Ask Check the Data

[Darth Tiamat]

It felt like a good stretch after spending so much time getting Asteria Industries settled. The massive amounts of paperwork and board meetings she had to begin attending showed her the unadventurous luxury of being lead in hyperspace research, design, and travel. Oddly enough, she was loving it, the attention was not so overwhelming as it was years ago, though perhaps the attention she received was different. She didn't have to worry about some overlord running over her work for their own advancement, she had made herself an asset, she could control the knowledge she carried, a knowledge not as respected as it should have been when she was under the thumb of the Empire. It was now though more than leverage, a legacy she had created for herself and she carried that pride with grace.

However, Tiamat always carried a curious knack for exploration. She had taken notice of an anomaly in the Force after reviewing some of her astronomical data that had come in over the last few months from her research satellites. What she could poke around and find from the local villages was a group of religious zealots used to live in the mountains. There was uncertainty if they were still there, centuries have passed since the last known follower had descended from the mountains to find help after heavy rains washed out their temple.

There was a good chance nothing was living, but there was an essence that lingered that was strong enough to be interfering with her data readings. She humored to herself trying to scale up the steep trails along the side of the mountain in her work clothes, they made her feel restricted compared to the simple trousers and boots that gave her a greater range of motion. In a way she did miss her sith robes, but at least she could get away with wearing more colors without feeling the need to defend herself from being jumped. The map she checked lead to the lowest peek before descended downward into a valley of smaller peeks and clearly cave systems. It would take too long before the trail would be marked by those ages ago, patterns of stones stacked along the road, showing exactly where to go.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

“Did you drag me to this just because you miss me?” Emryc asked curtly as he arrived, glancing down at his chrono. His face was impassive as usual. She had known that face since it belonged to a teenager. While it was the face of a refined gentleman now, the surliness and body language were exactly the same. And of course, so was the smell of cologne that always lingered wherever he went.

They had a very curious relationship over the time they had known one another. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had been his apprentice and he was still ascending the Sith hierarchy. He couldn’t ever say he stopped being a Sith, but he had stopped being one in the context of what they were today.

“This may very well be purrgils coming to leech off the planetside refineries,” Emryc hypothesized. He normally didn’t have time for these adventures anymore, but the lull in the ISC and Sith war afforded him some downtime. The Sith had largely disappeared and the Empire hadn’t struck out. At this point, the ISC risked looking like the bad guys if they kept beating down an enemy that didn’t fight back.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

"At least with you, I don't encounter large blob abominations in labs." she grumbled to herself thinking of the Kamino incident as she checked her map; it certainly left her weary of any other expeditions with Jaikus since then despite the years that have past. He did apologize with lunch and her favorite wines, though it would be forever mentally scarred in her mind. She swore at times she could still smell it; the deep clean she would conduct would impress even the germophobe, Emryc.

Tiamat paused when he mentioned the purrgils, a subtle tug at her lip as the memories of seeing them for the first time with Altair. "I wish that were the case..." she said with mild disappointment as she looked around for a moment, not seeing anything out of the ordinary as they continued to follow the weathered path. "I would like to see the purrgils again." Conifers grew more densely the further they went, their path changing into wide stone steps, overgrown with moss and roots until they descended to a what looked to be once a courtyard, before leading the path to two large stone doors. As their own footsteps echoed across the stone, there would be another set of footsteps that echoed out of synch with their own.

The woman paused again, holding out her palm to have Emryc stop also, listening, feeling. There was a subtle change in the Force, but unlike the ripples and waves the two were most familiar, there was a stutter, a ripple that seemed stuck before it could move on. "Odd, don't touch anything." she told Emryc as though he were to blame for the anomaly, and walking ahead to push open the doors and enter inside.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc gave her the sideeye as she wistfully reminisced about seeing some purrgils. He had only seen her get that sappy around him, so he could guess where her mind was, “Pull yourself together,” He stated curtly, glancing down at his chrono. Thankfully he didn’t have any meetings scheduled for today.

When Tiamat cautioned against touching anything, Emryc stared blankly, “Who do you think I am?” He said icily. He was the last person in the galaxy to put his hands on random things. The half Sephi ducked as they walked through the path, though the doorways and the large stairs were much more suitable to his height. He wondered if Tiamat had considered all this before inviting him - after all, Emryc couldn’t fit through most ancient ruins anymore.

