Private Bloodbath

[Talin Treicolt]

‘Course it was rainin’. She’d gone up the street six times in as many hours, scopin’ the place out, and was throughly soaked to the bone. At least it was warm enough to not have her shiverin’. The place was not a compound, per se - steel buildin’ at the end of the block, three stories tall. Two roads down the front and side, alleys on the other. Two guards hangin’ out at the front door - no, wait, there were a couple more just inside. Another door on the side, one man. Once an hour a guardsman circled the roof, but didn’t pay much attention other than that.

Talin could sense the others in the empty warehouse. Not an army. They could do this. Couple blocks down they had staked out in an abandoned house, and Talin drew the scene for Morrow in dirt on the floor. Plan was simple - through the alley at nightfall, crouched and low. In through the side door - take the guard out quietly. Blades only. Go stealthily as they could till all hell broke loose, then have each others backs.

Talin rounded the last corner and had eyes on the guard. He was talking to someone inside - joking and lighting a smoke, off his guard. Good. Talin held a finger up to Morrow. Wait. It took a couple minutes, but his buddy floated off, summoned by a yell inside. The man continued to puff, fighting the wind to keep his light. He turned to the corner of the doorway, shielding his embers. Talin grabbed Morrow’s wrist before she left, pulling him in to whisper.

“Keep an eye out for me.”

Then lightly she pushed him away again, and stalked her target. He was dressed in street ware, looking more thug than imperial, but the buzz cut gave him away. She lunged as she came over the steps, withdrawing a dagger, and grabbed him like a spider monkey. The blade drew clean across his throat. The clawing at her hands grew feeble with violent gurgles, until she was sure he was done, and she jumped down from his back and pushed him down. One hand wiped the blade clean whilst the other signaled for Morrow’s advance.

 

[Morrow]

Crimson was thick in the runoff. Morrow's boots splashed in diluted blood as he skulked forward. His cloak billowed to one side, kicked up by the wind as he stepped over the body. Only the bottom half of his face was beneath his hood, emphasized by a singular streetlight in the near distance. He reached beneath his mantle, parted the flaps to reveal the blaster rifle slung around his body. Gloved hands took the weapon, uncollapsing the stock and flipping the firing switch to automatic.

Blue eyes fleetingly peeked beneath the shadow, giving Talin a look that expressed a solemn readiness. Morrow turned, face retreating into the shadow as he punched the door control and stepped through. He rested the stock on the top of his shoulder, rifle pointing to the ceiling as he ambled silently down the hallway. Water dripped off limp fabric in the absence of rain and wind, leaving a slippery, wet trail in his wake. On his right, the hallway opened up to a half-wall before dropping to a wide entrance with two steps down to a large, open area. The agents inside didn't notice him, going about their regular routines, oblivious to his intrusion. His shrouded, black mass stood in the opening, menacing unnoticed.

Finally, Morrow dropped the rifle down from his shoulder. The sound of the handguard slapping into his open palm was loud and distinct enough to elicit attention from everyone in the room. Too late. Morrow squeezed the trigger. The barrel screamed and thrummed, spitting dozens of crimson flashes every second. He swept the weapon left to right, moving from target to target as the salvo saturated the room and shredded bodies, furniture, and architecture alike.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

There went quiet. The Jedi stood behind Morrow and his line of fire and watched as the immediate vicinity was reduced to ruin. The loudest of thumps sounded a body hittin’ the floor. Watchin’ them fall, Talin pulled the wet bandana up further over her face when she realized there was a distinct absence of any regret. The hooded man didn’t seem to mind, neither. This wasn’t like that bounty, nor the imperial on the ship. There was nothing… except for a glimmer of pride in doin’ what needed done. Had all that shame from before even been hers to begin with, or was it Tansu Treicolt bleedin’ into her?

