Ask Dance the Dance of Blood

[Katherine Stargazer]

It had been three months since Kat and Celeste crashed on Rattatak, and a whole hell of a lot had changed. Fighting is starting to spark all over the planet, the uncertain position of the Cauldron and the power-hungry Warlords on the eastern continent causing severe unrest. The warlords sat plotting in the Cauldron's contemporary, Barterus. It wasn't outright anarchy, but the collapse of whatever meager recognized authority had extinguished what veneer of peace clung to the people of the planet.

Kat was not a woman to stress. She was not a woman to freak out or break down. Still, she sat down in her private room in the Cauldron with her elbows on her legs and her head in her hands. She wasn't a stranger to killing and death, but this was becoming too much even for her. She had never expected to be in this position, but she couldn't abandon it now that she was. The Rattataki kept looking to her as a leader, they kept accepting her ideas, and she owed it to them to try.

The tribes were gathering in the Cauldron's arena, or at least the fighting men and women they could spare. Kat had known this was coming months ago and made preparations for it, but it didn't seem real now that it was here. Ships were rare on Rattatak; the planet didn't have a significant enough source to fuel them, which on top of the constant strife, was a problem never fixed. It was a problem that fed into itself. The access to ships for transport was the most significant advantage Kat had in this fight. They had secured many ships, scavenged from dead mercenaries or otherwise. They could get them into the fight, but then it came down to if they could win it.

Kat was wearing some hastily refitted armor scavenged from the Cauldron's armory; it was one thing to go into a fight in your shorts and top because you had been kidnapped, and another to go into war without appropriate protection. On the ground lay a Beam tube and its accompanying power pack. It was a weapon she was practicing with, but she was unlikely ever to be a crack shot with anything blaster-related. She was more comfortable with her fists.

She took a deep breath and looked over at Celeste. It was only the two of them in this room, but that would change quickly since they needed to address the 'army.' Stetti or someone else would be coming to get them soon. "Celeste..." She started, an uncharacteristic note of anxiety in her voice. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" She asked. Celeste had been by her side since the start, and it was probably only thanks to her encouragement that they had even reached this point. Kat wanted to be here as much as the other woman, but Celeste would always set her back on the path if she ever started to flag in her conviction.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste had literally started to loose track of the exact amount of time they had been spending here on Rattatak and inside the Cauldron, but she knew for sure that it's been months already. The modernization of the Rattatakis' structure had begun long ago and Celeste was still extremely confident to go on. From time to time she would check back with her uncle, checking whether the things on Kalist IV were still running smoothly, but as long as they did, Celeste was able to focus on the pressing matters right in front of her.

The war on Rattatak was far from being over, but Celeste had to admit that they were already controlling more territory that she had originally expected. The tribes were, however, fighting each other in pure anarchy, one warlord after the next began to fall, which was admittedly quite an interesting and somehow satisfying thing to watch, but in general, Celeste knew that the bloodshed needed to stop. Too many innocent were pulled into the fighting and neither Celeste nor Kat had any chance to actually rest. The problem was, however, that there were still so many slaves to free and warlords to be dealt with that they still had quite some stuff ahead of them.

Right now, Celeste and Kat did, nevertheless, have a quiet moment all to themselves. Normally, Stetti, Everett or a different adviser would be present, either informing them of the latest news or urging them to step back outside and do what they could do best: lead. The truth was, Celeste was the one being more involved in this whole background system of giving clear orders to the "army" or even leading some tactical discussions while Kat was still the one in the front.

Celeste leaned back in her chair, trying to draw strength from the moment of tranquility, but even before Kat opened her mouth, she could sense her nervousity and insecurity. Throughout the last days, Celeste had been quite busy with encouraging Kat to stay strong or to even distract her from all the rough things that were going on. Of course, none of what they were doing right now was fully pleasant, because in order to establish new rules, they had to assert a certain amount of dominance and strength, and not everyone started to follow their new courses of actions deliberately. "It's alright, Kat. It will all be over soon. We're doing this for a greater purpose. We are freeing those that are enslaved and we are trying to establish a new political order that is just and fair", she reminded her again, her voice soft and melodic.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat listened quietly. Her eyebrows drew together in consideration, giving her partner's words the due thought they deserved. Kat wasn't a naïve woman, despite what some might think of her attitude. She understood the stakes, and she understood what it was they could build if they succeeded. However, in her old life under her master's, they had always said the same thing. 'The Greater Good,' Or 'A Higher Calling.' To listen to Celeste speak in the same way left a bitter taste in her mouth. She understood, but she hated it.

