Trouble in the Shad

[Eithni Vala Stark]

20:00 ~ Local time​

Nar Shaddaa, weird name for a planet thought Eithni, as she has managed to sneak out of the ship she has stowed away in. Now she stood in a very loud and noisy building, a building where a lot of people rushed all over to get to ships. She did get rather many glances and stares from people she walked by as she wore her usual outfit, as that was the only thing she owned. She didn't really notice the stares as she was rather oblivious to the attention. However, she wasn't wearing any war- or ritual facepaints, as she was told that would scare people off. Leaving the huge building didn't strange the noise level, it made it ten times worse in Eithni's opinion.

Flying ships, or was they called vehicles? She couldn't remember, it seemed like everyone was flying one as the sky was lit up by all the different vehicles. Every single part almost had dancing light of figures or signs, which captivated Eithni's awe as she has never seen or experienced anything like that before.

A sudden voice behind the girl snapped her out of her own thoughts and turned around towards the voice's direction. It was a man... a minor alarm went off in Eithni's brain. But he seemed friendly... Confused the girl a bit. "So, I couldn't help but notice a sweet girl like you walking around aimless on Nar Shaddaa" began the man with a welcoming smile. Eithni was told and taught that men were not to be trusted. "Who are you?" Asked the young Nightsister, looking at the well-dressed man with distrusting eyes. "Who am I? Well, I'm your friendly Nar Shaddaa friend, here to help you!" Expressed the man with a big plastered smile. "Really? But I was told not to trust men" said Eithni, even more, confused and began to show the more oblivious side of her.

"Shock! Of course not! If you just follow me down the street there sweetie, I and my friends will show you how trustful we men can be!" exclaimed the man with a big wide smile and started to lead Eithni towards a much darker and smaller side street. Eithni didn't really think much of it, hey the man said he and his friend would show her how friendly man could be! When she returned, she could tell everyone that men really don't have bad, as all the elder and her mother made them out to be.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Now, Skuld was not the hero type. She was the descendant of a long line of raiders, marauders, and engineers that did not trouble themselves on behalf of those less worthy to survive. But unlike most of those cold generations past, she had a soft spot for the young and defenseless.

And when one that fit both categories was being preyed upon by a less than savory group?

All her instincts raged to the fore.

She saw the young woman's face through her helm. Perhaps it was her naive smile, or the man's darting eyes, but there was something... a slick, sick feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. The girl reminded her of her daughter, and her own trusting habits.

She scowled, getting her ax as she began to follow. She had to make sure the young woman would be all right...

At least until the mouth of the street. Suddenly she plowed forward, deliberately shoving her shoulder into the man, then giving a snarl.

"Watch it, punk, people are walking here." Her eyes glanced to the alleyway, which confirmed her suspicions.

...Kark, she could never earn a day's rest, could she?

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

The man felt the shove and was about to pull a blaster on this crazy lady, but refrained from it and just gave her a friendly smile. "My mistake, come along sweet, this street some very hostile" explained the man and acted as if everything was fine with a hand on Eithni's back. The young witch looked at Skuld with a curious look in her eyes, but quickly got led into the alleyway. It didn't take long before 4 other men, both young and older, stood in front of Eithni and the one that led her into the alleyway. Eithni was too late to react and felt a kick in the back by the man that led her, making her stumble a few yards forward. "Now listen here little girl, either you give us everything of value you have, or we'll give you a new smile on those pretty cheeks" explained the man that led Eithni into the alleyway and pulled a small knife. One of them drew a blaster, while others held various blunt melee weapons leaning on their shoulder.

Eithni felt like such an idiot... Oh, she could just hear the matriarch, her mother, and the elder witches lecture her and school her on being fooled by men. Before she got to pull her vibroblades, she was jumped by two large men of the group, each holding her by the shoulder and upper arms. They held her high enough, so her feet wouldn't be able to touch the ground. "Let me go! O~or I'll hurt you!" Said the young witch threating, or trying to be treating, as she actually hasn't really gotten in a situation, where she needed to be scary.

