Private Faintly, I'll Go...

[Arcturus Dinn]

When last he'd seen fit to venture to Tash-Taral, Arcturus had undergone the process of unearthing a ruin from within the depths of the ever-shifting sands. He'd received those coordinates from a contact, yet upon reaching the spot there'd been naught but dunes. Digging deeper, though, and he'd found not just the remnants of a temple but a woman, one Ceri . An interesting find to be sure. This time, though, it wasn't the wider dunes he had his heart set on, but the Great Valley wherein tombs not unalike those found on Korriban lay sprawled in red rock. He'd had every intention of exploring them back then, but he'd been called back home to Maliphant.

Arcturus had exactly zero plans to make the same mistake twice.

He'd dressed according to the weather which, as always on worlds such as these, was meant to protect his skin from the rays of the sun while simultaneously protecting against the chill which would come with night. He'd even encouraged the both of them to wear something to protect their eyes, for the last thing they needed was to be caught off guard in a sandstorm and find themselves with grains in their eyes. No doubt Tamiko had said something sarcastic about already being incapable of seeing, as she was want to do, but even so sand in the eye whether blind or not was no pleasant experience.

Take that from a man who made sand his livelihood.

As they came upon the valley though, and the wind was sheltered, he lowered the shawl which had been covering his mouth and breathed in his first fresh breath of air since they'd disembarked Leviathan. "Do you feel it, Tamiko?" he inquired, slowing to a halt and peering out over the sprawling mass of red rock; his hands found their place at his waist. "There's residual power in places such as these; monoliths and great tombs are often only made for more potent beings." Well, potent when it came to the likes of the Sith who lay buried here that was. The mighty and revered... Arcturus wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the sentiment, in truth, but he couldn't deny it for what it was.

"This is the Great Valley of Tash-Taral, Apprentice, here we might unearth knowledge long since lost, or treasures forgotten to time... But those who formed such a place did not leave it unguarded. I'm sure it goes without saying, but I expect you'll stick close by. Should we find ourselves pressed, you'll make use of this."

He reached into the folds of the garb which adorned him, and produced the curved hilt of his sole lightsaber. A slight pause washed over him as he contemplated the potential implications of what he was about to do, before he offered it out to her. They hadn't long been practicing her usage of such a tool, and just a training hilt at that, but she at least knew how to handle it enough that she would not do herself any damage with it. Beyond that? Well... Some beasts were want to avoid light if nothing else.

"Keep it safe, Apprentice, I should hate to have to replace it."

For his own part? Well... Arcturus had a few tricks up his sleeve, his sand, and his blade. Between them he could make do without his lightsaber. It had become something of a sentimental carry as opposed to a frequently used weapon for him in recent years, after all, he'd never reached for it before exhausting his other options first.

Tamiko Sabo

 

[Tamiko Sabo]

Tag: Arcturus Dinn​

Tash-Taral was another total surprise, Arcturus in no way easing her into the whole planet hopping gimmick. Not that she was complaining. She'd metaphorically seen more in the past few weeks than the entirety of her life. Now she stood on the outskirts of an entire planet of sprawling sand dunes. She counted that more impressive than any ecumenpolis. People she could see being so relentless. Building to further and further heights as if it were some sort of never ending challenge. The immensity of nature however wasn't something she was familiar with. On Coruscant anything organic was only permitted with artificial undertones.

Her first step out onto Tash-Taral cut through the sand with more ease than she was prepared for. Though Arcturus had admittedly given his best summary of the planet, nothing could substitute actual experience. Which presently Tamiko found herself severely lacking.

Dawning a shawl herself, she fixed a loose blind fold to cover her eyes. A makeshift visor as Arcturus made sure to expertly recommended. Course she didn't miss the opportunity to be a pain in the ass about it. "Is the agenda strictly to take me to every hellhole in the universe or did I just get lucky?" With a wry grin she followed Arcturus into the blazing landscape, grains of sand shifting beneath her feet. The comment was obvious sarcasm, making no effort to conceal the eagerness she harbored.

