Ask The Ruddy Descent

[Altair Din]

Altair was entirely unfazed by Sol’s snide remark about the rats being better looking. On the contrary, the tiefling fell into step beside him and spoke in a low voice, “You think we can smuggle some out? I bet they’d get us a solid profit in the black market,” He whispered excitedly, “Or imagine if we bring ‘em back to raise. If they get as big as that rat daddy, we could ride them into battle!” It all sounded like a solid idea, but of course this was after Altair snuck in another sniff of his spice.

He was about to say more, but his face fell then. He was suddenly reminded of Cairo, his best friend, who he always made terrible plans with. Altair sighed and picked up the pace again, glancing up when Vahliri spoke. He had missed her jabs at Sol, but he was generally oblivious. Altair picked up the chemical stench mixed in with something he couldn’t place. After a bit of walking, he began to see strange moss-like things along the tunnel walls. Altair’s expression began to change.

“Guys…” He whispered, “I…don’t think we should be here..”

Thud.

“..I think there’s…” Altair had seen this before.

Thud.

“...Saw this same shit when Cairo and I were sent to an old hospital…”

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Before Altair could say more, an earth shattering roar resounded in the tunnel. There was a massive figure lurking ahead that could be heard sniffing the air. After a moment it began to dry heave shortly before it belched loudly, spewing out a splash of filthy liquid that could burn through all three Sith if they got too close.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Vahliri seemed far from friendly, and Sol is still completely oblivious as to why she turned on him in the first place. Perhaps she just didn't like Kel Dor, or maybe she was just one hell of a bitch. It was hypocritical for the cold hearted Champion to judge her for it, of course, but he would anyways. Sol shoots her a glare in the darkness of the tunnel as she responds to his comment about the rats. Altair, though, he falls in step beside the Kel Dor, even seems eager to entertain the idea. Sol brightens a bit, because he really did like the idea of bringing back a few rats, and he's glad someone else could see the potential in that too.

"I wouldn't mind a few giant rats to ride into battle with. Could even fit them with their own armor." Sol agrees with a conniving smirk drawn behind his fanged mask. "Imagine controlling a hoard of your very own rats. Maybe you wouldn't even have to fight Jedi anymore. They'd just scream in terror and flee." Too good to be true, but an amusing thought regardless. He could imagine several scenarios where the rats could be useful. Altair seems to fall quiet, though. The Kel Dor wonders why, but he doubts the Tiefling would share his thoughts. It wasn't as if they were friends, even if they seemed to share an interest in the rat idea.

The walls change, mossy tendrils crawling across moist structures. The smell that hits Sol's nose is foul. Sol's not the only one to notice. Altair seems on edge, seems to recognize whatever it was that lurked up ahead. The ominous sound of loud steps echo through the halls before the Kel Dor sees it. If he had any hair, it would be standing on end at the sight of the putrid creature. A mutant? A monster? Both, Sol supposes. But it doesn't matter. Whatever it was, belching up that disgusting fluid, the Sith wanted nothing to do with it.

"I've changed my mind." Sol's voice is a whisper as he backs up and away. "I like the other tunnel better." He has no interest in trying to fight whatever that thing was. With any luck, it couldn't see, and hadn't noticed the group. Sol turns and begins to head as silently as he can back the way they came. As for Vahliri and Altair, well.... either they got the idea and followed, or they were on their own. The Kel Dor certainly wasn't going to risk his life by hanging around if they decided to try and fight the monster. He does reach into his pocket for that baby rat, though. He had been saving it to toss into Vahliri's hair, but now he has a better idea.

Using the force, Sol silently and skillfully maneuvers the dead baby rat through the air and toward the monster. It glides across the floor and around it's hulking legs before being promptly propelled into the floor quiet a distance away, and with a rather loud splat. The hulking mutant hears the noise, turns to investigate. It can probably smell the stench of the rodent's body. With any luck, the giant walking nightmare would be too preoccupied with trying to locate it in the darkness to notice that Sol was making a getaway, back towards the fork in the tunnel. And of course, if Altair and Vahliri were smart, they would follow.

@Sreeya @Altaris (rolled a 19 for the baby rat trick.)

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but openly gawk when Altair stepped forward, proceeding to have a bro-moment with Sol. Due to her sensitive half-Annfyn hearing, she was privy to every bit of their absurd plan and excited whispering. It was something she would expect right from Cairo and Altair, and her own experience with that duo meant she believed wholeheartedly they would attempt to go through with it.

She shook her head a bit, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the terrible idea before glancing ahead again. It didn’t take her long to pick up the scent of chemicals in the air, and her fluted ears moved ever-so-slightly as that repeated thud echoed off the walls. The curved hilt found its way into Vahliri’s hand once again, fingers curling around it the entire time Altair spoke.

Vahliri winced a bit harshly than the others as the roar split through the air, sending a spike of mild pain through her ears. Amber eyes fixed onto the massive Infected, a mixture of disgust and shock etching across her face. “What the fuck is that?” She muttered quietly to the both of them. “Some kind of AMS mutation?” She hadn’t seen anything like it before and it was clear the creature unsettled her - moreso as it proceeded to vomit acid across the ground.

“For once we actually agree,” She whispered back at Sol, watching as the Kel’dor began to slowly step backwards - though not before pulling a… Dead rat, from his pocket, proceeding to chuck it across the open cavern to distract the monster. To Vahliri’s own surprise, the plan worked flawlessly - keeping the monster occupied and oblivious as it lumbered off to investigate. Unfortunately for all three of them, it would readily become clear that simply turning back was no longer an option. The roar of the Infected had ‘awoken’ the strange, mold-like growths along the walls - pulsating as if drawing breaths of their own. As Sol began to step in that direction, one of the nodes felt the vibrations of his footsteps, releasing a spew of acid - the same as the larger infected - in a cone in front of it and only a few feet beyond where Sol had stepped.

