn’t sure which way he wanted to go. Which side felt more powerful seemed to change with his moods. No one way felt superior to the other, and as a result he had been in mediation for almost two weeks, as his “crew” flew around in the Outer Rim, with no direct point to navigate to.

“Sir, we are approaching the edge of Sith Space,” Liam’s voice came over the comm’s system.

“What planet are we nearest?” Ren spoke, his eyes still shut.

“Mygeeto, sir.”

“Make for the planet then,” Rennek said, as he stood from his kneeling position.

As he entered the cockpit, Ren could see before him the blue streaking of hyper-space out the front “windshield”. To his left, sat a navigator, a girl who was in fact the ship captain’s wife. She was short, dark haired and plain, much like her husband. Her husband, the captain sat at the controls, facing outward.

“Dropping out of hyper-space,” Liam said from the controls.

Rennek stood behind his pilot, watching as the planet zoomed into view. As they dropped to a floating space, Rennek saw off to his right, a small convoy of Imperial vehicles coming out of hyperspace. As it did, he felt a small twinge in the back of his head, though he didn’t think much of it. The planet continued to grow closer until eventually they were hailed.

“This is Mygeeto air control, you have entered controlled air space. Identify yourself,” the voice came over the coms.

“This independent transport, number Lima November 2-1-2-8-7-3, callsign LightSkipper,” Liam answered back.

“LightSkipper, identify your crew and cargo?”

“Crew is three civilians, and our cargo is mostly merchandise. Feel free to search the ship, when we land,” Liam said, as Rennek stood behind him, mumbling the same words half a second before Liam repeated them into the microphone.

As the ship entered the atmosphere, two escorts came along side the LightSkipper and guided them to the landing pad they had been cleared to land on. The craft touched down gently, and Rennek made his way for the doors and loading ramp, leaving the crew sitting in the cockpit. As he made to exit, he turned to the crew, and handed them a small pouch from inside his cloak.

‘Enjoy yourselves, we will leave in 18 hours.”

After making his way off the ship, and manipulating his way through the security protocols, Rennek strode down the the street of the city, making way among the throngs of people. He twisted and turned his way, pulling his hood up against the cold, unwelcoming air of Mygeeto. A sign read cantina ahead, and Rennek turned his course to make his way for the door, slipping as inconspicuously through the crowds.

[Fox]

Approaching Mygeeto air space had snapped Kiera out of her semi-trance state. It was not the need to focus that had done so, nor the drop from hyperspace. It was the presence of another, one strong with the Force. Her "eyes" probed the Force for information, feeling the presence of another enthralled in meditation undoubtedly. His presence felt strange, like a question mark. Though the taint of the dark side lingered in this individual, it did not feel certain. It did not feel as if it had really taken root yet. Aboard that ship was a young and confused individual. Someone who needed direction.

Someone ripe for the pickings.

"This is Mygeeto air control, you have entered controlled air space. Identify yourself" Air control crackled over the comms speaker in the cockpit of the Sith's Interceptor.

"Lady Sicaria of the Order." The pilot replied, giving no other callsign or indication of her identity. While against protocol technically, Mygeeto security had learned their lesson last time with Lady Sicaria. She was not one to be hassled.

"Welcome back, Lady Sicaria." A slight disdain peppered the male's voice. His subtle insubordination had been noted and would be dealt with later.

As the Sith stepped off her ship, the hood of her blackened cloak was pulled over her head, concealing much of her face as most Jedi and Sith did. She took but a brief moment for meditation, pulling the Force around herself and inward. It breathed through her before metaphorically solidifying and creating a layer of armor around her. This armor would serve no real protection, but her own connection to the Force would be contained within, undetectable to others. To those sensitive with the Force, this woman was just that and nothing more: A woman.

It didn't take her long to find the presence she had felt and locate him. After all, hunting and tracking were her specialty. Her "eyes" came to rest upon the figure of a cloaked man. Through the crowds of people, Lady Sicaria stalked her prey, keeping her distance and blending in seamlessly with the crowd, no one none-the-wiser. Eventually she was lead to the local cantina. Through the crowds they weaved, nearing the back of the cantina.

