Ask Scuba Diving

[Vossari Khaldun]

Manaan

​

This story didn't start on Manaan. It started at the Academy on Umbara, in Arak's bunk. The acolyte slept soundly, likely thinking about whatever dumb shit Arak let go through his mind. Or, smart shit. He was the professor, right? Arak would awaken when he felt a presence on his chest. When he fluttered his eyes open, he would see Vossari, perched on his chest, making a shushing motion with his fingers.

One mild kidnapping later, Arak and Vossari were on board a jerry-rigged ship towards the watery planet of Manaan. Vossari got the acolyte some cat while he explained the situation from the cockpit. "I think you're allowed to do whatever you want with acolytes..." His voice trailed off as he considered the potential ramifications of just stealing an acolyte for the day from the academy.

He jumped into hyperspace. The engine rumbled. "There's a lotta power in the oceans, Arak. A lot more than people give credit for." Would Arak really be the right one for this kind of mission? He remembered how scared Azar was of water. Unlike Azar, though, this little Sith twink didn't make Vossari's heart race and his eyes flutter. Hope he wasn't scared of depths.

"There's a history of dark siders on Manaan. Cults, powers, the like. They also manufacture Kolto." Vossari rambled, as he bullshitted along this plan to Arak. "We're going to go spelunking, see if we can find anything of use." He smiled towards Arak, once, before he put the helmet onto his outfit. "Make sense?"

Of course it didn't, but Vossari would remain elusive with his true motives for reaching the planet. Arak's unique focus on the Force, on Sith Magic, would be valuable. Now was as good a time as any to start to build a powerbase. Vossari gave Arak some time to ponder as their ship entered into Manaan's orbit, eventually touching down on their surface city, made for tourists.

"Do you know how to use a rebreather?"

[This thread is Death Enabled]

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak was peacefully sleeping, when he suddenly felt pressure on his chest. As he woke up his face was covered in shock and annoyance. What surprised him the most was the fact he was perched up like a character from a popular sanime Utachi Ichiha. Before he could even think of protesting Braids had already begun kidnapping him.

He was not very happy while sitting in the ship. “You think? What’s that mean?” Was he seriously kidnapped on a whim and one that had potential to come back on them. “Why you no ask first?” He questioned as he stretched out the last bits of sleep. It’s not like Arak would’ve said no to going to a new world.

Though he only got the gist of what Braids was saying he nodded his head along like he understood every word. Though his nodding stopped as he gave Braids the most dumbfounded stare he had yet given. “Spe..lunk..ing?” He slowly repeated, this was a word he hadn’t even heard before and Braids threw it out so casually. Was he smarter than he seemed? Also why was Braids always in this bubble suit? Was he so ashamed of losing his thumb he covers up everything?

He simply shook his head no at his question. Another word he hadn’t heard, though he could guess he had something to do with breathing. “What is for?” He inquired cocking his head to the side like a curious dog. Trying to see what it was like if it was some kind of treat.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Weren't champions just allowed to kidnap acolytes? Why would he bother asking for help if he could just take it? Vossari thought back to Nar Shadda, when Nash had said they were 'friends.' Was that what Arak was trying to suggest, that they were friends? Where did these people get this idea that Vossari needed their friendship or approval to function? The thought of them pitying him ran through his head - a thought so severe it almost enraged him.

"I didn't ask so that you could learn a lesson." There wasn't a real lesson because Vossari wasn't a real teacher. But the implicit lesson was simple: Vossari does whatever he wants. As they walked through the streets of the surface city, Arak would feel increasingly out of place as they walked through, surrounded by Selkath and water breathers. Vossari, however, practically felt at home. There was a cultural kinship between the water dwellers of the galaxy, a shared reverence for the life-giving substance that only they could fully appreciate. He heard many tongues in this big city - languages from Wrea, from Nautola, from Mon Cala, and beyond. Vossari got a fried fish stick, one for himself and one for Arak. He figured he owed the acolyte for just dragging him out here.

"It's for breathing underwater." Though, Arak was a student of sorcery. Perhaps he would take quickly to hydromancy, as Vossari had. Perhaps he would learn to breathe underwater through the Force, same as people could see and hear and touch through it. He wouldn't risk it. He wanted Arak alive, after all. He was an important asset in this endeavor - a student with a tinge of arcane knowledge would be just enough to push Vossari's own goals ahead.

