Ask [Tibrin] After the Fall Comes the Rise

[Celeste Stythani]

Space...grid coordinates L-18​

After she had learnt the news of the attack on Clove Vanhoop, Celeste had had a really bad feeling about how this might have affected Altair. While she didn't know many details, she was well aware of the fact that he had loved her and she had first-handedly seen that the tension between them had never truly ceased. Altair hadn't managed to open up to her and Celeste had assumed that she might have been the reason for that.

She had also learnt that women had always been a difficult topic for him and that this usually ended in some drama, but she was afraid her death had hit him hard. She was concerned for her friend, yet hadn't gotten the chance to actually reach out to him. She had been busy, Vahliri had made sure of that and it was as if Altair had cut himself off for a while as well.

Not any more though, as today Celeste was supposed to accompany him on a mission on Tibrin, a neutral world not far off Eiattu, still located in the mid-rim. Altair had mentioned how he had planned to expand and Celeste was happy to assist him in this covert, sabotaging mission. She had done her research properly and had thus learnt that Tibrin had always been careful whom to trust, which technologies to employ and so on, but that was exactly why they couldn't choose a direct approach to annexe the water based planet.

While her ship was approaching his, she was clad in her Sith armor, but as they were going in covertly, she had brought a whole collection of undercover clothes, in case they needed it. It felt good to be back and action and she was even more happy to meet Altair, despite the fact that she had no idea how he'd be feeling now that at least some time had passed. Her ship docked and the air lock opened, allowing her to join him, a soft smile on her lips but otherwise not yet sure whether he'd share her excitement to meet him again.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

The doors hissed open to reveal Altair in a command room with a few Imperials. He was in officer uniform, his gaze fixed on a holomap of the planet projected between them. She would notice right away that there was something different about him - the way he carried himself, the way his eyes didn’t shine bright as they had before, the rigid posture. He didn’t acknowledge her immediately, his eyes still on the projection.

“Good of you to join us, Champion,” Altair said curtly, his gaze finally finding hers. There was no real shift in his expression, no smile offered, “As you may know, this planet is full of oceans,” He explained, pointing to the projection. She would notice his normal accent wasn’t in his speech, “The plan is for a team to covertly release a toxin that slowly begins to kill off the reefs around this island,” He zoomed into the main island of the Ishi Tib, “This will create a crisis for the locals. That is when you will go meet with the leader to tell them about the benefits of coming under Imperial jurisdiction. We will then conveniently have the means of stopping the catastrophe.”

Altair switched off the Holo and looked back at Celeste, “It will take several days to execute this, so we will discreetly camp out on an island while this plays out. Any questions?”

He gave a nod to his generals, both of whom had heard the plan before. They took their datapads and walked out of the room, leaving just the two standing there.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

As the durasteel doors hissed open, she wasn't surprised to find Altair staring at a holomap, surrounded by other Imperials and wearing his uniform and obviously absorbed in reviewing the mission details. The formal way to adress didn't startle her either, as this was indeed an official mission with him in charge, but when he finally did look over, there was just so much that had changed. It were the little details that seemed off. There was not a single spark in his gaze as he saw her and she immediately assumed that he was far from having processed what has happened.

He started elaborating on the plan, going through the details off the mission, but despite listening closely, Celeste's thoughts cir led around this severe change. It was the way he spoke, the way he stood and even something in his gaze that told her the man in front of her had changed. Right now, she almost didn't recognize the Tiefling with whom she had collected so many precious memories. Right in front of her stood Commander Din and he seemingly awaited the Champion to get going. Nothing more, nothing less and it began to worry her. She maintained composure, not letting any of that inner unrest shine through to the outside. She kept her hands folded behind her back, her spine straight and she curtly nodded.

Altair was done and he sent the Generals away, leaving just the two of them in this cold room. How she'd love to hug him, to press her head against his chest and just hold him tight for a moment, simply being there for him while he seemingly needed someone to do this exact thing. She'd listen to him, for hours if necessary, and would allow him to open up, which might or might not make it any better, but it seemed like she couldn't offer such a thing right now. He was distant, icy even and he approached her like he'd approach any Champion.

