Ask The Possession

[Thel Xeros]

(Atravis – Three days earlier)

Thel’s travels had taken him through the vast expanse of the outer rim. Dusty backwaters, lush forest worlds, urban decay. One thing that remained consistent was his penchant for chasing credits. Antiques, trinkets, jewellery and anything else that might be of value; if there was a profit to be made, he would pursue it. He did derive some enjoyment from the process of hunting down such objects, but it would always be secondary to the credits.

Very rarely would he receive reliable information. Second hand information obtained in a grotty cantina, hearsay, rumours and speculation. It made things…time consuming. It was in a dive bar on Nar Shaddaa that Thel had heard a rumour about a large stash of credits supposedly sequestered in an old imperial facility on the planet Atravis. It was worth a look.

As soon as he disembarked from his ship, he could sense something wasn’t quite right. A faint dark presence surrounded the area. He had spent time around other Sith, but something about it felt different. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Despite the temptation to simply retreat from the planet, he didn’t; his curiosity had been piqued. The rumoured stash of credits may also have been an incentive to stay…

He took his time to explore the area, familiarising himself with it; he remained careful, trying not to stray too close to the facility itself. The feeling of darkness was almost nauseating. It seemed to grow stronger as he moved closer to the imperial complex. Having scouted the area sufficiently, he made the judgement that it would be prudent to have someone accompany him when he searched the facility. He would rather not do it alone. It also seemed sensible that the person he would call on should be another Sith; someone who could also sense the darkness that he felt.

(Atravis – Present)

There it was again. As soon as Thel stepped foot on the planet, he could sense the same dark presence. He had used his brief time away from the planet to rest and to prepare himself. He had also called on a Sith that he had worked with before on a couple of occasions (@Ambrosia ). They had first met on the planet Excarga. She seemed to be tough and resourceful. A useful ally.

Thel had landed a short distance away from the facility, allowing himself time to survey the surroundings again. He was dressed in his usual black coloured attire: a large cloak over his robes and leather boots.

(OOC: A thread to retrieve the first shard.)

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Ambrosia did not know Thel very well, however, they had survived their adventurers together on Excarga and that was something to note in bold. So, when the man came calling, she didn't see much of a reason to decline. Plus, the temptation of figuring out the source of such a dark presence was tempting.

Ambrosia arrived separate from Thel, taking her own ship but landing close by. She, as opposed to his dark clothing was dressed in rather lightly colored clothes. Though her boots were dark, her pants and the poncho that covered them were almost white, and the aforementioned poncho had a delicate flowery design stitched into it. Her attire on Excarga had not been too much different -- just warmer.

"Wow." The first word he would hear from her lips was her own amazement at the weight of the Dark Side they could both feel hanging in the air. When he said it was noticable, he really wasn't joking. It was different than the environmental sort of aura that Korriban had though. It was something perhaps, not someplace.

"Thel" she said, acknowledging the man as she approached. "Is it occupied?"

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

As Thel checked his surroundings, he noticed the ship swoop down. Hopefully that’s her. The ship landed close, and the familiar figure of the pale Arkanian stepped down from the hatch. Good, we can get on with things. As she came closer, Thel’s eyes were drawn to the intricately patterned poncho. Very nice.

“Wow.” Thel’s eyebrows raised at Ambrosia’s expression of surprise. Perhaps she senses it too. Her greeting was brief. She obviously wanted to get straight down to business. “There were droid patrols around the facility. Quite a few, but we should be able to deal with them.” She had proven herself to be a skilled fighter on Excarga, so he didn’t anticipate too much trouble. “As I told you in my original communication, if we do recover the stash of credits, we will divide it 50/50. That seems fair.” He looked out into the distance. The dark presence still bothered him. “Do you sense it as well?”

(OOC: The droids patrolling around the facility.)

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Ambrosia nodded quietly to Thel's suggestion of splitting credits. In her current position, she could never say no to them. Though she cherished her freedom, she desperately missed the luxuries she once had. Credits helped alleviate that.

"I do. It's different." It was dark, yes, but something about it was noticeably distinct. She had to know what it was, whatever it happened to be.

"Lead the way." Thel seemed to know this place better than she did, however little or much that was, so she would let him take the lead. The droids seemed sophisticated, which was worrying for the woman who really only carried stun weapons... perhaps it was well that she'd spent more time honing her sorcery than her shooting skills.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel was glad that Ambrosia could also feel the unusual dark presence. “We should be ok, as long we’re cautious.”

"Lead the way."

“Of course, follow me.”

The journey towards the facility wouldn’t be a long one. The droid patrols seemed to keep to the edges of the facility, so there hopefully wouldn’t be resistance along the way. He set off down the hill, heading towards the grassy plains that surrounded the facility.

