[STH] PART II: Rumors to Reality

[Vexillar]

Flinging door pieces at the massive creature? Ineffective except to piss it off really. It might have targeted Raith, had it not been for the fact that it was the woman who caused it harm. Rapid animals didn't tend to like such things. So when the Terentatek turned to face her, snarling and growling angrily, Raith took his chance to get the journal. It was just sitting around, waiting to be snagged. Why not take advantage of the situation? Apparently the Acolyte would be fine against the beast...right?

Probably not.

The savage beast turned to her, grabbing what pieces it could and hurling them at the woman. Whether or not she dodged didn't matter the reaction would be the same. He would charge at her, reaching out to rip flesh from bone with his claws. The beast was angry, but it wasn't nearly as stupid as the Acolyte assumed it was. The Terentatek was a hunter, it was a vicious predator, and those who felt the Force were it's prey. It knew how to take them down, and it's hunger wouldn't be denied. Raith understood this in the beast, and that's why he wasn't exactly sticking around to fight it if he didn't have to. He entered the chamber with the journal in it, and wasted no time snatching it from the pedestal. He felt the rough leather bindings, and resisted the urge to access it's secrets here and now. This wasn't the time. He turned around to witness how the woman he came here with would deal with the beast. This was a delicate situation. If the Terentatek could be felled as easily as other beasts, if it only took a few well placed saber strikes, then they would have been wiped out ages ago. This would be a good chance for him to see exactly what she was capable of.

In the mean time, however, he would focus himself. The beast had a weakness...right? Or would he have to do the thing he hated the most and act on impulse and theory?

 

[Hishamori]

Mori sighed a loud as she stood fighting the Terentatek continuing to dodge it's attacks. She then made as much space between herself and the Terentatek as quickly as possible.

She then looked to see where the heck the sith master was and saw him standing off to the side looking like he was in deep thought. Which caused a very deep frown to appear on her face. Looking back at the Terentatek and then towards the Sith master, she gained a slightly sad look before, shaking her head. She was starting to get tired and run out of energy, she wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer, and the sith master had no inclination to help her in any shape or form. He had the diary, but she could care less about the whole thing. All she knew was the she felt abandon, by her superior no less. A test? more like a death warrant and wish. With a slight deep breath Morisana deactivated her saber and put it away, the Terentatek stood there looking confused as to why she turned off the weapon that caused it pain. Mori seeing her opening used force speed to quickly get back towards the staircase, the Terentatek started following and chased her all the way towards the Staircase, she then dashed into and then up the stair case as the Terentatek smashed into the entrance to said staircase. Mori ignored it and kept running up the stairs back into the maze. Stopping for a moment to catch her breath she turned her head to look back down the stairs as she heard the Terentatek roaring in anger. Regardless of that Mori had no intention of going back down nor helping the sith master, with that thought she walked away and headed back towards her ship and left.

 

[Vexillar]

He sighed a bit.

Did she have to be so rough with the thing. "Ey! Keep it as intact as possible. I want that for my studies." It was true...and he'd need a much bigger carrier too. How was he going to get this thing out of here? That was the curious part. He supposed he could cut it up, but that was such a gruesome and unappealing task, but it was really the only way. Now how was he going to take this thing down without killing it, that was the other question. He touched one of the pillars gently and it was cool. There was a few beads of water on there, evidence of exactly what he needed.

He was going to try and drown this thing.

The Arcanist walked back to the stair case and took a seat. He needed to clear his mind. Really clear it. While this didn't take much energy, it was still a difficult task to do. Simply because he could either cause just enough water to appear, or he might cause too much...or he might create a drought, or any variety of things really. He wasn't a physicist. Maybe he should be though. It certainly would make this about a thousand times easier. With a sigh he pushed the thought from his mind. He had work to do...

Meanwhile the Terentatek was not pleased that it was now missing an eye. Of course it hurt, and the little thing was going to pay for that. He would make it hurt, he would rip flesh from bone, and devour her Force Energy. He roared and slammed the ground. He remembered the last time he was attacked. He slammed the ground and it threw his attackers off balance, giving him time to smack them, but he wasn't going to smack her. No. He was going to rip flesh from bone. Slamming on the ground with both hands, the beast immediately lunged forward to swipe at the girl, clawing at her chest and being careful to avoid the blade. He remembered that blade. It looked like the ones from before. The one that took his tusk, he knew to watch out for it. It was no good. It hurt. Now she would hurt. If the claw swipe was to miss, he would follow up with a charge, tusks down with the intent to impale her.

