Ask Hostile Acquisitions

[Karys]

Karys felt his heart skip a beat when Alice announced she had picked the lock. They were almost free, Karys could almost taste it. But it was a flicker of hope that was snuffed out by the shadow of dread. How could Karys put to words what he sensed in this place?

He had seen battles, fought in skirmishes, he knew the sounds of pain, the smell of fear, and the reek of the dying. But this? This was an entirely different feeling. Whatever had happened here was no battle, it had been a wholesale slaughter. What was worse, Karys wasn’t entirely certain that the slaughter wasn’t continuing.

“I’m not certain.” He replied. “I can sense fear, anger, hate, suffering, and death.” He continued. “A lot of people died here…recently I think.” His crimson eyes fell to Alice’s leg, he had felt the spike of pain when she put weight on it. “I agree, we need to find our things and get the kriff out of here. Can you run or do you need my help?” He replied, offering his hand to her once more.

If she took his offer, Karys would let her place some of her body weight onto his shoulder to act as a support. He would guide them both to a metal door on hinges and then pause to listen closely. On the other side, he could hear two distinct voices conversing, one male and one female. The conversation involved selling meat to Colicoids in exchange for their infamous shielded droideka units. Karys black blood froze in his veins, that was not good.

He would take Alice’s palm and draw the number two in it with one of his claws. Then he’d tap her on the chest and simply draw the letter L for left and tap himself with then draw R for right. He hoped that Alice would understand his meaning, she goes left and he goes right. He’d wait for to agree or dissenr before doing anything though.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

If she was being honest, the uncertainty and this place bothered her. Yes, there was also the stench of death lingering in the air and while she was familiar with it, it was shocking still. She wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible, undetected at its best.

They started walking, still relatively clueless but they had to start somehow. Even in the dim light, she saw his gaze shifting down and she realized that it felt bruised and the ankle perhaps even a little sprained. "I guess I'm okay...I might have something", she reached into her inside pockets, taking out a little plastic bag with a little pill collection.

"Do you need something for the pain, too?", she asked, before she'd definitely get herself a painkiller and swallow it dryly. Regardless, she grateful accepted his help as saving some energy and pain probably wasn't such a bad idea. The med would kick in in a few moments, but she could walk just fine.

They soon came to a halt and did a quiet tactical discussion in front of the door. At first, she raised a brow at him, but despite the haze in her head, it dawned her quickly. She nodded, and fumbled for a box on the other side of the jacket, realizing that only one dart was left. Still, it was better than nothing. She wasn't in great shape for actual combat, so she preffeded the sneaky way instead.

She then mouthed a 'ready' before they'd try the door and realize that it was in fact open. What happened within a split second was that the two behind the door turned their head, immediately spotting the escaped and decently roughed up prisoners. Before either could draw a blaster though, Maeve threw her dart and hit the man.

A wave of relief washed over her as she knew he'd be out in a second, whereas Karys would have to deal with the woman. The woman's attention flicked towards her fallen partner and before she could shoot, Maeve already sprinted in. Her gaze fell onto the table as right on it, she spotted a blaster. Her blaster. So one item was saved. There were some bigger lockers inside and she guessed they might have stored the rest of their stuff, but with the commotion they'd make, they had to get out quickly.

She was certain Karys dealt with the woman, otherwise she'd finally shoot her now. She'd then immediately move to the locker, which was definitely locked, but she quickly went back to the bodies and started looking for a key. She was rather hectic while at it, but soon found a metal key and with shaking hands, moved back to the locker. It was adrenaline, the chems and the rush of this escape that kept her going, but she still couldn't believe everything had gotten so derailed in the first place.

"Here, your saber", she tossed the weapon over, not wanting to waste any time. "And your clothes...", she liked him better without, this she realized now, but it was better to grab everything they could get. "Fuck we've got to find a way out...quickly". She couldn't hear further voices yet, but he'd sense them above. They had heard the blasted shot and the door and were on their way - it seemed they were somewhat underground and had to find the nearest exit regardless as they weren't in the best position to fight like that.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys watched as Alice fumbled in the dark for something in her one of her jacket pockets. She eventually fished out a single pill, popped it into her mouth, and swallowed it. She then offered him one for his pain, but Karys simply shook his head.

"Pain strengthens my connection to the Dark Side, I'll be fine for now." He whispered in reply. "Let's just get out of this, then I'll let you help me reset my nose." He teased.

Then she would accept his help for a few steps until her meds kicked in fully and she was able to walk on her own. After a quick discussion, Maeve would agree and let him know once she ready for whatever laid on the other side of the door. After a moment of preparing himself, Karys would kick the door open and light would hit the pair of them for the first time. Adrenaline and the Dark Side pumped through Karys' veins as his focus narrowed in on a smaller Zabrak woman. She wouldn't even have time to recover from the shock of having what looked like blood soaked demon burst from the cell she had been guard before Karys' fist collided with her throat.

