Clash

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

"The daggers, yes." Skai confirmed with a nod, while eyes roamed the streets. Ever vigilant for danger from one direction or another- this was not just a city... it was Dromund Kaas and the Sith Empire held no sway here. Not yet anyway, which meant that Cerbera's name would mean nothing if they attracted the attention of one high-born idiot or the other.

"The darts? No. Concentrated spirit ichor, manifested from their realm."

The Witch suddenly refocused her attention on Calina for a moment.

It was a realization that she did not know what she was talking about, probably. "Spirit Ichor is the fundamentals from which all our craft originates," Her hand extended itself and within the span of a single breath smoke whispered clear, before once more the jagged edged sword emerged in her hand. Now that they were calmly walking and Skai had released her hold over her spirit form? Calina would be able to see the soft trickles of acidic wisps brushing from the metal into the air. Almost like condensation.

As if the realm from which it originates is far colder than this one.

Then the sword disappeared again. "Difficult to manipulate, but I always had a knack for it."

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina had to resist, with great difficulty not to burst out 'that's so fething cool'. She had become utterly oblivious to the city around them, watching Skai's every move as the blade reappeared, ice blue eyes trailing along its edge and at the wisps of green smoke that trailed from them. Had they not been walking, she might have tried to take he blade from Skai, if only to see if it could exist beyond her grip. The pain in her leg was enough for her to know that it was most definitely solid.

"So...this ichor, is what allows you to disappear like you do, as well?" she paused, not really waiting for a answer before ploughing forward. "Could you teach me?"

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Breath sucked in just at the last moment when the sword appeared.

Calina might not have said anything, but she didn't need to for Skai to know that she was impressed. It amused the Witch just a little bit. "Difficult to explain... yes and no. To disappear as I have one must be attuned to the spirits, hear them, feel them... be part of them." It was definitely difficult to explain by the way of her confused expression. "When I disappear, part of me steps through the veil and moves in the realm of the spirits, one must embrace them to be able to do that."

It was difficult, taxing, to remain there for any prolonged amount of time without being ripped to shreds by the hungry ones.

At least that was how the story went- for some reason Skai had never experienced in like that. She had felt at home there and sometimes it was difficult not to just close her eyes.... fade and remain there for the length of her days.

"You already have a Master." Skai pointed out. It was the reason they were here together after all.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

"So?" Calina's retort was childish and she knew as much, so she chose to expand it. "She is, technically my third master. Anaya Fen is my first and foremost. My mother, but from her I've learnt all I can. Darth Vornskr was my second, Lady Cerbera my third." She was talking a little faster now, eager and excited, a hungry glean in her eyes, pain in her leg utterly forgone.

"If I had but one master, I would be restricted in what knowledge I can gain. Secrets are commonplace among sith, it makes learning something new difficult without broadening your horizons. So, teach me."

"Please." she added as an after thought.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Skai wrinkled her nose.

She had heard of both those names.

Say one thing about Cerbera, say she cared intimately about knowledge and competence. The first few months had been spend drilling her on every shred of information that could be helpful to her- out there in the wilds of Dathomir one did not exactly get a lot of knowledge on the outside world. In fact, the first few weeks were used to teach her how to operate common place equipment: from something as simple as the HoloNet to the complications of piloting a starfighter and even a medium-sized freighter.

Complicated, difficult, but it had been the players of power within the Galaxy that Cerbera had paid much attention to. A young ignorant Sith was a dead one and knowing who to bow to, who to avoid, who to run from and who to ignore?

Were important tools for survival.

"Do not mistake my caution for unwillingness to share my knowledge, Calina." The Dathomiri finally responded. "Lady Cerbera has strange standards-" Pleasant, cool, always charitable, until she imprisoned you in her dungeon and experimented on you. Why? Only for the green-skin to know and she never explained herself, unless she wished to. "-if I were to teach you, we would need to make sure the Master does not find that offensive."

