Retribution's Wake

[Gambler]

The world was a blurb. Its city was an obscure dot of population covering less than a tenth of the world. Civil war tore it apart. Families were gangs formed for protection. Fires burned constantly on the streets. Pyro-warfare and disposal of corpses. It was chaos in a nutshell.

At its heart stood a self-proclaimed prophet. He rode the chaos, relishing in the anarchy his words created. He was a figure of religious power, and he had to die.

Gabriel stood beneath the clouds. They shrouded the world in gray, a shade to match his eyes. A boy groveled before those eyes, shrinking away from the storm. Neither promised mercy. Neither foretold forgiveness.

"What do you know about him?" Gabriel asked.

"Nothing much," the boy replied. He hesitated a moment. "Sir..."

"Tell me what you know." His words were ponderously slow.

"Well, I just know what everyone else does. The guy's a symbol to most people. He gives them a way to survive out here, to turn all of the fighting into something else. He talks about strength and how only those with it will survive. He wants to help us become strong. He says..." the boy trailed off. He looked away from Gabriel.

"What?"

"Just that this is our reality. We can't depend on anyone but ourselves. Power gives us the right to do what we want. Those with it should be the ones on top. Everyone else should just die or get out of the way." The boy's eyes flickered.

"Where is he?" Gabriel asked.

"I dunno..."

"Don't you?" His voice was little more than a whisper.

"I..." The boy looked at Gabriel. He measured the older man, eyes weighing the odds. "Yes."

"Where?"

"In the old town hall," the boy said. "But I wouldn't go in there..."

"Why not?"

"Lots of people listen to him. And they wouldn't like it if you showed up asking questions." The boy paused. "Come to think of it, why are you asking about him? What do you want with him?"

"It's not what I want," Gabriel said. Thunder rumbled in the distance. "It's about what I've been told." He walked away, leaving the boy in confusion.

His steps took him down the street where a woman waited. Her dark eyes broke the gloom of the day, enticing. She was beautiful. Gabriel shook his head, expelling the image of cherries that bubbled to the surface. He couldn't help but wonder where the thought came from.

"Found him."

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste had remained silent, watching the clouds churning above. She was fascinated by the most random things, and for now the clouds captured her attention. She tilted her head to look at Gabriel when he spoke. She quickly looked down, still battling the odd memories of a certain bonfire some time ago. She looked past him, towards where he had walked back from.

"Wise to leave that one alive?"

She was slightly surprised at her own words. After seeing the deaths within the Sith's own ranks, she had grown accustomed to it. It was simply a small detail, a tiny solution to small, pesky problems. For now, she dropped the thought, looking down at her datapad.

"You'd think we'd be given more details on this guy.."

She took a step forth and felt a chill run up her spine. She took a step back and a blaster bolt zoomed past where her face had been. She simply sighed, shaking her head.

"Already?"

She ducked to the side as more blaster bolts rang out. Something had been off since their arrival into the city. There had been whispers and rumors circulating around the newcomers. Though the two had laid low, there was a tension in the air you could cut through. And now, all of that had reached a boiling point and the denizens chose to act.

Andraste ran into an alley, the bolts and shots ricochetting behind them. She wasn't too worried yet, but she knew they would be pulled into a crossfire at this rate. She continued running, looking to the side and catching a ladder that protruded from the side of a building. Andraste quickly made for it, preparing to climb up and onto the roof to hopefully throw off their pursuers. However, she turned to look back at Gabriel, scowling.

"You gave us away! At least tell me we're going the right direction!"

 

[Gambler]

Blaster fire rang out behind them. Gabriel moved out of the way, barely avoiding the first volley. He ducked into the alley after Andraste, the second volley on his heels. The bolts bounced against the walls, burning metal where they touched. Unintelligible shouting followed them.

"Perhaps not," Gabriel mumbled. His feet skidded across the ground, searching blindly for purchase. He used the wall as a guide, eyes following Andraste as she ran. The way her hair flowed as she ran reminded him of the ocean. It was a vague reminiscence, dreamlike.

