Ask The Ruddy Descent

[Sol Kenuk]

It seemed that weeks had passed with nothing but whispers uttered upon alcohol scented breath. Through the sky-slums of Nar Shaddaa had he lurked like a predator in the dark, each step closer than the last. It was Sol's smuggler contact, Iroh, that had made the connection, that had reached through stars with clawed hands to drag the Kel Dor back into the stale atmosphere of the vibrant moon. Imagine Sol's surprise when the Cathar had promised the location of a holocron, one that choked the air with a crackling, dark energy. And so, the Sith had arrived, had trudged through the slums in search of his quarry. The Ruddy Fangs were an upstart gang of violent fools that sought to dip their toes into water far too deep. It was they who had purchased the holocron from one of Nar Shaddaa's many underground auctions, and it was they who had hidden it far from view.

Of course, they should have known that they could not hide such an artifact from a Sith.

It was a beacon in the night, a fire that glowed with a beckoning chill. Inevitably, Sol had located the object, but not where he had initially thought to find it. The Kel Dor had scoured all the wrong places. The nest of The Ruddy Fangs could not be found within the dirtied slums of Nar Shaddaa's capitol, but rather in the impoverished town of Wormstew. It made sense. The gang was not affiliated with the Syndicates, or the Hutts. And so, they sought to avoid conflict, despite the inevitability of stepping upon unwanted toes. Sol did not care either way. He had come for the holocron, and nothing more. If The Ruddy Fangs decided to fight him over it, then he would see that any standing in his path would be destroyed. But for all the prideful thinking, even the Kel Dor knew better than to walk into the hideout of a violent gang by himself. These were not just common criminals. They were well equipped, and they were dangerous, even if their numbers were insignificant when compared to the Syndicates.

Luckily, Sith were much like moths to a street lamp when it came to acquiring power, so he had reached out to allies with a simple offer. He would share the knowledge contained within the holocron in exchange for help retrieving it. The meeting place was little more than an old warehouse, lifeless and abandoned, with dust swirling idly through stale air that smelled of mold. It would serve as their initial entry point into dark tunnels below. The passageways were a tangled labyrinth of connected warehouses and other structures, initially intended for swift transport of supplies between facilities. Now, though, the tunnels were utilized by The Ruddy Fangs to move criminals and contraband through the town undetected. It seemed the Sith would have to navigate what was essentially a maze in order to find the gang's nesting place somewhere deep within. Sol didn't expect it to be too difficult, but the gang had already proven that they were a bit more cunning than he had initially thought.

Perhaps they would surprise him.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

It hadn’t taken too much convincing before Vahliri committed to helping with this retrieval. While she didn’t know much about the Kel’Dor leading the expedition, the half-Annfyn had always harbored a voracious appetite for knowledge - spending a great deal of her time buried within the libraries on Korriban and Ziost. The promise of being able to draw from whatever the ancient holocron contained was tempting enough to garner Vahliri’s attention. The fact that it wouldn’t involve visiting some creepy-ass tomb - and the fact that Altair was also going - was icing on the cake.

Vahliri wasted no time once we arrived at the outskirts of Wormstew - carving a path towards her destination by weaving through the back alleyways and side streets of the poverty-stricken town. The smell of spice was heavy in the air as she passed a seedy cantina, and the half-Annfyn had to mask a grimace as she stepped over what was very clearly a pile of excrement in the middle of the path. All the same, she was a woman on a mission - shoulders back and chin up as she closed in on the abandoned warehouse. From the moment she had arrived within the town, the half-Annfyn could feel that distinct pulse within the Force - pulling at the back of her mind and like static on her skin. It was all the confirmation she needed to know that the Holocron was near - and that the trip to Nar Shaddaa hadn’t been for nothing.

As expected, the half-Annfyn had come adorned in her signature red-and-black Sith robes - hood pulled up to shroud the upper hemisphere of her face in the low lighting. The curved hilt of her standard lightsaber - as well as the recently-crafted shoto - was clipped to her belt just beneath the loose fabric of her cloak. While the half-Annfyn had taken no additional steps to mask her identity, the robes were nondescript enough in their appearance as to not draw an abundance of attention on their own.

After a few minutes of walking, Vahliri finally arrived within the abandoned warehouse - amber eyes locking onto the Kel’Dor the moment they came into view. “Champion Kenuk,” She began, her voice tinged with the hint of her native Induparan accent. “Vahliri Kahtal. Great to meet you,” The half-Annfyn pulled back the hood she was wearing - allowing the Champion to get a good look at her features. The half-Annfyn’s black hair was pulled back and braided intricately out of her face, while the path she walked was scented with the sweet, floral perfume she wore.

Vahliri’s gaze promptly flicked over to Altair when the Tiefling arrived, flashing him a wide, dimple-filled smile. “Hey Altair,” It went without saying that the half-Annfyn brightened significantly whenever he made an appearance - the affection clear in her voice and the way her fluted ears immediately swiveled and twitched that noticeable bit.

Only then did she turn her attention back to Sol - crossing her arms casually over her chest. “What do we know about the tunnels below?” She asked after a moment, arching a brow towards the Kel’Dor. The half-Annfyn was prepared to go into this blind if necessary, but she hoped there would be at least come information to go off of.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Nar Shaddaa was a rather interesting place. On one hand you had the districts that partied on as if everything was fine. On the other, you had an entire side of the planet and lower levels that were completely overrun with infected. The last time he had been here was for the Huttball tournament. He had already spotted a few old posters with his face on them since he was MVP a while back. The tiefling felt like a big deal as he wandered around, actually finding the cities here far more welcoming than most mid rim or core worlds. Out here, no one cared about his four horns or tail and looking like a devil was celebrated.

