Ask Acolytes, Assemble!

[Darth Tempest]

In that moment, Vahliri couldn’t help but curse herself internally. There was a distinct sense of panic that coursed through the half-Sephi’s veins, and it manifested in the variety of emotions that flashed across her features. It manifested in the way that she snapped at Ashla for the Togruta’s commentary, even if she knew her own words hadn’t been much better. It manifested in the way she hated herself for being so helpless, for failing to live up to the goals and aspirations she set out for herself. It manifested in the anger that she immediately felt towards Altair and Cairo – that sense of betrayal, regardless of its motivations, boiling in her chest.

Her train of thought was broken the moment that Ashla spoke up, pulling the lightsabers from her utility belt. The half-Sephi watched for a moment as the Togruta walked deeper into the pod, taking a moment to piece together what the fellow Acolyte was attempting to do.

The plan was brilliant, but even Vahliri knew that the sabers were taking far too long to cut through the thick durasteel plating. She could feel the heat of the intense fires rising, and she knew that the fuel cells would likely catch fire before they could separate. Nevertheless, the half-Sephi immediately spring to her feet, pulling the saber from her own waist – preparing to help the Togruta in whatever way she could.

Before Vahliri could ignite her blade, she was stopped in her tracks by the familiar voice calling out from outside the pod. The half-Sephi immediately whipped around, honeyed eyes catching a glimpse of Altair as he dashed behind the vehicle. At once, the half-Sephi’s ears swiveled dramatically – her face immediately betraying her relief at the sight. In a split second, all of those feelings of resentment and anger vanished – the realization that he had come back immediately sinking in.

There was no time to address any of it now, though. Without another word, Vahliri sprung into action. She pushed off from where she’d been standing and pressed herself against one of the interior walls of the pod – violently pushing her weight against it to get the thing rolling. Just as it began to give way with the combined strength of herself, Ashla and Altair, the half-Sephi began to step up the wall that was rolling towards her feet – effectively turning the entire thing into a hamster wheel through the lake of fire.

When Altair shouted to jump, she immediately pushed off the wall where she’d been leaning against – grabbing Ashla by the wrist and proceeding to tug the Togruta towards the edge of the pod. “Come on!” She shouted, releasing the Acolyte’s hand just as she went to bend at the knees. The Force drew inwards and coiled around her body, allowing her to jump right into the air and propel herself away from the soon-to-explode pod.

The half-Sephi landed rather unceremoniously in the muck several feet away, stumbling and landing face-first into the smelly swamp-mud. She groaned, almost immediately prying her face from the ground and attempting to lift herself up. Her honeyed gaze immediately snapped around the horizon – first picking out Ashla and ensuring that the Togruta had made the jump, before then scouring the landscape for the Devaronian. Within a few seconds, her gaze fixated onto him the moment he started to rise from the ground.

“Altair!” The half-Sephi didn’t wait long enough to get a good look at him. Without another word, Vahliri pushed off from where she had risen and made a beeline for the Devaronian – proceeding to wrap her arms tightly around his arms and bare torso. Despite being significantly smaller, the half-Sephi hugged him tight enough to practically take the wind out of him, pressing the side of her face against his chest.

After a few moments, she paused her hugging, blinking a few times to stare at the Devaronian’s chest.

His bare chest.

Somehow, it was the first time the half-Sephi actually noticed that detail from the entire experience. After taking a few seconds to process, Vahliri immediately went completely red in the face and released the Devaronian, proceeding to spin around and face away from him as shorts and a jacket were tossed his way. “OH MY GOD—My bad, sorry.."

It wasn’t until Altair was dressed that the half-Sephi turned back around – finally taking a moment to notice the fact that his hair had completely burned away through the experience. She frowned a bit, opening her mouth to speak – but was immediately cut off by the sound of a vibroblade activating. She watched as Cairo proceeded to shave his own head to match Altair, glancing between the two until the task was done.

Vahliri once more leaned in, wrapping her arms around Altair to hug his torso. She clearly noted the way he looked away from them and as if the tears were only just being held at bay. Moreover, the half-Sephi knew at least partially how much the Devaronian valued his locks. Without a word, she leaned up and planted a very quick kiss to his cheek. “Still handsome.” The half-Sephi smiled, her ears swiveling the faintest bit before she withdrew.

She took a step back, turning to glance at Cairo when he spoke. The half-Sephi blinked a few times, exhaling before shaking her head. “Doesn’t matter.. You both came through when it mattered.” Her tone was entirely genuinely, and she even managed to offer the Morellian a faint smile through it all.

Whatever their original plan had been, they hadn’t seen it through in the end. The pair hadn’t abandoned them and she was willing to forgive and forget because of it. “Looks like you’re both stuck with this bitchy rich girl until further notice.” She offered them a sly smirk. It was confirmation that she had heard every single word that was said, and yet there wasn’t an ounce of resentment in her words.

Vahliri glanced back towards Altair before turning on a heel, looking out around where they’d landed in the bog. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, quietly scanning the marshy landscape.

“Yeah.. Fuck Zakuul.”

@Sreeya @Wit @Fine Dining Set @Nefieslab

 

[Ashla Ti]

She had been sure that the plan would work, if only she could cut through the darn hull, get rid of the dead weight, then they could definitely push the pod with just two pair of hands. But as time passed and the flames snuck in doubt started to claw its way back in.

But before it could grab hold she was shocked into almost letting the Force slip out of her grasp by a voice calling out from outside the pod. It was funny how quickly things could change, not minutes ago she was all but ready to skewer Altair and Cairo, bring fury down on them the likes of which only a woman scorned could bring forth. But the fact that he came back changed things, a little.

But before she could give it more thought her body acted of its own accord, years of training had drilled instincts into her that had kept her alive all this while, and those same instincts made her join Vahliri in pushing the walls of the pod. There had been no hope of pulling this off with just the two of them, not without shedding some weight, but Altair's return changed things. They had more manpower at their disposal now, literally, and that made all the difference.

When Vahliri grabbed her arm to pull her towards the pod's open hatch, she let her, taking only a moment to summon her blades back to herself and clipping them on as the half-Sephi acolyte jumped out of the opening. Ashla followed soon after, the Force propelling her far enough and soon enough to avoid becoming Togruta-kebab in the explosion. Landing with more or less as much grace as Vahliri, she slowly rolled herself in the muddy ground to end up in a seated position, panting gently as she stared at the burnt pod.

