Harte's Desire

[Maple Harte]

Magic doesn't really corrupt huh, just like the Force? Maple privately disagreed with that, but only because she was using the word magic as a stand in for another term: Power.

Maple knew one thing. It had been the one warning about seeking any knowledge of this sort that her mentor Ursula Sandraven had drilled into her that she still took deadly serious: Power corrupts. She did not voice it outloud however, because she wasn't here for philosophy. There would be time for that later, after the meal. And after she sealed off that entire planet of Sith Lords like she had been meaning to get around to. Wait, was that real? No, no, another false one.

Maple stared discreetly as she watched Katrine strip to show her the brand. Maple struggled to remember to eat as Katrine removed and shifted her clothing strategically, wondering if anyone else was watching. Katrine had the kind of figure they made sculptures out of. The brands were creepy, but she could handle creepy. She had learned to handle creepy by this point.

Plus, she needed the access, despite the danger. She did not believe she would turn out as bad as the Mind-Binder, but she knew how risky accepting proposals like this were, even when the proposal wore a friendly face like Katrine. And Veronika would not accept unless Maple did.

Better to have one person associated with you on joining then have nobody at all. You needed friends in groups like this. Made it easier. You could cover for each other.

Maple spoke quietly.

"I'm in," she said calmly, taking another bite of her stew. "But before I get initiated, I really do have to take care of that business in the desert. You're both welcome to come along, because I don't know Ryloth all that well and the coordinates I was given are a ways off. But I will join your cause, Katrine. The enemies of the Mandragora will be mine as well."

Maple continued eating her stew, trying to wrestle with how she had just dived in without looking at the bottom, such was the desperate nature of her circumstances.

 

[Veronika Fleischer]

Veronika stared at [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"], wondering if she had gone a little too far with the stripping in the cafe. A few others sitting around them were glancing at the half naked witch noticeably, especially the men. The blonde cleared her throat and glanced at the onlookers, who meekly turned their gazes away from the fierce emerald eyes and the table. The socialite cared a lot about her appearance and reputation. While she like the media's attention, she certainly did not need to appear in the front page with headlines such as "Veronika's Friend Caught Stripping In Public".

Nope, that would be most terrible. What would her celebrity friends think of her not being the center of attention? In any case, she had seen the marks and was glad to know Jart's was a tattoo. She would not mind having a beautiful one somewhere. Perhaps on her inner forearm. The rest of the marks looked to be rather scarring. Not exactly the best way to treat her beautiful skin in such a manner.

"Okay, looks like Maple is in," she eyed [member="Maple Harte"] for a moment and nodded her head. That was one condition down. The second was appealing enough, considering Katrine had no reason to lie about the spirits and their behaviour. "Fine, the spirits sound reasonable. I'll join."

She finished her steak and pushed her plate aside, looking at the bounty hunter again.

"Darling, surely you won't be thinking of going alone without us. I'm sure our new friend here is a powerful ally."

 

[Muad Dib]

The creature crossed the sands. Blood dripped from it's mighty jaws, claws and horns to stain the sands as it passed. A film of blood dried on it's scaly hide as it ran across the desert. Those who happened to see the creature knew what it was, a Doashim. The demon looking beast was known on Ryloth for it's ferocity and brutality. Rarely seen, there had been reports of a Doashim slaughtering would be slavers arriving on the planet. This creature had glowing blue eyes and seemed to breathe fire. It was unnatural.

Slowing its pace to a simple walk the demonic beast crested a dune and sat on it's haunches looking upon the city below. It sensed the Force below concentrated in three specific individuals. Considering this was Ryloth, home of the Mandragora, this wasn't completely unexpected. Yet it sensed the Nightmother below. You sense the power don't you? I want it. Imagine that power wielding destruction. A Force that cannot denied.

The creature flicked it's tail in annoyance at the voice that spoke into it's being. A quiet chuckle echoed from the Spirit at the continued resistance of the soul within the demonic form. I have marked you. You are mine and I am yours. A snarl came from the creature as it leapt down the bank heading for the outskirts of the city where a swoop bike rested in the shadows of one of the city's buildings. Within the shadows, near the bike, rested a tuk'ata that watched as the Doashim approached.

[member="Veronika Fleischer"] [member="Maple Harte"] [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Maple was in, Katrine heard as she proceeded to eat, going through another dish before the waiter returned. She was still hungry, and her own beast inside her was demanding substance just as it was demanding a run, the idea slowly flooding into her mind. The food had been enough to keep the wolf at bay though as her mind focused back on the two women in her presence. Maple still needed to go to the desert. "I don't mind going," Katrine decided between her bites, "I need the run anyhow." But the brunette would join her cause and their enemies would be hers as well. "That sounds great but we don't have enemies in the natural sense. The corrupted are our enemies, those who mean to suppress and enslave others as well." Since she had vanquished Avarisa, their enemies had no name but instead an idea though that probably opened up a chance for far more enemies than just a single one.

On the other hand, Veronika accepted joining as her terms were met. She'd called the spirits reasonable. Katrine nodded as she finished up another dish, calling on the water with a wave of her hand. As he approached, she fished out through her things a small card. "This is on me," she said, handing out her only means of payment to the waiter. Considering she'd ordered most of what cam here, it made sense to her that she did may the payment.