Any attempt to get through the tunnel now would be a death sentence - or require them to methodically kill each node one-by-one. And almost assuredly draw the attention of the larger infected.

Vahliri witnessed the entire thing, causing the half-Annfyn to grit her teeth in frustration. Without another option, she instead turned her attention back to the new chamber - allowing her gaze to wander. Fluorescent, multi-colored chemical runoff filled several pools throughout the room, where some lesser infected - clearly immune - wadded about and happily drank from. It didn’t take her long, however, to spot a maintenance rail that ran above the room - leading to a service door just beyond. The rail was several meters above the ground, and undoubtedly too far to jump to even with the aid of the Force. She had no idea where it led, but it was the only way out that didn’t require cutting through the infected or dealing with the chemicals.

Exhaling through her nostrils, Vahliri glanced back at Altair and Sol, “I don’t know about both of you, but I have no desire to fuck with that thing or the other infected," She began, only then pointing to the service rail above them. It was broken and disjointed in a few places - entire sections fallen off to where they would have to make a series of jumps to reach the door. “There is a service rail that looks like it leads out of the room. If we’re careful, we can use it without disturbing the Infected at all.” Vahliri glanced between them. “It’s too far to jump. We’ll need to work in pairs to ferry the other to the top and keep going.”

Even as she said it, Vahliri couldn’t help but muse how this could all go horribly wrong. With Altair having recently taken another sniff of spice, she couldn’t help but wonder about his Force abilities at that moment. Nor did she really trust Sol not to purposefully drop her or leave her behind. But after that Force push, did the Kel’dor trust either Vahliri or Altair not to do the same? After a moment, Vahliri looked back up to the rail. “Lift me first.”

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair watched Sol toss the baby rat and sighed, “Dude, that coulda made a solid profit in the right district-” He watched the massive infected turn and chase after it and stopped talking promptly. Somehow the ridiculous hail mary ended up working in their favor and Altair wasn’t about to waste it. He turned to glance at Vahliri briefly as they began to shuffle back as a group, “Mutated, tougher to kill, and really fuckin’ mean,” He answered her rapidly, “We don’t wanna be anywhere near that fuck.”

As they arrived at the new area with the only way out being up, Altair groaned at the prospects, “Great, mandatory teamwork. Always goes well with Sith..” He muttered under his breath. He trusted Vahliri, but he was largely neutral towards the Kel Dor. It wasn’t in Altair’s nature to hate for no real reason and he wouldn’t abandon Sol if he could help it. He helped Vahliri out first, giving her a boost up with his hands so she could reach and climb over.

Altair looked over at Sol. If Altair went up first, he knew Vahliri would waste time trying to convince him to leave Sol behind. However, if Sol went up first, he trusted that Vahliri would briefly put her nonsense aside and still help Altair up. On the flip side, it could also screw Altair over if the two of them started bickering on the scaffolding and forgot about him.

The tiefling decided to quickly bring up the baggie and take another hit of his drugs in case none of this panned out.

“Come on,” He turned to look at Sol as he offered to help him up and reach the scaffolding, “We ain’’t got time. Go go!” Altair could already hear a wave of infected rushing over their way.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

The tunnel breathed. Slimy growths upon the wall spat acid that Sol had no desire to wade through. Eyes narrowed with irritation as the Kel Dor turns back toward the group. He's not so keen to fight that hulking monster, as he's made clear before. Vahliri echoed his sentiment, though the Champion had half a mind to return that force push and use her as the bait. He supposes that wouldn't solve the issue of him actually getting through the acidic chamber full of mutated monsters, though.

The half-Annfyn points, and Sol follows the gesture, gazing upon the service rail with a thoughtful expression. It looked rusty and dangerous, but it was worth a try. Better than all other options, Sol thinks. Working together, though? The Kel Dor trusted Vahliri about as much as he trusted those infected. That was probably why she decided to go first, relying on Altair to hoist her up. For the better. If she thought for a second that Sol would have left her, she was right. But Altair got to play the middle man, which was a bit better than the alternative. At least Sol's opinion of Altair was a bit higher than his view on the half-Annfyn, if only because the tiefling seemed quite a bit friendlier. Well, that, and they both seemed to like rats.

Altair turns to the Kel Dor after hoisting Vahliri up to the railing, and gestures urgently for Sol to follow. The acid growths along the wall seemed to have alerted the Infected though. The big one might have been a lumbering brute, but the smaller ones were quicker, and they were advancing fast. Perhaps a little too fast.

If Vahliri had been lifting him up, Sol would have been perfectly content at climbing right on over her and leaving her to die. Altair, though, he seemed like he'd make a good asset in future rat based excursions, or any other plan the mad Kel Dor might have come to mind. So, he draws the force toward himself, fuels the dark with a passionate rage that burns like cold fire in his gut. Hatred whispers past his skin, hisses within his blood. The Dark Side coils around his hand as Sol extends his palm, and in a monstrous force of concussive energy, the force explodes outward and beyond like a freight train.

The force push is strong enough that the smaller infected are lifted into the air with the power of it, and flung back into the room like ragdolls. More time to buy for Sol to return the favor and help Altair onto the railing. The big one had turned again, and was very clearly lumbering toward the pair.

