Ask Blind Faith

[Dr Ilana Morata]

That voice.

That voice, she heard so often in her own head. The sibilant hiss of it, the crooning smugness in her deepest nights of grief and despair left alone. The arrogance, the ill-concealed delight at her own rage, her own pain. She didn't react initially to seeing the visor change, but her gaze darkened.

She held her vibroblade tightly in her hand as she stared the apparition down. Seeing the Mandalorian sinking to his knees before it, she couldn't describe the feelings that went with it initially. No joy. Nothing, at first, but a blank, deep feeling inside her gut. No... it went further than that. It was disdain. Disgust.

"Perfection? You wish you were," she flicked her fingers at it. For the first time, she felt calm. The unnatural anger she felt, prompted by the hunter, had cleared away, and in its' place was a steely resolve. She stared it down for a moment, features unmoving.

"Get your hands off of him," she hissed, pointing her vibroblade at the Force illusion, jaw set. "You weak, pathetic thing. I don't need you to be perfection."

Stone began to crack beneath her feet as she gestured to the Shadow, her voice hard.

"I am perfection."

And without waiting a further response, she lashed forward aggressively, to wrap Stasis around the Shadow, and then drag it towards her, forcing it to either move or be slammed into the stone wall behind it. Not her usual style... but she learned. She didn't need those answers anymore. She had already moved on.

@Darasuum dice roll~

 

[Roland Rook]

The appearance of the mirror image did not avoid the manipulations Ilana made with the Force. In fact, it didn't seem to resist at all or try to avoid it. The image of the body impacting instead showed it dispersing into dark mist.

Silence followed for several moments, what little light came in from outside or had been brought by Roland or Ilana now seemed to dim. The darkness intensified. A quiet and deep laugh returned. The voice of the Mandalorian echoed though it sounded like it was mixed with two maybe more voices. "You missed your chance last time and regret it...he will stop you if he doesn't join the dark side eventually." A distant chorus of laughs followed and faded.

The voices did not make an appearance again. The hold the darkside had attempted on the two had been made. The sense of danger would remain, the dark side presence permeating every corner of the Temple. The Mandalorian that lay incapacitated on the ground, once again at the mercy of the Doctor. Fear, anger and torment wracking the insides of his mind though his body lay calm and motionless.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She gritted her jaw in frustration at her companion slumped on the ground. She could feel the emotions from the Mandalorian, though she couldn't dissuade the oppressive feeling to the air. Her eyes flashed briefly, before exhaling slowly and moving quickly to the downed hunter.

"I regret nothing," she replied softly, the words echoing around her quietly. "But this place... you will feel the echo of your regret for centuries. I promise this." She knelt beside Rawl. She felt no kindness for this man. No grace. But even he didn't deserve the treatment of this place; she should help him somehow.

She exhaled, and rested a hand on the Mandalorian. Clearing her thoughts, stilling and centering herself, it felt... odd.

But she had seen a Jedi do this for himself before. She would help this stranger as well. After all, Kai turned her away from this for a reason. If she couldn't respect his memory, then she didn't deserve what he taught her.

"Come back to me," she commanded, her voice low, calm and authoritative, as she gently rolled him over, staring into the visor. "It's an illusion. A trick of the Force. Calm, listen to me Rook. Listen to me." Her tone brooked no argument, merely a quiet command. An emotional pull from within; the empath's emotions, stilling and calming to the Rook's own. An influence, subtle, calming. Clearing his head of the Dark Side's influence; and she would will him back to her, amber eyes focused.

It would be then she would grab him by the arm, and begin to move.

"It's time to leave."

She wouldn't wait for the Darkness to have its' chance to lash back. She'd already made up her mind. She didn't need those answers anymore...

She already had them.

@Darasuum bringing Roland out of the Dark Side influence using empathic ability

 

[Roland Rook]

There wasn't an immediate response. The hood had drifted from his helmet with only the blank unresponsive face of the helmet looking back at the Doctor. Underneath it, Roland's eyes were shut as something terrifying assaulted his mind continually. Pulling him from this torture made him make a groan as if waking from a deep slumber only to realize he was in a cold sweat. The man felt terrible, managing to look around and try and find the one that had made this happen.