Altair had arrived on the planet early and decided to take his time ‘exploring’ and visiting his older brothers. This all culminated into him wandering over to the rendezvous point as the last to arrive. Unlike the others, he wore nothing to identify him as a Sith. Instead, he wore mainly civilian clothing meant to allow him to blend in like a local. Of course he had his Matukai gloves on, but it only coordinated with the fit. He looked at Vahliri and then the Kel Dor, the latter looking as if he were about to jump someone from the shadows like a creepy ass. Altair’s eyes were glazed over and he smelled strongly of spice. It was quite obvious he had stopped to have some fun.

The tiefling sniffed and rubbed his nose before jutting his chin at Vahl, “What up,” He said with a lazy grin and a wave of his tail before looking over at the Kel Dor, “Sol, eh?” He hoped he would like this Sol better than the other one he knew, “Altair,” He said simply, introducing himself. Altair stuffed his hands in his pockets, “I didn’t get the memo about wearin’ our usual edgy fits,” He remarked as he eyed their choice of attire.

He looked back at Sol, “And yea, what we know about the tunnels? We got any infected to deal with?” There was a slight slur to his words and it remained to be seen if he was also buzzed in addition to being high as a kite or not.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Footfalls in the dust churning dark, a shadow that falls across dirtied floors. Sol raises his gaze, eyes gleaming behind the goggles that protected them. Vahliri, the Kel Dor realizes quietly, a polite expression pulling upon the edges of his rough cheek. She was adorned in garb a bit fancier than his own, for Sol wore only a dark tunic and black leather pants, both of expensive quality, but not entirely remarkable. Still, it was a bitter reminder, a sour taste upon his tongue. He missed his more ornamental display of decorative clothing, but remaining unnoticed upon Nar Shaddaa had quelled his lust of fancy attire, at least for now. The Champion inclines his head, chin lowered as taloned hands rise to twiddle with one another, a relaxed appearance of crossed arms and well mannered features.

"A pleasure." Sol responds smoothly, for he saw no reason not to be polite. She was a stranger, and not one that the Kel Dor was yet acquainted with. Sol would not snap like a venomous adder toward someone that had not yet earned his ire. "Apologies for the ominous meeting place, but there is a tunnel access within the building, and the lift still works." The quiet nature of the location meant that The Ruddy Fangs likely did not utilize this particular facility, though ultimately, Sol doubted the lower levels would not be appropriately monitored. The unguarded warehouse itself was a glaring security flaw. Ah, but then there were three. A devil in the dark. Tieflings certainly knew how to stand out, but then Sol supposed having such a grand set of horns would do that to a person.

Oh yes, he was quite jealous of that display. Kel Dor did not have such adornments upon their heads. Such a pity.

The smell of spice permeated the air as Altair drew closer, but Sol does not comment on it. He had no personal interest with partaking in drugs, but so long as the other Champion was able to do his job, Sol didn't really care what he did in his downtime. “Sol, eh?” The Kel Dor dips his head with an affirmative nod, listens as the Tiefling introduces himself. The next comment draws at the edges of the Kel Dor's masked maw, the expression of a smirk hardly visible by the tug of his cheeks.

"Ah. I find black to be quite slimming. Besides, local spice addict isn't quite my style." Sol responds in regards to his outfit, and though he's as deadpan as a droid, the amused expression he wore betrayed the underlying humor. He doesn't know Altair, doesn't know if the tiefling will take offense to the comment, but the Kel Dor supposed that he didn't care. At the very least, Sol refrained from being outright hostile. He should at least try to get to know them before making judgements. But, jokes asides, both Vahliri and Altair were awaiting further intel about the tunnel system below. They might be disappointed to know that Sol did not yet have all the answers.

"The tunnels were a transportation system between warehouses, in their prime. Assumedly to avoid robbery in the overworld. They haven't been utilized by local corporations in quite some time, though. At least not from what I can tell." Sol waves a talon, an idle gesture as he continues, "The Ruddy Fangs are most certainly hidden somewhere within. It's a labyrinth down there, I'm afraid. If we take a wrong turn," Shining eyes shift toward Altair, "We might meet an assortment of other colorful inhabitant we'd rather not stop to chat with. Infected. Hoards of rats. Vrblther." Nar Shaddaa's underworld was a dangerous place. If the zombies weren't close enough to try and maul you, something else almost certainly was.

"There is a lift here that is still active. Once we get into the tunnels, we'll want to find signs of civilization. More appropriate, perhaps, signs that a gang of criminals with a lot to hide would be near. Security cameras, fortifications against the less than friendly neighbors. The both of you have probably sensed the holocron already. It is close. Let us hope that the force is a good guide, today." And that was that, all that Sol had to offer his two companions. He was often too prideful to be concerned over a gang of criminals hiding like maggots in the dirt, but the diverse residents of Nar Shaddaa had a nasty tendency to eat the overconfident.

Better safe than sorry.

"If there are no more questions?" The Sith makes a point to ask, even as he gestures toward the back of the warehouse, where a dim light flickered eerily over the doors of a wide lift, clearly once used to move heavy containers of product from the tunnels into the warehouse. It would almost certainly hold the weight of three people. If it didn't, Sol was determined that his spirit would haunt the lift's manufacturer until the end of time. As spiteful in death as he was in life. After all, consistency was important.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri tilted her head towards Sol, offering the Kel’dor a respectful gesture of acknowledgement as she entered the warehouse. Despite their shared interest in the Holocron, the fellow Champion was a complete stranger to her - and she couldn’t help but immediately get the vibe he was going to be one of those ‘cryptic, squarish’ types. Her amber gaze lingered for a split moment more before flicking to Altair.

