[SITH BOUNTY] Zedey'yet

[Viabuck]

---

He really hadn't wanted to go back to this world... Not at that moment and not ever before it and yet there he was. Scratch that. There -they- were.

Not only was the newly made Crusader returning to the world where he had endured what he considered to be the most grueling months of his life, but he was bringing along with him a person whom he didn't expect to enjoy it in the slightest. As their landing craft entered Kashyyyk's atmosphere, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, giving his shoulders a quick roll back as the rather unusually nervous Jorath glanced out of the window to his right, the seemingly endless ocean of trees beneath them taking him back to only a short time prior, thoughts of the countless deadly creatures inhabitting the planet -very- prominent within his mind.

"Graaaaahhh!"

A large scaley green belly was soon being pushed up along the side of the Sith's face as his pet clamored over to the window, it's reptilian eyes peering out, taking in the sights and swishing it's tail from side to side, almost as if it was happy to be returning to it's home world after being away from it for some time.

"Get down Skere.." the giant remarked, his rather large palm reaching up and palming the side of his companions face, pushing it off to his side and onto the seat next to him. As they continued their descent, it was at this time that Jorath felt compelled to give a quick run down of what to do and what not to do once they landed if only so that he could later reference the fact that he really -had- told her so if things went in the wrong direction.

"When.. Not -if- Wookies approach us.. Let me do the talking. Ark taught me enough to not be neck deep in furballs.. Furthermore, if something looks poisonous.. it is. If it doesn't... It probably still is." he explained, his voice still not displaying even the slightest hint of enthusiasm. Why in the world had a religious fanatic chosen -this- world to hide out on? What was he hoping to accomplish.. There was nothing but trouble and misery on this world for anyone that wasn't utterly massive and covered in fur... And sadly he was only one of those things... Which was probably why their fugitive had chosen to hide out on that world.

"The troopers I've talked to who actually read the report say he's been hiding out in an old military outpost.. With any luck he hasn't reactivated any of the defenses.." he added, shifting momentarily to their objective in an effort to distract himself from the world that they would soon be landing upon.. Only to have another face full of Skere who he shoved off to the side once more.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Lillieth gazes outside the blast window as enamored as Jorath's pet. She had only read of Kashyyyk, its beauty painted in holopictures and holovids...never had she thought she would get to see its jungles so close and its inhabitants even closer.
That being said, the initial excitement would linger to null as Jorath had begun his warnings. Her awe-struck face slowly deflates to one of mild boredom. She just realized that she hated the outdoors, and this was the outdoorsman's extreme challenge.

With a soft sigh, Lillieth cants her response, standing as the shuttle slowly nears one of the Wookie landing pads...the closest 'civilization' to their supposed objective that would be either in the form of a flora-covered beachfront of a jungle-cloaked bunker. Either-or, they had their work cut out for them.
"Well you're essentially half-Wookie, so you lead the way." Lillieth jokes, uncharacteristically silent in regards to the constant chattering she typically displayed.

With her boots laced tight and robing fitted, the young Crusader readies herself as the bay doors open slowly, allowing a ramp to the awaiting landing pad that - no doubt - the denizens of the land would have noticed and likely be en route to their locale.
"Son of a Hutt..." Lillieth curses, groaning as she steps off the ship...giving a light stretch, the nature of her disdain fluently presenting itself after a brief pause.

"This humidity is going to absolutely ruin my hair."

 

[Viabuck]

"Amusing.." Jorath grumbled in response to being half Wookie, taking note of his teammates less than excited demeanor. Based upon his own time on the world, he couldn't help but take note of just how gloriously unprepared she was for what they would be going into just as he had been when he first arrived on the world months beforehand. Kashyyyk had never been a world suited to anyone but the most hardy of individuals and when it came down to it? The female just didn't fit that build.. At all.

Having forsaken his normal attire in a desire to not have it made a mess of, Jorath had taken into account the fluctuating temperature of the world along with the local environment, choosing to wear a combination of his usual black boots, a pair of loose fitting black pants with a number of pockets held up by a belt that looked to have a number of utility pouches filled with necessary field supplies and a black sleeveless shirt on his upper body which really didn't give him the appearance of being a traditional Sith at all.. Something that he felt had helped his teacher in regards to his own dealings with the local population.

".. You're gonna ruin that pretty little robe of yours.." he remarked, giving Lillieth a brief glance over as their shuttle began to touch down on the rather primitive landing pad before almost snorting at the comment regarding the red head's hair. It was worth noting on that matter that he had forsaken his own normal hair gel allowing his own hair to lay flat atop of his head knowing full well that no product would endure the world that they were about to traverse.

"Didn't know you were so worried about looking pretty for me and a couple of furb-..." Jorath cut himself short as the door to the shuttle slid open and he found himself face to face with a Wookie pointing it's bowcaster in his direction. While ordinarily this would have led to the activation of his lightsaber which was presently dangling from the belt at his side, there was a certain level of restraint being shown in that moment. Being grunted and growled at by the Wookie who seemed to relax a very small amount upon recognizing him, the Crusader led the way down off of the ship, pausing and using his very basic understanding of the language to answer the questions he had been asked.

