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Author Topic: Interludes  (Read 144872 times)
Karmack
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« Reply #375 on: October 05, 2018, 04:08:22 PM »


Soldier...

Peg Shar Spaceport, aboard "Hope II"
Halla Sector
Mid-Rim
5 ABY


Alex grinned as the "new" R2 droid, officially R2-S2 but already known affectionately as "Blip", engaged in another long discussion with Gambler.  Blip was another of Alex' creations, built from scavanged and recovered parts and meticulously reprogrammed by Alex to help Gambler with the engineering and maintenance of the Hope II.  The young droid still had a lot to learn, however, and his emerging personality was deep into its "adolescence" phase, which often brought Blip into conflict with Gambler.  The result was generally Blip questioning Gambler's instructions, Gambler launching on a long explanation of what and why, followed by Blip doing the electronic equivalent of an eye-roll and sarcastic comment, and culminating in a loud and emphatic dressing down from Gambler. 

All, of course, in droidspeak....

Alex chuckled and sipped his coffee as he headed into the crew lounge.  "Good morning, gorgeous!"

"And a good morning to you, handsome!" Joanna replied.  She tilted her head and accepted his kiss as he passed, and their eyes twinkled at each other as he sat opposite her at the small table.  The "Hope II" was a YV-100 light freighter, newer than her predecessor and nearly as highly modified.  Her dorsal and ventral turrets had been worked over, and now contained one medium turbo-laser and one rapid-fired heavy laser in a dual-mount turret.  The chin "turret" had been replaced with a heavy ion cannon fixed forward, and a single concussion missile tube with a seven missile magazine.  The guns could be fired from the pilot's station, or from a gunnery console Alex had added to the navigation station, or from the turrets directly under manual control at need. 

When they left Coveway for Bespin they'd stripped the "Hope" and sold her.  Despite their elimination of the Inquisitor's team there would be to many records of the ship for her to escape further Imperial notice.  The "Hope II" was nearly the same size and had nicer accommodations, and the break had helped them move on with their lives.  The ship had an improved hyper-drive and was faster than most fighters in normal space, which let them get into and out of places most people couldn't approach.  With Alex' ability to filter out clients who would cheat them or betray them, they had built a reputation as a ship that always delivered on-time and never got mixed up in the wrong crowds.  Amazingly, shipping medical supplies and time-critical materials actually paid quite well, especially when you didn't need to hire a company of mercenaries to protect from vengeful Hutts or Black Sun Vigos.

Conversion of one set of passenger quarters into an electronics shop for Alex had been organic, and building droids like Gambler and Blip on the side brought in a nice supplemental income.  Joanna glanced up as Opal entered the room and her smile broadened.  "Good morning, Opal!"

"Good morning, friend Joanna." The Shard replied.  Alex waved her into a seat at the table and Opal sat, mimicking Joanna's crossed legs and demeanor.  The pose managed to look awkward on the security droid frame, but they'd gotten used to the Shard's appearance over the last week.  "Friend Alex, I must again offer to repay you for this fine droid body you provided me to wear.  There must be some way..."

Alex raised a hand.  "No.  You've been through enough.  I will not have you risking further exploitation just to replace some credits I don't really need."

Opal gave a peculiar droid shrug she'd affected and simulated a sigh.  "Very well.  Perhaps you will accept service in lieu of payment?  I have been reviewing some of your recent missions with Friend Joanna as well as reading the ship's logs, and it seems to me that you could use someone with my ... skill set."

Alex leaned back and took a drink of his caf.  He shot his wife a look and noted the knowing look in her eye.  "Ambush..."

"Please, do not blame Friend Joanna.  We did discuss this but it was my idea, not hers." Opal interjected.

