Ask The Wayfarer: Far from a Home

[Darth Tiamat]

Eiattu

She never thought herself as someone who would get irritated in needing to report back in for a mission, it wasn't like her, in fact she generally had feelings on the opposite end of the spectrum. There was generally excitement and curiosity, but she had not felt like herself recently, not since she lashed out at Emryc on Tatooine. It was now about picking up those pieces, finding the ones that had served her well, and burying the others to let them rest with peace. Of course, this was easier said than done, she had to decide which pieces of herself she could salvage and what else she needed to renew. It was that idea to renew that built stronger Sith, some called it a rebirth, but it was a lesson one had learned during training and for Tiamat, it wasn't just about recalling those past lessons, but also handling the feelings that stirred whenever they were tied to Emryc.

She had even begun to wonder if she really meant those things she told him that morning, the confession, one she should have never spouted and misjudged her own strength in handling her own. Perhaps she was just delusional, mistaken by the kindness he had given her as something that just people did. People were once kind to her, perhaps it was just so long since she had actually felt this. In thinking of this though, it was supposed to make herself feel better, but instead felt worse knowing she possibly acted like a bigger fool than she had realized and anytime the thought seemed to surface, her face tended to glow bright red from the embarrassment of just thinking she had misjudged. However, at least when she was washed with those feelings, the shadow inside her was quiet(er) and not as abrasive as it had been.

It would take greater willpower to push all these thoughts aside as she focused on the assignment as her focus came back to the present. Tiamat was currently in her ship, flying through hyperspace when she heard the chime of the hyperdrive alert to the nearing of real-space and their destination: Eiattu. The world had been recent conquered by the Sith but it did not necessarily mean that everyone was happy with the change in government. As the previous monarchy surrendered rather quickly or fallen into exile, resistance pods seemed to sprout up every now and then. It seemed like Sith Order would just draw names like in some bingo name and send who ever was picked next to handle the latest thorn.

Tiamat was not alone on this journey and with her was a curious individual named Zazai; if she were entirely honest with herself, she felt entirely curious and maybe even felt cool for getting to do this mission with a Pureblood Sith (as she had never met one in person ever until now). Regardless, she hoped this was not a one-sided mission where she were left to do all the group work alone. "We're going to be entering real space soon."

@Raydo

 

[Zazai TaReshi]

Zazai did not care for hyperspace. Something about it unsettled him. Others had tried to explain to him exactly what it was but it did not help. Perhaps he would understand more as he learned more Galactic Basic. His entire life, he had spoken a dialect of Ancient Sith that was unknown to the Galaxy.

The task that they had been given likely could have been accomplished by a simple contingent of soldiers, but they had been assigned to it. By the time it was over, he imagined the village would wish soldiers had been sent instead of the two Sith. He was not sure which he respected more, the planet's leaders who had quickly given up or the rebellion that had been sent to quell.

He had sat quietly for the trip. He had never been much for conversation, and this had become even more accentuated when he was tossed into a Galaxy where he was only just learning the language.

Zazai wore simple clothes with a black robe. The ends were frayed and worn from use. He nodded as the woman spoke. He could sense some turmoil in her, he hoped it wouldn't distract her from their mission. He wouldn't let anyone, including her, stop him from completing the task given to him.

The ship lurched slightly as it exited hyperspace and they approached the planet. He tensed slightly at the slight rumbling of the ship as it approached the ground. He could see the village come into few, but from this height, everything looked small. "Like colony of ants," he muttered to himself.

A moment later they touched down in a field outside of the village. Even from here, he could feel fear mingle in the air but there was something else accompanying that fear, a spirit that would need to be broken before they would accept the reality of their situation.

Zazai raised his hood before walking down the exit ramp alongside Tiamat. A child, shaking in fear, approached them. They had sent a child to face them. Whatever respect he had for this group's tenacity shattered as he growled. "Where are your leaders," he asked in a rumbling tone.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The Sith never spoke a word, Tiamat was trying to decide if she annoyed him with just her presence or if he were just grumpy all the time. A part of her wondered if this was how Emryc felt anytime she sat with a scowl...which was about ninety percent of the time she was with him. However, as much as she thought it would bother her, she felt it was miniscule to what laid ahead for their task. There was a low muttering that Tiamat mistaken as a growl as they broke the atmosphere and could see the surface speckled with smaller cities and villages.

The woman checked their coordinates and guided the Karma Chameleon to their destination, landing the ship outside the village. There was certainly a tension in the air and unmistakable was the lurking fear that the villagers carried as they witnessed the two Sith exit from the ship. Zazai raised his hood, while the redhead carried her helmet under her arm; she found that any need for compromise or negotiation seemed to run smoother if they could see her face. Besides, she felt she could be more intimidating than hiding her face behind a visor.

As they approached, a small figure approached them and Tiamat's features hardened as she realized also they had sent a child to escort them to the village. Zazai asked the child where their leaders are and Tiamat couldn't have asked for a more cliche response from the Sith. She quirked an eyebrow, but did not say anything instead waited for the child to speak. As the child stuttered over his words, Tiamat found a fence post and set her helmet down before walking back over to the child who had finally spoken something close to a location inside the village. The woman put on a friendlier face and scooped up the child, "Hey, shhh, c'mon, we'll go together." she said booping the child on the nose as she carried him back to the village, "That wasn't very nice, to make you go alone, now was it?" she whispered, and the child shook his head in agreement, "You are obedient, and brave for doing it, so I will talk to them about this, Ok?" she questioned and the child nodded.