The thought was interrupted by danger rollin’ down her spine. From down the hall came another imp, so graceful neither of them had noticed his form outside the rifle’s range. He caught Talin’s gaze and immediately lunged - not for her, but for Morrow, vibrosword lightin’ up from beneath its sheath.

“No!”

Talin’s hand flew to her belt, withdrawing her saber, and fell between the two men. The movement sent her bicep stingin’ beneath the blade’s edge. With a hiss, she surged upward from the crouch, and the swordsman’s body melted to meet her hilt. More came runnin’ down the corridor, hard and fast, in response to the uproar. Pivoting to place herself in between Morrow and the men, cerulean stood sentinel.

 

[Morrow]

An orange glow overtook the rifle's barrel; overheating rendered the trigger unresponsive. Morrow let go, leaving it hanging limp from the strap around his shoulder. Shifting slightly to the side, he drew his sidearm and fired from behind the protection of Talin's saber. Immediately, the deterioration of his aim became apparent. For every target he hit, he missed threefold. Standing behind her, rather than anything solid, made him feel exposed now that the element of surprise had fizzled. This questionable position, combined with the focus on shooting between swings, lest he send his own bolts back into his face, caused his precision to falter.

A flash of danger drew his attention from the group of agents firing in front of them. Off in a corner, another one, holding a distinct rifle that Morrow recognized almost immediately, a disruptor. "Chit," he whispered, whirling to face its wielder. No way a lightsaber was stopping that. Morrow fired two shots, but the exiled Imperial dove for cover just in time.

"Move!" Morrow shouted, anticipating the man to pop out of cover and disintegrate him. With nowhere else to go, Morrow dove, bumping Talin and taking her with him onto the ground behind a half-wall. The disruptor bolt rang out with a high-pitched whirr, eliciting a low pulse as it slammed into the wall behind them and annihilated a hole in the paneling. Morrow popped up, fired a shot. Missed. Another whirr, and suddenly half of their cover was disintegrated. He poked out again, snapped off two more bolts. This time, his aim didn't fail him. The Imperial was thrown back by the transferrence of kinetic energy, his rifle clattering to the floor.

Morrow surged out of cover, cloak billowing a trail behind him as he weaved through a hailstorm of blasterfire. He slid behind the same piece of architecture his assailant had been using for cover a moment before, scooping up the disruptor mid-manuever. Pressing his back against the structure, he fumbled with the loose cartridges and managed to slot one into the chamber.

Less than a moment later, Morrow peeled around and placed a disruptor bolt into the nearest COMPNORite. The man's body disappeared with a hiss, leaving only his clothes and weapon behind. Panic set in as his comrades cursed and scrambled.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

Talin stayed low, breathin’ hard. Within spittin’ distance of disintegration. Morrow had saved her this time ‘round, that fact wasn’t lost on her. Blue eyes peeked over what was left of the wall, followin’ his trail of devastation. A man dove to join her, blaster at the ready. She slid back at exactly the right moment, narrowly missin’ the shot that woulda claimed her cover. When the imperial looked back at her, stuttering and angry as a boar, he had that wild look animals got when trapped.

He lunged, attempting to grab her by the arm and pull her to meet his barrel. Talin coiled like a snake. The small slice of peace turned into a battle ground of its own. She managed to get ahold of his wrist - and the mother karker bit her. A yelp of disgust repelled her presence, and he used the momentum to reposition, realigning his weapon. The Jedi struck again, before he could get his finger at the trigger - the sharp chop to a pressure point sent the blaster clattering across the floor. Fingers wrapped around the arm, and with a heave, twisted it towards her. The pressure woulda broke his arm if he didn’t follow. His back to her stomach, Talin held him in tap out the couple seconds it took for Morrow’s shot to find her hostage. He ceased to exist - no remains for his brothers to mourn.