The group laughed at the young girl's attempt and the lead man, the one who got her into the alley, walked over to her and pressed the knife at her cheek, "oh you'll hurt us? You sure about that sugar?" He asked with a devious smirk and made a small cut, by cutting slowly. The cut wasn't deep enough to be permanent, but still deep enough for drawing a small stream of blood. Eithni hissed and out of pain accidentally kicked the leader in the groin, making him crumble with a whimper.

Now the honey-filled smile and voice got replaced by furious threats as he got up on his feet again. "That's it, I'm going to cut you up in little pieces, you little shit!" spat the leader venomously at Eithni and grabbed around the young witch's chin and was about to flay he cheeks open with his knife. Eithni started to whimper with fearful eyes and wrench as she tried to twist free, to no use.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Before the leader could bring his knife any closer to her face, there was a peculiar sound. As he faced the girl, forcing her to her knees, Skuld had reacted. Her ax whistled through the air, humming to life with the twin blades glowing the eerie blue trademark to all Deucalians. He had barely enough time to react by the left blade catching him in the chest, nearly cleaving his neck from his trunk as the sheer impact alone caused his body to stagger back.

The other gangsters wheeled.

She smiled savagely, shield springing to life and grabbing her blade free from her belt.

Her voice was a low snarl, almost trembling with rage as she saw the girl had been forced to her knees. She was bleeding. And something within her utterly snapped. She gritted her teeth, the shield lowered to cover her in case the idiots tried to charge. They could hope to gun her down...

But one fled first, down the narrow alley. It seemed one of them had wit enough to realize that she would survive their fire until she would raze them down.. and she was still half-tempted to tear them to ribbons.

They hurt an innocent. And they would pay in blood. She was a girl, barely old enough to be considered of age, for the love of the Gods.

"Move now, before you all suffer same fate." Her voice snarled from her helmet, and she began to move forward. If they wouldn't move, she would tear them to pieces with her bare hands.

She didn't even know the girl, but she was already under her wing.

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

The moment the leader of the group died from Skuld's axes and fell, the two men holding Eithni, dropped their hold on her. Only one tried to jump Skuld stupidity with a vibroblade in sword length, while the rest ran, wanting to keep their life. They didn't seem to find it worth it to fight a crazy ax woman over some worthless girl for loot.

Eithni quickly got to her feet and looked on with such a fascination with this woman that she didn't expect to be grabbed from behind. One of the men that originally ran from Skuld, had grabbed around Eithni's throat in a choke hold without choking the girl. With a blaster pistol pressed to her temple, "stop, right there crazy woman, or I'll blast this girl's brain out!" called the man out in an attempt control the chaos in front of him. His friends have just been killed by a stranger by some sort of weird weapons and it all seemed to be because of this stupid girl.

Eithni tried to get free but wasn't really the strongest person, not like that wild woman in front of her. "Let me go!" Yelled Eithni with a squealing voice, but got hit by the handle of the man's blaster pistol for trying to get out of his choke hold. He hit by the pistol handle's butt made her head ring and really hurt in a pounding effect. "Shut up bitch!" yelled the man back annoyed. "Now you listen here ax lady, give me your weapons and I don't kill this girl or hurt her beyond recovering as he started to sniff the Eithni's hair creepily.

If Eithni's view wasn't blurry from getting her head punch by a pistol, would she have attacked the man, even if it meant dying. She was NOT about to be some man's fantasy!

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

When the first bold idiot came barreling her way, she was already annoyed. Muggers, thieves and other terrible scum of the galaxy thought they were hot when they had simple blasters in their hands and halfway decent scrap armor. They had no honor, no true dignity, and were less than desirable drinking companions when it came in the name of conversation.

Nei… she delighted in having them exterminated. Especially in such a scummy underbelly like Nar Shaddaa.

But kriff, what was this young girl thinking? What backwater planet had she been absconded in to trust such seedy men? Was she blind, or just deliberately helpless. The outfit, too, was odd; perhaps it should have sent off warning bells, but by that point it was too late.

The man who threatened the girl witnessed his companion stumble, effortlessly knocked aside and slashed to oblivion.