The sincere apology brought a smile to Alex's face.  Opal had been with them for a week now, and she was a talented engineer but her true skill set had turned out to be military.  She was force-sensitive but had not been trained as an Iron Knight.  Rather, she had been on the security team of a Shard Ambassador.  That Ambassador had been attacked by Mandalorian mercenaries as their ship neared Peg Shar.  Opal and the other members of the protection detail had gotten their Ambassador down to the surface before the attack overwhelmed them.  The Ambassador had been taken, his droid body destroyed, and the rest left for dead.  Opal and others had been damaged, and scavengers had either stripped their bodies for parts or repaired them.  Opal herself had lost most of her interface, and had spent nearly twenty years as a door guard for a local brothel, trapped within her own droid body as it functioned on back-up protocols and a sketchy AI the brothel owner had boot-strapped into the secondary motivator.  When that AI had finally failed, she'd been sold for salvage to a local junk dealer, where Alex had found her.

Opal had been open, friendly and forthcoming over the last week, but was he ready to really trust her?  Concentrating, Alex probed the Shard again with the force, and again only sensed genuine honesty and a desire to be helpful and repay her debt.  Ultimately she hoped to track down any of her comrades who might be trapped in damage droid bodies as she had been, but for now she was content to work for Alex and Joanna to repay them for their help - and her new body.

Alex looked to his wife again, and she gave him a subtle nod.  She was satisfied.  And, he realized, so was he.  "Very well.  Draw appropriate equipment from the armory, we're going out this afternoon to meet a client and hopefully pick up a consignment.  It will be good to have some additional security along."
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« Reply #376 on: October 06, 2018, 11:06:38 AM »

Alex still likes his droids...He sort of represents what i imagine a lot of the Jedi and other force users post Order 66 did, just shuffled off to quiet lives doing what they could to make a difference without exposing themselves - and of course asking the people around them being rounded and interrogated by the Inquisition, somewhere like M'tzigon only saved because it was so far out of the way....I wonder what is a better strategy, to keep moving like Alex or stay in one place like the Mak'Tor...hmmm...thought for another day.

Opal seems eager to help...FEELS eager to help to Alex...just gratitude, need for a new purpose..I hope so for Alex sake.
 
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Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

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« Reply #377 on: October 07, 2018, 12:55:08 PM »

I have to say Karm I'm really liking this series!  I have a feeling that Alex is getting way more than he bargained for with Opal...

The Shards are fascinating to me; never knew much about them until you and TDC.  Yet another SW detail that I think Disney shouldn't have arbitrarily relegated to non-canon...

Here's to "Spy"  Wink
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My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Karmack
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Light side points please.


« Reply #378 on: October 09, 2018, 08:00:51 PM »

Spy...

Peg Shar Spaceport, Zocalo"
Halla Sector
Mid-Rim
5 ABY

Alex sat with his wife at a small table in a cafe' sporting the name "Higher Grounds" and commanded his body - again - to be calm.  They'd come into the zocalo, the main marketplace in and around the city's main square, to meet a contact they knew only as "Wilson".  Wilson had, from time-to-time, contracted with them to move small but highly valuable consignments of medical supplies around the mid-rim and outer-rim territories.  Wilson never shared who he worked for or why, but the supplied - usually bacta packs and regeneratives - were highly proscribed due to the various Trade Federation and government monopolies on them.  That Alex was essentially smuggling drugs never bothered him, mainly because whoever Wilson's employer was the folks who picked up his shipments and paid him were force users.

Which explained a lot about why they were flying "under the radar" as it were...

Alex sipped his ractagino and found himself again concentrating on calming his pulse and controlling his adrenalin levels.  Something was making him twitchy...  "Jo, any word from Wilson?"

His wife shook her head.  "No.  He's late..."

"...and he's never late." Alex finished for her.  "Keep your eyes moving.  I have a bad feeling about this..."

Alex finished his drink and turned to pass a warning to Opal, just in time to see her stiffen as well.  "Opal?"

She turned and Alex could feel a boil of emotions surge up from the Shard.  "Friend Alex, one of my teammates, a Shard named Cobalt, is nearby.  He was still active when I was knocked offline, still defending Lapis, our Principle.  But now..."  Opal looked away, as if gazing through the nearby buildings at something only she could see.  "...he is not in control of the body he wears.  His interface is cut off and the droid is under the control of a combat motivator."  Opal looked at Alex. "He is reaching out to me, friend Alex, much as I reached out to you.  Would it be possible to effect a rescue attempt?"

