Ask Icy Trials

[Kalique Baize]

Ando Prime was nothing but ice. Nestled between ISC worlds, it simply wasn't the most attractive target for Imperial Knights and yet duties brought them to the frozen, independent world. It was Kalique's second official mission with Squire @Roman Kallo, and after their last mission, there were a few things Kalique still had to learn from the more seasoned trainee, so even if she wasn't thrilled about their destination, she was curious about the journey.

Seeing Squires successfully train and pass their trials was always exciting, yet after Roman's incident on the space station, it had been rather obvious that he was under stricter supervision. Kalique had seen a few traits in him she highly approved off, but there was something about his slightly impulsive nature that needed further correction, which was why she was optimistic about having control of the situation herself.

The Squire had been asked to board the Imperial vessel they were taking and had met the Knight-Captain on board. Kalique had then advised him to get some sleep as once on Ando, they wouldn't manage to get much rest, so the actual briefing about their mission was still due. Kalique had caught a few hours of sleep and had meditated ever since, but as they were approaching the surface, she was expecting him to meet her back in the cockpit.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Part of Roman had never expected to see Knight-Captain Demici again. She was an impressive lady and senior Knight, with many committments and calls on her time. He doubted she spent much time with mere squires, especially those that screwed up right in front of her.

But the other part of him was pleased, even a little vindicated at being called back to her side. He had only been trying to help on the asteroid mission after all and while he had put them in danger he had also flown them out of it. Roman knew he could perform if given the chance. Maybe Demici saw that too.

He headed into the cockpit in his cold weather gear, his utility belt and saber buckled around his waist. The frozen surface of Ando Prime gleamed at them from below and Roman found himself hoping this training Demici had planned was pretty rigorous. If he didn't keep moving here, he would freeze his tits off.

"You been here before, Knight-Captain?". He was half hoping she would tell him it was not as bad as it looked. "Looks pretty damn chilly".

It occured to him this may not be training at all, but punishment. If it was, he would take it like a man, doing push ups until his nose was in the ice. He was getting closer and closer to his Trials and he would not break now.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Roman soon joined her as Kalique initiated the landing sequence. The landing spot she had chosen was the closest they could get and so they'd have to fight their way through towards the cave before the actual part of their mission could begin.

Dressed in a tactical, perfectly insulated white snow suit that would soon be topped with a white coat which would cover the rest of the exposed skin, Kalique already had her equipment fasted to her body underneath the white straps. She wasn't particularly fond of the cold, but the unpleasant, even hostile climate would be the perfect environment for the Squire.

"I haven't...it's less bad than Hoth, but this won't be an easy mission". There was no point in embellishing the truth, so she gave him the honest answer. "I'm not planning with setting up a temporary camp. If we don't find what we're looking for by sun down, we might have to carry on regardless" those were subtle words of warning as she wanted him to be prepared.

She also owed him more explanations though, so as she leaned back, she met his gaze. "Reports have indicated that there were certain happenings in the underground cave systems. Our scouts couldn't figure out what it was, but we'll first have to investigate before we can settle on a plan". Whether they were about to encounter a dark spirit, a disrupted nexus or something that dwelt in the caves, they'd find out soon.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Roman listened intently, pressing his lips together determinedly when Demici spoke of pressing on beyond sun down if necessary. He nodded. On his homeworld, darkness had been a regular companion, whether during the long nights at sea or on the many undeveloped spits of land. Roman was not afraid of the dark.

He was less confident about the talk of happenings in the ice caves. “What could exist here, when nothing else does?” he asked, considering. There had to be a risk of Force involvement to call for Impeiral Knights. Roman knew the Force was everywhere of course, enthusing vibrant worlds and the barren ones too. Anything tied to it could subsist anywhere, maybe even out here he guessed. ``Whatever it is, I am ready Knight-Captain”.

They made their way down the boarding ramp to find frozen tundra beneath their feet. The cold air whipped at Roman’s cheeks and tousled his hair, but his gear and boots would keep him warm for now. Demici looked impressive as always, sweeping white coat and snow suit making her look made for the place.

“Which way mam?” Most directions looked much the same here as he stared out at the horizon. Whatever their heading, he must not screw up today.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

When he posed his question, Kalique was almost tempted to make him guess. An Imperial Knight had to be prepared for whatever, whenever. She didn't want him worried though, yet the truth was, that she couldn't clearly predict but awaited them either.

"You'd be surprised...a lot can grow in the dark. Whether it's a corrupted Nexus leading to anomalies or creatures that cause problems, the dark side can be twisted sometimes", she explained, meeting his gaze with a rather serious expression.

