Private Buried Beneath the Red Glow

[Lossa Darcuhl]

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren Lily Decoria Vera Noble Gatz Derrevar

The Settlement on Phaseera had been more than willing to answer the questions Briana had for them. Showing her the remains of the Skiptown, rendered unable to fly with the planted explosives that had caused the ship's reactor to go critical. The shell of the ship split in a twisted embrace aimed at the sky as if welcoming the next sunrise.

Also being able to tell her about the ship that had touched down with detail given how it lingered. Going into equal detail about the humanoids that had carted the nice Zeltron girl aboard their ship in a near panicked rush.

And the alarming trail of blood they followed back to the scene of a fight. The jungle scorched with Blaster marks and deep gouges left by some kind of beast.

The sleeve of Lossa's Jumpsuit was left behind, soaked red, torn free just below the shoulder.

A seemingly cold trail until the Skiptown's computer chimed with emergency power and gave them a location. The wrist bracer left behind a final transmission even from afar before it disconnected. Powered down or signal loss unclear on this end.

The destination was clear though, even giving a rough estimation of a location on the planet's surface.

Mon Gazza

The planet shone bright against its sun. The red planet playing host to a hotbed of illicit activities and shadowy deals from its use as a spice mining and rundown cities.

Making it the perfect place for The New Way to set up a facility to conduct their own research with easy reach to beings that didn't shy away from snatch and grab jobs for the right price. Making it all the easier to bury their failures as well given the old mines that littered the planet.

The facility they had taken over had few amenities to offer. Barely anything above ground to suggest it was as large a facility as it seemed. A former mining outpost in the mountains, surrounded by clear cut steppes forming pits around the area.

A single bunker on the surface set into the mountain, large enough to house more than 12 humanoids at once. Surrounded on three sides by a powered fence that hummed with power casting a blue light into the rust colored surroundings.

The four humans that walked the outer perimeter made a slow half-moon patrol around the fence. A growing dark side presence emanated from deeper underground as the turbolift descended into the depths with a New Way scientist and a single dark sider in tow.

They had been desperate to figure out another potential means of stripping the Force from those they despised. Even going so far as to delve into what had been off limit rituals that had been made to do just that.

Supposedly given their current advisor.

But they lacked the means to do so on their own, and had found someone willing, albeit at great expense, to show them the way. Even if they didn't plan on letting the Pureblood Sith leave intact, they could get what they wanted, and dispose of them after they'd served their purpose.

Another handful of guards standing watch just inside the heavy bunker that the fence protected. One guard watching the indicators above the lift finally light up, letting out a sigh at relief at the dark sider being gone.

Beginning their patrols once more as they confirmed with those outside they weren't expecting any more visitors.

Keeping their eyes out now as they checked their blasters, the four outside the fence paused to speak while a handful inside sat around gossiping, anticipation fueling their talk. Waiting for another step in their goal to be complete before they tried to move onward.

DEEPER IN THE FACILITY

The turbolift chimed, the two passengers letting the silence hang between them as the New Way scientist nervously led the Sith further inside to another lift on the far end of the second floor. Skipping their stop on the first floor with prior clearance by the checkpoint that served to lock down the lift in emergencies.

A mix of security droids and organics between the two lifts on the second level as they passed the small barracks and cafeteria housed on this level.

Only stopping before another checkpoint to confirm their identity with a sharp look to the dark sider before being allowed down. The keycard inside the tiny boxed in checkpoint swiped as the lift doors unlatched and opened to a waiting lift.

Silence hung around them still as the scientist nervously rocked back and forth on the trip down. Clicking his tongue before the Sith's gaze prompted them to stop.

The lift chimed with a soft settling noise as it locked in place, reaching the bottom floor and opening into a long hallway that ended with a large reinforced bulkhead to a room beyond. Three doors to the left side leading to rooms filled with medical equipment of various kinds. The only occupants previous experiments on different Force Sensitive beings were monitored in isolation. A single larger door on the right side leading into a large command and communications room.

The one way glass allowed the members of The New Way to peer out while those in the hallway could only wonder what was behind it.

All of them now gazing at the guest walking with their associate with anticipation.

Hoping to be adding the Pureblood to their test selection once the ritual was complete. They watched intently as the scientist and Sith were scanned before the bulkhead opened to the room beyond. A hive of activity as the sight that greeted the Pureblood made him narrow his eyes. A single set of devices were attached to the Zeltron's fingers, laid atop a table that hummed with energy.