There was a task to fulfill and he was eager to begin. As confident as she usually was, she didn't dare approaching him and there was even a hint of uncertainty lingering in her mind that kept nagging on her. "Understood. No questions, Commander". Usually, she would have teased him with his title, but her voice was completely neutral. She adapted to what he was giving her and she was just hoping that this would change while they were on the go. It hurt her to see him this way as she was pretty convinced it was immense pain that had turned him, but what troubled her was that she wasn't sure whether this would be something temporal or permanent. She bit the inside of her lip a little, studying him for a few moments until she couldn't stand it. "It's been a while...last time I saw you was at the Coronation" she carefully noted, hoping to open a dialogue of some sort despite being so conflicted. Her gaze didn't leave him. "Have you recovered from Yavin?". She had been there as well, fighting alongside Vahl while she had known how Varyn and Altair had fought on the front lines. She had been informed how Altair hadn't been as badly injured as Varyn, but she was assuming he'd gotten away with a few scratches as well.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair read through a datapad, swiping through information and parsing through data about the planet and the mission. He recalled the coronation, a time with family and when they all became royalty. The day he elevated his family to the stars. What had they done for him? A darker side of him began to fester and twist in his mind. What had anyone else ever done for him? He was always pulling others up, always making changes for others, but what purpose did they serve for him? His jaw tightened slightly and he swiped the datapad for the next page.

“I am alive,” He said simply. Yavin was where it all began to unfold, where Varyn was almost cut in half, where he almost lost an arm, where the last thread between him and Clove began to break. Now, it was torn and gone forever. He felt more powerful and weak as a result, his personality shifting entirely.

“Why did you volunteer for this mission?” Altair asked curtly, his gaze flicking up to meet hers, “It’s not particularly glamorous.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She slightly shifted where she stood, internally cursing as she had no idea where this sudden inhibitions came from. Why could she not approach him as lightheartedly as always? Well, it were obviously all the details that had changed that added to her uncertain impressions that left her so clueless about what to do. It seemed like he was not interested in re-embracing the gentle warmth that had usually been between and he also obviously didn't want to offer her more chances to open an actual, honest conversation. His gaze didn't leave the datapad for now but she realized how his jaw tightened and his tone shift into an even subtly harsher nuance. Alive? Well that wasn't hard to miss, but she refrained from replying something sarcastically. He showed no interest in how she had been holding up which once again pointed to now...changed he was. Sure, it was rather obvious that the loss of this ex-Jedi or whatever she was would hit him, but hadn't he closed this chapter already? Hadn't he already been over this on Rattatak? What else had she missed and was he actually okay?

The pain he must have felt had obviously driven him closer into the direction of the darkness, but while this was logical and understandable he just didn't seem fine and completely shutting himself off from any emotions wasn't the Altair she knew. A sigh escaped her, but she could control further possible reactions that would disclose her discontent. "Alive...good". She tried not to show her disappointment and just kept her tone neutral. His question though almost sounded like an accusation and it began to irritate her further. Did he not even want her here? "I don't need glamorous...Tibrin will aid you well. I remember how you elaborated on your plans and I'm happy to help. I've got experience with those covert operations, so the answer was obvious". She stepped a little closer, gently searching his eyes and wondering where those vibrant colors had gone off to. "Ready whenever you are" she then said to him, followed by a curt nod, her gaze flicking down to the datapad. If he couldn't do this right now, she wouldn't push. She knew this would end badly and he would respect his decision to keep it all professional, even if this distant, cold version of himself was barely bearable.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair was silent after she gave her answer, his gaze remaining on her. For a moment it was unclear what he made of her response, his face difficult to read. His demeanor was icy, and if he noticed her discomfort, it didn’t manifest externally. He finally set the datapad down, not moving closer towards her but also not stepping back when she came closer.

His eyes met hers the entire time, his face impassive. He took one step, and then another, towards her.