CRUNCH

The woman's mouth opened and closed, only a wet clicking sound escaped her lips, her windpipe was crushed. Karys snatched her up by the ragged shirt she wore, he noticed a mark on her neck, an area that had been burned by a pair of prongs. He let go of the dying woman and let her collapse onto the floor, sputtering silently as she died. His attention snapped to the dead man, he checked his neck as well. Same burn marks.

"What the kr-"

BLAM

A blaster shot echoed out from the dying woman's weapon, she had fired it into the ceiling. There was a commotion from a room adjacent to where Karys was, movement. The jig was up, the alarm was raised.

Karys sprinted down the hall towards Alice, it would likely be the first time she'd seen him in the light since the hotel. He looked like shit, he knew it too. His nose had been crunched to the side of his face, dried and sticky black blood covered his mouth, chin, neck, and a large spot on the front of the rags their captors had thrown on him. There was an alarmed look on his face as he sprinted down the hallway, as he passed through doors, they'd slam shut or objects would fall from shelves to create clutter.

Once he made it in the room with Alice, she quickly began tossing him his shit which he immediately began getting into. Lightsaber, check. Combat armor, check. Boots, check. The rest he crammed into a nearby bag and tossed it onto his back. Alice pointed to a doorway that seemed to lead underground, neither of them knew where it went, but it was better than here. Almost as if to accent that point, the telltale sound of a chainsword revving to life echoed from the room beyond.

"Shit, fuck! Let's go!" Karys shouted before he leapt through the dark passage way.

What he found was that this wasn't a tunnel at all, instead it was a sort of chute carved from the stone. Karys had just began to think they had made it out of the fire when the sounds of rushing water filled his ears. Not only that but a retched stink that almost made him gag began to waft up from the depths.

A garbage dump or sewage drop point.

The sound of Karys retching echoed through the darkness but was quickly swallowed up by a distant splash as he hit the waters below. Only then did Karys wish he had chosen to fight the chainsword wielding maniac instead, the taste of whatever vile concoction made up the soup they had fallen into rushed into his mouth. Karys would break the surface of the water, coughing, sputtering, and vomiting what little he had in his stomach. Then he would float on the river of excrement for a moment, half wishing he was dead instead.

When he heard Alice inevitably hit the "water" behind him, he would wait for the sound of her breaking the surface and then call out to her.

"You know, I'm pretty sure this isn't how I expected to get pink eye this trip." He joked. "But, I think I can say this for the both of us..." He started with a half chuckle "...but fuck Zygerria." He chuckle quickly changing to a full laugh before he began to swim towards one of the "shores" of the underground "river".

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Right...the dark side. It still remained a sheer mystery to her, but the aspect of letting pain fuel you sounded...interesting. Perhaps a little kinky but she didn't kink shame. She accepted the reply and carried on, just a few minutes later she'd at least feel some kind of pain relief.

With the alarm triggered, they'd have a few seconds at its best. Knowing they wouldn't stand a chance in a next fight, Maeve didn't hesitate to follow him as he broke into a sprint, her head still somewhat spinning but much more bearable than before. The dark hallway literally let them into the sewers and as her stomach turned upside down, she let out a little, disgusted sigh.

"Fuck me...", she hated every single detail of it, but they didn't have a choice. Maeve began making her way through the 'water' as Karys began to wretch. Right...the noble son. To her, it wasn't the first time in such a fucking, stinking hell hole, but at first she managed to keep it together. Then, however, seeing and hearing him throw up began to make her gag, and it became increasingly harder to suppress.

Soon, her eyes were all watery and her throat dry - the empty stomach being the only thing preventing her from doing the same like Karys. Bile kept surfacing and she spit it out, however carrying on. She wished she was dead. For a moment, she actually did. It was the smell of death, decay, rotten and foul waste together with a gut-wrenching bitterness and the unbearable stink of chemicals, all combined and them engulfed in...all of it.

As if it wasn't horrible enough, she found the space relatively confined and thus panic kept surfacing with his jokes being the only thing keeping her from losing her shit. "We'll go bath in sanitizer...and visit a med bay or whatsoever. I'll want all possible shots refreshed...and yeah, fuck Zygerria". She kept breathing through her mouth, but she could literally taste the air which just kept making it worse.

"Karys..." after a moment of swimming in silence and her following him, she adressed him again, "Let's never talk about this ever again". It was an incredibly cumbersome journey, but it the end they'd find themselves at a metal grid that separated them from the outside. "Please...cut it open...now", she literally begged him, the white of her knuckles visible as she tightly gripped the barrier. She wasn't sure how lightsabers and water worked, but she was about to freak out right there.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys audibly gagged as he swam towards the shore. He barely heard Alice speaking above the water’s current and his own strokes as he swam. But she had spoke just loud enough to overcome both of those domineering sounds.

