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Post by surfersquid on Feb 1, 2010 22:31:16 GMT -5
"Right." Kyla followed Master Skywalker--it was nice to have a concrete source of the Force, that glowed so strongly she didn't have to concentrate on it at all, to be able to follow, instead of feebly feeling her way along cold stone. Below them, Force activity danced at the edges of her vision, and she shifted her focus downward. "Something's happening," she breathed nervously. "It looks...angry." That was the best she could describe it. The Force was agitated with aggression and negative emotion. It wasn't a pleasant thing to look at, and it scared her. But she knew she had to keep going if she wanted to help her new friends. And with Master Skywalker around, surely nothing would go wrong.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Feb 2, 2010 22:56:30 GMT -5
[[I'm a bit crazed with school/work/etc. right now, so will post this for now and do Luke's and Tranner's parts within the next few days.]]
Ka fell to the ground when the wave of pain started. She could barely hear what Astrin was saying, so surprised was she by the attack that came out of nowhere, from nowhere, and made her want to curl into a ball and shiver with the pain of it. That's what she did, gritting her teeth together to keep from crying out so that she could hear what was being spoken. She smelled water and steam wafting her way. Rocks poked against her shoulders.
When the pain stopped she slumped to the ground, eyes lidded. She saw Master Horn fall terribly limp to the stone as well, and his lightsaber roll away from his limp hand.
She stayed quiet, not knocked out but not planning to do anything except lay there and try to fall asleep so that the pain's aftereffects would leave her.
So this was an adventure.
At least Astrin was still with her.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Feb 3, 2010 22:13:47 GMT -5
Luke lead Kyla to the top of the Temple. It was wide enough to land an X-Wing on and flat enough to walk on comfortably. Kyla would not have trouble navigating. From here, Luke could sense the tableau playing out beneath the jungle. The Force was magnified out here, so that he could sense a group of people in the distance, two of them fighting, some of them stamped with the same mark as those encountering Corran below.
He reached out in the Force and pushed. The result of this Force power would be a Force push as strong as if he had been standing right next to the person, but would also give them a clear message; there was someone strong nearby.
But with the result came a wash of prophecy. He had no other way to describe it; while the scene before him remained clear as day, he suddenly knew a message was coming for Kyla. The words were garbled for him, but she could hear.
One will teach another darkness
One will learn darkness and set it aside
One will teach another light.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Feb 6, 2010 22:49:27 GMT -5
((Morn or Rion, you'll have next post for to react to Epsilon before I can move him along in the story. Surfersquid you can post from Kyla's view as well.))
“I’ll take the Tiss'shar.” Haidric stated as he leaned down over Ka, heaving her across his shoulders. “You take Astrin.” Phax's grip on Astrin’s upper arm was gentle but firm as he helped her to her feet. He called the silver mask to his waiting hand and turned her toward the exit. She could feel an odd rippling sensation spend over her skin before it stilled and conformed to her like a sheet of water. Picking up on Phax’s thoughts, she realized he was making them invisible to other Force-users. “We’d better to back on board our ship Haidric. I can’t keep this up for too long.” Haidric shift Ka more comfortably, but for grinning back. “With the way I can run, that won’t be a problem. You’ll enjoy a quick run, won’t you little sister?”
Astrin didn’t say anything as the group bound up the pathway the two Seekers had followed into the cavern. If all went according to planned, she and Ka would arrive at Cortex 9 within the next few hours. The world she thought she’d never have to return to ever again. At least they hadn’t captured Kyla. She was safe, that much Astrin could gather as the nightscape blurred by.
***
The light from their ship’s cargo bay took her unprepared eyes by surprise. Haidric walked up to place Ka in a holding cell, while Phax pressed Astrin’s mask into her hand apologetically. “Sorry Astrin. I forgot you and Epsilon don’t like bright lights.” She stared at Phax for a moment in shock before slipping on her mask. Epsilon? He was alive? “Is he okay?”
Phax shrugged evasively. “He’s different from what you remember. Come on. I'll take you to your cabin.” Astrin looked at the top of the ramp. “I’d rather stay with Ka.” She whispered. Phax’s near charcoal black eye looked something akin to sympathy. “I can’t put you in the same cell as her, but I can allow you to be in the one next door. You’ll still be able to talk to each other.” Astrin nodded thanks as Phax lead her up the ramp. The forest’s night calls behind her silenced once the bay door sealed shut. One thing was for sure, Ka was going to be in for a shock when she woke up.