Alex opened his mouth, then shut it again.  He looked at Joanna, who was unconciously stroking the butt of her DL-44 blaster in its mid-thigh holster.  "My first inclination is to say no, but..."  Alex sighed.  "OK.  Lets go get your friend."

Opal nodded, her voice laced with gratitude.  "Thank you, friend Alex ... friend Joanna.  I will not forget this."

Alex gestured for Opal to take the lead.  "After you.   Take us to Cobalt."

Opal nodded and led them into the crowd, away from the cafe and deep into the narrow, twisted alleys.  As they moved Alex took a deep breath and opened himself to the force.  Emerging from his "hole" out in the open like this made him feel exposed, but it would be better to be seen at this point than to go into an unknown situation blind.  Besides, the likelihood of meeting another force-user here, now...

Alex stumbled as the pulse rolled over him.  "Maker..."

Joanna turned, her eyes going wide when she saw his face.  "What?  What is it?"

"It was a force user, a Jedi I think ... dying ..."

The thump of blaster bolts and the sudden crump of a heavy explosives from around the corner pulled their attention back to the front.  Opal, still in the lead, her heavy blaster rifle up and ready, rounded the corner with a chiming war-cry.  Joanna met his eyes again.  "Are you OK?"

Alex pulled himself together and nodded, gripping his saber hilt.  "Yes.  Lets go."

Together they rounded to corner ... and stepped into a scene no one had seen in the Mid-Rim for over twenty years.  To their immediate front Opal was wading into a pitched battle, using her blaster one-handed while she used the other hand-to-hand.  She was engaged with a trio of security droids, one apparently containing her friend.  Even as Joanna charged into the fight to help Opal Alex noted it and filed it away, his attention drawn to the street beyond ... where three Knights wielding light-sabers faced off against a dozen soldiers in ragged Mandalorian armor.

The three Jedi were in a shallow arc, a fourth robed figure lying behind them, bleeding from what appeared to be shrapnel wounds, his saber silent next to him.  The Jedi moved in perfect coordination, striking the flank of the encirclement away from the droids.  Each one engaged and defeated one of their attackers, sabers spinning gracefully through defensive arcs, two of the Jedi favoring what looked like Soresu, defending and deflecting, while the third launched aggressive Ataru-style attacks from behind their moving shield.  Alex was more than half-way to them when a sharp <<Brrrrrppp>> erupted from the balcony above ... and one of the Soresu practitioners went down, his blade collapsing and body jerking under a hale of impacts from a slug thrower...

A slug thrower?!?

Alex had time to see the spray of blood painting the wall behind the Jedi, had time to remember that he was wearing simple utilities and no armor to speak of ... and realize that the attacker perched on the balcony overhead had no idea he was here, nor could he see him.  Calling on the force, Alex augmented his limbs and vaulted upward, somersaulting over the balcony rail, his blade forming as he opened up in mid-air, his stroke falling onto the Mando's shoulder, angling to slice his torso in half on the diagonal...

Sparks flew and the blade penetrated deep into the Mando's shoulder ... and collapsed.  The Mandalorian roared in pain, dropping the weapon he held as his right arm lost function.  With a second, bellowing battle cry the soldier turned on Alex, a wicked-looking combat knife already drawn from its sheath.  Alex stepped back and hammered the Mando with a solid fist of force energy square in the chest, blasting him backwards through the dura-crete rail and into the air over the street.  The soldier landed on his shoulders, his head and neck taking the full impact.  His armor saved his neck, but not his consciousness, and the bleeding from his severed femoral artery meant he would never wake up again.

Alex looked down at his saber hilt, expecting to see damage.  None.  The small power readout indicated 97% capacity.  He toggled the activation switch ... nothing.  "No time..."   He hung the saber on his belt and drew his blaster, covering behind the balcony rail and taking aim on the rest of the Mando mercs below.

The surviving Mandalorians, seeing their sniper fall and noting the arrival of unexpected reinforcements as well as the loss of their security droids, formed into a tight knot and began a hasty withdrawal down the street.  The two surviving Knights cut down one last straggler and contented themselves with deflecting incoming fire as Alex and Joanna traded shots with them until they disappeared around a corner.

