Public [Ask] Making A "Clean" Living.

[Tella Voland]

Coruscant, Level 100

(Others are welcome to join if it peaks your interest, just DM/add me on discord for coordination.) ​

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Coruscant was an interesting planet. The further up or down you went from the central levels, the more trouble, and subsequently, opportunities, you found. Most preferred to try to find that in the upper levels, where the air was clean, comfortable office jobs could be found, and law enforcement actually tried to do their jobs. Unfortunately, that tended to take either a decent amount of money, education, or connections. For those who had none of the above, one had to head to the lowest levels to get a decent payday.

For Tella, dropped off at the galactic capital with only her weapons, clothing, and a cryptic message from her mother, that chance of making a decent amount of credits led her here today. Although she had gotten some money from her previous adventure with the unruly Padawan Braze , essentially ransacking the gang’s headquarters and taking whatever she could hawk or sell, expenses had added up quickly. If you wanted an apartment that was fairly secure, decent medical treatment, food, spare clothing, basic essentials, furniture…it all added up. If she wanted to purchase a ship to see more of the galaxy, more work had to be done.

It was thus that led her to taking an official contract with the CSF to clear out a sewer and drainage system on Level 100, maintenance workers had been unable to get in to do routine maintenance thanks to an infestation of various vermin and creatures. That was a problem, because those living on the uppermost levels of the city absolutely did not want to have their waste come back anywhere near them. They were willing to pay quite a hefty sum to not have to deal with that.

It is far from the most glamorous job, but it pays well, and my mother did tell me to try to explore every level to get a sense for how things go.

Tella mused on that thought as she stood in the sole dimly lit alcove surrounded by darkness, leaning against a wall next to the gate that led into the particular subsection of sewers that she and an unknown number of accomplices would be handling today. She glanced down at some of the stains already beginning to settle in to her black and white robes and sighed. She was glad to have picked out the cheapest version of them today.

The price I had to pay to even get multiple sets…poor Bothans…and that Padawan…I wonder how he is doing…

Closing her eyes for a moment, she delved lightly into the Force, trying to sense when, or if, she had any accomplices on the job. They would have to start soon if they wanted to get this done in any reasonable amount of time.

Grigonju

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

No matter how done with Coruscant Gri had been, it seemed that the planet was not done with him. After his last job turned out to be more trouble than it was worth, a change in scenery felt like the right decision. A large sum of credits did have its pull, though. Surely there was no way that this job would go south. Some creatures had infested the labyrinth-like sewer systems below the planet-sized city. There was no hostage to retrieve alive or show proof of a kill, just exterminate the meddlesome beasts. It didn't sound like the nicest of jobs but Gri didn't mind getting down and dirty once in a while.

He had made the decision to leave Kaliah in the Lighthawk. Whilst she could've been useful, her lack of swimming proficiency meant that there was the risk that she was more of a liability than help. Her body was lightweight but even then, it would require a lot of effort to drag her from any current. Instead, Gri sauntered down into the caverns alone, his helmet on to prevent the putrid smells from reaching his nose. He had no idea what sort of creatures he would be up against but he hoped that they would be easy to dispose of. He was tired after the years of hunt after hunt and it showed in his expression. It felt as though his luck had run out and no job was as simple as it seemed anymore.

Gri had been told that he would not be alone on the job and he accepted nonetheless. As long as he got the credits he was promised, he could try and work with others if they didn't get in the way or jeopardize the job. Entering a central clearing, the loud sound of the plummetting stream of water in the centre making it hard to hear anything else, his eyes fell upon a young woman dressed all in white. It was clearly not the sort of clothes for wading amongst sewage. He let out a quiet sigh to himself before bowing his head slightly in greeting when he reached her. "I take it you're here for the job too, kid?" he asked, tiredness in his voice, though not evidently unwelcoming.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

Tella had been well aware of her approaching accomplice for some time now, but did not want to spook him with that knowledge, given that she did not sense a strong presence in the Force coming from him. He was more like a quiet ripple on the surface of the Force, rather than the untrained vortex those who were Force Sensitive yet not trained were, or the calmer, gentle wave of a trained Jedi. Thus, she acted moderately surprised and pleasant at his arrival.

