A Blaze

[Talus Morid]

Unnamed - Outer Rim Planet
[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

These last few weeks had all been the same.

Running.

Talus knew why of course, he knew why it was happening, but he had no choice. The Alliance controlled so much of the core, they controlled his home. Making his way there was all but impossible. Every other world stood as a bastion against him, every starport they tried to catch him, every hotel they tried to arrest him. Again and again he evaded them, again and again he did his best to run.

There was no choice.

This time he had grown too tired of it. He had not wanted to see the inside of a cell, he had not wanted to come to the security forces, so he had done the only thing he could. The sanctuary of this world, the place that was 'protected' and sought after by the government. It's forest, it's towns, the small, tiny little continent that they tried so hard to protect...Talus had set it ablaze.

It was a distraction, that was all.

The power had filled him, and from it had come the flames.

He did not care about what happened after he left, he did not care about this planet, but the fire gave him a sense of satisfaction that was simply impossible to describe. As he rushed through the burning forest he felt powerful, the force building within him. He moved like a torrent, heading with the flames directly towards the nearby city.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

"You're crazy! They're ordering evacuations and you want to go in?"

Kinsey took her gray-sheema and plunged it in the barrel of water, wringing it out before loosely tying it around her face - eyes, nose, and mouth. She had a re-breather but it didn't have that much oxygen. The spacer had learned to be quite thrifty when she needed to be. Sure, the flames and the heat were something to keep an eye on but the smoke could be far more dangerous.

Kinsey shrugged at the twi'lek owner of the run-down rental company.

"Bright side, you'll collect the insurance payout if something happens to me." Fingerless-gloved hands revved the jumpspeeder and without further argument, the girl was off. She was leaving the small town that bordered the forest preserve. She imagined it was usually naturally quite beautiful when there wasn't a thick layer of smoke and ash in the air and the skies weren't blazing molten, orange and yellow.

Folks were scattering before her, packing up their shops in case the local authorities couldn't control the flames. A call to locals with ships that could carry over water had already gone out. If Kinsey had been a hero or a jedi, she might've tried to help. Only thing was? She wasn't either of those. She'd been hired to find a very specific and rare root.

And she aimed to earn those credits.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]


Moving through the fire was difficult.

There were members of his tribe who had been kissed by fire, men and women who had the natural talent of manipulating the flame. Talus was unfortunately not one of them. His gifts had always lay elsewhere, but as he rushed through the burning wilderness he couldn't help but envy his kin. It would have been nice not to have been touched by the flame, not to sweat, not to feel his skin sizzle with every little step and movement that he was forcing himself to make.

It would be worth it though.

The city would be empty, the people would have ran. He just needed to get there. His eyes scanned the woods ahead of him, attempting to find a path that had the least amount of flame. A scowl touched his lips as he found it, rushing forward and feeling the heat touch his skin for only the briefest moment. A part of him regretted setting this blaze, but it had been the only way.

Quickly he continued his path, setting himself directly on a collision course with Kinsey.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

Even with the goggles on over her Starchaser-blues, they watered. The smoke was getting thicker. The heat making her skin dry and hot and the shirt and vest - all her clothing heavy against her skin. Mouth grimaced beneath the moistened sheema across her face. She already felt like the moister was quickly being sucked out. The girl didn't have much time.

Nor was she too keen on driving the jumpspeeder too close to the flames. Full tank and all. Blues squinted beneath the goggles as the path gave a sharp turn to the right.

Her preternatural ability to be in the right spot at the right time, to find the spaces between bodies, and fly a ship without a navcomputer was most likely the reason why she didn't just plow one Talus Morid over. Muscles flinched and twerked at just the right moment to spare his life while it sent her on a collision course with the trees behind the path.

Just like the boy, she missed hitting the first tree and found herself sliding sideways off the bike as it roared forward and careened into a second tree a little beyond. There was a quick and violent explosion followed by a sharp CRACK as the tree began to fall back toward the path and the boy.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

The instant the tree began to fall Talus pulled the lightsaber from his belt.

A bright yellow blade burst into life with a loud snap-hiss, the weapon slicing through the middle of the tree trunk and bisecting it in an instant. There was a loud crashing thud as the force pulled the two pieces of tree apart and sent them to either side of him. Flames burst out from the forest floor where the trees landed, quickly snuffed out by the burst of oxygen that came forth. For a moment silence reigned in the forest, the only sound coming from the crackle of the flames around him.

Then slowly he stepped forward.

The crunch of his boots echoed in his ears as he moved, stepping to the side of three and sweeping his hand to the side. Branches snapped and broke as the force coaxed them, pulling the debris out of his way as he investigated the speeder crash.

Behind the fallen tree he could not see Kinsey, though an odd reverberation touched him within the force.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

Head whipped up. Damp-sheema managed to stay put wrapped around her lower face and fastened in place by the askew goggles over her eyes and bridge of her nose. "Ah," a grimace escaped parted lips as she stirred, very slowly, from her tumbled position. Seemed like her lower back had taken the brunt of the fall.