Quick as he could, Sol clambers onto the scaffolding with the help of Altair, before he turns to grasp at the tiefling with an extended hand. Admittedly, Sol felt a bit drained from that push, and his arm is shaking as he uses the other to brace himself for Altair's weight. It probably wouldn't be enough, though. The man's cold gaze snaps to Vahliri. He didn't trust that she'd help him, but she'd probably help Altair.

"Unless you want your friend to get eaten alive by those monsters, I'd suggest helping me pull him up." Sol really wouldn't waste time grieving for Altair, asides from a bit of disappointment that they'd never get their mutant rat mounts and the like. He's not so sure Vahliri would be so quick to disregard the tiefling, though. So, provided they worked together, they would hoist the spice-high Altair onto the railing and out of reach of the monsters, where they would quickly be able to make an escape, provided they could run the rusty gauntlet.

(rolled a 20 for the force push) @Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri glanced back at Altair, staring at the Tiefling when he groaned about their current situation, “Well,” She began, titing her head a bit in his direction. “I have always said we make a great team,” The half-Annfyn flashed a smile even in the midst of a crisis, lingering for a split second before she promptly moved on to the task at hand. Vahliri trusted Altair with her life - but Sol? She half expected the Kel’dor might attempt to throw her into the infected, and she wasn’t about to shed tears if they ‘accidentally’ weren’t able to pull his sorry ass up, either.

She didn’t hesitate for a moment to accept Altair’s assistance - using the boost of his hands in conjunction with a Force-enhanced jump to reach the scaffolding safely. The half-Annfyn gripped the side rails, allowing a split-moment of pause to test the integrity of the corroded, damaged walkway. Once she was convinced it wasn’t going to collapse beneath her feet, Vahliri spun around - extending a hand down to..

Sol.

Her eyes immediately narrowed the moment they settled on Sol, and her gaze promptly flicked onto Altair to give the Tiefling a slightly irritated look. He was effectively forcing her to be nice and not abandon the creepy fucker and Vahliri wasn’t here for any of it. All the same, it forced her to act quickly or risk allowing Altair to be swarmed. Without another moment of hesitation, Vahliri grasped Sol’s forearm and yanked upwards - allowing the Force to provide her just a bit more of the strength necessary to help his ass up.

After that? Vahliri didn’t waste a single moment looking at the Kel’dor - her gaze immediately snapping onto Altair. Her hand extended downward to grasp onto the Tiefling’s opposite forearm, fingers curling tightly around him as his weight was lifted off the ground. “Shut the fuck up,” Vahliri snapped at Sol, not even allowing the Kel’dor to finish his snark-filled sentence.

With both of them working together, it didn’t take long for them to hoist Altair onto the scaffolding - safely clear from any infected. The downside of Sol’s earlier Force push, of course, was that the entire horde was now aware of their presence - including the big ugly fucker in the back. The dead rat no longer looked appealing whatsoever - and the creature was only interested in the three fresh, alive and wriggling meals just waiting to be devoured.

A scream tore through the entire room as the creature barreled forward, and Vahliri wasted no time. Behind both Sol and Altair, the half-Annfyn physically shoved whoever was closest and started ushering them forward. “Move! MOVE!” She barked, prepared to yeet along if they didn’t start running. The walkway groaned and strained as they traveled across it and with every leap between the gaps, leaving them to wonder how much weight it would sustain.

Roughly half way across, the entire walkway rocked violently - bolts yanked right out of the wall that caused the entire structure to sag. The bloated infected, in a horrific turn of events, had leapt forth with its stumpy legs - latching onto the bottom of the walkway with both arms and legs. It stared up through the grates in the floor - giving anyone looking down at their feet a full view of its horrific visage up close. It screamed, and promptly unleashed a torrent of acid up through the floor just barely behind where they ran. It melted right through the metal, splattering onto the hem of Vahliri’s robes and melting right through the material. “GO!” She yelled, sprinting as quickly as she could while attempting to keep Altair and Sol - well, mostly Altair, she didn’t really give a fuck about Sol - moving at the front of the group and past the monster.

Time wasn’t on their side, as every moment that passed brought new noises or strain from the walkway. The entire structure sagged with the added weight of the bloated infected, who proceeded to use its meaty arms and legs to keep itself secure and effectively spider crawl beneath their feet.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was pleasantly surprised he wasn’t left behind and he scrambled to take their hands and hoist himself up on the levels above. Having snorted some more spice meant he was once again blazed. He heard frantic cries telling him to run, but everything appeared to move all around him. He was walking across the beams and his balance was awful even with the help of his tail. Altair blinked a few times and grimaced, “Bro I’m straight up not havin’ a good time,” He complained. They had to walk single file line to get across and of course Sol was in front of him. Without hesitation, he reached out to grasp the Kel Dor’s hand to keep balance, his entire head spinning and his reality melting all around him.

He turned to spot the giant infected roaring at them and was instantly confused, “Yo why this giant expired sausage trynna cramp our style, man?” Altair mused aloud before instantly hearing Vahliri screech again. He was back to scrambling towards an exit, almost missing his footing a few times before they finally got across the room and out of immediate danger.