Even as her lips tugged upwards warmly, the half-Annfyn didn’t miss the aroma of spice that permeated from the Tiefling that indicated he had enjoyed himself on Nar Shaddaa before arrival. She had been around Cairo and Altair enough over the years to not be the least bit surprised by his inebriated state. The only real question was whether the Tiefling was crossfaded which proved to be a fifty-fifth gamble in her mind. She grinned playfully when he gestured to her robes, causing the half-Annfyn to brush a hand just above her attire over-dramatically.

“Still cute,” She said breezily.

Her attention promptly flicked over to Sol once more - amber eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly at the spice addict comment. For reasons not entirely clear, it was a comment that struck a nerve within the half-Annfyn regardless of how Altair reacted to it. There was a faint - albeit noticeable to anyone paying attention - flattening of her fluted ears at once. “Slimming?” She eyes him appraisingly, “I never would have guessed.” She clipped back without missing a beat. While not overtly hostile, she shot the Kel’dor a look that was nothing short of a warning about pushing particular jape any further.

Arms folded over her chest, Vahliri listened as the Kel’dor relayed what he knew. Which.. Amounted to very little. She already knew that the tunnels were occupied by the gang. The half-Annfyn exhaled through her nostrils and nodded along, not particular happy about the fact they were going into this blind - but also not going to pitch a fit over it. “No,” She said, stepping forward. “None that I’m going to get answers to.”

Without another word, Vahliri jutted her chin in the direction of the flickering lights. She strode ahead and stepped a foot cautiously onto the lift, scowling ever-so-slightly down at the piece of machinery that looked as if it was going to snap at any moment. She squeezed in to allow room for both Altair and Sol. “I’ll be able to get a better read once we’re into the tunnels,” The half-Annfyn said after a moment, “Echoes easier to pick up on.” In the subterranean space, Vahliri counted on her sensitive hearing to provide some measure of utility.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair simply gave a blank stare to the Kel Dor as he made a quip about spice addict attire. Yup, this Sol was going to be just as annoying as the other one. The tiefling said nothing, instead reaching down for a baggy of spice. He poured a bit on the back of his hand and snorted it while the other two talked among themselves. Altair had been going on mission after mission lately, and he was going to make time to enjoy himself. More missions meant he had to multitask and snort spice on the job. Vahliri was incredibly capable and he knew he could be more at ease when she was on a mission with him.

As Sol talked about ‘sensing the holocron’, Altair simply nodded along vaguely. Truthfully he couldn’t sense shit, but he wasn’t about to interject during a monologue, “All right, so we go in and flail around till we find the Fangs or whatever. Got it,” He nodded and gestured for them to lead the way. He was quite frankly sick of spooky tunnels or sewage drains. For some reason, he found himself in them way more often than considered healthy.

As they walked in the dark tunnels, it was entirely uneventful at first. Altair’s eyes had to adjust to the poor lighting, and he knew they couldn’t all shine bright flashlights to draw attention. After a bit of walking, the tiefling decided to have some fun. This manifested in the form of his tail casually tapping against Vahliri’s ass. However, his face was completely deadpan and facing forward. With where Sol was positioned, she would be completely inclined to believe it was the Kel Dor that decided to cop a feel in the dark.

@Altaris @Nevermourn

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Well, it was certainly evident enough that Altair and Vahliri were on good terms. He supposed that was better than having a trio of Sith all arguing with one another over every little thing, particularly with just how petty Sol had a habit of being. Case in point, the warning glare from the half-annfyn, which the Kel Dor pointedly ignored. He would not be intimidated by some stranger that Sol saw as little more than a pawn in his own quest for power. Sol cared little for her life, or that of her spice snorting friend. They were useful to him, and thus, all three would reap the rewards, but the Kel Dor cared nothing for whether they lived or died in this outing. He'd just as soon throw them into a hoard of Infected if it meant he succeeded. Of course, he wasn't about to tell them that. Better that they all have some semblance of cooperation.

Even Sol was smart enough to know when to make a move, and more importantly, when not to.

At least the Tiefling seemed amicable enough, though maybe that was the spice that he had snorted off the back of his hand. Perhaps Sol should try whatever he's having after all. Not during a mission, though, The Sith chides himself with silent amusement. But with no questions asked, it seemed the three were ready to get started. Vahliri is the first to enter the lift, and it holds her weight well enough. That certainly soothes Sol's mind a bit. Altair follows, with the Kel Dor close behind. The lift creaks, groans beneath them, but it holds, and into the dark maw of the tunnels do the trio descend. The extra-sensory organs on the Kel Dor's head do most of the heavy lifting where his eyes would not. Like whiskers, he can feel the surrounding walls that enclosed them, and the two figures of his allies in the dark.

It was that black shroud that concealed the apparent intimate (or joking) gesture of Altair toward Vahliri. Probably for the better. Sol might have gagged.

Something pulsates in the air around them, humming along wires that laid hidden behind walls. The tunnels might have been abandoned, but the electricity still worked, and it was likely that the Ruddy Fangs would be utilizing it, wherever they were hiding. Rats, the Sith thinks bitterly. He crosses his arms, claws poking against one another as he slips past his companions to take the lead, though the movement was not entirely born out of pride. Into the shadows ahead does he peer with glowing eyes, his talons quietly clicking against one another in a thoughtful gesture. As the force stretches beyond his frame, he can hear the sound of dripping water, and the squeal of distant rats. He can sense life in the void.

And some of it seemed awfully hungry.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Sounds about right,” She said back to Altair. "Least it isn't as bad as that prison on Gwee'ne.." While she didn’t complain about it outright, Vahliri wasn’t the least bit pleased by their current environment. Somehow, the half-Annfyn habitually found herself crawling through some disgusting slums or exploring creepy-ass destinations, usually with no semblance of an idea where she was going. This holocron-hunt was proving to be exactly along those lines - and it wasn’t helped at all by the Kel’dor being cryptic and annoying from the get-go.

