Private Fate Full of Stars

[Vytal Noctura]

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Location: Leaving Dosuun's Atmosphere
Vehicle: SJ-X22 Multi-Purpose Vessel
Tag: FN-1138

Vytal made a few adjustments as the ship continued its ascent into space. A few leverages here, a few buttons there... Long as they didn't need to make a run through an asteroid field they'd be fine. With a few more inputs the computer could start crunching on the flight path to Geonosis once they cleared the planet's pull.

With the important things out of the way, the pale woman turned slightly in her seat to look over at Able. He'd handled the turbulence well, this being technically his first time again. Perhaps a part of him still knew what to expect, or what a proper exiting of a planet's atmosphere felt like. From his expression, she knew he'd forgotten what the stars looked like. Doubtful there was a way for the body to remember that as a muscle memory.

"I remember what that felt like," Vytal commented. "Even when I tell you that the galaxy is full of inhabited worlds and strange cultures, you won't truly appreciate the scale until you experience it yourself." Big? Large? Gargantuan? They were just words, and paled in comparison to actually seeing it. It took time to truly appreciate just how vast just their part of existence really was. To think there were other galaxies... And all that on top of other dimensions or levels of what they called reality. "Word of advice," much as she'd like him to be starry-eyed the whole time, "be careful who you trust out there. Infinite possibilities means there are as many that would exploit you as those that would help you."

The five Nightsisters had not been taken despite their naivete when they first ventured into the deep. Having been untrusting of offworlders from the start those that sought to take advantage of them found unpleasant surprises awaiting them. Able, however, might not be so distrusting -- despite his isolated reaction on the planet below.

 

[FN-1138]

Able continued watching the stars. They looked amazing. "Wooah", he mouthed. While he knew deep down that the stars were not a new sight to him, this was the first time he actually saw them. When Vytal spoke, he turned to face her and listened to her words. Part of him knew the galaxy was a huge place, but she was right. He'd have to experience it himself to appreciate the full scale of everything that was in it. Even if that means experiencing the ugliness the galaxy had to offer as well as the beautiful. When she told him to be careful about the people he trusted, Able could only nod in understanding. That was common sense. If he trusted the wrong person, he could find in a back alley somewhere robbed of his possessions, or found dead in a ditch with his face smashed in. The young man shivered at the unpleasant thought.

He unbuckled his belt and stood up. It'll be a while before they reached this Geonosis and Able didn't want to be bored. He asked her, "Since we're going to be here for a while, is there anything that needs to be done?"

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Vytal looked up and around back at Able as he got up. Was there anything that needed done? Her ship wasn't that large. Although, perhaps there was a thought. "The sleeping area could use some attention." Not that she was thrilled at the idea of a male being back there, but the ship wasn't their 'home' any more. Not since the Fates had chambers in the Castle on Ryloth now. "I wasn't expecting company." She had straightened up a little that morning, but just enough so it wouldn't be eye-widening for someone in her position to have such a messy ship. What could Vytal say except she spoiled her Sisters.

"Perhaps I should show you where it is," she added after a second. Vytal had just begun to stand up when a beeping sound drew her eye. She settled back into the seat vacated a moment ago. Her eyes swept over the sensor console to analyze whatever had tripped the automated alert.

Another few flicks and a hum filled the air as the deflector screens came up. Just then the ship rocked under fire. "Hold on," she called out before banking away from the newly arrived and hostile vessel. Her lips pressed together at the computer indicating they were still too close to the planet to jump.

The ship banked again as a volley sailed by.

"They're trying to get a tractor lock. Arm yourself, Able. We'll have a better chance fighting them in close quarters." The Dathomiri huntress and Nightsister would certainly feel more at ease watching the life bleed from her prey. Ship-to-ship combat was too impersonal. Too sterile -- as much of offworlder civilization seemed to be with their massive cities.

Tag: FN-1138​

 

[FN-1138]

Able was about to follow Noctura when the sensor alarm sounded. He watched her as she started messing with the console, then the ship rocked and he stumbled a little bit. Whoever tripped the alarm was definitely not friendly. Probably pirates. It was the most logical conclusion he could think of. He gripped the chair tightly as the Nightmother started banking away from the enemy vessel. Once the ship settled down somewhat, she told the young man to arm himself and he couldn't agree more. So, he took off to find the ship's armory, completely forgetting about his injuries and adrenaline coursed through his veins. Once he found the room, the door opened and he stepped inside. He was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of weapons. Claws, spears, whips for some odd reason, and blasters. Lots of blasters. They ranged from sniper rifles to carbines, and there were even a couple of Z-6 Rotary Cannons. Despite the firepower they had, Able needed something compact for when the boarders inevitably came.