Disembarking from the ship, they soon came upon a valley. Seemingly the destination Arcturus had set them out towards. He wasted no time trying to gauge her reaction, gesturing to the apparent mysticism he hoped she was picking up on. Surveying the surrounding terrain, the immediate expanse was obvious. And so were the faint whispers of the force embedded in whatever rock formations they stood before.

Pinching down the shawl, she freed her voice to respond. "You could just say we're breaking and entering." Into ancient Sith monuments as it were. A slight step up from any apartment on Coruscant. Nonetheless she shrugged a bit humorfully, "Personally think I'm well equipped for that."

The notion of hidden intrigues deep within the pools of rock and sand had her fascinated, eager to unfurl the mysteries of this world.

Accepting his lightsaber with mild surprise, she twirled it in her hand with an encroaching grin. She'd grown far more comfortable wielding such a weapon as of late, no doubt thanks to their routine practice. While her skill remained largely unrefined she was by no means defenseless. Hopefully for the time being that'd be enough.

"You know I'm trustworthy." Wordlessly she equipped the weapon, disappearing it beneath the folds of her poncho before returning her attention to Arcturus."Take it you know the way?"

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"Hellhole?" he retorted, with something akin to mock offense in his tone; he even settled a hand over his heart, as though trying to keep it from breaking apart. "And here I thought you'd love Raxus!" It was in truth the reason he'd chosen that place over any other to meet the Rodian in that sector, there were nicer, more temperate worlds after all. Show her the wonders of a junk-laden planet, there were countless others in the Galaxy ripe for the picking too. Every tinkerers dream, no? To be able to find parts and pieces for projects. Certainly was the case for him.

He grinned, and led her out into the dunes. Noticed the way in which she initially struggled with her footing; Force, she really had been cooped up, hadn't she? Arcturus began to form a list in his mind of all the various other world types he could take her to, somewhere nice. A forest moon, perhaps, or a planet filled to the brim with water. Did she know how to swim? He hadn't until Ishani had taken him to her homeworld... Not properly, at least.

Maybe he'd show her how.

Her comment drew him from his thoughts, and Arcturus stuck her with a curious glance. "Oh, familiar with common thievery are we Miss Sabo?" he chided, before shaking his head and dropping the act. "Good, then mayhaps your skills will prove useful should we encounter a locked door or a container of some sort." There were other ways to get such a job done, of course, one of which he was presently handing over - a lightsaber was as much a tool as a weapon, after all - but why not let her bring her skills to the table.

Once she'd taken the weapon, and assured him it would not be lost, he took to walking once more and led her further into the valley until they were at the bottom of its basin. On more or less level ground - admittedly, still sandy underfoot. "The way? Oh, I thought we'd just choose one of the many tombs available to us. What do you think, Apprentice, any of them standing out so far?" There were various alcoves and archways, doorways and the like, scattered on both sides of them. The gap from left to right was decently far, but not so far that both ends were not easily in sight. Effortless for most to reach out through the Force and sense.

"Have you been finding it easier to sense your surroundings since you opened yourself up to the Force, Tamiko?" he wondered all at once, though he continued to move and glance over each tomb entrance as they appeared. "There is a method I have been looking into, through which you could see impressions of things that hold a presence in the Force. Living entities far more brightly, colourful even, than say, a wall, but still... It is an option, you know? I'd be willing to learn it with you, if you wanted."

Arcturus was always a little cautious around the subject of her sight. He did not want to make it seem as though it was viewed as a hindrance, something to overcome and set aside. It was a part of her, and he did not wish to invalidate her on so deep a level. Truth be told though he didn't know how she felt about her impairment. Was she guarded about it, or did she seek a means to overcome it for herself?

Either way, it had been offered.

Tamiko Sabo

 

[Tamiko Sabo]

Tag: Arcturus Dinn​

Tamiko’s question hung in the air as Arcturus prompted her to follow, spiraling into the heart of the basin in tandem. Almost absentmindedly she dragged the toe of her boot through the ground, leaving a stretch of tousled sand. Unremarkable to most but for someone exclusively used to concrete underfoot it elicited a shred of curiosity.