Hopefully it was just bruised.

Wincing, she drew herself to a stand, turning away from the broiling remains of the speederbike.

Looked like the owner would be able to cash out on the insurance after all.

Blues tracked to the sounds of things moving and the boy. "Glad you're alive," she coughed, hand rubbing at her back, voice rising so he'd know exactly where she was above the crackling flames. "Should be careful walking in the middle of a road, though." If the girl was bothered by his use of the force, she didn't show it.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

His head snapped towards the voice that echoed through the flames.

Lips immediately thinned.

He had no idea who this woman was, but she nearly killed him in her effort to...do whatever it was she was doing. It seemed that she had been heading away from the city and out into the flames, a foolish move by all accounts, but at least something he could regret. The lightsaber in his hand seemed to thrum loudly, echoing out even beneath the crackle of the burning forest that still surrounded them.

Sweat pooled on his face as he considered what to do next. He could kill her, in fact he should have killed her. There was no telling who she was or what she wanted, but if he wanted to keep a low profile it meant that he had to make sure less eyes saw him before he made it to the city. Anyone that witnessed his path would be able to inform the authories, and that wasn't something that he could have. Not now, not when he was so close to getting back to Kiffu.

Without a word Talus stepped forward towards the girl.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

Most folk might've asked the boy what he was doing. Perhaps in alarm. Or they would've just up and ran. Kinsey wasn't most folk. Eyes didn't even flicker to the lightsaber. Instead, she leaned to the side and went to pluck a peculiar shaped leaf from the branch of a tree just to her right. It was clear it had once been a vibrant blue. Now it was covered in a layer of smoke.

And warm.

"Hm," thumb brushed across the surface. Gaze studied the object as if there was something more within. "Not much time left." Eyes beneath goggles flickered to the boy again as he drew closer. "I need to find a plant," she said matter of factly. As if it was a completely normal thing to say in a situation like this.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

The girl didn't seem to pay him any attention, something that Talus did not really mind.

Anger surged within him, and although he should have just walked away and continued to head towards the city he couldn't quite help himself. Rage was the mark of a Sith, that was what his time within the Empire had taught him. The Imperials had been foolish, and he had learned only a scant few things from them, but he had learned that much. The power was fueled by anger, by rash emotion and a drive to destroy and eviscerate. It was something he was accustomed to.

Something he had known even before the Sith had taught him. He pushed on through the flames, his eyes wandering past the fire and towards the girl where she stood. Her fingers plucked a leaf from one of the trees, her gaze dropping to it as she wiped away some of the soot. She spoke, though really he wasn't even listening.

Instead he lashed out.

The lightsaber in his hand went whipping forward, flying through the air and heading directly towards the girl.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

While Kinsey may have seemed aloof, she was actually very much aware. She was hoping the boy would take a hint and move on out. Or put down his lightsaber. Hard to change the mind of a charging Nevarian bull. For a moment she was scared that he might be a sith hunter, sent by Sage. But that thought quickly disappeared.

With one quick movement, she thumbed the switch on her wrist, the circular energy shield springing to life. Fingers still gingerly cradled the ash-wiped leaf in her other hand. The scary thing was about this entire situation? Not the raging inferno around them. Not the smoke that was more deadly than the flames or heat. But that she'd been like this kid once.

Not too long ago.

She'd been intimately familiar with the sith.

"You wanna kill us both so bad? Cause it won't be so easy killing me. I'm just a girl trying to make some credits so I can get off this planet. But feel free to continue this. Wasting both our times." The explorer stepped swiftly back and to the side, shield still between them. It was clear she was good on her feet. Good at dodging lethal blows. Good at conserving energy.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Anger brushed through him once more.

The smoke for him was nothing, or at least it seemed that way. His breathing was shallow and his eyes seemed to track her well. Of course eventually it would be an issue, no matter how powerful you were you still had to breath. For now at least he stalked forward.

"You nearly killed me." His voice over the sound of the flames was barely audible.

While Kinsey feared the smoke, Talus was focused on something else. He knew that the authorities would eventually realize that this was a distraction of sorts, and once that happened they would peel away and head towards the spaceports. He knew that when that happened they would close on him quickly. The trouble was that he had been foolish, he had lashed out at this girl once instead of just leaving, and now she had seen his face.

Brashness had caused another problem for him, one that he now had to deal with.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

"You nearly killed me," she emphasized, shield arm up and tense. He was wasting time. The fire would certainly kill them both if he continued on this for much longer and Kinsey aimed to stay alive as long as she could help it.

And earn those credits.

Was that so much to ask for in this wide, wonderful 'verse? Just to complete a karking job to get enough credits to fill up a tank of fuel? "Tried to be all polite like," she shrugged and her free hand unholstered her sidearm, raising the tip just behind her shield and fired at the kid's torso. The particle beam was set on stun.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Talus didn't attempt to deflect the bolt.