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Post by Morndakiél on Feb 7, 2010 17:31:56 GMT -5
As Epsilon pulled his helmet over his hair and discarded it, Tranner marveled at his old-looking face and glowing eyes. He was Sith, then--perhaps from Ruen's generation. Or perhaps something else entirely...Tranner tried to get around to his back as Epsilon attacked, but one strike landed, slashing through his armor and into his shoulder. His forehead wrinkled.
As Epsilon resettled, Tranner did too, holding his lightsabers out before him in a careful guard. He kept his eyes on Epsilon's face, flicking his gaze to the purple-washed weapon the other man had pulled from a pocket. Whatever that was, it didn't look like he wanted to get to know it better.
The pits? Too new to understand now. Tranner took a few steps and launched himself in a Force-assisted flip over Epsilon's head, forgetting for a moment his apprentice behind him and just wanting to be somewhere where the fight wasn't so even, where he had the advantage of surprise. It had been so long since he fought a Force user-- He plunged his sabers down, fists tightly clenched, to drag them through the region of Epsilon's face.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Feb 8, 2010 11:26:56 GMT -5
The pressor field holding Ka still and limp let off as she was dumped into a shiny white cell on the spaceship they had brought to. Her breath hissed in and out quickly. They had been taken off Yavin IV! All alone--Master Skywalker was going to be so mad!
More importantly, what was going to happen to them now?
She could hear others moving around in the distance, hear the clank of footsteps. She crawled a few steps, then tentatively rose to fingers and toes to scramble over to the wall nearest the sounds. "Astrin?" she called.
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Post by surfersquid on Feb 8, 2010 23:09:57 GMT -5
When Kyla reached the top of the Temple, she stumbled and nearly fell to her knees as the Force seemed to explode around her, bringing all of its nexuses into such astounding clarity that she was seeing everything happening as if it were right in front of her, and it was confusing and disorienting to see the scenes play out like a holo with the sound turned off (from what she could remember of holos from her early childhood) when they felt so real.
"What's going on?" she stammered to Master Skywalker, casting her vision around; everything looked so new and vibrant up here, as if her normal Force vision had been like seeing through dark-tinted transparisteel, which had then been removed to allow the unfiltered light of a sun to pour into her mind. "What's happening to Ka and Astrin?" She had forgotten, in her bewilderment, that Master Skywalker surely did not possess the ability to see through the Force, but she was sure that he knew what was going on, somehow, as well.
In response, instead of expected words of comfort or guidance, Kyla received ambiguous phrases in a voice that was not-quite-Master Skywalker's, and she could see the Force swirling fervently about him. It was frightening; she had never seen the Force act with such intensity before. "Master Skywalker, what does that mean?" she asked in a quiet voice when it was over and the Force had settled itself again, as her mind tried to make sense of the words. She hoped she wouldn't be the one to learn darkness; she wasn't too keen on that at all.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Feb 8, 2010 23:55:32 GMT -5
Epsilon was surprise to hear himself chuckling at Tranner’s analysis of his appearance. Despite his white hair and flecked scars, he wasn’t passed his twenties. His red eyes were nothing more that a quirk of his genetic makeup, not an ominous sign of being a Stih.
He slide beneath the Sith’s blade, feeling the heat of it hover over his skin before slashing up with his drugged spike. It was nothing too dangerous. A mild nerodisrupter that would paralyze the limb it penetrated. If stabbed, say in the heart, the affects were much more lethal. The strike’s tip didn’t penetrate the deeper muscle, rather it broke the skin of Tranner’s tricep. Epsilon, turned on his heels to take another stab, when he felt a strong pulse of Force energy roll over him. Someone was trying to make a point that his fight with these Sith hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Skywalker…
Behind him his helmet gave off a repeating alert. It was the signal that announced a mission was complete and to come back to base. It looked like his brothers had gotten the job done. Good. Now he could take proper care of these two and head back home as well. He locked his sights on Tranner and repositioned himself for a more accurate strike. It had been some time since he’d been pitted in a good fight. At least now he could enjoy it.