As soon as the firing stopped Alex jumped lightly down from his perch, landing in the middle of the street with his hands open and empty.  "Greetings!  Forgive us for crashing your party, but you seemed like you could use a hand." 

One of the Jedi knights stepped forward, his saber still live in his hand.  "I don't mean to be rude ... but who are you?"

Alex kept his hands in sight and his body relaxed as he felt the probe in the force brush his mind.  He allowed enough contact for the Knight to verify his own truthfulness and lack of hostility toward him, but otherwise deflected it, revealing his own status as a trained user of the force.  "I am Alexander Krin.  This is my wife, Joanna Blackwell Krin, and our associate Opal, of the Shard."

The Jedi gave Alex a very intense look, probing his eyes for long seconds.  Alex again deflected the mind probe, this time swatting it away hard enough to make the knight cringe slightly.  "Alex Krin..." His eyes dropped to the saber on Alex' belt, out in the open for the moment instead of in its normal concealing leather tool pouch with an assortment of spanners and probes.  He sighed, his blue eyes troubled, and he deactivated his blade.  "Thank you for your help, Alex."  He turned and looked down at the dead Mandalorian.  "Otis Crall.  Maker damn the darkness!  How did this nerf hearder find us?"  He spun to his companion, who was crouched over one of the fallen.  "Tory?"

"He's gone." The other Knight said sadly.  He retrieved the fallen Knight's saber and stood.  "To'Re and S'Kot are both dead, and I have no idea how it was done..."

"Cortosis." Joanna interjected, stepping up next to Alex.  "I saw what his armor did to your saber.  What if his weapon was firing the same thing?"

Alex's eyes narrowed.  With a thought he summoned the Mandalorian's weapon to him from the shattered balcony.  "Slug thrower ... uses chemical propellant to fire a metallic slug, aimed by a rifled barrel, fed from a magazine..."  Alex extracted the magazine and stripped a round into his hand.  "Metal matches his armor for appearance.  If these bullets are a cortosis alloy..."

"They would shut down our sabers, leaving us open to attack." The knight took one of the bullets, rolling it in his hand.  "Maker damn him...."

"Pretty slick idea, actually.  But the ammunition must cost a fortune." Joanna said.  "So ... what was a guy with a gun designed to kill Jedi doing attacking ... a health clinic?" Joanna asked, reading the sign over the low duracrete building the Jedi had been defending.

The knights traded another glance, but then sighed.  "He was probably after ... some crystals we recently acquired..."  The first knight extended his hand.  Koawan Do'Na'Vann of the Mak'Tor.  This is my partner, Koawan Ja'Mason'Crin."

Alex shook their hands.  "Glad to meet you.  Do you need further assistance?  How can we help?"

Jameson made a face. "Don...  Telow'na is going to kill us if we break cover..."

"No she won't.  Our cover is already blow.  We were attacked, all we did was defend ourselves.  And the Healers survived."  Donavan turned back to Alex.  "I hate to ask, but we're going to need to get off this rock.  I can promise you payment if you can get us to Teth or better yet Syvris.  Our contact was supposed to arrange transport today, but he's dropped off the grid.  I'm afraid our Mando friends may have found him before they found us, and without Wilson we're stranded..."

Alex kept his jaw from dropping open ... barely.  "Wilson?  You know Wilson?"

Donavan nodded.  "Yes.  Short, gray hair, amber eyes, always smiling and smoking that Maker-damned pipe of his...?"

Alex nodded.  "That's him.  We were supposed to meet him..."  This time his eyes did go wide.  "YOU'RE the consignment!"

Donavan's eyes narrowed.  "I'm not following..."

Joanna chimed in.  "Wilson was meeting us this morning to arrange transport for a "special consignment".  He was all mysterious about it, but if you were trying to get off-planet to avoid these guys..." 

"Maybe.  But probably he meant just the crystals and our healers." Donavan replied.  "We weren't going to leave ourselve originally.  But now..."  He shrugged.  "No sense staying here."

