Private Grasping at Fragments

[Amur]

Echoy'la Colony​

Before the invasion of Dubrillion​

A beautiful outside view at the rings of the gas giant JM-357-I would be the only pretty thing that the inhabitants of Echoy'la colony would get to enjoy. The mining colony that never slept continued to toil and turn away ceaselessly being put to work by the Empire. Day after day the people that called this place 'home' would work the mines and supporting infrastructure to keep the Beskar being mined moving into the churning jaws of an imperial war machine. Even as the colony was now in the pathways of another war machine. The order was clear and the Sith leadership over the station was unwavering: The Beskar must keep flowing for as long as possible.

Meanwhile rumors spread and bounce among workers. Muttered in different tongues at different times with different pieces. Only in the most secure and private areas of the station though did the rumors get relayed in the tongue of Mando'a. Talks of liberation, and the sparks of hope. Murmurs that place concern into the hearts of status quo and thus a Sith Knight plucked from the remains of Borosk would be assigned to help maintain order and rout out any attempts of revolt. Even as the dead haven't fully been counted on Borosk.

Amur's eyes shot open, images of green flames dispelled from her vision as a loud screeching noise entered her ears. Adrenaline flowed and her eyes immediately draped over to the ground beneath her feet. A hand drew ready to send an arc of lightning down into the ground as she awaited a screaming presence in the force to rise up, only for nothing to happen and her senses to tell her there was nothing here. An exhale would leave the helmet of the Sith and fill the air. It was just in her head, just memories coming to life again. The screeching wasn't a star weird scream, it was just some machinery grinding together.

The Sith's lone hand would raise up and grasp the temple of her helmet as she got her bearings seeing that she was in a empty conference room in the administrative offices of the station, sitting in a chair that rested against a wall. It was a blur from stopping to collect her thoughts to waking up. Time having melded together before depositing her to now. Then again a few days without sleep constantly having to put her mind to work investigating would do that. Seeing the time on her hud she realized that it was now the 'night shift' on the station, quieter activity but work in the mines was only slowed, not stopped. Amur just felt apathetic about it all though as her mind mulled it over.

It was clear that she and the administration was despised here, the long looks and piercing glances gave that away as she pondered how many times a repressed Mandalorian entertained what a shiv would do to her throat. Loose ends and wild goose chases would leave Amur with many leads but nothing concrete to show for it. It was the typical resentment, yet a part of her demanded to find more while another wanted to bask in apathy.

The groggy mind of the sith ached as she walked out of the conference and headed over to the office's coffee machine for some much needed caf. It was lukewarm, brewed hours ago but this was a night (or was it day?) where anything would do. Cup in hand the Sith pondered checking the mainframe for the thousandth time for any questionable log ins before giving up. Nothing was likely out of the ordinary. She was just tired of being worked ragged right now. Thoughts were wanting to drift back to Borosk, to Cassel Point. Mental knives sharp and eager to dig in on the recent experience only to be shoved down for now. The Sith needed a pick me up and with it came a thought. She was saving it for her final day here but perhaps she could let herself enjoy her smuggled package now.

The Sith began to walk out of the offices, a new purpose and direction in mind. Wandering the station at this hour felt like being in an ghost town as a curfew kept the halls of the area quiet and tidy, only the occasional legionnaire or patrol to be seen, most who would either quietly nod or stumble and salute the Sith. They were just bodies to the Sith's mind right now. Her short walk taking her off to an unassuming corner with a maintenance shaft nearby. Arrays of pipes and grates forming a maze to the eyes as it all would merge into one convoluted mass of metal. Amur put the cup down and stood looking at the walls of such a hive before picking a spot seemingly from random. A small tugging of the force pulling back one pipe and a reach would pull out a small box.

The sith cradled it for a moment lost in thought as the laspe in focus would leave her momentarily unaware of her surrondings.