He could hear the echoes of footsteps that mirrored their own, but just slightly off. Emryc wasn’t too bothered by it - he was perhaps the most powerful Force user in the galaxy. What could contend against him? Emryc watched Tiamat open the doors.

He walked for a bit before he suddenly paused. Emryc looked at Tiamat, “We need to leave,” He said urgently. The doors behind them abruptly shut. She would see his eyes shift oddly between silver and yellow. Emryc rubbed his eyes and clutched at his head as if it hurt.

“Come on now…”

“....you’ve kept me locked away for so long…”

Emryc turned towards the doors behind them, glaring at Tiamat, “Did you do this on purpose?!”

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat's brow narrowed in annoyance when he questioned who she thought he was, years of being at the academies left her with the terrible habit of assuming someone was going to ultimate touch something. Could she touch it, yes, but anyone else, she didn't trust their curious intentions, and though she knew Emryc as he was, it didn't matter, she didn't want anything messing with the readings that were being measured. She continued onward regardless, biting her tongue from quipping back and inside they entered until Tiamat heard Emryc speak again, a tone she didn't hear often, but it always meet without question as she had learned.

The woman turned to face him, a look of concern as she heard the doors slam, her gaze quickly catching the glow of yellow in his eyes.

Now she really wished it were purrgils after all.

Tia stepped toward him, eyes wide in surprise, the Force rippled again around them, "Emryc?" a palm raised to gently rest on his arm, he looked like he was in pain as he clutched his head. She had never seen him like that, not even when he was the most vulnerable and it drew a worry she had not felt in... well, she couldn't remember. However, when he was quick to shoot his glare and accusation, she withdrew, physically and emotionally, her features hardening as she stepped back and walked up to the door, "Shove it, you know I'm not capable of traps." she reached to press her palms against the doors, physically pushing before she twisted the Force to her command, giving her additional strength to get the doors to budge, but with no success.

She stepped back, searching along the edge of the doors, fingers feeling along grooves in the stone for any activation levers to release the doors. However, something told her it was not mechanical, but the force, twisted to lock in place and to make the most powerful user in the galaxy to stutter.

Instead, they would hear stone grinding against stone as another set of doors opened further into the temple. Tia reached into her pack and pulled out a glow rod, "Stay here," she told Emryc before walking ahead.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc hardly heard her, trying to rapidly reel himself in. He felt himself fade further away into his psyche, the monster in him slowly coming to surface. He used to have far more control over switching back and forth, and he always held the reins. But whatever was here interfered with his process, and he had grown rusty over the years. It was terribly similar to when he completely lost control around Jaikus and had almost killed him.

He didn’t proceed further, actually listening to Tiamat when she suggested waiting.

As Tiamat walked further ahead, she would begin to hear whispers in the Force. It wasn’t obviously Dark or Light side, but the presence was clearly the Force. Abruptly she would sense darkness, and then light, and then nothing. It was an anomaly in every sense of the word, and all of her electronics would fail at the same time.

Tiamat would step onto what appeared to be a bridge. Whether an optical illusion or not, both sides of the bridge looked like the galaxy. She would feel as if she was walking across an endless bridge in outer space, the slightest tilt enough to send her plunging into the abyss.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Concern, worry, fear even, as she watched Emryc struggle with the internal battle to remain in control. A sense of urgency washed through her as he even followed her directive to stay put. She couldn't help but to think of the kids and Jai if anything were to happen to Emryc, if Raze were to re-emerge after all this time. Her eyes stuck to the holopad however, the further she entered, the more interference she received until she gave up and put away her devices. It always felt odd not relying on them in her work, almost naked, stripped in a way.

She took a step and paused, watching the darkness take form and then it would not, her own senses felt like static, no pull from the light or dark, just as it was, unmistakably the Force in its most untouched and ancient form. As fascinating as it were, the woman couldn't remain put, wanting to run forward until she found her answer and an exit. She followed the bridge, nearly holding her breath with each step as it were difficult to tell if she were to fall through at any point. The stars and streams of light made it disorientating, but her perseverance was stronger.

