Slavers and Freedom Fighters

[Oncaro]

Things were foggy at first. Intermittent blurs of light punctuated by the darkness of unconsciousness. When the lights became clearer, more in focus, they were revealed to be a small grouping of light panels, illuminating the ceiling they were installed on.

Aylles Scoiron blinked, and breathed in. She was lying on her back, looking up at a strange ceiling, like something that a freighter would use. A scurrying from within her shirt was felt, and she glanced down to see a furry, rodent-like head poke out from underneath her shirt-- an Endor ferret, not yet fully grown. She smiled.

"Hey little guy..." she said, taking a finger and petting the creature's head lightly, then picking him up out of her shirt and holding him gently. The ferret looked to her and began to make a pleased "Dookdookdook" noise, and she giggled.

"Vavs, you silly little catsnake..." Aylles said to her pet, Vavek, whose ears twitched as he looked to the door of the room, as did Aylles. What greeted them was the sight of a tall, human man, who looked to be around the age of Aylles' father.

"Ah... I see our newest recruit is awake," he said, folding his arms. "You'd be surprised at how lax Imperial Security is at checking luggage for biosigns when it comes to people leaving their own capital. Heh... But their arrogance is our opportunity."

"... Huh?"

"We're gonna sell you and your new roommates to the Hutts for profit, kid."

Aylles blinked, and looked around to see several other people, all looking rather downtrodden. A young Twi'lek girl, a Zeltron boy, and multiple other humanoids of various ages.

"So, mingle, have some fun... Because you won't be having much where you're going. Hah!"

The man turned and left, leaving Aylles, Vavek, and the others alone. The teen girl frowned, brushing her blonde hair from her face and looking back to the others.

"So... That guy didn't sound very fun."

"They're cruel... They go around to populated worlds and bring people aboard, then treat us badly so we learn to be compliant," the Zeltron boy said. "Um... Hi... I'm Zak... This is Natja," he continued, gesturing to the Twi'lek girl, who said nothing but gave a little wave.

"I'm Aylles, and this is Vavek. How long have you guys been here?"

"A week..." said Zak, and Aylles pursed her lips in thought.

"A week, huh... Well. I dunno about you guys, but I'm definitely not gonna just wait around to become a serving girl for a Hutt."

"What? That's crazy-- there's no way you can get us out of here!" Zak protested, and Natja shook her head pleadingly. Aylles just gave a confident smirk, as she started to look around, analyzing the room itself. There didn't seem to be anything of note... Except a vent in the ceiling that was used for oxygen.

"Oh, don't you worry..." she said, a plan already formulating in her head. "I might not be able to get us all out of here, but I can definitely do something..."

It was two hours later, with the group remaining rather silent the whole time-- though Vavek's hyperactive antics led to some much-needed levity-- when opportunity came. The door to the room opened again, and another figure moved in-- a female human this time, with what looked to be a whip at her side, and a tray of meals for the captives.

"Here, dinner time," she said, her tone rather dismissive of the group as she set the tray down. "I'll be back to get it in an hour or two." With that, she left, and Aylles sat down beside Zak and Natja, tasting the food.

"Eh... Better than I expected," she said, seeming to scarf her food down, giving the leftovers to Vavs. Once she was done, she stood.

"Okay... I have an idea. Somebody gimme a boost up to that vent."

The others looked to her like she had grown a second head.

"... Uh, guys?"

"What are you planning to do?" asked Zak, and Aylles grinned.

"Well first, I'm gonna get outside this room, via the ventilation system. Once I get outside... I'm gonna go stealth mode and take out these suckers one by one, then I'm gonna free you guys so we can put them in here and call for help! Sound good?"

The group looked to one another uneasily, until an Ithorian, whom Aylles had learned was named Drib, stood up and motioned for her to approach him. She beamed, and stuffed Vavek down her shirt as she was boosted up by Drib rather easily. Taking a moment to remove the opening and push it up and to the side, Aylles fit herself into the ventilation shaft itself, with Vavs in tow, and proceeded to slowly crawl through the shaft, trying to make as little noise as possible.

Slavers relied on fear. They broke the wills of those they sought to control. But Aylles Scoiron was not someone to be easily broken... And she was going to prove it.

 

[Hopeless Wanderer]

Wickedness manifested in any form is an embodiment of the Darkness and it was the privilege of the members of the Order of the Matukai to stamp out that Darkness. This particular case was that of a group of slave traders, too put it simply. They were taking advantage of understaffed and trained security forces in order to smuggle freshly acquired slaves off worlds. It was a shame that an Imperium so hard pressed against slavery could drop the ball on something as simple as bio-scans. Though, unbeknownst to the slavers not everyone was fooled by their dealings and eventually word was dispatched. Only to fall into the hands of the Matukai, whom rallied behind the cry for help as they always do.

The Elders had dispatched three of their Order with a detailed schedule, highlighting everything from the slavers predicted time of arrival and departure to the make and model of the vessel that they used for transport. With that information the trio were able to formulate a general plan of approach and entry, providing them a route with limited confrontations and the fastest route to the captives. The plan was for all intents and purposes flawless. When it came time to implement the plan and put things in motion, things went off without a hitch. They had arrived only a few hours after the predicted time and many of the crew departed, probably most were on their way to abduct new victims. It was at this time that the three warriors of the Light made their way onto the ship.

