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"Thank you. Oh and if I may add, if the sand is suitable for glass, transparisteel or glasteel production, maybe we could get some rights to the sand required for its production"
Depending on the chemical composition of the sand, maybe this place can produce that sort of materials, but making transparisteel and especially glasteel required some iron, while clari-crystalline was usually more lead-intensive, she thought, while being carried away by the implications of using Yurb sand to produce the materials in question. Plus Jessica knew it wasn't her place to play around with jars, even if they were properly labeled as growth jars (presumably used for the purposes of reproduction or early childhood). Other than that, it seemed pretty reasonable: she never knew about Lervon even being called sand spirits, but perhaps the rank-and-file stationed in systems near Yurb may have met them. As was the case on Ringo, it is best to be cautious around the deployment of garrisons: yes, the need for, say, EWS is warranted, and that she knew it would be uncontroversial. Now that they were prepared to meet with the minister, they could get underway and get the best deal to secure the Lervon's food supplies, even if it meant allowing a portion of the sand to be used for other industrial purposes.
Ura looked to the Jedi Master, nodding slightly but gave off a somewhat nervous feeling as her monotone voice spoke up.
"Your welcome, but I would be careful with how I ask about using the sands here for glass production. Being sand-like ourselves.... I think that explains enough." Then, as the time came to meet the Minister of Yurb, Ura looked back over to Jessica. "I hope you are ready Master, but if I may ask, Gadron Borin and his wife and adviser, Leda, do fall under a pair who generally spend their time... together. While they usually split for such events, if you're comfortable with it, I could tell them so." Once the question was answered, Ura would lead Jessica to the meeting place, and knock on the door. A momotone, masculine voice would be heard, saying "Come in."
Just as she reached the door, Thora heard the voice of Nida, somehow the pair had got separated which may have been Thora's fault. She waited at the door for her to arrive, her leg sore from the fall and Thora was finding it hard to place any weight on it. It hurt more than she realised it would and she didn't fancy telling her papa how she got injured. Maybe Nida could help? As Nida approached, Thora could see the look on her face, she was worried and upset that something bad might have happened to her which made her feel worse, she liked Nida and did not want to upset her. I hope she wont be too mad with me.
"I'm sorry", she said as Nida reached her, "It was my fault", most likely it was so she accepted the blame.
From behind the door, Thora heard a strange noise, a low rumbling growl followed by another. It sounded distant but something was in there behind the rusty door. And they didn't sound happy.
"What was that?", she looked up into Nida's face wondering if she heard it too. And in the tradition of a bad horror flick, "I think we should go and see", there was a sense of anger and hunger in the growl, in the creatures that were in the ruined building and Thora knew they wanted to get out.
“Thora!” Gasping with exertion from her speedy trek, Nida took a few moments to catch her breath, one hand clutching at the breast of her robe in relief. “I’m just glad that you’re in one piece!” There was no admonishment into her tone, only gratefulness that she hadn’t been eaten by tigers, or any other strange animal that could be lurking in the forest. “Now, let’s see to that leg.” Bending to settle down onto her knees, Nida guided Thora to seat herself on a low-laying slab of stone. From there, she rolled up the hem of her robe, inspecting the damage from the fall.
One hand brushed over the child’s leg, noting the pale splotching of bruising that had begun to form. Before she’d even assessed Thora fully, she’d gone to work soothing the pain with crucitorn. While her mother could not heal with the Force, manipulating one’s perception of pain was a skill she’d passed on to her daughter—who of course, used it to alleviate the discomfort of her patients. “Poor thing…” Nida set to work healing the damaged tissue, not wanting to return Thora to her family if she was anything less than pristine, health wise. Once the treatment was complete, she swept down to place a brief kiss on Thora’s knee. “All better!”
Thora was a kind child, good natured with a strong heart and a penchant for exploration, and right now Nida was kicking herself for not paying close enough attention to her charge. “We should get back to the base camp.” She insisted, just before a low rumble with the same cadence as thunder emanated from the building beside them. The sound seemed to catch them both off guard, their conversation put on pause for a few moments until the sound had passed. Thora spoke first, and Nida’s eyes were still on that door, looking somewhere beyond it.