"I guess some information would help." They took a seat in a glass courtyard that sat within the ocean. Around them all varieties of fish, whales, dolphins, and turtles swam past them without a care. Some bioluminescent ones twinkled in the distance. "While I was at the archive on Umbara, I learned about the Order of Shasa." During his time as an acolyte, Vossari had become enamored by the occult. While his adventure into the Noctem Cult on Nar Shadda had failed once, him and Azar had successfully managed to command the Tundian Sisters of Sanguine, another cult. These experiences taught Vossari that magic was everywhere, and the Dark Side spoke to those like him, even if they were not Sith. The outcasts. The exiles. Those who needed power more than they wanted it.

"Our order has a long history of interaction with theirs. They are powerful dark-siders, sooth-sayers, and vicious warrior who lurk in the shadows." Sith Empires had managed to control the erstwhile cult in the past, under the powers of Sidious and Darth Revan. But what about a lone Sith? "We need them." Vossari knew the power of cult-trained force users on Tund. Their command over the force was mighty. If Vossari could ally with them, they would make an excellent force to use.

Deeper than that, though, they would be a foothold onto Selkath - Vossari's second ambition. Control of the water world would mean control of kolto, the cheapest healing product in the galaxy. It would also serve as a foothold for a grander campaign, back to Wrea. A footbridge home.

"Thoughts?" He was open to opinions.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak just squinted at Braids as he mentioned using the kidnapping as a lesson. He was a book worm and knew many types of lessons from his initiative to learn as much as possible. None of those lessons ever involved him being kidnapped with no explanation. “If say so,” He replied with a shrug, not feeling like arguing over something so simple.

Walking through the city it was obvious that Arak was out of place. For one, he was from a desert world which means he had no acclimation to the humidity the ocean world was putting out. So he was internally miserable and wishing he could drop a planets worth of sand to rid himself of this hell. Yet he kept the external facade of being fine up as his eyes scanned their route taking it in and planting it into his memory.

He took the fried fish stick and looked it over. He gave it a quick sniff before taking a bite. His face lit up as he began eating the delicious food. “Breathing underwater? What is underwater?” He asked cocking his head to the side. He doubted they were here to simply look at the sea life so he was curious what they could’ve been searching for underwater that required something to breathe with.

He took a seat next to Braids as they offered information finally. He dug through his mind on the Order he mentioned. Sadly it wasn't one of the dark side cults he was familiar with. "What is special about Shasa?" He knew from his own people that individual groups could have unique specializations. So perhaps the Shasa were the same in that regard in that they were unique in some application of the force.

"Sound like a cult. My family is good with cults." He shrugged casually speaking. It was something he and all his siblings were taught universally. The specialty of the Ragnos bloodline to manipulate others and its history founding cults. So if they were truly here for a cult then Arak might have been one of the best options. "If we need them then we get them." He said confidently, having specialty with Mind Manipulation gave him such confidence.

He looked at Braids with a bit of shock after he asked him for his opinion. After all he had been acting high and mighty thus far. "No, don't have enough intel." He couldn't properly formulate a counter plan or even back up with no prior knowledge of what they were dealing with.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Arak was right - there was next to no information to go off, save for knowledge of the existence of a cult. This wasn’t the first time Voss had been in this position, though. All Voss and Arak needed to do was avoid making the same mistakes as Vossari had in days past, and they would be good.

“No questions, then? Great.” Vossari wondered what it meant to be ‘good with cults,’ but Arak’s knowledge of the occult would soon come in handy.

Vossari gestured towards the sea all around them. They’d likely need a submersible speeder, soon, but first they needed a destination. “I’ve got a theory, Prof. Our order is only one of the many expressions of the Dark Side out there.” He took a bite from his snack stick and gestured it at Arak. “Spiritually, it comes from your world. But other worlds - like the Nightsisters and the Tundians have their own expressions of the dark side.”

Wherever there was pain, hatred, anger, oppression, so too was the Dark Side of the Force. While the Sith Order often concerned itself with Sith matters, there were countless expressions of the Dark Side outside of their order. They were Far less powerful and ambitious than the Sith Order, of course, but these Dark Side cults could make powerful agents in the quest for galactic domination.

Where he had failed on Nar Shadda to infiltrate one of these cults, he had succeeded on Tund. He realized, they could just approach these dark siders openly as Sith, if they could provide the right incentive.

