Checkmate [Acolyte Edition]

[Talos Rygat]

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Sitara Qin"] [member="Athena Heron"]

The order was to kill them with illusions. Seemed simple in principle. He first looked into the mind of the Rodian, as they were his least favorite species. Inside this ones head was images of its family. A youngling playing on the floor of their home while its wife cooked dinner. He felt the happiness, next thing the Rodian would feel was dispair. The Echo in its mind surplanted the happy image with that of a kidnapping gone wrong. His child now layin a pool of its own blood, crushed by a tipped shelf unit. His wife was being beaten by a Twi'lek and an Iridonian. In the Rodians hand was a pipe. He could save her. He could save his wife...

The Twi'lek saw the image of a bar scene, music playing, people dancing and drinking all around. Then as the strobe lights flashed, the scene went from ecstasy to a blood bath. All around, bodies began to fall, throats slashed and the culprits were a Rodian and an Iridonian. The Twi'lek was the last one and they were looking for him now. With his fists to protect him, the Twi'lek went in to fight or flight mode. Survival was key and he wanted to survive. Anger took the place of fear as he found himself charging the pair...

Finally, the Iridonian. This one started bad, as he awoke in a dungeon, covered in blood and filth. His knuckles hurt like he'd been fighting. He turned as a gate opened behind him to an arena. Inside the arena, a sword lay by his feet and two opponants stood across him. A Rodian and a Twi'lek...

The Echos left their brains but the images remained. The trio turned on each other, fear and rage in their eyes. The first swing would set off a chain reaction, enabling the rest to react...

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori listened to the Sith Lord, whilst simultaneously keeping control of her pet. The concept of competition was not new to her – but this approach was. Yet other Acolytes seemed able to control three prisoners without expending any effort at all, so she suspected this would be a short contest from her perspective. Enjoyable…but short.

So she led her charge outside, where were it not for the neon, there would be no light at all. Where you could only tell where the ground ended and the walls started by the variation in dirt and types of mould. But for what they were about to do, it would be a perfect setting, death seemed so natural here – and what harm would a pint or ten of blood do?

Melori wondered about how to control multiple people. Some obscure death match would scare most away, yet – in the back of her mind – she suspected that a certain type of individual would be drawn to the contest. The sort that nobody would miss if they became casualties in the game.

Was Melori competitive? You bet. But she was also pragmatic. Mental Abilities were not her forte and she knew her limitations. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have some fun. Lots of it.

So she headed to where the droids indicated and saw the markings that clearly delineated the playing field. Her pet was strong and despite the handicap of only one eye, she fancied he’d give as good as he got. But she scanned the area for an improvised weapon regardless – anything in fact to tip things in his favour.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Sena Lassiter"] | [member="Wolf"]

 

[Sitara Qin]

The Sith Lord wanted their pawns dead.

Sitara took a seat next to the younger boy, the link between their minds tightening. Illusions couldn’t kill you. She told herself, But you can still die in your sleep. She calmed herself, allowing her mind to rest. She couldn’t continue to strain her body and mind. Mind control was an acquired art, after all, and it required loads of concentration. She needed to clear her head first, to think.

The small boy was simply laying on the cold hard floor, staring into the nothingness. She sighed, and brought his head onto her lap. She stroked his hair softly, humming to him. She needed him to stay calm else it’d be harder for her to penetrate his mind yet again. Her eyes wondered off to look at the cloaked visitor. He was invoking feelings of rage, of fear into his three little puppets.

Sitara only had one person to play with, and she didn’t want him to simply self-destruct and stab himself. That would be far too easy, making someone want to commit suicide. She closed her eyes, her fingers massaging his head. The humming simply softened into nothing at all. Her mind was wondering, searching for that same tunnel. A connection was established and she held onto it tightly.

Their minds were linked once more.

The trick to killing her little puppet wasn’t only playing with his mind but tricking his brain entirely. Wasn’t that the point of mind control?

His eyes shut close.

You’re only dreaming. She’d whisper into his thoughts. Yes, you’re asleep. Don’t worry, everything is okay. And he was, he was asleep. Everything was going to be okay. At least, for the time being.

She weaved another story, another dream. This time, she’d allow him some of the control. She remembered speaking to a certain Marek Starchaser about domination. Sitara didn’t like her victims thinking they had the upper hand. However, after hearing part of the Sith Lady’s lecture on illusions, she has learned that when it came to tricking the mind, it was better to slowly penetrate them and make them think that everything was all right.