“Indeed. I am Tella, Tella Voland. And you are?” She asked politely, inclining her head towards him respectfully.

She did not need the Force to tell her that he clearly thought she was inexperienced or going to be some kind of drag on him, something evident from the quiet sigh and tired look he had given her.

To be fair, yes, I could have chosen more “practical” clothing for this assignment, but Mother always said you had to be prepared even in not so ideal circumstances at a moment’s notice. If that means these clothes get ruined I will simply have to cope with that and move forward.

Still, from what she could glean at the surface, he did not seem to be the bad sort of man. There was none of the coiled malice of a thug or a Dark Sider that she could sense. Though he had his helmet on, she could tell that he was older than her by a substantial margin by the tired, world-weary feeling she got from him. Much like her mother as she aged, now that she thought of it. If she had to guess, he was some kind of mercenary for hire, perhaps a bounty hunter, but not the cruel sort. She felt there was more to his story, but if he was anything like her mother, probing would be counterproductive.

Grigonju

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

Whilst the woman looked very young, that did not always equate to inexperience. Even so, he could not help but envision her long flowing robes caught in the maws of some gruesome beast. Apposed to her pristine clothing, Gri wore his deep blue mandalorian armour. It had clearly seen better days, scrapes and carbon scoring wearing away the paintwork. There had been a time when Gri would often repaint the beskar plates in honour of its previous owner but it needed to be maintained almost on a daily basis and became too much of a commitment to uphold. The once bright orange accents were now faded and worn. It was also no longer the whole armour, with the right thigh plate now replaced with durasteel in the same orange, dents misshaping the metal slightly.

"You can call me Gri," he replied, preferring the informality instead of using his full name. It was the only name he had - no surname. Never knowing his parents, the lack of a family name was a constant reminder of how little he had. Instead, the final part of his name felt to him like a last name he never had. Behind the black visor, his ice-blue eyes scanned over the tunnels that surrounded them. The tactical heads-up display did not pick up other life signatures in the immediate area. He was unsure whether others would be joining the two of them or if this was the full team.

Small talk wasn't one of his strong suits so he got straight to business. "Any idea what sort of creatures we're up against?" he asked. The fact that they were able to obstruct the function of the sewage either meant that they were large or there were lots of them. Gri couldn't help but wonder if the two of them were enough to face the issue but he showed no sign of doubt. His posture always remained strong and confident, even if it wasn't necessarily what he was feeling on the inside. Droplets from the nearby waterfall settled on his cold armour as he looked down at Tella.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

As he approached more closely into the dimly lit alcove, Tella was able to make out more of his armor and general appearance without having to resort to Force Sight, which was good because she was inclined to not draw too deeply on the Force and exhaust herself before they even ran into their first opponent. Although she did not have direct first hand experience with Mandalorians, learning about them only briefly through what her mother taught her and her holobooks, the armor was distinct enough even with its battered and scrappy state that she could tell what it was.

He certainly lives up to them in terms of demeanor, straight to business. Okay, I can respect that.

She shook head slightly as she answered him.

“No idea yet, but enough that your typical CSF clearing team is not eager to go up against. I can tell you more once we enter the section proper.”

She jerked her head toward the sealed sewer grate, a hefty durasteel lock securing it. Then, she pulled out a large, rusty key and offered it to him with her black gloved right hand.

“I found this here when I arrived. If we have backup, they are late or otherwise delayed. Still, the fewer there are, the more for us, right?” She remarked. “Assuming, of course, we live.”

She gave him a slight, wry smile.