“We need to gather intelligence.” He pointed at a Selkath guard. “I assume the local guards keep a profile on the cult. We’ve gotta find out what they know. See if they’ve got any members locked up.” Vossari rose to his feet and gestured for Arak to follow.

“Excuse me, officer.” A smile rose to his face, but Arak would sense only a dull sense of boredom from Vossari. “Can you point me to the closest precinct? I think my credit chit got stolen, just need to file a report.”

The Selkath lowered is rifle to point a direction out for them, and Vossari began to walk in that direction.

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak nodded along as Braids checked he had no questions. Because Arak had nothing to analyze he for once actually had nothing to question. Arak found that information about himself interesting. If he couldn't analyze something it prevented him wanting to question it. It made him wonder on why that was.

He listened as Vossari explained his theory on the dark side and it's various organizations. Though is it really a theory when it was true? "For theory sound rather true." He shrugged as he ate his snack stick. Was that the goal of this mission prove his theory correct? No it couldn't be, that seemed rather stupid for a mission.

He knew of the existence of the various cults of the dark side from his classes. So for it was odd to him that Vossari called it his theory. It seemed more like fact, especially with some of the cults practicing the dark side in ways the order didn't. His own people could be considered on that list. There was a variety of rituals and practices that the Sith practiced that wasn't used or known by the Order.

Vossari begun explaining his plan, information gathering was the mission it seemed. That wasn't fun he was hoping to bend a cult to their will. He wasn't going to have them just under Braids, he needed insurance that they couldn't be used against him. "So we just look for info? Not take over cult?" He asked rather blunt, wanting to figure out how sparing he needed to be with his Force use.

Arak just watched as Vossari talked to the guard. He could sense the boredom that they were having already. The guard pointed to a direction and Braids walked that way. Arak gave the guard a nod as he followed behind Vossari. "Why think cult people get captured? Why would work in open?" He questioned aloud not knowing cults to openly operate.

They walked towards the precinct and it was obvious this was the section where most civil services resided. The fire department and a hospital weren't far from the station. As they reached the precinct three individuals were being brought in. The holding devices were far from standard cuffs encompassing half the arm. It was obvious they were FS cuffs.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Oh, now he had questions. And a lot of them. It was starting to get bothersome, in fact. Vossari frowned as Arak tried to define things like 'theories' and 'takeover.' Couldn't Arak just go with the flow? "Alright, alright, quiet down." Vossari thought through the specifics of Arak's line of questioning. The acolyte was trying to understand the greater scope of their actions. Vossari saw himself as a cool coach for the next generation of Sith, offering inspirational advice and motivating them to be just like himself, the coolest guy in the galaxy. Maybe this was another chance to mold Arak's mind.

"Information is a type of control. You're not Darth Raze - you can't just Force Mind Control everyone into working with you." Psychological warfare was its own skill, and one that benefitted from a limited and specific deployment of the Force. Vossari had used incisive words alone to dress down and attack rivals. He knew the power that information held, how it could be amassed to be a weapon in itself.

"The prisoners are everything. We get them out of here, and we have both a source of information and leverage over the cult." There were tons of options for them, once they had the cultists in tow, they could evaluate what to do next. The prisoners gave them options. "And, who knows why they'd get arrested. They're weird, subversive criminals. That's why we want them." He was pretty much just hedging a bet that one of their members had landed their way into jail.

Vossari clocked the force sensitive cuffs. Kriff. The guards might be used to Force Powers, or at the very least, trained to resist them. Luckily, Vossari had plucked just the right acolyte for the job of mental manipulation. "We're gonna need to infiltrate. Use your magic mind tricks on them." Vossari gathered the Force into his hands a distance from the police station. Water, from the ocean and rivers alllllll around them, gathered towards his palms, before dissipating into a deep, heavy fog. It covered the entire block. An ocean town like this likely got heavy fogs and mists frequently, so the guards wouldn't think twice about it. It would give the pair the chance to infiltrate.

"Alright, force guy. Let's go in." Vossari grabbed Arak's wrist as he began to wrap the mist around the two of them. They would have to Force Cloak their way in. "Use Force Sight and focus on those prisoners in the cuffs." Vossari whispered. He imagined there was a separate part of the jail, specifically to nullify force users.

@Javier esschoolbus

 

[Zoya Unduli]

Zoya was on cloud nine, positively shaking with excitement. So much so that she had to question if this was really happening.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked the question yet again, glancing nervously at her Master as eh strode besides her. "I can really keep it?" She had to stop herself from letting her hand drop to the lightsaber clipped to her belt, worried that it might vanish if she didn't check on it every few minutes.