She did not wish her eyeballs to be soaked in acid.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina blew an annoyed sigh out of her nose, but dropped the argument nonetheless. There was something in Skai's response that suggested an inkling of fear for Cerbera's unpredictability and possibility of punishment. "I don't think I am in the position to ask permission for anything from her." she said after a long pause.

"On a scale of 'not really' to 'I'm-going-to-be-the-subject-of-her-experiments-for-the-next-few-weeks', how pissed is she at me for not returning?" Calina wasn't afraid, she should have been really, but she wasn't. A masters wrath was a part of the process, from it, she would only learn. "I'd like to know what I'm walking into."

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

"She was quite adamant that she wishes you alive." But that could be worse.... it could be a good thing, but it could also be a very bad thing. It was a common misconception that death was the worst thing that could happen to a person.

Oh, Calina might have experienced torture at the hands of her first two Masters, yes.

But both of them had still been at least moderately interested in her extended state of capability. If Cerbera had lost her interest in Calina as an apprentice? If she no longer had a figure like Anaya behind her as a deterrent for continued survival? Then not even the sky was a limit of what their Master could do to her. But most of this was conjecture based around her own fears for her. It could be that nothing would happen- after all, this had all been months ago.

While Cerbera only asked for her retrieval a few days ago.

"It depends on the severity of the mission you were send on and your reasons to go... missing." She eyed her. "Do not try to lie. She will know."

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina shot Skai an irritated look. "I am not that stupid, Skai." she retorted. Distracted for a brief moment at how Skai's name rolled nicely off her tongue. Her irritation vanished and a smile replaced it. The ain in her leg was returning, perhaps in anticipation of what was to come. She scanned about them for a distraction from the possibilities running through her head.

It had been months ago, and she had not chased Calina at all. Why now?

"You're taking me off this hell hole I assume?"

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

An inclination of the head followed as acceptance of the fact spoken.

No, she was not that stupid, a stupid person would not have surrendered when faced by overwhelming force. They would have fought to the very end and then... simply expired over a non-issue- still stupid enough to begin the fight in the first place. But Skai couldn't hold that against her, not when she would have done the same thing in her position. In her experience there were slaves and there were those holding the leashes, if you allowed yourself to kneel too often?

Your knees might forget what it is like to stand-up straight.

"Yeah, I will fill you in where we are going once we are on my ship." Too many ears listening greedily here. "I am curious, what have you been doing all this time?"

It seemed rather foolish in her eyes to ignore the commands of one such as Cerbera, but perhaps there was a good explanation? She didn't doubt that the Sith Lord already knew why. She asked because she hadn't been told about it.

Up ahead the starport was already rising- it wasn't as big and expansive as the one in the jungles, but that would take them through several check-points... and Skai hadn't been hopeful about their chances.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina understood the need to relay information away from prying ears, her eyes scanning the building crowards as they drew nearer to the station. She did not share Skai's concern for their chances at passing through security. Controlled by the sith or not they security here were infidels, defenceless against the power that would eventually come to consume them.

"Working for my mother." Calina replied, drawing her eyes back to the pale skinned dathomirian woman. "Infiltrating myself deeper into her networks. When she dies, I will need to be known in order to take full control. Cerbera's mission..." she trailed off trying to find the right words. "became insignificant. I am hoping that she will understand that the task she set me was just so."

Hope was a fools dream.

The spaceport drew closer, and Calina's blood stained clothes were drawing more than a few interested eyes.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

For her sake Skai hoped she wouldn't describe it as insignificant when she tried to explain herself before Cerbera.

Any interested looks were quickly warded off by the depth of Skai's scowl. When that became too little to push the interest away a jagged dagger suddenly emerged from the depths of her sleeves- it was longer than the usual dagger, jagged edge for increased pain when drawing out, it seemed darker than usual like obsidian. More importantly Skai seemed to know exactly how to use it, letting it roll gently in her hand as a sign of: "Don't kark with me, or you will get karked."

And not in a good way.