Grigonju

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

Gri found it odd that Tella had said she would reveal more when they got into the tunnel. If she had intel then he didn't like that she withheld it. It was already offputting that the bounty didn't give the full details of the issue but he figured that was because no one dared to venture into the stomach of the planet to find out or those that did never returned. Based on prior experience, it was better to be suspicious than to trust people you didn't know.

Following her over to the sealed passage, his footsteps echoing on the metallic floor, he looked at the key she presented before him. With a gesture to the padlock, he spoke to her in his gruff voice. "After you." Though she had given no sign of foul play, it felt odd that she had secreted away the key before he arrived. Just to be sure, he invited for her to open the grate and enter first. She also didn't carry any obvious weapons; another reason that he was apprehensive.

Gri didn't respond to her humour. He didn't like jokes about not making it through the job. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth. Images of an explosion and crumbling rock spires of a planet he hadn't returned to since that day raced through his mind. "Yeah..." he finally said, though in reply to a bigger payout if there were fewer people. Though the prize was considerably large, it was not worth it if the job was more than two people could handle. If the two of them were the first on the job, they could be testing the waters on the employer's behalf, hoping that the bare minimum would solve the issue rather than fork out more credits for the size of a team that was actually necessary. He bit his cheek at the thought and followed Tella into the gloom, weary of what lay before them.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

Tella rubbed her forehead with her hand for a moment before responding, it took a monumental effort on her part not to sigh in frustration. She had barely met the man and she could already sense she had broken some kind of social faux pas, brought back some kind of bad traumatic memory, or both.

Great going Tella! What were you thinking? Making jokes about dying down here? Ughhh! As if he did not already mistrust you and doubt your competence!

She paused before going through the gloomy and dark gate, raising her hand up before she went through. Probably best to get the reveal over with than to surprise him any more.

“All right, well, forgive me, while I am not new to combat, I am new to working with partners. And I figure we best clear the air before we go down in there and face whatever it is we are going to. Do not worry, I am not going to make any kind of sudden movements, just reach into my robes here to get something.”

Slowly, gently, and letting the man watch her every move, she pulled out a small, silver cylindrical object, and gripped it in her hands. Pointing it away from him and towards the darkness, she ignited the lightsaber, the hsssss and vroom echoing down towards where they were going to go, their way forward illuminated by the pale blue light of her saber.

“So…” She began, a bit hesitantly, since she knew the Mandalorians and Force wielders did not always get along to say the least “...that is a bit more about me. If it helps, I am not one of the…official…Jedi. I am not bound by their regulations. So you do not need to worry about that if you have ever had a run in with them. And I have no quarrel with your kind, and if I offended you, I apologize."