Through the force, she sensed her lightsaber, in the corner it had rolled to when Morrow barreled her over. A hand outreached, she called upon it, and it answered enthusiastically. Sweat and grime had begun to dance across her brow. Surging forward to the nearest opponent, she swung her blade through them before they had a chance to react. At the same moment, another group of reinforcements clattered down the stairwell at the end of the corridor. With the entry, metal was sent rolling across the floor - and a small explosion covered the room in smoke.

“Ch-“ A hacking cough cut her off. “Morrow!”

The sound sent shots firing her way.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow didn't reply to Talin's call.

Bayonet-first, he charged out of the cloud. Steel sank into the chest of an agent, momentum carrying him into the wall with a thud. Morrow shifted, turning the rifle and dragging the Imperial in front of him. Several shots meant for Morrow hit the speared man instead. A swift boot unstuck the man from the bayonet, and a well-placed shot immediately after disintegrated another agent. Teeth bared like an animal, he ran forward, running through the next imperial and forcing him to the ground. His hands wrenched, turning the bayonet through flesh before ripping it out forcefully, sending a slash of blood across the wall.

Fear and hatred were thick in the Force, emanating from Morrow. The fear of death, the hatred of his enemies. He was feeding off those emotions. The Dark Side bolstered him, enhancing his movements through a violent trace.

Cloak billowing behind him, he weaved between blaster fire, stabbing another two Imperials before slipping around another and seizing him by the neck with his rifle. They struggled, disappearing into the smoke. Morrow would get the better of him, throwing him to the floor and pressing the weapon against his throat. A few moments later, the man's death could be felt in the Force. Then, the disruptor rifle appeared out of the cloud. It darted through the air like a javelin, impaling the final imperial through the neck.

Morrow remained hidden in the smoke. A black hole of rage remained palpable.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

More than smoke clouded the atmosphere. Talin knew it before she could name it. The feeling sent her stomach tryin' to crawl outta her throat. She had known it on Jedha, on Cademimu V. In herself, in the gutters of Coruscant, bleedin' beneath a neon moon. Rage and fear and everything the Jedi code warned them against. More than nauseating, it was sweet - milk and honey kinda sweet. It was an exerted effort to separate herself from the darkness coatin' her like summer sun. She wasn't sure she was succeeding. She wasn't sure she cared. Something - no, someone - in the heart of that sweetness pulled at her like gravity. Confusion and concern wrestled in the back of her mind. They had to make it through the fire before she could have her answers.

Droppin' low to the floor, Talin scurried on all all fours, letting the blaster fire pass over her. She took the first thug she ran into by the ankles, sendin' his weapon clattering across the floor. He was still swingin', fists flyin', one managin' contact with her chin. A grunt shook the pain, and she aimed for his nose, forehead meeting target with a sickening crack. The headbutt provided enough slack to bring her blaster to chin and send a bolt through his head.

His buddies were nearby - she could make out where their fire originated, lightin' up the area around them. Talin embraced the chaos of the building, moving with the smoke. Falling upon them like a thief in the night, a fell swoop to the first brought him down quick. Her blade raised in defiance of the second's shot, and it was seconds until he met the same fate as his comrades.

The building was growing quieter. The smoke was fading. Ocean eyes pinned the cloaked figure in the center of the room.

 

[Morrow]

The room went still aside from the swirling of smoke. Everything was a blur. He could hardly remember how all these men went down. But he wasn't confused. The haze, the hatred, the adrenaline, it had happened before. Last time, the result had forced him to flee Dantooine, setting him on his vagrancy across the galaxy.

Sweat trickled down Morrow's face. Breathing heavily, he slowly turned to look at Talin through the clearing smoke. For a split second, his eyes had the yellow, magmatic appearance of a Sith. Then, he blinked, and they were blue again, though no less intense. At that same moment, dark emissions he gave off were snuffed as otherworldly rage cooled to a simmer. His presence in the Force immediately returned to being unremarkable.

He stepped over the dead agent at his feet, slowly scanning the room, counting bodies as he approached his ally. "Seventeen," he uttered through heavy breathing. He looked over his shoulder toward an exit that was still half-shrouded in smoke. "I think one got past me."