“Good,” He said flatly, “You will join me on the transport shuttle down to the surface,” He walked out past her, leading the way as the doors hissed open again. His tail hung casually behind him, not swishing around excitedly like before. There were marks from where the tail had been cut off and then restored with magick thanks to Arla.

They walked through the corridors, Imperials saluting Altair as they passed. He made his way to the hangar, a shuttle waiting for them. Altair strode up the ramp, making his way to the space for him and Celeste. The others were designated to sit in the back and they were the teams that would pull off the operation.

Soon, the shuttle would slide out of the hangar and descend towards the planet, “It is imperative that they don’t know we’re here yet,” Altair explained to Celeste, “We are descending into a remote island. Should the need arise..” He quirked a brow as he looked at her, “Do you know how to swim?”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

The anticipation was building up, soon turning into tension even. Maybe the old Altair was still inside this frosty shell and maybe he just needed to defrost. He might have started to guard his heart feistily now, but this didn't mean they couldn't go back to their usual, lighthearted exchanges, could they?

Her gaze didn't leave his the entire time and he was reciprocating the eye contact while completely remaining impassive though. She stepped closer and he didn't budge. Not a single reaction was mirrored by his expressions while they just shared some silence. Then he stepped closer, and closer and now she stood still, glancing upwards, almost hopeful. And then it all dissolved. In a split second, it was all shattered.

He went past her, not dedicated her another glance. Not a single hint of warmth, just nothing. For a moment, she stood where she was, now gritting her teeth in frustration, her delicate, otherwise so gentle hands clenching into fists for a split second as actual rage boiled up in her. Those few, golden flecks in her eyes momentarily seemed to glisten before she exhaled. She swallowed, noticing that he had already taken a few steps into the direction was their transport and so she turned, composure immediately back, just like her neutral expressions. She hurried after him, taking a few quick steps before she could fall into his pace.

She tried keeping this frustration at bay, knowing damn well that she had to behave, now more than ever as she didn't want to test his patience at all. She was fearing his temper had changed as well and so she would dutifully behave. She noted how the Imperials greeted him, their demeanor testifying that they were not just fearing him, but actually respecting him. He had always had this connection to them and she valued it as well, as mutual respect was the fundament of effective collaboration.

She followed him onto the transport, boarding the shuttle up the ramp and taking her place besides him, not saying another word just yet and also keeping her gaze straight ahead. Only when he adressed her she glanced over, flatly replying "Noted. I know it's essential we'll keep a low profile" before her thoughts began to wander off. Stranded on a remote island with him would have triggered different feelings a while ago, but now she was just...unsure and conflicted. If he'd continue to be like this, they wouldn't have a lot to say to one another. "I can...I'm actually good at swimming" she then answered his next question, not being able to hold the twitching corners of her lips. "An ocean should work better than the canals back then". She was reminded of their wild, unplanned spice trip on Eiattu and there was no one close enough to hear them and now she was truly curious about his reaction.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

It always surprised Altair how often he met people that never learned how to swim. It wasn’t common in most industrial or city worlds and mainly people from poorer backgrounds ever learned. It was a survival skill, and rich people seldom needed to learn it and were usually never around deep pools. The tiefling was deep in his thoughts for a moment, but he was tugged out of them when she mentioned the canals. The memory felt like an eternity ago now, and he wondered who that person even was. He could faintly hear the giggling, the laughter, the silliness of it all. It felt so real and yet so distant at the same time.

“You are always welcome back on Eiattu,” Altair said quietly after a while in response to her remark. It wasn’t as frosty as before, but it was nowhere near the smiles or lighthearted jokes that normally came. He focused his attention back on the mission, “Once we land, we will set up camp. Divers will go in to start releasing the toxin and that kicks things off.”

The shuttle descended down towards the island, the waters stunningly turquoise and the sands white and powdery. It was the perfect vacation spot, the coral reefs rich with life and vibrant colors. Most of this would be ruined thanks to the toxin, but it was necessary to get this world without exhausting resources in a war.