In the end, he chose the compact BAW-88 Blaster Carbine, and a couple of extra power cells before he rushed out. When he did so, the young trooper was greeted by a hail of blaster fire. He ducked back inside cursing to himself all the while. Once the blaster fire died down for a bit, Able poked his head out to do a quick head count. There were 6 boarders of various races. 2 Twi'leks, 1 Weequay, and 3 Trandoshans. Able pulled himself back and made a grab for a flash grenade he saw in a pile on the table by the southern wall. He primed it and threw it towards the party. The flash happened, he threw himself out and fired his blaster at the attackers with quick pulls of the trigger. Each shot nailed each target in the forehead and they collapsed to the ground.

Able lowered the smoking blaster and surveyed his surroundings for more pirates. While he didn't see any in front of him, it was like he could sense their presence. More like he could feel their killing intent. He ran towards the bridge and shouted, "Noctura! You alright!?"

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

As Able drew near the fore of the ship again, a long form shot across the intervening distance as he came within sight of the bridge. A smooth, ivory mask filled his vision, featureless save for the palpable menace radiating from it. Four arms, two bearing blades, were raised ready to strike Able down as a sharp hiss pierced the air.

"Lylek," Vytal's voice called out.

The serpentine form froze in that position. Slowly the mask rotated slightly as the creature cocked its head. Only when the Nightmother strode down the short walk from the bridge did it draw back to make room. The weapons lowered, but remain unsheathed ready to strike down the unworthy. Much as it had those that sought to lay claim to the Dathomiri woman they had found.

It was not Vytal's desire to have the spirit manifest itself, nor engage in these mortal matters, but every now and again one of the spirits felt like being a personal guardian for a time. Perhaps having a conduit with which to commune with the other plane of existence was worth the trouble. Much like the Nether, however, a spirit's assistance had to be monitored; they were prone to reacting in ways the living might not fully understand at the time. Though she knew Lylek and the other two spirits of the Mandragora better than most.

"I am unharmed. I heard blaster fire," she noted, though from the way Able was standing she suspected the man had come out on top in his own battle. "If they won't listen to reason, we may have to take their ship. It won't be long before they consider us more trouble than we're worth."

Tag: FN-1138​

 

[FN-1138]

Able pulled back a couple of steps once he caught sight of the spectral figure in his path. Ir had an featureless, yet smooth ivory mask and four arms. Two of them carried blades. He lifted his blaster to shoot the thing even though he knew that it was a rather pointless gesture. Thankfully, Noctura called out what he assumed was the creature's name. When the creature, Lylek she called it, backed off, only then did he lower his newly acquired weapon. He still kept his guard up in case the creature went against the Nightmother's wishes.

And speak of the devil. Noctura came into view. She's alright. He felt foolish for being worried seeing as she was most likely highly trained in dishing out death and destruction. Especially with that magic of hers. "So. This a pet of yours?" When she said she heard blaster fire, Able nodded. "I encountered some boarders when I was getting the necessary equipment. They were a pain in the butt, but nothing I couldn't handle." The young trooper sighed in exasperation. "Just once I would like to have something go right in my life." He heard shouting behind him and spun to face the new threat. It was a lone human carrying a scatter gun. Able snapped his blaster up and sent a couple of shots down range. They struck the human in the torso and the head, which made him fall backwards with barely a sound. Save for the thump and clatter as the body hit the floor.

He looked at Noctura and said, "See what I mean?" He then nodded at her next words. "I can tell these buggers are the persistent type of pirates. We definitely have to do a counter boarding to get the message across." As soon as he said that, there was a bump and some clunking. He went over to the bridge and saw a big vessel moving over them. He looked back and said, "Well, looks like chit is going down. I'll go get the Z-6 from the armory. You need anything, Noctura? "

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

The Nightmother's brows lifted just a hair at Able's assertion the latest kill demonstrated the galaxy was set against him. "Yes, I see how that went horribly wrong," she replied calmly. Obviously pirates had not been part of the plan, but they had hardly posed a major concern so far. In fact, the former Stormtrooper was dealing with them quite handedly. Far from any need to complain.

"No," Vytal's right hand rested upon one of Lylek's upper arms, "Lylek and the power of the other spirits are with me."

Several low, rapid clicks radiated from the smooth mask the serpentine figure wore.

After a brief and slow glance over at Lylek, her bright gaze swung back toward Able. "You should know, before battle is joined, Lylek is a spirit. A powerful spirit. It would be wise not to refer to her as a 'pet.'" A small smile pulled at the corners of dark lips.

She strode from the command deck not content to remain in the 'safety' of the ship while the other two played with the pirates. "Once this begins, we will need to take their leader. A 'bloody nose' will on incense them." Their pride and the respect of those they commanded would depend on victory once the prey became predators. While the Nightsisters were not so simplistic, she understood the deep need such a leader would feel; Vytal knew the ways of Nightbrothers even while she could not claim to fully understand them.