Vahliri's exclamation was what drew her out of her thoughts, making her turn to glance at Vahliri, and then Altair and Cairo. She had to do a double take when she realized that Altair was now completely naked, and bald. The ridiculousness of the sight, so soon after a near death experience almost made her burst out laughing, not out of joy but just the sheer relief of not being dead. But before she could anything of the sort Vahliri had dashed towards the horned acolyte and locked him in a tight embrace.

One eyebrow rose in surprise at the gesture, not having realized that the two were so familiar with each other. As Vahliri finally noticed Altair's the state of undress, her reaction made Ashla smile, though the smile turned to an expression of incredulity when she noticed Cairo pull out a vibroblade and begin cutting away his hair. It was then that any shred of anger and resentment towards the two that might have remained from their earlier stunt faded away, at the very least for the time being. It was a touching gesture, reflective of a sort of camaraderie that she hadn't seen a lot of within the Sith. And even a would be monster had the right to feel warmed by the sight. Her hand instinctively went to her wrist, rubbing at the mark that lay there, watching the young man cut away his hair as she thought about the friends she had lost, and how lucky these three were to have something like that.

As Altair got dressed and Vahliri started teasing the duo after delivering a kiss upon Altair's cheek, Ashla finally pushed herself to her feet and tried her best not to feel sorry for herself. She didn't begrudge them their friendship, but in some corner of her mind, some corner that still resisted her master's teaching, she envied them. With an oh so slightly sad smile on her lips, she walked past Cairo and patted him on the shoulder as she crossed him.

"It's alright," she said softly, "we're Sith, this is what we do."

Beginning to walk away from the crashed pod, she momentarily closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, letting the memories of days spent with friends long lost fade away as the breath left her. "That explosion is sure to attract attention," she said, voice more firm, more cold, "wildlife, locals, maybe worse. We best not be here when company arrives."

There was still the mission. After all they were Sith, this is what they did.

@Fine Dining Set @Sreeya @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

Passing through a lake of liquid fire was not a trial typical for Acolytes of the Sith but the plucky adventuring Acolytes would be able to say that they passed through the fire and the flames on this mission. So long as they avoided mentioning how literally one of them had carried them through it, they might even earn some praise from notoriously stingy Masters.

Maybe.

The Trauma Hamster Wheel Incident could have defined their Acolyte years had it not been for the connections already shared between the seemingly disparate group of Sith Acolytes. It could be said that Altair’s heart was challenged and grew many sizes in that moment – or that he just stopped pretending he didn’t have one and listened to it when Vahliri had called for him and it swelled and surged.

Danger of the flames and the exploding escape pod passed, the Acolytes had a moment to take their breath and to take stock of their true situation. Stranded on a planet in the back-end of the Galaxy in the middle of a deadly swamp noted for its sheer size. Though Cairo was right to make clothing Altair a priority, Ashla’s reminder of the mission and its dangers were vital.

In the distance, further to the north of the planet, something twitched and pulsed within the Force. All of the Acolytes, now that they were standing upon Zakuul itself, would be able to feel it through the Force and feel each beat through their bodies. Slow, steady and almost a rhythm to itself – the heartbeat of something beyond large, to the north.

Around them the swamp’s noise seemed to fade away as a wind came down from the north, rushing past and across them with a sound echoing on it through their minds.

Turn back. Turn back for you are children and you are not ready. Turn back or else you never will be.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was still in the middle of processing his shock and embarrassment at being sans clothing and hairless. He had never felt more like a monster. He had grown up being called demon or devil across the galaxy, but he had always embraced that tiny human side of him. It was a little piece of his mother that always stayed with him, and it manifested in the thick locks of hair he inherited from her. He had rejected it for many years when he was small and constantly shaved his head to look just like his brothers. It wasn’t till he left home that he decided to finally grow it out and embrace everything that made him who he was. And now it was all gone. He looked just like he had wanted to all those years ago, and he couldn’t be more disgusted with that.

His self loathing thoughts were interrupted when Vahliri came out of nowhere and embraced him. His eyes widened and his face grew hot, his entire body set ablaze like no fire could ever inflict. In an effort to keep his boy parts covered, his hands remained right where they were even with Vahliri tightly hugging around his frame. He looked over her shoulder in stunned silence, blinking a few times.

Altair said nothing as she quickly sprang back and turned around, mortified as Cairo finally handed him his clothing. After he got dressed, he sadly reached up a hand to brush over his rough, bald scalp. That was when he heard the soft buzz and looked up to see Cairo shaving his hair off. Altair’s jaw dropped at the sight, a flood of emotions rushing to him as he watched his friend stand with him in solidarity.

The Devaronian walked over towards Cairo after he was done, his eyes lit up with joy and appreciation. The sadness that was there abated almost instantly at the gesture. He clasped his hand with Cairo’s, pulling him into a half hug as he slapped his other hand over his back. Altair stepped back, beaming, but no words needed to be said.

What came next caught him completely and utterly off guard. Altair turned just in time for Vahliri to come up and hug him again. This time, his hands were free and he took a moment before slowly embracing her back, feeling a tremendous amount of guilt over what he said earlier, “I’m sorry..” He mumbled quietly near her ear.

Altair was about to say something else when she kissed him on the cheek and drew back. His eyes went wide again and he was rooted in place, completely in shock even after she pulled back. He had a dazed look on his face as he stared after her even after she stepped away. A song from before he was born began to play in his head as he watched her, seeing her in a new light entirely. He was suddenly much more aware of the dance of her wavy hair as she walked, and that gentle sway of her hips, and the affectionate twitch of her ears. Altair was caught dumbly staring with lips slightly parted and jaw slack, completely missing the follow up conversations. However, Vahliri's reveal of having heard what he said was a prompt bitchslap that brought him right back, causing him to feel another wave of shame.

After he finally recovered, he cleared his throat and began walking with the others. He fell into step beside Cairo, allowing a bit of distance behind the girls. His gaze kept lingering on Vahliri for no reason. Every now and then he brought a hand up to fiddle with a horn or adjust his jacket collar a bit. He brought up his palm and exhaled into it to check his breath before going back to staring every now and then.

A few steps further, and he felt that brush of wind that felt outright unnatural, along with the pulsing beat of something that was alive. If he had hair, they would be standing upright on his neck. He could hear the eerie whispers, his gaze panning over the darkness ahead that he couldn’t make out. Altair paused as he heard the warning.

“Well,” He announced, “Instructions seem loud and clear,” He said flatly before spinning on his heel and walking the opposite direction. Maybe there was a different path, because the one they were on sounded like a whole bag of nopes.