"Are you going to use it in a manner unbecoming of a Jedi?"

She snorted, and a response was on her lips before she could even think of one. "Like what, stab someone because they piss me off?"

Her Master didn't smile, he simply glanced down at her, a question on his face.

"Sure, if they're really irritating."

She looked at him again, a sarcastic grin on her face. Even after all this time, she was still weirdly uncomfortable to accept that she wasn't the same wild girl he had taken under his wing all those years ago, and humor was her way to deal with any awkward situation. But he simply stared at her, waiting, waiting for an honest answer.

"No," she answered softly, "I'm not that crazy."

He smiled, and nodded, the matter settled as far as he was concerned. She watched after him before picking up the pace and running to catch up to him as they continued towards the precinct some of the cult's members were supposed to be held captive.

"Sometimes though it is pretty damn hard to not chop someone's arm right off. Right? Riiiight?"

He smirked as he continued leading the way.

@Fine Dining Set @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak just shrugged as Braids went on about how he was no Darth Raze, “Not yet. I gifted with mind control and manipulation.” Arak said with a smirk, he was used to being seen as lesser. It had been a part of being the middle child. So he could just let the criticism roll off him and keep trucking along. Soon all those who underestimated him would understand his true power and potential.

He side eyed Braids as he mentioned the prisoner being everything, “Could easily just dig through mind. No need risk saving them.” He understood the reasoning for having leverage but didn’t think it was worth the trouble of breaking someone out of jail. He wasn’t one to just do something on someone else’s whim, “I do it but no agree with idea make no sense.” He bluntly replied. Then he mentioned them being subversive cultist yet got captured. How did that work? “Why get captured is supposed be secret? Seem like waste.” He stated unamused at the idea of this cult being bad enough to get themselves caught.

He noticed the odd cuffs even if he didn’t understand the reason behind them. Must’ve been something to do with cultist if they had special cuffs. He looked over at Vossari, “Now want use my gift.” He replied sarcastically. He watched as Braids began to gather the Force in his hands and turned the water around them into a heavy fog.

Sadly to Braids dismay Arak wasn’t the best at Force Cloak. It wasn’t something the academy focused on for acolytes focused in sorcery so he would have to wing it. He reached out with the Force to send a piece of trash into the water. Causing the guards to turn and investigate the random noise. He needed to save the Cloak usage to inside.

As the began to enter Arak used Cloak. He didn’t turn as invisible as Braids did but it was enough to not be noticed easily. He reached out with Force Sense and noticed they were moving to the basement. He motioned for Braids to follow as he slowly made his way down the stairs trying to keep the guard and prisoners in view.

@Fine Dining Set @Wit

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Vossari was tired of explaining shit to Arak. He'd just have to learn along the way, on his feet, that Vossari's method was a carefully blended measure of chaos and sinister scheming. He wanted to risk saving them. A juicy prison break was all this thread needed to really start picking up some steam! Vossari and Arak slunk towards the basement, as the jail began to seep deeper into the ocean. One would not be able to tell from the outside, as cold dura-steel and concrete cells wrapped the population of the jail. Yet, Vossari could feel it. The Force, living in the Ocean, as it rippled around them. He felt the pressure grow as they got deeper into the lower levels. In turn, he felt stronger than ever.

Eventually, Vossari spotted them again; two Selkath would-be sorcerers. They were covered in arcane Sith and Tund and other runes as tattoos, perhaps in an attempt to amplify their powers. It made them incredibly easy to spot, which was likely how they got caught in the first place. Vossari wove his way towards their cell. Vossari whispered to Arak through the Force. Now would be a good time to put on that rebreather.

The two selkath sat in quiet meditation when Vossari and Azar appeared. This location was too conspicuous to actually question them, Arak was right that it would be easier to just pry intel from them. However, Vossari hated cages and hated the lives of those trapped inside of them. He had no interest in leaving without causing a scene. Follow my lead. Vossari gestured to the tiny portholes, the only windows between inside and outside. Let's go. Vossari's time to shine.