Rolling over, he groaned and pushed himself back to his feet. The moment he was vertical the Doctor began pulling him in the direction of the temple door. Roland didn't make a comment. It had been possibly the worst thing he had felt in his life just a moment ago. Leaving the temple and returning the sea-sprayed entrance.

It would still take Roland a few moments to clear his head on the front steps of the dark sanctum. Once he felt steady enough, Roland would be able to use his jetboots a bit more confidently again. The Doctor of course would be climbing up a long rope but once at the top, the man would help by pulling her up. Once she got to the top, he was sweating. <"What the hell just happened in there?"> Sitting at the base of the Cobalt Viper he would rest both arms on either knee and collect himself a bit more. His seeker droid continued to go about its business that he had assigned it to earlier, ignorant of everything that had happened and focusing on its job.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She didn't say a word as they left. Climbing back up, she hadn't realized that some of her blood had smeared the rope climbing up, nor the sweat that slid down her back coldly and the nausea that roiled in her stomach at first. No, she felt numb. Cold. Her chest felt frozen, her entire self just stuck in that endless loop of dialogue with the Entity. She was aware Rawl had pulled her up and when they made it to the cliff she slumped down next to him.

His gloved hand had an imprint of her own bloody hand in the palm. The pain of the cut registered on her mind, but she felt disconnected to it, disassociated with the rest of the planet for a few moments and horribly lost. She didn't answer at first. She just stared out numbly at the dark horizon, the waves hissing hungrily below and the cold air snatching at long white hair.

When she finally answered, her voice was hoarse.

"That was the Dark Side," she answered, and then the first crack of emotion there. Brows furrowing, and then her eyes shut, and she swallowed back hard, holding back bile. Using empathy... was remarkably difficult, and it left her feeling hollow. Indeed, even her voice felt hollow, distant and empty. "The worst of your fears, your regrets, your ambitions.. Imagine that power. To twist minds into their own delusions, control them with worst fears and sins." Her hands shook slightly as she pulled out a pack of cigaras.

It took a couple tries but one light finally took, and she exhaled, holding onto the cigara like a lifeline. "I wanted it, at one time. Thinking it held answers for my own sensitivities... my ability to feel what others feel, as acutely as if they were my own. Empathy."

She exhaled again, then took another long, slow drag. "But Kai changed his mind. Started pulling me away from that before he..." she paused, nostrils flaring. "Not that it matters. I turned away. I refuse to ever be like them." Her jaw tightened, eyes finally returning from that point. "I refuse to be one of them, never satiated with the power, tormented by a Thing that feeds on the worst of you."

She flicked the cigara away, scowling. "This place is not someplace I want to see standing a thousand years from now." She then finally turned her face to his visor, features set.

"Does that answer it, Rawl?" she asked calmly, putting the rest of the carton away.

There was still one more place to go, after all. They could go about nodding over lifetime philosophies later.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

The man could feel every heartbeat as each moment passed. His mind still reeling from the experience he had let alone put it together. Tired and sore in ways he couldn't think possible, Roland leaned against his ship with his legs out in front of him.

Ilana spoke and explained, revealing more about her relationship and the extent of it with the grysk. Admitting that she had been associated with the dark siders or considered it drew his eyes away from the beautiful view of the ocean. Being at the top of the rocky cliffs was a decent place for him to catch his breath. "Technically..." He replied and adjusted to look at her more directly. "...though it just brings more questions." Before, he had been skeptical about the force. Then with time he had witnessed and met force sensitives. It was far more than words or stories could have prepared him for.

The Mandalorian knew he had probably been here longer than he should have. Pushing himself to his feet, he could feel his head throbbing still as images of betrayal and despair faded. One glove hand raised to the side of his helmet. Even though he was up and moving didn't mean he was in any sense of comfort.

"Unfortunately, it would take nothing short of an orbital bombardment to probably cause that temple to be destroyed." Roland didn't want to see it in the future either. If he thought the weapons on his ship could destroy it or cause irreparable damage then he would. "But I might have to consult someone more skilled when it comes to these sorts of places." His mind shifted to Indyana, pausing before thinking also of the other Jedi he knew. It would be wise for him to get an opinion on how best to deal with dark side objects. So far it didn't seem as simple as making sure his hands wore gloves to keep from contaminating evidence. Roland had felt the darkside fully for the first time and it was a lot to take in.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She shrugged as he said he had more questions; no doubt he did. What he went through, few non-Force Sensitives likely did. She could still feel the artificial despair radiate off him, but it began abating. She just waited, letting him pull himself together before standing herself, and adjusting her jacket. "...If I ever have the chance to, I'd see it burn before anyone else would touch it," she murmured, then glanced at him.