“No.” There was quiet authority in her voice as Nida shook her head. She’d encountered wild beasts before, but there was something about this situation that struck her as atypical. Explaining further, she moved to help Thora up off of the rock, though there was no doubt in her mind that the girl could make her own way off. “It’s too dangerous. We need to head back to—wagh!!” The ground around her and Thora crumbled away, earth sinking to drop the pair into a cavern beneath the building. It was a fall of only several meters, but Nida was quick to wrap her arms around Thora and try to shield the girl from as much damage as possible.
Objective 3: Establish a Silver Jedi Embassy on Yurb, for quick and easy communication between the formerly isolated world, and the Order. Nearby: [member="Sylas Taff"], [member="Sapphire Cerulean"]. With:Chip.
The young [member=Sylas Taff] seemed to be having a hard time finding the words fitting for an argument with one's Master, still, Veiere couldn't help but smirk and resign himself to shaking his head, "We'll call this one a draw...-But only because there's work to be done around here!" he gestured to the lad and for his group of misfits, "Do make sure not to disturb the builders, you lot..." he reminded Sylas and his friends before Chip gave another excited series of beeps and whirls.
Above the little droid appeared a transparent blue visual of the facilities layout, all sourced from Chips holo-emitter. What had gotten the little guy so excited was the droids idea to add a droid conditioning center to the east wing of the facility in order to bath, polish and maintain their fellow droid companions during the buildings on-going business. Giving something of a short laugh, Veiere shook his head, though this time in decline; "Afraid not Chip, this isn't going to be that kind of place" he gave the droid an amused look.
"Though now that you mention it, we do appear to be almost finished here save for a few minor interior additions and touch-ups" Veiere added with something of an impressed tone, the number of personnel and the quality of the job that they'd all contributed so hard to, had turned out to produce quite the state-of-the-art facility that would soon be a functioning Embassy of the Silver Jedi Order there on Yurb.
Going in alone had been the final decision. Had been, then there were footsteps in the muck, provoking the drawing of a scatter gun in her hand, fingers of the other hand curled around her datapad, hanging at her side. That same scatter gun trained on the noggin of the (unknown to her) vod aiming her down; a pure reaction to being questioned in threatening tones before seeing who was casting them. She squinted through his helm-light, lowering her own weapon a few degrees upon noting the uniform. The flat expression she wore didn't change one lick, however.
"Rangers?" Her gun lowered a little more, "And me, underdressed, without my 'gam. Don't think runnin' into you was what my buir had in mind, sending me to this dust-ball for agri duty."
Her eyes flicked to the troops behind Amon, before returning her squinting gaze to him.
"Don't think wading through shet to skin a water-poisoning shabuir or two was what he was thinkin', either," the corners of her mouth did a slight upturn, "but I don't think anyone'd mind if I did. Name's Nita, aliit Quez."
Her leg felt so much better after Nida had healed it, the pain from the fall all gone and even the bruising was stopped and Thora was amazed. It was like magic, she knew through the force, one could do amazing things but to see if first hand was .. well .. amazing. She bounced on her feet testing out the leg and nothing, not a tinge of pain and she gave Nida a smile. But that vanished the moment she suggested, no insisted, they go back to base camp, there was no growling things there that needed investigating although her papa might growl if he found out about her wandering off like she did.
But any form of protest was quickly extinguised when the ground gave out from under them. They were falling, which shot fear through her heart, one never knows how long one is going to fall when out of control, Thora could attest to that from very recent experience. Nida might not be so used to falling like Thora, but it is not fun when unintentional.
Once again, Thora was on her bottom but this time the soft soil had not caused her much pain or bruising, but with wide eyes she looked at Nida uncertain if this was supposed to happen. Maybe it was normal for this place, never happens on Midvinter but that did not mean it didn't in weird and wonderful place in the galaxy. "Are you alright?", she asked before Nida could ask the same of her.
Thora looked up, there were not too deep and they could probably climb their way out, she attempted to stand but the ground beneath her shifted and she stopped instantly fearing they might sink deeper. It was unstable and Thora shot out her arms to keep balance and take hold of clumps of sod for something to hold on to. "What will we do?".
Whatever had caused the ground to give way, also caused the creatures in the ruined building to growl even more, as if they too sensed a danger.
STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE OUTPOST YIRT FIRST ORDER SECURITY BUREAU U'TEP MOUNTAINS OPERATION: SANDCASTLE
Kahli and Jhyde took off at full speed the second the smoke grenades filled the air in front of the machine guns with a large, thick cloud. They'd taken up opposite sides in a race for the top even as the bunker blind fired to dissuade any assaulting force from approaching. Prickly karksons even tossed a grenade or two for good measure. Too bad there were only two bodies throwing themselves between the tendrils of fire; not so easy for their vain efforts to cut them down. What their random spray did manage to hit as they swept the ramp leading up to their position hardly registered. Short of debilitating injury or death the First Order lackeys weren't getting off that easy.
The smoke soon began to clear as the canister ran out of propellant. Twin kukri slipped from behind Kahli's back as she leaped into the air, her feet tucked in close to clear the barricade. A spray of red gave their little cove a fresh paint job as she drew a blade across one officer's neck in passing.
Jhyde came in from the other side, the two operatives coming out of a roll and crossing within the bunker. A flurry of blades, blasters, and blood followed their incursion.
"Hold as long as you can, but fall back if necessary," the Captain said as she wiped her blades off on the dead. "We won't need an escape route." They'd come here to purge the base of its occupants, and she didn't intend to leave short of fulfilling that mission. If the enemy happened to devote resources reclaiming the guns to prevent a wave of hostile soldiers flooding their base all the better.
A security card tumbled between Kahli's gloved fingers as she approached the tightly secured door separating the forward placement from the rest of the facility. "Sabotage the guns," she called back before the doors snapped open with the key card inserted.
The black faceplate of the helmet turned to meet that of a surprised officer on the other side of the door. Oh, had he come to check on what had been going on? Shame he couldn't see the Captain's award-winning smile.
Her hand took hold of his freshly ironed uniform and tossed him into Jhyde's comforting embrace.
With a check around the corner, Kahli slipped into the base. First order of business was making sure those dirty boys below had a clean exit. Kahli figured they'd get more than enough exposure to the rough side of missions; no need for them to deal with little thing like slicing open a maintenance hatch or blowing open a hole. They hadn't planned on crawling up through the toilets had they? The Captain would make quick progress toward a maintenance hatch -- someone had to maintain the sewer. Leave a door open for the Lieutenant, and make a ruckus in the meantime to keep the First Order's eye on her instead of down below or searching the halls for an invading force.
[SIZE=9pt]Objective 3: Establish a Silver Jedi Embassy on Yurb[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Nearby: [member="Sylas Taff"], [member="Sapphire Cerulean"] [member="Veiere Arenais"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Personal Objective: Be the IT girl[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Fortunately for Allyson she didn’t have to worry about the heavy lifting or the decorating part of the temple. She had been wandering around the temple adjusting and installing technology so that the temple could communicate with the fastest speeds possible. Wandering out of one of the hallways she headed towards the center of the temple and pulled out a small tablet and started to tap along the data on the screen.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]It didn’t take long, and she smile softly seeing that the system was all online. This meant that communication was going to be the fastest it could be. In case of an emergency, there was going to be no delay for the most part between the temple and the Silver Rest. A flashing red light blinked on the map of the temple caught her attention. Frowning, the Technomancer sighed and wandered over towards a small corner of the room. She removed one of the panels and crawled inside. Her upper half of her body was hidden as she started to fiddle with wires that were tucked away.[/SIZE]
"I'm comfortable with the Lervon couple to remain together for the meeting"
The question being: what did Lervon eat? Securing food supplies were key to obtaining an accord with them, but if her experience in the Valley of the Jedi was any indication, what humans could safely eat may not be edible for other races, and she was made to remember the food poisoning that took place because the patron drank an experimental energy drink that was destined for a race with a different biochemistry from the patron's. Probably of Gand origin. She had no right to assume that Lervon had dietary requirements similar enough from typical human or Near-Human diets to ship them that, or install hydroponic farms growing such things. Now that they were in front of the Minister's office, with Ura warning that they formed, in fact, a couple, potentially that the other person in the couple had some involvement in policy-making or at least in ministerial administration. But any food supplies would need to come from somewhere: wherever that was depended on dietary requirements.
