Ask I Don't Sympathise

[Wodan]

His head still in his hands he peered at the Tiefling through his fingers as he tried to give an answer to why he had lied to him. Altair had his reasoning and it was probably justified if Wodan thought logically about it, but at that moment in time he wasn’t thinking logically. If anything he wasn’t thinking at all, he was just running on emotion and currently the emotion that was running through him the strongest was betrayal. “You know, I was willing to take the fall for it. To put myself forward as the reason the mission ended.” He replied, his eyes were red raw the emotions that had ripped through him over the past few hours clear for Altair to see.

As much as it may have ended badly for the Acolyte, he was willing to take the L, the mistakes had been his fault anyway. Plus Altair had much more going for him both inside and outside of the Empire than Wodan did. He was willing to give away his revenge for his ‘brother’.

Wodan wasn’t even in the mindset to begin thinking about forgiving Altair, even if he had promised never to lie to him again, it was a little hollow of a promise after revealing a lie a moment before. But he was right, they needed to do something, less they be interrogated and Altair’s deception revealed. As much as he was angry at the man, he didn’t want to see him in prison and couldn’t even begin to think about anything worse.

Pulling himself up from his slouched position. “We just need to remove the resistance cell. The death of the civilians was just a product of the inificent plan.” Wodan held his hand out to help the Tiefling up, as he came to an upright position Wodan would unclip Altair’s lightsaber from his belt and hand it over. “Half a dozen are dead behind us, a few more and they won't have the strength to keep up this game.” He was exhausted. The last thing he wanted to do was fight, but Altair was correct, they needed to complete this mission less his brother be found wanting.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair scowled at Wodan as he began to explain he would have taken the fall.

“That’s not your call to make,” He cut in bluntly before Wodan could even finish. He exhaled and took the proffered the hand. He didn’t let go of Wodan immediately, staring at the other man for a moment before he tugged him into a one armed hug, clapping him on the back with his other hand. Altair released him and offered a faint grin.

“Whether you forgive me or not, I would be dead without you,” He said quietly, “I’m only standing here because of you, brother.”

Like Wodan, Altair wasn’t one to linger on the sap too long. He nodded to the Firrerreo’s plan, but he had more to add, “We’ll have to take some risks,” He explained, “That lady saw us fighting in the alley. You know her big ass mouth told everyone in the village by now. This works to our advantage - you can sell the story that you spotted what I am and engaged me right away. You were actually trying to climb the water tank to get a better vantage point and dropped the vial that was poison meant for me.”

Altair glanced back towards the village, “You should head back there and tell them I escaped but you caught me and needed help bringing me in. Lead the rest of the fighters out of there and we can ambush them out here. We’ll never make any traction in that village.”

He looked at Wodan, “Do you think you can do this? I won’t be in there with you,” Altair said with concern. However, he looked around at the dead bodies that lay around them. That had been Wodan entirely by himself. He was no longer that kid on Atravis and it was about time they both realized it. Altair smiled sheepishly and looked at the man again, “I’ll be waiting for you,” He said instead, clapping him on the shoulder.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

He couldn’t help but let a little smile slip through as Altair pulled him into a hug and thanked him for saving his life. Maybe he could forgive the big lummox in time. Pushing back away from the Tiefling he listened to the more experienced man’s plan. He saw the basic logic in what Altair was saying but Wodan guessed that some of the drugs were still running through his system.

“Problem is, half of the whole village saw me shoot down their guards.” He began purposefully ignoring the face that he had also killed a pair of innocents in the slaughter. “I would also add this Imperial Armour and Lightsaber give me away a bit.” Wodan continued with a cheeky grin, a little of his lightheartedness and cheer returning. “So I don’t think it would work. Unless you are trying to off me?”

It was at that moment he heard something in the distance, it was the hum of a speeder's engines. He wasn’t exactly sure which direction, the noise of the burning speeder behind blocking his Firrerrian hearing from detecting anything else. “I think our little lightshow brought some attention.” He replied, pointing to the burning speeder. “Let's get some cover and see what’s coming.” He finished before moving into some of the hedgerow separating the wheat fields.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair blinked a few times and then took a look at what Wodan was wearing. In the darkness he hadn’t noticed the other man’s attire before, “When the hell did you change?” He asked incredulously, rubbing his head. Altair had to step away to vomit some more, “Gods..what the fuck did they put in me..?” He groaned with a hoarse voice.

“You shootin’ the guards could be explained away.. You do have shit aim after all. You just gotta mind trick one of the villagers to corroborate and blamo, you good,” Altair explained, looking around. The dead resistance driver could even provide new attire. However, the tiefling could admit when his plans were less than half baked. Thankfully, Wodan still had his brains together instead of being horribly drugged.

Altair heard the speeders in the distance and stopped his own idea ramblings. He nodded and walked over to take some cover behind a few boulders. From here, they could see the crashed speeder and the fire that was still burning high. It shone like a beacon to resistance men leaving the village and going out to look.