"No one ever taught me what justice is." She muttered, looking at her scarred hands. "The only justice I've ever known was what I could make for myself. I had to fight for myself. This doesn't feel like that; this feels like what my Master's were like." She would never equate herself to the people she hated, but Kat was uneducated, not stupid. She could see the parallels even if she couldn't explain them.

She took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh. Neither woman had spoken explicitly about their past with one another. Kat was happier not knowing the other woman's past because she feared seeing any dirty secret would taint whatever sisterhood they had built over their months here. She also feared talking about herself, if only because she wasn't ready to confront her own history.

She stood, "Nothing for it; we're here now." She groused and picked up her beam tube. The device was the good kind of heavy, the kind where if worse comes to worst, you can club someone with it. She slung the strap over her shoulder and connected the external power pack to the appropriate plug-in.

She was confident in their victory. When she had asked one of her friends to see if he could whip the Rattataki into something effective, she hadn't thought he would actually manage something approaching cohesive in the small amount of time he had. "We've done good work, I think. We'll win fast." She said, mustering a small smile.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She knew that they wouldn't have much time for themselves and so Celeste tried to make the best out of it. Her chair was far from comfortable, but she could at least stretch out her legs and massage her temples for a bit before she directed her gaze back at Kat. Celeste could easily sense the woman's nervousity. Maybe nervousity wasn't the right word for it, but she felt somehow uncertain and torn, knowing that many fights had to be won and opponents killed because of them and also that even though they were trying to make a positive difference, certain rules to ensure order could only be implemented by force.

Celeste didn't want to manipulate Kat into thinking that everything they did was perfectly just. After all, they were still forcing change onto vast amounts of people who had known a different kind of system for quite some time. She pushed herself to her feet, approaching her cherished friend and taking her huge hands into her own. "I know Kat, and I'm still sorry for all that has happened to you. The truth is, that there is no definite agreement on what justice it. It's always a little subjective. But what I do know is that slavery isn't right and neither is warlordism. What those thugs do is ruling by tyranny. We are here to change that. We want to give power to all people and we went to help to change things for good. There needs to be a certain amount of law and order so that everyone can prosper" she replied softly, before forcing herself out of this empathetic seriousness and towards an optimistic smile. "Yes, we will definitely win" Celeste added convinced and determined before letting her friend go. Celeste was really optimistic that things would continue to work out, not only because she was very persuasive but also because she had started to see that some people had already started to realize that both women were trustworthy, strong leaders, but Celeste was still curious about how this day would turn out. She was just hoping that her friend's new found confidence would stay, because she was probably needing all of her strength.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat listened to Celeste raptly. She respected the other woman's thoughts too much to ignore her in favor of being sullen. At the moment, just before they had to go out and order people off to war, it was hard to keep sight of what they were fighting for, especially when Kat didn't understand it very well herself. Celeste had a firm goal in mind, and it was something she constantly worked towards, and Kat admired that.

She, on the other hand, seemed to just be bumbling through. She has had so little say in her own life that she isn't prepared to have such a monumental impact on others. The Rattataki loved her, yet she was never entirely sure why. Kat loved them because they were simple people with simple goals, and Kat liked that. She liked that they accepted her as one of them almost without any thought; she liked that they listened to her simply because they thought she was worth listening to.

She couldn't turn away from them. She found that she didn't want to. "Yeah, we'll kick ass!" Kat beamed, grinning widely. She couldn't quite muster a laugh; it caught in her throat, sounding suspiciously like a sob. Instead, she quickly wrapped Celeste in a bone-crushing hug, though she was mindful enough to make it not literal.