Alex nodded. "How many people are we talking about?"

"Three healers, a small security chest, Jameson and myself." Donavan replied. 

"Done." Alex turned to where Opal was still crouched over one of the security droids.  "Opal!  Status!"

"Two minutes, friend Alex!" Opal replied.  "I am decoupling his interface now.  I am afraid that in my zeal to free him I damaged his current body beyond repair.  He will need a new one."

Alex nodded.  "Of course.  I'll add it to your tab." He turned back to Donavan and grinned.  "Well, lets get back to the Hope.  Somehow I have the feeling that we should leave with haste."

"Agreed." Donavan gently settled the fallen knight into the front of the building.  "I hate to leave them behind, but the body is just a shell..."  He tucked the saber into his robe and laid the two fallen knights side-by-side in the front of the clinic.  The fallen Mandalorians were likewise arranged in their own row.  Alex scanned the area with the force, noting the bright beacons of the healers as they went by. 

Healers trained in the Jedi arts... 

As they moved out Opal took the point position with Joanna and Ja'Mason walking slack, then the healers pushing the security chest on an anti-grav sled, then Alex and Donavan in the trail position.  Alex ignited his saber, which sputtered a bit but came back to life after he jimmied the internals with the force to clear the cortosis contamination.  He shut the blade back down and tucked it back into its hiding place.  "Just one of the tools..."

Donavan smiled sadly.  "Nice. Tory would have loved that..."  He looked away quickly, blinking hard for a moment. "I was sure we were all going to die and fail our mission. Thank the Maker you came along when you did."

"The One works in mysterious ways, that is for certain." Alex gave Donavan a lopsided grin.  "I never thought I'd meet a Jedi spy."

Donavan grimaced and pulled out an incendiary grenade.  "Who says you have?"  He bowed his head, murmuring a prayer for a moment before pulling the pin and tossing the device into the front of the clinic.  "C'mon.  We need to be long gone before the fire brigade - and the authorities - figure out what happened here."
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Master Singer of the Mak'Tor

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« Reply #379 on: October 09, 2018, 08:15:50 PM »

I don't know much about your writings Karmack, but what you have there is really good, and I am really interested to see where this goes.
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Karmack
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« Reply #380 on: October 09, 2018, 08:25:23 PM »

Me, too!  ;-)

One word: Redemption
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TheDutchman
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« Reply #381 on: October 10, 2018, 04:21:30 PM »

OK, "Spy" was DEFINITELY my favorite "Alex" story yet!  And bonus: we see some Mak'Tor knights as well!

Cortosis ammo?  BRILLIANT!  OK, SOMEONE is HIGHLY motivated to stop the Mak'Tor. 

...OK, I give up.  What's the next installment going to be titled?  Wink
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Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Karmack
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Light side points please.


« Reply #382 on: October 10, 2018, 04:56:06 PM »

These set up the forthcoming story "Redemption" which is in planning stages.  :-)  But before I put much more effort into that one I need to spend some time on WYLB...  :-)
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Master Singer of the Mak'Tor

Lord_S_Gray
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« Reply #383 on: October 10, 2018, 09:34:04 PM »

Alex caught up with the Mak'Tor....that could go...either way...I can see Alex liking them in one way but he's already seen them in one open fight, not sure he'd want to risk his anonymity too much more than he has. Will be interesting to see where that relationship goes i can definitely see him and Joanna being happy to help ferry supplies to say the Sons initially but...yeah can't predict from there especially with Opal and now Cobalt added to the mix....
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Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

Karmack
Forumverse Loremaster
Master of Ceremonies
SaberForum.Com Moderator
Knight Commander
************

Force Alignment: 1152
Posts: 5602


Light side points please.


« Reply #384 on: October 10, 2018, 09:58:25 PM »

Alex caught up with the Mak'Tor....that could go...either way...I can see Alex liking them in one way but he's already seen them in one open fight, not sure he'd want to risk his anonymity too much more than he has. Will be interesting to see where that relationship goes i can definitely see him and Joanna being happy to help ferry supplies to say the Sons initially but...yeah can't predict from there especially with Opal and now Cobalt added to the mix....