About ten of them arrived on the scene. The tiefling watched them mill about near the fire, spot the vomit and the dead bodies. Altair looked over at Wodan, “Quick lesson,” He whispered to the man, “Concentrate on the dark side. Focus your energy and focus on the fire you see. Grab a hold of it and spread it out to the soldiers. Pour emotion into it. It’ll be easier since the fire is already there,” He explained to the acolyte. Inferno was a tough maneuver, but even an acolyte could do wonders when fire was already there.

With a nod, Altair began to focus as well. Without warning, the fire from the speeder crash flared out, shooting out as a massive column of flames to engulf the first four men that were there. Screams erupted and Altair fanned the fire out to two more men. The tiefling finally sprang out from the hiding spot, bringing up his Matukai glove to deflect two blaster bolts. The yells of agony were haunting as two of them attempted to run while on fire.

This left the last four for Wodan and Altair to fight off. Gordon, of course, was among the men still standing.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

Wodan gave the man a ‘hey what the fuck’ look when he pointed out his shit aim. Yes it was shit but Wodan just saved the man’s life, he thought he would get a little leeway on the digging, but apparently not.

He moved up next to Altair, both to keep the still drugged up Tiefling safe, but also for a bit of mental security for himself knowing that he was near. The speeders pulled to a stop just out of view for the Firrerrian, but quickly the riders came into view. Ten, that was more than he hoped, Wodan ideally was looking for the same amount as before, a pair or so each for the Sith. Considering both of their physical and mental states he wasn’t sure if they could handle much more.

Then Altair spoke, how the hell the Tiefling thought this was a good idea for a lesson in Force Pyromancy was beyond Wodan but he listened anyway. He wasn’t sure if he could tap into the reservoir of power that was the Dark Side again, he was so emotionally and mentally drained from before doubt crept into his mind. Wodan felt the Darkness well inside his friend, before lashing out, grasping the fire and spreading across the six men. His eyes were wide with wonder and disgust as he watched the men burn in front of him. Why was it always burning men?

Wodan tried to use that pain and disgust the memory of Atravis to tap into the Darkness within and without. It was weak, but somehow, perhaps with the lingering Darkness of Altair he was able to grasp onto some of the flames and send them out towards the four remaining. His own grasp of the fire was not as magnificent as his brother’s only catching a pair of the remaining fighters. From head to toe they were engulfed in the raging inferno, burning their clothes, hair and skin, letting out horrid cries as they fell to the floor.

The remaining two fighters spun around blasters raised trying to spot the pair, in a panic the smaller of the two ran. Leaving Gordon alone among the burning flames. “Get out here you devil spawn.” He shouted into the darkness.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

He despised that it was just Gordon left. He hated that he had just had a meal at his mother’s house. He hated that she was a bit suspicious, but still extremely kind. However, most of all he hated how he had to actively draw out guilt. It didn’t come to him as naturally as it normally did. He was tired, exhausted, angry and drunk with the Dark Side of the Force. When Gordon called out to them, Altair decided he would oblige.

The tiefling stepped out from his hiding spot, tall and proud where he stood. He wanted Gordon to know exactly who he was. He wanted Gordon to know Altair had been inside his home. He had been called derogatory terms his entire life because of his appearance. However, he decided he no longer cared.

The initial bolts were deflected thanks to his Matukai gloves. Altair quickly advanced on Gordon, his eyes narrowed to slits.

“Not devil spawn,” He whirled in with a devastating punch to the man’s face. There was a horrible crack as multiple bones shattered and blood spewed forth, “The devil himself,” Altair finished as the man dropped into a heap.

The tiefling stood in silence for a long moment before he finally glanced back at Wodan, “Kill the one that ran,” He said simply as he began to make his way back to the Imperial camp. They were done here. With the Resistance effectively removed from the planet, the Sith would have an easier means of winning it over.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

Wodan knew that Altair would rise to the call from Gordon, the Tiefling had been subject to aggressive and brutal xenophobia since he left his homeworld. But also the Champion liked the challenge of a bigger and stronger opponent. So as Altair moved towards Gordon, Wodan stepped out the other side of their cover to head after the fleeing fighter.

The man’s panicked retreat was loud, giving the Firrerrian’s advanced hearing a simple time in picking up which way he was heading. Wodan’s muscles screamed out in protest as he broke into a quick jog trying to specifically catch up with the man but get him into view.

A sickening crunch was heard behind him causing Wodan to flinch slightly, he knew what had happened, only Altair caused that kind of sound to escape the battlefield. Wodan could probably do with spending a few weeks training with the Tiefling just encase he got in another situation without his saber.

Cutting across the field he intersected a pathway of trampled wheat, looking to his left he spotted the back of the fleeing man. Pulling The Force around him once more he grabbed hold of his lightsaber just as he released it like his old spear. The weapon arched into the air, before plunging down towards the man, at the last moment the blade ignited carving into the back of the man, the weight of the blow slicing his spine in half from shoulder blade to tailbone.

Holding his hand out for a moment the blade snapped back towards him, as he too turned and headed back towards the small makeshift camp the two had made. This mission was a failure in so many ways, but still Corsin was the Empires. Wodan’s and Altair’s friendship was both enhanced and weakened by the day's events. He had a hundred questions to ask the man, but it would have to wait, as signals came in about something on Korriban.

____
End Thread

@Sreeya