And that was when you turned the cards.

Child, have you ever heard of lucid dreaming?

He would feel in control now, though his body hadn’t moved an inch. He understood that he was dreaming, yet at the same time, everything looked fine. It was then when he couldn’t move. Wake up, he told himself. Wake up. She could feel his body tensing up beneath her and she simply stroked his head.

That’s right, kid. You can’t move.

Sleep paralysis. There was something coming for him. What it was, he didn’t know. It was funny when you wanted to run away from something you couldn’t even see. The fear of a shadow chasing you, the fear of being caught, that was enough to invoke a sense of panic. Please, he begged, please.

Still, he couldn’t move. The world around him still looked completely normal, although he could feel something stalking after him. What was that? His eyes would search his peripheral vision. Did something just move? She could feel his heart tensing up. Did the oxygen levels just drop in here?

He could feel eyes burning into his back. He was terrified to turn around. The small hairs on his arms began to rise.

Chit.

He didn’t even notice his throat closing shut. He felt like he was holding his breath, waiting for whatever it was to come get him. His legs weren’t moving. Everything was normal. Everything was normal.

But what was that? What was in the corner of his eye?

No. It’s coming to get me, He screamed.

The shadow towered over him.

I can’t breath. I can’t breath.

And he certainly couldn’t.

His body was experiencing a periodic bout of suffocation, putting serious stress on him. He was far too consumed with the monster playing with him to notice that his brain had paused in sending signals to the muscles that managed his breathing. This was what Sitara wanted to tackle, how she wanted to destroy him. Blood and guts were messy, and they were definitely not her style.

It was amazing how your brain could self destruct through simple illusions.

A few minutes had passed and Sitara could no longer feel a pulse nor a mind to mess with. The monster had gotten to him. She sighed, her eyes opening. She was tired, though she felt like she could go on.

Death by sleep paralysis, what a sweet way to go.

| [member="Darth Legion"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Athena Heron"] |

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Sitara Qin"] [member="Darth Legion"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"]


Blue-toned face scrunched up partly in anticipation and partly in disgust. Lips curled back to form the b-syllable in the word but when one look at the sith lord Xiangu's face silenced the Omwati. The acolyte thought death was too good...too easy for her pawn. On the other hand, she earlier fears of not being cautious enough disappeared. Lord Xiangu wouldn't kill her for a mental mishap.

Keeping thoughts to herself, she turned her full attention back on the male smuggler, caught in his nightmare.

What started as one spider on his arm, his neck, turned into more coming from the shadows on the edges of his cell. He physically backed up as far as his confines would allow, muttering a soft, 'no, no.' The novice mentalist urged more. More.

The man screamed and clawed at his face. The spiders filled the floor and crawled up his skin until he saw no more flesh or clothing. They continued their slow march into his nostrils, ears, mouth. His screams became choked. Slowly he sunk to his knees, face became red. With one last gurgling sound, he crumpled to the floor.

A waste.

Her clothes matted with sweat. When she stood, she felt the ground pitch slightly. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she pushed through the fatigue, refusing to show weakness in front of the others as she made her way to the starting area.

 

[Lassiter]

What was wrong with Sena? The first few steps they took into the cityscape in order to start this free for all of theirs had her worried except it was not about herself but the young woman she had picked to be her first pawn. Rules be damned she wanted this girl to leave that dungeon at least once before her potential demise.

They stepped into a murky alleyway. It seemed like the same alley she had first encountered her old friend Khaleel within. She had threatened to cut his manhood away that day, the thought caused a disheartened chuckle to part her lips. Somewhere along the way it was as if-...

Her eyes set on the young girl she was controlling.

It was as if she had suddenly come to care for someone beneath her. The idea of losing this pawn was horrible. This game wasn’t about which pawn would live but which of the controllers that could put on the best choreography of blood and death. Yet she wanted none of it for the woman she was already in control of. Her fingers slowly tapped at the dagger by her hip. There was a way to ensure it never happened. Sena didn’t like it, but there was a way.

Turning the woman away from Sena she let go of the control. It was an illusion of freedom, it was all the woman had thought of before being taken to be a pawn in this game of theirs. This was her gift, her final goodbye.

A dagger to her throat and a staggered breath yet there was no resistance.

“I am sorry.” The young acolyte's voice softened up as she spun the woman around in an embrace. “I am so sorry.”