Good catch.  Alex and Joanna have been running bacta and regen drugs for the Mak'Tor for a while now, but they didn't know it.  Direct contact could be ... interesting.  I won't say more, but the beginning of the relationship could be bumpy...
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Master Singer of the Mak'Tor

Lord_S_Gray
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Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #385 on: October 10, 2018, 10:15:02 PM »

Good catch.  Alex and Joanna have been running bacta and regen drugs for the Mak'Tor for a while now, but they didn't know it.  Direct contact could be ... interesting.  I won't say more, but the beginning of the relationship could be bumpy...

Yeah it is a very potentially loaded scenario you've built up there...Very well set up for lots of different options, all equally valid and believable going forward.
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Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

Karmack
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Master of Ceremonies
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Posts: 5602


Light side points please.


« Reply #386 on: October 10, 2018, 10:40:12 PM »

The thing that keeps running through my head is this: The only force-users Alex has ever known who could operate openly at any level were collaborating with the Emperor. 

Things that make you go "hmm....."
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« Reply #387 on: October 13, 2018, 01:44:10 AM »

And there it is. Alex's life and story have now been polluted by those pesky Mak'Tor. Wink I guess my "Reading List" thread already needs an update. Cheesy
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"I am the Outcast's Shadow" - Taegin Roan
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« Reply #388 on: December 09, 2018, 12:15:40 AM »

Hey everyone, sorry that I haven't been active lately.  I was badly hurt and am just now well enough to type with some facility.  I will be on more, especially as I continue to improve.  BUT, for now I thought I'd post an interlude catching us up on some of my main characters  Smiley
Note: this takes place after "Brothers CH.27 Traps:" http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=36760.msg660780#msg660780
********************************************************************************************************
Interlude-A Sliver of Hope

“Jorya…I’m so sorry…”  Even though her ceremonial mask hid her vestigial sockets, Berra’s face was drawn, worry and sorrow evident as she placed a tentative hand upon the Togruta’s shoulder.

“It’s not your fault, Berra…it’s no one’s fault…”  Jorya’s eyes turned back to the diminutive woman lying in the shadowed darkness that had been her bed.  …Mother… Tears again ran unchecked down her orange cheeks as Jorya leaned closer to D’Aylanna as she cradled her adoptive mother’s prostrate body protectively.  Even has the small Hapan woman’s chest rose and fell with regularity, nothing that anyone had done had been able to wake her from her coma.

“…Jorya…I was going to go get some food…and I wondered if you’d like for me to bring you any?”  Edda’s rough voice, so incongruous with her beautiful if scarred face, came from beside Berra.  Since arriving at the Templar’s Archives, Jorya and Edda had become fast friends.  Her and Edda had been training with Master Heditt, Jorya clearly the more skilled.  At least for now; Edda was absolutely committed to her training and if she was slow at learning something, she never once quit.

Jorya smiled.  She was reminded of the times that she’d trained with Father, his patient if persistent methods always inspiring her to want to succeed…no, surpass.  Her lips curled into a deeper grin: the last time she’d trained with Father, she’d finally been able to overpower him.  He’d told her it was inevitable—he always claimed he was “middling at best”—but Jorya had been shocked nevertheless.  …By the Maker I miss him… Reminding her that she was lonely…which reminded her again of her Mother…which jarringly brought her back to the here-and-now.  Not even bothering to wipe the tears sliding down her face, she looked at her friend.  “Thanks Edda.  I’m not hungry.  Actually, I think I’d like to be alone for awhile if you don’t mind.”  She saw Berra and Edda share an exchanged glance at one another, virtually identical looks of understanding and worry fighting for dominance upon their faces.

“Of course.”  Berra intoned, quickly followed by Edda’s raspy “Sure, Jorya.”  After a moment, they both left the room.  It was fairly small and cramped, filled with supplies and datanodes; it felt cavernous and hollow, the retreating footsteps and voices of her friends echoing between the old stone walls that loomed above her and D’Aylanna’s heads.