Stetti opened the door, brazenly barging in without knocking. Kat wasn't fazed; she wasn't ashamed to be hugging her friend! "All the important figures are here." She said in her halting basic. "You both need to address them." Her tone said, 'right now.' Kat nodded and released Celeste, rechecking her gear once more before offering her partner a nod and marching over to Stetti.

She led them through the Cauldron. They entered a familiar freight elevator, which halted before lurching upwards at an aggravatingly slow pace. "Celeste will go first and outline the plan as we practiced. Kat will speak second, rallying them." Stetti grunted, daring them to disagree with their weeks and months of planning. They walked through the corridors for a few minutes, and Kat hung her arms casually over her oversized weapon as it hung from its straps.

They entered a certain opulent booth, giving the premier view of the arena below. Hundreds of Rattataki were gathered on the floor below, and thousands more were outside the Cauldron in camps, waiting to move out. Men and women were conversing, laughing, and fighting together. Kat smiled because she had decided they were her people.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste could still sense Kat's emotions, still hoping that she would regain her confidence and her usually so refreshing optimism, until they finally did. Kat suddenly seemed convinced and positive and this let Celeste smile warmly. She didn't want her to overthink too much, for this would only lead to uncertainty and both women had to be extremely focused for their pursuit. Kat wasn't yet fully back on track, but she seemed eager enough to 'kick ass' again and that was enough for now.

When Kat wrapped her into a really tight hug, Celeste wailed unvoluntarily while the air was being forced out of her lungs. The tall woman had wrapped her strong arms so tightly around her that Celeste was almost forced to push her away with the Force, but Kat stopped just in the right moment, fortunately not pressing any further, which let Celeste breathe through in relief. "I hope you are aware of the fact that I still need my ribs". This little warning into the direction of her friend was not meant to come across as a growl, but there was a certain amount of serenity in the statement even though she was still grinning.

Once Stetti approached them, the two women separated again, not wasting another minute until they both started to follow her. Celeste was prepared for what was about to come next, but she immediately felt a slight hint of nervousity. War was ahead. That was clearly nothing to look forward to, but at least they were making progress and they were just about to fight another important battle. "Thanks, Stetti. Kat, are you ready to begin?" she asked her friend confidently and yet with the right amount of empathy. They both had to function now, as they needed to be persuasive and motivating.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat laughed at Celeste's jape and scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. She hadn't meant to crush her friend, but she was very huggable. She considered the smaller woman's words because she was in no way ready. But she wasn't a dork, so she wouldn't say that.

"Yep! Totally ready!" Kat exclaimed. Her voice was high with nerves, and her grin was slightly manic. Her emotions ran wild in her chest for a few seconds before she slumped forward and steadied herself on the stone railing of the booth. She breathed in and out, letting everything wash over her. Finally, she straightened and looked back at her friends. "You better hope I can get their attention; you've got to talk first, after all," she said with a wink.

She raised her beam tube and flicked off the safety. The barrel raised into the air, aiming across the arena. Kat pressed down on the thumb trigger, and a consistent beam of plasma gas spat out across the arena before dissipating in the air harmlessly. She fired again and once more after that. "Hey!" Kat roared, putting one foot on the railing. "Welcome to the Cauldron! We've got enemies at the gates, and your Warlord has a plan, so you better listen up!" She continued, pulling the eyes of the Rattataki to their booth.

Kat clapped Celeste on the back, happily throwing her to the wolves while she tried to remember what she actually wanted to say. "Your turn!" She said with a smile.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

When Kat answered her, Celeste could notice the trace of nervousity in her voice. Well, if she was being honest, it was not just a trace, but rather a whole symphony of emotions audible in that small lie of hers. Celeste furrowed her brow for a brief moment, shooting her friend a worried look while she grinned at her like a lunatic. If Kat was so on edge, Celeste wasn't so sure whether they should actually give their speech now, but at the same time, she already knew that it was already too late for that right now.

She still eyed her friend critically as she began to attract the attention of the Rattataki and raise her voice at their newly won subordinates. Now was their time to be convincing and to seem stronger than they've ever did before. They needed the support of the people and so Celeste prayed that Kat would catch herself while she started to speak.