She was confused, this wasn’t normal. For the first time in a long time she felt that one thing she hadn’t felt in a long time; remorse. Her eyes welled up with tears as the overwhelming feeling of self-contempt flared up. The woman slowly went limp in Sena’s arms and she slowly lowered her to the ground.

The situation was not made better by the sense of relief and excitement as the subconscious laugh track of Sena’s mind played at the internal passenger’s request. She was a hypocrite to feel it, but it was rather her than one of the other competitors. She let the content smile remain on her victim’s lips remain as a hand dragged itself across the dead woman’s features to close her eyes.

She was at peace and it had all been because of an illusion.

Slowly rising from her crouched position Sena turned her mind to the game yet again. She needed a new pawn, she needed to keep her mind off of what had just happened. A final look went over to the girl whose blood had tainted the player’s clothes with their crimson hues.

“You there!” She called out for anyone to hear as her attention set upon a small crowd nearby. “Yes, you.”

The small boy no younger than thirteen would have to do. He was innocent, pure and naive; Sena was neither of them. Fear became her weapon as flash for flash she let imagery from [member="Matsu Xiangu"]’s dungeon pop into his mind. A pained scream, a frightful cry from a kid in terror. She was not gentle and she didn’t plan on being as such either. Not anymore.

‘There are men out there looking to take you there.’ Her new victim shakingly rose from the ground. ‘Stick close to me, bring that knife with you and I’ll point you at them. I just want you to be safe.’

The kid obeyed without question and a devilish smirk grew on her lips. ‘Try not to die.’

It was now that the fun part began. [member="Wolf"] and [member="Melori Raaf"] had the young Corellian-slash-Vahla's full attention.

... Whenever she'd find them that is.

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori scanned the area. Where was an iron bar when you needed one? Or a blaster? Or even a frag grenade? Finally her eyes alighted on a brick. Statistically it was better than nothing - but not a huge way along the continuum.

So she directed her pet to pick up the improvised weapon and scanned the area with the Force. Her opponent would need to be close to their charge, so she headed in the direction of the one Force aura she could detect and pulled gently on her metaphorical leash.

'Come, we have some fun to wreak.'

Spoiler

Short post as I don't want to move on too far and am hoping this will spark interest again. If not, Sena and I will go toe to toe (albeit other people's toes)

 

[Lassiter]

The images would continue to flash across the boy’s mind. It felt barbaric but at least it kept her mind off of things. Couldn’t say it did the boy any wonders but within the next twenty minutes he would be but a memory, so did anyone truly care for him? Sena didn’t, those others in the crowd certainly didn’t seem to. He was all alone, him against a world looking to drag him off to a dungeon he had only seen in his mind and dreams. There was a wicked sense of familiarity to the whole situation again, but unlike the woman this kid didn’t remind the girl of herself.

Would be kind of hard for him to do, he wasn’t a woman himself.

‘Round the corner, is it safe?’ She placed herself on the very edge and let the boy go first. ‘Wave your hand by your side if it’s clear.’

With the wave of a hand the involuntary duo went on. Blondie was near, she could feel it but she could not sense where. The boy reached for the knife on his belt with a tension unlike any Sena had seen before. He was shaking, he was sweating and his eyes darted around the area like crazy. Oh it was just a matter of time.

“Come out, blondie. I will find you eventually.”

[member="Melori Raaf"]

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Sena Lassiter"] [member="Sena Lassiter"]

The cool shadows mixed with the heat of daylight sparked some energy back into the acolyte. That and the tendrils of the darkside she felt from her fellow opponents. Reaching the starting area, she saw a teenage boy hunched against a wall. He was probably fifteen.

She raced into his mind and quickly realized it was already riddled with deathstick-rot.

Good.

She put in subtle feelings: someone would take his first love, his drugs and supplies. He was running out of time to protect his stash. He needed to take out that vibroblade in his pocket and get ready. He had to kill the ones in his way.

Extending her senses through the darkside, she extended it like a black, web, searching for the tendrils that belonged to her opponents. With a swift leap, bounce, and jump, she found herself perched on the edge of a rooftop, a good distance above the streets. Her charge wandered below, following the mental urging of his mistress above as she sought out her prey with a hawk-like gaze.

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori could not be bothered with stealth. For sure there was a time and a place for it, but as far as she was concerned it was not here or now.