She offered him a polite, deferential bow.

~~~~~~~~~~Roll: 17, Expertly attempted.~~~~~~~~~

Tella tried to reach out, gently and ever so subtly, with the Force to try reassure the man, and perhaps ease a little bit of the pain she felt from him earlier. It was a delicate touch, the invisible threads of the Force flowing around him like feathers, and did not attempt to probe his mind, simply trying to project a sense of warmth, sincerity, and comfort towards the man, which was easy to do as she truly did not wish him to be uncomfortable.

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

Gri watched cautiously as the woman reached into her robes and retrieved an intricately detailed hilt. A bright blade of plasma surged from the device and kept the foreboding darkness of the tunnel at bay. He had come across a Jedi once before so he was not surprised by the weapon. It now made more sense why Tella was on a job like this despite her unassuming appearance. A connection with the Force allowed the user to have strength beyond their physical bounds and it also meant that they could have more of a heads-up for what they were about to encounter before the whites of their teeth were visible.

His head lowered slightly as he comprehended what she meant; a subtle movement that may not have been picked up. It was often the assumption of others based on his armour but he was always quick to correct them. "I'm not a Mandalorian," he told her. "You haven't offended me." Gri didn't elaborate further to explain why he was wearing the recognisable beskar of a race he wasn't a part of.

He let out a sigh as he became more comfortable with the job they were about to face. Being accustomed to hunting for some time now, Gri never really became nervous. It was more a sense of dread of what would go wrong. But right now, he had a cool head on his shoulders and felt composed. "Well then, Miss Voland," he began, taking out his two blasters from holsters on either side of his hips. "Lead the way." Since she was the one wielding a blade and his specialty was ranged combat, it made more sense for him to follow at the rear. The tunnels weren't cramped but they barely allowed two people to walk side by side.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

Not…Mandalorian? But wearing their armor…? Surely there must be more of a story there, but it does not look like he wants to talk about it and he seems less agitated now. I best not press it and make even more of a fool out of myself.

She gave him a curt affirmative nod and stepped in front of the not-Mandalorian to lead the way.

“It’s not my specialty, but I can defend myself well enough.” She stated, easing into the narrow corridor, holding her lightsaber aloft ahead of her with her right hand, providing some additional illumination against the encroaching darkness. As she stepped through the grate and into the main entrance corridor, a horrible, putrid smell struck her, almost causing her gag. She snuck a brief, jealous look at the man behind her. His fancy helmet likely had air filters and some kind of air freshener stuck in it. She had to make do without.

Gives you more room to breathe and feel the Force around you, you said. Sure…but clearly there are drawbacks I was not anticipating here.

Soon, they came upon a small, square junction, with paths leading across it up, forward, and down. She paused, motioning for her partner to do the same.

“Before we head any further…I’d like to take a moment to meditate here and try to get a sense for what we are facing. I have some idea, but knowing more is always better. I will not take long, I promise. If you could deal with any unexpected intruders…”

Wincing slightly as she knelt on the dirty ferrocrete before her, she closed her eyes, opening her mind to the Force as she did so in the damp, dimly lit entrance corridor.

Grigonju

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

Gri followed her closely, the display on his helmet not detecting anything yet. Nevertheless, his trigger fingers rested comfortably, just a small movement away from a plasma bolt being launched ahead of him. Not being the best with close combat, he often relied on guns but after the initial shot, there would be no more stealth. If there really was a swarm in the caverns of Coruscant, it could result in them being overwhelmed. It was times like this that he wished the armour came equipped with a flamethrower. In the event of a large group, two thermal detonators hung from his hip but his vambraces had the capability of quieter attacks.

Entering an area where the passageway widened, Gri nodded at her request. "Sure, kid," he said, looking around to see if they were alone. "Just make it quick." He didn't really understand how the Force worked but if sitting on the grimy floor and thinking positive thoughts helped them finish the job then he wasn't going to stop her.

Stepping around Tella, he walked further into the clearing. It would've been useful if they had been provided with a map... From what he could make out by the low amount of light, one way was blocked by large metal pipes and the other was too dark to see further down. Avoiding the water in the centre of the tunnel, Gri made his way over to the gate on the far side, checking for a way further. Faintly in the distance, sinister sounds echoed from the darkness. They were too quiet to make out but they still unnerved the bounty hunter.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