"We're looking for a silent man. He escaped prison. Very dangerous.." he conveyed, speaking slowly in spite of the fact that the Wookie seemed to grasp basic in past exchanges.. It was an odd habit developed mostly due to the fact that -he- didn't understand what the Wookie was saying very well.. After a brief exchange however, all weapons were lowered and the larger of the two Sith would lead the way away from the landing area off toward the jungles, a half smirk upon his face as he looked to his side.

"Hope you like a good hike.." he commented, almost playfully. The simple fact that he knew that she didn't not stopping him in the slightest. "We've got a fun couple of days ahead of us.."

 

[Asinine Soup]

At mention of her robe being ruined (having taken to wearing what she called her 'inquisitor's' attire, ripped hems and dirt-splotched sleeves that made her appear like a runaway injured Jedi more than a skilled Sith), Lillieth scoffs a pout - "Hmph." - and tosses her hair over her shoulder, peering the opposite direction.
She wasn't very pleased, but it seemed she would have to make do. With a bit of female magic involved, she gathers the bulk of red hair toppling over her shoulders and ties it up briskly atop her head, a single ponytail being formed before being twisted once more.

A messy bun to not get caught on twigs and trees, as she figured that's exactly what she was asking for by keeping it back the way it previously appeared.

Jorath's exchange with the Wookie - such a large, peculiar beast that she couldn't help but stare upon...so close... - rendered a slight smile to appear upon her face.
"I think they like you." she would say as they appeared to lower their bowcasters and makeshift rifles and let the pair (and animal) through.

What he says next, though, makes any hint of joy or even a smile upon her face absolutely disappear...as magically as her ponytail creation.
"...days?!" she hisses in disbelief. "What in the shooting stars did I sign up for -- you know, I'm never going to let you live this down."

And there she goes...there she goes. She starts talking and complaining as they head for the forested area, keeping a pace behind Jorath.
"Do you even know where we're going? Has it occurred to you that I would enjoy doing other things? Such as basking in Corellia's sun? Or studying Naboo history? Or..." she continues, even pointing out little things about the trees, and the humidity, and as Jorath had likely zoned her out, she would only continue...pausing for a moment or two every few minutes to catch her breath or spit out a gnat that flew near her mouth.

"...Jorath." she'd say after a while of having shut up. "Carry me?" She sounded like a child, for by this point, they'd been hiking for hours. Damn it, Kashyyyk...
She didn't expect an applicable response, but she keeps on hiking. In it for the long run. She wasn't asking for aid out of fatigue - she was very physically fit and able. She was just lazy and no longer wanting to be on this rock, and the agitated whine in her voice made it all too apparent.

Are we there yet?

 

[Viabuck]

Oh damn it.. She was at it already.

The entire time he had known Lillieth, he had never known her to be particularly shy about speaking her opinion and now that a mission had seemingly taken her out of her comfort zone? He just knew he was going to be listening to her for quite some time to come. With the girl rambling on about suns and histories, he did in fact do what he did best and attempt to allow his mind to drift to other things.. Things which were not speaking incessantly and threatening to push his sanity to it's very limits as they traversed a world full of dangerous predators, tracking a dangerous fugitive, on a world full of dangerous fur covered beasts. She just didn't stop.. She never stopped..

Then the request came and for a moment?... Jorath came to a dead stop, turning his head and slowly looking down at the rather short female who he had the misfortune of calling his partner on that day. She wanted him to what?.. What did he look like?.. Some kind of beast?.. Okay so maybe he did and maybe she'd say he did but that didn't mean that he was about to just.. Well maybe if he did she'd talk a little less and they were nearing the river where he had done a lot of his training.. The water would be fairly deep for her.. And his mother, who the red head had actually earned the liking of, would have insisted that he be a gentleman.. Damn it.. Damn everything.

Well he wasn't going to be nice about it.

With a sudden movement, Jorath would reach down and rather abruptly throw her up over top of his right shoulder, allowing her upper body to dangle down his back while her legs hung down in front of him, effectively carrying her like the brute she occasionally accused him of being. Adding a quick slap to the back of her upper leg to add insult to injury, in spite of what was certain to be a tirade of nagging and unpleasant remarks, he continued his trek through the jungle carrying the woman who was virtually weightless to him.

".. We can go on vacation once we finish off this stupid cult.. Anywhere you want.. Just.. stop.." he finally spoke as they neared the river that had been the cause of some concern moments beforehand. Slowly stepping down into the cold waters which came up to his waist, he exhaled a deep breath, carefully placing his feet down on top of rocks beneath the surface which prevented him from dropping even lower beneath the water and risking being swept away. His Katarn in the meantime would climb a cliff face traveling back behind a waterfall, watching his master curiously as he carried the red head overtop of the waters, occasionally flicking it's tongue and tasting the air around it.