She felt no regret watching him stumble down and out of this plane of the living.

That left the coward that held a young girl at gunpoint.

What happened first was she deactivated her shield.

She lowered Bita.

The man released the girl, just enough to hold her by the arm.

Skuld reached for her hip...

And one blaster shot rang out.

The young witch would witness two things.

The first, that her captor had suddenly let go of her arm.

The other, that Skuld still had her blaster out. And that though the man shot first... it bit into her right shoulder, causing her to stumble. What would have been a disarming shot turned into a shot... right in his chest. She grunted right as he slumped over, staggering, then cursed.

It burned, but she had survived worse. She scowled, then strode up to the girl, holstering the blaster to glower through her helm.

"...Are you all right,stúlka/abbr]?"

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

Eithni hated herself right now and how she ended up captured by men... Her mother would have scolded her for trusting men and aliens at that point. Everything happened so fast, one-moment chaos broke out and the next she landed on her bum, looking up at this towering woman. Her instinct kicked in high gear and she stumbled to her feet and get a few meters from Skuld, drawing her bow the Schnee. It was an energy-based weapon, shooting energy arrows and was cable of stunning and paralysing the target if not wearing armour.

Eithni looked the stranger over and internally found her really really cool and she would totally want to be like her... if it hadn't been for Eithni being rather cautious and a bit scared about the woman. "Don't come near me! I-I'm gonna shoot if you try anything!" said Eithni, trying to be fierce and threating, but she did nowhere near had the same threatening level as Skuld. In truth, Eithni was a bit shook by the men that cornered her and then them being slaughtered by another.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She huffed in annoyance, hands on her hips, then shook her head. "Little one, if I wanted to harm you, you would have already been dead." She lifted her hands to show their weaponless state, then lifted the helm off her head.

Icy blue eyes narrowed at the girl, black brows furrowing over her gaze.

"Do not trust any here, little one," she rumbled then stalked right past her, yanking her ax free and deactivating it. She wasn't terrified of some little woman with a bow; if she killed her, so what? They were in Nar Shaddaa, death happened all the time. She turned once more to stare at the young one a while longer, then cocked her head to one side.

"Do you fear me? Why? Did you not know what these men would have done to such a little woman like yourself?"

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

Eithni lose a bit on the bowstring but was still wavy of this stranger. The young girl was on a bit of a crossroad, she had just been attacked by people and are now looking at her saviour who looks even more dangerous, but the stranger also saved her.

The moment Skuld takes off her helmet and Eithni actually sees who's under the helmet, she gets hit by a strange feeling. What Eithni felt, was starstruck, a lightning strike of awe when Eithni's ruby eyes saw Skuld's face. Everything about this woman just screamed cool and awesomeness to the young girl. Of course, being a teenager, you don't want to fangirl to the person you think is super amazing and cool and make a fool of yourself. So Eithni, of course, did exactly that, or she managed to catch herself in the act. "wauw~ erh I mean, I fear no one! Of course, I did...!" Replied the young starstruck girl flustered, in an attempt to save her own dignity.

In Eithni's mind, she squealed with excitement like a fangirl meeting her idol and wanted to be just like this stranger. Eithni could handle herself as well as the next trained Nightsister and she did have her magick, but that stranger fought like a wild matriarch rancor, the fierce prowess that this woman radiated, made Eithni jump like a little starstruck fangirl even more, though everything happened inside.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She cocked her head again, eyeing the girl's entire change in demeanor almost immediately. It was almost giving her whiplash, from the attitude change that happened almost at once. The girl was strange in appearance, now that Skuld considered the little woman before her. More a girl really, too young to be out in the spacelanes alone.

Which probably meant she was in constant trouble. Her brows raised slightly. "Nei, I would be if a grown man was trying to end my life..." she said cautiously, though it was technically a lie. The man would have been wearing his own guts for garters if he tried, but this girl seemed incapable of being a berserker.