She confidently stepped forward, completely calm and prepared. In contrast to her friend, Celeste was used to speak in front of the masses. She was also trained in the arts of diplomacy and persuasions, and she was confident that they would reach the people. "Welcome to the Cauldron!", she began, a small charming, yet assertive smile gracing her lips, while she went on"It is true. Today, we will have to fight. The enemies have arrived and they are trying to challenge all of us, but I do know already that all of their attempts are in vain. The Cauldron will not fall. We will not fall! We are prepared and we are strong! We will follow our plans as practiced. We do have the advantage of the location. We can use the Cauldron as best as we could, because we know the territory best. The sharpshooters will get into position and they will wait for the signal. We have to stick to our discussed strategies, because this battle won't be won with brute force only. However, we will all get our chance to relieve ourselves of all the hate we have built up, as long as we stay patient and unrelenting at first!". While she had raised her voice, it was filled with a mixture of assertive dominance and an amount of calm dignity. Kat would rally them afterwards, but Celeste felt like it was only right to adjust the mood already. The Rattataki were known for their wild fights after all, so she knew she couldn't just approach them with diplomacy and strategy.


@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

The Rattataki cheered for Kat's friend, but she wasn't sure if they cheered for her words or because they just liked yelling. They hooted and hollered, abandoning fights and conversations to focus on her friend even more. They knew the plan or the outline that we could scrounge up and fit them in with. So truthfully, this was more symbolic than an actual briefing.

Still, there was some form of discipline down there. The Rattataki organized themselves on tribal lines first, then whoever was strongest after the fact. The floor below was a sea of black and white patterns, each swirl and twist representing something, either battle, love, or anything else. It would all be very chaotic for someone not from Rattatak. Still, Kat was starting to understand better than most off-worlders the Rattataki as a people.

Kat stepped up while cheering for Celeste and fired another plasma blast into the air, quickly followed by a barrage of ranged weaponry from the floor, pinging around the vast arena, harmlessly dissipating into the air. The Rattataki were ready.

"Brothers and Sisters! I came to the Cauldron a slave, and I stand now as a Warlord! It is through might alone that we all stand here today! We are sick of senseless tyranny and endless war; we are here to wage the War to End All Wars! Our children will look back on this day and say that this was a time of excellence! They'll say that this is the day of Rattataki rebirth!" Kat exclaimed, gesturing grandly.

"The foolish tribes of Barterus seek to kill us in the crib before we can even begin to live! They seek to end our ascension when we are so close to victory! They come to drag us down into the dirt and commit bloody slaughter on our families! Well, I say we show them the true Art of War!" Kat roared out, and the crowd roared back. "Tonight, the canyons will be lit for seventy-seven kilometers for the seventy-seven tribes gathered here today! Tonight we Dance the Dance of Blood! Tomorrow, we conquer our enemies!"

Stetti nodded along, looking rather pleased. The Dance of Blood is a ritual all Rattataki tribes perform before they commit to fighting, and the gathered throng will make this the biggest dance in the history of the planet. Tomorrow, they would begin their counter-strike.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste stepped back, a satisfied smile on her lips. She knew they were ready. The people were ready for this war. She gave her friend Kat the respectful space she needed for her own speech, while at the same time staying close enough to read and assess the Rattatakis' reaction from above. It was unbelievable loud and still chaotic inside the Cauldron, but Celeste still found the amount of newly established discipline remarkable. They hadn't had much time to arrange this new kind of order, but the Rattataki under their control were fast learners. They had actually started to rely on Kat's and Celeste's terms in their own way, complying with most of the strategic plans Celeste had outlined for them.

When Kat started her speech, Celeste watched her closely. It was goof that her friend had not only regained her confidence, but also her bravery. Kat seemed ready as well, and optimism was much needed anyways. Her speech was convincing and motivating and the Rattataki cheered and roared in agreement. They loved Kat. They had always loved her from the very beginning, because Kat's fighting style was actually what the Rattataki had always appreciated. Raw, bloody stregth and brute force. They were clearly looking up to here. That was also why they had accepted her as the new Warlord, even if Celeste did not like that title at all. She wanted to free Rattataki of the Warlordism, but for now, Kat's title helped them secure the control they needed.

