Ask Reversing the Curse

[Arla]

Per my new OP template, thread is death enabled​

The story that Arla had heard was that Telos was all but cursed for the Empire. Darth Andruil had come here once years ago and battled the Grandmaster to a stalemate, more recently the Imperial military had launched a campaign to annex the planet only to be met with stiff resistance, infiltrators, and a failure to take the planet.

Arla - perhaps foolishly - had set her sights on the planet for her own personal reasons, and she knew she would have her work cut out for her. She'd already started bringing in assets to deal with this, and she had ideas for assembling others.

The first step had been to reach out to the Duke and have teams of his Anzati assassins come to the planet. They had begun hunting and feeding on important members of TSF. For her part, Arla had arrived not only to assist in the removal of influential members, but also to scout out and eliminate key defensive targets in advance of the main invasion. In other words, there was a lot of work to do.

While she let the Anzati hunt their prey within the cities and the capital, Arla and her partner had set their sights on the governor's manor. They weren't worried about blowback or carnage here. This was the predecessor to a full invasion, so there was no subtlety required.

She'd weighed the possibility of simply calling down fire from the skies to consume the whole manor, but that was a lot of destruction even for a job like this.

Be ready for a fight, she said to Celeste. Nice to see you again. Doing well? she asked. The two had worked together on multiple occasions at this point, and Arla was finally becoming a bit more comfortable working around the other woman.

Before the main invasion, there's some traveling I'll need to do to gather forces, she said. In addition to the traditional Imperial forces, she had her own hopes for forces that might manage to work on a more "specific" group of targets.

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Telos was surely an interesting target and Celeste had not hesitated to answer the message Arla had sent her. From a strategic perspective, Telos made sense, but Arla seemed especially driven about the planet. Their endeavor wasn't fully straight forward and they were required to put in plenty of work and efforts in various areas, but Celeste was absolutely eager to help.

After Centares, they had been on their little mission on Rattatak and ever since they had repeatedly met to train the two Saber Wolf puppies they had taken under their wings and so she was looking forward to meeting her again. So far, the duo had worked together perfectly and without any fuss and for Telos they had even planned to introduce their pups for their first actual assignment.

The wolves had grown and almost reached their full size, while still not being fully mature though. It had turned out that they had found them at the perfect age, old enough to survive on meat and stil, young enough to bond from the very start. They showed obvious signs of loyalty and protectiveness already, but naturally, they were just as feisty and often slightly rebellious which was notorious for their age. For now though, they stayed on the shuttle before they'd get them.

As from a work perspective, Celeste had been overly busy within the last months as once Rattatak had been secured again, she had been involved in a few military missions that secured both Tibrin and Endor. She wasn't really catching any breaks but didn't mind that actually. She was glad she had received her freedom again and was thankful for all the things she had learnt."It's good to see you too, Arla" a genuine smile tugged on the corners of her lips, "I've been productive. It's surely been an eventful time, but good nonetheless. How about yourself?". She was now putting away the datapad after having reviewed the details she had given her so far. "Good. I'm coming with you. Everything seems to work according to plan right now, right?". The smile spread as she nodded to the shuttle. "How do you feel about brining our companions while traveling?".

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla looked out to the other woman as she climbed out of the ship and looked across the valley to the governor's manor.

Congratulations on your probation being over. Champion now? she asked. She cast a glance back toward the ship and the pups who were aboard, thinking about Celeste's question. She was wary of letting Fenris be put in harm's way, but she needed to put it behind her and entrust that the animal was capable of taking care of himself.

Fenris, priyti! she shouted back toward the ship, the saberwolf scrambling down the ship ramp and quickly coming over, tail wagging and nuzzling up against her as she knelt down to scratch behind his ears.

As soon as we hit the compound, we'll have a fight on our hands. With the Anzati out dealing with senior officers and us dealing with the governor, when the main assault comes, they should be less organized than they were during the last failed invasion, she said.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

The governor's mansion was already in sight and the electrobinocs helped to make out more details. The mansion was obviously guarded, but she expected them not to be ready for what was about to hit him them at all. She turned back to Arla, lips curled into a soft smile. "Thanks. Yes, the rank is official restored" from the very first second on, she had fought for this and regardless of rocky the road had been, she had pressed on. This was still just the beginning, but it was good to be back.