Karys would reach the “shore” of the subterranean giga structure of a pipeline before Alice. In reality is was a duracrete walkway, that led to a metal grate doorway. Once he pulled himself out of the disgusting murky waters, he’d turn and offer to help Alice up onto the walkway as well.

“I couldn’t agree more, I’m thinking a sani-shower, an immune booster, and maybe a night’s rest is the best idea we’ve had all day.” He replied.

However, when Alice mentioned that they should never talk about this again, Karys smirked. A mischievous light flickered to life in his crimson eyes.

“Oh come now,” He replied. “I figured we’d tell our grandchildren this story one day.” He teased. “And that was how I met her, having just escaped prison and floating down a shit river.” He continued, his voice taking on a more dreamy tone. “The way the steam rose off of her just, it just made me know.” He teased as he walked behind her towards the metal door.

He would half chuckle to himself at his joke as he walked towards the door. It would only be once he made it to the door that he’d see how serious she actually was. She gripped the metal frame with an intensity he hadn’t seen before. When she asked him to just cut the door open, a look of concern spread across Karys’ face.

“Alright, Alice, alright.” He told told her. “Just step back for me, alright?” He asked, gently taking one of her hands that gripped the door in his own and tried gently to lead her away.

Once she was cleared of the door, Karys would draw his lightsaber hilt and click the activation switch.

Click.
Click. Click.
Click. Click. Click.

“Shit.” Karys muttered under his breath as a few sparks emitted from the hilt instead of a blade. “I’ll have to open it up and do some repairs once we are clear.” He explained, as he did a cursory inspection of the hilt. “It’s fine though, I can still get us out of here.” He quickly told Alice to assure her.

Then Karys would take a step back, close his eyes to focus, and reach out with his hand. His face would twitch as he reached out to the Dark Side, he tried to grasp it, to bend it to his will, but he was so tired. Karys felt panic rise up in his gut as he couldn’t quite grasp that power as easily as he should. While it took a slightly more than a handful of seconds to tap into that wellspring of power, eventually he wrestled it down. An audible sight of relief escaped his lips as power coursed through his body and the Force manifested itself.

A blast of telekinetic energy slammed into the door and blew it from the weakened hinges. Immediately after the power manifested, Karys dropped to a knee. Exhaustion overwhelmed him and that manifestation of his power flirted with line of what he was capable of doing. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his breath came in ragged gasps.

“See,” He told Alice. “I told you I could get us out of here.” He continued between pants.

Karys would then try to stand, his legs wobbling and weak from the drain on his body. It took him a moment to find his footing but he was ready to get out of this literal shit hole.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Perhaps Zygerria just made it to the top of her most hated planets list...she doubted she had ever reeked that hard and it didn't just infuriate her - Maeve didn't do too well in confined spaces and a wave of claustrophobia sometimes washed over her and given that she was actually in the most disgusting water she had ever been it, it was generally more than understandable that she wanted to get the fuck out as quickly as possible.

With her fingers curled around the grates, she nodded as Karys' suggestion. "That sounds...just fantastic". She was tempted to take deep breaths to calm herself, yet she couldn't bear the smell and so she was getting closer to hyperventilating. They were so close though and suddenly he hit her with a completely unexpected, yet flirty and cheeky comment.

She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze and bursting into a a chuckle that was only nervous at first, before it was actually genuine. It distracted her enough to forget her worries for a second and her smirk turned into a mischievous one. "Hmm...I see. That's oddly romantic and poetic, isn't it? 'The way he intensely met my gaze before he pressed his warm, wet body against me, the two of us pressed against the grate...'", she teased, finally trailing off and leaving the rest for his imagination to fill before she couldn't continue without chuckling.

It was just a quick moment of fun, before he did start working on opening it and her thoughts circled back to actually getting out. "Sure". For a moment she froze, until he gentle led her away. She then waded backwards a few steps, expectantly watching him, not needing him to tell her twice. "Oh no", she muttered under her breath as his lightsaber didn't work like it used to, exhaling deeply. Fuck. Panic immediately followed, but she tried keeping it at bay. Was there another way out?

He insisted on finding another way and she met his gaze with uncertainty, before she nodded. "Okay...alright", she mentally kept telling herself it would be alright, still watching him work before he suddenly busted the metal door open with the Force. Her eyes widened, both in shock and in excitement before she started rushing towards freedom. "Never doubted you", she gave him a little wink as relief suddenly settled in, escaping the hellhole with him.

"Come", this time it was her grabbing him for support before she started leading them onwards, making sure he didn't fall. She felt exhausted, too, but the painkillers were effective and so after following another turn to the left, they suddenly found themselves outside. "Oh fucking hell...let's never ever do this again". She couldn't wait to crawl out of the canal they now found themselves in and once she was back on the duracreet, she was slightly shaking. "Are you...alright? We need to figure out where we are...and get that sani-shower".