@Fine Dining Set @Altaris @Wit @Nefieslab

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri clearly heard the words that were muttered against her sensitive ears, though she didn’t say anything in response. In truth, though, she didn’t need to. It was clear that the half-Sephi had forgiven them both for what had occurred in the end, and it showed clearly in the way she hugged the Devaronian and her ears flicked expressively – an involuntary reaction that always seemed to betray exactly how she was feeling.

By the time the half-Sephi turned away and started to survey the marshy landscape, there was a wide, almost giddy smile that lingered on her lips – unable to help but glancing back in Altair’s direction every few seconds whenever she thought he wasn’t looking. Despite making an attempt to appear as if she was doing some very important looking around, it was clear that the half-Sephi wasn’t really paying attention.

It wasn’t until Ashla spoke up that Vahliri finally snapped out of whatever trance she had been in, giving the Togruta a nod. “Right, good point.”

With that, she finally pushed off and started to walk with the others. The half-Sephi brought a hand up to her own face, finally addressing the mud that was smeared across her features and removed the clumps – to the best of her ability – that clung to her black locks. While Altair and Cairo walked behind, Vahliri opted to keep pace with Ashla – speeding up until she was walking shoulder-to-shoulder with the Togruta.

After a few moments of silence, the half-Sephi finally addressed the Togruta. “Ashla,” She began, turning to face the other girl in the group. “You’re quick thinking with rolling the escape pod.. It was a kickass plan.” Even if it would’ve taken too long to cut through the fuel cells, there was no denying that the Togruta’s plan was brilliant. Even if Altair’s additional strength had saved their asses, it was Ashla’s intuition and the realization of what she was trying to do that allowed the Devaronian to act.

Without a word, Vahliri swung an arm around the Togruta’s shoulder, flashing her a smirk. “Really saved our asses back there.” Even if they didn't know each other particularly well, they had survived so far together and that was reason enough for Vahliri to stick together with the Togruta. The half-Sephi gave a firm squeeze before releasing, continuing to walk straight ahead towards.. Whatever it was they were looking for.

A few more seconds of walking, and Vahliri felt that pulsating beat through the Force – accompanied by the gust of wind that seemed to come out of nowhere. The moment those eerie whispers began to echo, her ears flattened to the sides of her skull and her body physically tensed. It was a warning, though the half-Sephi couldn’t help but pick up on a few details amongst the words. First, though, she addressed her primary concern.

“..You all heard that too, right?”

She asked, glancing back towards Altair and Cairo. She was pretty sure they did, and Altair’s own statement served as confirmation of that fact. “I think it sounds like a woman..?" She paused, blinking a few times. “I think.” She reiterated that last point, still not entirely sure if she had decerned that detail correctly. “Whatever it is, it doesn’t sound angry. If anything it sounds.. sad, or distressed.” Of that, she was far more confident.

Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly when he started to walk in the opposite direction, though the half-Sephi herself didn’t make any moves to continue forward either. “So… Any ideas?” The only thing the Vahliri could really think of – besides trying to get the hell out of dodge like Altair – was to ignore the warning and keep going. Which sounded like the start of a clique Holo Horror-movie which all of the people died because they ignored the very obvious warning signs.

@Sreeya @Nefieslab @Wit @Fine Dining Set

 

[Ashla Ti]

Ashla glanced to the side as she noticed Vahliri step up to join her, walking side by side with her. She didn't say anything, simply because she had no idea what to say in such a situation. And that feeling was just compounded when Vahliri put her hand around her and complemented her plan. She wasn't used to complements, a result of her upbringing. Every successful mission, every lesson learned had only been countered with critique and dismissal. So hearing a compliment, one that seemed genuine, just made her uncomfortable. "It was nothing," she said, trying to wave away the whole thing, "you watch enough movies and you pick up a thing or two. Probably something I saw in one of the Fly Hard movies." She was sure none of those movies had a scenario like that, but it was easier to switch the burden onto someone else rather than face the complement herself.

Giving the half-Sephi acolyte a small smile, she spotted a small smudge of mud that was still on her face. She pointed a finger at Vahliri's face, gesturing towards her chin. "You missed a spot," she was about to reach out and point exactly where when a voice rang through her mind. She didn't answer Vahliri's question about whether or not she had heard something, the looks on everyone's faces was enough to confirm that. It was only when Altair spoke up and spun around that she moved.

"Stop," she said as she reached out and grabbed Altair's hand, trying to stop him from walking away, "I..." She stopped, her thoughts a mess as she realized what she was doing, or rather was about to do. Surprisingly it didn't take her long to make up her mind, to decide to roll the dice once more. "I don't think that's the right move here." She realized she was still holding onto Altair's wrist and let go, not wanting to give Vahliri any wrong ideas. There was obviously something between her and Altair, and she had few enough friends to not want to risk the possibility of another over a misunderstanding.

"Whatever that voice was, it doesn't want us to approach. I don't know if it's a genuine warning or a ploy to turn us away, but I think we should ignore it." She paused, staring at the ground as she composed her thoughts, almost smiling at the realization that she was doing it again, leading others down a dangerous path without knowing where it would lead them. But it felt right, for whatever reason it felt right. "Why the fuck should we believe it? It doesn't know who we are, where we've come from. We're children? We just survived a crashing ship, an exploding shuttle, and even a random bout of Caelestisitis." She gave Altair an amused look at that last bit, not sure if anyone would even get her stupid joke. "Something is trying to mess with out heads, and I'll be dammed if I let it. We're stronger together," she said as she locked eyes with each of them once more, "strong enough to face whatever crap fucking Zakuul has to throw at us. I say we keep moving forward, and see this thing through."

Having said her bit she waited, to see how they responded. She was reaching out once more, trying to walk a path that had only brought her pain and suffering in the past. She had made friends since then, but never had she considered putting their lives on the line, never had she thought to trust in them as she once had. Maybe it was time she did that again, maybe this was how to put aside the weight that she had been carrying for all these years. But she couldn't do it alone, she needed them. It was a leap of faith, and if she jumped alone then the only thing waiting for her was the ground rushing up to meet her.

@Fine Dining Set @Sreeya @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

As the adrenaline of the moment began to wear off, a new, dreadful sensation began to set into Cairo. It wasn't the voice it was...space station sushi. Cairo had insisted on trying the Jedha Roll at the Trandoshan freighter stop the crew had fueled their ship up at. Why he assumed anything positive would come of that combination of words remains a great galactic mystery. Now, the Jedha Roll struck back - with a vengeance. He clutched his stomach as his intestines began to grumble. He shot a pleading look over to Altair, whispered timidly as he spoke. "Man, I feel like I'm about to give birth..." The pressure his bowels were feeling was unique, probably aided by "I'm gonna drop one in the marsh. Cover with the girls for me?" He pleaded to his friend for aid.