“Everything is prepared?” The Pureblood Sith asked softly, examining the woman on the table briefly. They wanted to strip this one of their Force connection, to be shown how to repeat the process. He wasn't entirely sure that he could, given what he knew. But then again he had been more interested in seeing about stealing their victim rather than ruining a potential sith convert.

Then presence of the Dark Side was already deep within the woman, and all it needed was a push in the right direction.

“Everything is prepared. You may begin when ready.”

Receiving his cue, the Sith Pureblood pondered his method, eyeing his surroundings as if selecting his seat for dinner. Unhappy with the idea of sitting, he opted to remain standing, crossing his arms behind his back and beginning to meditate, focusing his mind and his own magicks onto the woman.

Her awareness was beginning to return, and he couldn't keep himself from grinning.

“Awaken child. You are participating in a great moment. It wouldn’t do for you to miss it.” His hands moving from the behind his back, finding her mental barriers beginning to rise as the smile morphed into a grimace. Both hands now forming a crown above her head as he focused. The crackle of electricity began at his fingertips, arcing between the extended fingers until it finally jumped, reaching out to her. The first few seconds of her waking fog clearing with a blinding pain that began to bloom throughout her entire body.

The assault on her mind beginning as the New Way scientist's settled in to watch the process.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Sith Lightsaber - Concealed within R4-Z3
Tag: Lossa Darcuhl Briana Sal-Soren Vera Noble Lily Decoria

If Gatz had a credit for every time he'd been tapped as a resource after one of Briana's family members had been kidnapped, he'd have two credits. Which wasn't a lot, but he could only imagine what was going on in Rich Girl's head now that it had happened twice. Of course, this time around, Gatz was a little more concerned himself.

Because naturally, the first woman Gatz had ever truly fallen head-over-heels for had managed to get herself captured by genocidal terrorists.

But snarky internal monologue couldn't distract Gatz forever.

Gatz sat with R4 in the cockpit, as The Red Night exited hyperspace with a shudder. The red orb of Mon Gazza—a world Gatz knew very well from his days as a smuggler—hung against the silent void. Shadowports like this had been home, once. Now, though, the sight of the crimson world filled him with dread. Places like this were filled with people like him, and much worse.

And that didn't bode well for Lossa.

But he had to push his fear for her away, and compartmentalize. He'd never been particularly good at that... but he'd observed Briana enough to replicate the skill. He'd need it, if he was going to be of any use to her today. Already he was half frayed in both body and mind. The weekend getaway Valery had tricked him into had done wonders to help him rest, but he was still catching up after a month of little sleep and skipped meals.

Adding panic to his exhaustion would only hinder Briana, and jeopardize Lossa's safety. And he refused to fail either of them. So fear would stay tucked away, coiled up in his heart where it belonged. For today, at least.

"Rich Girl," Gatz keyed the intercom, "we're here. Planetfall in five minutes."

No snarky commentary, or jokes today. Not when Lossa was in danger. He didn't think anyone onboard would appreciate it in a situation this dire. And frankly... he was just too tired to make an attempt at humor.

But he wasn't too tired to admire the irony in his situation: as soon as he'd decided to go to Briana—as soon as he was finally ready to knock on her door, let her see him in this state, and ask for her help—that was when she was banging on his door asking for his help. And he had to put his own problems on the back burner.

But Briana needed his help more. Lossa needed his help more. And Gatz would never put himself before them. Not like that man would have done. Once Lossa was safely aboard, and they had made the jump to hyperspace... then he would allow himself to burden Briana with his own troubles. But only then.

Only once she was safe. Until then, nothing else mattered.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: Mon Gaza | Tag: Lossa Darcuhl , Lily Decoria , Vera Noble​

"Very good Lily, your footwork is getting better." Briana commended, stepping up beside her. "But remember, don't let your arm dip. Your wrist seemed a bit lax as well. Hold it up, like so." Demonstrating, Briana stepped closer, repositioning Lily's arm and wrist with a careful touch, letting the young Jedi acclimate to the tension of the new stance. "It's a minute adjustment, but important when you make your forward sweep." The strain would have already likely began to settle in Lily's muscles as foreign and unwelcome, but it was a necessary pain, a precursor to further growth. "It might feel a little unnatural now, but you'll get used to it the more you keep practicing."

With Lily now absorbed in her practice, Briana's gaze shifted to land on Vera. With a slow, thoughtful stride, she approached her other student, her eyes assessing her practice with the combat remote. Her form was imperfect and raw, though she'd shown improvement. Vera was not as skilled with the blade as Aris or Lily, but her innate instincts were as sharp as a cortosis needle, with a pool of potential as vast and uncharted as the furthest reaches of wild space. Briana's goal was to enhance those inherent strengths. "Your form with the blade is nicely developing Vera," Briana began, her voice soft yet firm. "But remember, your connection with the Force is your most useful tool. It is deep and profound, something that many Jedi would strive for. Lean on it. Listen to it, learn from it. Let it guide you."