He scrambled up the ladder, coming up short to avoid slamming into Andraste. Blank eyes met her furious ones.

"No," he said. "We have to get there." He pointed towards the center of the city. A circular building towered there. Ants fidgeted at the top. Its bottom was hidden in the cityscape. To get there, they would have to work their way through the war on the streets.

"Unless you're scared." A smile twitched at his lips.

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste gripped the edge of the roof and hauled herself up. The air was thinner here, the building erect above the smog down below. The sky rumbled above them, the clouds angrily swirling and preparing to unleash a raging storm that would make this situation ten times more difficult than it needed to be. Andraste paused to scowl at Gabriel.

"Scared? Why you little.."

She was interrupted by a series of yelling. The ladder they had climbed began to rattle, signaling that they had been found. Andraste peered over the edge, prepared to do a Force push to send a man toppling. However, he had his gun aimed right at her. She quickly jumped back as a blaster bolt shot off. She turned the opposite way and ran. Andraste knew they had little choice but to remain on the streets. Their best bet was to continue ducking into alleys and hiding from their pursuers.

As the first drops of rain sprinkled on her skin, Andraste quickly grasped a hold of a pipe on the side of the building. She quickly jumped over the edge, sliding down the length of the pipe and gracefully landing on her feet. Andraste glanced up once to see if Gabriel was coming before breaking into another run. She skidded to a halt as a man came at her from the side, brandishing a knife. She quickly grasped a hold of the Force, letting it coil around the man's legs like rope. She tugged on it, making him fall back. Without pausing, Andraste jumped over him and ran into yet another alley, calling out to Gabriel.

"What's your brilliant idea now?!"

She darted off to the left, having memorized the landscape from the rooftop. They would have to treat the city like a complicated maze with enemies at every turn. The fact that it had begun raining made things much more annoying.

 

[Gambler]

Rust crumbled between Gabriel's fingers as he slid down the pipe. The rattling of the ladder behind him, the shouting of his pursuers, the rumble of thunder in the distance. He kept his eyes on Andraste as he fled. If he lost her in here he doubted he'd ever find her. If he did, he guessed she'd be dead, assuming he wasn't killed first.

His feet twisted in pursuit, following her through the maze at every turn. Rain pattered to the ground. His hair was slick with it. Stray droplets found their way into his eyes, obscuring his vision. Andraste doubled in front of him before he blinked them away.

"Brilliance is hard to achieve consistently," he said. The rain increased around the next turn, fat droplets splashing onto them from above. "But I do have an idea." He grabbed Andraste's shoulder, dragging her to a stop. His hand flew away almost as fast as it had arrived a moment later.

"We walk." He nodded to a tightly knit group of people just outside the alley. They wore black bands on their arms and walked with grim determination.

"Perhaps we can find a friend... or five."

 

[Sreeya]

As Andraste ran, she turned around to comment on something. As she followed his line of sight, her eyes widened.

"Really, Gabriel? You're actually staring at my-"

More shots resounded, causing her to jump and dart off to the side. Andraste had lost her train of thought, scrambling to find her way around the city. The rain matted her hair to her shoulders, making it appear darker than it was. Her clothes felt heavier as well. She almost fell over when Gabriel abruptly grabbed her to stop her from running. Andraste nodded in agreement, walking towards the group. She spoke telepathically to Gabriel.

"They could be his lackeys looking for us. Let's take them down while we have the element of surprise."

With that, she accumulated the Force energy around her. She closed her eyes, gathering and manipulating the tendrils of life around them. She molded it within her hand, as if she were shaping clay. She curled the Force up into a ball, compressing it between the group. Andraste looked over at Gabriel and nodded at him to warn him to prepare. She looked back at the group and let go of the ball of energy.

It was an invisible explosion. Every individual was sent flying off in different directions, completely toppled off their feet and on the ground. The shock had made it so they remained on the ground, vacantly staring at the clouds wondering what had happened. Andraste did not ease off, springing into action right away. She drew her durasteel blade, swinging it with grace she had acquired from her training with Vereor. Within moments, crimson splashed the streets, diluted by water so the pink flowed all around their feet. The storm raged above, thunder booming and completely muffling the cries of shock and pain. She kept her mental connection with Gabriel open to keep track of his movements. They needed to coordinate in order to drop every last enemy.