The shuttle landed and the ramp dropped, Altair standing up to descend. He squinted at the sun, the warmth hitting his skin at once. The taste of saltwater was in the air and the sounds of the oceans resounded all around them.

For a moment, he stared out at the waves in silence. Moments like these made him feel truly insignificant and humbled him. He felt small compared to the roiling waves and the vast oceans that could swallow him up easily.

“How have you fared since Yavin?” Altair asked after a while, his eyes still on the horizon. There was no tenderness to the question, but he asked it nonetheless.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

This...weird, empty silence was eating her from the inside. It was so frustrating and so draining to endure that she did quickly pull out her datapad and send some messages to Lantillies. The Guild was flourishing, but working there and on Rattatak was also draining. Not that she wasn't used to constant work, but whenever time allowed it, she loved to set off to an actual outside mission.

Altair, seemingly lost in thoughts for a few seconds, suddenly broke the silence and replied in a way she hadn't fully expected. "Thank you...I'd love to visit again soon, see what you have already done with your kingdom. I bet it's thriving...". Again, a soft, yet warm smile crossed her lips. Only because he was so closed off didn't mean she'd have to do the same, especially not now, as he was seemingly interested in some conversation. "Know that you're always welcome on Rattatak, too". This was what triggered a thing she had almost forgotten.

"This reminds me off something. Do you remember how the citizen were amazed by your horns?". She reached into her left front thigh pocket, pulling out a rolled piece of paper without enfolding it. "Kalida, one of the little girls living in Barterus had apparently made that for you. I found it in one of the rooms". She handed it to him. It had been opened when she had stumbled upon it and it had made her smile. It was a slightly scrawly drawing of a purple, obviously horned creature with a wide smile and a long tail. She had been no older than four back then when Altair had visited and Celeste hadn't seen her again since, but she had left her set of pencils on the nightstand as well and Celeste had seen those before, making her recognize it. The warlord that had retaken the Palace had obviously not even found it, or he hadn't cared at all.

For it was worth, she wanted to give that to him, not intending that it would change a thing. It seemed like this shuttle had taken off and there was not much turning back for him. As for the mission, now that was what really mattered. "I'll make sure we'll find a comfortable spot" she replied, assuming he'd be overseeing the operation. Ever since she had camped with Arla, she had found a liking in it again. The closer they got to the surface, the more obvious it got that they were about to spend some days on a tropical paradise and even if he was not actually radiating a vacation mood, she was starting to think that this still wouldn't be too bad. They had to figure out the exact right time to make their appearance, so they had to be ready all the time and well also on their guard as they couldn't be spotted, but maybe a little time off would help Altair a little.

They made their descend and immediately alighted, still clad in their official clothes. Her stuff had already been brought aboard and she couldn't wait to change into something lighter, as the sun seemed unforgiving here. She used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun, the warm humidity washing over her at once. She squinted and blinked a few times before she could take this all in properly."Well. Busy but well, thanks. It were productive months" she replied right before she was off the ramp on on the sand, the soft soil immediately letting her feet sink in a little. " Have you already done the scouting? Or should we head out and fight an optimal spot first?".

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Welcome back on Rattatak? Had she been permitted to reclaim the planet? Clearly she was doing the right things to climb up the ranks then. Altair did recall the memory of walking into the restaurant and being surprised by how welcoming everyone was. He looked down at the piece of paper, almost hesitant about taking it. He finally reached over to take it.

It was only when they were on the beach that he finally unfolded the paper to look at the drawing. Altair stared at it for a moment, listening to Celeste speak about camping and other things. Between this piece of paper and the comment about Eiattu, that was two memories she was referencing. Trelain popped into his thoughts again - about how everyone had an agenda. Altair looked over at Celeste.

“What are you hoping to accomplish by bringing up the past?” Altair asked directly. He was done with any hints and coyness. He asked things bluntly now because he was tired of wasting time. He needed to know what game Celeste was playing or what her agenda was. The tiefling had close connections to the ISB, so he always knew about most Sith. He especially kept tabs on anyone he had interacted closely with in the past. It was the only way to keep the Venatori going without any Sith destroying it or anyone working against him.