Meanwhile, Cairo would disappear for a brief sojourn into the woods. In his travels and studies, he had learned of quite a few medicinal herbs to aid with indigestion that could be found in marshes and swamps across the galaxy. He thought he had spotted it - a fresh-tasting, star-leaved, egg-shaped root that was meant to help with minor stomach aches. He gingerly plucked a few, not realizing that he had actually taken the unborn brood of a fiercely protective Iknayid matriarch. The eggs looked similar to an untrained eye, and in Cairo's state of stomach cramps, he could barely see straight.

This wasn't yet a major problem, as said mother Iknayid had gone out to hunt, but it soon would be. For now, Cairo followed nature's call uninhibited, trying his best to think about next steps. He had so much to think about - he didn't know Altair and Vahliri were into each other? Was it weird that Cairo didn't have anyone he was into these days? His romantic attractions had faded when he entered the academy.

Meanwhile, in the distance, the beady eyes of the Iknayid spotted her eggs tumbling out of Cairo's pockets.

@Sreeya @Wit @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Altair Din]

“Really, bro? Now?” Altair whispered back quietly, eyes narrowing. He shot a glance at the girls and then back at Cairo, “All right hold on,” He unzipped his backpack and took out a flashlight, some extra snacks in case Cairo got lost, and a blaster he had for emergencies, “Use the Force to contact me if your ass gets into some bullshit,” He said before parting ways with his friend. Altair watched him go for a moment before turning back to the girls right up until the whispers began.

His eyebrows furrowed as he heard Vahliri, and then Ashla grasped his wrist. He first looked over at Ashla, “No, I’m not brain damaged,” He answered her proactively in case that was her nugget of wisdom to impart on him as he walked away. However, he listened as she spoke, looking back and forth between the two girls for a moment. He especially gave Ashla a dirty look at the Caelestis comment, “Don’t even act like you didn’t take a healthy peep,” He accused. He knew he had a fantastic physique.

“Do you hear yourselves right now?” He called out, exasperated. He looked at Vahliri, “This is literally like in the Holomovies when someone sees a creepy little girl with long hair asking to play dolls and for whatever the fuck reason they follow the girl and get their brains sucked out their assholes or some shit,” He folded his arms across his chest, “And in those movies, people die by order of exotic species. Which means my ass is gonna be the first in line to bite it when we go that way.”

He looked at Ashla, “Who the fuck cares about believing it or not, why the fuck is a spooky shadow thing talking to us at all? Isn’t that enough reason to go the other fucking way?” Altair glared at her before adding, “And I ain’t going nowhere without Cairo. So y’all can dance on over there, but I’m staying right here," He sniffed out with his flared nostrils, giving off the appearance of a literal bull.

@Wit @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but smirk, shaking her head a bit when Ashla attempted to wave off the entire situation. Whatever the Togruta tried to convince her off, the half-Sephi highly doubted that the idea had come from some HoloMovie. Nevertheless, she didn’t press the issue further – instead opting to just walk alongside Ashla the rest of the way.

She blinked a few times, pausing for a moment when Ashla pointed out yet another spot of mud she had missed. “Huh? Oh.” Vahliri reached up, swiping her hand across her chin to knock off the dirt on her face. “Thanks.”

While her attention had been thoroughly fixated onto the Force echo, creepy-ass voice they had just heard, the half-Sephi nevertheless couldn’t help but pick up on the whispered conversation going on between Altair and Cairo. She very subtly glanced in their direction out of the corner of her eye, though she didn’t say anything – acting as if she hadn’t heard a single bit of the exchange.

Vahliri glanced towards Ashla when she reached out to grab Altair’s wrist, taking a moment to listening as the Togruta made her case to keep going. Quite frankly, the entire place seemed sketchy as all hell and the half-Sephi didn’t really want anything to do with it – even despite Ashla’s rallying words. “Or.. The warning was legit, and we’re walking into our own deaths. Whatever it was.. It was full of sorrow. I don't think that was an illusion.” The half-Sephi had been the only one to pick up on the underlying emotion behind the warning, and it left her even more skeptical of the entire situation.

She blinked a few times when Altair turned to address her directly. Truthfully, Vahliri really couldn’t help disagree with the Horror movie comparison – especially since she had been having much the same thoughts herself. “Do I look happy about any of this shit!? In those same movies, there is always some ditzy rich girl who gets murdered after falling in the middle of a chase and I sure as hell don’t want contribute to the stereotype.”

She sighed. “But what choice do we have?” Vahliri said grimly, glancing back towards the north-facing path. “There isn’t so much as a spaceport for hundreds of miles, and our ship is scrap metal – so it isn’t like we can leave.” The half-Sephi turned back to face them both. “And I don’t feel like suffering the wrath of Lord Ham-Ham if we come back empty handed.”

Vahliri shook her head. “Either way.. I agree, we shouldn’t go anywhere without Cairo. Even if – and that is a big fuckin’ if - we keep moving forward, I sure as shit don’t plan on splitting up."

@Sreeya @Nefieslab @Wit @Fine Dining Set

 

[Ashla Ti]

As Cairo excused himself for whatever reason, having missed whatever he whispered to Altair and making her wonder for the millionth time how awesome it would be to have the sharp hearing of the Sephi, Ashla watched him go, closing her eyes for a moment and tracking him through his movements. She might not have the sharp so hearing of Emryc Thorne, but she did have her own little tricks. As Cairo came to a stop she took note of his position and returned her attention to two acolytes with her. If the need arose she knew where to go find Cairo. It was an easy distraction to keep her from actually thinking about how she felt about all this. Thankfully Vahliri's words provided an easy distraction.

"What do you mean it felt sad?" She asked Vahliri, as she began slowly walking around the area, inspecting the muddy ground around them. "All I got was creepy, sad is interesting. Wonder if Cairo got something like that as well," she looked up from the ground to glance towards Altair, "was that why he walked away? He felt something from the voice and he needed to think on it on his own?"

Not waiting for an answer, she finally stopped her little expedition, took off her cloak, dropped it to the ground in front of her. She dropped to a crouch soon after and began digging around in the earth. "Either way," she said with hands buried in the mud, "we're not going anywhere till he returns. We might as well take stock of our resources, grab a bite, patch up wounds. All that burning made me hungry." She pulled a worm out of the ground as she said that, and tossed it onto the cloak before resuming the digging to pull out more critters from the mud. Satisfied with her haul she scooped up the cloak, and made her way to a relatively dry spot on the ground, where she settled down and spread out the cloak in front of her.