Back at the stairs, Raith was making slight progress. He had managed to at least put more moisture in the air, and it was steadily building too. He was more hurrying to get back to Korriban with his latest experiment than anything else. The thought of this Teretatek's unique properties made him giddy, but he controlled himself. Morisana would just have to try and not die for a moment as he worked his figurative magic.

 

[Vexillar]

The Terentatek turned his attention to Raith. The Arcanist felt a moment of panic, and in that moment he lost control. He had been trying to gradually build moisture and then water in the area but in that moment he had a single choice. Rush this or do it the hard way. Of course not many people could keep their composure in a creature who found his kind to be a delicacy. In that moment of split attention between fight and flight, his focus unleashed a larger portion of his power than he meant to and it immediately began to pour torrential rain. His vision wasn't impaired thankfully, but the Terentatek seemed momentarily confused as well as being slightly blinded. This was far from something it was used to. Though that hardly seemed to change it's mind.

It was hungry, and it wanted Miraluka.

The rain pounded against the stone and Raith immediately grabbed and activated his saber. The sizzling sound of water on pure energy created a soothing background noise for the Arcanist as the beast roared and the eyeless one moved in open space to meet him. His feet splashing in the water that gathered on the stone surface. The beast swung at him with a clawed hand and the Miraluka jumped back. The beast was trying to fight through the rain and it was unaccustomed to it. Wildly slashing while howling the beast kept the Miraluka on the defensive. He didn't want to damage it too poorly, but that didn't seem like a real issue right now either.

Despite the visual impairment the beast made due, fighting against the Arcanist tusk and nail. He was hard pressed to keep avoiding it, and the rising water level did not help anything. The beast was blinded, but he was being slowed down. This was bad. Raith sidestepped a headbutt from the beast but the water made him illprepsred to avoid to wild swing of the head which caused the beast's jagged tusk to smack into the Arcanist, sending him against the wall. He could swear he bruised at least three ribs and he felt a warm liquid trail down his head while his cranium throbbed. Breathing was now a problem, but he wouldn't let that stop him.

The Terentatek shouted it's nearing victory and charged again. His size and mass made the pooling water basically irrelevant. Raith suddenly realized how much easier drowning this thing would have been with a second person on the assignment. Still, he was making progress for sure. The raging beast charged again and this time Raith took the blow. His preparation for it made it easier to defend against at least. Using telekinesis to go with the hit, reducing damage. The creatures large hand swipred Raith to the side, sending him skidding along the ground. Water all around him, momentarily his face was submerged but he recovered quickly. He now stood with his back to the alter where the journal was and the beast seemed prepared to end this fight. Raith gathered the Force in his hands, building up pressure for a moment as the beast began to charge him once more. When the creature was about half way he struck, letting the pent up energy hit the ceiling in a wide burst, breaking it apart and sending large pieces of rubble down on the Terentatek, it staggered the beast enough for Raith to side step the attack, and gave him a new weapon. He used the rubble, via the Force, to throw the Terentatek off balance and send it toppling over. The splash drenched the Sith, but really he was soaked to the bone already. Adrenaline being the only thing that kept him warm. The beast tried to get up but another Force Push assault from Raith kept him down. Of course an assault on that level would have shattered bones against the wall, but to the beast it might as well have been a love tap. It was enough though to keep him lowered. Raith summoned all his strength to drop more of the ceiling on the Terentatek, pushing it face down into the deeper part of the water's embrace. He applied the Force, begging the Spirits to aid him, asking for their divine strength in this matter. He used the large chunks of stone slabs and rubble as a kind of hand to keep the beast down. His strength was massive, and Raith could certainly feel the toll on his mind and body. He slipped into the meditative stance from before to reduce the stress, allowing him to channel longer and buy more time. He needed time.

The beast began to panic as it's lungs filled with water. It's legs scratched at the floor as it's arms tried to push itself up, but the weight of the stone pushed back. Raith kept the amount of pressure he applied just above what the beast put out so he didn't overextend himself. The rain fall raged on, and the beast eventually ceased moving. Raith collapsed on the ground, as he felt the creatures life begin to flicker and fade. It was weak, it's mind gone from this place, and it's body would only continue to fill it's lungs with water. He sighed as he leaned against the wall. The journal was safe on the staircase, away from the rain which would have certainly damaged it, and Raith began to get to work calling off the shower. It took some time, but time was all he had in the temple's space. He was alone here, bruised to hell, and bleeding, but alone. He had all the time he needed.