(Kek ignore this I messed up whoops).

 

[Tella Voland]

Tella felt her accomplice move forward to explore the immediate area, and while she was mildly irritated he felt the need to move ahead without waiting for her to finish before trudging through the sewer water that contained the Force knows what and moving towards the even more shady-looking gate, she let it go.

I mean, he seems to know what he is doing, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, now, focus!

Tella had been practicing with extending her senses every day since her arrival, and that practice looked to being pay off. Invisible, silvery tendrils of the Force weaved through metal, ferrocrete, and darkness, and soon, in a way somewhat similar to the sonar on starships but far more powerful, she received a ping. Not just one ping. But quite a few, nearby…

Hive Rats. A lot of them. And they’re restless, disturbed somehow. There are traces of the Dark Side down here. But what-and how?

“Gri!” She hissed to him across the distance, quickly getting up as he approached the gate at the far side. “Not through there! Not unless you love getting bitten!”

She waved frantically to him as she ignited her lightsaber again and set up a defensive position looking down the north hallway, motioning for him to get behind her. She winced as her pristine black boots soon found themselves covered in dirty sewer water. “The north tunnel! Hive rats-lots of them! And something is wrong, they're-"

She paused midsentence and glanced down the hallway again. Already, illuminated through the glow of her lightsaber, red, beady eyes could be seen fixing on her. Lots of them. And those were only the beginning...

Grigonju

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

Heading her warning, Gri stepped back from the durasteel gate. The scuttling from behind the metal blockade was faint but it was best to not go in blind and unprepared for what was on the other side. "Which way does your Force think we should go?" he asked, trusting her to take the lead with it. He wasn't sure if he believed in the energy that flows through and connects all living things or not. It seemed irrational to put your trust in something you just had to believe was there but couldn't see. If the Force was part of everything, why could only some people access it? The way some spoke of it, it was as if it were sentient but that felt absurd too. Either way, he didn't bother to think about it much.

Moving away from the gate, Gri got sight of what had held the woman's attention deeper into the tunnel. Hive rats were ugly creatures but he knew their bite was vicious. They would often damage pipework and if there were a whole pack of them, that would explain the need to place a bounty. Normally they avoided light but the blue glow emanating from the saber seemed to agitate them, their red eyes aflame with anger. Their bulbous bodies crept out from the umbra as more and more creatures appeared. "Just... don't make any sudden moves."

His caution wasn't needed. Without warning, they began hurdling clumsily toward them, their enlarged tooth thirsting for flesh. Initially, their attention was on Tella with the bright blade in her grasp. Two were quickly gaining on them. Hoping that the Jedi could cope with the first, Gri leaped at the second, a gesture with his wrist ejecting the blade from his left vambrace. Coming to a point five inches in front of his fist, Gri drove the blade into the skull of the rodent. It let out an odd gargle before falling limp on its side.

Before he had time to remove the knife, the sound of more encroaching gave him no time to breathe. Turning back on himself, he unholstered his right blaster as he aimed it at one running towards him. "We're gonna need a better plan," he yelled over the shrieks of the hive rats. This was only the beginning and now that they had caused a commotion, more were surely going to gather. It didn't appear that they would become frightened and scatter. This was definitely more than a two-person job...

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

“We should clear out this entrance hallway first, to ensure there are no surprises going forward. There are a lot of them, but-” Tella gasped as she felt the freezing chill of the Dark Side strike towards the creatures, invisible black tendrils coming forth through the back wall and enveloping the rats, driving them into an unnatural frenzy.

“What-something is not right Gri! There is more to this-” Tella did not have time to explain, as the creatures bounded forth with surprising, unnatural celerity. She was already drawing upon the Force, weaving an invisible wire net around the three at the front, when the mercenary moved next to her on the front lines. She shot him a sideways glance, watching as he stabbed one of them in the neck with a blade pulled from somewhere. Did he think she needed protection?

Did he forget our plan? I am the one in the front! Male hubris! I can defend myself, thank you very much! It's worse if you get hurt defending ME!