Regardless of how she answered, he would start walking towards where there was a higher cliff. The top of it was flat and would serve as a great campground. However, he ordered Imperials to plant sensors all around the island perimeter to detect anything coming their way by sea or air.

“We’ve done some scouting, but we don’t have complete knowledge of what kind of creatures exist on the island,” He said as he approached the cliff. He crouched down, gathered the Force to himself, and sprang up into the air. There was a burst of wind from where he launched, the sand caving in. He was launched high into the air, landing on the edge of the cliff. He stepped out onto the flat surface, several of his men just now beginning to reach there after a long hike.

The camp was being set up, one of his tents already pitched. Altair didn’t change out of his uniform, unbothered by the heat. Before Celeste came up, he briefly looked down at the picture again. His features softened only for a moment before he crumpled up the paper and put it away.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

With the sand softly giving way to her feet, she followed the tall Tiefling across the beach. The island seemed remote indeed with not much more in sight than the tropical, paradiasical land masses and the vast, turquoise ocean with its soft waves. The sun shone brightly from above, but the climate was much more pleasant than on Rattatak, as it was not nearly as hot and the air not as suffocatingly dry.

She kept looking around, actually enjoying the view and realizing how long it had been since she had been in such a beautiful place, before Altair adressed her again. She stopped where she was, raising an eyebrow at the Tiefling, his blunt, cold, perhaps even mistrusting question irritating her ever so slightly again. "Nothing. Honestly. Are you truly thinking I intend messing with you?" she wouldn't dare doing such things anymore. She didn't even feel like she was in any position to tease him or whatsoever. "I just thought you'd like seeing that". Her answer wasn't snappy, but now her voice was changing into an icy tone as well.

She was giving him the truth, but she truly wondered what had gotten into him. She had never done anything wrong, never given him a reason to question her, never tried to manipulate or whatsoever. Was he overgeneralizing everything now? Was that how bitter he had gotten? Would he become one of those who'd never trust anyone anymore? It frustrated her so much, disappointed her even, but she knew that keeping her mouth shut was for the best. She slightly shook her head before she started walking again, her jaw tightening. It seemed like he continued to push her further and she was fearing that there might soon be a time when she'd lose control over her composure. She feared ugly consequences, but what the hell was he hoping to accomplish with such a way of treating her? She understood why he had changed, even why he was generally closing himself off - after all, that was just a defensive coping mechanism that then, however, let the dark fester further inside him - but did he saw her as the enemy now, too?

When he jumped up without waiting, she decided to give him some space for now. Also, she herself wanted to cool off and so she approached the shore instead, taking off her boots and entering the shallow waters, testing the temperature for a moment and before the water would be enriched with the toxins for thr reefs. She didn't stay long, only a few moments to get a feeling for it in case they actually needed to swim before she slipped back into the boots. After taking a little run-up, she coiled the Force around her to leap of that cliff before walking up to Altair. She could see how the tents were already being set up, but still wondered how this would all work..."If the Natives would find us here, what would you want us to do?" she asked him, convinced he had that all figured out, but it was better for her to know as well. It would probably be a complete change of plans, but as far off as they were, she just hoped they'd be fine and that no traces would be found of their sabotage.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair quirked a brow at her defensive response to his question, “Funny, I never said anything about messing with me. You drew that conclusion yourself,” He replied icily.

By the time Celeste joined the campsite, most of the tents were set up. Altair was giving orders to his Imperials and diving teams were preparing to descend to the depths. The tiefling was about to head into his tent when she asked him a question. He paused at that, his gaze flicking towards the oceans, “We make them disappear,” He said simply, not a trace of emotion seeping into his voice. The entire operation could go up in flames if anyone caught them in the act.