Tag: FN-1138​

 

[FN-1138]

"Riiight. I'll keep that in mind." The young trooper felt unnerved by that smile his companion made, but didn't outwardly show it. He quickly caught up with her when she got ahead of him. After he fell in step next to her, he nodded. "Cut the head off the snake eh? I like that idea. Take away the leader and they'll run." When they passed by the armory, Able returned the blaster to the empty slot he took it from and went to retrieve the Z-6. When he studied the rotary cannon, his memories surfaced of a weapon he used during his service in the First Order. He picked up the z-6, and noted that while it weighed somewhat less than the FWMB-10, it still required a bit of effort and balance to lift. While the FWMB-10 had a single barrel, the Z-6 had 6. It also produced a satisfying sound when the trigger is slightly pulled.

While part of him didn't think it was necessary, he brought along an extra power pack. It couldn't hurt to be prepared just in case something went wrong. The young man left the armory with his new gun and fell in step with Noctura again. "So. What's this game plan on getting the leader? If the boarders were any indication, I don't think he's just going to let us waltz in his or her ship without a fight. There's going to be resistance."

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

The Nightmother waited patiently as Able retrieved his next choice in weaponry. She took the opportunity to converse with Lylek without a word uttered. Soon afterward, the serpentine figure became black mist and dissipated back into the ether. It did not do a spirit to dwell long among the living -- even one as strong as the triune of Ryloth.

"Then deal with them," Vytal replied without hesitation. "However, if you are concerned about our departing the ship and not being sliced to ribbons, I will distract them. While they are occupied by unseen hands that may harm them we will be free to leave the confines of our ship. It will only be a moment before they notice, so we must be quick. There we will incapacitate them until we secure their leader, or they surrender." She had serious doubts they'd surrender. Perhaps a few individuals might. Depending on her mood at that moment, the Nightmother might even humor such a thing.

"Take your position, and we will begin."

Most saw a Witch when they looked at Vytal Noctura, a woman of Dathomir. They expected her to be a creature obsessed with the Force (magick) and incapable of dealing with foes any other way. While it was true she still had much to learn of galactic battle strategy and tactics, she was not as defenseless as some believed. A Nightsister knew how to stalk prey in the red forests of Dathomir surrounded by beasts with a host of lethal appendages and toxins. Hunting men was easy by comparison.

Once Able was ready, the door would be opened. Soon thereafter spirits would begin howling amidst the living; their voices crying out from one place then another and another still. Confusion. Fear. Panic. Such things could get entire armies slain on the battlefield.

Tag: FN-1138​

 

[FN-1138]

Able nodded and ran into position. He prepared his Z-6 and revved it in anticipation for the coming fight. When the door opened, he quickly took stock of the opposition. 25 pirates scattered through the corridor. Some of them were kneeling and holding their blasters out, while some others were hiding behind what little cover they had while mounting their blasters against the frame. Most of them were human, but there were a few aliens scattered among the crew members. As soon as he took a step forward, he heard a pirate shout, "What the hell is that ungodly noise!?" Another one muttered, "By the Force..." Able felt confused. What were they talking about? Then what he heard next made his blood run cold. The sounds of shrieking spirits started crying out. There was no pattern. No meaning. They were unpredictable. Suddenly he felt really glad that the Nightmother was on his side. For now at least. When more pirates started panicking, Able took his chance. He quickly rushed into the corridor, revved up his Z-6, and fired the weapon. A deadly stream of blue blaster bolts pelted the defenders and quickly cut down three of them. He quickly swept the cannon towards a small group on the right side of the corridor and gunned down all four of them.

One of the pirates quickly shook off the fear and tried to smash the butt of his blaster into Able face as the latter ran past. Instead he missed by an inch and got back handed by the cannon for his trouble. The pirate slumped down unconscious. He'd wake up with a very nasty bruise the next morning that's for sure. If he lived through this mess that it. Able didn't stop. He kept turning through corridor after corridor. He was also very conscious of the fact that he wasn't wearing armor and that one lucky shot could take him out. He surprised a couple of pirates on his run, but he gunned them down before they could set off the alarm. Hopefully Noctura was taking care of those guy and giving their karking asses a good whooping. Able turned a corner and faced a squad of pirates and a pair of mean looking IG Series assassin droids. He skidded to a halt and stared at the opposition. "Uuuh. Hello there!" The group started firing at him and he quickly backpedaled as fast as he rushed in. When he dive rolled out of the way of the blaster fire and pressed his back against the wall. He cursed violently. So much for this being quick and painless.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

A Witch's power did not come from herself alone. Powerful Witches communed with spirits not because they demented or lonely, but because the spirits could tap into the greater pool of energy in existence and wield it without the consequences of a mortal doing the same. However, spirits had their own desires and aims even if they couldn't formulate what they were if put to the question. One did not become unstoppable as a Sith might lay awake at night dreaming of obtaining ultimate power -- but few Witches would seek that. They understood existence on a level the Sith and Jedi only acknowledged at an abstract level, and this knowledge came with a price. Balance was crucial in communing with the spirits and ensuring the spirits themselves were willing to be communed with.