"Hello..." she spoke, hoping a caretaker or guardian still remained here, but this wasn't reality as she knew it; one didn't walk on stars or through space. She questioned internally if she were even still conscious and if this were just a bad dream, but didn't want to test that theory, leaving her to cross the bridge to hopefully a clue or an answer.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

As Tiamat continued to cross the bridge, her greeting went unanswered. The bridge felt as if it could go on forever, but she would begin to see an archway ahead of her. As she approached closer, she would see a figure standing there with its back facing her. The figure wouldn’t answer immediately even if she reached out again.

However, when she finally arrived, the figure took a more corporeal form. It turned around, and she would see a familiar face. Except this familiar face wore a smile, a smile that looked entirely unnatural on this face. Instead of familiar silvers, she gazed into vivid yellows that looked more animalistic than human. The twisted smile was one of joy, but it was unsettling because of who wore it.

“Hello, Lyra,” Even the voice sounded slightly off. There was that deep, baritone rumble, but it was accompanied with a rugged echo that resounded only in her mind. He used her birth name - the identity he considered her reduced to once more since abandoning the Sith, “It has been so long..” He spoke as he looked around. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers - the fingers of the hand he had severed so long ago.

He looked away towards the stars on both sides, giving a lazy wave of his hand. The very reality around them began to shift, the stars stretching and shifting as if he tugged on the fabric of time. It was replaced with an inky black and the spikes in the Force turned darker and malevolent. There was no anomaly, the presence suddenly was consistently Dark.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Silence

Even her steps seemed to muffle the taps of her boots as she strolled further along, seeming endless in her goal to reach the end, but eventually she would see the figure, “Hey!” She cried out again trying to get its attention, the Force moved stubbornly from her command to draw some notice to her presence. The woman continued, determination to figure out what was happening here, to her help her friend, to….

The woman stopped, watching him turn to face herself and speak. It was odd to see him without his mask, it created so many conflicting feelings; to see her former lover and mentor twisted by the dark side, but yet the same teacher that gave her the ability to overcome her inner transgressions. As terrible as the galaxy saw him, and as much as she previously hated to be in his presence, Tiamat- and Lyra respected his power.

Raze was not one to correct as he used her birth name; the woman lowered to her knee, she could see the stars faded from the corner of her eye and the black matte nothingness residing. “Yes, my lord, it has.” She still questioned where she was, if Raze was here, was she inside Emryc’s head? Regardless, she could feel the darkness wash through her, threatening to unwind her own senses, taking her back to the very first days of her training to remain in control while it roared around her. The chill was intense, but she refused to shiver, feeling the pricks of her nerves protesting against her as she waited for him to speak (hopefully) to learn of his intention.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He didn’t bother to look at her as she knelt, but she knew he would have killed her if she hadn’t. The stars and the fabric of reality around them continued to bend and spiral, pathways created behind where he stood to allow them to venture further in. The darkness around them gave way to old, decrepit walls and ceilings. He destroyed the illusions that had been there as a manifestation of the Force, exerting his will upon it to shatter the ‘anomaly’.

“He is not here,” He spoke, almost gleefully. He could practically smell the fear off her and it exhilarated him. Emryc was pushed away and only Raze was present now. Raze had been locked away for years, and he was truer to himself now more than ever. He spun around and began to walk, expecting Tiamat to fall into step behind him.

“I wish to rid myself of him permanently,” He stated curtly as he walked, “You will procure me an individual upon which I can transfer my consciousness. I no longer wish for this body. The weakling can keep it. Do you understand what I ask, insect?”

Neither Emryc nor Raze were entirely capable of completely killing the other off, which had left them in a permanent battle against one another. No more. He would find a way out. And it meant that Emryc would never again be able to subdue him.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat didn't feel any better knowing Emryc was no longer here as she internally questioned what was real or not, but the woman certainly knew Raze was as real as it could get. It was hard not to ask questions, she knew he was all that mattered in this moment, to deviate would be unwise, and cause displeasure. The illusion of void faded until her surroundings started to match to the ruins that she first observed, the dark hall winding deeper as she could see without lifting her head. Her fingers dug into the dirt and rock, grounding her senses.

