Strange mysteries

[Saric Noms]

​

A ship, above the moon Iktotch

Saric sat in what passed for his office in the capital ship. Previously, it appeared to have served as a broom cupboard of some description and Saric's modest desk dominated the room to such an extent that he thought, if they were boarded, he would have to kick the thing over, rather than squeeze down the side. There were a couple of low chairs between the desk and the door. He wasn't complaining about the size of his office, mind you. An office was an office and this was definitely a step in the right direction, career wise.
However, he tried not to have too many guests if he could help it. Not only for the practicality, but also for form's sake.

Today, however, was an exception. There was a delicate matter that would not bear being overheard.

His two guests had been selected personally by the Moff to undertake this mission.

"The governor in waiting apologises for not speaking to you personally. However, the nature of this conversation is not for the ears that would be attracted to his presence."

"You have been handpicked for a very particular mission, to which you must answer directly to the Moff, or me as his representative. There have been troubling reports from the moon's surface. Reports that cannot be explained either by physical means, or by a conventional understanding of the force. Eriana, we need you to go down, establish the nature of the happenings and report back so that we know what we are dealing with. Talo, you will do all that you can to assist Eriana, particularly liaising with the local inhabitants. You have been selected not only for your skills, but also your," Saric paused, unsure of the politically correct phrase, "specific diversity. We are aware of the reputation that the empire has, but we hope that you can be the friendly face of the Republic."

"Good luck, and remember your sand guards."

@One For Sorrow @EmilyHuene

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo was happy to be back to work after recovering from the last mission he and Eriana were partnered on. It was both a pleasant surprize and yet not surprising at all that they would be on this mission together as well. They seemed to constantly be getting the same assignments lately, and he did enjoy working with her. He had not however expected her to be back on her feet so soon after the way gravity had treated her on their last mission, though he just assumed force users healed faster than the mundane folk.

He listened intently as Saric detailed their mission, basically his role was to keep Lady Fox safe whilst placating the locals. He figured he could handle that easily enough. The term "specific diversity" was one of the more pleasant ways people had pointed out his xenos nature, he paid it no mind however. His whole life had been nothing but prejudice so it really didn't phase him.

"Yes sir, understood." he saluted and waited for Lady Fox to be finished in the office before they exited. "It is a pleasure to be working with you again, as always Lady Fox. And may I add I am pleased to see you recovered from your injuries." he said in his usual respectful tone, though after their last mission Talo thought that just maybe he had earned a little bit of leeway with Lady Fox. So him being him he had to test the waters of familiarity. "Hopefully this mission will involve less climbing eh?" he made sure to let the wry grin that spread across his face enter his voice, knowing that she couldn't see it.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

A broom closet? A broom closet!?!? Wow. Eriana would never complain about her small office ever again back home in the Imperial Grand Prison. Wow. She thought she had it bad. This poor man barely had space for a desk and Eriana was utterly surprised he'd managed to find two more chairs for the both of them to sit in. She'd come to the awaiting ship just above the moon Ikotch with her seemingly permanent partner Talo Geist. Sheesh. She couldn't get rid of this guy. Obviously the Force had intended their paths to cross yet again. Perhaps there was something to this...?

Being presentable as always the Sith warriror would wear black marauder armor, only hers was tailored for a more specific look. While she sacrificed the top portion of her torso, she had the rest of it molded into a corset which gave her a more prominent hourglass figure. In the center of the perfect curves were her two curved lightsabers each with forged red crystals. The rest of the outfit was black leather with special padding in the wrists and shins to offer more protection as the marauder armor typically provided.

Like the rest of the color scheme, the woman's hair was also black. She didn't wear it any special way other than down for it never mattered to her if -during battle- her hair would cross in front of her eyes. This played into fact as the woman was blind. She was born this way, born into darkness as she liked to say. It gave her a special mindset with her connection to the Force in which she felt she'd been chosen by it. That, coupled with her parents' clout and prestige, would mold the girl into a rather spoiled personality and an attitude that made her feel like she was above everyone else.

So when she came into the dusty little office she felt like she ought not to touch anything else the filth would get on her. She meant no disrespect for the man holding their meeting, but it was a product of her upbringing she didn't even know she exhibited. She would sit prim and proper in the chair with her back straight and her legs crossed over one another; her hands she kept tightly folded in her lap. Listening to the man he'd give them some boring apology about how the Moff could not meet with them in person. Her first thought was how that the Moff was directly laughing at them and not respecting them. This angered the Sith quite a bit. Even if the reason behind doing so was valid.