As Arla called for Fenris, Celeste waited for the first pup - or now actually almost adult wolf - to emerge, before she turned towards her ship, calling her companion in ancient Sith. "Asha, stai!". Right after the wolf had picked up her name, she already came darting down the ramp, leaping of the last meters and excitedly greeting all three of them, first Celeste herself by bringing the cold, wet snout against her palm, nuzzling up against it, then sniffing around Arla, tail still excitedly wagging while gently nudging her as well, before she started to playfully greet her brother.

"Quorit" Celeste warned her calmly but determinantly and the wolf immediately reacted obediently by stopping and sitting down next to Celeste. Asha had always been more excitable than her brother, which was why Celeste often had to correct her before things were getting out of hand, but usually she behaved well when she had to focus, which had admittedly taken plenty of practice, but it seemed absolutely worth it.

She returned her attention to Arla, nodding at what she outlined and agreeingly adding:"Yes. If they most influential targets are all down, they'll have problems with organizing themselves when we strike in the midst of the chaos. Could you make out special defensive systems we should be aware of?". She still wanted to know, otherwise they'd simply do more scouting. "I'm ready" she added, already being clad in her uniform, a lightsaber and a blaster clipped to her belt, just like a regular utility kit.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla could help the wide smile that pulled across her lips as she watched the two wolves. She loved them both, and considered a way to provide them with protection if they continued to accompany her into battle.

Apparently, TSF is no slouches, she said. They've already managed to repel an Imperial assault through ingenuity and deception, so I'd expect more of the same, she said.

Other than that, my plan is pretty much a little sneaking and a lot of brute force, she admitted honestly. Scorched earth if we have to, there's nothing in the manor that we need, per se, she added.

They were launching this invasion with fewer assets and troops than the last General had, but she was bringing in more unofficial assets by means of the Anzati and - eventually, hopefully - the Kaleesh. It was why they had to be more tactical in their approach rather than the brute force, arguable incompetence of the former General. Thus far, Arla had been quite impressed with Colonel Darath and her Battalion.

Best get to it, she said, starting to make her way across the small valley between them and the estate. Night would be falling soon, and that would hopefully work to their advantage with their heightened senses in the Force, but she also knew that not knowing the environment could be a disadvantage as well.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Despite them being well trained enough, Celeste was aware of the fact that a single blaster bullet could end their lives as they were neither able to deflect a bolt, nor sense them coming, nor did their fur provide enough protection.

It was her top priority to defend their lives, remembering well how Arla had talked about loyalty back then. The wolves would never betray nor question a single order. The animals would protect the women, just like Arla and Celeste would protect them in return. Their bond was already strong and it would continue to grow, given this would all work out they way they had intended.

"Oh...so that's interesting. Sounds like we can't underestimate them and that we have to stay on our guard" she concluded. The wolves were obviously well aware of their surroundings as well and naturally perceptive, yet they didn't possess the same ethereal senses they did.

"Good. So no unnecessary finesse in terms of the execution". It was indeed good to know that sensitivity was not required, yet sneaking in seemed like a fair point. If they could surprise them, they could clearly exploit certain advantages.

She wasn't exactly worried, but already slightly tense given the circumstances and that Telos had shown actual resistance in the past, but as long as they didn't know what hit them first, it would all work out somehow. She nodded again, gesturing for Asha to follow at heel while she began to move. Celeste immediately squinted, trying to make out potential scouts from them in the distance, but the coast seemed clear for now. "If we don't need the mansion per se, maybe we should consider fire as a plan B...how good are you with pyrokinesis?". Celeste had gotten used to her magick and signing and she still found it absolutely fascinating, yet Arla regularly surprised her with it.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Priyti! she said again and Fenris fell into step just beside her, playfully pawing at Asha as they went. Arla saw no reason to stop them from their playing, and simply pressed on so long as the pups kept up.

I'm sure pyrokinesis will come into play, she said with a smirk. In truth, Arla was eager to let the full weight of her skills come to bear. It seemed most of her missions had been built around sneaking, stealth, and the occasional manipulation, but she wanted to test the limits of not only her magick, but the Sith magic that she had begun to learn. In other words, she wanted to really test what she - and the many skills she had acquired since joining the Sith - could do.

They made it to the edge of the compound without too much trouble. After all, most patrols didn't run outside the facility, but once they were inside, they would have full reign.

She made it to the outer walls and looked up, mouth twisting up slightly as she looked at it. I'm going to go for high ground and rain fire - literal or proverbial - on them, she said.

You want to track the Governor while I draw attention? she asked.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It was almost dusk and so they could actually move without being spotted. While the two moved rather quietly, the pups occasionally snarled, whimpered and growled while engaged in some playful bantering. Celeste threw some warning gazes back every now and then when the soundscape switched into barking and louder howls, which was, however, enough to lower their levels of excitement enough.