"Rich Girl," Gatz keyed the intercom, "we're here. Planetfall in five minutes."

At that, Briana's spine stiffened. Taking the control, she turned off the remote for the droid and waved to both her students. "Let's get to our seats," she told them both with a smile, ushering them to the cockpit as if this was the same as any other mission. As if everything was perfectly normal.

From the moment Gatz picked them up, until now, they'd been sequestered away in what'd once been the cargo section of his ship, now transformed into a makeshift training dojo. The reason for this had been two fold. One, she wanted them to be prepared for whatever they might encounter once they reached planet side — Mon Gaza wasn't exactly known for being welcoming, and two, as a temporary and needed distraction from the worries that plagued her, rather than dwelling on the disturbing details of Lossa's disappearance.

The charred remains of the Skiptown, the blood-soaked sleeve of Lossa's jumpsuit, the blaster-scorched jungle, and the final transmission from the abandoned wrist bracer, all painted a picture of chaos and violence. The only bit of solace she took was that she didn't feel that familiar void where her connection to Lossa was, the one that'd gone out when her parents died. It gave her a sliver of hope that Lossa was still out there, waiting to be found.

Taking her seat, Briana fastened her crash webbing and passed a look to Gatz. Their minds were no longer connected, but she still somehow felt privy to his thoughts. He and Lossa had grown close to one another, and while she didn't know the extent of that connection, she could make a guess. From the tension in his shoulders, to the way he ground his jaw. She could read the tell-tale signs in his expression...

But Briana turned her gaze forward to the viewport, tucking away the nugget of information for later. For after they'd successfully rescued Lossa.

​

 

[Vera Noble]

​

Tag: Briana Sal-Soren Lily Decoria Lossa Darcuhl Gatz Derrevar

"I will, Master," Vera said with a smile at the tips Briana offered. She knew that she wasn't a duelist like Lily or Aris, and quite frankly, she didn't want to be one. She wanted to use her visions, runes, and other Force abilities to support them in a fight. But she still needed to be able to defend herself, too, so she took this seriously.

"I just... need more time to practice than the others." She smiled sheepishly, but she knew that honesty was good. There were other things she learned much faster than her fellow Padawans, so in the end, it'd balance each other out. Vera then shifted back into her stance and continued going through the same few drills to hone her muscle memory.

This time, she let the Force guide her.

She was really starting to get lost in her rhythm, and listened to the Force for guidance. But right before she truly tapped into the flow, Briana's comms went off, and pulled Vera's attention away from training. It was time for their task, so without another word said, Vera followed her into the cockpit and took her own seat.

Unlike her usual behavior, she was calm now, and sat with straight posture and her hands in her lap. If she wanted to be a good Jedi, she needed to be serious for these things.

Still, she was excited.

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber
Location: Mon Gaza
Tags: Lossa Darcuhl | Briana Sal-Soren | Gatz Derrevar | Vera Noble

Lily adapted to the readjustment, she was surprised her arm was not perfectly positioned since this was a stance she had been practising for weeks now. But realised that it could have been related to nerves. Lossa was in danger. That had been plaguing her mind. She had only met the Jedi Knight twice. Once on Naboo when a plague broke out and then a second time when she was dragged into a mission. A mission she doubted was official when looking back on it. Felt very spur of the moment and attempting to address the dangerous behaviours that Lily held after she had been freed from Mandalorian capture.

Letting her body relax, Lily focused her mind, she felt her body take in the new stance and not feel too much strain. She was a fighter, holding a blade that chose her. Everything was made for her to be able to provide her best strikes. Fighting the air was hard for Lily as well, so much of her life, she had spent fighting people. Communicating through combat, fighting, sharing emotions, linking one another through physical combat. Understanding what made that opponent tick, understanding what they used, how they fought and understanding the way they fight leads them from one attack to another.

It was all an art form. Fighting a person was art to her. Fighting air was painting half a canvas. Incomplete.

"When you can use the Force while being deadly with a blade, you will dangerous to even the most skilled Echani fighters out there." For Lily, that felt like giving high praise. She always sought to be one of the best Echani warriors, if she was a Jedi then she sought to be one of the best Jedi fighters as well.