"Remember your training. Consider it a test. You're approaching your trials, perhaps this is the first challenge you'll have go overcome". She was, obviously, assessing him here. His decision making, his endurance, tenacity, determination. All important attributes Knights needed to prevail.

"You're now alone though" she still reminded him, knowing that as a mentor, it often helped Squires to focus. The ramp soon hissed open and the two of them stepped out with further ado, the icy wind already ruffling through her hairs and making her shiver for a moment.

What they'd both feel through the Force was that something powerful, yet imbalanced lingered in the depths in front of the. "This way", she nodded towards their left, where the entrance of the cave system would soon await them.

It smelt like snow fall was awaiting, yet the skies still seemed relatively clear. It was still rather early, yet once underground, Kalique knew time would seem to pass much quicker. "What made you join the Imperial Knights?" she wanted to know as they started marching, weaving their way through the snow covered tundra.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Roman followed her lead, confidence and caution wrestling in head. He had taken note of what Demici had said back on the ship and he knew she was smart enough to make any part of this a test, no matter how supportive she had seemed before. Should he even follow her, could even that be a test?

The bracing cold helped, biting at his neck and keeping him on edge. Roman would certainly take a while to relax here in any case. The whole place had the feel of a world that was working to wear you down and kill you, every second you were here.

There was something…bad up ahead. At least, Roman thought it felt bad. His grasp on the Dark Side was still developing, but there was definitely something at the edge of his senses. The reports that had brought them here had a grain of truth in them then.

She asked a killer question, but he guessed he should expect nothing less. “I had a shit start“ he said in answer. “Vaynai was always out of control. We didn’t have a chance”. He spoke of the Human minority he had been born into, not that the Knight-Captain would necessarily know.

“At first, you think you’re making all the choices, but eventually you realise when you’re poor the choices are all being made for you”. He crested a rise, pausing to smooth a clump of snow with his boot. “The Empire brings order. Justice. Gives us all a chance at controlling our own lives”. He gave her a hard look, hoping she understood. “I knew I had to enrol, to be a better me, and turned out my party tricks were the stuff of a Knight, not soldier.”

Roman smiled at her, suddenly a little self conscious of how honestly he had answered. “What about you, Knight-Captain?”.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique wasn't overly fond of the could, yet her clothes kept the icy breeze out for now. Down beneath, her skin was still laced with goosebumps because the wind that whipped against her face was still somewhat unpleasant and as the sun hung low on the horizon, she even had to squint a little.

The days were rather short, but they'd have at least 8 hours. She was hoping it would be enough, but it was extremely hard to tell. She knew the question she posed was direct, but tiptoeing around such issues didn't help. She needed to know what he believed in at his core, and she hoped he knew she'd spot lies or vague excuses.

She new his file, hence she knew the official part of his backstory, however as he shared much more genuine insights, she appreciated the honesty right away. A genuine smile tugged at her lips as she glanced over to him, the sound still mostly muffins the sounds of their boots.

"So you came from chaos and found order. First hand experiences are always helpful, so I'm glas you find your way to us". Strong convictions were always good, and in their line of work is was utterly essential to believe in the shared Imperial cause and he seemed to understand, which made her proud even.

She wasn't surprised by how he returned the question, and as his mentor, sharing such insights was always helpful to form a reliable bond. "I had been born into the Empire and had seen how it made Serenno flourish. I wanted to be an active part of it. I wanted to help keeping the Empire safe, so I joined the military when I was a teenagers" she began, a wave of nostalgia washing over her. Even if it hasn't been more than a decade ago, she realized that she had been quite like him back there. Much more impulsive, yet strongly determined.

"I was never trained as a Sith, but I steadily expanded my skills before the New Order was founded. Hence, I've basically been around from the idea beginning. I had already done what I needed to do when I joined the Academy, yet I've only found my real place as a Knight". It would have been wasted potential if she had stayed with the troops. This way, she could serve much better.

"Oh look...the entrance" she suddenly remarked as their conversation was interrupted by a sudden vibration. She quirked a brow as the ground shook, the Force around them suddenly changing, turning much more wild and uncontrolled. "Yeah...so that's it. Something is going on here" she stated, gesturing towards the entrance now that they had the certainty of how something was clearly off. "Are you ready to head in and find out?" she asked reassuringly, stopping for a moment and calmly meeting his gaze. He'd have to trust his instincts from now on.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Roman had practically called Vaynai chaotic, yet it still bothered him slightly to hear his beginnings called that by someone else. It made no sense and he could hardly complain; Demici would think him schizophrenic.