The village was eerily quiet as Tiamat reached out with her senses to search for any surprises, but it would be in part why she held the child. She was curious to see if they were foolish enough to attack them if she held something that was considered precious by many.

In the center of the village, the adults were present; she was unable to determine if any were armed, but she assumed they were as well as overcome by despair and fear as they saw the Sith woman with the child they sent.

@Raydo

 

[Zazai TaReshi]

Zazai scowled.

If this had been on his own world, they would have sent a warrior, their greatest warrior to meet them but this...child could not be their greatest warrior, could he? No, Zazai could sense the fear from the small child rolling off of him and filling the area. He didn't understand the people of the Galaxy. This only sparked his frustration further.

Tiamat took over, coddling the young messenger and convinced him to lead them further into the village. They didn't need this escort but Zazai followed behind. He lowered his hood, scanning the area as they walked through the meadow leading to village.

He could sense lifeforms up ahead, they had clustered towards the center of town. Zazai walked beside Tiamat who was carrying the child. Supplies had been gathered in the center of town. Perhaps they were planning on fleeing the village, perhaps some already had. As they rounded the corner, the town center coming into view, there were at least two gun emplacements set up in a defensive formation. Where had they received such weaponry? Had this rebellion grown further than they had thought?

They walked slowly towards them, but they were not given the chance to even speak before a freighted rebel opened fire on them.. which caused the others to follow suit. Somewhere in the back of the chaos, someone tried to get them to stop firing but these were untrained and uncontrolled soldiers.

Zazai growled taking a step forward, his lightsaber instantly in his hand, igniting as it deflected the first shots.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Things certainly became fairly exciting pretty quick as it seemed like they were ready for a Sith infantry to show up. Tiamat's own saber snapped to her palm, the child was clutched to her side, screaming as the rebels had opened fire, either not caring or not realizing she was holding one of their own. She nearly had to tear the youngling off as she tossed him out of harm's way, he'll have some bruises and scratches, but nothing too much to worry about. It seemed like though as she pressed forward that any verbal compromise or negotiation was not going to be option.

Though, Tiamat did not mind, if they wanted to choose this path with ill-fitted men leading their lines, so be it. At least they would be finished cleaning house by the time it was dinner. For having as advanced weaponry they sure did not know how to utilize them effectively.

The Force twisted under her will before she unleashed it on the soldiers, blasting them far behind their lines and followed the path of fear she had created. She could feel something amiss about this group and as the rebels quickly pushed themselves up to her feet, some would only meet the edge of her saber as she cut through them. Plunging her saber through the heart of one of the men, she turned to feel an urgency in the Force as her gaze was directed overhead. Ships flew over the village and Tiamat gritted her teeth knowing it had to be some sort of reinforcement.

"Zazai, its going to get pretty crowded here!"

@Raydo

 

[Zazai TaReshi]

He continued with slow, heavy steps as he deflected more shots. There was no need to rush, the inevitability of their situation filled the air was palpable despair.

The firing grew more frantic as they approached, but the untrained soldiers became less accurate and Zazai found himself not even having to deflect the majority of the shots.

His first cut sliced the barrel off one of the turrets, its user having already fled seconds ago. With a clenched fist, Zazai pulled the whole gun from its emplacement and flung the twisted piece of metal at a group of fleeing "soldiers" with such force it carried them back a handful of yards landing atop them.

The front line broke immediately as they reached them. Perhaps the boy had been their strongest warrior after all. Zazai spun and deflected a shot from a nearby man and had been one of the only ones not to break and flee. He trembled slightly, but he didn't run which earned him the slightest bit of respect from Zazai. He reached out and grabbed the man by the throat and hauled him off the ground as his legs kicked weakly against Zazai's.

The Sith turned at Tiamat's words, seeing the ships overhead. The man he was strangling went limp and he let the body crumple to the floor. More soldiers came from the woods, actual soldiers with at least some training from their movements. Zazai looked around, seeing the handful of bodies on the ground. The villagers had underestimated how long it would take them to withdraw but their trap was sound. If they were a normal force of soldiers, they would be in trouble, or at least in more trouble.

Zazai welcomed the battle to come. "I'll handle to one's coming from the forest. You handle the ones from the ship," he said simply as he turned one of the guns back on attackers. He snarled slightly as he opened fire on the group of soldiers crossing the opening. They were without cover and would be in bad shape if they couldn't find any.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The ships were not the only problem they would run into as she heard cries from the forest ridge; the group here in the village was just lure and Tiamat was annoyed this was a little more complicated from what their mission had described. However, that was fine, she would give them the battle they wished to have with the two sith warriors. Her blade screamed in unison with another villager as she started retracing the path they came to take care of those who arrived on the ship.

The soldiers in the village begun to fall back and group with those emerging from the forest line, leaving a rather quiet path back to the where the ships were landing. She extinguished her blade, but kept the hilt grasped in her palm as she reached the field, soldiers amassing a defensive line as they quickly set up turrets. Tiamat thought it was fairly excessive for two individuals to come for an investigation just to see if the rumors were true. Though she wondered if the rebels here were expecting a larger response from the Sith Order. It didn't matter now of course, she could feel the darkness that was quickly engulfing the village.

It met her with pain and despair; there was confusion as their commander called for her to surrender, noting to her the numbers that clearly outnumbered her. He spoke the obvious, but he doubted the Force, he doubted himself, and the troop he commanded? Well, they were uncertain of their orders and one would mess up if time was drawn out long enough; but it would be the commander who made his mistake, calling for open fire.

Her blade ignited as though on cue from the commander himself reflecting back the bolts as she made her move to break not only the line, but their spirit.

@Raydo