Allyson Locke

 

[Allyson Locke]

Still trying to recover from her haze, Allyson continued her facade of being the legionnaire and personal assistant to the Lord Inquisitor Jorryn Fordyce. It was an essential role to fill and a way to explain her injury. She had felt bits of doubt swelling in the Inquisitor, which though the Force tried to quell, adding a bit of resolve into the woman. It worked from time to time, allowing the Corellian a bit of peace. In this world of the Sith and darkness, Jorryn was the only one she felt she had left besides some of her previous contacts and the Jedi Master on Kiribi. Allyson closed her eyes as she wondered if she should reach out to the woman. ​

​

Talking with Jyoti always helped put things into perspective. The woman was someone that knew Allyson better than she knew herself. Thinking of the Echani Master, Allyson found some peace to her heart. Her friend had everything she wanted: a loving family, someone who loved her to the end of the galaxy, and a home. She wondered if she would ever be able to have that. The chip which weighed on her was gone now, Allyson felt like it was okay to daydream about a possible future with someone other than Kaili. Nowadays, that daydream was about someone who had entered her life accidentally. ​

​

Daydreaming was cut short as Allyson sat up straight, she was supposed to be on guard duty for the time since Jorryn was busy with meetings, looking at her watch she realized she had lost almost an hour to her dreams. At least it was an hour well spent. Pushing herself off the wall, she used as support, Allyson, Rae, grabbed her umbrella. The weapon rested on her shoulder as she wandered the hallways, her mind mentally danced around her previous thoughts.​

​

There was a slight pep in her step as she moved down the hallway and turned the corner. The maintenance hallway was the best place to hide and let your daydreams take over. Turning the corner, the girl's humming paused as she pressed herself against the wall and peered at the woman that seemed to be gathering something and was unaware of her presence. Allyson quickly let the contact lens in her eye zoom in and quickly snap the woman with the box. She would have to investigate the woman later. Looking down, Allyson paused for a moment and tilted her head. Why was she still pretending she was still an active operative for the Alliance. ​

​

Exhaling softly, she remembered seeing her assets frozen, but she could get what she needed for survival as a rogue agent. She had her own cash funds that she had collected working as a mercenary before returning to the Core. Rounding the corner, Allyson smirked and announced her presence. "Hello there." Looking around, she tapped the umbrella on her shoulder and continued to smile. "Seems we both had the same idea to hide out for a bit." ​

Amur ​

 

[Amur]

Eyes stared at the blank unassuming package. It was indiscreet and looked like any other package that a small courier or mailing service would ship in the millions the only discernible marking was an address, name of the recipient and a fragile contents sticker . Yet there was a small clue of it's origins as a little tag that dangled from it. On it was the name Murmur hand-scrawled in black ink.

Amur smiled as her eyes gazed upon it knowing that only one person called her that.
Her thoughts went to her. Kalanda. Her mind trained onto when she last saw her bound to the medical wing. An image daring to creep up in her mind before it was promptly shoved down as deep as it could for the moment. A tumbling in her stomach as bittersweet feelings were beginning to play in her head. She had found time to somehow make this for her, despite the arm...

The image from earlier was now cropping back to her head. The Sith's grip tightening on the package as she felt all the associations from it begin the taint the air and start lashing around herself. Only for something to abruptly break through and slice those thoughts away. A simple hello there. The Sith's back straightened a small fraction as the words managed to break into her head and the Sith would turn towards it's source. She found herself looking at the one thing she never thought she would encounter here: A friendly smile.

A woman with an umbrella. A most peculiar sight it felt. Yet at this hour in this small isolated space a bit of the unusual was quite normal. The mention of hiding out caused a small hmph that dared to break out into a full chuckle. Amur finding the small ice breaker charming. A paranoid mind was wanting to wonder who she really was, and if some ulterior sith motive was at play, but some days you were just too spent to worry, you just needed to relax and focus on the now. She concentrated on the box with the force so it would suspend in the air and with a quick motion her hand thumbed over some controls that would dial back the filtering and distortion of her suit's vocabulator allowing for her natural voice to come through more.

"Either we're of similar minds or no one told me that there was going to be a small hiding party here. Sadly if that's the case I am sans invite." She replied as a small smirk formed under her helmet, her shoulders slumping a little bit. When was the last time she just tried to have a friendly conversation with someone with no pretense? It felt like a lifetime atleast.

"Though I just needed a break from the overbearing foremans and bureaucrats that had me running around nonstop. Just enjoy my cold caf and my small little care package." She said as she walked over to a wall and leaned her back against it eyeing the visible Imperial, hidden Corellian. her mind having faded away from this station's problem or her own demons and just wanting to focus on learning about who joined her at this hour in the night.

"I'm Amur by the way. You got a name? Or do I need to make up one to put to that lovely face of yours?" She asked as she smirked at her harmless bit of flirtation, she couldn't help herself sometimes.