Once Kat had mentioned the Dance of Blood, a shiver ran down her spine. Right...they had that ritual. That was also something that had to be taken care of, but for now it was their only chance to bring all the Rattataki in the right mood for the upcoming fight as this had always been their ritual. Celeste forced herself to keep smiling, overplaying her discontent for the sake of this war. Celeste was aware of the fact that no matter how much she wanted to hold onto to peaceful, diplomatic solutions, a few bloody battles were unfortunately still ahead of them and until then, she had to swallow her beliefs. She reminded silent though, allowing Kat to finish her speech by only nodding in agreement. However, as soon as she was done speaking, she turned towards her friend again, a more honest, warm smile on her lips. "Well done. Nice speech. This day will always be remembered...".

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat smiled viciously over the raucous crowd, yelling a few encouragements and war cries of her own. She knew she wasn't a very educated woman, but the few tools she did possess she had always been determined to use to their best effect. She doesn't consider herself an orator, but the tool that is language is one of the few advantages she possessed, and she always tried to measure her words carefully, even if her mouth ran away from her at times.

She turned to Celeste, still smiling, grasped her hand, and pulled it into the air. The crowd roared again because this was about victory and celebration was the name of the game. "Thanks! Now it just comes down to making sure we are all around to make sure this day is remembered correctly. That this was the day we put to end many millennia of war on this planet!" Kat exclaimed, a manic expression on her face as she swept herself up in the moment. She grasped Celeste's shoulders, almost shaking the smaller woman in her excitement.

"Well done, the both of you. Now let's get to the peak, we need to start the dance. The rest will follow," Stetti said. She gestured for them to follow once again, guiding them through the volcano, ascending until they reached the peak of the mountain. The rim of the wide, sunken caldera that still bubbled with hot orange magma. Kat was familiar with the peak, having spent much of her free time up here, relaxing, gazing at the horizon, or watching the stars.

Stetti walked them to the edge of the cliff, looking down the slope to the volcano's molten core. She dipped her fingers into a bowl that had been placed between two braziers. More braziers and bowls had been placed around the rim, stretching around its entire circumference. She removed her fingers from the bowl, covered in blood, and spoke with a dramatic growl. "The Dance of Blood is the first act of war, the first act of conflict on Rattatak. All tribes follow this tradition, and all respect its meaning. With the blood of the Star-Adder, I mark you both our leaders in this fight. May you act with honor," She said, as she dragged a finger down from the corner of Kat's lip to her collarbone, quickly repeating the action with Celeste.

"May you see our enemies driven before you," She continued, dragging another line down the other side of Kat and Celeste's mouth. "May you lead us to the greatest victory," two lines twisted down their cheeks and across their jaws. "May you avoid, our greatest defeat." She finished, drawing an eye in the middle of their foreheads.

More Rattataki streamed onto the rim, watching intently, eyes full of emotion. Once Kat and Celeste's markings were finished, they nodded, and with uncharacteristic solemnness, performed their own rituals amongst the ring of blood.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Kat was back. Maybe not completely, but she was much more stable than before at least. Maybe still a little manic and slightly loony, most likely because of the remaining nervousity, but she seemed to be motivated at least. That was exactly while Celeste was still smiling when Kat grabbed her hand first and later her shoulder. They had apparently given a convincing, inspiring speech and that was a huge success. While her fassade was rather enthusiastic, she tried to soothe Kat a little with the help of the Force in the background, but before she could fully calm her, Stetti urged them to begin the ritual.

The two women followed the Rattataki assistant up towards the peak, where she immediately began to mark them with the blood. Celeste had spent the last days finding out as much about the Dance of Blood as possible, but there were still countless blind spots which she couldn't quite grasp yet. That was why she had decided to just go with the flow, even though it was quite difficult for her. Normally, she always had to be in control of all kinds of situations, but everything that had happened on Rattatak had been rather unpredictable. Thus, she had learned to let certain things happen, and this ritual was no different.