As they walked through the dark tunnels, Vahliri positioned herself at the center of the trio - amber gaze narrowed as she peered into the shadows. Though her sight was limited, the half-Annfyn’s sensitive hearing was more attuned than ever underground - easily picking up on the echoes and reverberations of sound that traveled within the confined space. She heard their own footsteps, and she heard the scuttling of life somewhere further down the line.

For a long stretch of the tunnels, the trio traveled in a single direction without any splits or turns in the path - making out for an entirely uneventful few minutes. While she had remained largely alert to what was ahead of her - Vahliri was snapped entirely out of her focus by the feeling of a tapping against her ass. Naturally, the half-Annfyn immediately suspected Altair to be the culprit - and was expecting to see that playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. When she instead only saw his deadpan expression, Vahliri’s gaze promptly flicked over to Sol - narrowing as her fluted ears flattened against the sides of her skull. Anyone who knew Vahliri could likely guess what sort of reaction the half-Annfyn was going to have, based purely upon her own perspective of the situation.

She watched Sol casually walk ahead to claim the lead, acting as if he hadn’t just copped a feel of her rear. The half-Annfyn’s jaw set into a firm line, and she waited until the Kel’Dor was a pace ahead and with his back turned before she abruptly drew upon the Force. Without warning, Vahliri unleashed a concussive blast right into the back of Sol - carrying enough strength to send the bantha-fucker a couple meters down the tunnel. The fact that he had deliberately moved ahead and turned away from them would made it almost impossible to counter.

Naturally, Vahliri had picked up on the sounds of movement further ahead - far more detailed than anything Sol or Altair would hear. She recognized that there was something large ahead of them - and promptly decided she was going sent Sol face-first to investigate. The Kel’Dor had been correct in his assumption of Rats - though likely not the kind he anticipated. Whether it was from exposure to AMS or chugging the chemical run-off that filtered into the sewer systems, the rats that infested the tunnels of Wormstew were anything but benign. A flickering, yellowed lamp overhead illuminated the pathway - just enough that all three of them would catch a glimpse of the monstrosity that turned to face them - three additional young clinging to its back. The moment it laid eyes on the trio, the Rat let out a screech - barring its yellow, razor teeth before locking onto Sol first of all.

@Nevermourn @Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

With that second snort of spice hitting him, Altair all but forgot what he did to trigger the prank on Vahliri. He was happily walking along with the group when he noticed Sol randomly yeeting himself forward to eat shit out of the blue for no real reason. The tiefling could only stare blankly in confusion, eyes very much glazed over. He turned to Vahliri, “Yo, do we need to fasten his oxygen mask or somethin’? Dude’s trippin’,” He muttered, entirely oblivious to the fact that he himself started this entire mess.

That was when he noticed the massive rat thing looming ahead of them. Altair didn’t react immediately, half wondering if he was hallucinating or not. He slapped himself in the face to knock out any hallucinations and then looked up again. Nope, that ugly thing was definitely there. Altair groaned in dismay. Why did this always happen to him? Without a word, he began to attempt channeling the Force to himself.

Altair called the Force to himself and unleashed a blast of inferno to the rat and set the entire thing ablaze. It was heroic and perfect and the beast reeled in horror and succumbed to its fate.

…Or so Altair thought.

Instead, the fire escaped his hands, but he managed to successfully ignite parts of both Vahliri and Sol’s clothing. In his drugged state, he hadn’t considered that his comrades were in the way between him and the rat. The fire would rapidly ignite along the rest of their clothing and threaten to burn through their skin. Oops.

The rat was only further enraged and continued to beeline for Sol. A small army of rat babies scurried across the ground to start climbing and gnawing away on the three Sith.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

There's a ripple in the force, a build in pressure behind him, and he can feel his bones ache, his ears scream, like a dog whistle too close to his head, like a rushing force of dark water that threatens to slam into his back. Sol recognizes the dark side. He turns, but he doesn't know what to except. He hasn't even managed to turn his body around before the concussive blast crashes into the back of him, and suddenly, he's airborne. Both training and heightened Kel Dor reflexes kick in. He flips, twists with a snarl, strikes the moist floor feet first and staggers as he rights himself to twirl on one foot and face the pair behind him. The confusion he feels is like the beating of a drum through the surrounding force, until it's changes. Fury burns in his eyes like hellfire, and hatred seeps into skin like poison.

Talons coil around the hilt of his lightsaber, and it ignites with a dangerous hiss, dazzling crimson against the black.

"And here I thought we'd wait until we had the holocron to betray one another." A spiteful growl that rings with furious accusation. But, now he saw it. Vahliri and Altair were friends, and Sol was the outcast. They wanted the power for themselves, and they wanted him out of the picture. Oh, he had it all figured out now. So be it.

In the darkness, he senses life as it scurries toward the trio with a gnawing hunger, illuminated only by a single, eerie lamp. The Kel Dor's extra sensory organs betray the monsters in the dark, but all he can manage is the conniving grin of a madman, hidden behind a fanged mask. The claws of his free hand rise as he grasps the monstrous rodent creature with the force, and with hatred that burns like the dark fire beneath his skin, he attempts to fling it at Vahliri. He didn't care about the rats.

But Sol loses focus when Altair decides to light a fire under both his and Vahliri's ass. Clothing burns, skin sizzles, and the Kel Dor hisses with annoyance as the heat licks across leathery skin. He pats the blaze out, tearing parts of his clothing away to let it burn in falling, tattered scraps, leaving Sol with a shredded and scorched attire as the rats claw at him. And who knows where that big rat ended up.

Rage.