Lady Sicaria waited for the opportune moment, making sure that no one was close enough to eavesdrop while being careful that they didn't seclude themselves too much and stand out like a sore thumb.

"You feel... conflicted." Sicaria finally spoke up from just behind Rennek. "You're faced with two paths and are unsure which to take. You find yourself hesitant, filled with a fear that you'll make the wrong choice. You are in search of direction, yet don't know who to turn to."

[NitroGatsby]

You are in search of direction, yet don't know who to turn to.

The words cut through Rennek with more ease than the frigid air outside. The last bit lingered in his mind as he stared ahead, un-answering. He wanted to run, he wanted to fight this person. After all, who was this person, this woman to act as though she knew his mind. He resolved to as act as though he hadn't heard the words at all. He shrugged, pushing his way to the bar.

The air grew warmer and stagnant as Rennek pushed through the crowd, away from this creepy person who had spoken to him. The crowd was full of off duty Empire officers and what appeared to be traders, looking for a stiff drink before continuing onward. Ren held up a singular finger from inside the black cloak. Within a few seconds, the barkeep had placed a glass with a luminescent green and blue swirling drink in front of Ren. The fallen Jedi picked the warm glass up and turned to face the room, his eyes scanning the room for the person who may have been the voice behind him.

He heard her, more than he saw her. A faint voice, repeating the same message. He couldn't see her, but in his mind her voice was becoming more and more clear. The same message. She knew his mind, and that frightened him. His eyes darted around the bar, light mainly by the neon-backlit screens showing news and the occasional gambling statistic. He couldn't see her, or sense her. It was as though there was a field masking her presence from him. Her eyes he could feel as they bore into his skin, delving into him. Or at least that was how it felt as he waited for this slinking fox to reveal herself. 

The drink in his hand was warm, but the liquid was oddly cold on his throat. As he put the empty glass on the counter behind him, he turned his head in time to see the bartender place another of the same drink in front of him. With a deep and relaxing exhale, he turned to leave the direct area of the bar, working his way through the crowd to a booth off to the side. As he approached he waved his left hand, his free hand, and without speaking a word, the twi'lek and the two humans sitting in said booth vacated. Rennek slid into the booth, the darkest one in the place, and kept his eyes on the room, as he poured more of the sweet, cold liquid into his mouth.

[Fox]

Surprise, confusion, fear. These emotions flared up within Rennek as Lady Sicaria's soothing voice hit his ears. She could almost feel the questions formulating in his mind but could not read them. She had expected him to whirl around, either spouting these questions or drawing his saber, but the young one did neither. Instead, he attempted to brush these feelings aside and move on, as if to sweep it all under the rug. It was a peculiar approach, but it was not cause to give up.

The Sith moved through the crowded cantina with ease, the wandering eyes of its many patrons seeming to instinctively glance over her as if directed by magic. Even her now vigilant prey would bypass her as she approached, finding himself sitting directly across from her only too late.

"I feel much in you. A strong sense of confliction. A paradox." Lady Sicaria began as she lifted her head, allowing a bit of light to cast upon her face, revealing it to Rennek and Rennek alone. Her clouded, lifeless eyes seemed to gaze not at him, but through him. "To walk the path alone is noble, but foolish. What you seek is not an answer, but guidance towards one."

[NitroGatsby]

As the light cast across Sicaria's face, Rennek seemed to become lost in her lifeless eyes. He watcher as her lips formed words, but he didn't hear them. His internal conflict was flaring to new heights, as he tried desperately to hold on to his situational awareness. He leaned in over the table, his eyes fixed on the face across the table. He placed his hands, fingertips touching on the table in front of him. He sniffed sternly as he worked up the strength to form words.

"I don't know who you are, or what you think you are going to get from me," he spoke the words as evenly as he could manage, his inflection flickering up a little as his temper rose. "But I suggest you walk away. I'm no what you are looking for."