At his mention of the encircling tunnels, loose strands of the force tugged at her awareness disappearing deep within the formation. Each harboring their own well-kept secrets. Letting her senses slowly envelope the ring of grottos, a moment of concentration elapsed before any obvious temptation surfaced. When it did, the line drawn was faint but promising, leaving some vague metaphysical impression clear in her waking mind. Blinking, she instinctively turned to its source, a small almost ground level opening over casted by a row of dominating archways.

Before she could answer his question he posed another one.

“In a way,” she shrugged somewhat preoccupied, attention solely devoted to the surrounding terrain. Briefly withdrawing from her focus a look of reflection crossed the girl’s face, “Well in a lot of ways actually. Mainly just surface level depth perception but-” It wasn’t anywhere close to seeing, nonetheless it still allowed the girl to navigate her surroundings with relative ease. She paused a moment before shrugging it off, an ironic grin pulling at her lips, "I mean I'll take whatever I can get."

“Also-” Cocking her head towards the tomb, she redirected her attention, “found something promising.”

He then went on to offer something that caught her off guard. The girl looked over at him with an unreadable expression, likely not helping to ease his present apprehension. The issue of her sight was naturally a sensitive topic set between them, one barely tested. In truth it was an accepted way of life, natural to how she experienced the world. However hard it was to adjust to in the beginning, however much loss she’d grappled with in result it almost felt like some monument of her past. Nonetheless It fed a need to overcompensate, a holdover of deeply residing insecurities. With that in mind her eyes shifted in contemplation, ”Yeah-” She met Arcturus’s gaze with a slight reaffirming nod, “-I’d want that.”

Turning away she regarded the array of tunnels with a shrug. "Certainly makes things easier."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus largely allowed himself to be led by his Apprentice once they were down within the basin, it was after all important that she learn how to guide herself, not simply be led from place to place, she was an independent soul but even if she hadn't been, even if she'd strived to look to him for every indication of what to do or say, he'd still have pushed her in this way. Reliance led to the formation of chains; he was more focused on her breaking them.

As such when she slowed to a crawl before one of the tomb entrances he paused, and peered over it. Low set door, flanked by pillars, the same red rock as the rest, yet with a little more sand build up than some of the other doorways. Clearly it hadn't been touched in a while. Not by man, at least. Certainly it was large enough for the tomb guardians, tuk'ata and the like, to scurry into. With that in mind he kept on high alert; deep inside he could feel something breathing.

The girl explained that her Forcely perceptions were beginning to develop, eliciting a proud nod from the man. "Excellent. The more you open yourself to it, the more it will reveal to you, Apprentice. Soon it will be like second nature." Case in point: she sensed something in the tomb also, though likely not the lifeforms he did. Something which intrigued her.

"Then I daresay we should begin here. The entrance is partially buried with sand, do you think you can tackle moving the blockade, Apprentice? Think back to Raxus... One large sheet of durasteel. Look at this in a similar light, see past the individual grains and view it as one collective mass which stands in your way. Envision sweeping it away - oh, and be sure to pull up your veil again, you don't want to breathe in the kickback."

The rest of what she said had him quietly contemplative. Truth be told his heart had skipped a beat as she agreed to the idea, she was of course apprehensive, less eager than she typically was to learn, but she was firm in her resolve all the same. It was a level of trust they hadn't even tried to broker yet... Her nod was met with one of his own.

"Then I shall look into relevant tools for learning. Sense in general is something I have no issues with, but Sight... Sight's a little more involved." A matter for another time, something to grasp at together in tandem.

Arcturus set his hands at his back, and then nodded once more. "Alright, let's clear the way then Tamiko."

Tamiko Sabo

 

[Tamiko Sabo]

Tag: Arcturus Dinn​

Loosening an amused snort she took a precautionary step back, “Yeah just like Raxus.”As advised, a hand lifted to adjust the shawl.

Concentrating, she stood before the archway, its impression reigning strong in her mind. With considerably more ease than what she’d shown on Raxus, the girl tapped into the force, exerting her will without hesitation.