Red, hot magma that streaks through his eyes. Hatred that threatens to consume his spirit and a willingness to let it happen. He knows what he wants, now. He wants to hear Vahliri scream. He wants to feel the sensation of her bones cracking, splinter by splinter within his claws. He wants to toss his saber aside, and beat that tiefling to death with a hammer, until his face was nothing but shards of crumpled horn and mangled, fireproof skin. And he wants these rats to squeal! Out of all those things, it seemed the rats won the attention game. Their little claws scrabbling at his legs, like greedy little worms begging for scraps of food in the dark. Sol wonders how it would feel to step on one and hear it's body crunch.

So he does.

One of the baby rats is crushed beneath his boot. It lets out a pitiful sound of dying before it twitches with death. Electricity arches with hatred from the Sith's fingertips, slithering serpentine between Kel Dor talons. Some of the baby rats scream in their pathetic rodent voices as they fry. And Sol maintains that cruel smile behind his mask, maintains that air of sickly hatred, and that murderous glow within molten eyes. He had come here for this holocron, and he would not let two treacherous fools take it from him. He would not let a bunch of rats devour him in the sewers of Nar Shaddaa.

But ultimately, Sol is unable to fry every little rodent that clawed at the trio. At the very least, the hellfire rage that boiled with tumultuous heat beneath his skin had an outlet, and the pain of his burns and their thorny nails raking through his thick skin only serves as fuel for that flame.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri made no attempt to conceal her satisfied smirk - watching as Sol was catapulted forward by her concussive blast of the Force. The half-Annfyn felt entirely justified based on the perception that the Kel’Dor had coped a feel - just as she felt justified on Dolla with Roman. There was an almost predatory glint to her amber eyes, interrupted only when she glanced over to acknowledge Altair’s oblivious statement.

She blinked a few times in response - though her attention was promptly drawn back towards Sol when he muttered about betrayal. “The hell are you on about? Creepy fuck,” The half-Annfyn hissed. If she wanted to betray him, it would’ve been the point of her saber she drove into his back. The Force gathered within her fingertips, preparing herself just as the Rat Monster surfaced - confirming her suspicions of some utterly weird shit lurking down there. Her eyes narrowed further when Sol hoisted it off the ground - intention clear.

She was prepared to intercept the thrown giga-rat. Or she had been, up until Altair fumbled the inferno and send streams of fire into her robes. “FUCK! ALTAIR?!” She yelled out. Instead of dealing with the giant rat directly, Vahliri merely dove out of the way - avoiding collision while turning her attention to the flames lapping at the hem of her attire. Her hand extended down towards the blaze - the Force billowing forth and bringing a frigid chill to the air. Cryokinesis poured from her fingers and swirled against the fire - attempting to snuff them out before any major burns set in - though not before her skin singed and was scorched red. Due to the close proximity, Altair would likely feel a nice, frosty chill brushing against his legs - but the Tiefling was otherwise removed from all the bullshit occurring at that moment.

Meanwhile, the Rat-Monster itself was.. Admittedly confused by the turn of events. Due to the break on concentration, she had only been thrown half the intended distance - and stood amongst the chaos of Altair lighting his own comrades on fire. It turned to face the Tiefling, beady eyes blinking a few times. Was he in its side? Friend?

If swimming in Nar Shaddaa chemical runoff had imparted any level of sentience onto the creature - which wasn't too much of a stretch, all things concerned - it was focused into finding common cause with the Tiefling. It stared right at him without attacking - and in Altair’s blazed state, he was almost certain to believe the rodent was attempting to communicate with him.

It lingered there for a few moments before snapping back around - drawn to the sound of its own young dying. While Sol made a point to draw out the suffering and elicit screams, he effectively made himself enemy numero uno for their mother. It shrieked, and proceeded to barrel towards the Kel’Dor once more - yellowed teeth barred to sink into the Champion’s leg if it got close enough.

By the time Vahliri had managed to put out the flames of her robes, several of the rodent young had started to swarm - crawling up her legs and sinking their teeth into her flesh and eliciting a stream of blood down her calves. The half-Annfyn cried out in pain, channeling the Force to send a concussive blast into the ones clinging to her legs. She scrambled up to her feet, drawing her saber and igniting the crimson blade - prepared to cut her way through any assailant.

“Get the momma!” She said to Altair, despite her mounting desire to see the rodent sink it’s disease-carrying fangs into Sol’s ass. She glanced over just as she asked the Tiefling to do something - only to catch a glimpse of the expression presently plastered on his face.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was a bit slow on the uptake as he looked over at Vahliri and Sol, noticing that they were on fire. His eyes widened as he suddenly realized he was probably the cause of that. Right? Rats probably didn’t breathe fire. He rubbed his eyes and attempted to continue channeling the Force. Vahliri was screaming at him and that was nothing new. His focus instead was on the rat king that suddenly stared at him. Altair stared back.

Music​

The tiefling gawked in silence for a moment, wondering if he could tame the beast. However, that was when Sol decided to start playing hopscotch with the rat’s babies. Even so, unless Vahliri threw something at his head or did something to yank Altair out of his haze, he would continue staring vacantly. Once some sort of interruption happened, Altair finally shook out of his reverie and sprang to action. A powerful wave of the Force sent all the scurrying small rats flying back into the big rat. This in turn temporarily distracted it.

This time Altair was a bit more with it. He darted right past Vahliri and Sol and directly for the Rat king. Channeling the Force to his fists, he whirled in with both of them, slamming them into the arms of the rat that it was attempting to use to claw at them. The hits found purchase, sick crunches resounding as both clawed arms were shattered and broken. The giant rat abruptly collapsed down on the ground, losing its ability to use its forearms. It attempted to hastily balance on its back legs and it shot its giant tail out towards Altair.