While Jorath was concentrating on his freezing lower half and the woman he was carrying, a more observant person might pick up on the fact that the pair were being watched by eyes on the tall grass on the opposite side of the river. Something hiding and waiting for the prey that it detected to get closer.. Something that really was probably about to bite off a lot more than it could chew.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Lillieth didn't expect to have her request obliged, but she could've predicted the manner in which it would be done within, were she a gambling woman.
With a swift movement, she's hurled over the man's shoulder and slapped on the back-end.
"Uh!" she scoffs, scowling as her feet kick a little. She twists a little as though trying to get free enough to slap the man in the face, though to no avail. Eventually she calms, accepting her punishment if only to revel in a small victory of being carried. "Oh, Vacation~"

She could get used to this, but as soon as the thought of doing so rings through her head, the sound of a river rushing downstream resonates within her ears. Ah, solace. She figured she'd be let down soon, but much to her surprise, she wasn't! Being carried like the princess she believed herself to be, deep down, was working out swell! As they wade through water, however, the Force seems to ripple about her. It was an inexplicable feeling, something like a bad-feeling...or deja vu, almost. Either way, it was bad, and as she looks around, "Hm?" marking her inquisition, her eyes scan the forested surroundings, forest floor dark due to the massive trees blotting out most the sun in its foggy terrain.

And there they were. Eyes. As her own eyes meet those of a giant serpentine animal, she suddenly opens her mouth and shifts her weight, hoping she wasn't too heavy to make Jorath loose his balance (women and their insecurities).
"Jorath...there's something..." she starts, but before she could finish, the monster slithers their way! Jumping slightly, Lillieth yells, "Jorath! Jump!"

The beast splashes in the water as it aimed to quickly take two birds with one stone.

 

[Viabuck]

As Lillieth kicked, clearly not enjoying his little slap, he continued to hold her in place, waiting until the thrashing subdued, continuing on their journey, clearly amused by his own antics. Moving through the water with the red head being held carefully upon his shoulder, as he saw the shoreline approaching, he considered momentarily actually properly carrying her. She had been a decent enough passenger, not proving to be any kind of a hassle.. Why not..

"Jorath, Jump!"

Okay she was being bossy again. What in the world was she being such a nag about n-.. Oh that was a big snake. A very big snake which was coming right at them. Obliging her request in that moment, he would tighten his arms grasp on her midsection, bending at the knee for a moment before releasing a sudden exertion of force right as he would leap upward, the sudden upheaval pushing the duo up out of the water and into the air, narrowly avoiding the gaping maw of the beast that sought to devour the pair on the spot. Releasing Lillieth while in the air, he would leave her to descend while coming down himself, his own body dropping straight down onto the serpent's back.

Why was it he always tended to end up ontop of the gigantic raging creature? Oh right. Because he was stupidly protective and was kind of an idiot in a lot of ways... But whatever! None of that mattered! He had a giant snake to wrestle.

With the snake realizing in that moment that it's prey had escaped him, it would hiss, and begin to lash about while it's rider gripped one of his massive palms down upon it's scales. Letting out a low growl, the warrior didn't bother to even draw his lightsaber, he instead drew back his fist, slamming it down atop the beasts skull, time after time, clearly intent on punching it into submission... Or at least going with the notion until he actually grasped the fact that he had a means to end the conflict in an instant... Which he wouldn't as he would soon be thrown off of the creature's back and down into the water, his back hitting a rock just beneath the surface and causing him to let out a pained groan as quickly sat up from the water, wiping water from his eyes just in time to see the gigantic snake lunging toward him it's mouth wide open.

Jorath didn't even bother to try and dodge, instead raising one hand and lowering the other, catching his attacker by the top and bottom jaw it's teeth cutting into his flesh but not enough to make him relinquish his grasp.

"I'm gonna make a pair of boots out of you.." he growled, lifting his right leg and putting it down on the creature's lower jaw while pushing up with his hand, a very real desire to rip the creature down the middle while holding it vulnerable for Lillieth exisiting within Jorath. "WHAT'S THE MATTER?! EYES BIGGER THAN YOUR MOUTH!?"

 

[Asinine Soup]

Lillieth's smaller mass flickers in the air as she's thrown to 'safety' - the term relative, in actuality, to where she may or may not land. They were still about the river's crossing, though with her partner's superior strength, she would have been safely thrown toward a shallower end; she peers up during her descent just in time to see Jorath nearly straddling the creature, attempting to bash its head in.

"Why do we even have lightsabers?" she thinks rhetorically, shaking her head as a soft descent can be attributed to her cushioning her fall within the Force. Nearly seven-or-so meters away from the brawl (as it slowly reels in closer toward her), the ladylike Sith could stand by and wait for her chance-- dammit all.

Jorath goes flying backward into the water, no doubt hurt by the jagged rocks that existed submerged underneath; the snake was moving to capitalize very quickly, and it was then that Lillieth decided to break out the distance. With a cackling hiss and a popping chirp, a light glow of blue and white sings within her two palms. The Force was heavily concentrated here, and as ions separate and battle with one another, a small haze of electricity gathers in the small of both her hands.
Her hulk of a partner finally stands - none too thrilled, if I may add, for having been slammed into the water - the pain and anger from the beast only seeming to result in strengthening the man's resolve...and strength. He clashes with beast, and beast with he; over the sound of the river, his voice could clearly be heard:
"WHAT'S THE MATTER? EYES BIGGER THAN YOUR MOUTH?!"