He sat back, pleased with his response to her seduction. The woman, whom he judged to be about about 10 years his elder, would surely give up whatever game she was playing. As he plaid his hands in his lap, he allowed his left hand to fall lightly on the hilt of his saber. He didn't anticipate a fight, but habits die hard and this woman had a rather relentless quality about her.

"Now, if you will excuse me," he began, motioning on the bar-hand who was working her way between tables. "I'm going to have a drink and perhaps some food."

[Fox]

Whether or not her words had reached the boy's ears was unknown to Sicaria, but she could sense that he at least felt the weight that they carried with them. She felt panic and confusion within him as his mind undoubtedly ran wild with questions like "who", "what", and "why". The answers to these questions were within reach for him if he would just take that first step. But he hesitated. He faltered. He resisted.

The young one leaned over the table and stated his defiance. His voice faltered and aggression began to rear its ugly head within him. His attention immediately shifted to a waitress not too far off.

"You can't run from everything." She stated coolly. "Everything catches up with you eventually. It's best to step ahead of things and take the reins while you still have the option to do so." She smiled softly. "It is not I who looks for something, but you."

[NitroGatsby]

His last nerve had been reached. Rennek slammed the glass down as he pounded the drink. He couldn't stand to be around this mystical riddling woman. He pushed off the table, standing to his full height. Gripping the collar of his cloak, he shrugged sharply and pulled the front closed across his chest. He looked down at the shadowy figure sitting in the booth. He leaned in, getting inches from her face.

"I see your mind, woman," Rennek began in a low voice, almost a mumble. "Do not follow me. I'm not interested."


Rennek spun on the spot immediately, and walked briskly from the cantina. The street was still crowded as he made his way down the thoroughfare. As he turned down an alley, to make his path to the ship shorter, a twinge sent up his spine and he whirled on the spot. He drew the blade from inside his cloak. The violet blade did little to light the narrow space, but none-the-less, three figures could be seen around him. The sight of the blade seemed to spook them, however, as the thugs took off quickly. Rennek extended his left hand and swiped violently to the left, throwing the last of the three into the wall.  The fallen Jedi advanced the stunned, and probably broken creature. He stood over the beast as it sniveled, and tried to slide away from the glowing blade of the lightsaber. Rennek twitched his hand and the blade flashed a little as he severed the thugs hand. Rennek bent down to the sniveled, shrieking thing. He peered into its mind and smiled.



"Run," Rennek said audibly to him, a wicked sort of smile crossing his features.  

[Fox]

Despite Rennek's clear defiance and disinterest, Lady Sicaria would not be scared off so easily. Every victim needed to be broken. All she needed to do was find his button. She remained motionless as the Dark Jedi nearly spat in her face and stormed out of the cantina. His advice she would not follow, and she was soon on his trail, moving as swiftly and silently through the crowd as a shadow.

Her lifeless eyes gazed not around the corner but through it as she watched her prey. She stopped just in time to witness his saber flashing to life. Three assailants took off, but one would not be so lucky to escape. The remaining two bolted past the Sith, seeming not to take notice of her presence. A pained scream reverberated between the walls of the alley as the unmistakable sizzle of a saber cleaving through flesh hit her ears. "Run..." Rennek would advise, a mad grin across his face.

"Three men ambush you in the night and you let them go." Lady Sicaria's voice sang as she stepped out into the open and made her presence known to the Jedi. "I'd say either you're too soft, or you take more pleasure from ruining a life than taking one." She chuckled lightly. The second thought was far more enticing. "You're no coward, yet you run from me. Why?"

[NitroGatsby]

Rennek did not turn to face Sicaria as she rounded the corner. Instead he stood, his saber still lit, his back to her. As he stood to up right, the smile left his face. By now he could only assume her allegiance and he was deeply conflicted. She was powerful enough to hide herself from him and she could very well teach him the key to the same power. Yet, at some level he wanted nothing more than to strike her down, rid to galaxy of one more Sith.  Her words reverberated down the alley.