Altair barely heaved a sigh of relief before the structure finally completely gave out. All three would be sent tumbling into a heap on the ground several rooms over, barriers separating out where the infected were and this room. Once the dust cleared, if they rose up they would glance over to see some very shocked faces - three people dressed like mercenaries were sitting around a table with Pazaak cards. Members of the Ruddy Fangs.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Vahl was certainly hostile, wasn't she? He wondered if she hated him as much as he hated her. Really, it seemed that the longer they spent on the mission, the more Sol felt like setting her dress on fire at a party. Altair, on the other hand, seemed to have the opposite effect. While the Kel'dor's bitterness toward the Half-Annfyn continued to deepen, the horned Tiefling seemed to be growing on the man. Ultimately, the Sith wouldn't hesitate to leave him for dead if it meant only one could survive, but for now, Sol feels a lot more tolerable in the presence of Altair.

He says nothing in response to Vahliri, because they're all on the maintenance rail now, and those Infected seemed awfully hungry. The big one especially. It was only a matter of time before it grew disinterested with the rat, and Sol's force push to keep the Infected off of Altair had certainly rang the dinner bell.

Sol books it, of course, skittering along the railing without a second thought. He certainly didn't need Vahliri howling at him to make a run for it, especially when the giant monster decided to embrace his inner spider on the walkway beneath them, nearly knocking Sol off the scaffolding entirely. He recovered quickly, leaps forward as he's pressured by those behind him. There is one moment of surprise, though. Altair reaches out to take the Kel'dor's hand, and he almost stumbles as a result. That Tiefling was no doubt blazed beyond any comprehension of what he was doing, surely. His remark about an expired sausage betrayed as much.

That foul smell of acid as it eats through the metal they sprinted across draws Sol back into the present. He wasn't about to stop and confront Altair while that monster was actively trying to kill them.

They pass through darkness, out of the first room, and perhaps into safety. The Kel'dor shakes with adrenaline, because finally, he thinks they can take a breath to relax. But no, the walkways shutters, groaned beneath them, and before Sol can say a damn thing, it crumples, probably thanks to the weight of that monster in the other room. Well, the obstacle course was done, and now it seemed that they were safe from the Infected. Not entirely so safe from the floor, though. Sol hits it with a grunt, doesn't really even have time to land on his feet. He strikes ass first instead, which he supposed was preferable over his skull. Either way, it hurt, and for a time, he's content to just catch his breath for a second.

"You sure you're only interested in people that can suck your dick and breathe at the same time?" Because he can't help it. Altair had been holding his hand. Sol of course has to bring it up again, blazed or not. "Because you do have a nice rack. Better than most men I date." And no doubt, the Champion would be entirely jealous of those horns for as long as the two lived. But, as the dust cleared, and things seemed to settle, he becomes aware of the shadows in the corner of his vision. Glowing eyes shift to peer at a rather confused trio playing cards. The Ruddy Fangs, he thinks. Or perhaps, he hopes.

"Oh." A simple enough response to their confused expressions. It's about damn time. If he had to wade through anymore zombies, he'd probably try baptize Vahliri in their rotten slime, and he doubted she'd go down quietly, either.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Fuck. This. Shit.

A string of colorful, rather creative profanities flowed past Vahliri’s lips as she ran across the walkway - trailing just behind the hand-holding Altair and Sol. The half-Annfyn didn’t even dare to look down at the drooling, bloated infected that spider-crawled beneath them - periodically belching its caustic acid through the grates to melt off yet another portion of the metallic surface. She felt splatters of the material reach her robes and burn her skin, and promptly nudged Altair and Sol to haul their asses a bit faster. “I’m not having a good time! GO FASTER!”

She almost lost her footing a few times - and it resulted in the half-Annfyn leaning forward and proceeding to wrap her arms around Altair’s waist to keep her balance. Like some kind of fucked up conga line, the trio bolted across the walkway and over the adjacent rooms - up until the moment the walkway gave out and they were sent tumbling to the ground. Dust clouded the half-Annfyn’s vision, and Vahliri allowed a groan to reverberate up throat. She felt the weight of something pressing down on top of her, and it only took a moment for her to realize it was a combination of Sol and Altair limbs. “Mooovvveeeee,” She grumbled, pressing up against them both to free herself, squirming and army-crawling forward to do so.

The half-Annfyn finally staggered to her feet, running a hand through her hair. Pain ached across her body, and she couldn’t help but stare at the two of them still on the ground. Her gaze lingered for a moment or two longer on Sol - unable to help but rolling her eyes at the Kel’dor. She was entirely accustomed to people flirting with Altair, but she knew the Tiefling well enough to know he wasn’t at all interested with the same sex. “God damnit,” She stared down at Sol, “Can your desperate ass try to gargle his balls later? We ha–”

She blinked, catching movement out of the corner of her eye. It was only at that moment that Vahliri glanced fully to the left - her gaze locking onto the sight of the trio of Ruddy Fang members. For what felt like an eternity, they simply locked eyes - equally expressions of confusion and surprise playing out on their faces. She didn’t expect to walk into the middle of their card game - and they certainly didn’t expect for some rando’s to fall out of the ceiling.

Vahliri rapidly glanced between them. She needed to think quickly and on the spot. “...Uh.” The half-Annfyn forced a smile. “Got room for more..?” Her expression grew dim as all three of them began to rise from the table - one of them bolting down the hallway, presumably to alert the others that they were being.. Invaded? Trespassed upon?

“Oh for fuck sake.” The half-Annfyn reached out with the Force, coiling her grasp around the fleeing gangmember. She yanked her wrist backwards, pulling the man’s ankle out from under him and causing the man to tumble into the floor. “Don’t let him go!” She barked.