Grains spilled over themselves with a characteristic hiss, gradually emptying the doorway. It was as if some vortex had formed in the center, sand gravitating towards an invisible force, rapidly filing out. Grains lapping at her feet she doubled down on the blockade, hand outstretched in an attempt to channel the action. Summoning a higher degree of control the girl drew back, expediting the process. In response a plume of sand erupted from the arch, cascading down on the surrounding terrain in thick clouds.

Sweeping a coat of dust from her shoulder she found herself suddenly grateful for the blindfold, shaking the residue from her shawl with heavy irritation. “Starting to see why your pocket sand would be effective.”

A bit sloppy but the job was nonetheless done, the barrier now a gaping hole. An opening which allowed the force to be far more forthcoming, a flicker of something more becoming apparent to the girl. Instinctively her grip on the lightsaber tightened.

Within the depths something stirred.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

He smirked in response to her words.

Yep, already he was conjuring up a thousand other places for them to visit. As much fun as Raxus had been, and as much as he enjoyed the stars, she'd really seemed to taken to the sandy dunes, he could sense her awe and curiosity brimming as they made their way deeper. Even now, even stationary, it was like she was breathing in reality for the first time.

How could he not want more of that for her?

As he advised she do, Arcturus lifted his own shawl back up over his mouth and crossed his arms to bear witness to what came next. He'd expected a struggle, that they'd spend some time stood beneath the sun as she tried to figure it out.

Imagine his surprise when she reached so readily for the Force; imagine his surprise when the doorway was swiftly unearthed.

Dusty sand swirled all around them, and he was immediately grateful for the goggles he'd chosen to wear. No sandstorm needed to make them a good investment, just a girl with a destination in mind. He hummed appreciatively under his breath.

Were he Starlin Rand he might have whooped and cheered. Sadly, he'd never been that expressive in his entire life.

"Well somebody has been keeping up with their practices," he stated, pride swelling up within him and breaking through into his tone. "Excellent work, Apprentice, you may have an aptitude for telekinesis yet." Whatever lay within the tomb felt a little more tangible now, and he directed his eyes down into the inky abyss. Not so dark for him, of course, not with the ring upon his finger. It wouldn't prove a hindrance for his blind student either. Perfect, that meant their approach could be silent. No flashlight or warm torch to direct attention their way.

"Oh, incredibly effective in the right situations" he stated, patting her shoulder as he stepped up beside her. "Maybe one day I'll show you how it works. For now, Tamiko... I'm more than curious to find out what drew your attention to this place. Come, lead the way..."

More than just a prize in the depths. He wondered if she sensed the lifeforms too...

Tamiko Sabo

 

[Tamiko Sabo]

Tag: Arcturus Dinn​

​

As Arcturus, seemingly void of any reservation, moved to her side she eased from her immediate caution. Mistrust matched by an equally powerful instinct of curiosity. It was impossible to shake the imprint of whatever lifeforms shifted beneath the surface, however faint it may have originally been.

She bridged a fleeting connection between them, a precaution to avoid rousing whatever laid buried in the rocky enclave. Take it’s the fact something’s alive down there. The words tainted with revelation, an incredulous look crossed her face. Quickly paired with a sense of interest worming its way through the link. In response to his invitation to take the lead a twitch of a smile pulled at her lips, What, am I the bait?

Steeling herself before passing the threshold, Tamiko freed her hand from the lightsaber. No reason to jump the gun. Yet. Still she didn’t welcome a feeling of vulnerability. The warped limestone spiraled into a pure abyss rather instantaneously, the gradient of light fading to black as the tunnel descended. Hand brushing against the interior wall she pushed into the darkness, disturbing the untreaded sand beneath her feet.

The path continued to sink, leading the pair well within the depths of the formation. Further encroaching on uncharted territory, the presence of the life forms strengthened tenfold. Likely coming to the point that they would soon sense the tomb raiders, regardless of their stealth.

Any clue what we’re walking into? The words, still under the protection of a mental bridge, were faint. The equivalent to a whisper.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Tamiko proved smart enough to switch their conversation to one which could only be perceived through the Force, and in doing so not only was their descent obscured from view but it was also rather quiet, just boots against the sandstone and even then it was dampened by the mass of sand which hung here and there to cushion it.