...Nei, though there was something about her that was like a wildcat. Small, sweet perhaps, but with a touch of fang. She tilted her head, turning about. "Come. Do not stay here; these men do not deserve honor of company. Are you old enough to drink?" She ave the girl another piercing, assessive gaze, before sighing, and shaking her head slightly.

"...Perhaps not, but let me take you someplace safer. Do not trust in this place; Nar Shaddaa is full of the unworthy." That being said, she slipped her ax back into its' hold and turned away, prepared for long strides out of the alleyway.

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

Eithni had completely forgotten about her cautiousness about this warrior lady, if stars could show in eyes, Eithni would see stars right now. "But, you just took out a whole group by yourself!" Exclaimed Eithni with her arms open, to emphasis on how amazing she was. "You mean, going with you? Really?!" Came it from the young girl dumbstruck and looked up at Skuld with an ecstatic smile. If anyone else would look down the alleyway to where Eithni and Skuld stood and saw how happy the girl was and then look at the scene, it would not match. The fact that they stood and talked normally, or that's maybe an understatement since Eithni was very close to exploding in starstruck joy.

A sudden change in her expression change, very teenage-like, "I'm old enough, I'm 17!" expressed Eithni to sound cool and a bit too quickly to even be remotely close to being a good lie. The truth is, She has never drunk alcohol before in her life and pretty much just jumps in blind if ever given alcohol.

"Okay, I won't!" Said Eithni, smiling sheepishly to Skuld, while following her out of the alleyway to the busy main road. When entering the main road, everything that had just happened in that exact alley, was as if never happened and no one batted an eye. Eithni turned around, almost like float a few inches above the floor and looked up at Skuld, "where are we going? I'm kinda new here..." asked and explained the young girl at the same time, giving the warrior lady yet another sheepish smile.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She blinked for a moment at the young girl, then tilted her head, exhaling. "I have been trained to combat groups since I was old enough to heft an ax, little woman," she replied, gaze squarely on Eithni's own adoring red one. Why did she feel oddly embarrassed by the girl's excited attitude? She cleared her throat, shoulders rising and falling in a simple shrug.

"Ja, you are not safe. Is dangerous place." Her gruff tone came out more blunt than she had intended. But then she heard Eithni's age... and paused.

17.

What was she like at 17? She barely remembered... she was happy, at least that much was certain. She was wedded by that time, and not yet a mother the first time. But still young... but she doubted she was nearly as cheerful and optimistic as this small creature that bounced after her like a rookie meeting her first veteran. Oddly, she felt protective of this little girl.

She hummed out a breath, and just began walking.

"Not far, little one. A respectable drink for you. A first fight is important to remember; do not trust strangers." So saying, she slipped her helm back on, the crowd parting as she strode. She was certain she and this little... whatever the girl was.. made a strange pair to the metropolitan rough crowd of Nar Shaddaa.

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

Eithni's eyes lit up with wonder, hearing Skuld talk about her training to take on whole groups! She completely dismissed the thoughts of her actually able to do some pretty cool stuff herself. But then again, Eithni was fangirling a bit too much, to think rational. However her tone might have sounded, it went right over the young girl's head as she walked on barefooted through the busy street of the urban street of Nar Shaddaa.

"That's what the elders always say to me and my sisters, especially after going too close to the rancors" commented Eithni as if that was something normal to say, as she walked with her hands behind her back, skipping some of the steps.

Eithni still had her hood up, though not all the way over, as Skuld could still see the girl's face and her ruby eyes looking around the place. Eithni listened intensely as if Skuld's advice or maybe warning? was like if she had told her the truth about the universe. It didn't take long for them to get out of the airport and cargo location and get out to a much more open area, filled with all kinds of stores, cafes and places where you could eat.

"wauw... its so big! But still way too noisy, don't like the noise" commented with a mix of awe and annoyance for how much noise filled the area they were in. high above them in the air ran multiple lanes for vehicles, stacking in layers to fit the busy traffic. Among other things present and visible around Eithni and Skuld, was the many different kinds of neon signs, all showing different enterprises or entertainment.