So it turned out she came from Serenno. Roman thought he had heard folks from there were posh, that he was not completely sure. Demici definitely seemed like she could have had a wealthy start in life, but in any case she had been more switched than him as a teenager. Roman had been a lost soul dealing drugs when she had been signing up with the military. It was no wonder she had been one of the earliest Knights in the new order.

“What the hell?” Roman hissed as the ground shook. The frozen earth rumbled and rolled, a rough opening leading underground yawning before them. ”I was made ready mam” he said, mustering his confidence. In truth, he hated having no idea what lay ahead, but it was clear Demici expected him to be ready for anything.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Through the determination, she still sensed his subtle nervousity. She couldn't really blame him as every anomaly was different, yet she had dealt with so many she wasn't as fazed anymore. While confidence from his side was good though, she was definitely expecting more discipline and consideration, but she kept an open mind while she kept walking.

"So reports have indicated those rumbles happen every now and then. There's no pattern, but it's a few times each day. We can't leave geographical issues like tectonic plates ignored, yet I'm sure you sense that something here isn't right" she approached the entrance, the Force around them violently swirling.

She slightly grimaced as she was met by an icy wind streaming out of the cave, but as the ground finally calmed down, she continued entering. The Force also seemed to calm down slowly, but it left an odd tension lingerng in the air. "Feel free to lead. We have to locate the source first" she motioned for him to pass her, if he was up for the challenge, while she took a deep breath, calming and focusing her mind.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Roman knew little of geology, but he knew it was a bad idea to go underground if the earth itself was unstable. Being buried alive had to be among the worst ways to die he could think of.

But Demici was right; this was unlikely to be anything natural. Roman could feel his senses prickling and the occasional brush of the Force each time the ground rolled. He was not yet adept enough to trace the sensation back, or glean much from it, but he felt it sure as the sea winds on deck.

"Of course, Knight-Captain". He stepped ahead of her, not rushing down into the tunnel but cautiously examining the opening, sniffing the air. He had learned cold air rarely held onto clues though and gradually made his way inside.

The tunnel angled down sharply and the light behind them rapidly disappeared. Roman relied on his eyes and ears as far as he dare, before flicking on a flashlight from his pack and pointing it ahead.

Something vanished around a corner up ahead in the blink of an eye, so fast he was not sure he had even seen it. He thought it had looked like a large white limb, trailing rags.

"Talids maybe?" he breathed to Demici. He had tried to do his reading and knew the Talid tribes were about the only living things on Ando Prime. But he remembered nothing about them living underground.

The earth all around them suddenly shook again and Roman felt another pang in the Force. This one discernibly darker. If there were Talids down here, they were not making this disturbance alone.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique kept sensing his tension while she masked her own a little. The endavor was dangerous, that was out of question, but whatever caused this, needed to be dealt with regardless. He took the lead without hesitation while she focused her mind, knowing she wouldn't let any harm come to the Squire.

She steadied her breathing, even though the cold air hurted her lungs a little and kept waiting for further vibrations, however for the moment, everything seemed calm. The Force still wasn't, it was violently swirling around them and thus even cloaked the presence that suddenly appeared nearby.

"I'm not sure...they do roam the surface, but they aren't known to be hostile. They even stay clear of other species as far as I know", she replied calmly, her thoughts, however, racing. "Perhaps they've been affected by whatever hap-", she was sharply cut off by another earthquake.

Stalagtites of ice crumbled of the frozen ceiling, leaving her to avert one falling block of ice with the Force before she felt a sudden intrusion tugging at her mind. Old memories were stirred up, but she shut it off within a split second by violently pushing back.

""Careful...the Force might try to trick us", she warned him, her voice much more tense. For her there was n doubt they were getting closer to an actual dark Nexus which would hopefully answer a few more other questions.

"Keep your mental barriers up. We will be tested". She had been through this before. If Talads were involved, they wouldn't like their intrusion either, but the main threat was probably the Force that was imbalanced so severely. She'd motion for him to continue and choose one of the two paths ahead of them.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Roman pressed himself against the tunnel wall, avoiding the hail of falling stalactites brought on by the latest quake. He felt a sudden energy wash over him again, not unlike before, and for a moment the fear in his gut reared up. The fight or flight impulse seized him and for a moment he was on edge.

It passed as quickly as it had come, but left him in no doubt that they were dealing with some variance of the Dark Side. Demici warned him to ward himself and he did so, mentally preparing against further attacks. He would be stronger, and fight through this to the source.