Altair turned to look at her. He realized this had been a one way dialogue and that was likely not the best way to have a successful mission, “Do you have any strategies you wish to implement?” He asked, giving her his undivided attention.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She glared at him, not moving a single muscle. Now this response had made her so angry that it was her wanting to walk away now. It provoked her beyond measure and her usual feistiness he knew so well flared up in her eyes. He treated her so coldly it truly hurt. He had implied that. There had been no way he hadn't. She still kept her mouth shut, exhaling sharply, and turned away. Her temper had actually gotten worse in a way, with the dark side pushing her further and further, the anger just being nourished more and more, yet she knew she walked a thin line. She wanted to kill something right now, tear something apart, just let it all out, but she wasn't alone.

She hadn't done anything, but apparently everything she had said so far, her attempts to stay conversational had been a mistake. His words still kept echoing through her mind. Why had she drawn that conclusion? Well, perhaps because she sometimes did mess with people when she had to. She could be ruthlessly manipulative when it was necessary, but now she hadn't intended such a thing at all. She thought back to Ord Radama where she had messed with his mind to avoid him from endangering himself to save her and she remembered well how mad he had been once he figured that out. Still down by the shore, she had let out a deep sigh, while everything inside her screamed. Why bother? Why was she constantly reminded of what had been? She, too, had to look straight ahead, focus on the presence and direct her gaze into the future. She couldn't change it now and repressed frustrations would only create tensions. The rage wouldn't abate to easily, but she couldn't stay down here for ever, hence she dutifully followed.

He answered her question right directly and she nodded, signaling her understanding. It made sense. It was essential nothing sickered through at all, yet she wondered what would happen if they'd miss the once they sent, send new troops to investigate what was going on and so on and so forth. Then they had to change plans quickly and turn this whole operation into something more aggressive, but well, she was also fine with that. She was almost a little surprised as he asked for her opinion, yet tried not to show that. "I'd say we have to be careful. If the public gets wind of our endeavor, they could quickly spin something out of that. The situation with the ISC doesn't help either, everything can be used against us. It's not that we couldn't crush them all, but I believe it would be better if we can emerge as the hero in this here" he seemed to listen and so far she had held eye contact, realizing once again that the usual vibrancy of his eyes had lessened. She turned a took a step to the side, glancing into the distance where the soft, turquoise waves danced on the horizon.

"If they send someone to check this here out, it might be better to make them forget we were here instead of dealing with them in a quicker way. It could raise suspicions. On the other hand, I don't exactly know which toxins you've chosen, but we could also make it looks as though they killed them, which would make it even more unfortunate for the Government, making them more...desperate". Perhaps this would become the longest exchange of words they had had today.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair considered her perspective and nodded in agreement. She was correct about making the disappearances look like accidents and just casualties of the toxins. The Imperials finished setting up the tents and the diving teams went down to distribute the toxins.

The tiefling finished up his work for now and turned to Celeste, “It’s just a waiting game now,” He said quietly, “You may enjoy the beach however you please,” He said as he walked over to sit under a tree and continue drafting plans. The Imperials that had finished their work for the day also hung around leisurely, some getting food and others removing their helmets and chatting. The vibe was more relaxed as the divers began to distribute the poisons.

There was another scouting party sent out to monitor for any locals approaching, but otherwise the island was quiet. Normally Altair would have gone on adventures exploring the island, but he was completely buried in his work now, his entire presence a total 180 from how he was before.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She expected a comment, a counter-argument, a denying answer or another snappy, yet icy comment, but he FUCKING NODDED and that was it. She was fuming by now. He had waited before he entered the tent, actually asked for her opinion and thus opened a dialogue and then ...nothing again?!

She glared at him dangerously, the golden flecks in the sea of blue and teal much more noticeable sticking out than before. She could no longer fully hide her annoyance and he'd sense it too. This volcano was about to erupt shortly. The only thing that kept her once again was the respect she held for the situation and him. She wouldn't act disrespectfully in front of his men and she couldn't afford acting out at all. "I'll be back before nightfall" she replied, teeth slightly gritted and her breaths heavier. He suggested she could go enjoy the beach and with his approval to leave she did. She stormed off rather quickly, squinting to shield her eyes from the sun once again while she headed directly to the nearest thicket. There was jungle area adjacent to their camp and while it couldn't be a super vast area, she knew she could vanish for quite some time and find out what lived there - to kill it.