This man however seemed more likable, despite his poor accommodations. He'd flatter them by stating they'd been handpicked. Eriana wouldn't know in a million years if this were true or not. For all she knew their names could have been picked out of a hat. But she'd like to think it was her connection to the Force -and nature of such- that drew the Moff's eyes. He'd then go on to mention the real reason they'd been brought here. Troubling reports? How troubling? Eriana couldn't lie her curiosity was peeked.

Saric would speak directly to her, explaining she needed to figure out what this phenomenon was so that she might be able to advise the Moff of it. She understood by his wording of conventional understanding that they clearly hadn't a single worthy Force user in their company. But it was wise of them to call for assistance. And if anything was truly going on down there Eriana would be excited to investigate. This was a potential gold mine of information all at her fingertips.

And now Talo once again would be in her service to follow along. Aside from their last mission things had gone over well very between them. She'd chuckle softly to herself when Saric tried not to insult the man for his race. Eriana never cared about the man's genetics. While her parents socialized in very high circles, they never really cared what race their friends were so long as they had money. If they lived in the Core worlds, believed in the Imperium, and could throw away money like it was water, then they were good in their book. Eriana felt the same way. And it only grew as she did while training at the Academy. She wasn't very well liked due to her being different -the blindness- so she had few friends. She could understand Talo's pain at not having people view them on the same level. Maybe that's why they got along so well.

Pleasantries aside the two of them would leave and exit the "office" and into the hall. Talo would now formally express his feelings on the matter, assuring Eriana that he too enjoyed working with her. The fact he still called her Lady Fox and not by her first name was also pleasing to hear. It was respectful. And she'd respect him for that. He then brought up her late injuries causing her to sigh a little and look away. While it might be common for someone to shy their face, Talo would note that Eriana never made facial features like that. She'd consciously done it. Was she embarrassed or something?

"A fact I'd like to keep behind me, if you don't mind. Clearly I had been off my game. And I assure you it won't happen again." Then she'd turn her head back to front and offer more cheerful words. "But yes. It is a pleasure working with you again. If this keeps happening we're going to have to get a place together to save on fuel."

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo was shocked for a moment, Eriana seemed to be embarrassed for a moment. He knew from their first meeting that she did not think herself to be godlike as some of her fellow Sith did, but he still was not expecting to see an emotion like embarrassment from the usually stoic woman.

"My apologies. Consider it forgotten." he answered as they continued down the corridor. Then she threw him off once again by commenting that they should have a place together to save on fuel costs. "I...uh..well.." he stammered. Now it was his turn to be embarrassed. "I'm not sure you would enjoy sharing space with someone as low as I, Lady Fox."

He was silent for a few moments as he recomposed himself. Trying to refocus on the mission -and find his way to the hangar on this labyrinth of a ship-

"So, do you have any idea what could cause an anomaly such as this? I know next to nothing about the force, though it does fascinate me." he said, changing the subject.

For an intelligence agent he figured he looked pretty stupid right now.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

To his agreement to keep things in the past she would offer her gratitude, "Thank you."

What happened next made the clearly sadistic woman smile. Talo lost any train of thought he had and was clearly stumbling over his words. Oh it felt good to have that power over him. These were the kind of games she enjoyed. Taking power away from the powerless. Subverting her will over one another. However....she'd meant what she said. In no way was she intentionally trying to knock him on his butt just to assert her dominance. For someone else, totally a possibility. But not this time.

"No I suppose not," she'd say with no emotion. It was very matter of fact. Was she taking back what she'd said? Or trying to hide her true feelings on the matter? She couldn't have been that lonely could she?

Then the awkward pause. Now what had she done. Suddenly she felt like he'd turned the tables on her. She began to rethink things. Wait a moment! He should be grateful she even offered her time and space to him. In light of a joke or not he should totally have accepted her offer or at least humbly declined because it was him that did not deserve such kindness. Suddenly Eriana was pouting and instantly her mood went foul. If Talo could read Force signatures, he would know his next words had better be measured carefully.

He'd then wisely drop this subject which had now blown up in each of their faces. Trying to change the focus he'd ask her if she had any idea what was causing the disturbance down below that would cause these people to seek help. She suddenly snapped at him saying she had no idea.