Though some did force spirits to obey them. Vytal had not been exposed to enough Sith Sorcery to know if this is how they accomplished magick, but she feared it was so. Even if the spirits did not have a full sense of self as a mortal might, they were still entities deserving of respect. When one passed on, should they not hope their energy would be recognized as such? Some thought themselves above the Cycle. Some cared not about their eternal future, but lived only in the moment. Such people were quite vexing.

Given a chance to 'play' with mortals, what spirit wouldn't enjoy playing the 'spook'? Well that and Vytal knew where to find a malevolent spirit when she needed one -- they were all too happy to terrorize the living. As Vytal strode after Able, she was forced to endure one of those specters seeking to possess one of the dead in exchange for its help. Unsurprisingly, she turned it down. The conditions for its presence had been quite clear and at no time did she offer any living or dead vessels. Most of the sinister ones departed soon afterward, of course. Vytal hardly lamented their departure. One or two lingered hopeful the Nightmother would find herself in such dire need they could exploit a moment of weakness.

Scorch marks were scattered over several corpses and along the wall as she followed. Unlike Able, her footsteps were of a measured gait. There was no need to rush with the soldier taking care of business. Nevertheless, every now and again a pirate would spring out of a hallway late to the conflict or perhaps hoping to flank the man. Several loud bangs of a large, lightly armored meatbag would echo in the corridor after most of those sudden encounters.

Her eyes roamed the fallen as she went much as she'd prowled among the dead where she'd found Able. Vytal sought the presence of a lingering soul in the bodies that might suggest they were merely feigning death. So long as a spiritual probe indicated they were well sedated, the Nightmother had no objection to their living. It was the one whose eyes opened that Vytal knelt down to knock unconscious again.

"I assume you've found something that cannot be filled full of holes?" Vytal inquired as she drew near following Able's cursing. "I was quite impressed with your effectiveness to this point."

Tag: FN-1138​

 

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Able peeked around the corner again only to be met with more blaster fire. When Noctura came around and asked him her question, the trooper responded with, "Practically charged into a group of pirates that were waiting for me. They even have a couple of IG units ready to kick some serious ass." Shortly after he said that, a pirate shouted, "You are not getting past us! There are more of us than there are more of you!" Able groaned. That guy should have known better. Just because there were only two of them, didn't mean that he and his companion were at a disadvantage. Able looked at Noctura and revved his Z-6 cannon. "OK. Since both of us are here, we can take them all out at the same time. I get the 7 and the IG unit on the left and you get the dudes on the right. Got it? Now let's get this done quick."

The trooper waited for when the pirates stopped firing before he threw himself out of cover. He quickly aimed for the IG unit who posed a bigger threat and quickly held down the trigger. Blue laser bolts flew out from the six rotating barrels and hammered into the assassin droid. The blasted thing didn't have enough time to react before it went down. He quickly swept his cannon over to the 7 fleshy pirates. They were quickly terminated and Able took his finger off the trigger. Smoke trailed from the weapon as the trooper lifted it. "Well. That was fun!"

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

"Before you--" The Nightmother tried to say in vain before the man began to pivot away back into the grinder. Fanged God and Winged Goddess grant her strength, the oath flashed through the Dathomiri woman's thoughts. Why did offworlders always do things the hard way? Even bereft of his memories this man chose to throw himself into the grind when there were perfectly good, unusued corpses...

Green mist coiled about Vytal's right arm as she stepped forward in Able's wake. There was little choice but to make short work of the enemy; else they would make short work of Able. Only when it was necessary to call upon the power of the spirits did the Nightmother choose to do so. It was not wise to become too reliant on the power of others, nor respectful to simply expect the spirits to answer her call. While they did not have 'lives' in the same the living did, they did tend to their own desires.

When she cleared the doorway and Able, an arc of energy cracked, popped, and hissed as it was set loose. It swept across the distance reminiscent to a whip with the Nightmother's own arm acting as the handle. It seared, burned, and cut through most materials except heavier gauge armor -- the likes of which pirates might possess very few of. With the tendrils of fine energy flailing off the larger channel, however, even one spared the brunt of the attack would suffer partial paralysis or severe burns.

The energy whip vanished after one stoke and before it began to arc back around toward Able. Vytal could feel the blood coursing through her body from the power summoned. She took a few deep, cleansing breaths afterward.

After her eyes drifted closed and slid open once more, she turned to look at the man pleased with their work. "It did work out splendidly, however there were other options that would have required less effort and put us at less risk. Perhaps we should discuss them as situations allow in the future?"

Tag: FN-1138​