No acknowledgment of anything that just happened. The only trace was the sweat that dampened his features.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Yo-"

Amber faded as quickly as it came on. Talin blinked. Was she losing it? Her gaze followed his, across the floor's trail of death, then travelled up her body. Crimson stained her clothes and painted a river across the hilt of her saber. A swallow chased shame down the back of her throat. Could that darkness have been her? There was no way. The actions tonight weren't becoming of a Jedi, but surely... she wasn't that far gone... right?

"What was that?"

Stepping forward, her weapons still lingered in her hands at her side. There was duality in the question. Demand to clear her conscious... and a morbid curiosity. She had seen what she had seen - of that, she was certain - but something told her he had whole heartedly believed the answers to her earlier inquisition.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow paused for a moment when she inquired.

"What was what?" he asked, feigning ignorance. It was no surprise she noticed that sudden, unusual surge of savegry. It wasn't like the methodical, efficient approach he'd begun with. Though in reality, his facade of ignorance wasn't totally dishonest. He'd struggle to explain what had just happened if he tried. Deep down, he was perplexed and afraid, given he hadn't ever expected it to happen again. With the matters at hand, he wasn't allowing those feelings to get to him. For now, they bent to his will, bottling up somewhere deep for the sake of survival.

One slip-up meant death.

"You're bleeding," Morrow remarked, indicating on his arm where Talin was leaking. Not-so-subtle subject change.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"Dumb ain't cute."

The words came out harsher than intended, especially when she felt the fear wafting off of him. Saber still in grip, she touched at her bicep - and was surprised at the slickness covering it. It didn't hurt - but visual inspection revealed that it damn well should.

"Oh."

Forced to deal with it, her weapons were laid to rest in holsters. Taking one side of her shirt in her mouth, her wrist flicked hard, and the sound of tearing cloth broke the silence. It was makeshift - but it would do.

"Help me, wouldja?" She offered up the black strip on approach, stepping over a downed Imp. "You're.. you.."

Her foot tapped as she tried to find the words. She had been mostly joking back there in the house, calling him lucky, but doubt was taking root.

"I've had that kinda scary, too. During a job, on Coruscant. And again, when the Empire came for it." Back on the farm, there was a hushed tone saved for wounded animals. Talin pulled it out again. "You lose control and you're just... consumed."

 

[Morrow]

A scowl met Talin's initial comment, but no retort followed. Morrow stuck to his guns with silence. He had begun to walk away when she asked for help. A slow turn revealed his expression hadn't faded. His eyes slowly bounced between her and the ripped cloth one, two, three times before he closed the gap between them with unhurried steps. Bloody hands were wiped on black fabric before they took the scrap of Talin's shirt and tied it tight around her upper arm.

Morrow could feel her breath on his ear while she spoke. His nostrils flared as he looked up to meet her gaze. Blue on blue locked, paused for a moment. "I don't know what you mean," he mumbled before breaking away.

A thud resonated overhead. Morrow's regard snapped toward the stairs, black locks swaying tightly. His gloved hand reset the charging handle on his rifle. A firm grip on the handguard raised the barrel forward. "It's not over yet," he commented aimlessly as he moved to creep up the stairs. At the top, a sealed door. The control panel was unresponsive. Shuffling could be heard beyond.

"Locked themselves in. Must be something important in there."

 

[Talin Treicolt]

A roll of the eyes met his departure. He could keep his secrets, for now - she knew from experience pushing made it worse. Maybe she could wear him down, in time, convince him to come to Atrisia with her where there were proper masters who could help him figure things out. With the noise, she followed his suit wordlessly, retrieving her blade once more. Up the stairs, quite as a mouse. The free hand thumped the screen a couple times for good measure.

“Hold on.”