Unfortunately for Vahliri, her focus on the running meant the half-Annfyn wasn’t paying attention to the sweaty, muscular Orcolan who proceeded to bodyslam her to the ground.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair groaned as he collected himself, turning to look at Sol when he made his commentary. Not having heard of horns being referred to as a rack before, he instead glanced down at his own chest, “You dig my mecks? Sweet, bruh. I do the Emryc Thorne routine and that shit’s got some killer reps,” He nodded sagely before he blinked stupidly at Sol’s suggestive remark. Instead he glanced over at Vahliri, “Damn, Vahl, how come you never offer to go down on me this often?” He asked sadly.

However, he was soon distracted when he noticed the pazaak players. Altair had a slower reaction than the other two, his mind still in a fog and thinking about scenarios involving Vahliri and ball gargling. The tiefling looked around and barely registered that a gang member was running away - hopefully Sol had eyes on him. As his focus was briefly on Vahliri, he simply saw her get trucked by a massive orcolan. Rage coursed through him and his jaw tightened as he channeled the Force.

“Mother fucker I know you fuckin’ did not,” He cried out before whirling in with his fist. The Matukai punch was hard enough to crack through several ribs and send the orcolan bodily across the room. The force of the impact was hard enough to cause a dent in the wall from where the orcolan landed. The gang member groaned and began to wheeze, slow to recover.

Meanwhile, Altair turned to look at Vahliri, reaching a hand down to help her to her feet, “You all right?!”

Dice: 16/20 for hit

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

He doesn't really have time to respond to Vahliri, or the confusion instilled by Altair's easy going reply to the Kel'dor's suggestive comments. Chaos erupted as the three Ruddy Fang members leaped into action. One bolts toward the door, and the half-Annfyn at least has the mind to trip him with the force, calling attention to the fool that had failed to make his mad dash. In the midst of it all, a heavy-set Orcolan charges the woman like a bull, slamming her into the floor with all the might one might expect from one of his kind. Despite his blazed state of mind, Altair is clearly not about to have that, which was certainly good for Vahliri. Sol would have saved the Orcolan for last, just to watch her suffer.

Ultimately, though, that left the third man in the room. A Trandoshan with claws to rival Sol's own, and with a set of razor sharp teeth to match. Admittedly, the Kel'dor had been distracted by making a move toward the one that had tried to run, and the lizard moved fast enough that by the time Sol noticed, it was far too late to react.

The claws of the reptile burrow into his shoulders as the Trandoshan pounces, and the two grapple. Sol's talons are hooked into the ribs of the snapping reptile, while he gripped ruthlessly at the Sith's shoulders, holding them close enough for him to attempt a fatal bite at the Kel'dor's neck. Despite the claws, Sol isn't about to let that happen. He tears himself away, feels the talons shred through his shoulders to splatter blood across the floor as he strikes back with a force push. It doesn't do much other than put distance between the two, but really, that was all Sol needed for the moment. He wasn't fond of being skewered by the Trandoshan's claws.

"Buy me dinner first." Sol suggests dryly, and his vocals seemed strained as the lacerations burned across his shoulders.

And all the while, the first of the trio, the human, had regained his footing and was making another run for the door. At least, Sol notes, the Orcolan was dazed by the fury of Altair's counter-attack.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Ignoring the bro-talk and mention of ‘mecks’, Vahliri barely had time to register the suggestive comment being made by Altair - but it rang within her sensitive hearing all the same. As soon as she yanked the fleeing gang member, heat immediately began to surge to the half-Annfyn’s face - bringing forth a shade of crimson that spread across her cheeks and dominated the entirety of her expression. The fluted tips of her ears began to flick and swivel with a complete mind of their won - nonverbal reactions that the Tiefling would immediately understand the meaning behind, even if Sol didn’t.

She was already distracted before that point, and it meant that Vahliri was entirely unprepared when the Orcolan trucked her out of nowhere. For all the ways that the half-Annfyn was a trained and terrifying killer, there was no disputing the sheer different in size between the two. The muscle-bound, seven-foot-something brawler barely broke his stride as he bodied Vahliri to the ground - causing the half-Annfyn to harshly crash onto the duracrete floor below. He didn’t stop there, following Vahliri to the ground to pin her in place.

Vahliri’s teeth pulled into a snarl - and the Force immediately surged in response. She dug her fingers into the arms of the Orcolan - electricity crackling between her fingertips as she prepared for the split-second necessary to roast him alive. But even that was too much for the trained fighter. Before she could respond, the Orcolan reached down with his significantly larger hand - grasping the front of the half-Annfyn’s face tightly. Without mercy, the Orcolan pulled her away from the ground before brutally bashing her head against the duracrete below. It was all that was necessary for Vahliri to go completely limp - her arm falling back to the ground without an ounce of protest left.

By the time Altair send the Orcolan flying backwards and turned his attention to Vahliri, the Tiefling would find her completely unconscious. Blood openly poured from the wound on the back of her skull, and her body twitched ever-so-slightly to betray that she wasn’t, yet, lifeless.

While Sol engaged with the Trandoshan, the Orcolan responsible putting half-Annfyn unconscious still struggled to catch his own breath - each inhale coming with pained expressions and a hand clasping at his ribcage. He wasn’t out of the fight quite yet - but it was clear he was injured. The third man continued to make his break for the door - sprinting down the hallway to where other gangmembers were lounging. There would be no hope for the trio if the entire group of alerted - least of all with Vahliri worthless on the ground.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Where the fuck did that Trandoshan come from?! Altair shook his head a few times before he remembered that the third human was still running to alert the others. The tiefling turned and began to give chase only to trip over Vahliri’s fallen form. He toppled over and slammed down to the ground with a heavy thud. This was right as the orcolan finally got up to move, wheezing and angry. The giant man grabbed Altair by the horn and promptly slammed him into the wall. The tiefling felt pain course through his entire body and he wondered if some bones weren’t cracked.

