Face God and Walk Backwards Into Hell

[Joza Perl]

Florrum​

This was certainly not the prettiest of situations. First, she’d been forced to make an emergency landing on Florrum. That part wasn’t too bad, no. Joza could handle new territory, and from the looks of it she hadn’t landed far from civilization. Unfortunately, that civilization also happened to be a heavily fortified pirate base. Double unfortunately, said pirates appeared to have been waiting for her the moment an unknown ship broke atmosphere.

After a rather snide and wordy exchange with their leader who determined that the Zeltron was carrying no precious cargo, Joza was led back to the base under the false pretense of “getting some food and rest” while the pirates would kindly repair her ship for her. Of course she was not fooled, but not foolish enough to try and fight a rather large party of heavily armed natives with malicious intent. There was a reason pirates thrived in their particular business, and it was not by being rash and uncalculated. No, the best course of action would be for her to be as compliant as possible and hope that they’d underestimate her abilities.

Joza didn’t remember exactly how she ended up in a holding cell, cuffed and stripped of her weapons and armor. Only the dark, formless fabric she’d taken a liking to had been left untouched and she supposed she should be thankful for that much. Drugged, perhaps? Most likely. The Weequay pirates were no novices when it came to business. And speaking of business, one of the grunts approached her cell with the sole intent to taunt her.

“Jedi and a Zeltron? Lucky, we found a nice Zygerrian to line our pockets for you!”

Joza visibly flinched at the mention of the slaving race. She’d been captured by a Zygerrian slaver and sold to a certain Sith Inquisitor not too long ago, recent enough for her mental wounds to not have healed completely. This was the part that would be difficult for her to handle. She’d grown a thicker skin over time, but the prospect of becoming a slave again rattled her.

The pirate chuckled raucously at her lack of reply. “Scared? Don’t be, pink cheeks. I bet they’ll take real good care of you.”

“I bet they’ll split you navel to nose and then take back their credits once they’ve got me.”

For all she knew, the Zygerrians weren’t that dastardly. But who knew. The goon seemed startled by her reply, whatever retort he had dying in his throat as another Weequay ran up to him and began speaking in hushed tones. A reptilian smile crept over the first man’s face as he pressed himself closer to the cage.

“Looks like you’ll be getting a roommate, pink cheeks.”

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
Everything in Abelain's vision had become blurry and difficult to discern. His body was racked with pain where electrical prods had lashed against him, and the flickering shadows that passed were the only indication that he had changed position. Several blinks wiped away a modicum of the confusion, and he glanced briefly upwards, identifying the two large individuals carrying him as Weequay pirates. They had drawn him easily into their trap with a broadcast about strange artifacts being discovered. The Arue'tii had decided to leave his usual escort, and to pursue this goal singularly, though the foolishness of that plan was gradually beginning to make itself evident. His ignorance of Florrum being home to a number of pirate gangs had led to his capture.

They had signaled his arrival, but as soon as he had landed the vessel it was clear that the situation was volatile. The pirates had all brought weaponry, and it was all carefully directed towards the Arue'tii and his shuttle. He had ignited the crimson saber upon his side as a sign of strength, and admittedly it had elicited a few gasps among the crew, but their captain was no fool. They had fired upon him, and in the ensuing battle he had managed to eliminate six of them using both his saber, and his chitinous blades. Then they had used their vicious stun weapons upon him, and the electrical shock had fried any vestige of resistance from his system. They stripped him of his few tools, and of his communication device, and hauled him back to their base to await whatever cruel judgment they had prepared.

"Cap'n is thinking 'bout tearing your skin off, putting it on some armor, but first maybe he'll try callin' the Sith." One of the brutish Weequay spoke as they turned a corridor. It was somewhat troubling news, but it seemed likely enough that a ransom call would be answered by either his own loyal crew, or perhaps the One Sith. There was far more trust in his own crew to provide salvation however; especially since the One Sith were often known to enforce the rules of might makes right, and that if someone was defeated they deserved their punishment. The idea of removing the chitin hide of an Arue'tii wasn't a new one, and it was a well-practiced ritual upon his planet, however it was only used after an individual had died and escalated to a new plane of life, to be reunited with the One Escalation.

"Ya know, ya killed a lot of my pals out there, and I din't take kindly to it." The guard spoke before opening up a creaking cell door and hurling the disoriented Abelain inside. The man followed, prodding his back with an electrical device and eliciting a loud shriek of pain from behind clenched teeth. "I apologize that I missed removing yourself from existence." He hissed with intense venom before the device struck him in the back once more, and the door slammed shut. The Sith laid almost face down in the cell, but a quick sniff of the air alerted him to the presence of another person within the cell, and the scent of their blood betrayed their identity. "Greetings... Joza."

 

[Joza Perl]

A roommate? The thought was both comforting and worrying at the same time. Letting her eyes fall closed, Joza extended her senses outwards to try and discern what she could about the newcomer. Their presence…was dark. Only a shade or two darker than her own, however. An amused snort issued from her throat at the realization. How far I’ve fallen. The Silvers won’t take me back. Other than that, there was nothing else informative in the Force. Perhaps that—hm, no. A fleeting wave of familiarity could simply be her reading too deeply, trying to make connections where there weren’t any.

But when the cell door creaked open and a large, armor-clad being was tossed in like a sack of acidbeets, Joza shuffled further into the corner on instinct. A pained howl left the captive as it was jabbed by a shock stick of sorts, and a wave of empathy course through the Zeltron’s being. And then…the creature spoke her name? Immediately on alert, she squinted and hastily analyzed as much of her cell mate as she could. That wasn’t armor—at least not the kind she was used to. It was a shell, a natural coating of some kind. Ah, there was the feeling of recognition again. This time it was stronger, and the empathy pulsing through her heart stopped abruptly.