For long moments, she could do nothing but continue to quietly sob, tears falling upon her mother’s olive skin, her blue lips slightly opened as she breathed.  But not once had her eyes moved, not even under their lids as when dreaming deeply.  For all signs of vitality, D’Aylanna showed no signs of life…

Jorya’s thoughts wandered, thinking of better times like when her parents had formally adopted her, when she had played with Grandfather Kazic, when her father had draped the ceremonial cloak of the Vhal’Dan upon her shoulders, elevating her from teidowan, when Kage Lo had Knighted her, the solid Song-steel blade of the Mak’Tor touching her shoulders… Her red lips smiled wistfully.  Ken teaching her how to “Thread the Needle” on her approach to M’Tzigon through the intricate system of moons that surrounded the alpine planet.  Stril’s beautiful lavender skin as she spoke with him via holofeed, the bad connection doing nothing to diminish his handsome face…

…Her mother’s prone body as Berra came upon her in the Revenant pyramid, a pool of blood surrounding the fragile, small lifeless body… Jorya’s teeth gritted, trying to banish what the Miraluka Templar had told her but her own subconscious seemed to work counter to her desires as she suddenly found herself replaying some of the worst memories from her own experiences.  …Her father’s large barrel chest, heavy with scars as he fought for life, Jennira’s Song having torn through to his soul…Mellinchae behind her, the deadly hum of his lightsaber increasing, indicating a killing stroke as she helplessly expected death to take her…Black Armor looming enormous, lethal over her on the Star Destroyer Imperious…

Suddenly, she inhaled, Jorya’s head raising as her logical mind caught up with her memories.  …Jennira… When last she’d felt helpless and at a loss of what to do, she remembered the decision that she’d made, the actions that had helped her and her parents when they’d captured the Nightsister.  She’d been comatose as well…and Jorya had Delved the Dark Singer for answers…and now as then—more, truth be told—Jorya was desperate…

…And for that, you were censured… Mercilessly, she crushed the thought.  She’d since been Knighted as a full Koawan.  And this was her Mother she was talking about…

“Take what you want and pay for it.”  Father’s words came back to her.  Lips thin, her face fixed with a look of resolve, Jorya realized that she’d already made her decision as soon as she’d made the connection.  Besides…like she said, she was desperate…

Placing the tips of her orange fingers upon either side of her mother’s dark face, Jorya slowly inhaled before steeling herself.  …For Mother…for Father…I’ll do anything… Without anymore hesitation, she wrapped herself fully in the Force, Delving deeply into D’Aylanna…

            <<<<< >>>>>

Where before she’d had to navigate the roiling storm of Jennira’s unconsciousness, careful to lose herself in the chaotic tempest of the Nightsister’s mind, Jorya found herself in a very different setting, this one no less frightening or dangerous.  More, she told herself, a deep-seated blade of fear piercing her gut as she became all the more aware of her surroundings.

She found herself in complete and utter blackness, a void without horizon or distinction.  Even though she knew that she had no body here, no eyes to perceive, no orientation to direct her, she saw, felt… bore…the insurmountable, unending blackness that threatened to overwhelm her even as it represented nothing.  Frantic, she searched through the void, going faster, faster through the blackness, a sense of motion doing nothing to alleviate the fact that before her was complete and unbroken nothingness…

…No...! She thought, desperation and misery tearing through her.  …There must be something…anything…!  And she remembered what she’d used before.  Need.

Yes, need.  That had been key.  Dangerous, Father had told her…but what else could she do?

Resolute, she thought—emanated—Need.  If she’d had teeth here, her jaw would be aching from her determination.  …NEED…

Suddenly, the void…changed.  The blackness started to leech away.  No, not leech…bleed.  Replacing it, the darkness began to slowly take on the deep hue of blood, thick, viscous.  A pyramid appeared before her, the red stones, doors, hallways offering no barrier to her as she flowed forward.

…NEED…

A large antechamber spread before her, a droning sound like some endless horde of insect came from all around her, punctuated by a rhythmic tripartite beating, like…like a heart pumping blood through an open wound…

…NEED…

Within the chamber, upon the upper level with stairs leading to it on several sides there was a raised dais.  From the center of the dais, an oddly shaped obelisk protruded from the center.  Surrounding the obelisk, a pool of blood, congealed and dark, stained the floor, a small, body-shaped void immediately evident.  …Mother… Jorya knew it was where D’Aylanna had lain bleeding out before Teks had done…whatever it was that she’d done to heal her Mother.