The gang member that ran got to the others in time and alarms were sounded. Within moments, the room with the three Sith were filled with gang members all armed to the teeth. Altair was still dazed and in pain when his wrists were cuffed. The same would be done with Sol and Vahliri was tossed over someone’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“The fuck happened to you?” One of them asked the orcolan, not used to seeing him beat up.

“I dunno, that goat-lookin’ freak just trucked me, man,” The big guy said in between wheezing, “Much stronger than he looks. Put extra binds on him.”

“Boss won’t be happy about this,” A Rodian said as he looked up at the collapsed scaffolding, “These idiots fucked up the barricades between us and Bernie. Don’t need his giant ass knockin’ these walls down and infecting us all.”

Bernie? That infected had a name? Altair blinked stupidly but kept silent, realizing that he was beyond outmatched with this many gang members. Within moments, the three of them would be dragged over towards what the gang called the ‘dungeons’ which included holding cells. They didn’t get the luxury of individual cells, all three shoved into one. One of them gave a lecherous gaze towards Vahliri, “I might come back for that one later after the boss is done questioning them,” He guffawed, sending a surge of rage through Altair. However, even in his inebriated state he knew acting out right now was foolish.

The cell door slammed shut and all three were left and bound in the dark. Distant scurrying of rats could be heard and there was a gross, damp smell in the dungeon. It took a moment for Altair’s eyes to adjust and he gently nudged at Vahliri, “Hey…you alive?” He asked, still in a haze from the drugs and the pain. Altair looked up towards where he guessed Sol to be.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a pocket rat to help us out this time, would you?” He asked in a whisper, "We need to get the fuck outta here. They ain't figured out we're Force sensitive yet. May be able to get the jump on 'em."

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

How do three Sith struggle so much with three common criminals? That's the first question that Sol asks himself when he realizes that the fiery Vahliri wasn't moving. Was she dead? No, he didn't think so. He could sense her life as strongly as ever. Then there was Altair, entirely blazed, and this time, instead of saving the group, he seemed more inclined to fall over and take a nap. Not exactly accurate, but in Sol's situation, it had might as well be. The Trandoshan is still advancing. The Orcolan had recovered. The third had managed to pull the alarm. It only took moments for the sound of boots to echo from the hall, and the many people who stormed the room next were not only ready for a fight, but they were armed.

Oh, the Kel'dor was mad. He bristled with that fury, wanted nothing more than to electrocute the entire lot of them that entered the room. It was not to be, though. Not as drained as he was. He typically wasn't the type to go down without a fight, but the odds here were sorely in favor of the gang. Living was ultimately preferred over rushing into a pointless death. Sol's frown is bitter behind his mask as he raises his hands, a gesture of surrender, and is promptly grasped by the heavy-set Trandoshan, who seems all to eager to poke his claws into the back of the Sith's neck. Sol says nothing as he's restrained like the fallen allies who were still on the floor nearby, and he listens as the criminals banter about their boss, and their so called pet Infected. Worms.

The trio are moved from the room, Vahliri slung over a shoulder, and Altair as equally dazed. At the very least, the Kel'dor isn't blindfolded. He takes the time to memorize the halls and doors that they pass, though ultimately, it wasn't likely to help much. Worse, still, the three were all shoved into the same cell, as if the entirely embarrassing situation couldn't get any worse. He says nothing in response to the gang member as he leaves them, just senses the flash of fury shoot through the Tiefling nearby. Snorting with annoyance, the Champion would lean against one of the grimy walls. Until Altair came out of his haze, and Vahliri stirred from her coma, they were as good as trapped here. As much as Sol felt inclined to ditch them, he was smart enough to know that working together would be their best chance at escape.

"I don't think a pocket rat would do much for us." Sol responds bitterly to the whispers of Altair. "Unless it was one of the big ones." Like the Rat King. Although, it does give Sol an idea. He can hear the rats that scurried through the darkness. "We might not need one in the pocket, though. There's a lot of rats down here." He points out. "Perhaps we could get a swarm of them to attack any nearby guards." That would certainly make things easier, especially if the door could be forced open with a good old fashioned push. Silently, Sol reaches out with the force, attempts to make a connection with the rats scurrying through the dungeons. It seems his efforts fail, though. The rats respond with curiosity, but not with any desire for violence as he had intended. Perhaps he was more tired than he had originally thought.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

The precise moment Vahliri was bashed against the ground, her entire world went dark around her. Now amount of willpower or strength would eclipse the blunt-force trauma to her skull, and the half-Annfyn slipped from consciousness without an ounce of protest left within her. She laid limb on the dirty ground, blood oozing from the ugly gash in the back of her skull, up until some member of the gang unceremoniously hoisted her up onto their shoulders. Completely dead weight, Vahliri didn’t response to any of the lecherous comments made by the gangmembers as they unceremoniously tossed her into the cell - and the half-Annfyn largely didn’t move from where she slumped in the middle of the floor.

“Nyegh..” Vahliri groaned faintly when Altair nudged her - a vague indication that she was, in fact, alive - but also not doing too hot either. The half-Annfyn hardly moved or responded beyond that - clearly still feeling the effects of having her skull slammed into the duracrete floor.