"They did nothing to deserve death today," he began. " I saw their minds. They are doing what they must to survive."

He took a small step forward, digging his foot into the hard ground, preparing for a take-off.

"You flatter yourself woman," Rennek said, the smile returning. "I just don't like making a mess in someone else's place."

The young human pushed off hard with his left foot, propelling himself up and to the right, off the wall. He kicked off the wall with his right foot, spinning rapidly through the air. His cloak launched off toward Sicaria's face, as he flew at her. He swung the violet blade diagonally upward in his spin, aiming the lower part of his swing, toward her left -his right- hip.

[Fox]

"Thus is the way of life." She responded to Rennek's words. "Life cares only about survival. It is us that have given birth to morality and ethics. To hold onto these things is to limit yourself; to go against your own survival instincts." Despite Rennek's obvious stance, the Sith Lord remained calm and complacent. Her posture appeared relaxed and at ease.

The violet saber hummed violently as its wielder took to the air. He moved with a remarkable grace and agility. As his foot planted into the wall and launched the Jedi further into the air, Lady Sicaria could see the telltale signs of the Ataru form; a specialty of hers. Things had just gotten a bit more interesting.

Rennek's blade came up low and quick, but it would not be quick enough to catch the Sith. The Force wove itself through the muscles in her calves and feet and soon, she too propelled through the air. She jumped to her right, preceding the arc of the violet saber. With a flip, her feet planted on the wall to her right and sprung off, planting her a few feet behind Rennek. As she landed in a low stance, her cloak flapped open for a brief moment and, from it, two crimson blades flared to life. She stood and turned towards the Dark Jedi, twirling the fanciful saber in her hands for a brief moment before settling on a fighting stance.

Wasting no time, she charged forward to close the gap that she had created between the two of them. Her feet bound hard against the ground yet made little sound. She jumped, planted a foot on the wall once more, and propelled herself high into the air with a fanciful flip. One of the blades of her saber was brought before her as she tumbled, aiming to bring it straight down on top of Rennek and cleave him in two, had he been a much less experienced fighter.

[NitroGatsby]

As Sicaria landed behind him, he spun on the spot, squaring just in time to see her charge him once more. He brought his blade high over his head, the blade pointed down his back, in a stance reminiscent of the Poste di Falconé. As she tumbled through the air, t wasn't the experience he had that kept the young Rennek in one piece. He saw for a second as she flipped toward him a glimpse of her subconscious thought, and his own reaction took over. He tucked his head to his chest, powered down his saber and summersaulted under her flip. As he rose to his feet, he whirled on the spot, igniting the blade in a fluid motion as he swung wildly at breast level, more to create space than anything. As his chest opened up, the blade in his right hand extended to his right, he faced the Sith's back, sprung forward and, twirling the blade over his head, swung down with all his strength, from his high left.

[Fox]

He moved almost as quickly as she did. Instead of meeting the attack head on, Rennek rolled forward and under her. As Sicaria fell to the ground, she accounted for the now empty space and extinguished her own saber, tucking and rolling with her own momentum. She would land on her feet and immediately spring forward into a somersault of her own, aiming to put some distance between her and her opponent as her back would surely be left open.

The Sith didn't need to turn around to see the male charging at her once again. His saber reignited and he closed the gap between the two of them swiftly, bringing his saber up high. Ending her roll, Sicaria planted her feet into the ground and stood upright. The hilt of her saber was brought straight up above her head with both hands and reignited just in time for the left blade to catch Rennek's. Her hands gripped firmly and adjusted, initiating a twirl with the saber that would hopefully push Rennek's saber off to his right and set him off balance. As her saber spun, she too whirled around, catching her blade firmly once more and bringing it down for a swift downwards diagonal strike from her right, following the momentum of her spin.