“Abelain,” Her voice was low and throaty, and she almost sounded amused. She also sounded like she needed a drink. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” Joza never really expected to see the Sith again, nor did she want to. But the Force had a strange way of leading people back to eachother, though Joza believed in coincidences. “Out of the entire galaxy, how did you end up in the same cramped cell as me?” Shifting her hands into her lap, the Knight leaned her head back against the wall as she watched Abelain with a wary gaze.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The cellmate spoke to him with a voice that suited their past interactions well. It was dry, but otherwise amused at the foul conditions that he had been pitched into. The Arue'tii remained grounded upon the floor for several moments, sensing the area around him with the Force and pausing as it faintly felt the aura from Joza. "You feel far different from our last encounter. Darker." His first guess was that the traumatic loss of her hand coupled with the near-death experience of his companion by her own hand led her away from her self-righteous order and into the clutches of a darker organization focusing more on vengeance, than on the caring of others. It suited their true intentions far better than the Silver Sanctum, and it allowed for a startling realization on where the Dark Jedi that had nearly killed him had come from.

Her question was valid. The galaxy was vast to the point of near infinity, but in reality it took only a simple leap of logic to conclude how they had managed to become entangled in the same area. Whilst the galaxy was indeed large, every event of interest was simply a pinprick within the vast ocean, and it was all concentrated in varying areas. That meant that in reality it was exceedingly likely that one would encounter a potential ally or enemy multiple times before their inevitable demise. It was a philosophical conclusion, and one glance at the imprisoned Joza seemed to reignite his own notions that she was not nearly intelligent enough to understand his point of view. The simpler answer was, "Chance. I was seeking supposed artifacts here upon the planet, and was ambushed by these pirate filth."

"It seems that your hand has healed remarkably well." He motioned towards the artificial appendage, aware that it was false by the lack of blood scent. "We have much to discuss. I have been made aware that Adasca survived your assault against him. I am also aware that you have sided with the forces of darkness, though you do not serve the Sith." He paused, raising himself from the ground at last, and leaning into the nearby wall, "You dispatched a Dark Jedi to find me. He nearly succeeded in murdering myself, and my guardian."

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza exhaled sharply through her nose at the mention of her darker presence. Of course he would sense it, the man—creature?—seemed absolutely predatory in regards to his natural abilities and physique. Vaguely she thought of questioning him, but they weren’t exactly friendly enough to have idle chit chat about his ancestry.

“Ah,” Joa raised her right hand, though only slightly lest she tug at her bonds and induce the unpleasant effect of her shock cuffs. “We Zeltrons are good at regenerating limbs.” It was an obvious lie, spoken with a dash of sarcasm. But she wasn’t trying to fool Abelain, moreso interested in testing his reaction to her words.

Another puff of air exited her nose, this time louder in a full on snort. “No. I don’t side with anything in that respect. The Force is at my disposal as a tool, and I wield it as I see fit.” Raising her bound hands, she brushed a handful of stray crimson strands from her face. They were tickling the pink skin of her cheek and it bothered her. When the topic of [member="Nikias"] came up, Joza couldn’t help a bitter, throaty chuckle. “Either he’s losing his touch, or he was feeling merciful.” Letting out a quick sigh, she shifted so that one of her legs was stretched out in front of her. “But no, I had nothing to do with that. Nik found Vorian and I after I’d sent out a distress call. He took revenge for fallen comrades on his own.”

This wasn’t the first incident where Nikias had taken revenge on someone who’d harmed Joza. Unlike his battle with her Sith lover—Haytham Kaze—Joza didn’t intend to apologize for her friend’s actions. Abelain and Blazing Eye deserved everything the Dark Jedi had thrown at them as she saw it.

“Seeing as how I’m about to be sold to Zygerrian slavers and you’re going to become some Weequay idiot’s new set of armor, we should probably start working on our escape.” Her words were nonchalant, as if they were discussing the weather. Pushing her chest forward subtly, the Zeltron winced as she felt her stiff back crack before settling against the wall again. Abelain was intelligent, and hopefully resourceful. It went without saying that they’d have to combine their efforts to make a getaway. “By the way, these guys aren’t as cruel as your Inquisitors. Harder on the eyes, though. Much harder.”

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
To someone who wasn't paying attention, the sly comment given by the Zeltron about their regenerative abilities might have been taken literally. Abelain knew for certain that it was a deception at the very least, and the manner in which she spoke seemed far too straightforward. It was doubtful that she would ever intentionally reveal a strength or weakness of herself so easily, and thus the Arue'tii came to the logical conclusion that she wasn't truly attempting to deceive him, or at the very least that she was awful at it. A decision was made to play along with the act, and to allow her to believe that he was truly a fool. "That is a useful ability. I shall need to research it further." He took notice of the pair of shock cuffs fettered about her hands, and glanced at his own to find a similar pair draped along them. It was curious that he hadn't noticed them, but that was likely due to his nerves being numbed by the excess electrical shock inflicted by the angered guard.

The wall seemed excessively cold, and the Arue'tii felt the urge to shudder slightly as he pushed himself away from it. The topic of the Dark Jedi was answered with laughter by Joza, and she mentioned that he had either lost his touch, or that he had been feeling merciful. Abelain knew the truth of their encounter; knew that he had been near Escalation, and that he had been spared by the 'mercy' of the Jedi. He had lain for nearly a week, broken and crippled by the encounter until the medicinal elements could finally repair his body. "His mercy is that of demons." He hissed beneath his breath, the noise snaking off of the enclosed walls in a serpent-like tone."I don't intend to hunt him, not yet. It is the way of people to seek vengeance for wrongdoings, and then to seek vengeance for those. That path leads only to total annihilation." He chuckled in a cruel laugh, the noise arising from deep within his chest and dying in the echoes of the air.

The mention of being turned into armor by the savage inferiors upset the Arue'tii, and he tugged at the cuffs for a brief moment, tensing as they delivered a vicious shock into his system. Joza spoke of the Inquisitors, and the instant thought came of the dreadful rumors surrounding them and their practices. They had never come for him, despite all he had done in the past. He had worked to murder their Emperor with his soldiers, and assisted in defeating their palace defenses in a civil war that had lasted only one day, but they had never come for him. The paranoid anxiety that had followed had been harsher than any manner of torture that they could have inflicted, and it's psychological effect had left him worried by every appearance of Sith. "I should hope that I never know the cruelties of the Inquisition."