Before Skuld knew it, was Eithni gone from her site, as if she had vanished from the planet. Not more than four to five minutes after she disappeared, could Skuld hear a very angry man scream and yell at someone. And if Skuld went over to the yelling man, she would find Eithni being held by her wrist yelling "Let go of me!", while the shopowner screamed about her being a thief. "YOU LITTLE THIEF, I SHALL HAVE YOUR HAND REMOVED FOR THAT!" Screamed the angry owner of the shop, shaking his other hand, holding the small tech.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Elders?

Rancors?

What?

She gave a side eye to her companion, striding in silence. She knew the girl was defenseless, but really, who was she? A little girl around rancors, something didn't quite add up. Her musings were cut short when she began looking out for a suitable place that didn't seem too shady to bring a small girl--

when she was gone.

...Perhaps she ought to invest in a collar with a bell as well? Some way to harness this little trouble attractor? Somehow, once more the little red-eyed witch reminded her of her daughter, even more so with her bright and curious attitude. Kark, it practically breathed trouble...

Some yelling drew her eye, and along with the rest of the crowd, she stepped in for a closer look. A thief, huh? Not surprising in this seedy underbelly... it was when she saw the young girl at the behest of trouble, that she sighed.

She just had to get involved, didn't she?

The man would feel a heavy hand land on his shoulder, and suddenly meet icy eyes as cold as wintry snows on Hoth. Her voice was a low rumble as she leaned closer, visibly scowling down.

"Is there problem?"

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

The shop-owner jumped a little by the sudden rumbled voice beside him and accidentally let go of Eithni's wrist. Feeling her wrist free of the man's iron grip, she quickly hid behind Skuld like a frighten child seeking protection from its mother. However, being a typical teenager, the young Nightsister stuck her tongue out at the shop-owner as he gulped, trying to explain the situation.

It was quite a view, the shop-owner trying to sound authoritarian and demanding, while almost leaving his own body out of fright for this big scary woman standing in front of him. "Y-your child stole from m-me. I d-demand payment!" demanded the almost-scared-to-death shopowner, pointing at Eithni with an accusing finger, who quickly shot back.

"I didn't steal anything! I was just looking!" huffed the young girl offended, stilling standing behind Skuld, popping her head out to the side. All around them, people quickly started to form a half-circle around the shop, followed by whispering.

Looking away from the scary woman's icy eyes, the shop-owner stared angrily at the girl, "I-I clearly saw you take something!" expressed the owner, while still almost cowering from Skuld's powerful stare.

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She frowned at Eithni sticking her tongue out behind her back towards the shopowner; wrong or not, it didn't excuse being childish towards a man that could be right. She had only met this girl, and yet already she had the feeling that if she let her run with whatever she wanted, she would roll right over Skuld, no matter how... star-struck the girl seemed.

"Show me what you claim she stole," she replied evenly, removing her hand to tower over the male, arms folded. She then turned to Eithni, frown still in place. "Miss, stand in front of this man, a warrior does not hide from confrontation."

That being said, she leveled the man with another stare, black brows beetling. "But do not threaten with harming the girl; you are not the law. You have no business threatening that which is not your size." This was emphasized by her squaring her shoulders; these two would make peace, or she would enforce it.

Ja, the girl was trouble waiting to brew, but she was also young, willful. She knew someone like that once... kark, she had been like that once. She was still prepared if either tried to balk, however. She would solve this one way or the other. But she would have appreciated less of an avid crowd.

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

The man went to his table, "This!" Said the man pulled out a smaller object no larger than Skuld's palm. It was a flask with a green liquid in, eerie similar to poison, however, the label said something else. Eithni was just about to protest and complain, "but!~", but Skuld's frown made her stand in front of the man and beside Skuld, "but I didn't steal anything!" protested Eithni again. She was a rather stubborn girl and wouldn't give up a fight if she knew she was right.

The man jumped a bit by the large woman, almost dropping his flask of green liquid. The shop-owner gathered courage and stood firm by his accusation. "This girl, your daughter tried to steal this! A highly sought after ointment and very expensive. I turned around to count my credits and when I turned back, I saw this little interloper try and steal it!" accused he Eithni again. He lowered his voice again, when Skuld talked, really feeling small, compared to the warrior woman.