Unfortunately for Sol and Altair - it meant that the half-Annfyn was completely useless to contribute, or criticize, any of their god-awful ideas. Close to ten minutes of complete silence would pass within the jail cell - with only the sound of rats and other prisoners nearby to keep them company. Regardless of what the other two did, Vahliri didn’t rouse much more in that time - though her condition didn’t quite worsen either.

At long last, the silence was finally broken as the door to the dungeon swung open - revealing several of the same gang members from before. Nestled at their center was a bald, gruff man - a cigarra lazily hanging from his lips. It didn’t take long to piece together who was the supposed ‘boss’ amongst the criminals. Two chairs were pulled up, one of which the boss promptly seated himself in - positioned in front of the cell. Another of the men stood nearby - a neuronic whip dangling from his fingertips.

“You’re going to tell me what the fuck you’re doing in my territory,” The boss began, his voice heavy with a Corellian accent as he glanced between the two of them. “Who sent you? Those fuckers in the Garnet Chain?” He hissed, immediately jumping to blame their staunchest rivals in the Nar Shaddaa underworld.

“Take her out and secure her,” He jutted his chin towards Vahliri, followed by three of the gang members moving in to retrieve the half-Annfyn and lead her into the other chair - assuming Sol or Altair didn’t . It didn’t take a genius to decipher where this was going. While Vahliri was far too out of it to provide any information to the Ruddy Fang - perhaps her friends would be willing to divulge upon hearing her screams.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair stared at Sol as he looked very intently at the wall. The tiefling watched in confused silence for a few seconds before he lit up, “Dude, are you trynna talk to the rats?” He asked cheerfully, “I hear ‘em too. I bet if you asked ‘em nicely, they’d-” He didn’t finish his sentence when the gang members showed up and plopped the chairs down.

The tiefling was still slightly out of it as the gang members walked in and attempted to take Vahliri out. He had a sudden moment of clarity when they touched her and charged at the three that entered. He was a blur of motion, his horns gouging into the first man’s belly harsh enough to spill out his entrails. Altair’s tail batted into the back of the knees of one of them, making him trip. As the man fell, the tiefling slammed him into the last man, effectively dropping them all.

Altair used the Force to coil around the boss that was in the middle of attempting to run away, slamming him against the wall inside the cell and several inches off the ground, “I’m losin’ my patience with all this shit,” He growled, his grip on the man’s neck tightening. The tiefling appeared extra intimidating with his bloody horns, “You’re gonna tell us-”

“Gruuuuhhh-” One of the men groaned as he attempted to crawl out the cell. Agitated from the interruption, Altair coiled the Force around his head and twisted it unnaturally in one fell motion before turning his gaze back on the terrified boss.

“In case you were wonderin’, I’m one of them Sith,” Altair hissed in his face, “I can snap your neck in a second,” He glanced at the man he had just killed, “I can make you die real slow,” Altair looked over to the man he had disemboweled with his horns that was still slowly dying in excruciating pain, “Or I can let you run and forget this ever happened,” Altair stated as he looked back at the boss, “You the boss ‘cause you ain’t stupid. So how about you play nice and get us what we want?”

“Okay..okay okay..” The boss whimpered, a pungent odor rising as Altair realized the man effectively pissed himself. The tiefling was unfazed, but he slowly released the boss. Altair grabbed Vahliri and easily hoisted her over his shoulder before jutting his chin for the boss to lead the way out of the cell.

“Sol, tell him what we’re lookin’ for,” Altair stated with a chilling calm as they walked out. While his tone was menacing, the truth was that the tiefling completely forgot what they were here for or anything about a holocron. He simply hoped Sol wouldn't pick up on that and just play along. It was clear the boss had no intention of screwing them over. No artifact was worth the torment the demonic tiefling would put him through.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Well, at least they wouldn't have to stew in the dust and shadows for too long. The door swings open, and a trio stares them down, all furious fists and burning eyes. Sol's not intimidated by common thugs, and he doubts Altair is either. If anything, the so called boss had just put himself into a very precarious position. Putting their hands on Vahliri seemed to shake the tiefling out of his daze, though. The Sith lunges at them, gores one man with his horns and quickly dispatches the other two. It certainly seemed like the help of the rats would be unnecessary.

All that is left is the boss of the gang, pinned against the dirty, foul smelling wall of the dungeon with terror pricking at the corners of his eyes.

Well, Sol can't say he isn't impressed by how quick Altair had regained control over the situation. Vahliri was his weakness, it seemed, so the other man jolting into action the moment they touched the half-Annfyn was practically inevitable. The bloody tiefling is a far cry from the cheerful and drugged Champion that Sol had gotten used to throughout their dive into Nar Shaddaa's underground. He didn't set his allies on fire. He didn't struggle to kill a single foe. It was a ruthless and efficient attack that could only end in one way; death to those that had challenged the trio of Sith.

Sol quite likes this new side of Altair. It was as effective as it was impressive, and admittedly, the display of power was rather attractive to the Champion.

With a wintry silence, the Kel'dor slithers from the shadowy confines of the cell like a snake. He says nothing as Altair hoists Vahliri over his shoulder, merely allows his icy vision to settle upon the horrified boss of the Ruddy Fangs with a complete lack of pity. The man had done it to himself, really.

Sol finally speaks with a venomous drawl, "You have a holocron. I want it." He states boldly, and there was no point in objecting. The confidence within the Sith's voice was ringing and thunderous.