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys felt as Alice wrapped an arm around him to help support his weight. Karys wrapped an arm around his shoulder and allowed her to bear some of his weight, just as he had done for her earlier. The pair would limp down the edge of the duracrete canal before Karys gave an exhausted chuckle.

“I was thinking.” He told Alice, as he tried to control his growing laughter. “While I personally love the way you tell the story of how we met, grate and all.” He continued. “And I think we should really consider recreating that magical evening…but not in a sewer.” He suggested, a sly smirk appearing on his amused features. “But when it comes to the grandchildren, maybe we should leave out that part of the story, and just stick to the standard happily ever after.” He teased, his tired smirk growing into a smile.

“And for the record I agree, we should avoid this planet like the plague from now on.” He replied after a short silence.

After a few more steps, Karys would find his footing and be able to walk on his. The sound of their sopping wet feet slapping on the pavement was the only thing that echoed in the tunnel for a few more short seconds. Then they finally crested the mouth of the tunnel and back into the light.

Karys blinked rapidly, his eyes trying to adjust to the sudden shift. While it felt amazing to be out in the sun and most importantly, alive, he was also physically and mentally exhausted. His broken nose prevented him from noticing the scent of blaster discharge, but he knew something was definitely wrong. Karys would move slowly to the lip of the canal, and he’d offer to give Alice a boost so she could more easily climb up onto the grass above.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that awaited him when he climbed up as well.

Zygerria was a war zone. From a distance they could see manual surface to air missiles were being fired from windows of buildings at hovercrafts which had been armed with mounted rotary cannons. The city was on fire in a war that had sparked literally overnight. Karys openly gawked at what was before him, his mouth open and slack.

“What the fuck…” Was the only thing he could say as he turned his gaze towards Alice.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

"Aren't you bold", she couldn't help but to notice as he kept spinning his story. He was seemingly amused, but well, humor was actually a great coping mechanism in this case. Their situation was beyond shitty (quite literally), but yet they found the way to simply not dwell on it and simply continue joking. Slowly, her anxiety faded and was replaced with a weird sense of relaxation despite all the former trouble.

"I'm always down for a magical evening...we could reenact it for sure. Also, wasn't last night a really romantic story?", she quipped as they both know it hadn't really started romantically, but rather...well, passionate, untamed and noisy..."We might want to skip some parts though". Maybe their were somewhat intoxicated by the former horrors and the unbearable smell, but they kept making the most out of their situation for sure.

They finally reached the end of their suffering and he gave her a little lift before she offered him a hand in return. Funnily enough, they were in this together and so far she had to admit he had proven himself to be rather truthworthy, which did surprise her. As she reached to check for her phone though, she noticed that it hadn't taken their little bath so well and was fully out of order.

She followed him, repeatedly trying the screen but without getting a response, before suddenly, she came to a halt next to him, slowly following his gaze. Her mouth instinctively flapped open, her phone simply dropping to the ground. "Wha- no no no...that means we can't get off this planet". Her thoughts immediately began to spiral, different scenarios running through her head.

A civil war? Maybe...but what had initially caused it. Without intel, it would be hard to tell, but it was just what they didn't need. "Fuck...what do we do?". It was a rhetorical question, obviously, but she knew that he knew they couldn't pursue their target like that...perhaps they couldn't even escape the war. "We've got to get away...to the outskirts...or whatsoever". Their hotel potentially wasn't safe, but for now they had to find a different place. War was a scenario she literally hadn't found herself in before, so for once she was glad for the company.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys mind raced as he gazed out at the chaos that unfurled before them. Panic flooded his system as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. How could this have happened so fast? A thousand more questions flooded his mind and he began to feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

Then Alice’s phone clattered to the floor.

A strange calmness washed over him as he realized that he wasn’t in this alone, they at least had each other. Not that he’d openly admit that. He had never encountered a war of this scale, so he wasn’t sure where to begin. But Alice was right about one thing, here wasn’t safe.

He jerked his head around as he craned to see anything and everything that they could use or find shelter in. His keen eyes eventually spotted out a pharmacy building that seemed relatively untouched by either forces. It wasn’t a medbay but it would have chemical showers, immune boosters, food, and maybe a break room they could hide in. So it was better than nothing.

“Leaving the city doesn’t seem like a good idea either. Those hovercrafts probably wouldn’t let us get too far.” He told Alice nodding towards the craft that opened fire on skyscrapers. “Do you see that building over there?” He said as he pointed to the pharmacy. “We might be able to clean up there, restock on pills, find food, and maybe catch some rest. What do you think?” He asked.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Even if neither of them was capable of grasping the reason behind the literal war that had suddenly broke loose, they both knew they had to run. Her gaze was drifting back to him and for a moment, she knew he was worried, too, but they both had go keep it together and focus and as he mentioned the building, she immediately followed his gaze.