"Awesome" she replied with a smirk, returning her attention to Arla, actually excited to see her in action again. As long as they wouldn't necessarily teleport again, she was down to witness more of her skills. Finally at the mansion, they slowed down and Celeste focused on the pups, not only gesturing for them to stay attentive, but also by analyzing their body language.

None of them showed signs of alertedness, proving to her that there was still no one nearby. She herself reached out with the Force to double check, but it seemed like the real fun would begin on the inside. "Sure. You're planning on taking Fenris with you or should I take both inside to track?". Celeste knew she could take him with her, but doubted whether up on the high ground would be a useful position for them. Tracking was something they were obviously good at, which they had fortified through continous training, and while the pups obviously had their respected owner to whom they were unreservedly loyal, their shared trainings session had ensured that if either Arla or Celeste wasn't around, they'd still listen to the other, so Celeste was prepared to do both.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla glanced back at her wolf and the question that Celeste posed. It was a difficult one to answer because although the entrance Arla was about to make wasn't suited to the wolf, someone else commanding the pup would be difficult because she had trained him to respond to commands in Dathomiri.

She knelt down and reached out, placing a hand on Fenris' chin and scratching, though the gesture was a sign of affection, it also allowed her spirit and his to more easily meld in the astral plane, and she focused on him, communing with his spirit as they mixed. She instructed him to follow Celeste and heed her commands for the time being, to let her will become his own.

A smile came to her lips all the same and when she let her spirit slam back into her body once again, she stood and backed away.

You'll have to impress your will on him in the Force. Let him feel your desires, she said. It was, effectively, an animal bond she would have to use rather than more traditional commands, but Fenris was also smart enough not to need excessive command anyway.

With that settled, Arla pulled on the Shadow, letting energy from beyond flow into her. Her arms waved in a serious of gestures and she uttered an incantation in ur-Kittat before a shadow of misty darkness fell over here. Her arms and legs began to partially elongate as if she were becoming shadow and mist herself. It was precisely her goal, and the means by which she would enter the facility.

She let her arms and legs cling to the wall, scaling the outside as she clung to the shadows, crawling along the ground until she reached a point she deemed advantageous to begin her assault.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste saw her consider the possibilities and ponder on the question for a moment. While Celeste had gotten used to the Dathomiri words she was regularly using, her pronunciation was obviously not fully on point and she also hadn't internalized all commands or whatsoever.

Additionally, adressing the wolves in Dathomiri and Sith simultaneously could lead to confusion, especially because she had to stay in control of the situation as well and not invest all focus into code switching between three languages, so this had to be thought out properly.

Asha was already busy nudging her with the cold snout, apparently wanting to move, which brought a smirk to her lips. This was when Arla had concluded she'd take both wolves with her to track down the governor and Celeste nodded agreeingly, having trained her animal bond abilities over the past few weeks. "Good. I'll lead both this way". It was effective with Asha and it would be easier go do it with both than switching between verbal commands and impressing her will on Fenris through the Force. "Take care. I'll try to stay in contact" through telepathy, this wouldn't be difficult, however Celeste was about to do some very draining multi-tasking.

While Asha glanced up to her already, tail slowly wagging, signaling both attention and readiness, Fenris gaze remained on Arla for a little longer. Celeste reached out with the Force, gently finding her way into both wolves, connecting the three of them through it and promoting the pups to get going. Celeste still saw Arla transform, which was fascinating once again, but as they had to hurry as well, they two women split ways now.

Celeste guided the wolves into the compound and around the first corners before she urged them to halt. She had already seen their ears twitch while simultaneously sensing someone approach, and thus hurried in front of them to take the first guard out as quietly as possible. Her goal was not to raise any attention before Arla would wreck havoc from above, wanting to prevent the Govenor from fleeing.

While she commanded both wolves to wait for a moment, she sneaked into the room in front of them, realizing that this one guard was alone and busy reading something on his datapad, hence she reached out and cut her way into his mind without hesitation, rummaging through his consciousness to retrieve information on where the governor currently was.

It turned out that the man had no clue as he was just patrolling, but she could find the location of his private quarters that actually weren't too far off and so she decided to head their next, either finding him or a scent for the wolves. The guard's mouth began to foam while her incision into his mind had left him shattered, so there was nothing more she could do with him. She called the pups back in, actually prompting Fenris to finish him off to test how well their bond was working. Arla's pup didn't hesitate at all, Celeste's will being impressed on him through the Force so that he cracked the bones of his neck without further ado. Asha was curiously watching, fortunately not letting out any sounds of excitement out before the three continued moving in tight formation, Celeste flanked by both wolves to stop any possible blaster bolts, pressing on through the halls.