He called out to the Ocean around them, and it responded. As Arak used his to rupture the glass windows, and the resulting, unyielding power from the ocean around them would help to force it through.Vossari's own hydrokinesis, now, came into play, as he focused the torrent of water into a high pressure funnel that sliced through bars, metal, and anyone unlucky enough to be caught in its path. The bars from the cell sliced off, and the prisoners, still in cuffs, looked up at the two of them. He guided his water cutter towards the wall of their cell, cutting a hole that led directly to the open ocean, and dove through with the chained up cultists in tow. Vossari imagined he could help Arak adjust to breathing in water through hydrokinesis, but he'd rather see how the acolyte did in a chaotic situation. Time to sink or swim.

Meanwhile, Zoya's Jedi Knight would feel a ripple of darkness in the Force as Vossari and Arak weaved through the prison. Chaos on the streets and loud police sirens headed towards the jail indicated what was happening inside - a jail break. Combined with the pernicious usage of the dark side, it couldn't mean anything good.

@Javier esschoolbus @Wit

 

[Zoya Unduli]

Zoya was chattering about something when her Master suddenly stopped in his steps, sensing something in the Force too subtle for her sense to pick up. Next thing she knew he was running towards the prison, and she followed. Before she could ask what was going on alarms went up around them, sirens started blaring in the distance, and she realized something big was going down.

"What's happening?"

Before she could get an answer they ran into guards headed in the same direction as them. They tried to stop the Jedi, but the blue blade that sprang to life in her Master's hand was all they needed to know to let the two Jedi through. But as they reached the prison things got more chaotic, and any and all lightsabers had to be put away to avoid accidental injuries.

They were headed towards the source of the darkness, which even Zoya was able to sense now, when her Master stopped. Zoya, not sensing whatever he had and rather reacting to his actions, came to a skidding stop a little further down the corridor, which put her just out of reach of his outreached arm.

That's when she heard the sound, a sound she could not place, the sound of rushing water. She heard the torrent of water rushing around the far corner before she saw it, and to her credit she acted before it was too late. Drawing her blade she slammed it into the wall besides her, moments before the water hit her. But the even her makeshift anchor wasn't enough, and she was flung back. She would have been sent crashing away if not for her master grabbing her as she rushed past. Planted to the floor with the Force, the Knight was able to deal with the situation much better than his padawan. Even when her still lit blade grazed against his arm he did not let go, and held her in place.

It was a chaotic few seconds that followed, but ultimately the flow of water subsided, though the hallway stayed packed with water. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and saw her master pushing a breather towards her, and she graciously accepted it, placing it into her mouth to mirror the one he had similarly used.

After a few seconds he let go of her, and she felt a pulse in the Force, asking her to follow. She could sense his pain in the Force from the injury she had caused him, but she also knew him well enough to know that it wouldn't stop him. So for now she pushed away any worries about that and followed after him, the two Jedi swimming through the water towards the cell the Sith had escaped through.

@Fine Dining Set @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak followed Braids deeper into the basement. The basement got deeper and deeper as they went any natural light long snuffed out replaced by the glow of electric lights that weren’t as common as needed. The walls around them groaned and creaked under the pressure of the ocean, slowly wearing down the structures integrity.

Just before they reached the bottom where they would find the cultist meditating Braids mentioned putting on his rebreather. Arak not being an idiot and also kind of unsettled by their surroundings did so immediately. He would rather look and sound stupid than be dead so he took the suggested precaution.

Voss then told him to follow his lead which made him quirk his eye ridge in confusion. What lead was he talking about? That was when he felt him calling to the ocean and crashing it against the glass. Arak reached out and shattered the window allowing Voss’s water manipulation to go unobstructed. He watched in awe as they cut through the cell, his awe quickly becoming shock and slight panic as he cut through the wall and into the ocean. The room quickly filled with water and Arak struggled to push through the rushing waves. His panic started to grow as the torrent fought him back. He continually tried to swim through it when he remembered he could use the force to aid him. After struggling he popped out of the hole his face panicked and his movements slowed.

@Fine Dining Set @Wit

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Vossari looked behind him and noted that Arak was close at hand. Good. The acolyte was doing well at adapting to Vossari's chaotic, on-the-spot decision making. He even figured out how to use his rebreather without instruction. He remembered Azar's panic just at the sight of waves. It must have been terrifying to the young Pureblood, but in that terror, there was purpose. The thrill that only life-or-death confrontation could bring.