She watched Stetti attentively while she marked them. Her words were so full of emotion and solemnity that Celeste was left with a slight hint of goosebumps on her skin once she was finished, which slightly suprised her. What was this place doing to her? It was definitely changing her. Right after Stetti was done, the Rattataki began their own various rituals and Celeste watched them curiously, while they performed them in this so called ring of blood.

Seing blood everywhere left a bitter taste in her mouth. Tomorrow, the actual bloodshed would begin and their enemies would bleed. She swallowed those thoughts, fully keeping up her appearance. After a while, when she could finally take her eyes of the people surrounding them, she glanced back at the young tall women across her, wanting to find out whether she was also that befuddled by these foreign, yet somehow intoxicating traditions.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat shivered as the blood dripped across her face, and she smiled broadly, letting it drip between her teeth. It was one thing to know that these people respected you, but it hadn't sunk in for the muscular girl that they all considered her Rattataki as well. It was a good feeling to know that these people accepted her unconditionally. Much of her life has been fraught with conflict, and while now is no different, something about Rattatak and its people spoke to her. It is a home she wants to build.

One woman screamed to the sky, startling Kat out of her reverie. Another picked up the scream, and another, until the entire mountain top was wailing at heaven. Kat and Celeste had been... prepared for the ritual. However, while they might have practiced their part in it, it was shocking to see the genuine emotion on the Rattataki's faces. They screamed and cried, forcing out all the grief they would feel in the coming days here and now so it doesn't distract them in battle. So that they might fight without reservation.

Their friends and family will die, they accepted, so they grieved now with them still here so that they might know others loved and cared for them. They wept so that they could muster the anger to kill. Kat wailed as well, if only because she was expected to. She loved it here, but she was still foreign to these practices, so she found it hard to muster the emotions needed to participate truly.

After several minutes, the crying stopped, and the battle cries began. Most were wordless exclamations of primal intent, others carried meaning to that specific tribe, and a few didn't roar at all, instead glaring silently into space. The first woman to cry picked up a spear from the ground, which was littered with weapon racks and loose gear. She found a partner, and they faced each other, moving almost in slow motion as they swung and stabbed at one another—a declaration of intent to fight and kill.

More began the same, and so Kat and Celeste must as well. Kat grabbed a rusty sword from a rack and turned to face her partner. She held it up in a simple guard, waiting for Celeste to gain her weapon so that they could start their dance.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

No matter how strange and maybe also a little appalling those Rattataki customs and traditions may have seemed, Celeste kept up her serious, powerful appearance. She wouldn't display any hints of dismay or deterrence and she hoped that Kat would do the same.

Fortunately, her half maniac smile was back, meaning that her almost loony demeanor would be accepted by the Rattataki people as always, which was clearly a good thing. Celeste smiled more genuinely while she faced the crowd and observed the beginning of their dancing. Over the past few days, she had learned that after the bloody ritual, it was time for the actual 'dancing'. The first Rattataki had already started to it was definitely time for Kat and Celeste to do the same.

After the battle cries had slowly started to fade, Kat picked up her weapon and so Celeste did the same. She grabbed herself a sleek, but rather rusty sword, slightly thinner than Kat's and faced the tall woman. Her smile grew a little feistier. Of course they wouldn't hurt each other and they would also do their best to save of their strength for tomorrow, but they clearly had to fulfill the symbolic part of the ritual like dance. Apart from the fighting pits, Celeste had no experience in fighting with actual swords, but she had learned that they were quite similar to lightsabers. She would have clearly loved to use her own saber right now and she had to admit that she was thinking about still doing so, but in the end she didn't, because it wouldn't fit the Rattataki ritual. "Are you ready?", she expectantly grinned at her friend while asking her the question via telepathy, not via speech this time.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Kat was startled when Celeste spoke into her mind. It was a shock, if only because it reminded her that her friend was a very dangerous magician and that despite what she knew of the other woman, there were still depths and terror to be found. Still, Kat smiled; briefly, her mood swept up in the somber ritual. She nodded her agreement because she didn't know how to speak mind to mind and gently pressed forward.

The actual dance was a highly choreographed spar. The weapons were never supposed to contact your partner and her weapon. Kat only had the chance to practice a few times during the last several weeks, so she kept to simple movements to not interrupt the communal silence.