Palm against the buttons, Talin shut her eyes hard. It only took a moment to be pulled into another time. Countless scenes flashed before her. A boss of sorts, yelling at one of his subordinates as he entered through the door way. A group men comin’ back from the cantina, singin’ tunes whilst hauling a buddy dead on his feet. Time and time again, soldiers passing through after a long shift to seek refuge amongst their sheets. It was a minute and a half before Talin memorized the code to unlock the thing. When she opened her eyes again, she nodded to Morrow.

“Get that lucky blaster ready.”

A few taps and a beep before the holoscreen flashed twice, and the door opened with a hiss. Talin sprung forward in a roll, through the entry way.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow watched, confused as Talin seemed to commune with the console. Another one of her Jedi tricks? Just as soon as skepticism set in, she opened her eyes and punched in the passkey like she owned the damn place. Questions could wait. With the door open, there wasn't any time to ask how in the karking hell she managed that.

Automatic fire rained past Talin, firing around the barrier put up by her saber. It was quick. Only a handful of COMPNORites remained. Within moments, they were punched full of smouldering holes.

Damage to the room was not minimal. Morrow hadn't thought to preserve anything that might have been inside, despite his acknowledgment that its contents could be important. He wouldn't know what to do with anything he acquired, nor did he particularly care. Dispatching the agents was far more important than seizing their assets. He took a few steps inside, dead-checked a corpse with a sharp kick to the ribs. A different one moved slightly; he responded with a burst-fire into its back.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

They had managed. Twenty one dead in total. Talin out her saber away, feelin’ kinda useless watching Morrow make quick work of it. Scouting out the room, she squinted at the terminals riddled with bullet holes. It was mundane otherwise. A few rose of bunks to house soldiers on duty. A sprite, still condesating, sat on a bed side table.

“Damn. Woulda like to have known what was in these.”

Frowning, her ears piqued. Somewhere, over rain and thunder, she could hear the distant wail of a siren.

“Chit. Someone musta heard the noise. Alright, we gotta move our asses.”

Withdrawing a small tendril of nano- spray from her jacket the blonde gave it a good shake. Then she went diggin’ again for the drawing of one of the gang symbols she had copied from the holonet.

“Main room, do you think?”

Already walking, her unwounded arm brushed against Morrow’s as she headed back for the stairwell.

 

[Morrow]

A shrug dismissed Talin's disappointment. They weren't recovering any of it either. Morrow fired another burst into a terminal still showing signs of life, sending sparks flying across the room with a flash. With that shot, his gas pack went dry, trigger clicking impotently. He ripped the cartridge out of the weapon and tossed it aside onto the floor, discarded in the destruction.

Down the stairs, Morrow paused in thought while Talin prepared to tag the walls. All of this was to make them cease their little crusade against them. The plan was deception, but something had been bugging Morrow since they got here. Now he understood; fear was the better option.

"No," came his delayed response, lightly rebuking their previously agreed intentions. Abruptly, he threw his hood off, revealing his face to the few surveillance devices that still functioned in the main room. A grim look regarded the nearest one with malice. "I want them to know it was me," he declared. Zero regard was now given for Talin's plan to stay anonymous. They could likely pin down who she was now, if the lightsaber hadn't given it away.

A thermal detonator was produced from beneath Morrow's cloak, something he had conveniently neglected to mention when they went over the plan. His thumb pressed in the primer, causing the lights on the sphere to come to life, and a sinister beep to start playing. His gaze lingered on the camera as he dropped it carelessly to the ground and let it roll. Then, he pivoted sharply, cloak arcing to one side as he ran for the exit.

Moments later, the building erupted.

 

[Talin Treicolt]

"I want them to know it was me,"

Talin didn’t argue. The Drop had sat in the back of her mind the entire time, eatin’ away like flies did fruit fallen off the tree. The pain Tansu Treicolt had endured at the Imperial’s hands. An entire chain of events that had caused Talsin to suggest to her sister she was a rotten egg worth throwin’ away. Only a snippet of that conversation had been caught, checkin’ in on her sister through their psychic ties. It was all that was needed to drive the knife deep. The wound still oozed. Tonight hadn’t healed it. If the best she got outta this was a message, then fine - they could leave a trace and spell it out. Don’t mess with me and mine. The spray can was abandoned with an aimless toss, settling against a corpse. Whirring beeps brought her outta thought.