And the concept of winning was secondary to learning. She cared naught for this man. If he died to teach her things, it was a fair trade. He was already dead in truth - only the timing was up for debate. So if he won the fight with whatever was thrown at him, he could well live. That was almost a positive!

“Come out, blondie. I will find you eventually.”

OK, so the other Acolyte was near. And rounding a corner, Melori realised how near. She didn't speak. She didn't smile. Her eyes glanced at the child. He had a knife but he was a child.

'Kill him. Use your superior reach and...just...kill...him. NOW.'

Tactics seemed irrelevant. He knew how to inflict pain, she'd seen it in his eyes. Now it was just about going that final step and taking a life. It was, she was assuring him through her mind control, a very, very short step.

[member="Athena Heron"] | [member="Sena Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

She leaned back at the wall. The small crowd nearby gasping as the other crazed man dug his weapon into the kid’s being. The loss of a pawn was truly dreadful. Such heartache spread through the acolyte’s entire soul.

“Oh nooo. What a tragedy, I am so shocked.” Spoken with utter apathy. “Oh how could he possibly do that?”

Part two of the game. Retaliation. A yank at the tendrils of another’s mind. A woman’s fears of being exposed to what she had just seen and her partner’s fear of not being able to protect her from it. Two people at once, for all it was worth a look of unease fell upon Sena as she continued to lean against the walls of the local café.

There was a pulse within her head, a throbbing like if she was out of her depths. It was like the start of a stress-induced headache. For each step and noise around her the world seemed to grow blurry. The wills of the other two were not with her, they weren’t broken yet.

‘The man poses a threat. If he is not taken care of you will surely die.’

The rapid imagery of other couples who had suffered the same fate at Sena’s very own hands plowed through the couple like a steam train. The pools of blood, the hopelessness in their eyes, every detail. Case after case of couples who had died tragically together. All of them unresolved, and all of them ever so fulfilling.

Without further ado the couple began a casual and inconspicuous stroll.

‘Good, you’re both looking to check out what had happened and- NOW!’

The couple tossed their combined strength at the man. Unarmed and looking to subdue the threat to everyone’s safety. The usual techniques would ensue. Face punching, face ripping, face crushing and pelvis kicking.

[member="Melori Raaf"]
[member="Athena Heron"]

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori watched as the man fought the boy – both figuratively and literally. The contest was over before it started really – the man’s superior reach and strength too much for a blade to compensate for.

Melori took no pleasure in the killing but she did in the learning. How she could use her mind to such an extent. It would never be her preferred fighting style, but as an additional tool? It worked well.

Melori glanced around for the next threat but saw none. Plenty were watching but none appeared to be presenting a danger to her pet. A couple seemed to be concerned about the boy but she saw no aggression in them and so continued to scour the area.

Her first mistake and it was a fatal one – at least for her pet it was. She felt the pain before she saw who was inflicting it. Through their shared connection she sensed every punch, kick and gouge. Hands and feet were used and without any guidance he simply took the beating.

Realising her error she tried to fight back. A handful of hair, a tooth flying – but his injuries were too many and too swift for him to stand a chance. She let him go, like cutting the strings on a marionette and looked for a new puppet to control.

[member="Sena Lassiter"] | [member="Athena Heron"]

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Melori Raaf"] [member="Sena Lassiter"]

The thinnest of smiles tugged at her lips as she saw the scene unfold below, sensing the work of her fellow acolytes. She held her charge back, nudging him closer. Waiting for the most opportune moment. Waiting....waiting...

Now.

The dagger of her charge glinted in the waning afternoon-light that became snuffed out between shadows. She sent the mental urges to the spice-addict. Stab the man in the back first, then slash the woman across the gut. They took your drugs. You can get a fix after this. Soon. Soon. Kill them.

Of course, she had no idea if her spice-addict charge would be quick enough to attack both. But his will was molded to her needs well like dough on a shaping board.

 

[Lassiter]

It was a tragedy written in blood, was it not? A crimson symphony running down the gutter as the spice addict thrust his dagger in the back of the unarmed man. Sena let go of the control she had exerted over the couple. Her head cleared up as the headache subsided with only the screams of a woman as her gut was cut open brought Sena back into the land of the living. The lack of guidance on her half saw the woman drop to the floor. A final glance at her fiancée’s dead body the last thing she ever saw.

Yet why was this still not as rewarding as if Sena had done it herself?