"If anyone on this rock even had half a brain they'd figure out that the Force can present itself in a myriad of ways. It's physically impossible to predict what we'll see so don't worry that tiny head of yours over something you can't even comprehend."

Boy was she mad at him. And for what? He might not have the slightest clue as to what flipped her switch so suddenly. And there was a one hundred chance he'd never find out what that reason was either. But if he were smart, he wouldn't press the issue or else that well-known "Sith temper" might come out. And everyone knew that was not something one wanted to be the object of aggression in.

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo fought the urge to duck as Eriana snapped at him. He of course had no idea what he had done, but he was sure it was stupid of him.

"Of course Lady Fox. My apologies." he said meekly. Finally he saw the door to the ship's hangar, and through it the shuttle that would take them down to Iktotch's surface. "Ahh, that's us I believe." he declared, attempting a more chipper tone as they boarded the shuttle. Once in his seat Talo would make sure all his equipment was ready and adjusted as they awaited takeoff.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

"Yeah you'd better apologize" she said quietly to herself.

The two entered into the large ship's hangar bay. Talo attempted to stay cheerful and his tone worked a little. It at least calmed her down so she'd wouldn't go snapping at him with her teeth. But while her anger would dissipate, her anxiety would take its place. Eriana hated flying. She hated it so much. Just getting to this system was a struggle for her. It wasn't as bad once she got into hyperspace, the real issue was flying around in lower atmospheres where one wrong move or one stupid human could crash into her and she'd explode in a great ball of fire.

Strapping herself into her seat Eriana made sure she wasn't going anywhere. Talo might notice her hands were shaking badly as she did it. He'd recall that on an earlier mission she seemed really tense while in the shuttle. Perhaps she had a fear of flying after all. Once she'd gotten strapped in she began tapping her foot repetitively. While Talo checked her gear she tried to remind herself she wasn't going to die.

"This prayer is to the forces beyond my sight. Beyond my knowledge and my understanding. I pray to you to keep me safe as you have done all these years. Grant me safe travel so that I might continue to serve you in Your name."

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo watched Eriana as the shuttle lurched into motion, he could see her shaking just slightly and hear her praying under her breath. That basically confirmed his suspicions that she was afraid of flying. He wondered briefly how she managed to stay so calm on the large capital ship that was now shrinking off into the distance behind them, but thought it best not to mention that he'd caught on.

Especially since he'd already managed to piss her off somehow.

He decided it best to remain quiet, so as not to distract her from her coping mechanisms. So while they flew down to the moon's surface he busied himself re checking his gear and reading over the mission notes on his datapad.

It was admittedly hard not to chatter away while they flew, he did like talking to pass the time. But it would only be a few short minutes to reach their destination.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

The ride over was short and quick and Eriana was ever so thankful for it. They would land with no issues at all despite the constant buffering from the sand outside. Saric wasn't kidding when he told them to bring their sand guards. Even now as the engines cut off and the power died down they could hear the tiny rocks crashing into the side of the hull. Eriana was sure they were going to crash and Talo would have noticed she was clutching to her seat rather fiercely. The Force kept her safe though and they landed without issue.

Unbuckling herself from the seat she'd stand and start shaking out her arms to get the nerves to settle. Her breathing was heavy like she was stressed like every other time she'd flown. But they were here now and she could relax. Eriana would pull out a heavy coat from under her seat and wrap it around herself before drawing the hood. She made sure to tie it tight so it wouldn't blow away and it wouldn't get sand anywhere. She wished she had brought the helmet that came with her marauder gear, but as usual she left it back home. She never thought to bring it because all it did for her was block her senses. She'd never fight in such a thing; she liked being able to hear the noise around her and feel the wind on her cheeks. The slightest change in either gave Eriana an edge over her opponents.

As she stepped to the side of the shuttle to disembark Eriana would suddenly stumble and grab the wall to stop herself from falling. Her other hand came up to hold her head and she let out a loud gasp.

Her voice wasn't panicked, but it was surprised for sure. "I can feel it. Oh Talo it's so strong!"

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo watched his friend -he decided she was a friend anyway- go through the hell of flying. He didn't share her fear but he understood that it couldn't be easy for her to deal with.

Thankfully they landed quickly and Eriana got her sand gear on. Talo opted to just take the goggles and scarf off of the set provided for him. His long coat would keep him safe enough, though it would need a good cleaning after this.