Vossari was, now, completely within his element. As they swam away, they would note Selkath prisoners swimming in all different directions from the flooded jail, seizing the opportunity to escape same as any would. Vossari coiled the force into the water that surrounded quartet of them, creating a warm, pleasant current that greatly accelerated their speed as they moved through the ocean. Vossari pushed them deeper and deeper, into colder, darker waters. The pressure would be painful to most unacclimated to it.

The city became distant as they charted further into open ocean. Eventually, though, they demanded a break - at least so the Selkath cultists could get an explanation. Vossari gestured to himself and Arak. "We need an audience with the Order of Shasa." Their cufflinks remained on, so their powers were limited. Vossari and Arak, though, were completely unbound. It wasn't exactly an open negotiation. "Seems a fair price to pay for your life & freedom."

One of the Selkath, covered in tattoos, wrinkled a purple eye at the request. "We wouldn't sell out the Order to the police, nor will we to you. Strike us down and be done with it."

Vossari sighed as he floated. But then, he noticed: They weren't alone. There was another pair on their tails. Police? Other prisoners? Or something...else. Vossari telepathically whispered to Arak.

Take them to that grotto and see if you can't make them...agreeable.

While Arak took them, Vossari would confront the interlopers. He saw them from a distance, unable and unwilling to make out who they are. Vossari's hands clapped together, fingers interlocking into mystical signs as he prepared to use his Hydrokinesis. He put his hand to his mouth and exhaled. A wall of bubbles formed in front of the Jedi, sizzling and boiling hot to the touch. This bubble wall would form behind them, too, slowly closing in around them as Vossari called out.

The two of them would hear the rumbling of telepathy in their minds as Vossari whispered. Only warning. Surrender. Leave now.

@Wit @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Zoya Unduli]

Zoya was fairly fit, but she was not used to extended swimming sessions, and did not have enough experience with the Force to use it effectively to sustain herself for more than short bursts. So the result was that by the time the two Jedi had gotten out of the prison and were confronted by the Sith's attack she was beginning to feel the strain of the chase.

When the Sith's voice rang in their heads she wanted nothing more than to scream back a refusal, but being underwater she stayed shut and simply glared at the bubbles. Her master on the other hand didn't waste energy on reacting to the mental suggestion. Instead he stared at the wall of bubbles for a moment before whispering in his padawan's mind.

Get ready.

Familiar with that voice, Zoya prepared herself for whatever he was planning, and the next moment a telekinetic push extended from the Knight, slamming into the bubbles and creating a momentary gap among the bubbles. She shot through it, pushing herself through the water as bubbles filled in from all sides to close the path behind her. But she didn't have to worry about her master, she had already understood his plan. All she had to do was break their assailant's concentration, make him drop the attack.

So she drew on the Force and swam, and rushed towards the dark sider. But that was when her inexperience showed, as instead of attacking him as she might normally have, she went for her blade. It was new, she wanted to use it in battle, and she thought it would be the easiest way to get a successful attack in. But she'd never used her blade underwater, and as she tried to switch it on it simply let out a sudden discharge of shock as the construct short circuited.

Watching as the blade drifted away into the darkness below, she immediately turned back to look at her master, seeing him pressing against the bubbles with invisible tentacles of the Force. Still calm, he gave her a nod, and that gave her the encouragement she needed, so she turned her attention back to the dark sider and started swimming towards him. She would do it the old fashioned way.

@Fine Dining Set @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak had made it out of that death trap Vossari had created. If he hadn’t used to Force to aid him he’d likely be dead. He was still quite terrified of being in the open ocean. It was made worse when he looked down into the abyss that extended far beyond his sight. He began to swim towards the surface to get some sense of familiarity. That’s when the current created by Vossari had grabbed him and pulled him along. Panic ran through him at first as he though it was over but then he noticed their were others with him.

As they careened deeper and deeper into the abyss Arak just watched Vossari as he expertly manipulated the water around them. He felt the tightening of the water around him the pressure being a painful sensation. It wasn’t long before they were above water getting an explanation from the cultist. One of the cultist outright refused the request from Vossari. Arak hasn’t picked up on the people on their trail so when Voss instructed him to take the prisoners to the nearby grotto and make them cooperative he didn’t think much of it.

He ushered the prisoners to the grotto. His gaze flicked between them. The one that fought against Vossari seemed like he was the senior member while the other might’ve been a junior member or simple didn’t talk much. He couldn’t sense the Force coming from them there seemed to be an odd field emanating from the cuffs they wore. Arak crouched down looking between the two, “One will speak, other will die. Choose or I choose.” He stated with a hiss in his voice. It was rare for Arak to get a chance to revel in the dark side, so when he got the chance to do so he leapt at it.