"Your Excellency, I am a representative of the Silver Jedi Order and we are willing to discuss terms of food supply, as well as poachers and other items that would affect the Lervon in the long run"
"Thank you for being understanding Master. Many are... uncomfortable with the idea." As they entered, Ura gave a quick response in a whispery tongue, one that would be nearly impossible to replicate. The two Lervon in the room, one with red eyes and the other with silvery one, looked a bit surprised. They looked at each other, nodding before their forms seemed to mix. The Jedi would probably already feel the Force Bond between the two, and soon, the pair settled on a two torsoed form, and the red eyed Lervon gave a slight bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jedi, and please, just call me Gadron. I'm no king or monarch." He spoke monotonely, like Ura, but emotions showed through the Force. He then motioned to his partner. "And this is my wife, Leda. So you say you can help use with our poacher and food situations, and anything else we may need? That's definitely a good thing to hear. You'd be surprised how many poachers can still make it through, even with the Glassers and our ships. And Yurb's lack of good farmland means that those who come to live here often deal with lowered supplies. Even when we try to get these goods, some people aren't so willing to provide with wanting a steep cost in return. Often too steep...." It was clear he wasn't talking about money with this one, but didn't want to say.
As the group climbed aboard the vessel, the woman recommended giving intel on what each of them brought to the table. She gave a few tidbits about herself, noting she was a tracker who could commune well with animals. The other man also appeared to be skilled with animals, which was good. Josh could command Jongori well, but he did not know the Animal Friend power, nor know how to communicate with them in a more advanced function outside of Jongori. The man also seemed to know damage control, though what that entailed, he wasn't sure.
The Master considered what had been said a moment, before answering in earnest.
"Stealth" He answered, referring to his abilities in that sector, deciding to start with something that might be useful. "I can also use illusions for distraction and confusion."
STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE OUTPOST YIRT FIRST ORDER SECURITY BUREAU U'TEP MOUNTAINS OPERATION: SANDCASTLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhzWwwMm8WA
Dorn Company 3rd Battalion
The muffled sounds of ruckus above alerted him that Captain Kahli had truly been able to pierce through the defenses of the outpost which meant he had to hurry his men in. Competitiveness in warfare was not something unique to Mandalorians. As far as his father had told him, most standing militaries in the galaxy shared this trait.
That thought was buried when the unknown woman before him started throwing slurs in Mandalorian and eventually introduced her self as Nita Quez. A frown broke into crevices upon his face and his blood ran colder. He had no clue what clan Quez's loyalties were and he preferred not to dwell not too much on it now.
"Lieutenant Amon Vizsla." He introduced himself tonelessly and lowered his carbine before adding in Mando'a. "You're far away from home, Quez. Whatever you were doing here - it's over now. We're taking over the outpost above." there was a subtle invitation for her to join them when he paused for a few moments.
"Sidon, let the scouts show you where to plant the charges." Amon turned to the sergeant before glancing at Kenth. "We're not going to play second fiddle to that intel captain, Typho. Get your shebs together and let's take over this outpost."
Only a minute later and Sidon reported back that the charges were ready to explode upon his order. He paused the order for a moment only to open a lie to the captain above.
"Captain Kahli, this is LT Vizsla. Get their attention. We're moving in." he stated and then gave Sidon the thumbs up.
The explosion rocked the whole place like an earthquake almost throwing everyone off their feet. Amon shot a cold glare at Sidon who simply shrugged.
"We might've set up a bit more than necessary explosives there but the man got to breath some clean air already." was Sidon's excuse.
The Mandalorian simply turned his head forward unto the breach and lead the men taking point. As he passed by Nita, he analyzed her from head to toe. Something unfamiliar rummaged through his stomach as he locked gazes with her for a brief moment. He really wished it was the uncomfortable smell of the sewers.
With a battle cry from the rookies, the Rangers led the way. All guns blazing.
"Gadron, I propose that we supply hydroponic farming equipment, as well as moisture farming equipment, with local Lervon labor, in exchange of which the Silver Order deploys a garrison on the planet, both on the ground and in orbit"
On a desert planet, moisture farming was key to grow/breed food, even if hydroponic farming was the order of the day. Might be a better deal than just preferential rights on industrial-grade sand. That may still be on the table later if necessary, however. And yet, surveying the planet for what kind of sand would be a better fit to produce transparisteel vs. glasteel vs. clari-crystalline was to be done at a later point, and will probably require authorization from the Lervon authorities. And same goes for geochemical data, too. Transparisteel and glasteel required iron compounds in the sand, while clari-crystalline was more lead-intensive. Yet, so long as the Lervon have any actual say in the matter and the resulting staffing, it would make the industrial development of Yurb more likely to be accepted by the Lervon. For now, anyway, if there are additional conditions the Lervon would impose, she has to keep an open eye for that.