He was startled when Eriana stumbled and grabbed her head, so startled that he reached out to catch her arm without thinking. When it was evident that she was okay he let go, hoping that he had not offended her with the contact.

"Are you alright Lady Fox?" he asked with concern. He found himself both glad that he did not share her connection to the force and worried that she would be too heavily impeded by this overwhelming anomaly to continue.

All he could do was look around, one pistol drawn in his left hand just in case there was trouble. At the moment it was hard to see anything through this sandstorm.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

Since whatever feeling had taken over her and had been so overbearing, Eriana hadn't even realized he'd grabbed her arm. He'd ask her if she was alright and she would again repeat herself. "I can feel it. It's so strong. Oh Talo, it's so strong."

Talo would look around for some enemy, but there would be none to be found. Whatever she was feeling, sensing, what have you...she was alone in it. After another moment of her seemingly prone condition, she'd finally stand and take a breath. Eriana so much as a word as to what had happened, she'd draw her hood, tightly pulling it against her face, and head into the dust storm. She wouldn't wait for Talo to chase after her because she knew he would. Not just because they were on a mission together. Though, to be brutally honest here, she'd forgotten he was even with her in the first place.

Eriana couldn't explain what it was she was feeling. Her connection to the living Force was amplified a hundred times over. She'd never felt such spiritual power. There was something very strong coming from this planet. Eriana knew whatever it was it had to be making things go insanely crazy for people who were not as sensitive to the mystical power as she was. That would explain all the unexplained things they might have been seeing. But what was causing this? That's what the blind Sith needed to find out.

The sand buffered any possibility of seeing where they were going. Sand and dunes were barely seen through the wind and even if they could tell what was around them it would all just look the same. But it didn't seem to hinder the Sith at all. She knew where she needed to go and was making a direct path toward it.

And that's when the strangest thing happened. The wind instantly died down. It was like she'd walked through a waterfall, only it wasn't water she'd stepped through but sand. Just like that there was no more sand. Eriana was baffled. She reached behind her and felt a perfect wall of sand rushing past her gloved fingers. Talo would have a better understanding of what was actually happening as he could see it with his own eyes. They were now in what some called "the eye of the storm". But it wasn't just some slight opening that happened to be clear. This funnel all around them lasted for miles and miles. It was a beauty to see for sure. And in the center of this great sand funnel would be large and giant cracks in the earth. A canyon of sorts. That was their destination.

"Talo.....what am I seeing?" she'd ask trying to make sense of what her powers couldn't explain for her. This was another one of those times where she really wished she could see like other people. And that would give her an idea. "Talo?" she'd ask as she turned toward him. "Might I....see through your eyes?"

It was a trick Eriana had only performed when she was very little. Her parents, or rather her mother, had shown her how to enter into someone's mind so she could see what they were seeing. It was the first time little Eriana got to see what she looked like. A beautiful child in the eyes of her mother. Eriana, while knowing how to do such a feat, had never done so with a person she didn't fully trust and know that they trusted her back. Her mother had father had been her first experiences, then a few of her maids and butlers within her childhood home. But she'd never done so with a colleague.

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo walked with Eriana through the sand, he knew he wouldn't be able to see anybody approaching but his pistol in his hand was comforting.

He almost fell over himself when they came to the sudden pocket of calm, when he realized what happened he looked around. Even without the cracks in the ground it would be eerie.

"It's...it's like a massive pocket of calm. I can't really describe..." he paused as she said his name, not something she did often. He perked up and looked at her, if she could see she would have noted the inquisitive look on his face. He lowered his goggles so they hung around his neck as he listened to her question, it was actually something he had wondered if it was possible but was worried about insulting his friend if he asked. "I...of course, Lady Fox. I would be honored to be your eyes."

He had to admit, it made him a little nervous. But he trusted her implicitly, whether or not she knew it. She was actually at this point the only friend he had in the whole Empire.

"What do you need me to do?"

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

Talo it seemed was quite surprised by the question she was asking of him. It wasn't something she imagined anyone had ever asked him or would ever ask him. But now it was said and she couldn't take it back. Thankfully he trusted her enough to oblige her request bringing a heartwarming smile to her face. Not only did he agree, but he'd apparently be honored to do so.

"Thank you. This is something....I don't get to do often. And it means the world to me."