[NitroGatsby]

All the twirling of the saber proved slightly distracting. Rennek was no expert in dual-bladed combat, and had only seen one prior to this encounter. As he fell off to his right, he dropped to his left knee, his right leg bent. The Sith moved quickly and the scarlet blade swung down on him almost as quickly as he could react. Sliding himself backward, he leaned his torso back and brought his blade up over his head intercepting the strike from his foe. He braced against the strike and pushed himself to a standing position, the blades still locked against each other. He allowed the blade to inch closer to his chest, knowing that a bent arm is stronger than a fully extended one.

She was proving more than capable of besting him, and he was realizing it. Though his face remained twisted in anger, underneath he began to fear for himself. His mind raced to what had made her single him out, what had made her follow him and now, if there was a way for him to get out of this, mostly intact. His eyes widened as he mustered all the strength in his body to push Sicaria backward. He extended his arms, pushing through his lightsaber, trying to make some space between himself and the assassin. As the gap widened, he released his right hand from the saber, fingers extended at a small metal box near-by. He swung his hand swiftly across his body, sending the box hurtling through the air at the Sith, as he "sheathed" his saber and jumped backward, flipping onto a second story balcony. He ignited the saber again, letting it hang at his side, looking down on the alley-battleground. 

[Fox]

[[ Sorry for the delay. I have a pretty chaotic schedule and my muse comes and goes in waves, so my free time and my interest don't always match up lol ]]

Rennek pushed back against her saber as it came crashing down, the familiar and almost calming static of blades clashing filling the air. With a shove, he put a bit of distance between the two and tossed something her way, no doubt a distraction for the aerial flip he performed immediately after. The object was tossed aside with ease, Lady Sicaria simply waving her left hand at it. It suddenly was jerked off-course and collided with the wall with a loud clang.

Her saber too was extinguished and she jumped to her right, planting her feet firmly on the wall and springing off. With a rather impressive flip, she landed atop the same balcony her opponent had retreated to, crouched low and perched like a cat upon the railing. Her free hand not supporting her re-ignited her saber and twirled it before holding it horizontally behind her back. "You have talent, skill, potential." She spoke from underneath the visage of her hood. "You could be so much more than you are. Don't let it go to waste." She enticed, her voice sounding like silk as it traveled through the air and to the dark jedi's ears. "There is strength in the anger and fear that you feel right now, and I only want to show you how to harness it."

[NitroGatsby]

Power. That was the only thing Rennek processed as the Sith warrior spoke, though the word never actually left her mouth. His cheek twitched as his eyes narrowed slightly. His mind drifted only a little, and he could see himself, standing tall on a battle field, slain Jedi and Warriors strewn about his feet, the violet of his saber the only color in the vision. His face was shrouded by his hood, and an odd shadow hanging about his mouth and face. He snapped to, only seconds passing as he turned to face his adversary. His grip tightened on the hilt of his weapon as his jaw stiffened.

"Tempt me all you want,"   Rennek spoke, his chin dipping a bit. "But I feel I'm doing just fine on my own, m'lady!"

On his last word, he sprung forward, bringing the blade up through the railing at his opponent, before spinning and swinging the blade back down from his right. 

[Fox]

The dark jedi protested against her words again. He proclaimed himself a vagabond and refused her help, though he spoke only half truths. Though not necessarily skilled in the telepathic arts, she had dabbled and could feel that confliction and confusion within him widening from a crack in the dirt to a canyon. Though he insisted upon declaring his independence, the seed of doubt had already been planted firmly in his mind and had begun to grow. All he needed was a bit more of a push.

Again, Sicaria's opponent charged at her and brought his saber up to strike, swinging up through the steel of the railing. With her hand planted firmly on the railing, the sith performed a quick cartwheel to her side to avoid. Rennek spun and brought his blade back down. The force welled up in the muscles of her legs and she leaped to her right and away from the balcony. Her feet once again planted into the wall and she kicked off with another flip, landing atop the balcony again, this time behind her opponent.

Her hands gripped the hilt of her saber and twirled it in a dazzling show of crimson light, taking light yet graceful steps towards her opponent reminiscent of a dancer. As she reached striking distance, she too spun and held her saber out at abdomen level, sweeping wide from right to left.