As if to illustrate the point, she rapidly shifted the focus of her net and focused it around another rat that was coming towards them. Then, she closed the invisible wires around them, freezing them in place and lifting them into the air. With a dramatic hand gesture, she flung them hard into the ferrocrete wall on the left, the audible snapping of muscle and bone being heard, before she threw their dead or crippled bodies back at the oncoming horde of rats flowing down the narrow hallway. She was rewarded with a series of snarls and hisses as it tripped up the incoming flow-at least for now.

She began moving backwards towards the central entrance area, gesturing for him to do so as well. If things really went bad, they could run out of the entrance and slam it shut behind them. At the same moment, two more hive rats burst from the pipes closer to them, avoiding the current clog of hissing flesh further down the tunnel that was struggling to untangle itself.

“Deal with those two Grigo! Your blasters, please. I need a bit more time to deal with the rest of them.”


Grigonju

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

For some reason, the horde stopped their pursuit but the ferocity in their eyes didn't waver. Withdrawing the blade from the carcass, Gri noticed that it was Tella's doing. He was even more astounded when one suddenly rose into the air before being propelled into the cold stone wall, audible cracks followed by a defeated wheeze as the colour faded from its eyes. The woman evidently had power and she had proven it. He couldn't help but think that was the intention of her display.

Following her lead and backing into the clearing again, Gri withdrew his second blaster and aimed his fire toward the rodents held at bay by the invisible barricade. "What do you mean, more to this?" he shouted over the sound of plasma bolts. Of course there had to be more - as he predicted before they entered the tunnel. It was almost a curse on the jobs he took that they were never smooth. His question came with the hope that Tella was just on about more rats that they can take care of easily and walk away richer.

Entering the clearing, his boots sunken into the murky water of the sewers, Gri kept his gaze locked on the creatures as two more hive rats burst from pipes at the side of the tunnel. Nodding in agreement, he aimed his fire at them as the Jedi focused on those behind them. Their misshapen, bulging physique meant that blaster fire wasn't immediately fatal. Focusing his fire on one, it dramatically flopped on the ferrocrete floor as the other gained on them, jerking from being hit but drawing ever nearer.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

Tella did not reply to Gri at the moment, much as she wanted to, as she was too focused on her manipulations of the Force and the threat of the already recovering Hive Rats who seemed hellbent on turning her and the not-Mandalorian into their next meal. She had to deal with both the open pipe exit as well as the horde preparing to come down the hallway. And she had different options.

I could make a Force Barrier to stop them, but that requires continuous effort to hold and if I have to break it off to defend myself if we get flanked, it releases them completely unimpeded. Therefore, it has to be something a bit more permanent, and still allow us to deal with them behind it. And I need to deal with that pipe too. After all, the contract is to wipe out all of the creatures…and I want to be paid after all this effort! I have to afford new robes or at the very least a deep cleaning.

Her mother always told her to use the environment if possible, to use the energy of the others or the world instead of having to strain herself drawing ever more deeply on the Force. She looked past the closest approaching Hive Rat as Gri gunned down its companion to the two large water pipes on the end of the wall. And then she nodded.

If I can rip those open, flood the nearby floor, and then rip one of the electrical cables from the walls…it will create a barrier they can’t easily pass through without a long jump that has a chance to fail or being electrocuted. Gri can then shoot the rest of them at his leisure, and I can help with the Force. I just need to create an insulating barrier to stop it from traveling to us, for now.

Raising both of her hands out in front of her, she began her work.

(Roll: 14+5=19 needed: 15, difficulty level: hard):

Tella, drinking deeply upon the power of the Force, raised both her hands in an upward motion, ripping away the very ferrocrete floor up in front of the crowd of approaching Hive rats, who cowered for a few moments at the phenomena, creating a small, thigh-high barrier of the material in front of the pipes, expertly setting up her plan for the next part, while keeping the other Hive Rats at bay...for now.

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

It was a lengthy process but so far, their method was working. As he continued to fire on the rogue rodent, Gri tried to think of a more efficient way of dealing with the problem. It seemed like pesticides could've resolved the issue without risking people's lives but perhaps it was cheaper to send in foolish bounty hunters. They could lure them into an area and detonate the pack, but that ran the risk of causing more damage to the sewer system. Technically their job was just to kill the beasts but he doubted that they would part with the credits if there was even more to fix.