They needed to escape their prison before their respective buyers arrived to tear them from their lives, and set them either into slavery, or into leather. The Arue'tii knelt upon the ground, crossing his legs in the same manner that he had when praying to the One Escalation for the ascension of various beings that he had killed. His mind raced about several possibilities, but none seemed incredibly viable with the shock cuffs still attached to their wrists. "It is necessary that we remove these fetters." He spoke, shuttering his eyes to the light for several seconds as he considered more ideas. One eye flickered open, glaring with a hint of humor at the Zeltron, "We could always remove your hand, after all, it regenerates. Perhaps we might try the other hand, that way they match." The solution was on the edge of his grasp, but it was difficult to understand. A quick glance at the electronic and mechanical machinery strapped around his wrists revealed an answer.

"These devices must contain a battery to maintain power. If we combine the shock cuffs together, it might fry their electronics."

 

[Joza Perl]

A low chuckle issued from her throat as Abelain indulged her lie further. Of course it was untrue, and she didn’t expect him to believe her. Which meant that either he was trying to deceive her into thinking he was that gullible, or was bantering back. The latter was the more obvious and enjoyable option, of course. But she would say no more of her fictitious regenerative abilities, instead turning her attention to her dear Hellyni friend.

“You will have to wait in line for that.” His harsh laugh was answered with almost thoughtful words as she shifted in her cuffs. Did they have to make these things so tight? Regardless, Abelain and Blazing Eye were not the first to wrong Joza, they were not the first beings Nikias had hunted for doing so, and they would not be the first to seek revenge on the Dark Jedi. That all likely didn’t matter to the Sith, and frankly Joza couldn’t blame them. As much as she appreciated Nik’s devotion to their friendship, she disliked being treated like a dainty little thing who couldn’t handle herself. For her, revenge for her hand was not needed unless the situation was opportune. Even revenge against Darth Ax’no would have to be situational. It held little appeal to the Zeltron.

“Easy,” Joza muttered without thinking as the Arue’tii was shocked by his cuffs. Quieting herself, she simply arched a brow at what he had to say on the Inquisition. Had he deserted the One Sith, or was he simply paranoid of being thought of as a traitor for one reason or another?

“Mmm.” A hum of approval rested on her lips as she rose, ignoring the comment about her hand for the time being. Moving over towards the door, she raised onto her toes and peered in the viewing slit near the top. “No guards,” She muttered lowly. “That’s good. Idiots.” Turning back towards the Sith, she paused for a moment to look him over. No doubt he could easily fell her in an enclosed space such as this. Were the cuffs the only thing holding him back? Joza was scrappy, but this was one fight she’d likely lose, phrik arm or no. Or would he be content for them to use each other in escaping this fortress?

“You.” Moving swiftly, she sat down in front of him. “Are hilarious.” Her humorless tone was highlighted by the fact that she was inspecting her own cuffs for a power source. Ah, near where they connected. It looked to house a power cell of some sort. “Alright, let’s hope that a malfunction won’t kill us." Touching the power source of her cuffs to Abelain’s Joza winced preemptively as a burst of electricity sprouted from where the two pairs of cuffs connected, delivering a mild yet unpleasant tingling sensation into her wrists and up her arms. The crackling electricity grew in intensity the longer the cuffs stayed together, eventually giving way to a bright flash and loud hissing snap.

A small shockwave pulsed from the overloaded powercells, but it was enough to send the much lighter Zeltron back against the wall. Groaning in irritation more than pain, Joza reached up to where her head had made contact with the wall. After pulling her hand away and realizing that there was no blood, she then noticed that her wrists were separated, the remains of the shock cuffs hanging loosely from her pink skin.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The issue of the Zeltron's false regenerative powers was quickly forgotten and replaced with the issue of the Dark Jedi. It seemed that there was a queue set in place for the privilege of tearing 'Nik'; as she affectionately referred to him as, from his mortal coil. It wasn't often that the Arue'tii genuinely hated anyone, and most of the violence that permeated his life was done either for an ulterior goal, or for the sake of simplicity or necessity. The Dark Jedi had nearly murdered him on a foreign world, and then refused to finish his work, leaving him stranded their as he fled away from the encroaching Paladin and it's Hammer. The battle had been fierce enough that Abelain was nearly certain that his death would have led to his own Escalation, but it seemed he had more work to finish before that glorious day. The hypocrisy that the Dark Jedi's existence created was nearly impenetrable by reason, and his slaughter was longed for appreciatively by the Sith.

The guards had left them in their enclosed cell according to Joza; a foolish maneuver, but not one unexpected by scum and their ilk. A thought passed for the briefest moment in the cold prison as the Arue'tii locked eyes upon the Zeltron woman. His chitinous elbow blades were unrestricted in their movements, and despite the slight shock that would incur from the action, he was nearly positive that he could gut her in a flash. She held no weapons to stop him, and no space to run away. The cuffs would still operate even if she was no longer alive, and in essence it seemed unlikely that his superior self would require any assistance. Despite that, logic presented the fact that he had been captured in the first place, and now was unarmed. Under the guise of cold reasoning was another reason for not killing her, and that was simply that he did not wish it. She had made progress in abandoning the hypocrisy, and he held high hopes that she would learn a greater path before she died.

She made a comment about his plan in a humorless fashion that did not escape his observation. "Sarcasm doesn't befit you." He spoke, shaking his head slightly before motioning his hands forward to complete the objective. The electrical shock that pulsed through them accomplished the effect that he had hoped, but it also had the uncomfortable side-effect of sending jolts of energy through his body, and the ensuing explosive kinetic force of the devices overloading hurled him into the wall. He blinked away spots of darkness as he regained his bearings, the minor pain dissipating immediately at the sign that his own cuffs had been removed almost completely by the explosion. "That hurt far more than I honestly expected, but nonetheless it appears that we are nearly free."

The final obstacle to their escape lay in the hefty metal door blocking the entrance. "I estimate the chances that the absent guards will appear soon to be quite high. It's unlikely that they didn't hear the explosion, but it's also unlikely that the entire crew shall investigate." He placed his hands upon the door, groping the bars with a strange need to escape rushing through his veins, pulsing through his system. "Allow me." He growled, casting a final glance back at the Zeltron to ensure that she wasn't planning to metaphorically stab him in the back. His hand drew backwards, clenching into a fist before slamming forward with a harsh thud against the door. Pain surged through the appendage, and was in turn fed into the Dark side, amplifying his strength as he hammered at the blockade with renewed vigor. The blows grew louder, causing the metal to howl in resistance before finally yielding underneath the blows and clattering to the ground with surprising force, sending up a cloud of dust from the hallway. "We shall be held by no prison." His goal for the guards quite simply involved elimination, but he decided to search his fellow prisoner's feelings on the matter with a question designed to better read her: "What shall we do now?"