Eithni's eyes went wide, "That's not true! He's lying, the flask is poison! My clan often makes the same kind" chipped Eithni in and pointed at the flask. "What?! Of course not, Poison is illegal, this is ointment!" said the shop-owner with an offended voice. However, something in his eyes changed, it was very subtle, but one with a keen eye could tell that he might not be telling the truth about the content of the flask.

Eithni looked up at Skuld like a daughter would look at her mother. "I just wanted to give you something... But I didn't steal anything!" admitted Eithni finally with a mix of "I'm sorry~" and stubbornness, for her reason for actually going over to this shop.

The crowd around the little event had grown a little bigger and the whisper had turned into low conversations. To top it all off, some local law enforcement was slowly making their way towards the scene, curious about what made so many people gather around one shop. "What's going on over here?" Asked one of the two law officers as she started to move through the crowd.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She scowled at the owner, about to speak... and then rare opportunity presented itself.

"Nothing but mistake. Unless this man has something to say about his wares..." she growled, giving the man narrowed eyes. "If it is ointment, drink to your health and let us go. Or shall this fine lady escort?" she muttered low, so only the man would hear. "She is my ward, and if you cause trouble... I vill cause it for you too. Clear?"

@Raven_41

 

[Eithni Vala Stark]

The shop-owner's face went almost ghostly white when he saw and heard the local officers arriving and now realised that this would only go one way and that would be bad for business. "C-completely my good lady!" He stuttered and turned to the officers. "N-no no officer, just some misunderstanding, n-nothing more!" expressed in a rather quick turn around, for someone who was so sure that nothing bad was about the content of the flask. Now he actually almost shoved the flask into Eithni's hands, smiling fakely to the two officers, "see! Nothing wrong here my good officers, I was just about to give the girl her salve!" explained the shop-owner and looked like he was about to piss himself, not only because of Skuld easily could just get the officer over and make a thorough check, but if the young girl blurted to the officers, it would be just as bad.

The officer looked one more time between the party and then dropped it, too much paperwork. They quickly got people to scatter and then left the area as well. Eithni just stood with the flask of what the shop-owner called ointment slave, which she absolutely knew was poison. Her eyes light up in pure joy from actually having a flask of very deadly poison. It's like she completely forgot about the shop-owner or that he just lied to save his own skin or the fact that not long ago, he threatens to remove her hand. No that wasn't important anymore, she had deadly poison in her possession! With a huge sweetly grin, she looked up at Skuld with the most joyous look a child ever could give a mother. "Can I try it on someone? Can I~can I?" Asked the young girl, almost jumping with excitement. The shop owner didn't know what was crazier, the fact that the girl acted and looked so bubbly and innocent, or that she wanted to use it on something living, as it she was asking the warrior woman for a ride at a theme park.

He looked up at Skuld, "t-there, your daughe~erh I mean ward, she got what she wanted, now p-please leave my shop!" Pleaded the shop-owner, hoping to get rid of these two crazy people as their presence was bad for 'business'.

If Skuld would let the shop-owner off the hook and walk away, would Eithni follow, ecstatic over acquiring highly deadly poison.

@Killa Ree

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She grinned savagely at the shop owner, none too gently landing a shoulder pat to the poor man before giving Eithni a small frown, icy blue eyes gleaming. It wasn't an unfriendly scowl, but one of contemplation, judging how much trouble the girl would be worth, and how far she could escort her safely before they would have to part ways.

Hopefully in safer hands, because she doubted the malmhaus would appreciate her bringing in another lost waif. She had already gotten an earful over helping out the Empire lad, and others...

Her brows raised slightly at Eithni's total change of demeanor, then huffed out a sigh, patting the girl on the shoulder. "Nei, sa litlu, not here. Save it. Use it when necessary... but only then," she stated sternly, at odds with the still-faint hint of a grin on her lips.

"Now then, let us have a drink, and tell me vhere you are from. Must be quite the story, girl..."

/End Thread