Instead he dashed to the side and into the flames. Almost immediately the heat of the fire touched his skin. He could feel himself burning, the hair on his arm singing and the smell touching his nose almost instantly. Pain flared through his body, but the Kiffar ignored it.

He allowed the power to flood him, his pupils suddenly growing until they covered the white of his eyes.

Talus knew that he had to kill her quickly, had to end this before anyone else showed up. They were near the city now, had to be in order for her to be here. She had mentioned searching for some sort of plant, but doing that in the middle of this blaze? It was a sign of madness.

He rather liked that.

A smile touched his lips as he dashed out of the flames, his lightsaber flashing forward towards the girls legs.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

Gaze widened as the boy leaped into the flames. INTO the KARKING fire. "What the kriff," voice trailed off, eyes searching the tongues of heat. The spacer took an unsteady step back. She'd seen a lot of wild and crazy things in the 'verse but that?

Close to as strange as the monolith and the sith's dagger.

Real close.

The girl certainly hadn't expected the sith to commit harry-carry nor did she expect him to come leapin' from the flames, either. She kept her force signature deeply wrapped up for a reason. But that didn't stop the trickle of warning along her spine nor dampen her ability to move. Shield came up as she stumbled backward, the tip of the boy's lightsaber burning through the muzzle of her sidearm because she couldn't get it up behind the shield fast enough.

"Gorramit," Pibs would've whistled at her about adding to the swear credit jar.

Smoking remains of her gun dropped to the smoldering forest floor. Hand fumbled at her belt, lifting her shield just a bit to shoot the grappling spike launcher at him. Even if he deflected it, she hoped the liquid cable would solidify and tangle up his arms or saber. Meanwhile, she continued to propel herself backward. She needed some room.

But not too far back. The flames were closing in around them. Soon, even her exit would be cut-off.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

He tried to move fast, but with the flames licking at his skin and the force still stifling him he wasn't quick enough.

The hook that she had thrown his way suddenly found itself buried inside of his body. The harsh metal dug through his skin and pierced the muscle of his abdomen, stabbing through and holding itself into place almost immediately. A device designed for duracrete and steel easily made it's way through flesh and Talus couldn't help but let out a muted yelp as the spike embedded itself within him.

In an instant the inky black of his eyes returned to pale yellow.

The concentration that he had needed to hold the power, the ability to stand against the tide was instantly lost at the pain he felt. Goosebumps rippled out over his flesh, left hand immediately reaching down to grab the liquid cord that had formed.

He didn't want her pulling him off his feet. Instead he tried to do the opposite, reaching out and attempting to yank Kinsey back towards him.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

Blues beneath a protective layer of goggles widened as the spike went through him. Kinsey may have done many things to survive, especially against a sith but she hadn't exactly been planning that. Still, she was no saint even if she felt the smallest twinge of guilt in the pit of her belly as the crazy boy winced.

Sorry, kind of?

He had multiple chances to walk away. Still. Didn't mean she enjoyed or found pleasure in being the cause of pain in others.

Suddenly, the explorer found herself being ripped forward - the sith doing the last thing she expected him to. Gritting her teeth, she brought up the energy shield and dropped her wrist and shoulder, aiming to pop him back in the chest and protect herself from his crackling red blade. The girl hoped to knock him off balance. Maybe on his back, though she'd inevitably fall on top of him if he happened to go that way or fall at all.

Meanwhile, the small window of escape behind her had completely enclosed in the flames.

They were surrounded by the licking and unforgiving inferno.

 

[Talus Morid]

[member="Kinsey Starchaser"]

Talus let out a grunt.

Pulling on a line that was quite literally attached to your own body was neither pleasant nor a particular fun activity, and even as he managed to yank Kinsey towards him he could feel the hook dig deeper into his flesh. The inky black had retreated to his pupil, the power was no longer flowing through him, but that didn't particularly matter.

He was still stronger than her.

The yank had succeeded, and the young woman was now practically flying towards him. The flames were rising quickly all around the pair, the heat rushing into the clearing and bringing the sheen of sweat to his skin. It seemed that every second passed brought the flames closer and closer, the underlying threat of death pushing in.

This needed to end fast.

As she flew towards him Talus twisted, watching as her arm raised and a shield suddenly popped into place. He let a curse and stepped to the side, using the line to pull her and hopefully throw her into the nearby flames.

 

[Kinsey Starchaser]

[member="Talus Morid"]

Instead of slamming into the young Sith, she kept going. Into smoky air. Her center of balance tipped back to her heels, shield still up, hand yanking the handle of the grappling hook she still held, knowing it was anchored behind her. Body twisted as she yanked hard, hoping to use the Sith' body to stop herself to be completely submerged in the flames even as she felt the cruel lick up her pant legs as she teetered on the edge.

Goal was to use his body and the tension on the line to slingshot back into him. Shield still up and ready to punch him, hard. There was alarm mixed with determination as she realized they both had just about run out of time.