 

[Joza Perl]

If Abelain thought that she didn’t seem to be the sarcastic type, then the Arue’tii was in for a rude awakening. Her sass levels had only increased since their first encounter, amplified even moreso by the presence of Sith. But she would not go out of her way to prove him wrong, rather focusing on the situation at hand before his own mischaracterization of the Zeltron.

At his analysis of the situation, Joza grunted softly in agreement. Their little explosion would not go unnoticed, and she anticipated that it would attract the attention of at least a handful of guards. And when he went for the bars of their cell, she simply rose and kept herself back as the great creature began pounding against the door with an unnatural strength. He was drawing on the dark side, she could tell that much, and it was reason enough for her to simply observe.

The durasteel creaked and shuddered under Abelain’s force, ultimately giving way to the door being removed from its hinges. Well, that was…quick. But Joza did not want to be here any longer than him, lest they be made into slaves and armor, respectively.

As if on cue, the telltale sound of boots pattering against the floor echoed from the hall in front of them. Stepping out into the open, the Knight inhaled deeply, letting her lungs swell as she extended her senses outwards. “Four of them.” Turning towards her makeshift partner in crime, she sucked at her lower lip for a brief and indecisive moment. “Take them out, I suppose. Kill if we must, but incapacitating them is necessary. And we must be quick, as I’m certain these will not be the only once we have to fight through.”

Surely enough, the Weequay were upon them in an instant. Joza grimaced at how swiftly they seemed to move, shouting and brandishing blaster and rifles. “What a welcome sight.” Raising her left hand, she formed a protection bubble around the group as they fired off several shots. The red-tinted barrier would intercept the blaster bolts, sending them back at their attackers—but the tough hide of the Weequay was enough to resist them, even at close range. They aren’t set to kill? The bubble faded after a handful of rounds, giving Joza enough time to telekinetically loosen a few screws above them. One of the durasteel ceiling panels would fall heavily on two of the pirate guards, sending them to the floor in a crushing blow.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The announcement by Joza to the presence of four guards was an indicator to the Arue'tii that he should remain alert to his own surroundings. A quick scent of the air flooded his olfactory senses with the iron smell of their blood; still coursing through their veins and arteries throughout their bodies. "You are correct." He muttered under his breath, casting a pained glance down at his appendage. Striking against the durasteel door had been necessary for their escape according to the mental faculties present in his mind, but it had nonetheless been extremely painful, and he could still feel the ache pulsing through his nervous system. To the Sith and their acolytes pain was power, but that did not mean that it was a pleasant experience, and Abelain willed that it would vanish lest it interrupt his thoughts.

He returned his attention to his fellow prisoner, examining her for any tells as she answered his question. He was observant, but the slight bite upon her lip escaped his notice. The brief pause could simply be the sign of someone unaccustomed to rushing into solutions, and that in itself was not a sign either. Her response to his inquiry gave him all the information that he felt he could possibly need, however. Joza Perl seemed not to want to kill the assailants that would soon be upon them, but she had already ascended beyond the frail reasoning that the Jedi used, and the idea that killing an opponent was amoral. "I wasn't aware that murder was in your repertoire, Joza." His words were tainted with chastisement, but he turned away a moment later as if though genuinely disinterested, focused instead upon the inbound Weequay.

They had formed an expeditious squad to enforce the capture of their prisoners, but it was revealed that they were carrying blasters and rifles as opposed to any electrical equipment. It was a foolish mistake given that one of their prisoners was practically immune to any form of heat. The mistake was proven to be his own when the stun bolt lashed into his chest and sent him backwards with a shriek of shock and pain. His nervous system recoiled, sending forth it's previous complaints to his hurt addled mind. He stood once more, charging forward with apparent anger arising within him as another bolt soared through the air, crashing into the wall with a dull thud and a sizzle as it's energy dissipated. His hand clutched at the offending weapon, and at it's wielder, lifting both into the air with a growl.

The Weequay protested loudly before the Arue'tii crashed the weapon into the side of his skull, silencing him as he faded into restless sleep and clattered loudly to the floor. Abelain dropped the bent weapon onto the ground as blood began to slowly leak out the side of the man's head. He was alive, as per Perl's specifications, but he would likely wake with a splitting headache, and a lost job. His eyes scanned his associate for a moment, watching as she crashed a chunk of ceiling into one of the guards, incapacitating him swiftly. "Quickly. Before they can call for assistance."

 

[Joza Perl]

“You’re not exactly dealing with a Jedi, Abelain.” She shot back, tisking at his reprimand. “Not a very traditional one, at the least.” There were some that accepted the existence of Grey and even Rogue Jedi, but there were other who believed all Force uses to fit into two decisive categories. If you weren’t a Jedi, you were a Sith. Joza believed that alignment was more of a spectrum, but now wasn’t the time to discuss such things.

There wasn’t much time to glance back at the dispatched guards to make sure they were alive, and frankly she didn’t really care. What did matter, was the fact that they’d caused quite a commotion between smashing down doors and collapsing ceilings. Yeah, not so subtle, but what else were they supposed to do on the fly? Regardless, Abelain was right. They needed to move now.

Jerking her head towards the hall in front of them, the Zeltron broke into a light sprint. It wasn’t long before they’d reach another intersection—the left and right exits being locked and barricaded by blast shield doors, and the one in front of them leading to some sort of war room that was teeming with Weequay. Chit. It’s a dead end. They couldn’t fight off all of those heavily armed Weequay, so that was out of the question. Luckily, a solution appeared in the form of an air vent situated above the left exit—a large one.

Well wasn’t this something out of a Holoflick? Not bothering to waste time musing over the similarities of a spy drama she’d seen a few weeks ago, she pointed to their new path. “In there. I think you’ll be able to fit.” She gave a short analytical glance to the Areu’tii, as if confirming that his large frame could be contained by the ventilation shaft. “And if you don’t, we can always cut off a limb.”