She looked uncomfortable, but the words came out, haltingly.

"I'm... sorry for what you experienced. I did not think that such a thing was... possible." She hesitated, then looked away, arms crossed. Her shoulders were tense, face tight with discomfort. "I didn't react well...and I... should have known better." However, she glanced back over to the Mandalorian, golden eyes still, calm. "There's one more place to go... the place where I found Kai. If you feel up for it."

An option, so that she could finally close one last chapter of her life.

One last disappointment that ended far too soon, but now it no longer mattered. Only the present, and the uncertain future.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

"That makes two of us." He meant it both for the temple and the the experience the temple had given them. "I could have handled things better." He added as an apology.

"Alright." He groaned and got to his feet. "Let's have a look at this place." Getting back into his ship it became clear there was a storm coming. "Is there a place to land near it or we crossing that bridge?" he said, seeing the fortress from the air before long. That was not going to be fun. "Better than a rope I suppose." He muttered and ran a scan on the building and surroundding area.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

"There's a landing pad beneath the fortress," she answered calmly. "It's where I picked him up... if it leads where I think it does, it should lead into this place." She guided the Telomere back where she had landed the first time to find him... and felt a slight squeeze in her chest. Swallowing hard, she would guide Roland's ship to where she had found Kai before.

The memories washed over her, and for a moment, she sat in the pilot's seat with her head lowered, feeling her throat thicken.

....It was time to see what Kai had hidden from her... and to find answers in this Sith fortress.

And then she would see it burn.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

Roland followed the Doctor's ship along the coast and through the building storm. Within the hour he imagined the cliff side would be battered by heavy waves. The planet was beautiful but it was definitely turbulent. While en route Roland checked his messages and communications with the Sector Rangers. Some usual business updates but nothing that needed his attention right now.

Setting down the Cobalt Viper, he powered down and headed down to through his ship. Before leaving, he stopped by his weapons locker and pulled the flame projector from the wall as well as a demolition charge and two thermal detonators. Securing them, he left the ship and was surprised to see Ilana had yet to leave her's.

Waiting at the base of the leading ramp he set up his droid to focus on the perimeter in its standard security and surveillance protocols. Locking the firespray down he made sure the backpack that held his extra ordinance was well balanced. Not wearing a jetpack had its benefits to being able to use a backpack. Roland had enough weight with his armor normally. If the woman took her time he would be giving the rest of the area a once over as well as his ship. The patrol craft was known as being relatively high maintenance compared to more common Corellian freighters.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

When she descended, she felt the same surge of power as she did in the temple. The same keen edge of anger. The same hunger for more. But the last time she was here, it was for someone she would have crossed the galaxy for... and now there was Rawl.

A man she didn't like at all... and yet, in some ways, could respect.

But now, she strode past him, deeper into the cave hangar.

"No life forms... but I'm not taking any chances. You coming, Rawl?"

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

The Mandalorian kept an eye out while he waited. The woman came along shortly and took the lead as they headed down a tunnel. "May as well." He replied though he had every intention of coming to begin with.

The two found their way to the base of the tower eventually. The tunnel travel felt quiet and a bit eerie with the cold darkness. Coming to the front doors, pulled the door, and rather than unlock it he decided to cut a hole open for them. It was either that or us one of his charges. If there were people inside, he also didn't want to alert them.

Inside sat an open and plain chamber. At the back there was a turbolift that took people to the upper levels he assumed. Heading inside and towards the back, the Mandalorian would look at the number of floors and pick the 2nd floor to begin with. Bit by bit the two would go through the rooms and not find anyone or anything except for a simple protocol droid. Looking towards the Doctor he could see that there was a sensation this place gave her. Maybe it was the entire planet. But Ilana had mentioned Malakai's interactions here. So his associates, or possible former associates could also be tied to this place. "What do you think, Doctor?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She looked at each of the rooms with the impassive features of an outsider seeing someone else's abandoned home. Very little mattered to her; none of the rooms once held many that she knew. This place was their stronghold, their locus. And yet now it sat, abandoned.

Weak.