"So," she asked as she picked up a particularly long worm and sucked it into her mouth like it was the most delicious buttered noodle in the Galaxy, "that holomovie with the creepy girl, was it any good? Any Togruta by any chance?" She glanced from one to the other, raising a hand to wipe her mouth on the back of the sleeve. "I've rarely seen any Togruta in the few holomovies I've seen since...in the few that I've seen. The ones I did find were weird sexual stuff about that Ahsoka Tano lady. There's some weird shit on the holonet." She picked up another bug and tossed it into her mouth, audibly crunching down on it. "Would you guys want to catch the creepy girl one together? If we survive this mess?"

She had read somewhere that horror movies were more fun in a group, and so she had added it to her list of things to do. And this group seemed as good as any to watch one with.

@Fine Dining Set @Sreeya @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

Within his own pack, Cairo had potable water and biodegradable wet wipes for just such an occasion. Years living on the move taught him to always be prepared, especially when nature calls. Staying clean was a vital part of staying sane, and today's excursion was

When he was finished his business, Cairo heard a distinctive hiss emerge from the densely-shaded marsh. It made the hairs on his neck stand at attention, and his head swiveled around to spot the source. He couldn't see it, but...

He decided it wasn't worth risking alone. Cairo began to carefully creep away from the noise, back towards his companions. This place was too fucking weird. It was corny as shit. First, the shipwreck swamp, then the voice, and now spider hisses? Only the Sith could manage such a melodramatic series of events on a scouting mission. He wondered if the Jedi's 'Padawans' were sent on thematically appropriate quests, as well. Instead of fear and passion, Cairo imagined that Jedi 'missions' involved collaborative beach sports and potato-sack-robes sewing classes.

That would be the life.

As his train of thought became more cluttered by his inaccurate window into Jedi life, Cairo failed to notice a sticky, stringy goop that he stepped right into. The moment his foot touched it, he was snapped into the air, dangling from a long, swamp tree. Crawling along the thick vine of webbing that ensnared him was the massive matriarch Iknayid. Cairo's eyes widened - reacting quickly, he pulled the blaster that had fallen from his bag into his hand. He took aim at her, only declining to shoot when he noticed three other adult Iknayad waiting at the floor of the swamp. He imagined blaster fire would only draw attention to himself.


Instead, he sent a message.

"ALTAIR FUCK"
Altair would feel Cairo's feelings of fear and anxiety, projected through the Force.

"FUCKING SPIDERS"
Fuck, he didn't have this under control. Cairo had a bad feeling about this.

"Fuck Zakuul, man!"

@Sreeya @Wit @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Altair Din]

Altair stared at the ladies vacantly as they compared notes on the kind of emotions this freaky ass voice had. How that was the topic of debate was beyond him, and he wondered if he had been speaking another language this whole time. What was it with Sith never batting an eye at anything objectively weird and creepy? He was further justified in his thoughts as he watched Ashla casually collect a fucking insect buffet. This was the girl that asked if he had all the screws tight up top. This girl.

The Devaronian’s jaw visibly dropped as he watched Ashla gleefully crunch on a bug like candy in between planning for a movie. Altair shook his head, “Dude, you got me fucked up,” He said as he took a step backwards and gave the Togruta a wide berth before sitting down, “Rules for movie…you ain’t bringing the snacks,” He added after a long moment, deciding that maybe she wasn’t so bad, just fucking weird and socially inept. He was used to being a little different, and he could relate in many ways.

Altair looked back at Vahliri and grinned, “Well look on the bright side,” He said, “If we all go missing, your case will be all over the news and give the rest of us a chance to be found,” Her rich girl status no doubt would have half the galaxy on the planet looking for her.

The Devaronian was about to reach for a granola from his pack when he heard Cairo’s voice inside his mind. Altair sprang to his feet, “Cairo needs help!” He called out before grabbing his bag and bolting in the opposite direction.

Altair had his bladed wan-shen drawn, extending it out to full length as he ran. He leapt over any pools of goop, spotting Cairo almost at once dangling mid air. The Devaronian immediately went for an attack on the spider closest to him up in the tree. He took aim and launched his wan-shen dramatically and confidently. Not only did the blade miss by a hilarious margin, but it cut right through a massive nest of local engorged wasps. The blade cut through it and got wedged into the trunk of the tree, putting the weapon effectively out of his range and burrowed deep.

The Devaronian watched with horror as the nest cracked open on the ground, releasing massive wasps that immediately set out to sting the acolytes. The huge swarm could kill them all if they swarmed. Altair cried out as he felt a sting on his arm, launching him backwards in a sudden jerky motion. Unfortunately, this meant his thick head collided directly backwards into Vahliri's face, horn and all.

The rescue attempt looked all but fucked as Altair scrambled to run around in circles to prevent from being swarmed, flapping his arms to keep the wasps off.

@Fine Dining Set @Altaris @Wit

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri blinked a few times when Ashla asked her question, digging for more details about the voice they had all heard. “It just sounded sad.” That was her very sage contribution to the discussion. There wasn’t any other details – aside from a possible gender to the voice – that Vahliri had discerned. As a result, the half-Sephi simply gave the Togruta a shrug of her shoulders before Ashla turned to question Altair.

Luckily, the topic very quickly changed when the Togruta proceeded to collect a bountiful harvest of insect and brought them back to their little circle.

Vahliri couldn’t help but watch slightly wide-eyed as Ashla slurped down a worm, a distinct shiver running down the half-Sephi’s mind as she imagined – all to vividly – the slimy texture and sensation of the insect wriggling as it was swallowed. “Girl… Nah.” She said flatly. The half-Sephi grabbed her pack, digging around in one of the pouches. After a few seconds, Vahliri pulled free a pack of Gack Link’s beefy jerky, holding it in the air as if she’d found the key to their salvation. She proceeded to open the bag, pulling out a strip of dried meat before offering it towards Ashla, giving it a little jiggle as if that would make it more enticing than the stink bug that was trying to crawl away from the Togruta’s cloak.

“Movie night is a go,” She said, “I’m bringing the food.” Vahliri offered them for a smile, a hint of amusement to her voice.

Vahliri turned towards Altair, reaching out to extend the bag. Just as she did so however, the half-Sephi distantly picked up on the sounds of commotion from deeper within the marsh – pausing for a moment to stare off into space.

..Was that hissing?