He got the rain to stop finally and radioed Eezeo on the ship that he was fine. He told the droid that he would need a team here to help him bring back his prize. They'd need a bigger ship than what they came here in for sure. Once he got confirmation from Eezeo, after repeating the message several times due to a bad connection, he went back up the stairs. There was still the matter of the four-legged one to settle.

He approached the creature slowly, though it clearly remembered him. Raith made no sudden moves. The thing was damaged badly, but it still had claws and teeth to rip flesh from bone. Raith was also incredibly tired, he would be in no position to fight. The canine growled gently as Raith got too close.

"Okay okay. You're hurt though...Can you understand me? You need...healing. Restore yourself. Help." He had never come across such a beast before, so he wasn't sure how much of what he said the creature understood, but it seemed to know enough. He stopped growling, but his eyes never left the Sith. They spoke a promise of death at any sign of trouble. Raith didn't want to kill the creature, however, no, he wanted to take it with him. They made loyal pets if one handled them with care. That was the goal.

The Tuk'ata remained still as Raith healed it's legs. Healing a creature was not like healing a person, but it was close enough. The Force did most of the work, and the Arcanist felt the sting of his generosity. His head felt ravaged by daggers and spikes, he felt faint and his mind grew cloudy. The Tuk'ata stood slowly, able to understand that it was still in little position to do much besides walk. Vi's comm went off and the best growled, afraid of the new sound. The Arcanist held up his hands and spoke quickly. "N-no! Calm! Safe. You're safe." The creature didn't seem convinced. It backed up a few meters and hunched down, clearly ready to fight if need be. An Imperial Trooper said they were on their way with a carrier and would be at the LZ momentarily. That meant it was time for Raith to leave. It seemed he wouldn't get a new pet today, but that didn't bother him too much. He still had Eezeo.

He staggered slihhtly as he stood, getting to his feet was a pain, but eventually he was up. He bowed his head to the Tuk'ata and used the wall to get away. It was a few minutes before he realized that the canine was following him. Every time he stopped and looked back the beast would growl and lower it's ears, tensing up visibly, and showing a few teeth. Such an odd creature. He wished he knew how to communicate with it. Still. This kept up until he was outside. At which point the troopers seemed to have scared it into the bushes. Raith could still sense it and he told the Troopers it was near by and not to be harmed. They confirmed their orders for extraction of the Terentatek, and Raith took a seat on his ride out. Sitting down felt great, the chair even felt like heaven. He began to nod off as Eezeo wiggled under his free hand, the familiar and calming coolness of his droid's metal frame relaxed him. His near-rest was disturbed by the sound of sniffing and nails on metal, however. The Tuk'ata was still there. One look from Raith and the beast began to growl again. What was his issue?

"You're free to come with us if you wish." He spoke into the beast's mind. It's semi-sentient state made the connection weird, and Raith got feelings in response. Aggression mostly. Lots of aggression, but somewhere in there was curiosity and understanding. He was too tired to try and explore this new sensation. He wanted to sleep...the Tuk'ata picked a corner and curled up. Huffing as it laid down. Raith sighed deeply. This was a lot of hassle, the holocron better be worth it. He made a mental note to tell the other Arcanist he owed him one. Though truth be told, he was more than satisfied with his haul. A Tuk'ata that he couldn't quite communicate with, but that seemed interested in everything, and the body of a Terentatek mostly unharmed. Oh he had big plans for that one...a few hours later when an excavation team arrived they were on their way to Korriban. The body of his kill would be delivered later that week, he was told, and he ensured that everyone understood the price for him not getting that body, or receiving it in poor, or damaged, condition.

Finally he was heading home.

 

[MasterTyvokka]

Ryak had received the journal from V. To be honest he was quite disappointed. Ryak had hoped that the Holocron itself would be found on Yavin. Obviously it had not been. Instead V had found the journal and the acolyte who had accompanied V had walked out on the task. Ryak was not happy with what the acolyte had done but he was far to busy right now to deal with the acolyte.

Ryak sat down and opened the journal. He was surprised for a moment to see the Skywalker name written in flourishing ink. Ryak was expecting to find another journal by the archivist but it was clear he had stumbled upon much more. This an especially unusual coincidence considering the recent revelation that the Skywalker line was still strong. However not much could be learned from the journal. Most of the ancient ink was smeared by recent contact with water. V was fortunate that his drive to keep the Terentatek intact didn't cause a complete bleed of the ink. For despite the water damage Ryak was able find what he needed.