…NEED…

Jarringly, her perspective shifted, the obelisk large and central within her vision, the periphery blurry and unimportant.  Scrutinizing the plinth, Jorya stared for what seemed like hours…and she saw…

Within the base of the stile, a black orb was affixed, glowing ominously, gloriously.  …What the hell…?  Wondering the meaning of such, she involuntarily reached out, the essence of herself briefly touching the orb.

{{Within, there was screaming.  At first Jorya thought it was a single, overpowering voice but after a moment realized there was in fact two, two distinct voices both yelling counter.  Fear, pain, anger, frustration, betrayal…all washed over her.  If she had ears here, she would have covered them with her hands…if she had hands here.  Pure emotion inundated her, threatening to drown her, crush her, immolate her.  But then, she…heard it.

Her Mother’s voice.  Hers was one of the voices that she heard, one of the sources of the emotions she felt.  Mother was here, alive!  

Jorya tried to shout but her voice was a pale thing in comparison to those two keening wails.  And try as she might, she could not make herself heard…

Suddenly, she felt a hand upon her shoulder, turning her around.
…How…?!  Even terrified, she was shocked by the tactile contact that she felt.  Focusing her sight, she looked upon a hooded figure.  Somehow, she was able to make out details…

Despite a thick, white beard, the old man looked hardy and hale.  Powerful.  Implacable.  Timeless.  His eyes stared at her across the expanse of Time, his experience evident in the wisdom that radiated from his eyes.  As well as his cruelty.

She knew that she had to get away, to escape.  Need!

Nothing happened.

Panicked, she tried again and again.  Need!  NEED!!  

She saw a slow smile spread on the old man’s face…right before he disappeared, along with everything: the shouting voices, the orb, the obelisk, the antechamber, the pyramid, the blood-red sea…}}


Leaving only the void.  If she had a heart here, it would be hammering in her chest…if she had a chest here.  After many moments, Jorya reflected upon what had occurred…and the new questions that she had.

But first…

            <<<<< >>>>>

Jorya’s eyes opened.  Her mother’s body was still unmoving in her lap, her long arms wrapped protectively around D’Aylanna.  Quickly, she checked her chronometer, remembering the results of last time where she’d been in the Delve for seventeen hours.  Blinking, she rubbed her eyes disbelieving.

Not even a minute had elapsed.  …What…the…hell…?

Carefully disengaging her arms from her Mother, she rearranged the small Hapan woman’s body upon the bed before kissing her head gently and then backing out of the room.  Mind racing, Jorya wondered what her experiences portended as she leaned upon the stone wall.  But she felt a sliver of hope as well.  Mother was alive, somewhere, somehow!

Running through the halls, Jorya went to find the tall Templar Master, both hope and trepidation rushing through her.  She just hoped that Master Rakham would know what it meant…

…And who the old man might be.
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #389 on: December 09, 2018, 11:20:19 PM »

Jorya…dangerous paths she’s taking, good she relfected on what happened with Jennira…but to still go ahead…Take what you want and pay for it….but that’s twice now she’s done something like this…thrid time she might not get out so easily…

I like how in the ‘Abyss’ there was in the end only a kind of ‘need’ – like the need for something anything other than the absence which she is surrounded (if such can decirbe the absences of anything…) with.  If D’Alyanna is trapped in the Pyramid on Taris still…that will be a difficult return journey….and one you wouldn’t want to undertake till she actually knows what to do when she gets there…and I suspect at this point she has little to no clue…

And the Orb…at first we all thought it was of Aethan origin…but they don’t have a monoply on orbs…and this one seems a little to active and responsive to Jorya even through a Force vision/delve…sinsiter as it is suspenseful.

But I think we all know who the old man is….

“Despite a thick, white beard, the old man looked hardy and hale.”

Its SANTA!!!
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

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