With that quip, she reached out and grasped the grate covering the vent with the Force, loosening it until it fell open, still hinged to one side of the opening. “Close the grate once you’re in.” She figured that this would only buy them time, as the pirates would wizen up. With a Force-imbued leap, she would grasp onto the ledge of the vent before hauling herself inside.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The battle had concluded as quickly as it had begun, but the noise of the conflict was sure to arouse the suspicions of other guards. There was little time to check whether the Weequay had survived the encounter, but a rapid sniff of the air alerted him to their blood continuing to pump and pulse throughout their frames which indicated an active heartbeat. Joza answered his 'reprimand' with the notion that she was no longer truly a Jedi, or at the very least that she was no longer a traditionalist as she had been previously. That much had been evident simply based upon her darker aura, and by the fact that she associated willingly with Dark Jedi. His pondering over the situation was interrupted by the necessity to escape, and he followed her down the corridors, matching her speed with his long gait.

He scented the small army of Weequay before he laid eyes upon them, and it suddenly became apparent that they would need to battle their way to freedom once more. That was until his Zeltron companion noted the ventilation system being of adequate size for their escape. It would be a tight squeeze, but he agreed with her analysis that he could fit within the vent; actual movement through the system would be far more difficult. Her reference back to his earlier plan about removing one of her limbs to escape brought a gentle chuckle to his chest, though the sound died far before it could utter out with any force. It was a common thought that the Arue'tii was extremely cold, and without feeling, but even he could appreciate the humor of the statement. "You could try."

The ex-Jedi removed the grate, and threw herself into it, leading the way to their supposed freedom. Abelain grasped at the opening, using his superior strength to haul himself into the system with little difficulty, though it did reignite the pulses of pain shooting throughout his hand. The Arue'tii shuttered the opening behind them with a telekinetic grapple of the grate, and continued on his way. He grumbled discontentedly as they crawled throughout the system. He could still smell the blood of the Weequay as they flooded into the previous room. Their shouts and cries of locating the escaped prisoners were quite loud, and their disorderly conduct would have acquired a noise complaint in any residential area. "I'm aware that you were maneuvered into the facility earlier, but I sincerely doubt they brought you in through the vents. That raises the question; where are we going?" At the very least, he could identify and locate opponents long before they ever had to face them, which would hopefully keep them from falling into an ambush.

"You say you're no longer a Jedi." He paused for a moment, considering the implications of that statement. "That means you removed yourself from the Sanctum, or were excommunicated by them. What do the gang of Dark Jedi call themselves?" The Dark Jedi had proven to be far more dangerous to his health than any regular orthodox Light side user, and he felt compelled to keep a grasp on their location and activities lest they assail him again. Besides that, he needed more information on the one that she called 'Nik', including a name.

 

[Joza Perl]

Red brows arched up beyond her bangs in momentary surprise as she wriggled her way up into the vent. Did he just…laugh? Joza hadn’t been paying close attention, but she hadn’t detected any strong hints of malice in his tone. Only amusement. Strangely, Abelain seemed to be a rather reasonable creature. He was not a mindless monster concerned with only conquering and bloodlust as some Sith tended to be, which was their primary reputation. Regardless of what she’d discovered other dark siders to be like, the ones who raped, pillaged and burned everything in their path with reckless abandon were often the poster children for Sithy ways.

As the oddly matched pair awkwardly made their way through the ventilation system, Abelain posted a question. “Not sure.” She answered swiftly. “These things usually lead outside, so hopefully there. If not, then I hope we end up somewhere better than a cell or a room full of heavily armed Weequay.” Her tone suggested that she didn’t care if he was satisfied or not with her makeshift plan. Glancing at the side panels, she wondered what they were made of, and if she could conjure fire hot enough to melt it should they need to make a sudden escape for whatever reason. That, or maybe Abelain could punch through ‘em. They’d figure out something, if needed.

“Ehhhh….” She drew out a mix of a sigh and a grumble, not entirely sure of how to answer, but also a little put off that he’d hit the nail on the head so bluntly. “Sort of. I’m on a self-imposed exile. I consider myself a rogue or neutral force user, at best.” She’d continued her studies and practice of the Force and all its trappings, but had cast aside the title of Jedi. They were associated with too many nuanced issues, many of which she had no business being in. “You mean the Brotherhood? I don’t really associate with them either. I’ve helped Nik out with a few things before, but it’s not really my style.” Figuring it would be interesting to turn the question on him, she prompted the Arue’tii. “How about you? Why the One Sith?”

The pair would continue their idle chat while shimmying through the dusty vents for a few more minutes before Joza came across another bottom grate. Holding her hand out to signal for them to stop moving, she peered into the room below, squinting to try and get a better look. “I think it’s a kitchen. Empty, too. Alright, moment of truth…do we exit here, or keep going?”

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The answer to his initial question was discouraging. He had been correct in his assumption that she had absolutely no idea where she was going, and for a moment he regretted having followed her into a strange ventilation shaft in the middle of a heavily fortified enemy base. Admittedly, the alternative would have involved having to fight their way through the entirety of that heavily fortified enemy base, and so in retrospect it was still the better course of action. If they had attempted to fight against the swarm of Weequay pirates that were scattered throughout the area, there was no doubt that Joza would have been killed. Naturally, he would have survived, but even he didn't mislead himself with the thought that he would be without injury in the attempt, and he was far too busy to wait inside another bacta tank for a week simply to fix his wounds. It was true that ventilation systems usually led outside at some point or another, but it was also true that they commonly led to fans and other sorts of obstacles. There was no doubt that they could break through a fan if necessary, but it would probably be fairly loud and attract unwanted attention.

Her answer only supported the hypothesis that he had presented about her current allegiances. She had determined to title herself a self-imposed exile, but it seemed unlikely that she could simply return to the Sanctum, and so perhaps it was less 'self-imposed' as she seemed to think. "If you are a rogue at best, then what are you at worst?" The immediate answer that came to his head was 'Dark Jedi', but upon further reflection of her aura, he wasn't entirely certain that she was at that level of darkness. She had changed, there was no doubting that, but there were several shades of color before white; or in her case pink, became black. She spoke of an organization known as 'The Brotherhood' which fulfilled the required information he needed in order to perform further research. He hadn't expected the question to be turned on himself, and his own choices, but he had practiced similar philosophical questions for long periods of time since he had joined the Sith. "There are multiple reasons. The simplistic answer that you'd likely want would be that they were closer to my home world, and far stronger than any other group in the galaxy. I determined that if I were a part of their organization, they might never harm Ghul lest they find it." It had been simple as that when he had initially joined galactic affairs, but it had progressed from that logical standpoint. "Besides that, I find the Jedi to be far too hypocritical. They constantly declare themselves to be 'making things better' and yet the only things I've seen them do are attack the One Sith, and murder their civilians in the crossfire. The Sith are cruel, and wicked at times, and I don't enjoy it... but at the very least they don't try to lie about who they are."