It was interesting the way that credits could make or break a world, like the veins of the Galaxy that pumped life into those whom sought power or influence, whether for good or for worse, credits were the easiest way through to seeing ones will come into fruition. For Veiere Arenais, his families wealth had come through Commenor and helped to back the Silver Jedi Order nowadays in their pursuits such as today's construction and completion of the Embassy on Yurb. The Jedi Master, along with several others from the Order of the Kashyyyk, had done their part in ensuring the world's consistent communication with the Silver Jedi, should their be any need dire enough to call upon them again.
Workers, builders and laborers had come and gone in the final days, completing the finishing touches upon the interior of the establishment and with the advice of their peers, the Silver assembly would organize for the facility to be manned with the adequate personal to deal with the world's needs, under their influence and stewardship. The newest, yet not the last to likely come under the banners of the Order, Yurb would see her trade prosper with the vast collection of worlds and corporations invested in the Order's presence in the Galaxy. For Veiere himself, this seemed to be a job well done, an easier task and far less grandiose than walking through the fires of battle, but no less significant in what it would achieve for the nation and people that would come and go from the planet.
The Embassy would stand vigil towards a future of peace and protection, stability for a system now with the Silver Jedi watching over her.
Gadron thought for a moment, looking at he wife before finally speaking.
"That can definitely be arranged. There is plenty of land to build on here for a surface base, and the Glassers above have plenty of room to hold a garrison. And hydroponics would definitely be a plus. Our issue is less lack of water, and more lack of suitable land and weather. While Lervon don't exactly eat, as you could probably imagine, but this would solve one of major issues for the organic species that live here. I believe we have a deal, Jedi." As Gadron went to shake Jessica's hand, Leda patted Ura.
"You seem to be do well."
"Yes Leda. The Silvers have been quite good to me."
"Well, I hope to see what the future has for you."
STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE OUTPOST YIRT FIRST ORDER SECURITY BUREAU U'TEP MOUNTAINS OPERATION: SANDCASTLE
The Captain sighed. What had the man thought her plan had been?
Dressed in nearly all black, the First Order's infiltrator and absolute, singular pest stood before the main reactor of the base. Its ceaseless done and hum with power reverberated throughout the chamber. Before her stood a squad of stoogies with their blasters pointed at her. If the Lieutenant only had any idea how absolutely boring it was to listen to someone prattle on and gloat...
Had it been worth it? Kahli had drawn their attention all right by threatening to blow the entire place into the netherworld. So they had come, and not in small number either. Of course they'd figured she hadn't been alone. Small tactical error on their part, but you couldn't blame them. After all, Kahli had made sure their cameras picked up deactivating and activating a stealth field generator. Where there was one, there were always more -- or so that nagging little thought went.
So, there she was, hands in the air, when the Lieutenant finally--
And that's when the entire base shook, everyone stumbled about, several blaster bolts flew, and the assassin flew into action. Didn't matter if the world threatened to turn on its head, or that the floor beneath their feet might erupt in a spray of liquid magma (or poodoo). One boot at a time struck the ground and sent Kahli straight for their officer, and just as the light caught the edge of her blade the entire room went dark.
Everything was cast in the diffuse glow of the reactor itself as the chamber's lighting was shut down. Their command center would be trying to get it up, but their infiltrator had gotten elevated access to their core already. They'd have a bit of untangling to do before the lights snapped back on. She would only need a minute.
By the time the cameras could make anything out in the room again, all they saw were bloodied bodies of the dead and no infiltrator to be found.
And by then, Control would probably be hearing about the Lieutenant's men coming in guns blazing. Shouldn't have redistributed your forces for one woman. Would have worked better if the Lieutenant had come up silently and through the door much further away that Kahli had left open. Couldn't exactly broadcast that information to him earlier, however.
"Reactor's clear, gentlemen. No need to blow it up as well," Kahli signaled back to Lieutenant Vizsla at last. Had time to spare for a little chat, she did now. What could she say, she was popular with the First Order.
STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE OUTPOST YIRT FIRST ORDER SECURITY BUREAU U'TEP MOUNTAINS OPERATION: SANDCASTLE
Vicious.
It's what the after-action and post-patrol reports usually described the actions of Tulan Kor. And they weren't usually wrong. The explosions opened several entrances, several well-placed and well-constructed charges detonating simultaneously sent the men in the control room into a frenzy. Enough of one to let a team slip through.