A pharmacy was just what they needed and she was indeed low on other substances, so she liked the idea. "Perhaps they're not attacking civilians...it seems like it's one side against the other, but they're not as wild as those in the hotel", she mused, meeting his gaze with the uncertainty still reflected in her gaze, however, she was at least fine with the idea.

"Then let's get to it...might be good to lay low for a bit", she added, extending a hand for him to take it. They were in this together. Even if Maeve wasn't one to rely on others, having him at her side made her feel somewhat safe for now and so regardless of whether he took it or not, she'd start breaking into a little jog, keeping her head down and her attentive gaze on the hovercrafts and guns.

They'd reach said building in a few minutes, busting through the door with their terrible stench following close by. A medical droid immediately spotted them, scurrying closer as she called over, "Hi...any chance you're offering sani-showers?". It was literally what they needed first, immune booster and chems would come after. It turned out they did offer what they were looking for, yet the whole store was on full alert in terms of the raging battle.

As they only had droid workers, no one asked why they were looking so bad and smelling even worse, but once they received the key card for the shower-cell, Maeve decided she'd just enter with her clothes and undress in there, getting them dry afterwards. "Showering together saves resources and time...are you joining me?", she smirked up at Karys as they walked towards their assigned area, obviously not admitting she was still a bit freaked out and thus literally craving his proximity. Also, neither would have to wait and they could easily squeeze in together.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

As Alice spoke, some of Karys’ jaded nature bled through. He doubted one of the side wasn’t attacking civilians intentionally. Something that was made even more apparent by the conversation he had overheard earlier. A small grimace settled onto his face, restoring the craggy, albeit shattered express he held when they first met.

“I seriously doubt that.” He replied, as he reached out and took the hand she offered him. “The guards at our door back there, they were discussing trading with the Colicoids for Droideka units.” He told her as they started toward the pharmacy.

Karys knew he wouldn’t need to elaborate further. The Colicoids were genius droidsmiths but were known to one of the most carnivorous sentient species in the galaxy. They’d trade their infamous creations with almost anyone who could meet their price, in meat. It was common knowledge to anyone who understood the horrors of the Clone Wars. The fact these rebels were willing to turn to the Colicoids spoke volumes to Karys.

Despite this, Karys didn’t feel fear. Instead, the simple human connection of holding Alice’s hand as they moved through the streets made him feel a sense of comfort. The most simple and human of connections. He knew that he at least could rely on her to have his back. That brought more peace to him than he could have ever wanted.

As they moved, Karys would keep his eyes out for shadows moving in the windows around them. Even though he didn’t feel afraid, he still knew how tense the situation was and his guard remained high. It was a feeling that persisted, even when they entered the pharmacy.

When the medical droid rolled up to them, it paused to look them over. It’s auto-diagnosis programming kicked into over drive and it gave a surface level analysis of their issues. It wasn’t a verbal report but a written one that printed from the droid’s chest.

Karys snatched it off and read it while Alice requested a sani-shower for the pair of them. Karys felt his heart pick up when the droid gave her a keycard and instructed them on where to find the room. Alice basically dragged him by the hand to the room, swiped the keycard, and pulled him in behind her.

Karys couldn’t help but laugh at this, he gave her hand a comforting squeeze. It felt good to have her body, even covered in filth so close it his again. However Karys could feel Alice’s anxiety, so he’d gently squeeze her hand to get her attention. “Hey we made it, you can slow down and breathe for a sec, yeah?” He told her.

Then he winced as pain radiated from his nose and across his face. Fuck, he’d forgotten about his broken nose. The adrenaline of the situation kept the pain at bay, but now that was fading and it HURT.

“Shit, I need you to do me a favor.” He said as he joined Alice in the shower.

He crouched down to her eyes level, his gaze meeting hers. No longer would she find that cold imperious nature they once held. Instead there was an alien kindness that swam in those crimson pools.

“I need you to reset my nose.” He told her.

The lukewarm sanitizer began to pour over the pair of them moments after he told her this. It would wash away some of the dried grime and filth that was caked in his hair and on his skin. Karys would take one deep breath, give Alice a smirk and a nod, and then let her hand go so she could get this over with.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

"Oh of course". Of course they were. Those weren't great news. So this whole ordeal was far bigger than they had first assumed. And without knowing what happened or what had initially triggered the attacks, they were caught right in the middle of it. "So this won't be over tonight at all...we won't make our move on Molec, we won't even manage to get back to observing", she concluded, mixed emotions accompanying her words.

"If we're stuck here for a bit and forced to sit it out, we'll need to find a better place to stay though". The pharmacy would be fine for now, but some safe place to regain their strengths and plan their next steps in private would help...