Eh. She'd give it a 5/10, E for Effort.
With a Force-fueled leap as the mouth is held open, Lillieth slides into the scene with a twinkle in her naturally amber eyes, though the yellow outcropping that tended to appear occasionally flickers into existence. She's smiling.
"****ing Kashyyyk." she groans. It was then that a torrent of lightning - sparkling and dazzling - arcs directly into the large animal's mouth, down its throat, and absolutely frying its water-soaked innards within its mouth and throat. As lightshows dance about the area and firework from the smell of superheated scales, Jorath would likely feel the beast's jaw slacken after stiffening from the initial...shock.

As the beast's life slips away, its body splashes into the water, Lillieth knee-high in river and not focused on the threat that the current was perhaps strong enough to carry her away, were she not wary.
She pays Jorath a glimpse, blinking up toward his eyes, then his hands. Bleeding.
"...did it have venom?" she inquires. She really hoped it didn't, but...were Jorath to have been ailed in that fashion, she held just the trick to get that toxin from his system. It was a quaint skill to have, its application having saved her life.

 

[Viabuck]

With teeth cutting into his flesh and his muscles straining to hold the Anakkona at bay, he was quite relieved when Lillieth reappeared at his side, blinking a few times as she conjured up a burst of lightning, something which he hadn't previously seen her do. With the creature he was restraining being electrified, any potentially force generated electricity that may have licked at him would be in small enough portions that with a bit of focus, he was able to convert the excess energy into something which wouldn't be immediately harmful to him.

When the creature finally went slack, he would pull his hands back, looking at the rather unfortunate looking cuts he had sustained and grimace briefly but ultimately didn't find it work stopping for. When questioned about the poisonous nature of the beast they had just killed, he simply shook his head.

"The Anakkona don't got none'a that less they got fangs, hun."

For a moment Jorath felt overwhelmingly bad about himself as he looked inside of the mouth of the dead beast, finding no signs of venom glands and frankly not finding that he was dying.. So all in all? Must not have been poisonous. With the fact that his life wasn't in immediate danger in mind, the Sith would trudge out of the water and go about removing his shirt which would be wrapped around his hands. Instead of relying on being in a constant state of fury to heal himself, he had opted for more traditional methods, already knowing what herbs to administer when they came across it.. His master had been quite useful on that front back when he was an Acolyte on this world.

Soaking wet, shirtless and bleeding from his hands, Jorath had definitely seen better days but he did have one piece of good news to give to Lillieth.

"Ark's Hut shouldn't be more than another twenty minutes away. I can get a spare robe and we can rest up and continue tomorrow. Want carried again?" he finally offered, continuing to be cordial.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Lillieth couldn't help but to admire her partner's laid-back demeanor. He came in three shades of gray, and all were worn on the sleeve - there was no deception when it came to his approach. She couldn't say the same for herself.
With a smile, the young woman simply shakes her head, seemingly delighted at the offer. "I don't want your blood on me, Jorath." she states, shaking her head as her ponytail wags back and forth, words attempting to betray her true reasoning. "At any rate...I think that sounds like a fine plan. I think I'm rubbing off on you, dear." is proclaimed after a pregnant pause, though in regards to her statement as to how well of a plan it were... she chuckles lightly before turning, opting to gather the Force beneath her feet and send herself soaring to the bank of the river. Water ripples and lifts behind her feet, and with a grunt, she splashes along the shallow end, mud and water trickling out as her ragged robing and worn boots meant for adventuring gain another mud stain or two. Or ten.

Peering back, she blinks at Jorath, suddenly realizing that it was him that had rubbed off on herself, as well. They sure were quite the team, and as it seemed, they complimented each others' weaknesses and grew off of them in time.
With an inadvertent smile - one she didn't feel slide about her cheeks - she blinks up, remembering to make a mental note of where Jorath's pet would be. It was a quaint creature...she would have to get her own familiar. She had just the idea, too...

A memory of the Yali that poisoned her in the outskirts of the Korriban Academy.
Would make a fine companion...

Forward she goes, rubbing her red-glowing fingertips as the sting of the lightning continues to burn...following Jorath once he would've caught up to make it to this hut - wherever that may be - before nightfall. That...would be unfortunate. If huge snakes wanted to attack in broad daylight, what happened when the night owls dared to take a midnight stroll?

****ing Kashyyyk.

 

[Viabuck]

Pausing for a moment at Lillieth's statement, he took a moment to ponder the valdity of her words and rather than accept or deny them, he quickly broke the silence that existed between them with one of his trademark grunts. What was he really supposed to say to that? He had noticed himself giving in a bit more to the side of him that held some aesthetic appeal as well as the occasional luxury, but he had truthfully chalked most of that up to growing up on a slum of a planet. Was he really picking up some of her tendencies?

"You're probably not going to be thrilled with the accomadations but just tell yourself it's a themed resort or something.. " he commented as they trudged along, paying his companion a brief glance before looking to the darkening sky before then turning his gaze to the trees where his own pet was moving about. Skere had been away from the jungles of Kashyyyk for some time and now that he had returned? The little reptomammal seemed as pleased as could be to be back in a habitat that offered plenty to climb upon as well as a healthy supply of smaller creatures to eat.. Which upon catching a glimpse of him, Jorath would note that his faithful pet was currently devouring some kind of rodent, a tail protruding from the edge of it's mouth.