Took them awhile, but eventually they managed to push through the crowds towards the landing platform where she had parked her ship.

There was a problem though. The problem being that it seemed to have attracted unwanted attention- half a dozen strong boys, loitering and leaning against the hull of the ship. The dark robes, the bloodshot eyes and the shadows underneath the eyes told the tale.

Sith.

"Boys, sounds like we found the owner of this pretty thing... surprising that she herself is the real pretty thing."

Oh hell naw.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina's fell silent when the dagger slipped in being in Skai's hand understanding that they were pressing into close quarters. What ever conversation they had left would have to wait until ears were not so close. The lack in conversation however, brought the pain in Calina's leg back to the forefront of her mind, by the time they'd pushed through the crowds she felt sick, and her skin had paled greatly.

She smirked slightly at their comment. Skai was not what Calina would call pretty. No she would use the word beautiful...and deadly. She reached out into the force, drawing on for strength, letting it pulse through her veins, using the pain in her leg as its driving force. No matter how much she wanted to believe it was possible, they would not be talking their way out of this one.

"What a pity for you boys, that neither pretty thing are available for hire." She did not stop to entertain them as she spoke, heading past them straight for the ship. One made a beeline for her, cutting across her path and forcing her to a halt, he stepped in close, a good head taller than her attempting to intimidate. Sh held her ground seeing the others shift out of the corners of her eyes, moving to the pair of them.

"Who said we were paying?" he sneered at her, a tattooed hand reaching to grab her chin. "We take what we --" a beam of read punched upwards, through his chin and out the top of his head. "Don't fething touch me." She growled, pulling the saber free. There was a beat, a moment of still as his body hit the floor.

A ripple worked through the group, and chaos erupted.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

There were two manners of beasts in the wild.

Those who fled.

Those who fought.

Sith usually were the latter, but in a large enough quantity there are always specimens of the first. Out of six three were gone - one dead, two fleeing the scene (but never forgotten). Two rounded for Calina, she seemed the larger threat right now with extended lightsaber and one kill already under her belt.

Strength in numbers.

The leader, though, the one who had spoken up first? He came straight for Skai with murder in his eyes. "I am going to enjoy rippin-" The Sith boy never finished the sentence as Skai's fist was driven in his stomach, forcing him to double over and an elbow thrusting down to impact neck. It would have finished her portion of the fight quickly- sadly... this was a Sith and the lightning already cackled as pain enhanced strength and caused fury.

It was instinct that saved the Witch.

She kicked him away, using the momentum to drop a few meters farther away from him.

Distance saved everything.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina rolled her eyes, as two swung her way, she was getting more than a little tired of being picked on. Nevertheless she set her stance, as one lit his own saber, and energy crackles at the others do her tips, fury blazing in his eyes.

The lightening hit first, caught on Calina's saber and reflected away from her. It slowed down the other opponent, but still left her open for attack. She assessed their surroundings quickly, seizing a crate in the force and launching it at the sparking Sith.

The glare of blue lightening stopped, and Calina's saber swung in time to meet the incoming blow from the larger of the two. She met his bloodshot gaze and bared teeth and repayed him with a sweet and innocent smile.

Cockiness inherited from her mother.

Their lightsaber clashed again and again, his strikes powerful, and Calina only just keeping them at bay. She'd opt for speed and agility over strength, but her already injured leg was proving a hindrance. He pushed her further and further back till she felt a large transport crate at he heel.

"Got you now, queen." He spat at her.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

And just as the Sith lad was going to cut through Ovmar's pretty head something yanked at his foot.

Instead of slashing he tripped, face first towards Calina's chest region.

Skai didn't look further to see what happened there. Instead she was dancing around the scene, avoiding lightning and lightsabers by the inch of her skin, laughing, enjoying herself as the dance intensified, as their frustration mounted, as they could only hit air instead of herself. Then she disappeared once more in smoke and ashes.

One cut through his ankle and the Sith stumbled, his attention to the back and a second thrust cut him straight through the neck. The body collapsed next.