"You purchased it at a black market auction." So the fool wouldn't have the opportunity to play dumb, either. He knew what he had bought. The Ruddy Fangs might not have been able to use it themselves, but Sol has no doubt that they had planned to try and ransom it off to the Sith themselves. Unfortunately for the Ruddy Fangs, the only thing that they had really managed to do was draw the dark siders right into their hide-out. Now, all that they had worked for was crumbling, and Sol was all too eager to take advantage of that.

With any luck, the three Sith would have their prize and be on their way back to Imperial space soon. Sol could cleanse his wounds and take a very long nap, a well deserved reward for their success.

@Sreeya @Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Naturally, Vahliri was completely oblivious to her surroundings. Still out cold, the half-Annfyn was none the wiser to what the men intended, or the way that Altair snapped as they went to retrieve her. She dropped like a sack of potatoes and remained slumped there until the Tiefling finally hoisted her up once again, to be carried off wherever the piss-stinking mod boss decided to lead them.

“T-the Holocron..” He stammered, wide eyes staring back at Sol. The man wanted to do nothing more than lie. To pretend he didn’t know what they were talking about - it simply spin some story to explain why he didn’t have it. But the man knew better. Thousands of credits and assets had been lost to retrieve that artifact, and he wanted nothing more than to sell it to the highest bidder. To make his fortune off of it and spread the Ruddy Fang throughout Nar Shaddaa.

But he knew better. These were Sith - and there was no bullshitting his way through this one.

“Y-yes of course. It is stored in the vaults - with the other artifacts and credits. On the lowest level of the facility, through the eastern corridor.” He gulped, eyes flicking between the both of them. “I can take you there. T-tell my men to stand down, and take you there.” Appeasement was his method, by this point. Give the Sith what they wanted - and they would simply leave, right? The Horned One had even given his word on that score.

Sol and Altair could simply demand the access codes and kill the man - his usefulness expended. Though it would mean navigating the rest of the way with hostiles aware of their escape and likely in pursuit. They could take him up on their offer, though it left open the possibility for the men to betray them further down the line. The choice was theirs.

Vahliri, meanwhile, had nothing to say on the matter. Slumped onto Altair’s shoulders, the half-Annfyn quietly babbled on nonsense into Altair's ear in her somewhat lucid states - not quite awake at this point.

@Sreeya @Nevermourn

 

[Altair Din]

Altair’s tiefling physiology meant that the drugs were flushed rapidly out of his system. He was thinking clearly now, and the incident with Vahliri only expedited that process. As the boss fumbled over the plan, Altair’s eyes narrowed.

“You got me fucked up if you think I’m followin’ your Huttball-lookin’ ass down any further,” Altair stated flatly, “You’re gonna give your men the order to retrieve it and bring it up to us. And if you pick up your comlink and started speakin’ in code or sound panicky, I will pull your guts out your ass and hang you by ‘em,” He added on casually. The boss practically gagged at the mental image, especially because he was terrified enough to fully believe the tiefling to be capable of following through on his threats. Altair knew having the holocron brought to them was the safest option, especially as they hadn't been blindfolded and relatively knew the way back. Well, Sol did. Altair was too spiced to remember.

Altair said nothing more, glancing over towards Sol in case he had a different plan. It was clear the tiefling was done fucking around and he was genuinely pissed now. The boss quickly grabbed his comlink with shaky hands and began to contact his men. As demanded, the man cleared his throat and spoke normally and without any tremors in his voice or any vague instructions.

@Nevermourn @Altaris

 

[Sol Kenuk]

Well, this had been quite the adventure, hadn't it? Just two dudes having a good ol' time, and the unfortunate third wheel that had been Vahliri. Sol's almost confident that he knows why the woman attacked him in the first place, and it seemed so much simpler than a poorly planned assassination attempt. Vahliri was jealous. Or at the very least, concerned that Sol and Altair would bond and leave her in the dust. Well, in that case, she hadn't been wrong.

It's rather satisfying, really. While he and the Tiefling had bantered about rats and rather crude jokes, what had Vahliri done? Spat venomous insults at the Kel'dor for no reason whatsoever, had attacked him for no reason whatsoever. She had probably realized that Sol and Altair would get along far better than she would have liked. Had she even needed to tag along? She seemed to be more useful in a coma, after all. And now, as the Kel'dor observes the casual brutality that drips from the Tiefling's maw, much like the blood on his horns, Sol thinks he's figured it all out. Finally. He almost wanted to laugh out loud that it had taken him this long to realize it. He doesn't, though. No, the Kel'dor was quiet as Altair gave the boss his commands. No room for trickery. No room for betrayal.

Fearfully, the boss complies. Of course, there was still one thing left to do, and that was escape. Luckily, the Ruddy Fang leader would be more than accommodating on that front as well. Sol's certain that they could simply use him as a human shield on their way out. In the meantime, it all just a matter of waiting for the holocron to be delivered into the Sith's hands.

"You are rather impressive. Simply excellent." Smooth and flirtatious vocals towards Altair, as if there wasn't a pile of bodies nearby. As if the smell of piss wasn't acrid upon the air. As if the boss of The Ruddy Fangs wasn't fearing for his life. But really, why wait? Sol might as well compliment the Tiefling now, while he was still fresh from the fight. "I'm sure that once we have the holocron, our lovely friend here will escort us out. Isn't that right?" Those frigid eyes shift from the Tiefling to the boss, and while his vocals were still rather pleasant, the noise was a callous one, pitiless and cruel. Better that the trio insured they'd escape unhindered by the criminals lurking the facility.

Perhaps they'd even be able to distract that oversized mutant again. Just... not with a baby rat this time. Something a bit more substantial.

@Sreeya @Altaris