Turning her Lightsaber off, she clipped the hilt to her belt upon hearing the call from the cockpit. It seemed they were close, the anticipation rose once again in Lily. She was eager to ensure that they found Lossa quickly, safe and able to get her home. Everyone had to come home, they had to. Everyone came home alive. That was always her priority. Jumping into the remaining seat, she looked over to Vera with a grin. "Watching people fly is always fun, at least I think it is." Lily smirked.

 

[Lossa Darcuhl]

Tags: Briana Sal-Soren Lily Decoria Vera Noble Gatz Derrevar

The facility began to swim in the dark side aura, the mental attack in its infancy as the Pureblood began to roam topical memories. The most recent thoughts centering around a Sith Healer to his surprise. A blend of worry and wonder buried deep to her core. A tether through the walls the young woman had placed around her mind.

Eyes closed still as he poured his own power into the ritual, seeking to draw that slight presence of the dark side within her further into the light.

Trying to drown out the rational side of her mind with the fury and wild hatred he felt barricading the inner walls of her mind as he scoured her mind for things to turn against her. The invasion of her mind a methodical and slow process as he turned over this memory and that one to provide him clues. A harsh lean against her mind to wear down her resistance.

Give up child, and be at ease. The Sith spoke through their chained connection, cooing the words as if already her mentor. Disgust met his words, and what little power she was able to spare felt as weak as a slap against his hand rather than a return assault against his invading presence.

A crack formed in her mental barrier at finding a recent kindness. An expression of her worries in the arms of one who bore the name Gatz. The harsh buzz of her protest falling on deaf ears as he watched the memory. Poked at her fears in wonder about the failure she mentioned.

Are you always this miserable and weak? Leaning on others? Depending on someone else to fix your problems? You wouldn't need to worry with such things if you allowed me to help you. Honeyed words as he kept repeating them while feeding on her insecurity. Kept feeding on that feeling of worthlessness and doubt. The crack in the mental barrier fading from a brilliant blue to an ember red.

You are already capable, but you are holding yourself back. His final words before she attempted to shut his voice out. The presence of her barrier beginning to dim as he waited and poured more into reminding her of her failures, of her need to confide in others about her doubts. Of her inability to lead or decide.

His wicked smile having only just formed when another voice filled the dark space like unchained lightning.

You have no idea what we are capable of. A lilting voice had filled his mind, with no sign of an attack or otherwise as he scanned her memories. Each time his eyes passed by the shimmering veil of thoughts and illusory landscapes, a glimpse of something else seemed to meet his gaze before disappearing beyond perception.

I doubt that child. Boldly proclaiming his confidence on the matter as the air crackled with unbridled hatred at his words.

Do not. Her mental barrier grew dim, the color paling before twisting into a barbed wall of tangled vines and protruding branches. Anger replacing desperation as the unfettered feelings of a scorned child began to occupy the mental space.

Call me. The link that connected Lossa, Briana, and Gatz began to harmonize. A string drawn tight and plucked with malicious intent as Lossa's mind began to round on its attacker. Dread had filled it the last time a great emotion had filled Lossa. A cocktail of misery and long buried feelings at the Gala singing a song of woe.

This time was different, as the cord began to erratically dance with anger and long seeded malice.

Child. The mental invasion ground to a halt, and the mental barrier stood now in a deep red as her subconscious took hold. Her everyday self falling away and shielding itself from anything more as she retreated deep within her core to hide. To run away once more as she had done all those years ago.

The Pureblood stood in awe of the creation that had been made without his doing. Silently excited with the idea of bringing this under his control. At wielding such a being for his own purposes. His resolve now cemented as he began to match the surprising resilience behind the façade of meek ability. Lossa's subconscious now drawing upon the evils the world around them offered. Gorging on the vitriol and hedonistic greed to fuel her unbridled feelings as the invader squared off with her.
____________

The facility always held shadows.

The corners of each room had never known true light even when it had first been built with some care. And less so now that it was a mere throw away tool for beings that held no sanctity for the well-being of anyone but themselves. But the shadows in the corners began to absorb the light. Began to expand little by little as the fight downstairs went on.

An uneasy feeling that no one could put words to spreading like a disease among their already cautious minds. An itching at the back of their conscious minds. A worry about their well being that put each on edge when meeting their fellows in passing.

A wariness that had not been present prior now etching itself upon them as they gripped their weapons tightly. Watched a few moments longer as they passed by. Every little indiscretion prior now blooming into a personal affront that each begin to think on.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons: Sith Lightsaber - Concealed within R4-Z3
Tag: Lossa Darcuhl Briana Sal-Soren Vera Noble Lily Decoria

"Vera, you better have your crash webbing on." Despite their situation, he manages warmth for Little Bug.