Joza suddenly came to a stop, and Abelain found that he was unable to view whatever had caught her attention. Despite that deprivation of his sense of sight, logical conclusions told him that she had discovered a room that they might enter. He scented the air, and discovered no immediately nearby Weequay. There were other lifeforms in abundance, but none larger than a rat, of which there were plenty scurrying behind and around shelving and smaller vents. "There are no opponents within that room, but there are some somewhere down..." He uncomfortably shifted himself, attempting to point at a diagonal, but finding the action nigh impossible, "That direction."

If she entered, he would follow.

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza took a few moments to ruminate over Abelain’s question before responding. “A disaster.” A low chuckle rode on her words, as if she were afraid to speak louder for fear of attracting attention. It was unclear whether she truly thought that, or was simply teasing. Joza probably didn’t even know.

At his explanation about the Sith, the Zeltron decided to take another few moments before answering. It was a debate she’d had many times, Sith vs Jedi philosophy. Seemed to be one of the galactic hot button issues, at least among trained Force users. “You’re right, Abe.” Perhaps she was getting a little too familiar, but Joza was curious as to how the Arue’tii would react to the impromptu shortening of his name.

“The Jedi can be hypocritical, and they’ve done some pretty iffy things. But I’ve found that Sith can be just as dishonest about who they are and what they do. Sometimes the lies run so deep that they truly believe they are in the right. But then again, doesn’t everybody fancy themselves the hero?” She shrugged, as best she could in the darkness of the cramped vent.

“Honest intentions come on a case by case basis. The Sith are just as heterogeneous as the Jedi when it comes to mixing ideals. Unfortunately, it’s usually the rabid dogs that bark the loudest. Or so the saying goes.” Her tones was less judgmental and more thoughtful. It was true that both sides had their flaws, but it was typically the radicalists that stood out and painted the images that the galaxy saw of Jedi and Sith. Joza couldn’t help but wonder if Abelain would have been a Jedi had he been born onto one of their worlds, or if she would have ended up a Sith had they successfully taken over Zeltros.

At Abelain’s analysis of what was beneath the grate, Joza’s lips pursed momentarily. “Alright. Let’s go.” Choosing to trust his information, she carefully removed the grille and set it aside before slipping down through the shaft, landing with her knees bent in the kitchen. The dirty kitchen. Didn’t these guys have housekeeping? Wrinkling her nose, she quickly surveyed the area for anything that might be of use. Noting an open drawer of silverware, she grabbed a sheathed cooking knife. Any weapon would do, and upon further inspection she found that it was decently sharp.


As Abelain entered the room as well, she tucked the covered knife into her robes. “You doing alright, big guy?” She appraised the large alien with mild curiosity.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The answer to his first question had simply been 'a disaster.' Looking back through the little that he truly knew about the Zeltron, he had to agree that her life had definitely taken a few downward turns in the past few months, and now it seemed that she had made herself a rogue with very few friends to turn to for help. If he were like many of the other Sith in the organization, he might have tried to prey upon her weakness, and turn her to the Dark Side once and for all. He wasn't that type of Sith however, and far preferred to keep the Jedi as far away from them as possible. It was easier in his mind to simply eliminate the threats, and it seemed somewhat counter effective to spend time retraining them in the ways of the Sith, especially with as many new recruits as they had each day.

It didn't truly come as a shock to hear Joza say that he was correct in his reasoning about the Jedi and the Sith. If she hadn't had doubts about the organization previously, then she very obviously wouldn't have abandoned it in hopes of discovering her own truth. The shortening of his name to 'Abe' was noted, but otherwise ignored. Practically every sentient being that he had held a long conversation with had referred to him as 'Abe', though it made little sense to the Arue'tii. "Of course, Jo." He pronounced slowly after her confession that she agreed with him, and he found the abbreviation somewhat distasteful upon his tongue, deciding immediately to abandon it, and to return to his traditional manner of speech instead of the colloquial garbage of the inferiors.

"It becomes difficult to commit actions when one perceives them as being morally incorrect. It is simpler to believe that one's actions are distasteful, but are otherwise beneficial in the grand scheme of things than to consider the true damage being committed." He remembered the actions of both Sith, and Jedi when they had clashed in their mighty warships at Dulvoyinn. "I do not consider myself a villain, but I am practical enough to realize that I am also not a hero. I work for a tyrannic society where might makes right, but there are many with the choice to escape that style of life if they truly wish, and therefore I do not feel empathy for them when the burden of that government bears down upon them." It was true that the authoritative manner of many of the Sith Lords had led to much unneeded innocent death, and Abelain himself had attempted to reduce his own participation in that aspect of the group. "It feels more incorrect to me that the 'Light' groups tell their people that they are safe, and democratic, and that their choices matter when in essence their democracy is ignored completely, and they are sacrificed in droves for the sake of 'liberating' worlds that don't want to be freed. How many uprisings against the Sith have you actually seen succeed that weren't instigated by the outside, and how many of them do you truly think were defeated by the government, and not simply by the inexperience, and general inactivity of those gangs?"

They dropped into the room, trusting in his knowledge of the immediate area. He could have sworn that he heard a slight slithering sound as if though a metal object was being drawn from it's sheathe, but upon entering, he found no source for the noise. Joza inquired of his well-being, which seemed somewhat strange, but was otherwise normal enough in the general conversational pattern of the Zeltrons. "I am well. My hand no longer aches, and my breath fills my lungs once more." A rat scurried along one of the nearby counters, apparently oblivious of the presence of the two larger lifeforms, and Abelain gently pressed a finger down upon it's back, stroking it for a brief moment before it panicked and disappeared into a crevice. "And you?"