The tiefling was too baked to see the tail coming and the hit sent him sailing backwards. If Sol was still standing behind him, Altair would slam right into him and knock them both over. With luck he wouldn’t accidentally impale the Kel Dor with his horns…

@Altaris @Nevermourn

 

[Sol Kenuk]

What a shit-show this whole thing had turned into. A swarm of rats climbing up their legs. Altair setting his own allies on fire. Vahliri attacking him for no reason, acting as if she hadn't tried to stab him in the back, like it was all just some sick idea of a prank. Just three idiots fumbling around in the sewers of Nar Shaddaa's most impoverished town, it would seem. Getting who knows what diseases from these rodents and their claws. And certainly not making any friendships. Or progress, for that matter.

Oh, he was never inviting Altair or Vahliri to anything, ever again. He'd sooner toss them both into a volcano, not that Altair would mind. He'd just grab some more spice to snort and enjoy the hot-tub. At this point, Sol was inclined to join him. It would certainly make the whole mission more tolerable than dealing with two buffoons and hallway full of pathetic little sewer rats.

Atleast queen mother of the rodent brood decided to let out a rather ear splitting shriek before she threw herself at him again. He had half a mind to re-try the whole 'yeeting it at Vahliri' thing, but no. He leaps out of it's path and it's soars by with an angry snarl. Yeah, be mad about it, the Kel Dor thinks with a mild sort of dry amusement. He certainly didn't regret frying her kids, that's for sure.

A sudden pressure is felt as the tiefling releases a blast of the force, sending the mother rat's brood crashing after it. It seems dazed for a moment, distracted by the sudden shift in the furry tides. A moment later and Altair bolts past, all furious fists and newfound focus as the rat king's bones cracked and splintered into uselessness. At that point, you'd think the damn thing would scurry off. But no, it lashes it's tail like a whip, strikes Altair and sends him sailing back.

Right into Sol.

At the very least, he doesn't end up impaled. The Kel Dor lets out a huff as he topples, ends up crushed beneath the man against the damp, cold floor of the tunnel. Stupid. Stupid! Clumsy idiot! Sol tries to shove the tiefling off of him, and he doesn't care if his talons slice into Altair's skin in the process.

"I might be into men, but I'm not into buffoons. Get off." Sol snaps icily, and that dry sarcasm bleeds from his tongue as easily as the insult that slithers from his lips. At this point he's not even sure if they had actually tried to betray him at all, or if they were just a bunch of halfwits that never should have made it out of the Academy.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Blood soaked into Vahliri’s robes, flowing from the bite-wounds that marked her legs and arms. The half-Annfyn suppressed a whimper of pain as she forced herself back to her feet - crimson saber igniting with a characteristic snap-hiss and further illuminating the dark tunnel all around them. With the fires extinguished, she wasted no time moving to defend herself from the incoming babies. Crimson plasma carved with quick, practiced strokes - cleaving through a pair of ratlings that scuttled towards the half-Annfyn’s feet. While the Kel’Dor decided to beckon the Rat King through his cruelty, Vahliri made quick and efficient work of those attempting to attack her lower half - deliberately not drawing out the suffering or screams of the creature.

It was at some point during all this that Vahliri glanced over towards Altair - staring at the Tiefling for a moment as he seemed to float on cloud nine. She could only guess what was going through his head as he stared back at the Rat King as if it was a stray to take home and domesticate. After the bullshit with Cairo and his spider, she was not at all surprised and immediately decided to snap the Tiefling out of his thoughts.

“Altair!” She stepped towards the Tiefling, rattling his shoulder a bit to get him moving. Which, thankfully, seemed to do the trick - as he promptly ran forward and started to engage the Rat King. The half-Annfyn watched as he broke the giant rodents arms, only to whip the Tiefling with its tail and sent him crashing into Sol.

She immediately started moving in the direction of the pair - her eyes narrowing harshly when the Kel’dor started trying to lash out at Altair. At once, Vahliri knew that the vicious usage of talons was likely to start a fight between the two of them. More importantly to her, however, Vahliri had seen Altair fight up close, and promptly reasons that Sol was about to get his ass handed to him by the Matukai. Vahliri blinked a few times. She had to rapidly weigh the pros and cons of letting things play out naturally - or intervening to prevent a fight. Her amber eyes snapped between Altair, Sol, and the Rat King. It wasn’t a hard decision to make.

She walked right past the fight about to ensue - rushing instead to engage with the Rat King. The half-Annfyn’s crimson saber tilted in front of her body, raising into a defensive guard as the giant rodent shrieked at her. With both of its arms broken, it once again attempted to use its tail to send the diminutive half-Annfyn flying. Before it could, Vahliri swiped her saber in a downward arch to meet the incoming tail - slicing right through the prehensile limb and causing it to flop dismembered to the ground.

The Rat King shrieked in pain, teeth barred to snarl at the half-Annfyn who attacked it. Vahliri followed up her saber-strike with a concussive blast of the Force - sending the giant rodent backwards several meters into the tunnel. Before she could follow, Vahliri was rapidly swarmed by the remaining rat babies - leaping through the air to scratch and claw and bite every inch of her body, causing the half-Annfyn to rapidly attempt to cut her way and toss the rodents clinging to her robes and latching onto her dark braids. "IT'S IN MY HAIR!" She shrieked.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair toppled right over Sol as they fell into the ground and he attempted to roll off sluggishly. Of course Sol began to claw at him and blabbered at the same time. The tiefling grunted and caught one of the Kel Dor’s hands flying at him to stop it before a claw nicked him. Luckily for Sol, Altair was still extremely blazed. He glanced back at the Sith when he spoke, “Oh that’s all right, bruh,” He said cheerfully as he tapped Sol on his oxygen mask, “I prefer people that can suck my dick and breathe at the same time.”