It didn’t matter, in the end she was having fun. The act of controlling two pawns was added to the no-go list. At least for the moment. She needed a new pawn. Any pawn, really. There were many to pick from but she wanted to pick someone who they wouldn’t see coming, but who? She had picked a kid and she had picked a couple.

Continuing her lean against the wall she nonchalantly checked her nails. Clean as usual. With the top of her hand stretched out in front of her a slight glimmer in the distance caught her eye. The look of surprise on her face said it all as she stared into the light of a policeman’s holstered blaster.

‘You won’t be able to keep everyone here safe. You won’t be able to keep anyone safe.’ The acolyte tore away at his facade. ‘See that addict? That man and woman? They had just jumped a murderer, and now they’re dead all thanks to you.’

‘Why didn’t you come earlier? Why are they dead and not you?’ Crazy eyes ensued as Sena stared at the policeman from afar. ‘You need me. I can help you become the law, but only if you do exactly what I say.’

The cop looked at his blaster and nodded reassuringly. ‘Good, tell your colleague to approach and apprehend him. You need to keep the civilians in check.’

With a wave and whisper the cop leaned into his radio. His colleague trusting the judgment of his old friend set off into the middle of the town square to arrest the addict. The pawn had officially turned someone else into a pawn.

Sena marvelled at the mere idea. She was a genius, she couldn’t help it.

[member="Athena Heron"], [member="Melori Raaf"]

 

[Darth Timoris]

The stakes were raised. Clearly there was a new player and for once Melori felt out of her depth. But she was no quitter and it wasn’t as if someone would die because of her lack of ability was it? Actually, yes, that’s exactly how it was.

She considered holding back, allowing the other protagonists to weaken themselves and then capitalise, but where was the learning in that?

So she scanned the area for someone suitable…powerful. But there was no-one. Down here she was amongst the flotsam and jetsam of the planet. She would simply have to make do.

But with two uniforms now under the control of one of the combatants – and with them holding blasters, she wondered what she could do? She was ambitious and arrogant – but she was no fool. She’d proven she could control minds and even get them to kill. To throw another body at an armed officer was pointless and not in line with her code. The unworthy shall die but only if their deaths held a value. These were not Jedi, or even Republic scum. These were quite literally pawns in game of life and death and the mortalities were all theirs.

Acknowledging her fellow Acolyte’s clever move, she left the scene to leave the remaining two Sith to fight over the prize.

[member="Sena Lassiter"] | [member="Athena Heron"]

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Sena Lassiter"]

The spice-addict saw the law coming. With wild-eyes, he lunged at the cops with his knife. But they were faster and there were two of them. "Copper!" He screamed and went for one last blood-curdling lunge.

Athena knew it wouldn't end well. She was already withdrawing as the metallic flash of a blaster caught the sun and a red-kill bolt, sizzled out. Her charge slumped to the ground with a gaping burn-mark in his chest. From the rooftop, her hawk-like gaze aligned with her fellow acolyte through the chaos.

With a salute of two fingers, she conceded a loss and acknowledged the other girl's win.

I am impressed.

There was a gentle nudge on the other girl's mind.

If we are ever in the same battle against the jedi, I would very much like to work with you. Just imagine the mental uproar we would cause.

A fleeting smile curled on her lips as she held Sena's gaze a moment longer, before disappearing beyond the edge of the roof.

 

[Lassiter]

The druggie was taken care of and his lifeless remains brought the situation to an end. The tension lingered but soon enough the officer lowered his blaster. Slowly the crowd seemed to be back to the similar state as it began. More cops flooded the scene and Sena let her control of the cop be relinquished. Still leaning against the wall of the café she let a quiet sweep of admiration fall upon her as the chaos in a quite literal sense ran down the gutter.

Atop the rooftops was the prying eyes of [member="Athena Heron"]. Sena did not know this one’s name, but she could only assume from the messages that not only had she been a competitor, she had also just let Sena win the competition. Question was begged if [member="Matsu Xiangu"] had a prize to offer but quite frankly the idea seemed far too much to ask for in the long run considering what they had just learned to do.

The two acolytes would inarguably meet again. Maybe not right away, but they would meet.

But for now she needed to fade into the crowd. A hand reached out to apply pressure to her head. Two people at once was so off the list, so very off the list. She would have to kill someone for aspirin over this.

If she could survive their screams. No, probably just best to head to the temple for rest. Yeah, that actually sounded a lot better. She sighed. Maybe another time.