*** Astrin settled down onto the bench along the dividing wall between the two cells. Resting her head against the divide she quietly replied to Ka’s call. “Yeah. I’m here Ka.” She watched the lights in her cell dim to a softer light. Astrin smiled sadly. Phax had changed with the years, but he still had that kind streak buried within himself; she could barely recognize Haidric. The comparison between these two was painful enough. It made her dread seeing Epsilon again.
“Try to keep your voice down though. Phax won’t mind us talking, but Haidric…he’s still in a foul mood over not capturing Kyla as well. The flight shouldn’t be more than a few hours, so you might want to get some sleep will you still can.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “We’re going back to my “homeworld”. Or at least the part I’d have lived in had I been advanced into training. Other than that, I can’t get much more detail out of my brothers…” She trailed off and waited for Ka’s response.
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Post by Morndakiél on Feb 10, 2010 23:42:17 GMT -5
The needle pierced Tranner's arm and burned, and a moment later he felt the limb grow numb. He bared his teeth as he tried to move it and could not. Distracted by Skywalker's Force presense suddenly washing over them--both a proof of power but also an ultimate stupidity, to let them know that he was watching them and too far away to do aught else!--his next strike was a clumsy swipe with his free hand at Epsilon's face.
And it was a shame, but he needed his new apprentice to get in here. "Kon! Help!"
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Feb 11, 2010 0:11:54 GMT -5
Luke held his head, running his fingers through his hair. He stood up straight as the Force faded back to its normal strength. "We can never entirely know what visions mean." he said. And it was impossible to change prophecies. They would come true somehow, no matter how he tried to protect his student...but protect her he would. And then he needed to find Ka and Astrin.
"I don't know what happened to them, but I'm going to find out. You should stay here, say safe." But as soon as he said that, he realized that it was exactly the sort of thing that, if it had been said to him when he was a teenage, he would have contradicted in any way possible.
But maybe that's what made heroes.
*** Ka leaned her forarms against the bench and looked at where hse imagined Astrin to be. She listened with interest, realizing that she hadn't even though of their captors as individuals before--and now one was supposed to be kind? Right. She kept her voice quiet, not wanting to do anything stupid again. "Are they really your brothers? Like, related?"
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Post by Demarion on Feb 11, 2010 21:42:21 GMT -5
[[GBBBGBBBGBGB Sorry I've been inactive! I'll try and hop in smoothly! D: ]]
To Kon, it seemed the battle was going all right. He didn't know if Tranner was going to disable their opponent or fight to the death, so he had backed off early on, quickly and quietly calculating the odds.
Yet now he was needed. He knew that Epsilon could sense him, but the Twi'lek stayed hidden nonetheless. He let out a few shots from his blaster before running in on it, pulling his dagger from his boot as he did so. He snarled and stopped beside Tranner, holding out the dagger in his right hand, blaster in left, his lekku swinging from the momentum.
"You rang?" He cocked his head at Epsilon and gave a sharp-toothed grin.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Feb 13, 2010 21:32:18 GMT -5
Haidric hadn't said a word since Phax had entered the cockpit. That in itself was a sign his brother was still fuming over something. And Phax could guess it was because he hadn't captured the Seer. Quietly taking the co-pilot's seat, Phax began keying in his mission report. His throat felt bruised where his stronger brother had gripped him, but he didn't dare move to rub it in case it got Haidric's attention.
After a few minutes of the soft tapping against the datapad's screen, however, Phax found he too was thinking back to the young Seer. He was glad she hadn't been hurt and wondered what her name was. Could she see the fates or was she still limited to the presence of what was around her? Did the Jedi even know how powerful her ability really was?
Returning to his typing, Phax secretly promised himself he'd come back to look for her. That gift was too rare and valuable to be wasted on the Jedi.
***
"Yes, we are related. Phax and Haidric are my half brothers though. Only Epsilon is my full blooded brother from this group." Astrin recalled distant memories of long lost faces. The youthful smiles untouched by bitterness or cruelty. "I didn't realize they were still alive. I haven't seen any of them since I was about seven or eight." Her voice grow sorrowful. "They're so different now..."