 

[Gambler]

"Impressive," Gabriel said. Bodies flew across the opening, tossed around like rag dolls. He watched Andraste move in for the kill, blade drawn. He couldn't help but notice the curve of her hips while she did. Her grace was refined, far more than it had been when they killed the Arkanian. She was a beautiful mess. Water matted her hair, blood streaked her clothes. Perfection in its entirety.

Gabriel drew his blade. He jumped in after Andraste, striking out at the nearest figure. His target was helpless. The man was still reeling from Andraste's blast. He didn't have time to comprehend Gabriel's attack. Blood splattered from his head. It ran thick for a moment, diluting as it came in contact with the rain. Gabriel moved on.

He stepped forward, meeting the next man mid-rise. His blade found the man's jugular. There was sickeningly little resistance to his strike. The man attempted to grab at the blade, but dropped before getting a grip.

The last man had ample time to prepare himself. He drew a pistol, carefully locking it onto Gabriel's back. He fired. A single white bolt flew home. Gabriel spun at the sound, swinging his blade around to intercept. The two collided. The bolt disappeared. The blade disintegrated.

Gabriel looked into the man's eyes, anger building between his fingers. It cackled as it grew, erupting in an arc of electricity. The man screamed. His body spasmed beneath the onslaught, unable to cope with the energy pouring into him. Gabriel cut off his lightning when the man's screams died. He picked up the fallen pistol, eying it with a speculative gleam.

"And yes, I was staring at your—." He smirked.

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste backed off from the last man she killed, wiping the blood off her blade, though the rain washed most of it away. She looked down at all the dead bodies. For a moment it looked as if she had regretted her actions. She spoke a moment later.

"Dammit, I hope all the clothes aren't stained with blood.."

She looked over to Gabriel, not having missed his display of lightning. It was far more advanced than their pathetic attempt at igniting flames. He looked different after a battle, electricity elegantly swirling around his fingers like a serpent. His dark hair was plastered to his face, and for a moment she noticed a single drop of rain slide down his forehead, down the bridge of his nose, gather at the tip and remain there precariously before slowly dropping down to a pool of blood on the ground below. His gray eyes reflected the sky above, something she hadn't noticed at first. And then he spoke.

Andraste scowled immediately, rolling her eyes and walking over to a dead body. She kicked him over onto his back, delighted to note that he wasn't completely soaked in blood. After much effort, she peeled off the outer layers of his clothing, piling them on top of her own. She also grabbed the band on his arm, folding it over so it fit her small bicep. Andraste also rummaged through the bodies till she found a vibrosword and a blaster. Not quite a lightsaber, but it would do. She placed the sword on her back using a strap, putting the blaster at her hip. She tied a bandana over her head, copying one of the members. She finally looked up at Gabriel.

"So, do I look convincing?"

 

[Gambler]

Gabriel followed suit. He dressed himself in a dead man's clothes, tying the bandana to his arm. Blood streaked the collar of his shirt. The rain obscured it, casting it in pink. He changed in front of Andraste without discretion. Modesty could wait.

"You look..." he began. His eyes roamed Andraste's body. "Good," he said after a pause. The back of her clothes was torn from the fall to the ground, soaked through with rain, and partially stained with blood, but the way she carried herself pulled it off.

"Let's get going," he said. He walked away. He propped his chin, slacked his shoulders, and loosened his steps. Confidence oozed from his every pore. Artificial, but convincing. He led them through the city maze into yet another group of men. He smiled at them.

They didn't smile back.

 

[Sreeya]

Beads of sweat began to line her forehead. She was rooted in place, standing next to Gabriel. Both of them looked ridiculous in their wannabe street gang clothing. However, she knew that the absurdity of their clothing was not the problem here. Andraste took a step back, and then another. The sound of multiple guns being cocked erupted all around them. She audibly gulped. She racked her brain for all the means of using the Force she could apply, but they were surrounded from all sides. She sent a telepathic message to Gabriel.