Tulan walked silently into the control room, his suppressed rifle sending two controllers to their doom, and the third he personally grabbed by the collar and shoved face-first into a computer screen. Failing his desired reaction of unconsciousness, Tulan took his knife and stabbed him twice in the back of the head- once for effect, twice for insurance.
He dropped the body to the side, wiping his knife on the formerly living person's shirt. He touched his throat mic, speaking calmly as he always did.
"Control room secure."
He was tasked with the control room, Lieutenant Viszla and the rest of the Rangers could handle the facility itself. He moved one of the dead bodies out of the chair and began to examine the controls- and more importantly, the cameras and other equipment in the room. Tor knew the value of being able to watch your enemy. They were down their control element.
Everything else was secondary to that. He doubted that the other men in the facility were of the 'decentralized command' types anyways. Typical. He let the other Rangers flow in, while he took a seat, and flipped up his goggles. He stared blankly, looking over at one of the controllers that he shot. Still alive. He stared blankly at Tulan.
Tulan stared at him, but not before starting a countdown on his watch.
He lasted six seconds longer than Tulan thought he would.
And for the first time in a while, Tulan smirked, and turned his head back to the task at hand. He stood by for tasking from higher. This was a cakewalk for any operator worth their salt. All Tulan currently needed to was wait for something to go either right and exfil, or horribly wrong, and he'd be in a good position to control the outcome.
Pun intended.
[member="Allura Kahli"] l [member="Amon Vizsla"] l [member="Nita Quez"]
STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE OUTPOST YIRT FIRST ORDER SECURITY BUREAU U'TEP MOUNTAINS OPERATION: SANDCASTLE
Dorn Company 3rd Battalion
With the ruthless attack of Captain Kahli and her infiltration team from one side and the explosive entry of Dorn Company from the other, the outpost quickly became a mop up operation. Rangers fanned out clearing the outpost from any hostiles, arresting those that surrendered and killing those that did not.
Amidst the ruckus, Amon made his way to the control room which was now secured by the soldiers of Task Force Raider. Unlike most of the company, the soldier (Tulan Kor) who stormed the control room first was not a greenie. The lieutenant scanned him from head to toe before issuing an order:
"Secure any intel they have left behind."
After which Amon opened a comm line to respond to Kahli's sitrep.
"Control Room is under our control, Captain Kahli. The outpost is being cleared as we speak." he said before adding. "This mission is over."
Syd's shell had started to badly degrade by the time she reached the canyon, her face partly disintegrated, leaking fire as the right side of her sagged. She realized she had made a tactical error in using the witch for kindling. The magic still in the corpse must have reacted with hers, creating a draining effect. She needed fuel. Lots of it.
But there wasn't a brush or a shrub in site and she was no longer strong enough to create fire. Magic, on the other hand...
Syd's face collapsed in on itself completely as she staggered forward, her head literally becoming a candle light as she moved carefully over a stream, sensing the horrid darkness that pursued her get a little bit closer. The canyon seemed to close in around her and, save for the stream, there was nothing else. Nothing she could use as fuel. She was starving. How long she could hold out was anyone's guess.
The horrid darkness approached ever closer as Syd desperately looked for fuel. The witches had chosen their trap expertly...there were no branches to burn, no naturally combustible materials, and everywhere else was nothing but dry sand and water. Oh yes, they'd chosen one hell of a trap.
Had Syd been in worse? Yes. Certainly. But not by much.
Her newly awakened sense of mortality gave the slowly breaking down being a little more will to step as she tried to think of a way to make a heat source. Her suit could recharge her in an emergency...but the manner in how she had recovered her shell had overtaxed its ability.
Syd began to have trouble thinking, so starved for fuel, even as the canyon got narrower and narrower. She had to think of something. Anything...
Syd stopped, remembering she had brought more than one type of bolt. She dug into a utility belt, pulling out two incendiary bolts, golden spikes with transparent vials displaying the glowing orange liquid within. A special mixture by Syd, almost napalm like. But it burned only a quarter as long, and one needed good fuel source to really get the most of it.
Syd, her arms starting to lose function, had trouble removing the belt and its contents. She got out the fire striker, trembling fingers, starting to sag barely unscrewing the spikes and dumping the liquid onto the belt, struggling to move a ring of rocks around the pile. Stiff hands on the verge of being useless then struck the striker against the flint. Sparks, but too weak. She tried again, figure having gone rail thin. Still nothing.