[NitroGatsby]

The whirling crimson blades cast their light on the side Rennek's face, his features twisted in anger. He turned to face the Sith. She had her moment. She could have struck him down there, but didn't. Mercy? Or perhaps she was just slow. Either way, her moment was squandered. Rennek squared to the warrior, twirling the saber in his hand, at his side. He smirked as he stared at her shrouded face.

"Is it weakness, m'lady?" Rennek spoke, his mouth not moving, his thoughts projected at her. 

As the words were "spoken", Rennek again moved forward, the saber at his side. As he closed the gap, he feigned a strike from down low, before jumping up and flipping over his opponent, swinging the blade at her as he passed. His feet on the floor again, he swung backward at his opponent, spinning into another swing of his blade, before squaring to her, the saber held vertically in front of his body.

[Fox]

Her saber swung past him and he twirled his own saber in preparation for an attack. He aimed low and Sicaria kept with the momentum of her swing, spinning quickly and twirling her saber to block the incoming strike. The attack was a feint and Rennek launched high into the air over her, bringing his saber down with him. Unfortunately for him, the sith not only understood a great deal about the form of saber combat the two of them both utilized, but her double bladed saber provided her an advanced degree of protection the male's more traditional saber did not.

While the first blade swept low to block the initial strike she had thought was coming, she raised her hands and continued to flourish her saber, bringing the second blade up high to parry Rennek's real attack. She spun quickly on her heels, her hands turning her light saber into a quite the display of dexterity, rotating to block the second strike that came as Rennek landed. He backed up and returned to the typical ready stance of Ataru, but Sicaria persisted.

She too returned to a ready stance, flourishing her saber one last time in her right hand before letting to rest at her side. Her lifeless eyes glared at Rennek from beneath her hood and she smirked, trying a new tactic. Her mind probed his with the force, fiddling with the neural signals in an attempt to engulf every nerve in his body in searing agony. Her hope was to bring the boy to his knees.

[NitroGatsby]

A sound, almost like being forced under water boomed in Rennek's ears. He could almost see the attack before it happened. He threw up his best defense, but it proved to do little more than mitigate the assault on his senses. His saber blade retracted, and a large vein popped out of his forehead as Rennek doubled over, the saber hilt returning to his belt. His face strained as the pain seared through him. It was so intense that it actually kept the scream he wanted tor release from forming, all breath gone from his chest. His face reddened as his eyes bulged forth. His mustered the force within himself and pushed back, but it was only temporary relief, as another wave crashed onto his nerves.

Rennek fell to his knees, his fingers curling on the hard metal of the balcony. His breathing became punctuated, almost like being punched in the stomach as he fell to his face, unable to blink for the pain in his body. It seared, and stabbed, pressure building in every inch of his being, even the most sensitive of regions. He curled and uncurled like an infant trying to crawl. He shuddered and whimpered. He couldn't manage the words, only think them, using all the force strength he had to push into the lady's mind. Please, stop.

[Fox]

A devilish and malicious grin crept across the Sith Lord's face as she watched her opponent fall to his knees, the blade of his saber extinguishing. Grunts and groans of pain filled her ears like a symphony of music, invigorating her. What a thrill it was to be able to bring someone to their knees with little more than a glare. How she wanted to hear him scream, to cry out for aid, to beg for mercy, but she could almost feel the scream stuck in his throat. She intensified her influence over him and giggled as he struggled just to breath and remain upright.

She felt his mind push into her own, his attempt feeble as he undoubtedly found it hard to concentrate at the moment. Still, she let him, feeling he could do little harm. "Please, stop." His voice pleaded in her mind, one final chuckle escaping her lips before releasing her control over his nervous system, freeing him of the agony she had caused him. "This is the power I offer: The power to make others bend to your will." She enticed further.

Her knees bent slightly and she arched her back forward, her grip tightening on the saber at her side. "I hope you can stand." She taunted before taking a few swift steps towards him, flourishing her saber before bringing it down on him, aiming to graze and scar him, provided he was unable to respond quick enough.