The path forked ahead and it took all his courage to choose the fork where the white limb had vanished. Having a Knight-Captain at his back was a great motivator and green as he was he did not lack for spirit.

"I hear them" he said quietly, for several low cries sounded on the edge of his hearing. Following the tunnel a little further, they turned into a cavern.

Roman's flashlight fell on three white creatures in rags, squatting around a glowing fissure in the ground. A sickly red light emanated from the crack and seemed to infuse all three pairs of eyes as the beasts turned towards them. They had once been Talids, Roman thought, but now they appeared twisted and warped by dark energy in this place.

The beasts snarled, bounding towards them, all six limbs of claws and gnashing teeth threatening harm. Roman dropped his flashlight and ignited his orange blade, illuminating the chamber as he readied to strike back.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

His light shed enough light for them to continue onwards, yet the further they walked in, the thicker the air was suddenly growing. They'd both sense the tension growing somewhat electrifying, but it wasn't the exhilarating kind, but much more like a warning. The nexus didn't want them to get any closer, but they had no choice.

She let Roman choose the path, but he immediately settled on the one she would have chosen too. It was literally calling to them, the Force luring them in and yet violently fighting to keep them out. They walked a little further and Kalique sensed a few presences ahead, so her hand immediately slid towards her lightsaber's hilt.

She didn't ignite it just yet, but slowly edged closer, the Force kept swirling around them steadily, but as they reached the chamber with the twisted beasts, the Force was darkly vibrating. "They're beyond saving" was all she briefly muttered before her lightsaber snapped to life into her right hand while she coiled the Force around her left hand.

Before either could come much closer, she fired a massive fire ball into them, that engulfed all three of them effortlessly and let them screech in pain. It was good that it broke their focus right away, as it would turn out the Force had really corrupted their minds. Roman would have an opening to make his move as neither launched a mental attack right now while the flames licked their skin and slowly bit their way into their flesh.

@Alhon

Roll: 16/20

 

[Roman Kallo]

As the beasts closed with them, Roman tried to focus and plan his attack, remembering Demici’s advice not to rush into situations.

As he readied his stroke, the Force pulsed behind him and a ball of fire soared over his shoulder, throwing the creatures back squealing in pain. Roman’s eyes flashed briefly with fascination. He had been drawn to fire for many years, first feeling the dark side through the flames. He dreamed of wielding it so.

But this was no time for dreams. The Knight-Captain had bought them time and Roman was going to use it. He bounded forward, slashing upward with his orange blade to carve one of the creatures in half. He twisted, aiming to spear a second cursed Talid, but the remaining animals sensed the threat and rolled away.

Both rounded on the squire and bared their teeth, eyes flaring red. Roman felt a sudden presence descend on them, as if something deeper and darker were staring through those eyes.

12/20 attack success

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

There was not just fire shooting out of her palms, but fire in her eyes, too. Utilizing the dark side, the power of the hot flames was enhanced and ensuring the twisted Talad's wouldn't get siphoned from the dark presences around so easily. Yet, after Roman sliced the first open, the two others circled the Squire.

Kalique was content with the way he engaged the creatures this time as it was more calculated and considerate than last time's impulsive approach. She reached out with the Force and back into the flames, unleashing more heat onto them, causing enough pain to keep their focus shattered.

While she held onto that with her left hand, she dashed forwards and impaled one of the Talad's with her orange blade, slicing right through its midst and leaving the monster to screech and squirm while it collapsed. The other one, she left for Roman, however her mind was already focused on the last in case the Squire needed assistance.

As she trusted him to finish the job though, they'd soon be done with their in sync fight against the three monstrosities that somehow just seemed like the beginning of this all. "Are you alright?". She took a deep breath and forced the tension out of her muscles. "I've seen something like that before" it had been on Prakith and it had been an ugly fight...Altair and her had needed time to recover after.

"We can't allow it to permeate our mental barriers" she once again emphasized, thus implicitly urging him to fortify his mental defenses. She switched off her lightsaber and focused her mind, waiting for him to be ready to continue.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

The sudden shadow that seemed to descend on them almost had a weight, pressing down on Roman's senses if not his shoulders. Then the Knight-Captain gestured, reigniting her fire that had scattered the beasts. The cloud seemed to lift, whatever dark presence lent the creatures strength retreating before the heat and light.

Roman wanted to do that. He knew he could, he was sure he could. He had made single flame dance before.