 

[Joza Perl]

The shortening of her name was met with an arched brow and not much else. She didn’t exactly prefer it—her name was two syllables—but figured it was Abelain’s answer to her own shorthand. That, and it was something that her close friends called her back on Zeltros. Somehow she disliked it even more when they were the ones calling her ‘Jo’.

When the talk of uprisings, ideology and affiliation came into play, Joza frowned visibly. “There’s a lot of sides to this, Abelain.” She switched back to the more formal version of his name, not caring to tease him in the moment. “I don’t pretend to understand all of them, or even a portion of them, but the galaxy is an ugly place. I found that out firsthand, and I didn’t even need the Jedi to show me.” At the very least, they seemed to be able to agree that neither of them fancied themselves as righteous. And really. Joza didn’t know where she stood right now. But it was not among the Sith. “Maybe we can continue this discussion later over tea. Sullust has the most lovely cafés.”

Though she spoke in a carefree manner, the Zeltron was quite careful when choosing which pieces of information to disclose to the Sith Knight. She didn’t give him anything he could potentially use against her—some of her words were the truth, some exaggerations, and some outright lies. Even still, she didn’t particularly mind divulging anything about Nik or the Brotherhood—the Hellyni relished challenges.

Let the enemy cultivate his “own” image of her and act accordingly.

As the Arue’tii confirmed that he was feeling better, Joza gave a quick nod. “Good. Because I’m bad at healing.” Even if she was good at it, would she have helped him if he needed? It was likely, considering he wasn’t the first dark sider she’d healed and was necessary for their escape. When he turned the question at her, she responded swiftly and reflexively with an “I’m fine.” It hit her a few moments later that it was a bit odd for them to be concerned over each other’s physical state, but then again it was all in the name of survival.

Once that was all squared away, the pair cautiously made their way towards the exit, conveniently in the same direction that Abelain had scented potentially enemies. Pressing her body flat against a wall, Joza peered into the doorway of an open room—a break room, by the looks of it. Made sense for this to be near the kitchen. Inside, a Weequay and a large Trandoshan were chatting while they ate their meals. Turning to his partner in crime, the Trandoshan’s raucous laughter drowned out her whispered words to all sans Abelain.

“Alright, I’ve got an idea. Either we can continue down the hall and encounter Force knows what, or…” She paused, tilting her head towards the doorway. “We can take out those guys. Stun them, Force trick them or something. It just so happens that it looks like we could fit into their outfits, which cover a lot.” Joza didn’t feel the need to elaborate. He would know where she was going with this, as lame holodrama-esque as it was.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
There were far too many sides in the ideological conflict of the galaxy to ever fully understand them all. Both Abelain, and Joza seemed to agree upon that fundamental truth, and he iterated his acceptance of it with a simple nod of his head. It was saddening to consider that the galaxy was an 'ugly' place given that it's physical beauty in many aspects was breathtaking. The stars that spread out forever throughout the endless ocean of void were breathtaking in their apparent simplicity, and mentally stimulating in their evidenced complexity. The bright points of light that one viewed from the surface of a world were simply background to the struggles of daily life whether it was monotonous or strenuous, but when one flew close enough to the massive balls of burning hydrogen, they would find themselves filled with an aura of immense power emanating off of them. It was the same with many wonders of the natural universe, and one could even elicit similar feelings by viewing, or participating in the exploration of many ancient ruins and structures which stretched until they pierced the heavens, or stretched into the eternal depths of the abyss.

"If memory serves, Sullust is under the control of an enemy faction. I cannot help but to believe that I would be tortured, and mistreated by the scum that control the world, and so I am forced to decline your offer to consume 'tea' upon the world." Perhaps if he showed up with enough spectacle, they would be forced to accommodate for him as a diplomat in an attempt to ensure the general public didn't think they were being too cruel, but being a Sith meant that such luxuries weren't always offered. Granted, it wasn't as if the benefit would be given by the One Sith should a Jedi representative attempt to negotiate an agreement. "If you truly wish to continue this discussion, then we may be able to convene at a later date. Preferably when we aren't attempting to escape from a hostile stronghold, but I'll leave the decision to your curious mind." Mentally, he supplanted the word curious with the word strange.

After acknowledging that his previous pains had vanished, Joza stated that she had difficulty in performing any healing. It could be inferred that she was referring towards the process known as 'Force Healing' as she did not appear to have any previous medical history, nor training in any medicinal field. Abelain personally had used the Dark side version of the ability in the past, and had felt the consequences in his own body. Whereas the Light side of Force Healing simply allowed for rejuvenated health, or for intensified healing rates, the Dark side required the sapping of one's own strength for the purpose of supplementing the health of another. When Blazing Eye, and himself had been defeated by 'Nik', he had used the ability to staunch the flow of blood from his guardian's battered form in an attempt to retain his life. He had been a useful companion in the endeavors of the Arue'tii, and he intended to keep him physically fit for as long as possible. At the time, he had analyzed his own wounds, and judged in favor of receiving more to balance out the healing, but he had judged himself incorrectly. The internal bleeding had been difficult to stop, and many times he wondered whether his healing would have been sped up if only he had left his guardian to wallow in his own injuries for a short while.

His eyes tracked his pink-skinned companion as she pressed nimbly against the wall, apparently attempting to detect the foes that he had identified earlier. He knew instinctively that her choice of movement was being determined by an inability to locate the threat through the walls, and tried to imagine one of his most prevalent senses being stolen away from him, but the very thought of being unable to scent the blood of prey, and inferior beings made him wince. She turned rather suddenly at the onset of hearty laughter from the interior of a nearby room, and whispered urgently that they could either continue down the path of the hallway, or eliminate the threat that the two individuals posed. It took several moments until he understood that she wished to dress in the clothing of the hostiles, and he glanced down at the chitinous protrusions marking his elbows, and their evident blades. "I don't believe that this plan will work nearly as well as you wish, but I shall indulge you."