The tiefling rose to stand and reached down to grasp the Kel Dor by the hand and yank him to his feet. Altair snickered at him, “At least I broke the thing’s legs,” He would happily drop Sol’s ass if the Kel Dor was too proud to accept the help to get to his feet, “All you managed to do was suddenly eat shit and get your dress lit on fire,” He whirled around to look towards where Vahliri was screeching about something with her hair.

All he knew was that the giant rat wasn’t visible right there, “Yoooo did you smoke her ass by yourself? Damn Vahl!” He started clapping before realizing she was getting overrun by ratbabies, “Oh right..” He didn’t want to risk lighting her on fire again, but he unleashed another blast of inferno towards the small rats on the ground. This time the fire went where he intended, the remaining group on the ground incinerated at once.

Altair was completely lost on how to help Vahl with rats literally crawling on her and in his totally blazed state he was even more worthless, “Uhhhhh STOP DROP AND ROLL VAHL!” He shouted unhelpfully from a distance. After a moment of delay in his senses, he quickly shuffled over and attempted to physically pluck them off.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Wrist grasped by the tiefling, Sol could only glower. A part of him had half the mind to send out a surge of Sith Lightning at the other man, but to waste all his strength on in-fighting so soon? Oh, how he hated this, hated knowing that he should wait, that he did not know what else awaited them in the humid dark ahead. Some things were far worse than mutant rats. A sour pill to swallow as Altair pulled him to his feet after a particularly vulgar comment. He should feel mad about it, but it seemed even Sol was capable of amusement, despite the situation. The tiefling goes on about the Kel Dor's dress, and the Champion snorts behind his mask.

"A rather expensive dress, mind you." Sol responds dryly, attempting to mask his amusement with spiteful pride alone. He was still quite pissed at the situation, and he did not like either of his two companions. Altair didn't need to know that Sol thought his joke was funny, nor would he be caught dead admitting it.

Wintry eyes observe with an icy chill as Altair turns to address Vahliri, before cooking the remaining rats on the floor. As for Vahliri herself, she was quite clearly being swarmed, shrieking about the rodents in her hair. Well now, Sol didn't mind admitting that he thought that was funny. But he certainly wasn't about to go help. No, he tears at what remains of his scorched clothing before wrapping pieces of the fabric over his wounds, burns and bloody rat scratches both, silently weathering the piercing pain that washes through his mind, making his limbs shake with adrenaline.

As for the Rat King, or Queen, or whatever it was, it had been heavily wounded, and it certainly wouldn't be hobbling anywhere fast on it's back legs, especially without a tail to allow it to balance upright. Maybe it would die from it's wounds by the time Altair and Vahliri plucked all the little ones away from skin and hair. Or maybe it would make one final, weak and frenzied effort to take revenge on the three Sith. But in the meantime, and while Altair and Vahliri were clearly preoccupied with the baby rodents, Sol tightens the makeshift bandages before reaching down with lethal talons. The claws coil around a dead baby rat, and with a cruel, conniving smile, the Kel Dor slips it into one of his pockets.

He hadn't forgotten about that force push.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Things went from bad to so much worse the moment the rat-babies started crawling into Vahliri’s hair. Multitudes of the young rodents were drawn by their mother’s shrieks - jumping off of adjacent pipelines to catapult onto the half-Annfyn from all angles, while others sprinted across the ground and started to crawl up the skirt of her robes. While the Rat King had been thrown further down the tunnel and was probably out of immediate concern, the same couldn’t be said about its young. She completely forgot about the possibility of Altair and Sol duking it out in her panic.

“Get the fuck off me!” She shrieked, alternating between physically prying the rat-babies off or using her saber to slice those still running across the ground. The half-Annfyn felt them gnawing and tugging at her long braids, and promptly began to see nothing but red after that point. “GET OFF!” The half-Annfyn slammed her back against the adjacent wall with all her weight - causing a cluster of the rodents to fall stunned to the floor. She repeated the motion a few additional times - almost comically ping-ponging between walls in an attempt to shake them.

Her attention snapped down to the glow and warmth of flames - watching as streaks of inferno snaked nearby to ignite the rodents on the ground. She didn’t need to spare Altair more than a glance to know where the Inferno had come from and was beyond thankful that the Tiefling had - for that moment - come out of clouds.

“THAT IS NOT HELPING!” She yelled when Altair threw in his unhelpful suggestion. Pain shot through her arms and above her shoulder as a few of the rodents started sinking their teeth in, and the Darkness swelled around the half-Annfyn in response. A bubble of concussive energy pulsed outward from Vahliri - sending the less secure rodents flying off into the dark tunnel. With only a few remaining, it didn’t take long for herself and Altair to pick off the few remaining.

The moment she was free from their clutches, Vahliri swung her saber in low arcs across the ground - cleaving through fur and bone. The remaining rat-babies were either caught by Altair’s inferno, her blade, or proceeded to rush back into the direction of their mother. Blood trickled lightly from various parts of the half-Annfyn’s body, her breath coming in heavy, adrenaline-filled huffs.

“Are you alright?” She said, taking a good look at Altair. Between the three of them, the completely blazed Tiefling had - by some bizzare twist of events - come out looking the best out of all of them. "I don't know where the big one went. But it's definitely hurt." The half-Annfyn promptly glanced over his shoulder and spotted Sol as well, piecing together that Altair hadn’t knocked his teeth in.

Her lips immediately tugged downward in a mixture of disappointment and irritation that they still had to deal with his creeper-ass.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

“Hold still!” Altair hissed as he attempted to pluck the baby rats off her. One of them clung to her hair a bit too tightly and it tore out a few strands. The tiefling preemptively ducked in case Vahl decided to throw a punch his way. After a bit of uncoordinated chaos, she was finally rat free. He looked over at Sol to see him standing around picking his nose - not surprising.