They both stayed silent for a minute before the one who spoke against Vossari finally spoke, “We already said we aren’t helping you. Besides it seems your just the pet of th…” The man was cutoff as Arak delved into his min. He went through memories old and new tearing through the significantly weakened defenses as his Force power was stripped by the cuffs. The man screamed in pain as his mind was picked apart and shattered. He saw fragments of the base still not able to fully delve into the deepest reaches of his brain. The man collapsed as Arak sat there panting. Brain matter poured from his ears.

He turned to the other, “It’s in an ocean cave? Will take us or do I repeat to you?” He questioned as he pointed to the now corpse of his associate. “I’ll take you just don’t fry my brain.” He quivered out staring at the corpse. Arak gave him a satisfied smirk as the Selkath quivered on the ground. “Good.” He said as he turned his focus out to the ocean. He felt the surging of the Force so he reached out to Vossari, “One will show us the way. Do you need me to assist you?” He inquired to the champion. He wasn’t sure if he’d actually help or not, but having a champion that owed him a favor could be a benefit.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

The Force Push was all the indication he needed that these were indeed Force Users. Was that a lightsaber, though? Did that mean they were fellow Sith rivals? Or Jedi? It didn't matter much to Vossari - they were interlopers who ignored him, so they earned whatever fate they were soon to receive.

The oceans were Vossari's domain. As the Padawan swam towards him, Vossari darted laterally, with an agility that belied his countless years spent swimming the galaxy's oceans. Being a wrean had its perks, and the ability to out swim anyone was certainly one of them. A grin rose to his face as he Tutt-tutted at the pair, now having fallen into his trap. "Wrong choice."

With a snap of his fingers, the bubbly cage of the Jedi would transform, as his eyes took a green glow. The serpentine earring on his ear seemed to slither. The ocean obeyed his command; the bubbles soon became a venomous green, as the entire bubble cage's water transformed into caustic acid. It would burn through everything on the Jedi Knight's person: Skin, clothing, armor, rebreathers, as Vossari continued to tighten the bubble prison more intensely. How much acid could one Jedi take?

"Try again." Vossari smirked. "Surrender now or he dies." It was a pretty moot request at this point. If the Jedi Knight didn't move rapidly, he would die, his bones disintegrating into the acid around him. At that point, Vossari could just focus on the junior most member of their partnership. The fact that she couldn't even hold a lightsaber underwater gave Vossari a pretty good indicator of how skilled she would be in a fight.

Good shit, Prof. I think I have this under control. Though, it looked like they would soon have another set of prisoners. Or maybe, just remains to dispose of. It all depended on Zoya's next choices.

@Wit @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Zoya Unduli]

Zoya was getting frustrated, unable to get close enough to hit the dark sider, and slowly beginning to sense of concern from her master. That's when she turned away from her next attempt to attack and look at her Knight mentor. She didn't know what the green liquid was, but she could sense that it wasn't anything good from the way her master was reacting. Jedi were taught to control their emotions, to control pain, but she could see his concentration breaking, his hold on the Force slipping. She ignored the warning and did the only thing that made sense to her, she used every ounce of Force left to her and shot towards the mass of green liquid. She would physically drag him out if she had to.

So lost in worry was she that she didn't even notice the subtle pulses of the Force as the Knight worked, using the Force to pull water to himself, not pushing against the cage as he was before but willing water from all around him to him. And it seeped in, maybe too slowly, but just enough to begin diluting the acid, buying him more time. Buying Zoya more time.

Time that she was wasting, as she was forced to stop as she got too close and felt the acid begin to burn her hand as she tried to reach for him. She tried again, gritting her teeth around the rebreather and willing herself to push through the pain. But yet again she had to pull back, and as her shoulder slumped, she finally faced the reality of the situation, turning to face the dark sider with a resigned look on her face. Hands raised in surrender before her.

@Fine Dining Set @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak was sitting in the grotto feeling out with the force as the living Selkath whimpered behind him. “If say so.” He replied telepathically. He could sense the battle on the water unfolding. It seemed Voss was holding his own but he couldn’t make out the specifics. His concentration was broken as the man whimpered more by the brain ooze slowly moving towards him.