With all her remaining might, Syd struck the flint. A strong shower of sparks erupted and hit the liquid. A great and powerful blaze erupted, and the Geist stuck her hand in it, falling to the side, drinking in the heat. Her shell slowly repaired itself at first, then the magic of the suit accelerated the process, her face and head soon regrew, sealing the fire beneath.
Syd left her hand in the flames, until the belt and gell had been reduced to ash and the fuel exhausted.
Syd was still a little weak, but now the suit was helping replenish her properly. She was still not at full strength with her flames. She could maybe manage a few blasts of flame. But a few blasts weren't going to kill that creature the dark magic had gestated.
Syd looked at the ammo she had salvaged from her belt. Four normal bolts, one acid bolt of severe corrosion capability, and one explosive bolt, and that cryoban pistol.
Syd looked at this, gatherered it into her hands and then went looking for the source of the stream. It was not much longer before she found it, a great natural crack in a rock face, from which poured a small, ever steady stream of water. She looked above her and spotted fault lines in the rock formations above. Syd floated the explosive bolt with telekinesis and wedged it firmly into the natural crack. She then loaded her crossbow pistol with a normal bolt and buried it in the dirt, before palming the acid bolt.
She then took out her curved hilt lightsaber, knowing she was taking a huge risk. She disassembled it telekinetically, making the necessary sabotages to the internal parts before reassembling it and then floating up and sticking it in the fissure. She took the remaining bolts into her other hand and waited, knowing it was nearly upon her.
Five minutes later...
It had followed her across the desert.
It had been a mess at first. An ambululatory pile of sand and burnt internal organs and intestines, but it had slowly forced itself to control its shape, slowly becoming more and more feminine, until it was much like the sandy beings the collective of souls within had fed off and slaughtered, able to shape the sands it was composed of to its liking, choosing to resemble the leader of the witches Syd had killed, albeit composed of sand and crumbling on occasion before the sand grains inevitably rejoined the main figure. It walked where it sensed the quiet, muted desperation of the Flame Geist.
"All alone now..." the abomination sneered as it walked into the canyon, looking to finish this...
A telekinetically propelled bolt slammed into it from behind, going through it and ripping out some of the burned organs the feminine shell covered. The abomination snarled, and looked around her, then up.
Syd crashed into her from above, feet first, the sand figure exploded in rock grain and cooked flesh. Syd wince as she felt the rage of the collective consciousness animating the construct surge as it began to quickly put everything back into place as Syd backed off, retreating into the narrow canyon as her foe repaired.
That's the thing about Fire, Geist..." the feminine looking creature sneered with a sandy mouth. "All fires die. But sand? Sand is forever."
"Until someone turns it to glass." Syd replied curtly.
"You stand no chance, Geist. I have fed off you. Soon I shall finish the job."
"I wasn't given a choice before I was ripped apart and reborn as...this..." Syd gestured to herself. "You were. You all were, you sick feths. You still chose this. To become a shell with a mockery of a soul."
"We are higher beings...it is simply that I have the luxury of choosing to embrace it, and you have no choice at all."
"At what cost?. Look at you. At least I want to get some of my humanity back. You threw away yours with nary a thought to the consequences."
"I have become more powerful than any Jedi...even you."
Sand retracted from nearby and coursed up her figure, traveling up her arms and allowing her to form maces from them, infused with dark magic.
"You command the flame, but the very earth beneath your feet is mine to dictate to!"
The creature shifted forward, forcing Syd to dodge, but not before using her telekinesis to shift the crossbow bolts at high speed through her foe's mace arms, shattering and crumbling them.
"Power is one thing. Knowing the limits of that power...is not a lesson you will like learning." Syd taunted, flying away from the sand tentacles she tried to summon beneath her.
"Ugh...you tried that before. C'mon, show me your new found power.
The creature made blades out of its hands, darting and swiping for her. Syd flew out of her reach, then using her three bolts to cause more havoc and confusion.
"I've seen your kind before. All hate and no heart. All skill...but no art..." Syd taunted. (Siolourmanka: 90XP).
Syd dodged rocky spikes fired from her torso as the dark infused creature swiped at her with arm axes, only for Syd's bolts to smash them apart.
"So you became a giant rock...and now you're as dumb as one!" Syd joked as she floated away, even as the abomination cracked the earth beneath her.