Allyson Locke

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Strangers Waitin' //:
//: Echoy'la Colony //:
//: Amur //:

​

Allyson nodded, listening to the Sith’s desire to hide away from her responsibilities. So many like her wanted to do the same, and they weren’t all sith. Jedi felt that as well, and Allyson had been one to feel that before. Maybe it was why she had become a spy, she would be able to travel the world and meet thousands of people. Possibly touch their lives and then leave, though that’s why she was in her current predicament. She touched a life that she never wanted to leave, but she didn’t want to dampen this moment with thoughts of the Inquisitor and the lies she had been telling her. ​

“Well, I have a tendency to show up to events unannounced, so this is one of those times.” Allyson laughed as the umbrella fell from her shoulder and rested against one of the adjacent walls. She wasn’t in danger, there was no reason to bear the weapon close. The package seemed to be from someone, Allyson was able to use the contact lens in her left eye to zoom in and catch the black ink on the tag. Murmur, Allyson, chuckled quietly to herself upon reading it. Quite the pet name. She moved from the door and closer to the Sith, a shrug, and she answered. ​

“Rae, but I’m quite curious about what you would have named my pretty face.” A smirk as the Corellian stood in front of Amur with her arms crossed in front of her relaxed, shooting the woman her perfect Corellian smile. One that was quite memorable for the woman, it summed up her charm and flirtatious nature. “I’m always open to nicknames from a cute voice,” She leaned forward slightly, wondering if she could glean the woman’s original appearance under the helmet. Alas, she was unsuccessful, but delicate words might work in her favor. ​

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Amur, I bet you’re quite gorgeous under that helmet of yours. Any way I can tempt you to grace me with the sight of your lovely face?” She continued to smile as she chuckled, “I bet you’ve got some beautiful baby blues that someone can get lost in - like the oceans of Corellia.”​

 

[Amur]

A soft smile was now starting to be a resting expression as the conversation continued. This gal had some wit, that was daring to speak closer and closer to Amur's soul. She forgot the fun one could have engaging with a perfect stranger, someone that you might run into for a brief flash in life before it receded back into the realms of idle memories. It was a welcome change from the tightrope she had been walking for quite some time with Kalanda, always afraid that with each word that she would find a way to damn her soul even more... well it seemed like her soul was already damned thanks to her hand...

She heard the name Rae and realized that she was now getting closer to the Sith, her face now taking up more of Amur's view as she now flashed her a smile. She found herself getting a bit lost just looking at it and studying the Corellian's features. Something in her brain now wanting to take a keen analytical eye to everything from her hair, to her eyes and the rest of the features on her face. She was beautiful and a flirt, a devious thought wondering just how many before her fell to this siren's song? Right now Amur felt the crackling confines of nostalgia trying to worm her way into her heart. Though as to why it was there remained but a mystery of deja vu.

Her mind stopped a little at the suggestion of giving Rae a nickname. A few already beginning to transpire and float about in her mind. Trying to jockey for the title of most fitting. Even as Rae sweetened the pot with a another flirt about her voice. "Hmm, I'll need to think on the name for a bit, too many choices to just pick one. Perhaps if we continue this dance of words for a bit it'll come to me."

This was all nice, but then the siren began to sing. She was good with the charm as her words tried to lace together a lovely image about the masked, tormented sith's face. A fantasy of beauty which perhaps at one point may have made the Scorched knight swoon and weak in the knees. She was pressing butttons on the Sith trying to get her to open up like a blooming flower, but the flower had been torched, withered and killed. Now there was just weeds. Perhaps before she was forced to bear the scars she would have been delighted to show a bit of skin, but now there was just a torrent of shame that came from it. There was only one person whom she felt totally at ease showing her face to... and now she had pushed her away, turned her back to Kala like a coward. Pain wanting to just wrap around her like clawed hands eager to dive into the flesh.

“I bet you’ve got some beautiful baby blues that someone can get lost in - like the oceans of Corellia.”

She felt that snap her attention back once again as the hidden Corellian's smile kept beaming at her like a lighthouse in the storms of her own anguish. Something startled her at that bit of flowery language. Like she had heard it before. How did she know she had blue eyes? Was that mention of Corellia just an expression or was it piercing? Who was Rae really? Thoughts began to ponder and ponder, spikes of anxiety that were once again soothed by the Corellian's smile. You're just tired and a bit paranoid She thought to herself as her brief bout of tension was eased for now. Still a idea came to her head.