Moving away from the river, the trio would eventually enter a clearing displaying a somewhat rugged looking little slice of paradise. With a number of structures made from local timber, the area included a makeshift arena with a number of training dummys, a large living quarters which Ark had grown up in and a much newer looking building that showed very few signs of aging. This had been Jorath's home during the later stages of his training and while he had no formal training, the Sith did have plenty of time to work on it, eventually building a respectable looking shack, even going as far as to round the other edges of it to carry some semblances of Tattooine architecture as a little slice of home.

Immediately stopping at a pit which had been dug out, Jorath would move underneath of a free standing structure which had been built over a number of logs that had been left unexposed to the elements to dry out, tossing a few down into the shallow hole before dragging his lightsaber which briefly flared to life across them, igniting a flame which would fan out to encompass the hole creating a rather impressive looking flame.

Going about lighting a number of torches all around the site, the Sith didn't rest until the area was well lit, knowing full well the dangers associated with the area. Even a trained Crusader like Ark hadn't been entirely safe during his first visit to the world and he would never deny being far less adapted to such environments.

"We aren't going to want to spend a lot of time outdoors.. You can bunk in Ark's hut if you want.. The fire will keep away a lot of the smaller predators but if anything big happens along, we aren't going to want to be spotted.." he stated in a rather matter of fact tone when he finally returned to the red heads side, stretching his arms up overtop of his head and before bending back and getting a rather satisfying popping sound to come from it. "If you want somethin' dryer to sleep in, I've got some spare robes but... You're gonna swim in them." he would finally offer.

 

[Asinine Soup]

After what seemed and felt like hours of trekking through the forest, it would appear that the trio had finally happened upon...something that wasn't that much worse than what she imagined. Lillieth, having been used to living in upper-class societal pleasure-condos and of the likes had only experienced one down-grade in her life, and that was - and is - the sub-par quarters that the Korriban Academy provided. Peering up, down, and around at this 'hut', however, caused her heart to sink. While it was apparent Jorath held pride and memories in the creations, she had never been forced to make quarter in such...recherche living arrangement.

"It's..." she pauses, breathing in the air and slowly calling upon - no, not the Force - her inner actress.
"...cute." She smiles.

Not receiving a tour was the best thing that happened all day, and as the young woman had often gone successive days without rest, she surmises that an early withdrawal from the approaching night would do everyone some good.
And all the while hypothermia seemed enticing and exciting, she would opt to stay away from it with a gentle, "Where were those robes?" after getting settled in Ark's hut. It was awkward, that much was sure, for she actually recalled meeting and training under Jorath's estranged Master; after she would have been instructed where she could retrieve the robes (which weighed a ton regardless of no one wearing them...they were like two blankets!), she lightly skips to said locale and disappears within the hut where she decided it was best to remain ready were anything...big to happen in the midst of night. If Jorath - the one who saddles giant snakes and bombards huge war beasts - feels its not a good idea to be on the forest floor at night?...Well, by stars, that's a good idea if she never heard one.

In her underclothing, she "swims" inside of the other Crusader's warm, dry robes with her rather soggy adventurous ones remain on the ground near the flame to dry out. Hair scraggly, a slight shiver trickles down the spine as she realizes...her hair would never be the same.
"****ing...Kashyyyk." she curses under her breath, once again sighing before standing. She opted to use the robing as cover to sleep within, and as she stands without it, her hair is untied so that it could at least have a chance at drying.
From outside the hut, however, nothing but her slim, rather beautiful figure could be seen in the amber of the flickering flame within. With curves as twisted as the average Sith's mentality, the shadow would finally dance to a cease as it would seem that Lillieth would finally retreat for the night, done tangling with her mess of a red head of hair...

...one metaphysical eye open as she seeks temporary rest, not permanent sleep. The night is young.

 

[Viabuck]

Sometimes having any sense of honor or nobility could really get in the way of being a full functional member of the Sith Order. While many of his classmates had a rather strong inclination toward self preservation above all else, Jorath seemingly could never cross the line to truth sociopathy, instead finding himself with a certain loyalty, almost akin to that of what a person might find in a dog toward those whom he felt he owed something to or simply people who he began to care for. Presently that was a remarkably short list consisting solely of his mother, his apprentice whom he had admittedly neglected quite a bit.. Okay he had picked him up and left him on Korriban only to come to Kashyyyk within a days time, and then of course there was Lillieth who if she knew what he was doing would likely have been rather cross with him.

Rather than allow himself the rest which he admittedly needed at this stage, as he set the female up with a set of his traditional Sith Robing, he would wait for her to retire before quietly attempting to position himself outside and atop of her hut, attempting to time his movements for when she wouldn't be looking out her window before eventually positioning himself directly in front of the door once he no longer heard movement from within.

In spite of his warnings for the female, he had given a few half truths, believing it safer and more productive for her to get her rest while he simply stood guard for the night, opting to forgo his own rest for the sake of keeping the camp safe. It wasn't anything that hadn't done in the past during his previous visits to Kashyyyk and it didn't bother him much now. She wasn't cut out for this type of world and he didn't begrudge her for it.

Waiting until she had had a bit of time to dose off, Jorath would eventually rise up and start to pace around the encampment, patrolling the immediate area, carefully ensuring that nothing was out of place and that there were no unwelcome guests. His increasingly golden predatory eyes looking through the illuminated areas by the lights of the multiple fires he had started, he would eventually return to Lillieth's quarters, paying a quick glance inside to the sleeping Sith, a half smile starting to form when..