Then Gatz can feel Briana's eyes on him, reading him like an open book. She might not have been in his mind these days, but their connection had lasted long enough that she didn't need to be. She knows him, more than anyone, and more than she probably would have liked. That should bother him, he knows. Gatz finds that he's grateful instead.

But that works both ways. Gatz takes one look at her, and he can see the question on her lips. It's not one he wants to answer. It's not even one that he knows how to answer. The way Lossa has become the focus of his affection is new to him, and he needs time to sort out what that means.

"Later," Gatz tells Briana anyway, "I promise."

But then, through Briana, he feels Lossa. And something is happening to her, though he's unsure of what. Gatz only knows that it can't be good, not while she's in the clutches of The New Way.

The Red Night makes planetfall faster than she should.

Twenty-five metric tons of durasteel hits the atmosphere, compressing the air in front of them. The pocket of oxygen ignites, and explodes over his father's ship, setting her alight in flames. On her hull, the red and black paint begins to burn away, stripping the The Red Night of the colors she's always been adorned in, as far back as Gatz's earliest memory of her.

The ship herself will survive, as any space worthy vessel is rated for atmospheric entry. But the paint is not just paint. It is the collective memory of every joy shared with his father. The Red Night had faded, been stripped, or been scratched time and time again. A streak of visible plain durasteel here, a new layer of red needed there. And each time, they had touched her up, and they had touched her up together.

But never has The Red Night been bare. Not once, in all his ownership, nor all his father's ownership, had the ship been simply steel. He can't even imagine what that would look like. But now, as the last of the fire burns away, Gatz knows that sight is what awaits him when he lands.

Gatz is burning his memories of his father for the Sal-Sorens. He does this for Lossa.

He does this for Briana.

The surface approaches fast—at precisely 1250 kilometers per hour, The Red Night's top speed in atmosphere. Too fast, and too dangerous. Gatz doesn't even blink. He yanks on the control yoke, and durasteel creaks as his ship pitches upwards. They straighten out at the last second, and The Red Night soars toward the compound at only three meters above the ground.

Child's play, for him.

Gatz doesn't bother trying to hide their approach. It's pointless. The New Way has Lossa, which means that they know Briana is coming for her. So, bold as always, Gatz sets The Red Night down at the front door of their silly little facility. The sliding door doesn't open, at least, not yet. So Gatz undoes his crash webbing, and stands up.

"Let's not keep her waiting."

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo | Equipment: Lightsaber | Location: | Tag: Gatz Derrevar , Lossa Darcuhl , Vera Noble , Lily Decoria ​

Briana maintained her silence as they breached the atmosphere, her gaze locked on the viewport during their descent. Her fingers tightened their grip on the armrests, betraying her usual composure. It wasn't the man's piloting prowess that made her concerned, but rather his ability to maintain emotional restraint. Gatz had skillfully navigated them past Csilla's graveyard without incident in a previous endeavor, but this mission was of a far more personal nature for them both. Judging by his current handling of his prized vessel, she realized she might need to exercise vigilance on his behalf, as well as hers.

In the space between the sky and the quickly approaching earth, Briana's thoughts drifted, turning to the harrowing story that Cybelle Elyance shared with her about her brief time with The New Way. Brandyn had brought her home in a coma, and when she woke, her connection to the Force had been severed with no assurance of its restoration. Eventually, it'd returned, but that'd been a while ago now. Since then, The New Way had time to evolve, and Lossa's time with them was considerably longer.

There was no telling what kind of condition her cousin might be in when they found her, and feeling the thread of her connection with Lossa shudder in pain set Briana's teeth on edge.

Guns blazing was typically not her style.

Closely observing patrol patterns, discovering the most unobtrusive way in — this was how she liked to operate. Nevertheless, Briana knew there was a significant risk that The New Way might very well kill Lossa if they didn't act swiftly and deliberately.

Following Gatz in unfastening her crash webbing, Briana only paused to address her Padwan's a final time. While she trusted them, there was still a great deal of concerned for their wellbeing. "Listen," she started, "there's no telling what might be in there so I need you both to be focused and ready, okay? More than ever. Trust your instincts and trust each other. Our lives and Lossa's life, depends on it."

As the hatch lowered to reveal the landscape before them, Briana's hand fell to grip her lightsaber tightly. Her gaze shifted and she gave a short nod of acknowledgment to Gatz. "Let's bring Lossa home."

​