She thrust her blade forward, aiming for the space beside Celeste's head, letting it pass harmlessly as she 'evaded' her opponent's thrust to the chest. The only sound on the mountaintop was the soft splitting of air from the hundreds of blades, the fast stamping of feet, and the labored breath of the Rattataki. This carried on for several minutes before, at some unseen command, Kat swung down in an overhead strike, letting herself walk forward, swapping positions with Celeste, where they then found new partners, all the while fighting at each other's backs, occasionally switching positions again between the solemn beats of silence.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste sensed that Kat was slightly startled by her telepathic comment. Celeste had forgotten that she hadn't taught her a lot about the Force and the Sith, but she wasn't necessarily going to enlighten her about the latter anyway. She was no trained Sith here. She was a dark sorceress, feared by many of the people, but it earned her the necessary respect. But now was not the time to think about that anyway. It was time to dance.

She concentrated on the dance as best as she could, keeping her face straight to give the dance the appropriate amount of solemnity and seriousness. She followed the studied choreography, just as she had practiced it before. The dance was actually interesting, because while you should neither touch your opponent nor its weapon, you were supposed to perform well executed strikes as an symbolic act. Celeste swung the blade at Kat's side, carefully avoiding her flesh, before sending out another blow aiming next to her head. Soon, they were 'done' and switched partners in a fluid motion. Their dances continued just like that, the whole crowd performing this dance of Blood. It soon felt like Celeste had lost track of time and it felt like an eternity, but not necessarily in a bad way. Somehow, the atmosphere in the Cauldron was almost magical.


@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

Dodge to the left, twist the hip, swing, thrust, swipe, chop, and dodge to the right. Hundreds of little steps, each carried meaning to the ritual, known by the mortal mind or not. Thousands stomped and paced, striding into imaginary battle. The fight brought the army in one big circle around the caldera, shifting and moving rhythmically. Kat faced black and white Rattataki, switching partners every seventh swing of her sword; her muscles burned, and sweat dripped down her body, glistening in the malevolent orange glow of the Cauldron.

Every man and woman burned with exertion, exercising a soundless declaration of intent for the universe to witness. They claimed dominion, they would fight for what they wanted, and they would kill to protect their gains. The universe seemed to listen as the sky grew streaks of fire as a meteor shower fell to Rattatak. Hundreds of little tails of orange across the night sky; a good or bad omen?

The mountain gurgled, the intensity of the heat and flow increasing almost in rhythm with the Dance. Lava splashed and sparked in the cool night air, and a billowing smoke cloud wafted from the tumultuous melt. To Katherine, to the Rattataki, the intent was clear. Rattatak felt their pain and rose to support them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning was a mad scramble to double check that everything was ready for the fight. The ships were prepped with fuel and the pilots knew where they were going. The warriors had their weapons, and knew who to kill. Soon, it just came down to the order, which Kat had to give.

Her hand quivered over the com button. She wringed them anxiously, bouncing her leg. She glanced back into the ship, seeing all the faces of the warriors travelling with her. Seeing Celestes doubtlessly supportive visage. She steeled her mind, stilled her hands, and slammed the button, opening the general com. "This is Kat..." She looked out the viewport, seeing everyone at the ready. "Let's Ride!" She barked, and a shout of excitement rang from the army.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It surely was exhausting, but Celeste did cheat a little by using the Force to help her. She hadn't had any stamina issues, but this 'dancing' did require her to keep the muscles tense for the whole duration and after some time she really thought that it would be easier to access a little help, in order not to become too drained. Tomorrow, they would need all of their strength anyway, but after all of this exercise, they would all sleep very well that night.

After the ritual of the dance was accomplished, a literal meteor shower hit the landscape. Celeste interpreted it as a good sign. The Rattataki night sky was burning and tomorrow, their enemies would fall. She was extremely confident, and so were her people. The ritual went on for quite some time until everything was glad in orange and red, either from the lava or from the meteor shower. She had never seen something like that before and she was truly speechless.