Thel had again noticed that Ambrosia didn’t carry a lightsaber. Not that it seemed to hinder her. “If you don’t mind me asking, why don’t you have a lightsaber?”

-

Unknown to the Sith, they had been spotted. A droid patrol in the hills had seen them and began to stealthily pursue.

"Targets acquired. Move to engage."

-

Having descended the hill, the two Sith began to make their way across the grass. Danger. Thel could sense something. “Stop.” He held his hand up, gesturing to Ambrosia. With a flash of crimson light, he ignited his lightsaber and spun around to face the hill. He swiped his blade across, deflecting a shot aimed straight at his head. A group of eight droids near the bottom of the hill had the Sith in their sights.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Ambrosia followed quietly after Thel. The Force muffled her footsteps, though it would unfortunately not be enough to prevent the two of them from being spotted, as she would soon learn.

"It is somewhat of a personal choice at this point," she answered, figuring that there was no reason to hold the answer as a secret to herself. Noticeably, her stun baton was again hanging from her belt, but a new instrument joined it this time. A hammer humming with the sickly aura of the Dark Side. "When the Sith were split from the Empire, I had not yet built or bled one."

Only recently had she acquired the means of crafting one of her own. The crystal she'd found on Excarga had, in fact, been one of the sorts used to manifest such a blade. For now, though, it hung around her neck and again her skin, covered by layers of fabric. When she felt the time was right (or whenever it become convenient), perhaps she would craft one. But for now, she didn't quite feel the need.

"I haven't yet felt the- " Before she could finish, Thel interrupted her with his call to 'stop.' She did just that, immediately inferring the sense of danger behind his words. As he sent the blaster shot careening back toward the droids, Ambrosia pushed her heels into the ground and gathered the Force into her core. She forcibly pushed her foot forward at the same time as she forcibly expelled that Force down into the ground, causing the earth beneath the droids' feet to explode upward. Though it wasn't spectacular, it was enough to throw their mechanical bodies off balance.

Unhooking the hammer from her belt, Ambrosia dashed forward toward the droids, her arm already swinging forward with the weapon as she approached the first recovering droid.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel watched as Ambrosia leapt into action. Her first attack knocked the droids off balance, which provided the opportunity for her to quickly charge at them with her weapon in hand. Most impressive.

Thel slowly approached the droids, his lightsaber held in his right hand. Two droids rose from the ground and opened fire on him. Small movements of his wrist were enough to manoeuvre his blade to deflect the shots. He sent one shot flying straight back into the head of the droid that fired it. Another shot impacted into the chest of the other droid. The blaster bolt exploded on contact. Sparks flew as the droid was thrown backwards.

The other droids had risen to their feet and started to open fire. Thel moved his blade faster, swatting away the blaster bolts. By keeping a distance, he was able to draw fire away from Ambrosia. Hopefully it would make things easier for her when fighting at close quarters.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

The hammer slammed into the head of the first unsuspecting droid. With her swing empowered by the Force and the hammer alchemical enhanced by it as well, the impact did much more damage than either the droid or Ambrosia herself would've guessed. The dent in the skull at the very least instantly broke the robot's photoreceptors, leaving it blinded and vulnerable to her killing blow.

Despite the grace and dancer-like way in which she moved about, Ambrosia's attacks were, as always, hard-hitting and brutal. She attacked another droid in a similar fashion, then channeled the Dark Side into her free hand as she went about attacking the next. Less anger, less malice, but more bloodthirst, and the thrill of the battle channeled into her palm and hit her next target with a shocking surprise. Lightning burst briefly from her hand, just long enough to shock the hell out of her victim.

The attempt to keep the blaster fire away from her went unmentioned for now, but it was certainly not unappreciated. Ambrosia continued to fight, hoping to end this battle quickly and violently.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Four droids down, Thel began to advance towards those left. He reached out in the force, thrusting his left arm in the direction of the droids. The force coiled around one of the machines. Pulling his arm back, the droid was dragged towards him. A swift slash of his blade bisected it. He raised his blade in time to block a shot from one of the other droids.

Ambrosia could deal with the two others, leaving him with one to take care of. Focusing on it, he began to slowly clench his fist as he raised his left arm. The droid was lifted off the ground, its legs desperately searching for the ground no longer beneath its feet. The droid began to crumple and break as the force constricted around it, smoke rising from its neck. A small explosion tore through the droid’s chest; it stopped moving. Thel slowly released his grip, allowing the remains of the droid to drop to the ground. Once Ambrosia had destroyed the other two droids, they could continue on to the facility.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Ambrosia made quick work of the two remaining droids, following through with her hammer and hand in similar ways as before. When the final droid finally crumpled to the ground, nothing more than broken parts and scrap metal, she would finally take a deep breath to relax.

"These seem to be very sophisticated droids," she commented, referring to their design more than their ability to fight. Perhaps the facility they were headed for would have tech and protections along a similar vein. She was hoping to avoid continuous confrontations with them, if so.