They crossed paths with a few more duos or lonely guards which Celeste caught in a stasis while simultaneously commanding the wolves to attack through the Force. They worked surpingly well all together despite the constant focusing drained her a little, but it seemed like they were still in the outer ring of the compound as they didn't encounter any higher ranked employees of the govenor.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla was off and over the wall in short order, creeping like a literal shadow through the compound and doing her best to avoid being spotted. Even as she came to a lit area that she had to cross, she let the darkness flow through her, closing the distance quickly like something out of a horror movie, her predator's instincts taking over.

The Shadow flowed through her mist-like arms and legs, lashing out to wrap around a man's ankle and lift him into the air, her arm elongating into something straight out of a horror movie as her other arm which now looked more like a shadow spear than an arm, slammed through his sternum and out the other side. He let out a dying scream, but at this point, it didn't matter.

Shadow-Arla continued on, pressing up the side of the building to the roof of the highest unit of the compound, and let her body pull back together into a corporeal form.

And now it was time to bring death.

As guards came to investigate the screams of their now-dead comrade, Arla opened herself fully to the Shadow and became an avatar of darkness.

Her arms twisted through the air as her lips muttered words in Dathomiri, hands coming together before she thrust them apart. A web of glowing green runes briefly lit the air in front of her before spewing out a dozen concussion bolts, streaking down to the courtyard below where the man had been killed.

They peppered over the area, cutting down two of the guards as the alarms began to blare. It was her show. All eyes on me.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

There were just a few surveillance cameras she spotted, but those she could quickly break through the Force. It still seemed like no one was alerted, even though two massive Saberwolves roamed through the halls together with a Sith whose uniform was already a little sprayed with dark red blood.

She guided the wolves forward, however she was always the first one to secure the enemies before she let both Fenris and Asha gain some field practice. The range of guards they encountered left the realm of the living one by one and soon there were huge, bloddy paw prints on the floor before they reached the governor's private quarters.

Celeste immediately opened the door, however finding an empty room. "Scent it is" she quietly said to herself, reaching into the wolves and guiding them in, commanding them to gather the governor's scent before letting them guide her afterwards.

Celeste stayed attentive and in control of the situation, watching the pups signal cues about incoming patrols and continued to take them out. After the wolves seemed to grow more excited while getting closer to the governor, a loud alarm started blaring through the halls and so she knew they had either spotted her traces or Arla's shadow. Good. There was no need to be subtle anymore. She thus broke into a sprint, leaving the pups slightly behind her and moving forward more hurriedly, hoping to catch the governor quick enough.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

As she watched several people knocked dead by the impact of her attacks, she had a moment to focus her attention elsewhere. Namely to Celeste.

I have their attention, what's your status? she asked, also secretly hoping that Fenris was doing all right. Not that that was technically the highest priority. They needed the governor dead, and then they could get out of here and onto the next portion of this whole takeover.

In the meantime, more guards had begun to flow out, and Arla reached out to the electrical outlet near her, letting the energy from it flow into the Shadow. She let it arc and redirect, drawing straight from the power grid and crackle through the air. She could feel it supercharging the air, causing the few strand of her hair not in a braid to frizz and stand on end.

She directed it downward, crashing onto the troops now taking cover in the courtyard. Even before it was in position, she could feel the repeating blaster that was being brought up from the basement security office, opening fire on the balcony she stood on only to find that she was gone already.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Sprinting through the hallways, it weren't just here own steps that echoed through the corridors, but also the eight massive paws from the wolves which were, however, obviously not at full speed, that rhythmically resounded through the halls.

"They've got-", the panicking voice of the next, now fleeing guard was cut off by the two paws of Fenris, claws obviously digging through the light armor according to the pained cries that followed and the body immediately crashing to the ground as the sheer mass and speed of the wolf had collided with the woman.

Fenris immediately crushed her neck with his massive jaw, just as Asha was simultaneously literally biting an arm off another guard, mercilessly ripping the flesh apart and leaving a gashing wound while Celeste force choked the life out of a third one. The Sith was, however, forced to hurl the body towards a fourth, rather heavily armored guard who toppled over, but immediately pushed himself back to his feet and aiming towards the nearest wolf, in this case Asha.