She needed some sort of relief and she was hoping to find it soon. Altair mentioned she could go enjoy the beach, but she was sure he didn't care about her choosing the jungle. He hadn't mentioned not to enter it and if he'd call for her, she'd probably notice. She stomped over large roots and it didn't take long until she activated her lightsaber and rather recklessly cleared a path for herself, not having a clear destination in mind, but she was reaching out with the Force and looking for the closest creature in reach. Normally, she respected nature, flora and fauna both, but she was not actually thinking straight. The old Altair hadn't even hesitated a second before jumping into the jungle and exploring it with her, but the man was changed and she wasn't actually fond of those changes, even if she tried to understand.

After roughly twenty minutes of slashing and marching she approached a ruin of something that looked like a watchtower and right on top of it sat a huge, ugly bird creature with massive talons, half asleep though. "Wanna play little bird?" she hissed, deactivating her lightsaber reaching for a rock to throw it. The bird did not find this funny at all, and so after dodging, it screeched furiously before it immediately moved to dive after her. The talons and the long beak alone proved that this thing was a predator and as it descended, she realized that is was at least as tall as her.

Her goal was not to kill it immediately, but get rid of some steam by physical activity and hence she dodged first, before she held the thing at bay with timed pushes. The bird got more and more frustrated, just like her, and so its attempts got more desperate after a while. When she was finally bored she caught it in a stasis at ground level not far from her and walked over. This was absolutely not here, but she simply couldn't help it. She had walked long enough to be out of reach for the normal human ears, she thought, here at this moss-covered, toppled over ruin of a watchtower and so she screamed loudly before she activated the lightsaber and beheaded this thing cleanly. She was drenched in sweat by now and panting, however she slowly felt some rage abate. This thing hadn't has a single chance, but this feeling of power was at least slightly soothing.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair could tell Celeste was getting frustrated, but he figured that was simply because she wasn’t in charge of everything here. Sith tended to have a massive ego about operations, and they usually wrestled for control when he was on the scene. Ultimately, he outranked every Imperial at this point and all Sith but other Masters and Councilors. He was unfazed by egos and would let her simmer in her own wounded pride like he did with most Sith.

The tiefling was silently running multiple scenarios and outcome probabilities on his datapad when he heard the scream. His brows furrowed, a few Imperials looking in the direction of the forest and then back to him. Altair put his datapad away and finally rose to stand, recalling that Celeste had taken that path.

He was good at tracking, and it took him hardly any time to follow a trail and spot Celeste near the ruins of a tower. Altair saw her blade out and she was standing across what appeared to be a beheaded bird of some sort. He quirked a brow, saying nothing for a moment.

“What are you doing?” He asked flatly after a few seconds of silence. His arms were crossed over his chest. Clearly she was in no danger, which meant he was likely dragged out here because an oversized porg scared her.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

While Celeste squatted down to examine the beast she had just slaughtered, Altair would walk through the path of destruction she had created. Nature was obviously wounded where she had gone through and the sliced lianas, roots and branches wouldn't recover so easily. She wiped the sweat from her face with the back of her hand, smoothing down her hair and removing the remains of leaves and sticks before she heard him approach. Oh so now he had gotten curios or what!? Her fiery gaze met his, still not fully calm and the scene around her looking like a little battlefield.

Celeste was feeling a little better, but wasn't fully there yet. He watched her and finally asked what she was doing here. Her gaze flicked down to the animal before she slightly tilted her hesd to the side, looking back at him. The chest at least looked meaty and while reading about Tibrin, she had stumbled upon a picture of a similar looking creature being hunted with a bow by the Natives who were obviously looking to satiate their hunger, so it was edible. "Additional dinner. I bet some wouldn't mind fresh meat" she wanted to state just as flatly, but a hint of provocation slipped into her tone. From the way she had stormed off, he could have told how she hadn't slipped into the jungle with the sole purpose of hunting.