Ar'Rhan Ghol, Adept of the Order, was one of the three members selected to undertake the task of freeing these slaves from being forced to live tormented lives. His sheer hulking form probably making things difficult for the two Human warriors crammed within the confined closet in which they had been forced into hiding. Having been the last one to slip in, the massive Shistavanen was wedged between the other two and they all were as silent as could be... waiting for the voices to trail off and fade into nothingness. Letting them know that the coast was clear for them to exit and begin their search for the captive slaves.

"Uh... guys." says the wolfish Matuaki just before it happens. PPPRRRRPPP cries the expulsion of gas from the beast.

"Excuse me." Ar'Rhan says followed by a whispered chuckle as he alone has access pad that opens the door. The smell was rancid on multiple levels and seemed to permeate one's skin, as such it clung to his fur to linger on longer. After a few minutes he finally released the hold on the door and came stumbling out, still tickled with laughter. It was odd, after all of the trials and tribulation that he had faced, that he was still a damned puppy at heart.

Once the laughing spell had run its course, the Shistavanen lifted his right hand and scratched at the formed ears of his helmet hoping to affect the fleshy ones underneath. This action was followed by a quick tossing of his head upon his shoulders which omitted a crack that proved to be louder than his laughter had been. A few deep breathes could be heard escaping the vents upon his helmet with each intake and exhale. His Wan-Shen was collapsed and held firmly at the base of his spine, just above his tail and upon the lowest portion of the magplate strip that runs the length of his spine. His bare footed paws met the cold steel beneath them with a stretch and flexing of his claws, which drug against the metal as they were retracted. The Warskin that he wore, while traditional, was completely unique to his form and stylistic designs. The addition of the gold cloth about his neck only served to finalize his overall design.

Looking towards his brethren, Ar'Rhan addressed the obvious as he has become known for. "Let's do this shit." He said with a chuckle before slapping a shoulder of each brother.
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@Korvo, @Oncaro, @Benvenu7

 

[Richie B.]

The only member that wasn't a Adept, Triton felt a bit embarrassed and ashamed having put off finishing his Wan-Shen the young human was still a Proselyte but that wasn't important. What was important was this was a moment the young Matukai could prove he was ready to become a Adept like the two with him, though at the moment it was a far away dream. Being squashed by the large wolf man was uncomfortable but the young human could survive, having to survive the smell that the wolf man realized not so doable, being forced to hold back any noise and stuck in a small closet while smelling the evil the wolf man had released.

Once the wolf man had decided to end their torture, Triton jumped out of the small closet and allowed himself a moment to take a few deep breaths. But the young man soon had a coughing fit, it seemed the young Matukai's lunges were degrading and falling apart because of the gas the large wolf had let out. When the wolf slapped his shoulder the young Matukai was glad he was wearing his warskin, his Wan-Shen in his left hand the large black staff stood out from the gray tones of the armor.

"Next time you let out something that bad I don't care if we get caught I am getting as far away as possible. Now lets go every second we waste those slaves spend one more second with collars, afraid and in pain." Triton said ready to get going and fight the slavers a bit angry at the thought anyone could do something so cruel to another being.

(@Hopeless Wanderer @Korvo @Oncaro if you guys are willing to continue I am)

 

[Xeus Qel-Droma]

It was almost a thing of pure reaction, pure instinct. Exhaling as sharply as he could, Xeus held what air was in his lungs, using the Force to preserve it. He was a warrior of the Matukai, an Adept and expert martial artists, but even he had limits, and bearing the 'aroma' of his canine brother was crossing over the line for him. His focus had to be at the forefront, as was always necessary in the moments before an engagement. Gagging and choking on the air from every breath he took tended to... distort, that focus.

It was a rare moment, for Xeus to don his Warskin, complete with the white hooded cloak. Normally, he would argue he wouldn't need it. Perhaps this time, he still wouldn't. But there was more at stake than himself, more to lose if something should happen to him. Darkness often took many forms, not simply manifest in those that touched the Force. Desperation, oppression, abuse, cruelties... these things were very well possible, and even commonplace, without some terrible Sith or wayward Dark Jedi spelling it from the Dark Side of the Force.

"Oh, we'll survive, zeymah. Besides, never hurts to practice your breathing control, does it?" Even with the solemn event about to unfold, Xeus couldn't help but grin. But getting used to one another, and getting along at that, were what helped to make the bonds between Matukai so strong. They were not simple comrades, not associates, or even simply friends. For many, they were like a family. For some, the only one they had. Indeed, now, it was the only one Xeus had. And besides that, Xeus has had to deal with much worse than a foul odor in times past. This, he could pass off easily.

As Ar'Rhan finally hit the latch on the door, Xeus slightly stumbled out. He almost didn't realize just how packed in there they were, and his helmet almost fell from his hand to the ground. Finally placing in on his head, Xeus waited for all the latches to fasten and drew he collapsed wan-shen from his back. With his former one broken following the pirate attack on Karvoss, Xeus had commissioned a dawnwright to reforge it anew. Eager as he was to test it out, there was always the idealistic hope of the slavers surrendering. Although on that hope, he knew he couldn't hold his breath.

"Let's go boys, we have a ship to scout. I'll take point, but stay sharp regardless. In places like these, surprises are rarely... pleasant."