Celeste was forced to stop the blaster bolt first, catching it mid air and hurling in back, however realizing that the armor was resistant against such light fire. She let out an annoyed growl while she charged forward, activating the lightsaber and suddenly hearing Arla inside of her head.

She didn't immediately answer, but dealt with the adversary first by ending him with the crimson bladed lightsaber before she called back the wolves from the dying, bleeding and crying bodies on the ground. 'We're good, getting close. The governor can't be far' she informed her, reaching out and into the wolves again, sensing that their target was actually close by through the pups.

In fact, they led her towards a thick, obviously locked durasteel door that looked like the entrance to a meeting chamber, and judging from the wolves excited whimpers and their attempts to scratch the door, they had found what they've been looking for. 'I'll be right back. We might have him cornered'. The alarm was still filling the halls and the chaos was just about to begin, but as Celeste brought her lightsaber through the control panel first, she couldn't help but to smirk.

The metal hissed against her saber and she could hear the locking mechanism retract its bolts. The door remained closed, but she reached out with the Force and started to pull it open, preparing to deal with whatever waited inside while commanding the wolves to stand back first.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla only half-heard what Celeste was saying, but the gist was that they were close.

Arla had already moved down from the platform when the light repeater got on site, and she was already maneuvering to flank them, bringing the Shadow to bear in spectacular fashion once again. Her hand rose, twisting into a Sign as she conjured shards of sharpened ice and sent them spewing into the men on the sides.

Like a shotgun blast, they tore through flesh and impaled the men at various points, but she was unrelenting. Her other hand came around with another Sign and a blast of fire leapt from between her fingers, slamming into them and charring skin and lungs alike.

She could sense that they were losing their resolve, and she played into that, drinking in the pain and fear that filled the air, amplifying it, and letting it pour back out of her and into the air... into their minds. The less experienced soldiers fled, but ultimately, they had little chance against her regardless.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Without the durastell bolts sealing the door, it immediately budged, revealing...an empty anteroom. What she could already sense though was that behind the next, much thinner pneumatic door, was obviously more than one living man, at least half a dozen even.

She moved inside, internally called the wolves back in after her and pulled the door shut. Both pups were also baring their teeth, licking the remains of the other guards from their dark red, blood-stained snouts, readily growling in unison in a low, deep rumble. 'Not yet' she mentally commanded them to stand back once again, planning to weaken the enemies once again in order to avoid getting the pups into a dangerous situation.

She could feel how especially Asha was growing more and more ferocious and blood thirsty, obviously sensing that Celeste was threatened by the waiting foes as well, but Celeste kept them both at bay while waiting behind her. It seemed like the governor and his trusted soldier were waiting for Celeste to break in, but she had something else in mind.

She stopped in front of the closed doors, the images of the torn enemies whirling through her mind while their agonized shouts kept echoing through her head. She let it feed her, continuously drawing from it while she reached out with the Force and into the minds of the clueless men waiting in the next room.

With a precise incision, she bore into their subconscious, stirring up all the terror and the dread she could conjured encompassing them all with the Force horror she was inflicting on them. She could hear the first cries break through the still blaring alarm, sensing how the darkness that had derived from deep inside her spread and get amplified by the terrors they were just encountering. She drew from their fear and from the madness that loudly arose at the other side of the door until she could feel them going down one my one.

She herself felt the drain, but kept holding on with gritted teeth before she finally stepped closer, opening the door and sending both wolves in at once. The guards they found on the ground were all shaking, desperate trying to cover their eyes and ears in an attempt escape the horrors, but there was nothing saving them from the mental assault. The wolves stormed through the room, mercilessly tearing what was left of the humans apart before Celeste stopped her attack and took it all in. 'I think we've got him' she informed Arla, reaching into Asha's mind an double-checking on the scent again, but they had absolutely tracked the right guy as even his different robes seemed to give him away. So now all they could do was setting this compound on fire to wipe the rest of them out.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla had never felt so alive in all of her years. There was a dominant power in being here and being in a position where no one could stop her. It wasn't that she enjoyed killing because that wasn't really the way she had ever been, but she savored feeling the Shadow flow so freely through her. She savored the fact that no one could stop her, and she realized for the first time that this must be how her parents felt all the time. It was... exhilarating.

Good, kill him and we can go, she said as she sidestepped another blaster shot.

She slammed her hands together, brought them low, and then flung them upward. Spikes erupted from the ground and slammed through the man who had fired at her, impaling him to the ground and causing him to slump forward.