She gritted her jaw. They were so weak, so arrogant. To think the Force held all the power, all the answers... like roaches, scuttling for the crumbs they could grab. Biting back and then skittering into the darkness. Hiding out of self-preservation. What did she think? Her gaze panned back to the Mandalorian, amber eyes remote.

"There must surely be some data files remaining here. And if so, we ought to pull from them and give this to the correct authorities." That was all she said, as she resolutely walked past the common areas, looking for a terminal. A scrap of something to make it worth their time.

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

"Probably that office then." He mentioned the room with scrolls and a desk on the second floor. Moving back down to the room, the Lieutenant had a look around.

"Part of me wondered if you were going to try and blow this place apart the moment you set eyes on it." There were holobooks, a few data tapes and drawers to look through. The man took out his security spike and would access the different devices for a quick look over. There was quite a bit in the room to look through and more than they could probably carry. "Some of this looks like archeological records. Logistical reports but...old." He said aloud.

"Hmm, here's some of the building's original...no..." He stopped as he put the architectural design into a holoprojector built into the desk. "....this is a different fortress. The design is...newer?" There was not a lot of information on it, the details of the building are not complete and just a relatively rough and undefined. "Cuga Fortress....Dathomir." The witch cursed world that was essentially the Mandalorians' galactic neighbor. Or at least they used to be. "Great. That might explain why they aren't here." If there was also this one hide out, how many more could the Sith Order have across the galaxy.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She huffed once at his comment, glancing over her shoulder towards the Mando as they continued their search. For a moment, one pale hand ghosted over the wall, features still, lost in thought. "I wanted to," she spoke up softly, withdrawing her hand.

"Nothing would make me happier than to see everything Sith oriented burn to the ground," her tone was raspy, mild and calm. "To see them scurry like the rats they are back into their small hidey holes, and be burned from those too. But we need information on them. Knowledge. If they strike, I want to know where to strike back."

Those last few words were spoken directly to him now, to his helm. She made no qualms with his knowing part of her ambitions; she had a feeling they both had something in common. But then he mentioned a fortress and she frowned, giving a closer look to the Fortress Ren. She knew that name from somewhere...

She then nodded once.

"Perhaps we can hunt this place down as well, but Dathomir? That sounds like more trouble than two can handle. I wouldn't venture alone."

@Darasuum

 

[Roland Rook]

Roland found himself giving a nod at the end of her reply. The Sith were a scourge that needed be be fought back. There was an anger that burned hot in his chest at remembering what he had seen in the temple.

The Lieutenant thought about the planet. If he returned and reported this information, then the Sector Rangers could divert a drone barge to seed a few hundred probe droids around Dathomir. "I'll make a call." He took recordings of what he could and suggested the Doctor gather the originals if she wanted to take them along. Once she was done, he would head back down through the fortress and the tunnel until they got back to their ships.

Once they got their ships, he placed the charge in the hangar area so that the tunnel on their end would collapse as well. Getting onboard the patrol ship, he connected first to Coruscant. The Cobalt Viper would carefully make its way out of the hangar and into the sky above so there was a decent enough signal. Thunder wracked the horizon and enough of a wind made him feel the resistance against the controls. Roland went through the verification process and then reported the likely whereabouts of a Sith presence in the Dathomir system. "I have more details I can give in person. I'll make my way back towards the Core. Lieutenant Rook, out."

He terminated the message and kept his eyes looking towards the fortress and Ilana's ship if she made her way out as well. Flipping to a channel so she could hear him. "You sure your ship has enough firepower to level this place?" The Mandalorian already had his doubts and began cycling over from his non-lethal weapon systems over to the heavier ordnance. He was all for making this fortress fall.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She took the originals with her.

As the Telomere began to ascend, Rawl's ping gave her pause, and she glanced over to the Mandalorian ship. "A courier has no firepower," she rasped calmly. "But... if I had it, I'd use everything on me to raze it to the ground. Leave nothing left for them to hide in... and no place to return."

She then glanced back to the fortress. "I think I'll get a ship with firepower however... so the next time I'm in this system, the Sith will have nowhere strong to hide."

With that, she began preparing to leave orbit. For now... there was nothing she could really do. But in future?

Destroying it wouldn't bring Kai back. But it would make things far easier to bear. As it was, she had much left to contemplate.

@Darasuum

//End thread?