The facility wasn't far at this point, and their biggest challenge ahead would be finding a way into the building that wouldn't also set every guard droid on them. Unfortunately, all the windows that she could see were far too high off the ground to be an even remotely realistic way of getting in. The open balconies however...

"If you don't want to cut your way through," she began, her voice calm and hushed. "I can try and launch you up onto the ledge." They'd be able to look for vents or other means of slipping in up there. They would have to work together to do it, though.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel watched as Ambrosia made quick work of the remaining droids.

“Yes, they are. They were used by the Sith Order in the past. Still, not too much of a challenge to us. Let’s carry on.”

As the Sith moved closer to the facility, Thel could feel the dark presence growing stronger. His head began to ache as a sense of foreboding grew within him. He tried his best to ignore it and persevere.

They approached the walls of the facility. Fortunately, they had remained undetected since their previous encounter with the droids.

“I think we’d be cutting for a long time if we wanted to get into here. These facilities are supposed to be strong enough to withstand tank fire.” Thel looked up, spotting the ledge that Ambrosia had referred to.

“I’ll throw you up there. You are smaller than me. You'll find it easier to slip into any openings.”

Without warning, a sharp pain surged through his head. “Ahh.” He collapsed to his hands and knees. An image. He could see… a face. The face was hideous and scarred. Pale saggy skin. Piercing yellow eyes seemed to look straight into him. He struggled against it, trying to push the image out of his mind.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Ambrosia nodded when he agreed to the ledge - or at least, agreed to throw her up there. Either worked for her and she wasn't particularly picky, but before they could even get on with that the other Sith collapsed to his knees.

Concern was not really an emotion Ambrosia was familiar with, so she watched the man struggle with whatever pain he was struggling with for a few moments before she decided to do something about it. She didn't know him to be a liability, so she'd give him the benefit of the doubt. It would be best for both of them if he was at his best.

"Thel?" Voice laced with false concern, Ambrosia placed a hand on the man's shoulder. She intended to curl her fingers around his shoulder and pull him into the shade and out of sight, but she was instead struck with the same pain in her head. It brought moisture to her eyes and caused her to gasp out loud a bit, but it didn't seem to affect her to the same degree that it did Thel. "Oh." Additionally, he would feel as if a weight as been pulled off his shoulders.

Until of course, she let go. A face flashed in her mind, and when it left, as did the pain. She was almost disappointed, but the sudden stab left her feeling invigorated. If Thel came to and glanced her way, he would see a wild intensity in the woman's eyes that looked utterly alien.

"That- that was- " It was undeniably of the Dark Side. It had left a stain on the both of them, and shivers down her spine. The hunt was on; Ambrosia was officially intrigued.

"Are you good now?" Assuming the man was, she would prepare to launch up to the balcony.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel fought to regain his senses, trying to push the image out of his mind. He didn’t even notice Ambrosia approach him. The lips of the decrepit face curled into a smile, revealing decayed teeth. Suddenly, he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. The image in his mind quickly began to fade. It felt as if a weight had been lifted. He felt heavy-headed, but at least he was ok. He remained hunched over, catching his breath. As vivid as the image had once been, it now seemed like a hazy memory. He composed himself. What was that? Looking up, he saw Ambrosia. She looked different. There was an almost manic look in her eyes. She didn’t seem able to speak properly.

“Are you ok?” Ambrosia paused before responding. Instead of answering his question, she asked if he was ok. “I’m fine.” She seemed to have experienced something as well. He briefly contemplated asking her, but decided against. He dragged himself to his feet. There was part of him that preferred to turn back, but the allure of the credits was strong. “Get ready, I’ll help throw you up there.”

Making sure his timing was right, he thrust his arm up; using the force to help propel Ambrosia towards a balcony. Up on the balcony, there was a service hatch. Presumably it was used by maintenance personnel before the facility was abandoned.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Ambrosia prepared herself, taking a few steps back, then jogged toward Thel. She leapt up, forcing her foot down against the ground and feeling the Force coil around her and launch her upward. She landed on the balcony, and after a moment to catch her balance, took a quick look around. The area was empty - for now - and she could see what looked like a service hatch close by. After taking note of its location, she made her way back to the edge and gestured for Thel to follow suite.

Using the Force, she would close her fists tightly and pull her arms sharply backward when he jumped, amplifying his momentum so he would easily clear the jump. "It looks like there's a service hatch over here," she said with a hushed voice, leading him over. She would concentrate for a moment with her hand against the metal, and when a small click signaled that the door had been unlocked, she would open it and gesture for him to head inside. Ambrosia would follow suit shortly after, closing it gently behind them.