Syd flew away as a shower of rock shrapnel was hurled her way, wincing as some of it managed to pierce her torso, throwing off her flight path and causing her to crash to the ground leaking fire as the creature snarled and directed more rocky shrapnel at her, making her dive and then sprint to avoid the improvised ammunition.
"Your essence will be mine, the creature sneered as it pursued her deeper and deeper until it cut her off at the dead end at the source of the stream.
"And now look at you. All alone and...where is your lightsaber? You had one..." the creature realized.
Syd's response was to hurl her three crossbow bolts at the monster's face, which went through it and took some cooked brain that was already on the inside with them, seemingly staggering the creature.
"Its the sacrifice you make. You gain such power over one element in the Force that you don't really need the others all that much." Syd explained as the creature staggered about. "And you are not so powerful as you claim...you still require meat to function in some way. Fortunately...in this one instance at least...I do not."
The creature shook its head, finally getting its ability to think back.
"But I don't need fuel, Lady Phyre." The abomination said, forming a sword out of its hand.
"No, you don't need fuel..." the weakened Syd replied as it approached. "But you are like me in one respect..."
"And what would that be?" The creature sneered as it prepared to swipe at Syd.
"You need to be dry..."
Syd's eye twitched, her telekinesis activating the saber wedged in the rocks above. It detonated at the same time her telekinesis triggered the fuse in the explosive bolt wedged in the stream source. Instantly they were in a giant, slowly filling sink hole full of rapidly approaching water.
Syd dodged the swipe for her face but not the stab to her chest. She screamed as she felt the creature try and drain her life essence directly. Syd resisted, not just because she didn't want to die, but because she didn't want to give the beast the satisfaction of killing her.
Syd used the acid bolt she had palmed and brought it down on the blade she was impaled on. The abomination screamed as the acid ated through the sand blade and the bones hiding underneath. It staggered back from the pain.
Syd grabbed the cryoban pistol she had hidden under a rock as well as her cross bow pistol, shooting the sand creature rapidly in the legs, to prevent it from moving. The water was dangerously close to reaching both of them.
"Maybe I am a slave..." Syd spat in contempt at the abomination. "But I will be free someday. But you? Your enslavement to your lust for power has chained you to this fate more than even my own...creators if you will...ever could have hoped to. Goodbye...Higher Being!"
Syd fired her bolt and used its magic tether to teleport away from the screaming abomination as the water covered it.
Syd stood on dry land, gazing into the makeshift sink hole, got into a lotus position, and meditated while using her magic, whispering the Litany of Purification. The evil down there was not defeated. Syd's body started to ripple and melt a little as she struggled to get out the words.
"In...brightest...star..." Syd hissed, face distorting as her shell rippled from the powerful magic being focused.
The dissolved thing in the water fought back with the collective will of all the souls that made it up.
"In...blackest...hole..."
It called on every once of power it had, the water boiling from the struggle between them.
"No...wickedness...shall...touch...my...soul..." Syd hissed in real pain but refusing to break her concentration, even though she was risking her shell and possibly her life trying to disperse the evil in the water. Her body violently rippled now.
The will of the thing in the lake failed as the light magic began to burn its collective spirits.
"Beware...the...Ashla...for your sins...have...toll!" She finished, her shell ceased rippling as she felt the consciousness of the creature get banished to Chaos.
Syd finally rose up, looking at her new pistol...
(Plasmid Acquisition Theme plays)
(Syd has leveled up!)
(New Skill Learned!)
Skill: PISTOLS
Small hand held range weapons that typically have a quicker fire rare and much easier to conceal. Can be dual wielded.
(Syd's single bladed lightsaber skill has increased)
(Syd's understanding of Makashi has increased)
Before she flew off, she looked back at the now completely filled sinkhole, realizing she had sacrificed one of her oldest weapons to defeat the creature. The very weapon the man who had helped recreate her had used. And she had done that of her own volition.
Syd didn't know how to feel about that. Had that just been the desperation of the situation? Or had she suddenly realized she wanted to stop carrying the reminder of that man's final words to her?
"I will be free some day..." she vowed. Would she still be a Jedi when that time came?
Syd thought of the creature she had just killed, and with a real sense of clarity that had absolutely nothing to do with the programming, realized she didn't want to be that type of person the sand creature had been. Maybe she would not be a Jedi when she broke the programming...but she would not be that. She had been changed too much, and had changed too much on her own.
Her sense of purpose reinvigorated, Syd began the arduous walk back to her ship...