She rested her chin on her knees. "Growing up we didn't have a clue as to what the outside world looked like, so those of us who could read thoughts would try to catch bits and pieces from the technicians who took care of us." She laughed sadly. "If we found something new like the memory of a park or the open sky, we'd share those thoughts with others like Haidric so they could project the illusion around us. As pretty as those images were, they were never as beautiful as the real thing." She looked down at her bandaged arm before continuing, "We all got broken up when it was time for evaluations. Most of us were sold to collectors, underground slavers, fight investors or placed into stock. Anyone who isn't sold or doesn't show the traits we were breed for...they usually don't live long after their evaluations."
Astrin rung out a corner of her cloak more to distract herself from the less pleasant thoughts that woke up from the last statement than the need to remove the moister from the fabric. "It was--is--a very different world from Yavin. Very different indeed."
*** Epsilon was forced several paces back by Kon's blaster fire and watched the young Twi'lek flash him with his sharp tipped teeth. "You rang?"
"Ah, the apprentice in waiting. Welcome to the engagement Kon." He looked back between the two opponents. It was true Tranner's arm would limit his movements but that didn't mean he wasn't to be dismissed as a non-threat. It would still take time for the toxin to spread through Tranner's system and eventually leave him completely numb. Kon was who he needed to focus on the most.
Giving the spike a second, more potent coating, Epsilon looked for an easy strike on the Twi'lek. It would have to been a major blood supply if the quickly. He focused his attention on Kon's thigh at the femoral artery. It was a less expected target than trying to go for the obvious throat or chest region. Setting his stance, he waited for either of the other males to make a move against him.
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Post by surfersquid on Feb 15, 2010 23:09:24 GMT -5
Kyla watched Master Skywalker curiously. She was pleased that he was so concerned over her, as was the proper responsibility of an instructor figure. But she couldn't let him go it alone. Ka and Astrin were her friends as well as his students, and she wanted to feel useful. Besides, she could see things that, perhaps, he couldn't. Or in a slightly different way than he could, at any rate. "Please, let me come with you," she said, stepping toward him with a polite bow. "I can help, I'm sure of it. I won't be any trouble." Sure, she couldn't shoot a blaster or wield a lightsaber, but she was small and quick. And could see through walls. That might come in handy.
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Post by Morndakiél on Feb 16, 2010 0:01:21 GMT -5
Tranner smiled as Kon's blasterfire did exactly what he wanted it to do; provided a distraction. As Epsilon coated his next spike with toxin, Tranner swiped at his enemy's head while at the same time thrusting out a hand for a Force-lift designed to strand Epsilon ten feet in the air and at Tranner's mercy.
Then, who had the element of surprise wouldn't matter at all.
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Feb 20, 2010 0:00:02 GMT -5
Ka could hear Astrin shifting around, but the silence lay heavily over it, overpowering the friendly sound of another warm body on the other side of the wall. She was astounded by the story of the little Force-sensitive family pooling their powers to create the closest thing they could get to a normal life. She curled her tail around her feet for a little comfort.
If Haidric and the rest were Astrin's brothers, might they be convinced to be good again? There was always a chance...
But Ka had another question, one which popped out of her mouth before she realized it might hurt Astrin, bring up bad memories. "If you're all siblings...did you have parents?"
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Feb 21, 2010 21:07:03 GMT -5
Epsilon’s lips scowled when he felt his feet leave the firmness of the soil. He was far too high to get any leverage to escape his Force user’s grip, so rather than drain himself in a vain struggle, he relaxed in the invisible trap. Spike still in his palm, Epsilon slowly slide it past his wrist until he heard a muted click. His own little trap was in waiting. All he needed was for either Kon or Tranner to come a fraction closer and then he could strike.
To what triggered the vague memory, Epsilon could not decipher, but an odd childhood chant rose from the dreamy mists of the past.
Who is Death’s companion? And where does his blade lay? It is us! It is us! We go to battle. We go to war. We are the blade in which order is restored! Let us go to war. Let us go to war. We are Death’s trusted blade!
Head lowered allowing his pale bangs to slightly shadow his eyes, he sneered at he opponents. Feeling the tension against his wrist, he waited for one of the other Force users to come within range.