Wood splintered and the Sith went airborne, his body crashing through the frame around the window, his body impacting -hard- with the ground, narrowly avoiding landing ontop of the girl. Disoriented by the blow, Jorath would narrowly find it within his power to get his barings back about him to take notice of the source of a rather loud set of footsteps belonging to a rather massive dark furred Wookie wielding two curved blades and looking rather murderous. What in the -hell-..

This was bad in two ways. The first being, that there was a blood thirsty Wookie which he had yet to figure out why it was attacking him now running right at him, both swords drawn up over it's head. The second of course being that Lillieth would likely wonder why Jorath had crashed through her room and why the fight hadn't started elsewhere... That was an even more uncomfortable set of questions to answer. At least with the Wookie, Jorath would manage to throw up a hand, shoving his attacker back with the force, barely getting enough time to grasp his lightsaber and activate the weapon...

****ing...Kashyyyk.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Spoiler: Lillieth lies asleep, dreaming...

I'm watching as the poor kid's entrails spill on the floor. And for what?...Self-gain? I guess that's as noble a cause as any on this forsaken planet. Am I really starting to second guess coming here?...Toughen up, Lillieth, you've got goals to fulfill. Bets to win. People to step on and prove wrong. I watch as a chuckle lightly at the corpse, quickly running cold as blood seeps beneath the acolyte. What's something clever to say to this self-important Sith ordering me to 'finish' the poor guy...ah, right.
"Unless it's his monthly spilling all over the floor, I'd say he's done." Genius Lilly. Genius.

AN EXPLOSION?! CRACKING WOOD?! WHAT IN THE--

Lillieth jolts awake from her dream with a light scream, adorning nothing but a gray exercise top and a pair of shorts - you know, the default attire on any character - with her skin-tight underclothing atop it, having chosen to remain covered up beneath Jorath's robing. Ultimately exposed and taken unawares, Jorath groans from the makeshift entrance he barreled thr-- what in the stars was even going on?! Was that a Wookie?!
"What on this blasted planet doesn't try to kill you, dammit?!" she curses, cartwheeling up and over to retrieve her lightsaber from the ground...thankfully intact. Barefooted along the cold floor, she peers over to Jorath after a pristine shove using the Force sends their mystery assailant off his feet and back into the night...but not far. He was rather big. Before a heartbeat could fluctuate, he was coming back for more...

"I take it he's not friendly." Lillieth murmurs, a sharp press of her blade sending her blade from its sheath with a hiss that fills the damaged hut with an orchestra and the area about her with a crimson fantasy of lights. Her eyes remain on the beast, dual bladed as he came for blood, shrieking its staccato vocals to be heard by every creature in the night. So much for getting beauty rest.
"Jorath. Do the thing." she grumbles as he would most likely be gathering himself at this point. Seems they would be working as a team to take out a large opponent once again. One that was actually quite the skilled warrior...

Rushing forward, Lillieth meets the beast half-way, the cold tainting her smooth skin, scar from the bout with the war beast a few months ago still there upon her upper arm and shoulder...the beast attempts to swat the gnat away with a low sword swipe, but all that he would strike is air - Lillieth demonstrates a forward-moving Sai , blade arcing in movement with a loud hum and whirl as the girl's red head of hair can be seen moving right over and past the Wookie's immediate area. He attempted to double back and send a second strike her direction, but with as much proficiency and footwork as she held, it only took a pivot and a forward summersalt to get where she wanted to be...

A fling of the wrist and arm, a bared-teethed Lillieth sends a deep grazing strike toward the Wookie's Achilles, meant for a stumble for Jorath to take advantage of. The Wookie, regardless, would howl in pain, seemingly undeterred in his movement to smoosh the red-headed nuisance.

 

[Viabuck]

"Not at all.." he muttered in response to the nature of the Wookie and whether or not the beast was friendly. Jorath wasn't sure why he was under attack, but from what he could tell there had to be one hell of a reason. He couldn't remember the last time that he had been hit so hard. Damned Wookies..

And Lillieth was fighting it.. That was fine.. She seemed to be fairing well enough.. Moving rather gracefully and proving just how capable of a fighter she was. It took him back to one of his first days on Korriban when the female had successfully outmanuevered him in their sparring bout and he had proceeded to smack her in the mouth for her troubles.. Who'd have thought they'd be working together now.

With the massive furry beast having it's tendon cut, Jorath saw an opportunity opening, licking his lips and as the enraged creature focused on his teammate, he would rush in, thrusting his right leg up, driving his knee into it's chin before spinning and in one fluid motion, allowing the blade of the weapon to pass through it's neck, severing it's head which would go rolling across the floor, the faint smell of burnt hair in the air. It had been a rather clean combo between the two, she had taken them off their guard and he had finished them off.. Pretty textbook and it left the Crusader feeling pretty good about their efforts.

".. I promise. Me and you on a beach, relaxing.. You can read and I'll-" he would start to say almost relaxing in that moment, right up until he noticed a red dot on Lillieth's chest, his eyes going wide. Stepping toward her rather suddenly and concentrating in that instant, the sound of a blaster would be heard and the gigantic Sith's eyes would go wide before slouching forward, dropping to his knees and then falling onto his side, a thin trail of smoke raising from his exposed back.