He'd then ask her what he needed to do and she'd move closer to him. Really close to him. He'd be able to smell her perfume on her neck, and the scent of her shampoo in her hair. She looked straight ahead as she often did, not bothering to try and reach to his height to look in his eyes. Maybe he would be grateful for that. She then reached for his head and placed both hands gently on either side. Guiding his head down to hers their foreheads would touch; she could tell she was making him incredibly anxious. But everything that was about to happen would be platonic. At least as far as he was concerned. To Eriana, as she said, it meant the world to her.

"You're going to feel a very strange sensation. And I apologize, but you'll probably have a slight headache after this. Here I go."

Not giving him any warning she closed her eyes and pushed her aura through his forehead and into his body. The feeling he'd experience was like pure adrenaline was going through his head. The kind of exhilarating sensation one got after having too much caff or energy drinks. Eriana's body fell into his and her head rested against his shoulder. He'd feel her chest softly rising as she breathed against him, letting him know she was still very much alive and not to worry about her.

"Open your eyes. Look around."​

Talo would hear her voice in his head like she was in his own thoughts. Everything he saw, she would now see. As clear as the world was to him. Such a feeling couldn't be explained and now Talo might understand why such a feat was like asking him to give her the greatest gift of all. The gift of Sight. Together, they'd look around as Talo could show her the tunnel of sand rising off the ground and into the sky above them. She'd look out and see this grand canyon that was just a beauty to behold. And then she'd see her. At least the top of her head and the side of her face that was partly covered by her black hair.

The feeling then left Talo as Eriana retreated back into her own head. He'd feel like his head just stepped out of an airlock and he'd probably feel the need to pop his ears. But as she promised, his head would hurt a little giving him a mild headache. When he looked back at her she'd taken a few steps back and was wiping her eyes. She was crying?

"Thank you," she spoke while trying to hold her tears in. "You have no idea how much that means to me that you did that for me."

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo stiffened as Eriana stepped closer to him, and held his breath for a moment as she pulled their heads together. Up until this point the only way he had felt the force was when a Sith initiate had tossed him around back in the academy.

This was definitely going to be different.

After her warning he thought he was ready, but the sensation of her conciousness entering his mind was almost overwhelming. He gasped, and his knees buckled for a moment as he scrunched his eyes closed until her voice in his head told him to open his eyes. He did as instructed, and looked around. It almost felt like her eyes were....behind his, while he was almost painfully aware of her body pressed against his.

He could almost feel her, not so much turning his head, but urging him to turn in all the directions she needed to look. He priefly wondered if they could work on this connection more so that she could access his eyes more easily. When she pulled her conciousness back it almost felt like she was reluctant to, understandable really. He wondered if she could hear his thoughts while she had been in his head.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment as the headache she had promised him rushed in to fill the space her conciousness had occupied. He opened his eyes again just in time to see Eriana wiping tears from her eyes.

"It was my pleasure Eriana...uh...Lady Fox." Talo responded, almost completely forgetting to use the title she was due in his shock. "My eyes are yours any time." he knew that his declaration likely meant many more headaches in the future, but seeing how happy it made his friend. That made it worth it. "Now, how do we proceed?" he asked, rubbing his temples.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

Seeing the world as it was meant to be seen, was something else. Eriana had no words for something so beautiful. She regretted not being able to see this all the time, but her ability to hold onto someone's consciousness like that really drained her. Still, it made the experience that much more valuable to her when she was able to have them. As much as she loved the way she saw things now, she wouldn't lie that she wished she had permanent access to both. She wondered how many people took for granted their eyesight. She vowed if she ever did find way to keep her eyesight, she'd make sure to enjoy every second of it.

Letting herself take control of her sadness she gave Talo a kind smile. Words could not describe how utterly thankful she was. She hoped he understood at least some of her appreciation. He would then offer her free use of his eyes to share whenever she wished. In that moment, Eriana fell for him. And she fell hard. It took everything in her not to kiss him right then and there. But she reminded herself that such a union was probably not allowed and would fall back poorly on her. Falling in love with one's partner? Whilst on a mission? It was just sloppy.

The pain of that truth hit her like cold water. She would turn from him and face -what she thought- was the center of the canyon. He asked her where they would proceed from here. Her own heart wanted to see something very different in his words; her mind knew they needed to stay on task. She would vow to herself not to let her emotions cloud her judgement. She was a priestess of the Dark side. Loyal to the Force and only the Force. Anything less would just lead to disappointment and failure. Attachment was a weakness. The Sith taught her that. Now she knew why.