There was unfortunately something intoxicating about Raze's presence as her own inner desires for power and the chaotic nature of the dark side beckoned her curiosity. As he walked, she followed behind him, keeping in step as he explained his demands. He spoke of transferring his consciousness to another, he wanted to be free of him, believing he was chained to weakness. The woman's eyes widened for a moment before she spoke, keeping her tone neutral, but clear that she understood.

"Yes, my lord." Tiamat stated, nodding her head, wondering how the transfer would hurt Emryc. There was always a price to pay in the dark arts, not that Raze cared. "Once I have your vessel my lord, where should I bring them?" she asked.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He gave another wave of his hand and there was a crack behind them. It was the sound of a fissure streaking through the doors that had been closed before. With his power exerted on them, the doors were forcefully pried open and collapsed.

“You will bring it to Ambria,” Raze said. He looked at her. Without warning, he reached out and tore off a few chunks of her hair, entirely unconcerned with the abrupt agony it would cause her, “If you stray from this path, I will know,” He said icily, “If you find me a weak, diseased body or one you sabotage in any way, I will know,” He added calmly. He was proficient with the ancient practices of Magick courtesy of Renfry. If she stepped a toe out of line, he would be able to torture her to his pleasing now that he had parts of her.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The woman paused, or more like froze in her step as she saw him wave his hand, hearing the stone crack under his power. She quickly glanced over her shoulder before returning her attention quickly to Raze as he instructed her on the location. Before she could utter a response, she was struck with a sheering, and nearly blinding pain from her head as Raze ripped the chunks of hair from her head. The woman gasped, the breath entirely escaped from her lungs and leaving her without a voice to protest or cry out in her pain. Instinctively she reached for her head, feeling the warm blood that was pooling in the wounds and started running down her face and neck.

Despite the pain, she heard his warning, her gaze resting on the hair he held as she took in a deep breath and nodded. She understood his warning, and she certainly knew he was not one to fuck around and find out.

"Yes," she managed to utter, "my lord," she said through the throbbing ache of her head. All she wanted was to be relieved of his presence, but that seemed unlikely, he was one of his word, even if he wasn't there, he would be connected to her in some way. Even after she completes the task? It would yet to be seen.

@Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

Taris​

The streets were dark and there was a light drizzle. This district wasn’t high profile and usually attracted the unsavory types that weren’t afraid to do some risky business. He was among them - his appearance a combination of rugged and debonair. It was characteristic of being Anzati, a cool and refined bearing about him as he dealt some cards. He was feeling the slightest urges to feed, but it could wait. He was a young adult by Anzat standards, and his hunger was still under control. No one in the room suspected what he was, his proboscises retracted back along the flaps of his nose.

“You’re really good at this,” The woman across from him said with a grin, “Haven’t seen you around before. What’s your name?”

He flashed her a smile and laid out a few more cards, “Vance,” He replied. It was his name for tonight. It wouldn’t be long before the game ended and he walked out with the woman clinging to his arm. He had to chuckle inwardly at the parallels between this and cliche Holomovies that depicted Anzat. He was even about to cut through a dark alley.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat had dived back into the darkness as she meditated on who would be the best fit for Raze; she found it easier than expected, but the new wounds on her back was a testament of how difficult it really was. The woman commanded her power, twisting as she searched, listened and felt the Force until she saw a face and instinct knew where she needed to go. She didn't intend for this trip to be drawn out or long, certainly anyone else close to Emryc would feel there was something amiss.

However, she couldn't think about them now. She had to bring Emryc back.

As the droid landed the ship, the woman finished stitching close her scalp wounds and tossed the sewing needle into the sink before cleaning the rest of the blood from her hands and face. The stain of yellow bled into her irises as she looked back at herself, tucking away her red hair under a tight fitting hood, calming her mind as she prepared for her hunt. Returning to the cockpit, the droid beeped and whistled to her, and she nodded, "Just be ready to leave."

Once more she wore her armor, her saber tucked away out of sight, her blaster at her hip, along with a vibroblade. Rain had started to fall and the woman wrapped her ruana around her shoulders, covering her head further as she descended into the shadier parts of the city. Her presence muted, able to walk without deviating a step as others seemed to naturally avoid colliding with the dark woman. Eventually she would slow her pace, a familiarity along the emptying streets and Tiamat paused, resting her back against the side of long-abandoned store front. The darkness veined from the woman, tendrils searching for her prey until she heard the squeaking of a rusted bar door and exited a man and woman.