"Perhaps its an object of sorts," she mumbled. The facility itself wasn't emanating the Darkness, but rather it seemed to be calling the both of them from somewhere far deeper. "Maybe if we can find a terminal we can see if there's information about what goes on here?"

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel leapt up and, with Ambrosia’s assistance, easily made it onto the balcony. Prompted by his fellow Sith, Thel entered the narrow service tunnel first. “Things like communication lines and utility lines run through these tunnels,” he remarked.

“Perhaps what is an object,” Thel asked, more focused on keeping an eye on what was in front of him.

“Yes, we might be able to find information logged in their records. Everything still seems to be working here. Even though the empire appears to have abandoned the base.”

Unknown to the two Sith, when they entered the tunnel, a sensor was tripped due to their unauthorised access. KX droids, used to patrol the tunnels, were activated. They set about investigating the disturbance.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

"Do you have... do you know how to slice?" Ambrosia asked as they went along. She knew very little of the sort, so she'd be useless unless it was unprotected.

The two of them would eventually find the end of the service tunnel - or at least, a end. The tunnel veered sharply off to the left and dropped straight down along with a ladder. In front of them there was a grate leading into the ceiling of a room filled with... 'Command terminals. How convenient.'

Ambrosia lifted her hand forward to quietly open the door, allowing Thel and her to drop down into the empty room. For now, the KX droids were nowhere to be found.

"I'll check the left terminal?" she said, walking over and tapping the dusty screen. She squinted, brushed away the dust, then saw the sore sight of an 'enter password' screen. "This one's locked," she said as she looked back, disappointed.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

“Oh, unfortunately not. I suppose we can follow my usual strategy, which is to make things up as I go along,” Thel remarked jokily. The dark side radiated around the facility. The feeling was stronger than it was outside. Keep pushing on.

He dropped down into the room after Ambrosia. He went over and looked at the other terminal. No way of getting into this.

Kill her. A voice echoed in his mind. Not his own voice. A strange guttural croak. The voice dripped with venom. Kill her and it can be yours. He resisted, doing his best to ignore it and push it out of his mind. He took a heavy breath as he composed himself. “No luck with this terminal either,” he said to Ambrosia as he turned to face her.

Abruptly, the doors to the room opened. Four KX droids entered the room, one after the other.

“You will surrender or be eliminated.”

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

Thel got a light chuckle out of the Arkanian woman. But after they both dropped in and checked their respective terminals, there wasn't much time to talk before the doors slammed open and droids began to quickly march in.

'More droids?' Ambrosia furrowed her brows and threw her hand to the hammer on her belt. 'No...' Trying to break the distance between them and her would be too risky. Instead, Ambrosia went for a different approach first.

Ambrosia held her hands out, feeling for the Force around the droids, and violently clapped her hands together. All four droids were shoved together. While they certainly weren't going to suffer much damage from such a move, it gave Thel (and her) time to close the distance, and an opening for Thel to get the first attack in.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Ambrosia reacted quickly and slammed the droids together. The attack gave Thel an opening. Igniting his lightsaber, he attacked the nearest droid. A swift vertical strike sliced off the droid’s right arm. A second slash from the blade removed the droid’s head. One of the other droids approached him, while the two others went for Ambrosia.

Ducking under the other droid’s punch, he sliced horizontally across its legs. The droid’s body collapsed backwards off the bottom part of its legs. As it attempted to crawl away, he impaled it through the head. He felt slightly different. He was enjoying combat, which had never been the case before. Though he remained stony faced, he felt invigorated by the fight.

The same thing influencing Thel’s feelings would also influence Ambrosia. She would begin to feel different. Whether it affected her in the same way, or perhaps differently, remained to be seen.

@lizziie

 

[Ambrosia]

The thrill of the battle began to seep into Ambrosia. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and her emotions were spurred on by the heavy presence of the Dark Side, widening her eyes with a wild look once again. She gripped the hammer hanging around her belt, then ripped it from its place and into the durasteel hull of a droid's head. The Force of the impact sent it flying into a wall, leaving the other one for her to deal with in the meantime.

The droid reached out and attempted to bash its gun against her, and Ambrosia barely managed to dodge the attack. She used it as an opportunity to strike it within its range, taking her open palm and channeling lightning through it in a short burst that she hoped would short-circuit its systems. Though it didn't go completely as planned, it worked long enough that she was able to bring the hammer up into its 'chin' and break the circuitry.

Ambrosia always came to life during battle, but she too was feeling the adverse effects of the Dark Side. It only amplified her bloodlust, though with the droids she found it was not as satisfying to destroy them. As she took down the final droid, she wondered if they might come across flesh and bone opponents. Perhaps then she could get her start with alchemy. Just a thought.

"We should hurry," she suggested, taking in a few deep breaths to calm herself and achieve her usual composition. Who knew how many more droids would be headed their way? "Did you find anything?"

@DMCK