Once inside the shower, he obviously had no objections in joining her. A slightly mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes even if she was thoroughly exhausted and still grossed out by what they had on them. She didn't even notice she was still holding his hand until he squeezed it which actually caught her off guard the slightest bit.

"Hm?", as he suddenly crouched, her gaze would immediately settle on his, the nature of it questioning at first before her expressions softened. "Ohh...right". The blaster. She hadn't forgotten, yet she had found it rather impressive how he had survived without painkillers and flinching a single time.

"Mhh...romantic", she teased as he cupped his cheeks, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Okay hold still". She then inhaled as the water suddenly ran over them from above, the terrible stench finally fading. Maeve quickly slipped out of her jacket and tossed it to the side, the inner pockets safe from the water but the outside ready for disinfectant.

She had fixed noses before, broken noses were a really common injury in her branch and so she didn't even hesitate before she carefully took of it, counted to two and swiftly yanked it into position. Crack. "There". It was a violent tug, yet the spike pain would fade as quickly as it had come. She still threw him an apologetic grin before she started rubbing the muck of her clothes. "Does that feel better?", she'd reassuringly asked while she'd slip out of her boots and pants, thoroughly cleaning the clothes while she looked up at him again.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

He had almost leaned forward to kiss her then. When she cupped his cheeks like that, it made him forget what was going to come next. Which was unfortunate for him, because after giving him a playful smirk, Alice gripped either side of his nose and counted to two. Then she jerked it back into place with a sharp crack.

Karys’ vision went white and his eyes watered. Instinctively, he jerked his head out of her hands. This caused him to slip and fall backwards on the wet floor.

“N. Fuck that hurt!” He groaned as he blinked away tears welling up in his eyes.

After taking a moment to recover, Karys half laughed at himself. He slowly clambered back to his feet. A new steady stream of black blood flowed from reopened wounds in his nasal passage. But it didn’t last long, neither did the streak of pain. He scrunched his face and found relief from the agony.

“Yeah, thank you.” He replied, before he wiped the blood from his nose and chin.

With that taken care of Karys began to mimic her, stripping off the combat armor he had worn on his chest. Then he ripped off the rags the insurrectionist a had tossed on him before they put him in their prison and tossed them out of the showering area.

He quickly opened up the bag he’d thrown the rest of his supplies into. He knelt down and began scrubbing his soiled clothes vigorously. It was only once his clothes and body not only looked but felt clean did he paused and allow himself to relax.

Alice would feel one of his hands gently fall onto her waist from behind. It was a gentle tug, his way of letting her know to turn around and look at him. He’d gaze down at her for moment before addressed all her thoughts and concerns she had rapid fired at him.

“You’re right.” He told her in a weary but calm voice. “We aren’t going to be able to go after Meroc today or tomorrow, maybe the day after that.” He continued. “So let’s focus on right now, we’re alive.” He told her reassuringly. “How’s your leg?” He asked, turning his concern to her injury in hopes to shift her mind away from spiraling and to the present.

As he spoke, the hand that rested on her waist would gently wrap around her.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

One by one, Maeve stripped out of the rest of her clothes and washed them clean until it was only her skin and hairs that were left. They were lucky the drain worked well as the masses of dirt, junk, blood, shit and whatsoever kept flowing into it. Once she was at least visible cleansed and sanitized she suddenly felt a touch that sparked a jolt of warmth that immediately spread through her.

She obviously didn't have to turn her head to know it was him, but the sudden gentleman after she had literally rebroken his nose did surprise her. It felt good though. His touch was oddly soothing for her nerves and she had always been a women that was very responsive to intimacy.

It was ironic that while a war was literally raging outside, they shared a tender moment under the sani-shower inside, the worries and concerns momentarily forgotten. She did look up as he replied, so that she finally turned to face him. Her gaze was much more relaxed than before, but he had a point. One step at a time.

"It's better...the shower helps, the pills..." and he helped. Distraction was always great and there were simply different things on her mind as his body grazed hers. Without hesitation and knowing that she didn't have to ask, she wrapped her arms around his neck and got up on her tiptoes before her lips melted against his in a fiery display of passion. They'd have to get out soon, refill on men's and get going, but they had a moment to spare she figured, and she knew it would help keeping her sane now that everything had gotten so severely derailed.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

When Alice turned to face him, her entire presence had changed. She was calm, he could feel it. His arm wrapped around her waist as she spoke, the embrace was gentle but reassuringly firm.

Then she did what he had hesitated on doing earlier.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, she lifted herself up onto her tip toes, and she kissed him. It felt like electricity lanced through his body. It was followed by a wave of chills that cause an involuntary shiver to wrinkle his back. There was a new sensation that burned in the moment their lips touched, something he’d never experienced before.