The Arue'tii leaned slightly over the smaller figure of Joza, arcing so as not to touch her as he cast a slight glance into the room. He assumed that he was intended to defeat the Trandoshan as it was the larger of the two figures, and would therefore provide for a more adequate disguise. The idea flickered into his mind to murder, and skin the Trandoshan for it's hide, but it was quickly enveloped by more rational thoughts, and sent away. Upon further reflection, he wasn't entirely confident that his mind hadn't been tainted somewhat by the presence of the Dark side during his sojourn into the galaxy, and the idea of using a fallen opponent's flesh for the purpose of clothing was somewhat new to his mentality. "I shall follow your lead." He whispered downward, his voice the same as a slithering serpent's as it hissed gently through the air, and down towards his compatriot.

 

[Joza Perl]

“Indulge me?” Joza frowned suddenly, peering up at the large form of the Arue’tii as he arched his body over and away from her in order to get a closer look at their potential enemies. “By all means, stop me if you have a better plan. This ‘aint dress rehearsal.” Shifting her gaze back towards the break room, the Zeltron settled.

“If you’re on board, here’s what I’m planning. I’ll distract them, draw them in. I’ll take out the smaller guy, you go for the ugly Trandoshan. I don’t care how you do it, kill him or whatever. Just make sure than in the end, they won’t be causing us trouble during our stay.” If Abelain agreed and had no further questions, Joza would continue with their plan. If he had reservations, those would be addresses until they could both agree on something. She didn’t want them to go into this without agreeing on their course of action.

Once ready, Joza would remove the loose cloak she had wrapped herself in, revealing the equally dark bodyglove she’d been wearing underneath. Usually she’d be wearing some sort of armor or protective material, but she hadn’t expected the crash landing. A lesson in foresight, perhaps.

After running her fingers through her hair to fluff it up a bit, she stepped into the doorway with an unsure look on her face. “Um, excuse me…can you help me? I’m lost…” She gave the pair an earnest look, who immediately stopped their conversation and turned their heads towards the newcomer. Joza could feel their eyes on her, clearly not expecting to have a Zeltron in a skin tight body suit show up on their break, but they weren’t complaining. Her ploy was pretty flimsy and transparent, but that was overlooked by the two men seeing as how she laid the pheromones on thick. Unfounded One would think that she would enjoy this sort of thing, but Joza often found that seduction was boring and unnecessary. Perhaps she was just too used to being approached. But hey, it seemed to be working.

“Of course we can help you, honey.” The Weequay seemed to eye her with interest, rising from his seat and moving over to her. The Trandoshan followed behind, though he seemed to be thinking. The Weequay slipped an arm around the Zeltron’s waist, looking as if he was about to say something when the Trandoshan came up behind him.

“Wait, didn’t B Group bring in a Zeltron prisoner this morning?”

Oh, chit.

Quick as lightning, her demeanor changed from faux nervous to focused. Before the Weequay could question her or his friend, she jammed the palm of her hand against his chest and hit him with a heavy Force Stun. The pirate’s eyes glazed over as he found himself frozen in a catatonic state. Suspicions confirmed, the Trandoshan raised his blaster pistol and fired at the red haired vixen. The bolt hit her inorganic arm, the phrik of her prosthesis easily deflecting the blow.

[member="Abelain Narv'uk"]

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

[member="Joza Perl"]
The Zeltron's demeanor seemed to immediately indicate that she was not satisfied with simply allowing the plan, and though she offered for him to present a better plan, he could not think of one in the time frame required. "No. We shall continue as you have said." Perhaps the clothing offered by the Trandoshan wouldn't be ripped to shreds by his blades, but the possibility for failure there was quite high. Even if it did malfunction, and the cloth was rent into tatters in certain areas, there was always the chance that the stupidity of the pirates would prevent them from noticing the change. The plan was relayed in more depth, and his role in it was determined. It came as no surprise that he would be assaulting the Trandoshan, especially since he was the larger of the pair, and would likely provide more difficulty for Joza to defeat. That wasn't to say that he didn't believe she was capable of it, but there was doubt as to whether she could accomplish it without incurring wounds of some manner that would hinder her ability to escape.

His eyes rested upon her as she primped her hair, and entered the room. Her voice sounded out to the inhabitants, and Abelain simply shook his head as he listened to her 'distraction'. There was simply no way that such a bad excuse would possibly work on the pirates, and he felt assured that even they would see through her plot. When they didn't, he decided that they were indeed as stupid as he had previously predicted. The Trandoshan seemed to be somewhat more wary of the scenario; likely because he was reptilian and therefore did not care for the romantic accompaniment of the Zeltron. The Sith paused for a moment, sniffing something that seemed to flood the compartment. It was a strange sensation, not quite smelling in the usual manner, but also not the familiar feeling of the blood scent.

The people of Zeltros were rumored to be capable of emitting pheromones that would tamper with the mental faculties of those around them, and which would usually lead the afflicted towards lustful thoughts. It was a useful ability for a world held in the depths of debauchery, and it appeared to have some semblance of utility even off of that pleasure planet. He wasn't immune to the sensation, but it wasn't the same sort of want that the Weequay in the room was emitting. It made him hunger, and he could feel his stomach aggravate for the opportunity to spill, and drain those that he encountered. It was an unbearable feeling, and though he attempted to ward it off through variant applications of the Force, he found that he was unable to restrict the hunger bubbling up from within himself.

When finally the ambush was revealed, and Joza assailed the Weequay, Abelain heartily entered the room. Joza's opponent, and target of seduction was already lain upon the ground, but the Trandoshan was trailing her movements, and firing upon her with it's blaster rifle. The hunger needed to be sated, and the Arue'tii found himself rushing towards the lizard with a ferocity that seemed strange even to him. He had chopped foes into pieces, bisected them, burned them, hacked them, torn them asunder, and even fed on one or two, but those assaults had usually never evoked an emotional response. This was a need, and it called him to answer. He rammed into the Trandoshan, sending it hurling back into a wall with the force of the blow. It attempted to retaliate, but the savage monster would have none of it, and his hands were quickly lopped into by the chitinous blades upon his elbows.

The lizard shrieked a noise of painful terror, and the flurry of slashes continued. The hunter lay with a dozen long bloody arcs where his scales had been torn away, and a large bite wound in the side of his neck. His pallor seemed to change ever so slightly as he was drained, and finally the opponent was dropped with an unceremonious thud. The Arue'tii licked away the remnants of his meal, and closed his mouth once more with the usual 'smile' that protected it from external damage. "It... is... done." He spoke between tiresome breaths.