"How you doing over there, Lin?"

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina had a split seconds notice, given by the widening of his surprised eyes and the sudden shift of his weight, as to the fact he was falling. She deactivated her lightsaber letting him fall before thumbing it back to life to punch through his chest. At least he had a good view when he died. She heaved him off her, eyes scanning for the others, head tilting slight as Skai decapitated the last one standing. There was something in the soft ripple of her muscles, and the joy in her eyes at the kill, that made her incredibly attractive.

Calina leaned against the crate feeling the adrenaline wear off and the pain returning but smiling all the same. "Enjoying the view, actually." she quipped. Her leg trembled dangerously beneath her and she sank back against the crate, pale. Her trouser leg was slick with blood now. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Pain is strength.

She drew on the force again, forcing herself to stand, limping towards the ship. "Can we get off this vile planet before I pass out, please?"

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Brows rose up as she looked past her shoulders to Calina.

"Can't give you his number anymore sadly." Skai responded with a smirk. "Bit too late for that." A kick and the body twitched slightly, not in the sign of life, but the ending death noise of a corpse not yet willing to let go. The spirit was already gone, ripped away from the very moment her blade cut through and life-blood escaped.

Was she aware that Ovmar was flirting with her?

Maybe.

But the witch had other things on her mind, like the fact that they were in the middle of a starport in enemy territory. Just had killed a couple of Sith acolytes with onlookers... while others had ran.

There would be repercussions if they didn't leave.

"Yeah, let's go." If necessary Calina would be supported by Skai as they stumbled into the ship.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina did not seek support, too afraid to show weakness, even if at this very point in time she was weak. Was it idiotic? Probably, but pride generally was. The trick to preventing that idiocy from becoming a life threatening issue was learning when to swallow it, and right now she could be as stubborn and as prideful as she damn well wanted, because there was no threat, not now they were on board.

She let Skai lead the way to the ships cockpit, dropping into the copilot seat a little heavier than she had planned. She didn't bother trying to offer assistance to get them in the air, her eyes had become heavy lidded and things were more than a little blurry. She did however, succeed in strapping herself in and roll her head to watch the pale skinned woman slide in and out of focus.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

"Stay with me there, Lin." Skai mumbled while disengaging from the landing pad and getting them in the air. No alarms, no nothing, it seemed that they finally managed to get a lucky break.

More often than not that would mean something would go wrong right about now.

But nothing did.

They broke atmosphere and then jumped to hyperspace without any trouble. That was good, she was getting tired from killing idiots on something that was supposed to be a routine extraction job. But who could have known that Calina would be a pain in the ass? Well, who could have known that Skai would push her as hard as she did?

Cerbera probably.

Didn't seem like her not to realize the issues that might pop up.

* * *​

​

Calina would wake up in a room of white on a table.

Parts of the fabric of her clothing wrapped and pushed up, to give access to wounds that had been cleaned out and stitched up if necessary, the anesthesia wore off just as Skai was cleaning out the equipment, standing with her back to Ovmar.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina woke slower than she would have liked, the anaesthetic still clinging to her senses making her feel like she was moving through something dense as she forced herself upwards, blinking the room into focus. "Ugh, did you have to dope me?" she grumbled, rubbing her face and giving her head a quick shake. Her eyes travelled round the clinical room, distaste crossing her features, she never did like environments like this, they reminded her too much of the day she was released from her tank.

it was not all bad though, she thought, as her eyes found the back of Skai's head and travelled down, taking a quiet moment to take in the curve of her waist, the pert backside and those slender but powerful legs. A smirk played on her lips, and she had to remind herself that Skai was not only her superior, but could kill Calina easily if her attention was not welcomed.

She dropped her gaze to the freshly dressed wounds on her legs, before reaching to pick up her trousers, fingering the holes the darts had put in them. "Do you have any spare clothes?" she asked, pouting slightly.

[member="Skai"]