She placed the package down to the ground, and slowly slid it behind her with her right foot. With her hand now free she reached up to her helmet thumbing for the release, which would be met with the satisfying sound of air rushing through a broken seal popping the helm up just a little bit. The lone hand reaching to grab the chin of the helmet. It began to lift and slowly start to reveal a pale skinned neck probably earning the rapt attention of Rae as more and more got revealed, and likely the elements of scar tissue on Amur's neck that snaked up the right side of her neck and face would become easily seen by the Corellian. As the helmet was lifted a small plum of blonde hair would pop down into view, and perhaps the Corellian might be able to see where the transition from neck to chin would begin...

Only for the helmet to come back down, denying Rae the satisfaction of seeing Amur's face as it locked back into place. The Corellian Sith cocking her head to the side as her hand rested underneath the helmet's chin. "What? You thought it was going to be that easy? Sorry hon, but I'm going to have to make you work for it. A playful laugh coming out of Amur as she got up from the wall she was leaning against getting a bit to Allyson as she did.

"Or to quote a phrase I love: Amehi Corelli li preni a avenhurisho spiriho al esplori mia animo" (Like Corellia it takes an adventurous spirit to explore my soul) Amur spoke breaking out the Olys Corellisi she had learnt for her times at school. A dead language in many ways but for the scholarly or prideful that grew up on the planet, knowledge of it was essential. There was some delight she had particularly in seeing what her response would be, what more ways she may try to speak her way into her heart... and perhaps Amur could gleam the other way as well. Still though she realized that there was one way she had to dash the Corellian's fantasies. That fun playfulness of her earlier thoughts dying with it.

"Sadly though the flattery you've delivered with that charm will probably be the prettiest I'll ever look. Life hasn't been too kind to me." Amur muttered feeling her chest begin to deflate now. "You may have noticed it, but the main reason I wear the helmet is to hide the scars of the past from everyone. People just, fixate on it, it's all they can ever see from me and I just can't bear with the questions and looks at times. So I suggest you keep that palace of beauty you built for me with those words of yours as your reference, I'm tired of letting people down..."

Why was she doing this? She was supposed to play the mysterious flirt, the enigma, the intoxicating fuel of curiosity, yet she just felt herself wanting to unravel from that role. Her mind was confounded. Was she really that desperate? She was supposed to be the face of fear and awe yet her spirit felt lost. Did it even matter when even in the small conversations she tried to distract herself with would see pain rear it's head to just tear at her regardless? Her thoughts kept compounding no matter as Amur felt the weight of it all pull her down. Pain that was like a venom, on that seemed to be injected into anyone that dare get close to the tortured Sith.

She hoped Rae may realize that before it was too late.

Allyson Locke

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Strangers Waitin' //:
//: Echoy'la Colony //:
//: Amur //:

​

As the helmet rose, anticipation rose in the Corellian. Ever the curious cat, the girl held her breath, waiting to see what was hidden under the mask. Allyson was sure that she had guessed the woman’s features spot-on, but as she watched, she caught the hint of burn and scaring. Allyson remembered the sight and then smiled softly as the woman teased her. The helmet didn’t come off, and Allyson had a feeling why. She still flirted back, which made the Corellian smile. It meant that she was interested in the conversation. Allyson pouted as she chuckled softly, and her smile widened, seeing that the Sith knew old Corellian. ​

​

“Lia alravla al rencont anohh Corellisi.”(It’s nice to meet another Corellian.) Allyson nodded as her own dialect was of the high brow, showing her where her class had been on Corellia. “My grandma was determined to make sure I knew along with school. Yay prep schools.” Allyson chuckled and listened to the self-depreciation the woman had. It was apparent now that the reason the helmet existed was to hide whatever had happened to her. Sighing softly, the Corellian closed the distance between them, standing in front of Amur and her hand against the wall adjacent to the woman. ​

​

Allyson continued to smile, a flirtatious smile. Her heart belonged to the Lord Inquisitor, but she enjoyed the game she was playing with this stranger. If anything, Allyson wanted to make the woman feel beautiful even if it was for just a moment. Her voice was soft as she nodded, understanding what Amur was getting at. Since they both understood their people’s language, Allyson decided to speak to the woman in their ancestor’s tongue. There was a beauty to it all, especially when talking to another Corellian.​

​

They were a proud people, and nothing was changing that. To see another Corellian down like this, it was painful. ​