"Do you think the bandana on my head was a bit too much?"

"DON'T move a muscle."

A large, beefy man with absolutely no neck walked over to them. She could hear his slightly labored breathing from a distance away and couldn't help but notice the particles of food left behind on his beard. He exuded a lovely scent of garlic and foul body odor that even the rain couldn't wash away. A tall and lanky young man came up to stand beside him.

"What shoulds we do wit' 'em boss?"

"The Prophet will want to see them. He foretold of their arrival. I didn't know they were working with our enemies, however.."

He grimaced. He nodded to the others and a group of men came over to abruptly grab Andraste and Gabriel. She struggled at first, but a gun on her temple stopped her. Within seconds, they were bound and blindfolded. She remained silent as they were taken on a long walk. She maintained her mental connection with Gabriel, using his Force signature as a beacon.

After what seemed like hours, they were hastily shoved into a small space. The blindfolds were snatched off and Andraste blinked as light abruptly flashed against her eyes. A silhouette backed away from them and a door rolled and slammed, with the jingling of keys telling her they were locked in. She heard a voice laughing.

"Shouldn't be too long before he comes by and kills you two. If it was me I woulda skinned you both alive."

Without another word, he walked away. Andraste looked around and was horrified to learn that they were in a cell. She desperately struggled against the cuff on her wrist, but to no avail. She spotted Gabriel next to her and glared. She noticed her cuff was linked to his. For a long moment she said nothing, letting the reality of their situation sink in. She finally spoke at last.

"Why..why is it that it's always some kind of horrible mess with you? Why can't we ever land somewhere nice and peaceful? Why is it always you?!"

The desire to strangle him was almost overwhelming.

 

[Gambler]

"Me?" Gabriel scoffed. He pulled against the bonds around his wrists and ankles, tugging Andraste along with him. They were bound back to back, wrists and ankles entwined. Crossing links made it impossible for one to move without the cooperation of the other. Even if they could manage that coordination, they would have to break the cuffs on their ankles.

"Always?" His eyebrow arched. His weight pressed against Andraste, preventing him from moving anything more than his head. He struggled to turn his neck to face her ear. Being met with mixed success, he sighed.

"This is the first time," he said. "As if it's my fault we landed in here." He could imagine her glare. It burned the sides of his skull just thinking about it.

"I wasn't the one who jumped those guys."

 

[Sreeya]

"What?!"

She suddenly spoke in a very high pitched mocking voice, quoting him.

""We have to get there, unless you're scaaared.""

She shoved against his back to let him know she was annoyed, as she couldn't glare at him properly. She stared ahead at the wall, her eyes boring holes into it.

"If we did this my way, we could have gone through the rooftops instead of being down here at all!"

She slightly turned her head to try and face him.

"I even warned you about my plan! You could have chimed in any time!"

She paused for a moment before topping off her comment.

"And you probably would have been more useful if you hadn't wasted time staring at my behind instead of thinking of ways to get us out!"

 

[Gambler]

"Yes, we'd be on the rooftops... being shot up from behind," Gabriel sneered. Genuine anger blossomed in his eyes. He was angry at her anger. He was angry at her accusations.

"I wonder where you were staring," he said. "My staring showed us those other guys. You would have had us running in endless circles, dodging bullets at every turn." He paused.

"Perhaps for the best. I did catch quite a view." His laughter was mocking.

 

[Sreeya]

"Where was your pretty lightning when we were being chased?!"

She struggled against her binds, anger flaring out from within her. She could tell he was agitated as well, and it made her angrier. What right did he have to be mad when this was clearly his fault?! She barely let him finish before interrupting.

"None of this would have happened if you hadn't tried to act all cryptic and mysterious around that stupid boy and killed him instead! Who the hell are you trying to impress?!"

She gasped slightly at his next words.

"I'm just glad you didn't try groping me like your attempts at the bonfire.."