As Demici struck down the second cursed Talid, Roman drew on the dark side as much as he could, picturing flames in his mind and willing them to burst forth from his outstretched palm. The Force rushed him, flowing through him so fast that it was too late when he felt the taint. The hostile presence in there caverns was drawn to him like a lightning rod.

He totally lost focus, but the power surged through him anyway, unchecked and wild. Fire flashed briefly from his fingers, but to little effect. Roman cried out as he felt the cost, as what seemed like every ounce of heat and energy left his body in an instant.

The squire collapsed backwards, passing out. The final Talid growled suspiciously, the suddenness of the faint the only thing stopping it pouncing at once.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique's attention was mainly on Talad, but she monitored Roman's presence within the Force. A sudden fiery determination hit him as he attempted to go for fire as well, however the intent behind the attack was so violent and strong that it left him open to the spirit's presence.

She gritted her teeth, repeatedly having warning him about keeping up his mental barriers, but before she could manipulate the spirit, it already struck and the Squire tumbled backwards. The Talad meanwhile furiously focused Kalique, but before it even managed to charge, her lightsaber rotated right through its midst after a skilled throw, leaving the Talad sliced open and incapacitated and the spirit scurrying away as it was left within an actual vessel for now.

Sighting, Kalique caught her lightsaber and shivered at the cold, but immediately knelt down next to Roman. She picked up his head and quickly checked his pulse before she dragged his motionless body into a windshielded corner. He was wiped out, but she knew it wouldn't be for long, so all she could do was to meditate and use the Force to keep the two of warm through it until he'd wake up. She half considered dragging him back and going in by herself, but she couldn't leave him alone like that, so she decided to stay.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

Roman wandered through the darkness, the walls around him barely clear enough to see. He felt something watching him in the shadows, circling around him like a great basilisk, malice incarnate. It closed on him, bearing down on him in an instant.

The squire’s eyes fluttered open. He felt as if he was laying down, a rock ceiling above him and someone leaning over him. The sight of Demici brought it all back in an instant, and Roman had a sharp intake of breath.

”Knight-Captain” he coughed, trying to sit up. He felt as if he had been flushed through by the Force, but his strength was slowly returning. “The Talids” he groaned, remembering the beasts, though he could see none nearby. “I tried to strike with the Force, but I let it in. Whatever it is”.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

His breathing was soft, yet steady, pulse regular. Through a subtle manipulation of molecules, she made sure neither froze, but it meant she couldn't allow herself to relax. She couldn't let her guard down either, knowing that somewhere inside this cave, something vile lurked in the darkness and it was just waiting for another opening.

She was disappointed of Roman. Not for how he had failed with the Force, but for how he had once again placed too much on an attack instead of focusing on his defenses. He was neglected training and lacking the tenacity knights needed to resist such dark forces and she knew she had to have him expand his skills quickly.

More minutes passed until his eyelids finally flattered, consciousness returning to the Squire. Her gaze cooly rested on his for a moment before she helped him sit. "It could have shattered your mind" her tone betrayed no emotions after he had stated the obvious.

"I warned you not to be reckless" she reminded him, her tone somewhat breezy. She was glad he was fine, but knowing such mental intrusions sometimes came with repercussions, she studied him carefully. "What did you feel when I broke through? And how are you feeling now?". She still wasn't sure whether he'd manage to carry on at all and thus had to assess this situation first.

@Alhon

 

[Roman Kallo]

“Yeah…” she had warned him. Roman took several deep breaths and flexed his fingers, looking anywhere but at Demici. “I overreached” he admitted. He had felt the Force in his control for those few moments, but his mistake had been to draw on it so completely so close to the dark entity. It had skewed everything and he had been too inexperienced to compensate.

”It will not happen again” he said defiantly, moving to get up before he was stopped by her question. “There was a presence” he said, trying to explain “whatever has twisted the Talids and this place. I think it sensed me working the Force, it came at me hoping to twist me too”. Perhaps the way he had fried his own energy reserves in an instant had been his saving grace. Had he stayed conscious, the entity would have had more time to invade his mind.

”I feel much better already” he said, shaking his head and getting to his feet. He did not like the idea that something had briefly been inside his head, but his body felt like his strength was already returning. Demici had perhaps done something to help and this place was nourishing in a way to those who knew the Dark Side.

”I can go on” he assured her, readying himself again “but I will keep my guard up now and not try that kind of thing again”. He should leave it to Demici to do the heavy lifting when it next came. “The source of all this can’t be far, can we still put an end to it?”.

@LadyRen