Her tone got cold with him, seemingly out of nowhere, "Now we head for the bottom of that crevice and see what is causing the sand to be pulled towards it in this cyclone."

She'd start walking with a brisk pace and less of the leisurely one she was known to have. She seemed eager to get the mission done, but in truth she was just trying to avoid any more conversation with her best friend. She remembered how upset she'd gotten at the mention before of them sharing a home together. She needed to remember that. Whatever childish dream her heart was concocting it would never last.

The two would come across a steep cliff that would descend for what looked like miles. Eriana stood at the edge of it and felt out with her mind. The drop went on forever it seemed. But she knew differently. She'd crouch down and place her gloves hand on the ground. She could almost feel it. She'd then slip off her glove and try again. The sensation of the vibrations in the ground let her know exactly how deep the cliff was. Nothing she couldn't handle. Going up had always been her problem. She had experience with down. Bad experience, but still.

"Try to keep up," she would say again with that cold inflection and then walk off the cliff.

For now, that would be the end of his sight of Eriana. But if he'd decided to scale down the wall he'd see her beyond the dim lightning and waiting for him at the bottom. Using the Force she'd improved her own muscle composition to handle landing and jumping from the tiny outcroppings of rock she saw in her mind. And then, a gush of wind would slow her fall nearing the bottom and she'd land with an elegant grace. Of course no one would have been around to see it.

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo smiled at Eriana, she wouldn't see it but it was there. Perhaps she would be able to feel it through the lingering of the connection they had just shared.

Suddenly, she seemed very mad at him. He had no idea why, but he really did want to know how he kept managing to anger the most dangerous person he knew.

He followed her to the edge of the canyon, and as she almost snipped at him to keep up before jumping off the edge he almost smirked as he sighed to himself. "What have I gotten myself into now?" he muttered quietly before shooting his grapple line into a small crack near the edge of the drop.

He tugged the cable to make sure it was firmly in place before dropping over the edge and rappelling down the side without a hitch, quickly reaching Eriana's side.

He looked in all directions, it seemed to him that the canyon went on forever in both directions. "It's massive." he breathed in mild awe of the large crack they stood in. It was definitely colder down here, not uncomfortably so but he definitely felt the chill.

He looked at Eriana, drawing his pistols again in case anything was living down here. "What can you feel?" he asked, hoping not to anger her further.

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

As Eriana waited for Talo to catch up, she tried to focus on her surroundings. But the harder she tried, the more difficult it became. Her senses were going into overload and it was like trying to push through murky water. Everything was fuzzy and she ended up bringing her hand to her head again to stop the pain. She didn't notice her partner come up beside her again and asking her what she was feeling. She stumbled forward and dropped to her knees again. This time, she cried out from the pain and would cover her head with her hands, plugging both palms to her temples like she'd just gotten the worst migraine in the world.

"It's so loud!" she screamed as if trying to speak over a crowded room full of noisy people. "I can't make out what it's saying! It's so loud!"

Burying her head into the surface of the ground she started curling up as tightly as she could. It looked to Talo now like she was being physically attacked by something and she was trying to shield herself from it. She cried out again in pain and a powerful whirlwind would stir up beside them. Rocks and pieces of dirt would lift up and start circling Eriana. They weren't doing it fast by any means so even if one did bump into him he'd just brush it off as a light tap. As he would likely try to get closer to her to try and comfort her or inspect her, the whirlwind would push him back. All the while Eriana's screams burned in his ears.

And then out of nowhere, the rocks and earth that were floating would shoot up into the sky and vanish from their sight. Eriana's pained cries died out and she fell over to her side, still very much cradled in a fettle position. Her pulse would be steady, though rushing faster than it normally did. And her breathing was also much faster. She was acting almost like she was in shock.

 

[Talo Geist]

Talo had just finished disconnecting his grappel line from his belt when Eriana cried out and collapsed, he stood there in shock for a moment, unsure of what to do.

It was a small rock bumping his shoulder that reminded him to move, he stepped over to Eriana and kneeled, gently rubbing her shoulder. "It's okay Eriana. This will pass. I realize I don't know anything about the force. But I know you can pull through anything." he gently rubbed her back as she rolled to her side, nof even noticing the rocks shooting up into the sky.

He checked her pulse, noting it's regularity. She was so still and silent that had he not been able to feel her pulse he would have thought she was dead, which is about the only thing he could think of that would make him even less sure what to do than he was right now.