“..You guys hear somethin’?” She muttered abruptly, looking up in the direction that Cairo had ventured off to take care of business. Of course, the half-Sephi wasn’t in suspense for very long as Altair rapidly jumped up only a split second later, leaving Vahliri to wonder how the Devaronian had heard something she hadn’t. She didn’t linger on it long, though.

The half-Sephi grabbed her backpack and broke out into a sprint towards the dense vegetation – following close after Altair. Within a few moments, her honeyed gaze settled upon Cairo swinging upside down, alongside the spiders that surrounded him.

“Hang on!” She called out to Cairo, reaching for the saber from her bag.

She was prepared to ignite the plasma blade and attempt to cut the Acolyte down. Before she could so much as flick on the activation switch, however, the half-Sephi was abruptly cut off as Altair stumbled backwards – inadvertently slamming the back of his horn directly into her face – knocking her to the ground. While she was lucky enough to avoid the sharp tip of his horn, the half-Sephi still suffered the solid hit in the face.

Landing flat in the mud, Vahliri immediately groaned out in pain – reaching up to grasp her nose where the Devaronian’s horn had impacted. There was a healthy stream of blood that ran from her nostrils and down her face, though it wasn’t entirely certain whether anything was broken.

For several long seconds, Vahliri simply laid there in the mud – gripping her bloody face and staring up at the sky, feeling pangs of pain radiate out from her nose. While the wasps didn’t seem to notice the half-Sephi, she wasn’t left unharassed by very long.

There was a loud hiss that caused Vahliri to turn her head to the left, just in time to see one of the spiders was making a beeline for her – legs raised and fangs bare as it scuttled across the ground. “FUCK!” She shrieked, rolling out of the mud and proceeding to scrambling across the ground.

While Altair flailed his arms and Cairo swung through the air, Vahliri pushed to her feet and began to book it away from the spider that was chasing after her – a string of profanities escaping from the half-Sephi as she jumped over puddles of muck and ducked under branches. It was only now that she realized that she had dropped her lightsaber at some point after being hit by Altair’s horns.

@Sreeya @Nefieslab @Wit @Fine Dining Set

 

[Ashla Ti]

Altair and Vahliri's reactions to her snack wasn't lost on Ashla, but she didn't think much of it given their agreement to her proposal of a movie night. So what if they thought her eating habits were weird, that they still agreed to catch a movie with her was what mattered. Everyone should use this as a litmus test of sorts, eat a fistful of worms when asking a question you wanted a genuine answer to.

"Sure!" She said with a grin in response to their insistence that she not be responsible for snacks, promptly following the response up with a flick of her hand that send a bug up into the air and into her mouth. It had taken her a while to master that trick, and she was sure that it would distract them from what she was eating and focus on how cool she looked while doing it.

But what they thought of her stunt she couldn't find out as Altair suddenly announced that Cairo was in trouble. As Altair and Vahliri sprang into action, Ashla jumped to her feet as well, about to pick up her cloak and shake away the remaining bugs when she noticed a couple that made her pause. She knew what they were, and realizing how useful they could be she took a moment to carefully pick them up and fold them inside a napkin and put away in a pouch on her utility belt.

With that done she got rid of the remaining bugs and ran after the others, cloak still held in her hand. The moment's delay meant that she reached Cairo a little after Altair and Vahliri, and when she arrived she just stopped in her steps and just stared. There were spiders everywhere, Altair had just headbutted Vahliri halfway to a muddy grave, and Cairo was hanging by a leg from a tree. Even without having seen as many holomovies as the others, she knew that this could very well be a scene from a corny action adventure.

She didn't have much time to think on the matter though as something sharp and painful dug into her arm. She looked down to see a spider perched there, and let out a scream as she jerked it off of her hand and immediately pulled out her blade. And not a moment too soon as another spider, this one much bigger than the juvenile that had bitten her, came flying at her. She took a step back as she blade came to life, and her foot caught on a root or something and she went crashing backward to land on her back with a loud crunch, crushing more of the juveniles under her mass. As for the one that had come flying at her, it lay dead atop her, skewered by her blade, covering her in its green ichor.

"Huh," she said as she smacked her lips together, tasting the ichor that had covered her, "dinner?!" Suddenly energized, her natural hunter's instincts taking over at the prospect of a meal, Ashla pushed the carcass off of her, and jumped to her feet, taking measure of the surroundings.

Realizing that Cairo was probably the safest of them all, she focused on Altair and Vahliri, and pulled in the Force, letting her predatory instincts take over for a moment as she let out a push. Quick and rough in its execution, it was still enough to push most of the smaller spiders, and some of the spiders away from her friends, hopefully buying them the moments they needed to get their feet under them.

@Fine Dining Set @Sreeya @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

"Guys, you came for me!" He wasn't exactly surprised, since he did ask them for help, but it was a nice gesture nonetheless. He held his head aloft with a smile, for surely, his fellow Acolytes would rescue them. And then, a string of disasters had left them absolutely crippled. Altair had managed to lose his weapon and enrage the local mega-hornets and inadvertently attack Vahliri. Cairo blamed himself for his friend's bad luck. After all, he had attracted the Iknayid in the first place. At least Ashla had figured out a plan of attack, but was she...eating the spider guts?

Cairo looked around for options of his own, and saw a strange type of salvation in the form of Altair's Wan-Shen. It was stuck, high above the ground, just out of reach. Cairo reached out one of his arms, calling upon the force to dislodge the weapon. It shook for a moment, but its blade was firmly lodged within that tree. Altair had one hell of a throwing arm. Cairo noticed, from his close proximity to the blade, that the Wan-Shen was a weapon with multiple edges. While the main blade was wedged into the trunk, a spike-like extrusion stuck out the back, its sharp edge glistening in the caught sun.

Cairo had an idea. From his precarious web-trap, he began to swing back and forth. He was building momentum through his swinging, like a Morellian pendulum, high in the sky. The other Acolytes had created a rather useful....distraction? Not like he could mock them, being stuck, dangling legs-first from a tree. The three had attracted the attention of both angry wasps and giant spiders. This gave him relative freedom to enact his plan.

As he was swinging, he eventually reached the Wan-Shen. He still couldn't pull it out, but, with a little bit of luck...
Cairo swung back to the opposite side of the marsh, hoping for this to be his largest and final swing from this web-rope. He angled himself towards the Wan-Shen as he did, aiming his trapped leg directly towards the spiked blade of the Wan-Shen.

The blade caught his web, tearing through it, and setting Cairo free. As he did, he grabbed on to the stuck Wan-Shen, spinning from it as if it were a gymnastic bar. He timed this exceptionally well for once - attributed to his need to show his fellow acolytes that he could accomplish tasks independently.