​

“Sel ne dir tio. Ne quis Aliha hav ocaci Ehin via Gylif, Valle Bey bel.” (No matter what has happened in your life, you’re are beautiful.) Allyson nodded and shifted her hips slightly as she leaned in close, there was something oddly familiar about the woman. It didn’t hit her until now, she was so close to her aura, something brought the woman back to her childhood. She blinked, but the viridescent gaze never left the faceplate of Amur. “Al mi, ne quis Aliha, Valle devas Bey plu bel ol Uhl Abia malvela de Uhl lanto flank ay Uhl blank savlo de Corellisi marvord. Chu Minmin vid Valle de mia propr oculo ay mia imalo, Valle devas Bey ehern bel.” (To me, no matter what, you will be more beautiful than the open plains of the countryside or the white sands of Corellian beaches. Whether I see you with my own eyes or my imagination, you will be forever beautiful.) ​

 

[Amur]

A Hedgehog's Dilemma
Allyson Locke​

A small bit of shock came to the Sith to hear her tongue get thrown back at her. Another Corellian, that was rare in the clutches of the empire. Most would sooner go out screaming jests into the nether then end up in the den of great Sith puppet masters. Already questions where forming, as the Sith knew one thing for certain. No one joins the empire willingly, you're usually kicked, beaten and left on the side of the street with little choice. Perhaps this one was kicked around like her. Mention of prep schools and her dialect cluing in that she had... likely a more privileged upbringing. Another similiarity they shared then, another piece in the puzzle.

Though Amur's mind was busy on other facets like sharpening the knives that would be used to pierce her soul later. Amur's thoughts lingering on the last sentence she spoke, letting people down. Was that the complete summation of her life? Trying to set goals and reach for things only to constantly fall flat, to fail, to get too close to someone's sun and burn? Or worse to be the void that warps people and changes them.

She could feel the tide of thoughts begin to start swaying into her mind again ready to start eating her, as that was all it took. So much effort to build a dam to keep these feelings at bay, but all it took was one crack, one wrong turn for it to shatter and start flowing in again. She just wanted them to be silent, to have a moment that didn't haunt over her.

Her mind panicked when she saw a black arm in the periphery of her vision, thoughts automatically thinking of Kalanda's arm, the one Kala willing destroyed to try and protect her. Her mind wanted to reel back to that day in the medical ward where her world fell apart. Only to see that it was only black fabric of Rae's uniform as she felt the woman get frighteningly close. She got lost in looking at Rae's face as it was nearly impossible to turn away from it, the viridescent eyes that looked into her visor, the smile on the woman one that she felt like had beamed at her a thousand times before. It locked her in place making Amur a rapt audience.

She heard the woman speak and with it she felt her breath stop. It wasn't the words but the spirit that carried them, it took her back in time. Nostalgia trying to smother her like a security blanket. It felt like growing up in Corellia again, as she could have sworn she heard the idle background chatter of ships taking off contrasting with nature's tide. The old tongue caressing her ears and muttering sweet whispers about beauty. She felt something stir within her hollow shell.

A yearning. She didn't know why but she felt a chance to connect to Rae, and most importantly she saw a chance to get something she wanted no needed. Her mind eagerly devouring the possibilities and filling her head with images of what it desired. Rae's aura was right there and with it was a warmth. She wanted to get close to it, to wrap herself around it and cling on to it forever. She just wanted that energy to fill her empty body and ignite a new flame inside. She wanted to feel an embrace again, maybe even a lover's embrace. She just wanted to not to feel empty for one, single, precious moment.

She took a single step forward towards Rae, wanting seize her chance.

"Murmur..."
"Please say something."
"Amur, please. I'm scared."

She heard those pleas slam back into her head, her mind now forced to think about the one thing she had been avoiding her entire time on this station. The fact that she was gone, pushed away in a time of need. Her body froze subtly twitching as her heart ached once more.

She needed you
yet you ran
She offered her heart
You tore it apart
She blames herself
When you know it's a lie
She is still loyal to you
As you dare try to drag another in the web

Are you ready to hurt someone else?

She wanted to be close, but to get close was to inflict pain, yet to be far was to writhe in it in loneliness. Amur looked at the Corellian's kind face one that just wanted to see her feel good, yet Amur felt like there was no way she could make sure she didn't let Rae down. Her mind thinking back to how she was apparently beautiful no matter what, sweet words they were but they reminded her of the words someone else would say, and with it came the challenge.

"Pov Minmin senmova bel ech kia Minmin vunti Uhl homoj Minmin ami?" (Am I still beautiful even when I hurt the people I love?)