Tiamat stood quietly watching as they neared the alley and she followed, her steps falling into the shadow to hide her presence once more. She grasped her blaster, catching up to the ally entrance where she had seen them turn and enter. Hopefully they weren't into long walks in the rain and would feel their feet slide out in front of them as though they had misstep on the slick, stony surface of the alleyway.

@Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

He had her. He knew he had her. One more turn and he would be able to feed to his heart’s content. No one would know. She twirled her hair, smiled, cast him coy glances. He had seen it all before, and to him it was nothing but an appetizer before the meal. He played along, of course, returning his charming smiles as he made all manners of smalltalk and told her what she wanted to hear. Being alive for over a century had the benefits of allowing him a mental library of people-pleasing mechanics.

He took one more step, but found both himself and the girl tumbling down and abruptly landing on his back. He was completely taken by surprise and the girl gasped and grabbed onto him. While she was oblivious, he had felt the pulse of the Force. Unless something else happened, he would scramble to his feet and call the Force to himself as he tried ducking into the alley. He was not a trained Force user, but he had some rudimentary knowledge of it.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat watched as they both hit the ground, the male more quick to recover, scrambling to his feet as Tiamat fired several stun bolts at the anzati male while closing the distance on where the couple had fell. She hadn't mistaken the feeling of the Force around him, giving her some caution as to the extent of knowledge. Regardless if the stun bolts would hit or if he managed to dodge them, the dark woman would follow his trail. As she passed the clueless and bewildered victim, Tiamat fired a stun bolt into the woman's back, leaving her until she would have her catch.

There was a primal thrill to a chase, a temptation to play and torture them a little bit further before letting the curtain fall. It as something she had worked hard over the years after her training, to accomplish the objective, not to mingle in fooling around. However, this was very different from what she experienced, as she preferred to just kill and be done, and yet this feels more complicated to take someone alive.

Though through it all, the dark woman was reminded of the strength she held and even the competency to see the job would be done.

@Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

The stun bolt hit him, but he pivoted so it got his arm. It was rendered useless, but he wasn’t completely down just yet. He bolted into the alley, leaving the woman for dead. He was used to being hunted, and he knew how to disappear. He glanced over his shoulder and used the Force to knock over large trash bins and crates, blocking his attacker’s line of sight.

The man was nimble, vaulting over a speeder and ducking into yet another alley. He used the Force to yank up a vent opening, jumping straight down to disappear abruptly. He had no qualms with rummaging through filth. He had no intention of going down that easy.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

She inhaled, seeing at least one of the bolts landing a strike, would be much, but it would leave one limb useless as she continued the pursuit. The durasteel trash bins and crates crashed against the ground in his attempt to slow her, but the Force was her own to command and she would have her objective. Her path cleared with a nonchalant swing of her arm, another loud crash, but not enough of a commotion to draw the attention of the locals as she followed behind him; he would vault over the speeder, and the woman sent it hurling on his tail, crashing short of its target and through the windows of a store front.

A clatter of steel against the ground gave the woman the clue she needed to keep on him. The smell was horrendous, but as someone who used to find safety and shelter in such places, she had no quarrel with getting messy. She jumped inside, alert to the possibility of being jumped by this guy. Using the Force to cushion her landing in the slop and sewage, though it hard not to be soaked in it as it came up past her thighs, the latest rains creating a forbidden soup for her to slop through. If she wasn't jumped at that point, Tiamat would rely on her senses as she continued her chase, noting the fresh disturbance of trash and muck of his path.

@Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

It was silent when she descended. There was no sound save for her own splashes or the occasional drip of water in the distance. Life went on above ground, faraway echoes of speeders and music resounding. There was a sense of unease that had nothing to do with the stench, and Tiamat would feel as if she were being stalked.

There were several long tunnels and entrances in all directions, the network underground complex and intricate. It was dark and dreary, the smell almost overwhelming. It was getting darker the further she went, her eyes having to adjust accordingly.

Without warning, the Anzat attempted to coil the Force around the woman’s legs to yank her back. The goal would be to make her fall face down in the water and hold her down till she drowned.

Roll: 5/20

@GABA