Karys lost himself in it.

Without hesitation he hungrily kissed back, he hunted for that unknown warmth, comfort, and passion he longed for in their embrace. His arm that had been wrapped around Alice’s waist slid down and lifted. It would support her and allow her to wrap her legs around him before he could find a wall too press her back against. As he did this his free hand would trace up the side of her body and would come to a rest with his palm on her cheek.

He pulled her into him. He drank her in. He surrendered to something he barely understood.

The night before had been purely physical, a romp that used the force as a toy to invoke more pleasure. Today was different for Karys, it didn’t feel purely physical and part of that scared him. There were moments throughout their time in the shower where he almost felt overwhelmed, where he almost pulled away but something kept him there, in that moment, with her.

When it was all said and done, Karys laid on the floor of the shower, it having long stopped pumping sanitizer for them. His arm was wrapped around Alice, his hand gently running up and down the middle of her back. Then almost in a trance he spoke as he stared up at the ceiling and gave away a part of who he was.

“Ziost.” He whispered, his gaze shifting to look down at her. “I-I’m from Ziost.” His voice trembled when he spoke.

 

[Maeve]

Their passionate embrace soon developed into something far more with Karys meeting her with the same intensity she had started this with. She enjoyed that he generally seemed to mirror her energy often, and as he lifted her effortlessly, her legs were immediately wrapped around his hips.

The painkillers and the sheer exhilaration that overcame her again quickly made her forgot about her bruises and all the agony that still subtly bothered her. They collided with the nearest wall and it was only the beginning of yet another passionate release of their burning desires that hadn't even been dulled by their sewer adventure.

It was pure ecstasy that soon flooded her body again as they continued what they had started last night- the begin of something wonderful that didn't need any explanations as gazes were enough for them to convey whatever they desired. He was perhaps a little gentler than before, this time a little less experimental, but somehow it felt way more intense.

As they were finally done, she felt a wave of exhaustion washing over her while her heart was literally racing and the panting breaths only slowly decelerating. She found herself on his chest again, the crimson, muscular torso offering warmth for her not to freeze as he suddenly spoke. She raised her chin and tilted her head upwards, so that her turquoise eyes once again settled on him, drinking in the moment and yet her curiosity piqued in a completely different way.

"Ziost", she repeated breathlessly, wondering whether the aftermath of their heated encounter had left him a little delirious, but she suddenly noticed that it wasn't that. It was him choosing to disclose an actual detail of his path and her appreciating the honesty that laid within the intention. "That explains the ice baths".

She didn't knew much about it apart from that it was cold...an ancient Sith world or whatever. He chose to be vulnerable...but why? She was even more intrigued to fill in the missing pieces, yet she had a feeling she'd get to figure him out at some point. "You're nervous", she pointed out, noting the shift in his voice. "Why do I make you nervous?", she directly asked, the slightest smirk tugging at her lips. She knew she could purposely do that to men, most men that was, but here, she hadn't even tried. Her voice remained soft and she traced some shapes along his torso, her ocean eyes still resting on his.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

When she lifted her head to look at him, Karys felt like his world froze. The way he was feeling made no sense to him, nothing about this mission or her made any sense. But when Alice's oceanic blue eyes met the fire Karys' own, they contrasted so perfectly. Part of him wanted to smirk, to laugh, to look away, to do anything but match Alice's gaze. But he couldn't, he felt frozen in place. He had never felt like this, laying here with Alice he felt both powerful and weak. Brave and scared. This was unknown territory for him and he wasn't sure what to do and so he trusted his instincts.

When she finally spoke it had felt like eons, a quizzical look appeared in her eyes as she repeated the name of his homeworld. He simply nodded slowly, his eyes never straying from hers. When she made the comment about his ice baths making sense now, the ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.

Then the question that haunted him. "Why do I make you nervous?"

"I-I don't know." He replied, hesitating for a brief moment. "This, all of it, none of it makes any sense." He told her. "And this..." He continued, his voice careful and gentle. "This is the most confusing part of it all." He explained. "This scares me..." He admitted. "...being vulnerable scares me." He continued. "But..." His voice trailed off, his eyes fell to her fingers and he watched the tiny shapes she was drawing on his torso, he smiled softly. "...I also know that a part of me craves whatever is behind that fear." He finally said, his eyes returning to hers. "That part of me craves you."

With that he would lean down to kiss her. He hoped his openness wouldn't push her away. He hoped that she somehow would understand.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

His skin felt cooler against hers, she was relatively warm. His eyes were pure fire, red, powerful flames, while a vast, suddenly oddly calm, wide ocean lingered in hers. He looked brutal, rough, facial ridges giving him his demonic appearance while her innocent, angelic face was pure deception. And when they met, when those two worlds collided, there was an incredible common ground that hard to grasp and yet mesmerizing.