She took the front, though not without her usual humour, and Arcturus smirked. If I wanted bait I'd insist you talked, he stated, softly shaking his head for all the good it did him. Today we'll be led by your instincts, Apprentice. I will go where you lead. It was, after all, important that she learn to decide for herself.

Besides, he could see over her. Warn her if necessary; hopefully it would not be necessary.

Further into the depths of the tomb they wandered, until it felt as though they were closer to the planet's crust than its surface. Each step strengthened the presence of those tomb beasts, until Tamiko questioned him about them.

I know what it's likely to be he stated, with a shrug, Sith are largely predictable beings, after all.

Was he going to share with the class..? He waited until they neared that first chamber, where the ground leveled out and the stairs ended. Then he halted, and gestured for Tamiko to do the same.

Tuk'ata, he explained, sensing one of the beasts prowling closer; by now they could no doubt sense their presence, likely by smell. Fierce beasts, I'd ready that lightsaber if I were you Apprentice.

And right on cue, the padding of their clawed footfalls could be heard as one of the beasts approached, slinking in the shadows and believing itself undetected. Get the jump on it, before it beats you to the punch.

Tamiko Sabo

 

[Tamiko Sabo]

Tag: Arcturus Dinn​

Coming to a halt on even ground the girl held out for a response with bated breath. Tuk’ata. Racking her brain for any insight she might’ve gleamed from her studies, the word sith hound surfaced in all its obscurity. Still advancing relatively blind her hand drifted towards the blade’s hilt, ready to test how beneficial learning from hands-on experience could really be.

The sheer size and rippling frame of the beast was communicated with ease through the force as it crept with discretion through the chamber’s outskirts. Claws scraping the packed ground with surprising restraint.

Tamiko summoned whatever mental clarity she could, burying any anxieties prone to arise. Committing to the act she drew the lightsaber from her cloak, grip tightening around its metallic frame.

That’s one spiced-up guard dog.

The enveloping silence broke like shattered glass as the beast cut through the dark. Muscles flexed in preparation of an attack. It beared down on the two in a few well placed lunges stirring the sand in its wake.

Instinctively she resurrected some semblance of a force shield, locking the beast in place. Its entire being fought against the restraints, to which Tamiko’s control wavered ever so slightly. Bearing a set of gnarly teeth, the hound’s wide set maw snapped down inches from the girl's face, crazed in a mission to free itself. Suppressing immediate panic she struggled a few precious moments longer before lashing out in a wave of channeled frustration. The dog skidded to the ground, landing on its side with a heavy thud, Its claws leaving a trailing gash as it tried to right itself.

Reactively, she swung the lightsaber, a beacon of stark red light in the depths of the cavern. Briefly deterring the already dazed Tuk’ata from its course, it recoiled from the brightness, likely adjusted to the perpetual inky abyss. Recovering with an obvious limp it slipped back into obscurity, pacing around for another opening.

Don’t suppose I can domestic this thing. Loosening an equally sarcastic and exasperated huff, she watched the Tuk’ata snarl defensively. Injured but still a threat. Before either advanced a flicker of hesitation surfaced in her eyes, “Any reason I should keep it alive?”

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Rather than immediately wielding the blade, his Apprentice did something all together unexpected. The Force flared up in the room around them, and he marveled as the beast was held in place, teeth gnashing, muscles roiling, but still unable to get more than a few inches from its quarry.

He could see how strained she was, and inhaled a breath in anticipation of reacting himself should her hold waver.

Danger senses flared, but before he needed to step in she threw the beast back where it struck the ground and limped upon rising once more. Back into the shadows it paced, uneasy on one of its legs, and the snap-hiss of his lightsaber rang out in her hands.

Sickly red light illuminated the space around them, keeping it at bay.

Her question had his eyes snapping from creature to girl.

"Tuk'ata can be tamed" he stated, "but it's no easy feat. As for keeping it alive... I suppose that depends very much on you, Apprentice. You could cut it down here and save yourself the headache of figuring out another way to incapacitate it, or, well..." He shrugged his shoulders, gaze drifting back to the pacing beast. What would he have done in the same situation?

"I dare say the choice is yours."

Tamiko Sabo