The sky outside was still pouring. In the distance, Talin spotted the spotlights of a law enforcement ship closing in. Breaking into sprint, she caught up to Morrow, only to grab his hand and insist on a faster pace. They weaved through alleyways, went up the side of a building and across a roof, back down to duck under cover of a canopy. The rain couldn’t wash away their sins, but it did dull the crimson stains. When they finally made it back to the safe house, Talin smashed the buttons for entry, and stopped in the foyer. Drippin’, she stripped off her jacket immediately and tossed it aside.

All that shame had dissolved, replaced with a sense of giddiness. The chase, the idea of the reputation that they had earned, the adrenaline coursin’ through her veins - it made her feel alive. Victorious. Untouchable. Talin spun on her heels, coming face to face with the dark headed boy who had made it all possible. His features were only barely visible with the glow of the holoscreen. A wave of gratitude washed over her. Without warning, she surged forward to meet him. Hands entwined themselves in midnight locks. Talin’s lips found his.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow immediately beelined for his stash and retrieved a replacement gas cartridge for his rifle. The sharp pop of the pack latching into the well was followed by the click of the priming handle being pulled back. Talin's 'safehouse' held no guarantees. Until Morrow was certain they were in the clear, he wasn't letting his guard down. He hadn't come this far for nothing.

Passing through the main room, he reached down and clicked the control for the holovision screen. A local newscast popped on at low volume. In case their mission became breaking news, they could glean how much the authorities knew through the loose lips of sensationalist media. It might be the only warning they had should someone plan to come blowing their door down.

"If they come, what's th-?"

Talin was upon him in an instant. A fight response surged through his body. Muscles tensed, hands clamping down on her shoulders, ready to toss her down through the table in retribution. Before he realized what was going on, his only thoughts were a flash of: Of course. Of course, she'd try to take him out next. It was the only reasonable... Except it wasn't. It was something else. Just as fast as that urge to retaliate had flared up, something else took its place. It was confusion, mostly, tempered with something deeply foreign. It made his stomach feel strange, a sensation he was unacquainted with.

He let his guard down. What else could he do?

 

[Talin Treicolt]

SOME TIME LATER

"I-"

Lying on the couch beside him, Talin traced lazy patterns across his rib cage. The news had - thankfully - glossed over the night's adventures and rolled on to some 'ole holoflick. Maybe TRAA 2: Adventures on Ziost? The sound was backdrop to their breathing, and the storm in her head. She felt she owed him something. To say she sorry though would have been a lie. Then what, she didn't know what came over her? Also untrue. Burying her face in dark wash of hair didn't give the escape she hoped for - so Talin turned, facing the problem head on.

"I want to show you something."

He'd freak, probably, she knew, even just with the proposal. Avoidant of anything beyond tangible comprehension, it was a stretch to thing he'd agree. But she had to try. He had really understand what had brought her runnin' to Corellia to begin with, rather than brushing off her claims as lies or misunderstanding.

 

[Morrow]

Morrow opened his eyes, face half-illuminated by the slop playing on the holovision. "What?" he murmured. An elbow slid underneath to support him as he rose halfway. His regard traced up and down the length of her. A joke formulated in his mind about whether or not there was anything left to see. It wouldn't ever escape his head. Jokes weren't like him; the delivery was usually flat. They were funny even less often.

Apprehension crawled across his face, turning his chin down and twisting his neck to one side to make more distance between their faces. "Is this going to be one of your weird Jedi things?"

As if on cue, the show on the holovision started playing up Jedi mysticism to an absurd degree. Morrow looked suddenly even more nervous.