*** Astrin stopped fussing with her cloak and turned to Ka despite the wall. “I…never really gave it much thought.” She paused before explaining. “I suppose I do, but I don’t know who they are or even if they knew about my existence. The charts the kept track of our genetic backgrounds never listed who the donors were. It wasn’t important as far as the lab was concerned as long as the genetics worked out to produce traits that they were looking for. And with the facility working underground, such information would probably be kept as vague as possible in case they were discovered…which eventually did happen when Reed and his men found me in isolation.”
Astrin waited a moment not sure what a parent was in terms of relationships. She had an idea of what it was like to have a close relationship with siblings, but only a vague concept of what a parent should be like from her short time in Reed’s care. “Ka what is your family like?”
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Post by Cy Skywalker on Feb 22, 2010 22:28:43 GMT -5
Genetic background...donors...Astrin's story sounded so clinical to Ka. That explained the two girls' slight disconnect...Astrin had been raised so differently, so unusually. Maybe more like the Jedi in the Old Republic. But Ka couldn't help but feel sorry for her.
"My family? They're suburban. My father's a barrister, my mom stays at home, mostly--she designed clothes for a little bit. He gave me his bo staff, although he hadn't practiced in a long time. They...were always around. Annoying sometimes, but..." She lowered her head, spoke quietly. "I miss them."
***
Luke smiled. Yep, Kyla was a lot like he had been when he was young...except chock-full of Force powers he had never used because he had never had to. She was strong in her own way.
He folded his hands in his sleeves, gearing up for the dingy tunnel back to the audience chamber. "First thing we should do is find the presence I sensed before. And the first thing you should do is get a weapon." He ducked into the tunnel. "A lightsaber, unless you would prefer something else."
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Post by Morndakiél on Feb 22, 2010 23:23:53 GMT -5
Tranner had never planned to get any closer to Epsilon than he was now. When the other man didn't react, he pushed again, flinging Epsilon toward the thick trunk of the nearest tree. That should get him out of the way.
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Post by Jedi Master Sar Sha on Mar 1, 2010 23:06:04 GMT -5
“I miss them.” Astrin winced at the hushed words in sympathetic ache. There was nothing she could do to change their current circumstances. Her gift didn’t even allow her to give Ka the comfort of imposed memories like those she had used as a young child. “They sound nice. I bet they miss you too. I know I missed my family when we were separated for long periods of time. We didn’t always get along, but we still care about each other. For each other.”
*** Tranner’s attack couldn’t have come at a better time. Epsilon felt rather than saw the tree closing in from behind. Just before the collision could occur, he twisted his relaxed body like free falling cat, landing feet first. His calves coiled to absorb the shock of impact, before pushing off the timber in a Force aided leap back toward his attackers. Sweeping his palm out in a parting gesture, a flurry of metallic shards sang through the air, piecing anything in the way of the high velocity rain. The spike Epsilon had loaded into his wrist guard had been crushed and now the numbing splinters stuck both Tranner and Kon. It would take a few moments to take full affect, but Epsilon landed confidently back to the forest floor.
“Game. Set. Match.” Epsilon replied as he called his shattered helmet to his hand.
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Post by surfersquid on Mar 2, 2010 1:56:26 GMT -5
"A, a lightsaber?" Kyla squeaked in surprise as she traced Master Skywalker's unmistakable Force signature back into slightly cooler air and the echo of footsteps in a closed space. What stood out to her the most, though, was how the Force faded, settled back into its usual intensity. She found herself missing the apex of the Temple already. She felt like she could see forever up there, and she sorely wished that that could be her duty as a Jedi, to just sit and see. And tell others of what she saw, of course. But the seeing...it was amazing.
"Uhm, well, I've never used a lightsaber before," Kyla stammered as she stumbled along back down the tunnel, keeping her sight trained on Master Skywalker in front of her and trusting him not to lead her into any walls. She knew about what dangerous weapons they were, and she certainly didn't trust herself with one, not on her first day at the Academy, especially. Then again, she didn't want to outright refuse the weapon, as she didn't want to offend Master Skywalker's judgment. If he thought she was ready for a lightsaber, then maybe she was. She had no idea how to fight, though.
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