He flipped to the ground, landing gracefully on the skull of one of the Iknayid. Once he had his bearings, he could probably dislodge the wan-when or blast a couple more. For right now, though, we was glad to be free.

@Sreeya @Wit @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Altair Din]

Altair skidded to a halt as he saw what he did to Vahliri. His eyes widened and he took a couple more stings, “Holy fuck I’m so sorry!” He said desperately. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!!! She was never going to forgive him for this. He quickly helped her up, dragging her to her feet to help her get away from the spiders. Altair looked around for Ashla to see if she was in trouble, only to see her eating bits of it. Grimacing, he decided she probably had things in control.

He kept running in circles, noticing Cairo drop to the ground after an impressive gymnastic move that would have gotten a perfect score from the judges. Unfortunately, Altair’s wan-shen was no closer to him and he had no time to focus on yanking it out. Instead, the Devaronian channeled the Force to himself as he had been taught in his Matukai training. He ran in circles and built up momentum, enhancing his entire body with the Force like they had seen him do before busting them out of the pod.

“AHHHHHH!” He yelled like a frantic action movie hero before he charged directly at one of the spiders. With no weapons in hand, he instead lowered his rushed directly at one of the Iknayid that was beginning to move after Vahliri. The sight sent a spike of rage through him. Altair’s momentum never slowed as he lowered himself even more before jerking upwards under the soft underbelly of the spider. There was a loud hiss and a sick sounding squelch as Altair pierced the thing with all four horns enhanced with the Force. He didn’t stop there, jerking his head around and driving through it till he popped out from the top of the spider. His clawed hands tore the entire thing apart, splitting its body in half with him standing in the middle covered in spider goop.

Altair’s chest rose and fell and he looked at the others, looking exceptionally demonic just then. He wiped some of the muck off his arms, glancing over at Ashla, “No, you can’t lick this off me,” He said nonchalantly as he stepped out, stomping on a few of the juvenile spiders along the way. Altair glanced up at the Wan-Shen and began to apply a Force pull. Hopefully the others could keep anything else at bay to let him focus.

@Wit @Fine Dining Set @Altaris @Nefieslab

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Fuck, FUCK!”

Vahliri cries out in panic, suddenly forgetting about her bloodied nose as she scrambled to her feet. While Cairo did a dramatic flip and stomped on the skull of one of the spider, Vahliri was desperately attempting to get away from the Iknayid that was scuttling towards her – honeyed eyes scanning the muck for wherever her lightsaber had fallen.

Vahliri glanced up just in time to hear Altair apologizing and moving to help her up, grasping onto the Devaronian’s extended hand and using it to get back onto her feet. Despite being headbutted only moments before, there was an exceptionally grateful look on the girl’s face while she looked at Altair, lingering for all of two seconds before she broke out into a full-fledged sprint to get away from the Iknayid. “WHY IS IT ALWAYS SPIDERS?!” She screeched, leaping over a puddle of goop like an Olympic long-jumper and proceeding to start doing circles around the perimeter of the forest clearing.

In the process of ducking under a low-hanging tree branch, Vahliri glanced over in Ashla’s direction – getting a good look at the Togruta smacking her lips together and happily referring to the spider guts as dinner. In that moment, the half-Sephi couldn’t help but stare – her mouth hanging slightly ajar. “I know you’re fuckin’ lyin’..” She muttered to herself.

After a few more moments of panicked running, Vahliri’s eyes finally caught against something metallic sticking out of the mud – the hilt of her fallen lightsaber catching a bit of the sun that broke through the thick marsh canopy. Reaching out with the Force, the half-Sephi yanked the hilt out of the muck and back into her hands – immediately spinning on a heel to face the spider she’d been hauling ass away from.

Of course, this was perfectly times to see Altair charge at the Iknayid like a bantha bull – piercing its soft underbelly with his horns and proceeding to physically rip the creature in half with his sharp claws. Vahliri couldn’t help but stare in awe at the sight, blinking a few times. “Thanks—” She called out to Altair, though only was able to get out part of her sentence before her attention was drawn elsewhere – spotting the Iknayid matriarch that had been neglecting up until this point.

Seeing one of its offspring ripped in half by the Devaronian, the broodmother was making a beeline straight for Altair while he was in the process of focusing on his blade lodged in the tree – front arms raised and fangs poised to sink into the horned acolyte’s shoulder and neck.

There was a distinct spike of rage that coursed through Vahliri’s body at the sight, and the half-Sephi didn’t hesitate to spring into action. She extended her hand towards the charging matriarch, reaching out with the Darkness to coil her grasp around the arachnid.

With a violent yank of her forearm backwards, Vahliri pulled the matriarch off its course towards a pre-occupied Altair and towards herself – causing the spider to turn its attention to the half-Sephi. Igniting her crimson blade, Vahliri stood in place as the matriarch charged towards her – hissing loudly as it closed the distance between them. Rather than running away from it, the half-Sephi stood her ground until the larger spider was only a few feet away.

Just as the matriarch prepared to lung at the girl, Vahliri abruptly pivoted to her left and turned her body to face the side of the Iknayid. She swung her saber in a downward, horizontal arch – cleaving the plasma blade through three of the arachnids’ spiny legs. There was a loud screech and hiss that escaped from the matriarch as it whirled towards the half-Sephi and attempted to drive one of its sharp legs into the her abdomen, but Vahliri had already continued moving by the time it did so – spinning on a heel and moving behind the Iknayid. Once more, she carved her saber downward without a moment of delay – watching with no lack of satisfaction as the crimson blade passed through another two of the matriarch’s legs.

With over half of its spiny limbs removed, the matriarch collapsed onto its side – desperately attempting to hoist itself up using its remaining right legs. It’s screeches and furious hissing echoed through the clearing, fangs snapping in an attempt to latch onto the closest thing to it.

Vahliri didn’t give it the opportunity to do any damage to her or her companions. Leaping forward from behind, the half-Sephi jumped onto the Iknayid’s back – driving the heel of her boot into one of its still intact legs – releasing a sickening crunch as the connecting joint popped out of place. At that moment, Vahliri stabbed her saber downward and through the top of the spider’s skull – piercing all the way through and proceeding to drive it into the damp earth below.

There was a few seconds of frantic flailing from the matriarch before the arachnid finally went completely limp, pinned down to the ground by Vahliri’s boot and saber blade. Only once it finally stopped moving did the half-Sephi pull her saber free and unignited the blade, climbing over the spider corpse and back towards her fellow Acolytes.