With the giant on the ground, a man holding a smoking blaster, wearing a pendant baring the order of the Silence would be seen, a shocked look on his face, readying the weapon and pointing it at Lillieth, preparing to fire again at what he had intended to be his first target. Jorath meanwhile continued to lay on his side, not moving.

 

[Asinine Soup]

A Wookie was nothing compared to a war beast, evidently; as the husk of burned fur and blood wavers within the Kashyyyk moonlight, Lillieth stands upright, peering back at their deed. Jorath had begun to approach by then, and as he does so, she doesn't spare a smile, wondering where this one came from...and why. It was skilled, and from what she saw back at the port, Wookies seemed to like Jorath.

Not attempt to assassinate him and his friends in the night.
".. I promise. Me and you on a beach, relaxing.. You can read and I'll-" he cut himself short mid-sentence as his eyes trail to her...breasts? Oh, wow, well if that wasn't sweet, she didn't know what was - on big 'ol abrasive Jorath, her appearance had him at odds?--
He rushes forward, and she instinctively takes half a step back, not knowing what in the world was happening until...a shot rings through the dark.

Jorath slumps to his knees, and as Lillieth's vision fades from him to the figure in the background holding the weapon that had struck him...her eyes widen. Vision details to find her partner's assumed assassin, and as a light wisp of smoke lifts from both his weapon and Jorath's back, she grips her Lightsaber tight and brings it up in a flash, an unadulterated, festering rage creeping from her lungs. She wanted to scream, but luckily, the man's weapon screamed first. The first bolt is deflected off into the forest, the second - causing Lillieth to step back because there was no other way beside luck that she deflected the first due to the proximity - skims her shoulder, sending the girl's teeth bared.
She hisses in pain, but keeps her guard up. A third shot sings forward and makes its way right past her lightsaber and hits her in the shoulder, effectively downing the rather squishy female. She moans in pain, her form diminishing to nothing as the Silent man had effectively used a now-dead Wookie to get the drop on the duo.

"Oohhhh..." Lillieth murmurs, hatred absolutely boiling over at this point. "I'm going to enjoy ripping your cowardly legs from beneath you, you blasted snake..." The girl's actually grinning. She's smiling, her sentence rolling into a low chortle. Even as she realized she may be dying within the next few moments, she doesn't grant her attacker the satisfaction of seeing her plead.
As he aims the weapon once more, resolve statute upon his face, Lillieth squints.

His finger makes its way for the trigger.

*SCREEEEEEEE*
Skere swoops in out of nowhere, jaws clamping right down upon the assailants wrist! Teeth drag into the forearm, the man still not making a peep, but the pain ever existent upon his face. He fires a few accidental shots into the wilds, the bolts screaming into a tree or rock-face; Lillieth, squinting, yells in anguish for her fallen partner and for the pain she's currently experiencing...and with her good arm, arcs her lightsaber forward and leans into the weight that she intended to traverse into Zedey'yet within.
The buzz of the blade soaring straight the flesh and bone causes her attacker to grunt, diaphragm failing to operate successfully at this point...a red blade having been revealed to impale him straight through the abdomen. The hissing burn of the cauterized wound was as apparent as the shock on the man's face.

"****ing..." she curses, hisses through slanted teeth as she forces the lightsaber deeper into his wound, scraping his innards with the forever burning blade. He groans in pain, beginning to slink to the ground.
"...Kashyyyk..." she continues, kneeing the kneeling cultist in the chin to send him off her lightsaber's length. As he sprawls unto the ground and Skere rushes over to his fallen master, happy to have helped, Lillieth steps above the man as his breaths become scattered.

"...burn and die, you bastard." Lillieth whispers, arcing her lightsaber across the individual's knees, severing them from the body. "You coward!" she yells, pain in her voice and a few of the last breaths escaping the cultist. His blaster drops from his hand as the look of agony is plastered upon his face...even in death.

With a scattered sob, Lillieth withdrawals her lightsaber and looks back to Jorath, reticent in her initial approach but overbearing as she rushes to see his status.
"You better not be dead, you asshole." she curses, leaning on the soppy jungle floor and rolling her partner's head into her lap, ignoring the pain in her shoulder...and the pitter-patter of a gentle rain that had begun to fall from the canopy. She holds the man's hair in her fingertips, scowling.
"Wake up...dammit..." she grunts. Could she heal him? Would she have to be prepared to heal him? "Jorath." she nearly pleads on the jungle floor, attempting but ultimately failing to prevent some sort of...emotional turmoil from ailing her brow.

Skere licks his master's limp palm...willing him to come back.

 

[Viabuck]

And there he laid, heroically having sacrificed himself so that one of his few friends in the galaxy could be safe from harm, a smoking blaster wound on his back..

That would have been a heroic enough way to die and yet that wouldn't be the case of one, Jorath Baylor. As Lillieth went about dispatching his assailant and Skere reacted to his master's killer, the gigantic Sith laid on the ground, the scorch marks that had tarnished the flesh of his back oddly not going deep enough given the caliber of weapon used to inflict it. To make matters even stranger, as Lillieth moved in his direction and ultimately scooped his head up onto her lap, his eyes would twitch ever so slightly beneath the lids.