He turned to the cultist abruptly, dragging him through the brain ooze using the force. “Shut up.” He demanded as he released him up against the corpse. He stared at the cultist reminding himself they needed him alive. Arak let out a huff as he crouched next to the cultist who was crying now. He put his finger up to his own lips, “Shhh” He offered as the force slowly constricted around the cultist neck until he was unconscious but alive.

He turned back to look out at the ocean. He felt the battle searching for any changes in the Force to signal if he needed to act. Though he had faith in Voss he still wanted to be prepared for jumping in. “Still got it?” He inquired after a bit, his curiosity getting the better of him.

@Fine Dining Set @Wit

 

[Vossari Khaldun]

Student surrendered as teacher was obliterated by the acidic touch of Acridia. Good - a two-piece. Now, though, him and Arak had a whole caravan of prisoners to watch over. But, one being dead and the other being unconscious did make their journey ahead easier.

Based on everything about this pair, Vossari reasoned that they were not dealing with dark-siders. There was only one other Force religion that studied the lightsaber as closely as the Sith - their ancient enemies, the Jedi. A devilish grin coiled up as he realized what this meant. His first skirmish with the Jedi. A meeting of Fate itself. And the Sith had turned triumphant - truly, the Dark Side favored them this day.

Yeah. We've got...Jedi? One about your age. Keep an eye on them. Bring the cuffs.

Vossari swam over the Jedi Knight, rendered injured by the acid attack, and confiscated his lightsaber. It attached at the hip, underneath the folds of his robes. He wished that...'padawan' hadn't dropped hers. It would've been a real deluge! His eyes turned back to Zoya as he placed a pair of cuffs on the Jedi Knight's wrist.

"Your master might want to save his words until he recovers." Swallowing acid tended to be incredibly painful to the tongue. "So, why don't we get to know one another? What's your name?"

They had a mission that needed completing, and Vossari wasn't sure whether to bring the Jedi to the cult's lair. But, a captive Jedi Knight and their trusted squares were always good gifts for Dark Siders, and he was certain the Selkath cult would have the same questions that he did about this pair.

When Vossari scoured the grotto to find one of their Selkath captives dead, fury couldn't describe his emotion. But, luckily, the Jedi gave them a convenient spin on the situation. After scrying the unconscious Selkath's mind for the location of their base, he loaded the Selkath over his shoulders, as he manipulated the tide to carry the Jedi Knight's form behind them as he clung to life just barely.

"Oh, Arak, meet our new friends!" With everyone bundled up and cuffed, they were ready to go to the cult lair. "Full steam ahead." Vossari's eyes connected with Arak's once more. He didn't need telepathy to communicate how imperative it was for Azar to interrogate the Palawan while he steered them towards their destination.

@Wit @Javier esschoolbus

 

[Arak Ragnos]

Arak swam out to Voss holding the pair of cuffs and giving them over. One of the Jedi was unconscious while the other had surrendered. He watched both of the Jedi as Voss cuffed one and briefly talked with the other. Master? That means that the one that surrendered was a learner like him. Arak was simply trying to stay on the surface of the water not enjoying looking into the bottomless abyss of it quite yet.

Arak followed Voss staying behind the two Jedi as they swam back to the grotto. He saw Voss stop when they got to the Selkath and stare for a second. He couldn’t read the Wreans emotions but he hoped it wasn’t anger like he assumed at the sight of the dead one. He knelt down putting his hand on the sleeping cultist head before slinging him over his shoulder. Voss then began using the current to pull them towards what he assumed was the ocean lair of the cult.

They winded through the water for a bit before they dived under the surface. The kept gradually diving before a massive rock formation came into view just when they reached the depth where the sun rays were just barely reaching. As they drew closer to the rock formation they would notice a massive cave entrance close to the sea bottom of the formation.

They entered the cave following it for several minutes before they reached an air pocket. When they went above the surface of the water they would be greeted by a massive citadel that would put many in the galaxy to shame. It was formed of coral and dark side energy that warped the coral into the walls and buildings of the keep. The whole cave reeked of the dark side and was intoxicating to the two Sith. There were a few dozen noticeable Selkath guards wielding various types of weapons. It was obvious the cult used whatever they could acquire as some were just holding fishing spears.

Arak looked to Voss, “So what’s the plan?” He inquired telepathically. He didn’t feel up to a frontal assault and wasn’t sure how Voss wanted to sway the cultist to not kill them on sight.

@Fine Dining Set