“I fucking hate Zakuul..” She said with a grumble as she approached, clipping the hilt back to her belt before bringing a forearm up to wipe her nose. The half-Sephi glanced towards Altair, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Thanks back there.” Nevermind the blood still clinging to her face, the half-Sephi didn’t miss the way he intervened with the Iknayid that was chasing her.

The half-Sephi’s gaze then flicked towards Cairo, tilting her head to the side for a moment. “Did you at the very least finish business?” She said nonchalantly, once again revealing that she’d somehow been privy to the whispered conversation.

@Sreeya @Fine Dining Set @Wit @Nefieslab

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

The group had done it! They defeated the vicious Iknayid predators (which they were never intended to fight) after escaping the fiery lake (which they caused by so dramatically crashing the ship). This mission could almost be considered a success!

That is, if they actually got to the mission. As Cairo took stock of the angry murder-hornets flying around, he decided to employ the Force himself, blasting gusts of air at the stinging insects to blow them out of the Acolyte's faces. With the hornets away, he would beeline outta this part of the marsh, back to the path the group was originally on. He didn't want to see if there were any bigger, worse bugs waiting for them, and he didn't want to get stung up as badly as the rest of the group had.

He signaled for the group to follow him. At the path, he would exhale, dropping to the ground. "Alright, gang." He looked, stone-faced, at the group of Acolytes. What a day this had been already. "I think we're kicking ass out here. Like Vahliri, with that pull-n-chop? Fucking A1 idea." He golf-clapped for her, but his encouragement was serious. She had been studying the blade, alright. "And Altair? Man, throwing your weapon into the tree was exactly what I needed to get free. And the way you speared that spider? Rip and tear, my guy. This is why you're the Day ONE homie." He smiled towards his friend. Honestly, he didn't know if the losing the Wan-Shen was intentional, but either way, it was useful. "Ashla. Killing and eating those fucking bugs? That's real Sith shit. Devious as fuck."

"I think we can go the distance, team. All of us together. I think we can figure out whatever is happening here. I think if we fight together, we could make a real difference." He thought to the mission - Lord Lord Ham's missive, the voice he had heard, the feeling of the Dark Side in the swamp. But also, he thought to the galaxy as a whole. He thought to the rampant poverty he bore witness to as a child, the crimes people were forced to commit to feed their families. The way the Core Worlds exploited and oppressed any outside the core, but especially those wilder worlds in the Outer Rim. How the Jedi, craven as they were, defended this corrupt and unjust 'order,' explicitly through the Senate, and implicitly through their whole existence.

The Empress herself hadn't been anybody before she was the Empress. Palpatine, a random guy on Naboo. The whole Sith Order, as an organization, was purported to be founded by exiled Dark Sider Jedi. The meaning of all of this? That the Sith were mutable, even if its aristocrats and adherents were often traditionalists. The Sith rewarded people from the humblest of origins. It rewarded ambition.

And the ambition of these four acolytes was a force that could upend the entire galaxy.

"Let's fucking do this, y'all."

@Wit @Nefieslab @Sreeya @Altaris

 

[The Storyteller]

"Cut! CUT!"

A shrill, rather manic, voice cut through the sounds of Zakuul wildlife and the Acolytes currently in the process of taking stock of the insect-based horror show they had just been a party to. A human with a Corellian accent, clothes torn from use and age, stepped out before them with a camera strapped to his right shoulder. He ran a hand over his receding hairline.

"What in the Corellian hells was that out there?" he shouted at the Sith, eyes manic and wide, "You! Acrobatics kid! Leave that kind of shrak for your stunt double - do you know how much it costs to insure you people as it is?! Karking actors, honestly!"

Shaking his head, the man moved away from the group of Acolytes before grabbing what appeared to be a very non-functional datapad from a tree. It had, quite literally, a bite taken out of it but he was acting like it was fully operational as he wandered up to Ashla.

"Tell me where in the script it says to eat the bugs? Huh? Anyone? That's right! It's not in there!" he would gesture to her with the datapad, cackling oddly, "FANTASTIC IMPROV!"

He eyed Vahliri dirtily.

"If your face holds up production it's coming out of your cut." he told her simply before gesturing down the trail, "Go and see the nurse, she's around catering this time of day."

It would take nothing more than two functioning eyes to see that the man was clearly insane. There was no nurse and there was no catering - there was only the trail that beckoned them forward before. One thing that had not been there before, however, were the primitive lanterns that lit the way.

In the distance, the trail became shrouded in fog from the swampland, dark shapes moving and twisting in ways that promised things would get no easier...

"Protein bar, kid?"

Though the deranged man holding out an actual, real, protein bar to Altair was as good as it could get.

@Wit @Sreeya @Altaris @Fine Dining Set

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was feeling pumped from Cairo’s little pep talk. The dude should clearly be a motivational speaker. In fact, he should do some PR work for the Sith. Clearly, they had an image problem. Talking like that? Dude could get the galaxy thinking the rainbow shined out the Empress’s ass. The Devaronian jumped in surprise when he heard the voice call out.

His eyes widened as he heard the human and watched him waltz out. He was too surprised to make out what was going on or why. He stood there as the guy mouthed off to Cairo, a surge of anger beginning to bubble in his stomach. Altair began to take steps forth towards the man to get a better look, a sufficiently grumpy look on his face.

The dude turned on Vahliri and Altair could just see the disgusted way he was looking at her. He then began to talk about her face. He only got past the word ‘catering’ before a curled fist came swinging in from Vahliri’s peripheral vision. It would collide with the side of the dude’s face in the form of a full bodied punch from the Devaronian. Mercifully, it wasn’t Force enhanced, but it packed heat nonetheless.

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Altair growled at the rando dude. He knew he was responsible for what happened to Vahliri and he didn’t care if this mook was their only way out of this mess. He would headbutt him next if he talked more shit. Altair glared at him for a moment before he snatched the protein bar from his hand and stashed it in his pocket. That was when something in the distance caught his eye.

The Devaronian grimaced as he suddenly walked past the guy, feeling a chill run down his spine as he did so. It was very easy to miss, but he caught it only because the light landed just right. He began to smell the stench and had to cover his nose as he approached closer. He spotted what looked like a dead body, but half eaten. From the looks of the uniform, it was the ‘nurse’ and she was still clinging to a medical kit.

Fighting back the urge to vomit, Altair reached down and pried the medical kit out of her hands, snapping a finger off in the process, “Hey guys…I found the nurse..” He called out to the others, stashing the med kit for Vahliri.

@Fine Dining Set @Altaris @Nefieslab @Wit