Without giving him a chance to respond immediately, she abruptly shoved back harshly. This would make them fall on the floor, with him on the bottom face down. There was no doubt about it. She was angry.

 

[Gambler]

"Wha—" he cut off as he hit the ground. Hard. His breath fled, but he didn't give her the satisfaction of a grunt. He shoved back, pushing them onto their sides.

"Impress? I don't have anything to prove," he said. "If not for the boy we'd never have known where we were going." The links rattled on the floor.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "The only one making passes at the bonfire was you." He pulled against the cuffs binding their wrists.

"Do you even remember what you said?"

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste winced as she was shoved onto her side, slamming her arm into the ground. The hard floor collided against her elbow. She stifled the pain, just as infuriated as him.

"I meant killing him after he answered, idiot!"

Her eyes widened at his preposterous accusations. She swiftly rolled over again, onto her back on top of his so he was pinned to the floor. The motion was painful for her, but it was still more miserable for him. The rain had made their clothes cling together.

"Me making passes?! You had your arm around me! Who knows what you would have done if Andelka hadn't come along!"

She yanked back against the cuffs to try and irritate him more.

"I just remember your poetic babbling riddled with obscure metaphors!"

Her voice was suddenly quiet. She was glad he couldn't see her face slowly turning pink.

 

[Gambler]

Gabriel winced as he hit the floor again. His elbows cracked, absorbing the majority of the impact. To get his arms into that position he had to tear at the cuffs, ripping Andraste's arms along with his.

"He was weak," he said. "No different than..." He narrowed his eyes.

"Poetic babbling?" he scoffed. "I remember nothing of the sort. I remember you staring at me and laying all sorts of names on me." His composure was gone. His mask of ennui shattered.

"'Night sky,'" he mocked, "'where is Gabriel? He isn't so bad. I want him with me.'" His tone was poison.

"There was more too. But I can't quite remember after you grabbed my hand..."

 

[Sreeya]

Her face was completely red, and she stared up angrily at the ceiling. She abruptly slammed her head back against his, but unfortunately that left them both in pain. Angry at herself for her poor decision, she was fuming as he spoke. Her body physically contorted inward as his words embarrassed her to no ends. Unfortunately, being so closely attached to her meant he could feel it. Andraste decided to try and mask it. She attempted to elbow him on the side.

"You're right, who wouldn't want you after you drop tantalizing gems like 'your hair looks like..black'."

She spat the words right back at him.

"Grab your hand?! You're the one that grabbed my hand and made me sit next to you!"

Andraste rolled over yet again, but this time to the side so he slammed against the bars of the cell door.

"And I think we both remember that moment where you were intently staring at my face like a creep until Andelka interrupted.."

 

[Gambler]

Gabriel's head exploded in pain. He gritted his teeth to suppress a grunt, turning it into a growl at Andraste's words. He hit the cell bars before he could voice a reply. This time he didn't even bother suppressing the grunt.

"I don't recall any resistance," he said. "You grabbed my hand to bring me in circles around the fire. I sat down. You leaned in to stare into my eyes," he spat.

"Even after Andelka came along you kept it up. She had to all but pry you away from me," he sneered.

"I wonder how much you've forgotten..." He paused. "Or want to forget." His voice was a whisper.

 

[Sreeya]

Andraste grinned in satisfaction as he grunted in pain. However, her arm was twisted awkwardly and his weight was partially on it, which made it excruciating. She wouldn't let him catch wind of this, and she exhaled slowly to bite back the pain.

"You didn't just sit down, you fell over and wanted to drag me with you! I bet you were aiming for the ground and have me fall on you but your butt landed on a log instead!"

She growled at his words.

"'Stare into your eyes?' What the hell, are we in a holo-movie?!"

His next words almost made her spit out more accusations at him, but she stopped herself. There was a moment of pause where she simply gazed up at the ceiling, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Speaking of want to forget... what was all that mumbo jumbo about a lost love? Are you some sort of hopeless romantic? Is that why you joined the Sith?"

She sneered, knowing she probably stumbled onto something. It was his turn to cringe.