Feeling something upon his hand, he would take a moment before quickly recognizing it as Skere. Stirring ever so slightly and opening his eyes, he would continue to lay there, groaning slightly, not so much from pain but more like a child who was being stirred from bed against his will. Why were people bothering him? He had such a nice pillow and people were already nagging him to wake back up.. Didn't these people know that using Tutaminis was really quite intensive?

Slowly his eyes would in fact open, peering up at the red head who had for once seemingly displayed a legitimate bit of concern for his well being, a smile forming upon his face.

"I think this time saving your life counts extra..." he finally said, giving his shoulders a quick roll back upon the ground and adjusting his head's positioning upon her lap, not quite willing to give up his comfy positioning not the attention that he was receiving from his partner. He had taken a calculated risk, assuming that a blaster would be used instead of a slugthrower and it had seemingly all paid off, his ability to break down energy and absorb it into his being combined with being over four hundred pounds of muscle all paying off in the end.

Reaching a hand down to pet Skere atop his head, he continued to rest there, looking up at her for a moment, his desire to make bad jokes ultimately proving incapable of being suppressed when when it would ruin a moment.

".. And I wasn't looking at your boobs when I got shot."

He couldn't allow the awkward silence.. Not in this situation.

"You're alright, right? " he added after another brief pause still looking up at her.

 

[Asinine Soup]

Jorath opens his eyes as though from the sound of Lillieth's voice, and as he does so, her own eyes soften from anger to relief...to anger again. She doesn't speak, just actually rather excited that the man was still alive at this point.
She thought he was over, and it was clear that the man's pet knew better than she did - he didn't seem bothered at all, in fact, as though he knew all along his master was absolutely fine. Just napping, like usual.

"I didn't say you were looking at my...hmhm." she responds to the statement in pertinence to vanity, squinting her eyes and unsuccessfully holding back a smile. Battling with her feelings right about now, she failed to suppress them, wearing them on her sleeve as seldom as she truly did. She wanted to hug the big lug, but wouldn't - she almost laughs at the thought of him spazzing out at the contact. "How many times are you going to save my life, Mister Baylor?" A certain twinkle in her eyes, she recalls what she said upon their second meeting.
"I've to say, Jorath, you're a wild card and I don't know what to make of you anymore." Her grin was undeniable now, and as the weight of the man's head on her lap begins to ache, she begins to shift to do as she may to help him back up to his feet.

"You're alright, right?"

"I'm fine as I'll ever be...seems we've both been shot and stabbed and squished. I'd like to make sure you'e not paralyzed from the waist down, if you don't mind." she says jokingly, disregarding her shoulder wound for now. It was stinging heavily, but the caliber of the blaster she was shot with wasn't all too amazing, though nonetheless a blaster - it would take some meditation to rid the pain and energy scarring.
After Jorath would've eventually obliged to her request, she would peek him over before sighing gently, a slight shiver running through her body. She was still minimally clothed, and she sought to remedy that. Whilst walking back to re-robe herself, she would peer over her shoulder, wincing slightly at the pain as she calls out to the big guy.
"Thank you...now...about that vacation."

 

[Viabuck]

Finding it hard not to smile when he noticed that Lillieth herself seemed to be rather pleased that he continued to draw breath, the rather large human male would continue resting there on her lap, seemingly content with his current lot in life. While a distant and not overly affectionate type of person, the occasional human contact was nice and this wasn't nearly as bad as he might have thought it would be.

"I imagine I'll save you as many times as I have to before you stop needing saved... So at least a thousand." he remarked, still grinning, finally reaching a hand up and pushing it back through his hair as he was referred to as a wildcard, offering a quick shrug of his shoulders in response. What was he to say to that? He always thought he was pretty easy to understand.. But maybe he was more complicated than he had assumed? Did it really matter? She was safe and he was fine..ish.

With the hint being made that he needed to get up, he wouldn't linger much longer, sitting up and stretching his arms up overtop of his head, finding his legs to be perfectly functional, no lingering effects to be found other than a burn which would likely mar his flesh for the rest of his life.. Nothing that bothered him too greatly though. He had pretty much accepted that as a Sith Warrior, he would be covered by the time he was finished either via retirement or death.

Already the male's body had a large scar on his shoulder where a lightsaber had found it's mark, another blaster burn on his right shoulder and a collection of smaller scars that appeared to make up a larger one on his lower left abdomen where he had been surprised by a scattergun during his time as a thug back on Tattooine. All in all? He was pretty rugged already for his age and this new burn on his back simply started another side of the paper so to speak.

Noticing Lillieth standing and starting to rerobe he simply stood there, watching, showing not even the slightest hint of shame in doing so. What was there to say? While he wouldn't ever directly compliment her given the potential awkwardness of expressing an interest in his partner, not to mention the intolerable gloating that he would have to endure...

Nope. Apparently being a creeper was a better option, at least in Jorath's mind...

"As I said, a nice beach somewhere.. Just me and you.. Spira sounds nice..." he added, taking a moment to glance at a datapad that he had clipped to his belt.

".. We just need to pick up a Stormtrooper and handle one other little errand first.." he added quietly as the two would soon find themselves in the second phase of the operation that he gotten them involved in.