After giving her a few minutes he decided to try and rouse her from this state of shock. "Eriana," he whispered, hoping that his using her name so familiarly while not in a panic would help to snap her out of it. "Focus on my voice, come back to me." He may not know a thing about the force, but he had dealt with fellow agents in shock. That he could navigate.

"Come on Eriana, your Empire needs you to pull through this." He said, brushing her cheek lightly. He hoped her love of the Emipre would help snap her out of it. Then added, alveit very quietly, "I need you."

@EmilyHuene

 

[The Confessor]

"Eriana"​

His soft voice calling her name would make the girl start to move. She gently reached out for him in the darkness. She felt him, but she couldn't see him. Her usual sight was gone to her. She was alone in darkness. A darkness she was used to for so long. It was nothing new to the Sith warrior, but it terrified her all the same. She'd call his name quietly, but no sound would come from her lips. None that he'd hear anyway. Eriana might as well have been screaming it, but her world was deathly silent.

She wasn't sure what was happening. She looked up and around, anywhere she could to try and find some light. Finally she saw something. It was cold, but peaceful. Eriana walked toward it. The light was getting more and more defined and she could almost make out what it was. At first she thought it a person, but it did not grow to gain any features like that; no arms or legs, not even a head. The round ball was just that. A ball. Only now, as she got closer, she realized it was an orb.

"Focus on my voice, come back to me."​

Eriana could see the orb as clear as day. It made no sense to her. She could never see something like the way she saw this. It had colors of every spectrum that her eyes could never perceive even if she wanted to. This was nothing like when she did a mind meld and borrowed someone's vision. And she was certain of it. Eriana was not holding onto anyone so how was she seeing this orb?

"Come on Eriana, your Empire needs you to pull through this."​

The orb called to her. She reached in and took a closer look. She saw something that was hard to define. It looked like a chapel. She saw a person kneeling in prayer. They were covered up by blacks robes so she couldn't make out who they were. Behind this person were several other robed figures. Each of their faces covered by the long cloaks of some cult. What was she seeing? And why? And how? Everything was so clear. The room. The tapestries even she made out like it was second nature to look upon them. The detail was exquisite to the blind woman. If only the message made more sense.

"I need you."​

With a sudden gasp Eriana's eyes opened and she sat upright. The orb was gone. Left only by the Darkness. Her hand reached out and grabbed his with a strong grip to support herself from falling over. Eriana connected with the Force and her world around her began to appear in the darkness. She saw Talo there, at least how she interpreted him. He wasn't much more than an aura and some feelings attached to it. Perhaps while she was sharing his eyesight with him she should have had him glance in a mirror for her sake. Another time perhaps.

What she did not feel however was the overwhelming essence of the Force that had brought her to this system. Whatever it was in that vision that had come before her seemed long gone now. There were only faint echoes of its touch around this land. Eriana seemed sad. She couldn't explain why. Maybe she felt she wanted to investigate more of it. Of ask some questions about what exactly it was that she'd just seen. But there was no chance of that now. She would have to interpret the message on her own time.

"What happened, Talo?" she would ask him. "How long was I unconscious?"

Listening to his rendition of what he's seen she guessed she was only out for a moment. But the transference she felt had seemed like hours to her. The Force was funny that way. She'd then ask him to assist her in getting up and got to her feet. She felt weaker now, but why remained a mystery. She hadn't used any sort of physical strain to get her in this position. Perhaps it maybe was the Force connection that had drained her so. Or maybe even with the strange mystical energy gone, now she was compensating for not having it. Either way, she was tired.

"We are leaving Iktotch." Talo would likely protest, but she'd cut him off by holding up her hand. "Whatever was here is gone now. It existed solely to deliver a message and now I must retire and reflect on it. Go and bring the ship back to me. I will wait here and meditate on the matter. There is...much to be revealed it seems. "

And with that she'd let Talo leave her side, probably against his wishes, and lean back against the rocky wall of the canyon. She was still so very tired and likely wouldn't make the climb back up. She had a certain disdain for climbing these days. She'd wait for a hoist line from the ship to come pull her out. And as she'd wait she'd sit back down even though she'd just made a deal out of getting up to stand. She knelt on her knees and opened her hands in her lap. With a bow of her head she began to pray to the Dark side in hopes she'd understand the mission that was now bestowed upon her.

~END THREAD~
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