"I'll take it back to camp". It looked heavy, but she didn't care. She'd somehow manage to drag it back, even without the Force. Not yet though. She was already at the tower, so she wanted to take a look inside to see what remained. "Were you worried something might have happened to me?" she quirked up a brow, tone still frosty and almost in disbelief, looking at him for a few more minutes before she turned. The ground was getting wet, but if he wouldn't stop her, she'd march forward, still not actually bearing to interact with him much longer.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair’s brow rose in skepticism when she explained this was dinner. He looked left, looked right, saw all the destruction she waged on the plants, “No, I came to marvel at your astounding ability to defeat a forest,” He said sarcastically as he looked at her. Altair had been around plenty of ragey women - he had been a Sith after all and he dated Aadya. He knew all about women and their moodiness.

He looked at the pathetic bird as she offered to carry it back. It was a mess and it looked almost half as big as Celeste. Just the image of her dragging it back was entertaining enough for him to consider it. She would likely have to grab it by its gross feet. That was when she stomped off into the ruins. Altair watched her go in silence, but he didn’t move after her just yet.

Instead, he squatted down and worked on plucking some of the feathers off the bird and actually preparing it for a potential meal. He was used to hunting and cooking meals out in the wilderness, but he had to make sure this bird wasn’t too tough or gamey for consumption. Altair didn’t believe Celeste for one second that she was out hunting, but it would be a waste to just leave it here.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She waited for his reply, an eyebrow slightly raised as he started looking around for dramatical purposes or whatsoever before he sarcastically snapped back. Without hesitation, she bowed extravagantly, the eye contact she then held more provocative again. "Then thank you, Commander, for your attendance". While before, she had tried not to tease him like this, as she didn't exactly know how much patience he now held, she still did it. They were alone now after all and she was not actually being disrespectful, but rather playful. Or at least she was hoping he would take it lightly.

Her boots were already damp from the inside as she had stepped into the ocean earlier before putting them back on, but now they were getting muddy from the outside as well, so that she would have to save them later on by washing them oit and drying them properly. She still walked closer to the ruin, finding a hole to squeeze in at its side and actually doing so, while staying attentive. From how the plants had devoured the building, she estimated it had been decades since its fall, given that plants grew at normal rate here, and she soon found the disillusioned truth that there was nothing left behind. Boring. And just as frustrating as the rest.

With a sigh, she climbed back out, or rather squeezing through the natural opening before she walked back to Altair. "Oh...looks like you're already assessing my big catch. Was it a lucrative hunt at least or is the bird's chest too thin?". She couldn't tell why he had decided to start plucking it already, wondering whether he was actually fine with eating the ugly bird or whether this was a new way for him to cool down as well. Plucking feathers was surely meditative for some...probably not him but maybe. She moved to grab the creature already if he wouldn't seem like he planned on staying in this part of the jungle any longer to explore something else. Obviously, she wasn't fully pleased over the prospect of dragging this thing back but she was still thinking someone would want to eat it...so it wouldn't be wasted.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

If Altair found her sarcasm offensive, he certainly didn’t show it. He focused on the bird and plucking away enough feathers to be able to tell whether or not it was even worth eating. His father taught him that some animals only looked poofy, but they had very little meat. After he got rid of a lot of the chest feathers, Altair was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. Before he could look further, he heard Celeste emerging. He glanced over to spot her squeezing out of the ruins. She managed to get a giant slug on her shoulder but didn’t notice yet. Altair opened his mouth to warn her, but she spoke first.

“Yeah, nice plump breasts,” He said very matter of factly as he stepped back to let her grab the bird. The bird was fatty and more like a turkey even if it looked like a vulture. It would be exquisite when roasted and he was actually impressed by the catch. However, it was still amusing to watch her carry it. Of course, the slug was still happily attached to her shoulder, beginning to crawl towards her back and leaving some slime.

Altair glanced back towards the ruins, the site catching his interest. He almost wanted to venture in further, and he briefly paused to stare in that direction. Going back to camp meant back to work, and while he threw himself into work now, there were still several hours to kill.

@LadyRen