“I’m good,” Altair responded, the drugs flushing through his system quickly as usual. Sometimes he despised being a tiefling. He began to reach for his baggy again as he glanced at Vahl, “I can tell you’re stressed, can I interest you in-” She began to blurt about the big rat and he remembered that the mission wasn’t over yet. With a sigh, he put the baggy away and nodded.

“Fuck dealing with the big one, let’s run past it,” He said as he began to quickly shuffle down the tunnel. He barely remembered the mission itself but he recalled they were looking for some gang or hideout. There was a horrible and putrid stench as Altair ran further into the tunnel and past the fallen form of the rat king. It was difficult to say if it was alive or dead but he wasn’t about to find out.

Altair slowed down as he came across a fork in the tunnels. Both left and right looked vague and dark and both smelled awful. He looked back at the others, “Uhhh which way?”

@Altaris @Nevermourn

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Well, it was certainly comical to see the half-Annfyn struggling against the little rats. If anything, she deserved it. Sol wasn't going to help her, so she was lucky to have Altair at her side. After all, why should the Kel Dor get any more bites and scratches after she had force pushed him for no reason? As far as he was concerned, Vahliri could just die. At least his makeshift bandages were holding up alright, though he'd need to lather himself in antibiotic soap later, for sure. Hell, he'd might as well make a bubble bath out of the stuff, just to be on the safe side. And besides, a long soak sounded nice. With effort, he might even be able to forget all the bullshit he's had to deal with thus far.

But, ultimately, and much to Sol's disappointment, Vahliri and Altair managed to expel the remaining rats from skin and hair. As for the big rat? That thing was definitely dead, or it would be, when it starved. Altair seemed uninterested in dealing with it again, as if the tail-less, arm-less rodent was any threat anymore. Well, it might be, if they stepped too close to it's teeth. Honestly, the Kel Dor wouldn't put it past those two. Still, he follows after the Tiefling, careful to skirt past any oversized looking lumps of matted fur in the way.

"You know, I kind of think they're rather cute. Better looking than present company, at least." Dry humor that dripped with sarcasm. Probably to be expected from the Kel Dor at that point. "I might have to bring a few home on the way back." After all, why not? Perhaps Sol could be his own rat king.

Eventually, they reach a fork in the tunnels. Both passageways looked... well, the same. They smell damp, putrid, and abandoned. Both were dark, and there were no other signs of hanging lamps.

In all honestly, the Kel Dor had no idea which way was the right way, and it seemed neither did Altair. Well, Sol knew it would be a labyrinth down here, but he had expected to have some competent allies at his side. Now, the Kel Dor couldn't be sure of anything. For all he knew, they'd all get eaten by the next mutant that came around the corner. Perhaps Altair was coming out of his drugged daze, though. He seemed to be good with fire, when he could hit the enemy and not his partners. Regardless, Sol wasn't about to show weakness in front of his companions, especially not after that fiasco. He didn't trust either of them. There was also the matter of his pride. Sol might not know where he was going, but he wasn't about to admit that.

"This way." The Champion states confidently before moving to the right hall, because ultimately, they had a 50/50 chance of choosing correctly. He just had to hope that luck was on his side.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Surprisingly, Vahliri didn’t take a swing at Altair when a few silken strands of black hair were tugged from her scalp - but the Tiefling nonetheless was treated to her screeching instead. It wasn’t until the half-Annfyn was rat-free and the others were dead that she finally started to chill out, amber eyes settling upon Altair. She didn’t miss the sight of Sol being a useless fuck in the background, immediately remorseful that hadn’t yeeted him a bit further into the Rat King.

She nodded a bit when the Tiefling confirmed he was okay - eliciting a small smile of relief in response. The half-Annfyn didn’t miss when he reached for his little baggy, promptly deciding that she’d likely take him up on his offer by the time this was all over, given how things were going.

“No argument here,” Vahliri said simply, following behind Altair and shuffling further down the tunnel. She didn’t address the bite marks on her arms and legs quite yet - entirely unwilling to tear her custom robes and opting to keep her eyes peeled for any movement along the way. After a moment or two, the half-Annfyn unignited her crimson saber - clipping the curved hilt back to her utility belt. Her face scrunched up heavily as they passed the maybe-dead Rat King - eyes narrowing as she hugged the opposing wall a bit more and shuffled a bit quicker past.

When Sol started talking - unfortunately - again, Vahliri made no attempt to mask the way her eyes aggressively rolled back into her skull. Had this dude looked in a mirror lately? She wasn’t about to take any sarcastic quips from someone who looked like they just crawled out of a Bandomeeran Crab-boil. When he mentioned keeping some of the rats, Vahliri glanced back over her shoulder. “Sure, I bet they’ll feel right at home in whatever dump you crawled out of.”

Vahliri fixed her gaze ahead, and she couldn’t help but groan when they came upon the fork in the tunnel. Before she could voice and opinion or guess a direction, the half-Annfyn watched as Sol confidently proclaimed one and started marching in that direction. A part of her wanted to take the other part for that reason alone. Ultimately, Vahliri glanced at Altair a few times before following a few paces behind the Kel’dor.

Despite her sensitive hearing, Vahliri had no qualms with letting Sol walk face-first into the next round of bullshit. Frankly, the Kel’dor likely got off on his own self-importance and the prospect of ‘leading’ too much to catch on.

“One of these days, maybe we’ll get a mission that doesn’t involve some dark, tunnel filled with weird shit,” She glanced over at Altair, flashing the Tiefling a smirk while leaving it up to interpretation as to rather she was talking about Sol or the Rats. As they delved deeper into the path, Vahliri quickly picked up a whiff of strong, astringent chemicals in the air - evident of poor ventilation throughout the entire system. The faint scent of raw spice, likely from some kind of refinement or smuggling operation, would easily be picked up as well.