She had seen him kill already, ruthlessly snuff the life out of terrible people, yet right now he was insecure, vulnerable, weakened. She held that power over him...it made her feel so powerful, yet somehow it didn't just feel good because of that. Securing a powerful ally was one thing, but she simply couldn't deny he had proven himself to be a reliable, trustworthy and powerful ally so far and that time spent with him...was fun.

"Let's go explore that well hidden territory then...", she softly replied before she leaned into the kiss, another wave of electricity streaming through her body. It was thrilling and exciting, yet while she laid here in his arms she was neither concerned about the war nor worried about being in this narrow cell.

They kept on the ground for another while, legs intertwined and their bodies closely pressed against one another before she remembered they actually had to go. She didn't feel like leaving, not at all, but before nightfall, they needed a place to stay. "We should stock up and get going...I'd say we continue this here once we've settled on a place to stay...", her voice trailed off into another smirk before she reluctantly got up. She offered her hand for him to take it, but she really wasn't thrilled to hop into the drenched clothes. They'd get them dry over the night, she hoped, but that would only happen if they found a place.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Relief washed over Karys at Alice’s response. Any ice that he had left in him towards her melted away the moment their lips touched again. While the fear of what this meant still lingered in the back of his mind, they were nothing more than wraiths of what they had been. Excitement to explore the depths of these new emotions drowned them out and left only eagerness to explore the vast ocean of feeling that laid before him. In that moment, Maeve had given him something no other being had.

She made him feel safe.

Karys pulled her into him as they kissed, he shared the passion he felt towards her. It would be short, a brief thing, but at the end he would rest his forehead against hers. He wouldn’t move for some time; he knew that they had to eventually leave this place and find true shelter. But he just wanted this for a moment longer. His eyes closed and he rested, completely relaxed and at peace.

“Thank you.” He whispered.

When Alice eventually stirred, it would rouse Karys as well and he still didn’t want to move. But he understood why they had to and didn’t protest. When she offered her hand to him, Karys paused, a smile crested his lips, and he took it. The pair would slide back into soggy clothes, repack anything that could still be used and get ready to leave.

Before they opened the door, Karys would kiss Alice one last time.

“For good luck.” He told her.

Then the door would slide open, and a medical droid would push past them. Karys would take point, he was still tired but the little rest he got had ensured he could call upon the Force once, maybe two more times. It was better than nothing. His crimson gaze turned to Alice.

“You should restock while we are here.” He told her. “I’ll look for any other supplies that might be useful.” He offered. “We meet up at the entrance in fifteen?”

With that he would break off and begin to raid the pharmacy aisles for canned foods, waters, whatever they might need. He wasn’t sure how long they’d be stuck here, and he wanted to be sure they wouldn’t starve or thirst to death. After the allotted time, he’d move to the front of the pharmacy to meet up with Alice.

“Find anything worth taking?” He asked.

@LadyRen

 

[Maeve]

Maeve instinctively froze as he suddenly chose to press his forehead against hers. There was once again a gentle intention behind it, but it caught her off guard so that she literally couldn't move for a moment. Was he playing a game, too? The same she was so experienced in? She wasn't entirely sure about his ulterior motive, yet she didn't pull away.

She was a bodily person, she loved touches and physicalities, but somehow their intimate exchanges were somewhat deeper than the regular hookup and while she found it incredibly confusing, she was a master in her games, always adapting to new situations and thus she could get along with all of this...after all, it felt good. It was what she needed to stay sane, to stay focused...and she couldn't deny this barely graspable sense of safety was soothing, too.

Keep it together. There were always reasons behind behavior, and for now she attributed the affection he showed to his lust. She was desirable after all and they vibed well, so she quickly discarded the thought and focused on the task. "If that's so we should split up more often", she winked at him before she started to get going, however glancing over her shoulder with a smirk once again before she disappeared behind the next corner. If 'see you in 15'-sex was their new thing, why not.

Maeve soon learned that while they obviously didn't have everything she needed in stock, she did manage to purchase all necessities so and just a short while later they met again. "It's not too bad...what about you?". He looked as though he had acquired quite a bit, yet she wondered whether he had received the same discounts she had. In fact, half her wares were smuggled for free - the droids were in such a state of unrest that she had mananged to drop a few extra 'samples' into the bags she had snatched first.

"So let's get going...it's better if we get settled before nightfall". Maeve still absolutely wasn't used to the constant 'we', but they were stuck here together for sure. She had never been one to mind solitude, yet, funnily enough, she was looking forward to their shared night out of many reasons. Once he was ready, she'd approach the exit where she'd check on whether the coast was clear or not, however the conflict still didn't seem to have calmed down at all. "Actually, what about our last hotel? What are the chances of them raiding it again? It's not in a direct war zone...". At least she hoped that still applied.

@Apollyon