His barrage halted as the ferrocrete blockade splintered from the ground. Gri wasn't used to working alongside a Force user so he kept being caught off guard. Unphased by what was occurring behind it, the lone rat leaped at the bounty hunter with its spindly claws outstretched. A shot to the exposed chest caused the beast to go limp midair, forcing Gri to jump aside as the body flopped where he was stood, a large splash sending the water spraying back. Regaining his footing, he took a breath.

Now that the remaining pests were held at bay by Tella, he had a chance to compose himself. In order to conserve his blaster cartridges, he returned the pistols to their holsters. Reaching over his shoulder, he retrieved the DC-15A rifle from his back, testing the eyepiece by looking at the swarm ahead of them. "We're gonna need a more effective method," he mused. "I don't think we have enough firepower to take them all down." Perhaps the woman had an idea or there was some Force ability that could help. Tella seemed deep in concentration and it looked like they couldn't be held back for much longer.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

“Working…on…it…” Tella managed to reply, still deeply focused on her connection to the Force over almost everything else, not even flinching as Gri shot the approaching Hive Rat in the chest and it flopped to the ground not far away from her. Gripping the ends of both pipes with the Force, she ripped them off, sending a torrent of water pouring down between the beasts and the barrier, her actions causing an angry snarl from the crowd of rats.

Just you wait you pieces of Kark.

With one more violent tug of her hand, Tella pulled a large electrical cable down from the wall and into the water that she had just put behind the ferrocrete barrier, the water sparking instantly as an industrial level of voltage suddenly turned the growing puddle of water into a death trap for the hive rats. A forward one attempted to be bold enough to simply run across it-only to be fried and crumple to the ground with an audible BZZZTTT being heard even from where Tella and Gri were.

"They should...have a hard time getting past that...and I think you've still got a good angle on them." She suggested, a bit out of breath from all the effort in one go.

 

[Grigonju]

​

CORUSCANT​

Level 100​

He had to admit, the woman was impressive and quick on her feet too. Electricity surged through the creature as it dropped into the spreading puddle, ribbons of yellowish energy contorting around its form. The flow from the pipes caused the water to spread back towards the rats, the thigh-high barrier preventing the flow from reaching them. However, some still managed to writhe through the gaps below the ferrocrete but it was not going to be an issue.

Another beast was caught in the trap, shrieking as electricity coursed through its body, dropping dead beside its companion. The rest backed off, cautious of the liquid that had killed their kind. The trickling water reached the foot of one before it jolted back at the shock. Whilst it was preoccupied, Gri took a calming breath as the rifle was aimed at the hive rat. With a gentle pull, a bolt found its target square in the centre of its head its jaw went slack and added to the pile of carcasses.

The cowering remainders were barely visible in the shadow but one leaped up onto the body of the nearest rodent. Still shocked by the current, it jumped back and snarled at the corpse as though it were its fault. The electrified water trickled toward them as though there was no escape in sight. Seconds later, one threw itself with all its might from the darkness, bounding from body to body with barely any ground time until at last, it was launched over the stone wall, landing clumsily in a roll. It meekly rose to its feet and cried a blood-curdling sound, running at the duo in a somewhat straight line, its limbs flailing wildly under its speed and body weight.

TAGS: Tella Voland​

 

[Tella Voland]

Tella watched in part amazement, part horror as even her elaborate electrocution trap failed to stop all of them from getting across. They seemed to be literally sacrificing themselves to create a mound of bodies from which to continue their assault, albeit with now much-thinned out numbers.

“What the actual hell…?” She sputtered incredulously as she watched one successfully make it over the corpses of its comrades and over her low barrier. She sighed audibly, narrowing her eyes into a hard gaze at the weakened creature as it still moved forward to try to finish her off, its comrades learning enough to try the maneuver on their own.

“Oh no, I don’t think so!” She growled, violently ripping some of the ferrocrete and metal shards from the ground and throwing them viciously into the heads of the foremost rat and the two immediately trying to follow him. The first one went down a few feet in front of her, its eyes impaled by an impromptu ferrocrete spear. The second and third found their leaps of life turning into leaps of death as metal and stone slammed into foreheads, knocking them down into the sections of the electrocuted water not covered by the corpses of their comrades, screaming in pain for the few seconds they had left to live.

I do not want to hear ANY backtalk from the CSF about our pay.