Meet you out front or you need support? she asked.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

The adrenaline was still pumping through her veins as she caught her breath for a moment. 'Done. We're headed towards the exit' she replied to Arla, calling the pups back to her as they had mercilessly finished their blood bath.

How did Arla usually praise Fenris again? Celeste couldn't remember the exact wording, so she squatted down for a moment, deactivating her lightsaber and scratching both wolf chins for a few moments while additionally expressing the praise through the animal bond and thus with the Force. They had done an excellent job, even obeyed better than expected and better than usual through verbal commands, but well, that was why animal bonds were so efficient. It had been a totally new experience for Celeste as well and she had found it thrilling, but the constant focus had also drained her a little.

The fluffy tails were wagging happily even though both pups were completely drenched in the enemy's blood. It was good that their own hadn't been spilled at all and Celeste was very relieved because of that. Asha first licked across her bare hand before she aimed for her face, but Celeste was fortunately quick enough to pull back and avoid getting covered in a mixture of saliva and blood.

Without further ado she urged them both to follow her again while Celeste navigated them back through the corridors, lightsaber activated once again, but it seemed like the main focus had actually laid on on Arla as not many guards crossed her path on her way back. What was obvious was that the path of destruction, blood and guts functioned like a bread crumb trail actually and the three of them soon hasted out of the same exit they had used as an entrance before, waiting for Arla. It had sounded like had been successful as well, and judging from the chaos that raged inside, Celeste had missed quite a show.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

For a moment, the courtyard was silent. Most of the guards had fled, and Arla was left standing alone. The alarm seemed to have stopped, though she didn't know why, and she was left to look at the carnage that she had caused.

Death lay at her feet and the scent of burned flesh and scorched earth filled the air. And for a long moment, she simply stood there, watching the way the blood trickled down the spike of earth and into the dirt below.

She could almost hear the teachings of the Clan Mothers in her head. "The Rancor does not concern itself with the thoughts of the bantha." For one to live, another had to die. It was nature's order, and though she took no joy in this death before her, it was a necessary sacrifice. It was simply the circle of life. She was the apex predator on this planet, and those who did not move out of her way would find the danger of her talons.

She touched a finger to the top of his head for a moment, feeling the hair under her finger, but her eyes never left the blood. It was almost mesmerising. It was far from the first time she had killed or even blooded something or someone, but there was something this time that was different. Captivating. She couldn't quite pull her eyes from it until she heard Celeste over the comlink.

She let out a quiet breath and took a slow, relaxed step back.

Heading out, she said simply and with a single last glance at the impaled body, turned to make for the exit.

By the time she made it outside, she smiled to see Fenris doing well and in one piece, though slightly covered in blood.

Who's a good boy! she exclaimed, bending to pet him for a moment but knowing they needed to keep moving.

Khoroshiy mal'chik! she said before standing and heading with speed back in the direction of the ship.

Come on, we can get cleaned up in transit, she said.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Despite feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her, Celeste was still rather exhilarated from this first important, successful mission. She stayed attentive while she waited for Arla, closing her eyes and focusing on the Force all around them, even sensing the wolves heartbeats and how they were finally slowing down as well.

She reopened her eyes, watching the pups playfully snap at one another and occasionally shaking their red tainted fur. There was not much life perceivable on the inside, but she could still sense the remains of Arla's shadow and while she hadn't witnessed the show, she could very well imagine what her companion might have inflicted on them all.

As she finally reappeared, a relieved smile was tugging at her lips while Fenris gretted her happily. "He's been a very good boy indeed. I was literally impressed by their obedience. They even seemed to have fun" it was truly impressive to see how they had managed to reverse the polarity in their canine minds. The Rattataki Saber Wolves were usually known for their cautious, defensive behavior, but as they had gotten them at such a perfectly young age, they had been able to form their responsive behavior and even redirect their instincts. Celeste had been thus grateful for Arla's knowledge of animal bonds and had massively contributed to those processes with it.

"Yeah...seems like the four of us really need a good shower". The blood that caked her own skin and uniform stemmed mostly from the wolves and the carnage they had caused. While humans were obviously not their usual diet, they had been the ones having great fun in tearing apart their prey, reveling in the blood, torn loins and shattered bones they had caused. Hence, the pups were in desperate need of some thorough cleaning though, but she couldn't deny how fearsome they looked right now. "Come on my little war beast, let's hesd back" she said to Asha, gesturing to her own side to signal her to walk right next to her again."Okay so the governor is dead. What's next?" she curiosly asked as they walked, the sun now fully setting in the background.

@Phoenix