--‐-‐------------------

The next morning, she woke up feeling more than ready. She got dressed, this time in her Sith armour, readied her lightsaber and blaster and stepped outside to meet with Kat. They had agreed on having her giving the final orders and so Celeste could lean back a little today, rather keeping in the background, pulling the strings from behind while she would try keeping an overview.

Once she arrived on the ship, she gave Kat an encouraging nod, letting her eyes rest on the blonde for a while. She seemed alright, but she could sense her nervousity. However, she knew that it was not about the fight, but rather about the position Kat found herself in. She was in command now, and the poor girl had been a slave her entire life. Patiently, Celeste waited for her first official announcement and when it came, she smiled excitedly. The battle was about to begin and she couldn't wait to get started and Celeste took her place right next to the young woman, directing her glance at the viewport, while the Rattataki shouted in unity. The mood was a little tense, but things were about to get intense, so that was totally alright, until everyone remained focused.

@Shax

 

[Katherine Stargazer]

The ship's engines ignited, and a hideous keening wail rang out through the Cauldron. Soothing rumbles turned into aggressive growls as power was fed to the thrusters until they lifted off with a great whoomph. The ships screamed through the air, flying at dangerous speeds over the canyons, crevasses, and mountains.

The warriors hooted and hollered wildly, their painted skins made them seem feral, and their keen eyes and smiling faces gave evidence of their bloodlust. They settled after some minutes, though some legs bounced anxiously. The flight of ships would be more impressive had they been uniform instead of this cobbled-together transport force, yet such were but dreams for the future.

Thanks to information gained during prior operations, Kat at least knew who she was fighting. The enemy tribes had rallied around the current Warlord of Barterus, who had until recently been acting mainly in secret, concealing their name and description in frustrating yet effective defiance of Rattataki cultural norms. Thankfully, they had acquired at least a little information on who their enemy will be.

Vingt Tor was by all accounts a fair ruler, and according to her loyalists, she seems to have much the same ambitions as Kat and Celeste. She wishes to end war on Rattatak and unite the tribes under her rule, which puts her in opposition to the tribes of the Cauldron, who call Kat their leader. Could this leave them with a possible accord instead of bloodshed?

Kat doesn't think so. In another life, she and Vingt Tor might have been good friends, yet here and now, they must face each other in combat if only to retain the respect of their peoples. Treaties and words mean little on Rattatak; only blood spent can seal true dominion, for a time at least.

Below, Kat caught a glimpse of what could only be the opposing army camping in a canyon. Men and women scrambled like little ants, trying to respond to a threat they could not reach. It was good that Kat was not here to fight them, as the Canyon provides tremendous cover. It would be a hard battle.

No, instead, the flight continued on to Barterus. They were about two days from the city by foot, one if you push your people hard, but only a few hours from the Cauldron by flight. The enemy army would have to rush home if they wished to repel them, which should give them time to set up a defensive position and force a first and final definitive confrontation.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste could not only sense the conflict in Kat, but she herself had this inner conflict. They had sworn to end the bloodshed, for example by liberating the slaves and punish the former slavers and Celste had recently tried her best to make the people realize that it was indeed possible to establish a system which is more just and ruled orderly without having to slay one another on a daily base. Yet it was still along way to go. The Rattataki were used to bloodshed and fighting brutally, so progress was slow. However, today they needed bloodshed to ensure that their enemies were dealt with. The people they were fighting were a thread to their newly established rule and so they were a problem that had to be eliminated.

The good thing about this day was that the people were highly motivated. One could easily see their bloodlust. They were waiting for victory. And Celeste was convinced that it would come. They had gathered enough information on their opponents that they were clearly the ones possessing an advantage in this battle and yet she didn't feel fully convinced that there plan would work out perfectly. Sooner or later, they would encounter trouble or any complicated problems, but it was Celeste's job to keep an overview and react quickly if anything was about to happen. She needed to keep her cool for making strategically intelligent decisions and at the same time she knew what she was willing to sacrifice. She was excited for Barterus. This would surely be interesting. Inside her, there was one last hope that diplomacy might still be an option. The probability was small, but she didn't want to ignore it completely. While they were passing the enemy's army, she couldn't help but to smile a little. They probably didn't expect them to have ships, which was yet another advantage.

@Shax

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