In the meantime, Veronika had replied to Maple, noting that Maple wouldn't go alone and then their new friend, which she assumed meant her, was a powerful ally. Katrine never defined herself as an ally. Friend, yes; ally, no. But she let it go in the meantime as she finished up her food just before the water would return with her card and a bill. She took back the card to store it safely before the waiter moved on to collect her plates. After all that, she wasn't sure if she wanted the pie at all. "And if you wrap up the pie for me, that would be great," she instructed, receiving a nod before he vanished again.

"We wanna...," Katrine had begun asking the two women when she felt it, the more physical presence of a spirit, her head turning slightly as she listened. She could hear them always now, like they had become eternal companions at her side, guiding, instructing and advising though in no way were the three spirits as demanding as Avarisa had been. Yet, even as she heard Doashim, she knew those words weren't meant for her which made the words slightly distorted as if she was eavesdropping, something that happened when the spirits were addressing a fledgling and claiming yet this came in differently still. Though the words of power came clearly enough then the Lupine looked at each of the women, focusing on each individually.

The other blonde was most definitely not what he was speaking of, she was different. Maple was however far more of a mystery, clueing into bits and pieces here and there and those bits and pieces requiring to be tied together for a bigger picture and even that bigger picture was parts of the bits and pieces. You need to be able to see through, Jart slowly pointed out. "We should get out of here," Katrine suddenly said, rather than answering her spirit as she stood.

[member="Maple Harte"] [member="Veronika Fleischer"] [member="Muad Dib"]

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple rose from the table, having finished her stew and cake. Katrine was distracted again. Probably her spirits.

She wondered which one would pick her. Which one fit her the most.

"The Farm we are going to is a long walk. Didn't rent a speeder. Wanted to get a lay of the land. Ryloth's a nice place, friendly locals--"

Maple turned and stared pointedly, her bright green eyes gazing with a subtle, mischievous interest, eyes dancing over Veronika's lips, felt her own lips heating up. They looked soft. She looked soft. Katrine was pretty but Katrine was likely, for all intents and purposes going to be her new boss, and Veronika had had her attention from the start. Something about the woman, her gaze, her giggle, the way her voice sounded, the sense of subtle danger that had always brought something out in her, something that had eventually made the Jedi teachings too...joyless. The coy gaze, the chuckle, the softness had become too difficult to ignore. Damned if she had not tried to be celibate, though.

"--and gorgeous views." Maple said, a ever so subtle note in her voice she hoped would travel into Veronika's spine. It was a tone just short of open lust.

It was for the best, she reminded herself, even as for a split second she was in a world where the Confederacy dominated the whole galaxy. Skip. False. The work had been bloody. She had been bloody for it. But she was making friends and--

--her Force Senses kicked in, she darted about. Something powerful was approaching. Powerful and primal.

Maple wondered if it was one of Katrine's...spirits...She thought it no ordinary presence.

Maple hesitantly felt something within her drawing her to it.

She turned and stared at Katrine. "You feel that? What is that?"

Wasn't her first time talking to a ghost. But something about what she had felt...concerned her to say the least.

And yet, she was drawn to it for some reason all the same. Not like her need to find the Mind-Binder.

She decided to reach out to the presence she had felt. Veronika had given her a warm up, but that didn't mean she was in any way in full control. She sent out a message into the dark with a disjointed telepathy.

An expanding bloom bounds before a wilted grasp, sweet daffodils drowning the blood of a crushing grip, vocal chords strung to that universal harp that slams into the heart of blackness, spilling the viscera of infinity. What are you? Can you help me crush my foe?

 

[Muad Dib]

A chord struck, a lonely tune. Able to create a symphony when united. In silence it breaks the facade of emptiness. In peace it makes a defiant cry. In war it makes its poignant statement not to be denied. A single chord can shake the Galaxy. But chords united as one can create the unimaginable. Break the bonds or stir the spirit. The chord is passion, and with it anything is possible.

The words flowed from the mind of the Doashim unbidden. Originating from mortal or the spirit, neither knew for sure. It was sentiments shared by both. Pausing near the tuk'ata who watched from the shadows the creature raised it's head and released a roar that rolled over the town and echoed in the force. A single chord that could change anything or everything.

Talons burrowed into the ground as the demonic beast arched it's back. Bones broke and reshaped, musculature shifted and condensed, the hide flickered and dried. Roaring in defiant, gratifying, and exquisite pain the Doashim transformed. Talons fell off, sharp fangs fell from distorted jaw. The surface of the creature shifted as the tide, rolling upon itself until the wave collapsed. Moments passed as the hide shrank in upon itself. Then ceased to move.

The dried husk cracked along the spine and a man rose from the crumbling ashes of what had once been a scaly, thick skin. Brown hair rustled in the breeze as the man's glowing blue eyes met those of the sith hound. A small grin crossed the man's face as he stepped free of the trappings of the creature and moved lithely to the bike.

She hears the call. The power to create and destroy. The man nodded as he dressed, pulling on the trousers, socks, boots quickly. The tuk'ata rose and moved to his master's side to brush his head lightly upon the man's bicep. Smacking the hound's side solidly he waved to the desert and Traycn moved out to look for prey. Watching the creature go the man nodded silently before grabbing the tan tunic.

Sighing with brief pleasure as the sun warmed his skin he turned his head as a family walked across the rear of one of the buildings. Their eyes landed on the man and fear coursed through them at the sight. His body spoke to the life lived. Scars laid upon his flesh from countless battles. Blue, sith runes ran from left elbow down to the knuckles of his hand in an intricate design. The body, though not heavily muscled, was lean and lanky with corded muscles that gave the impression of a great cat who was always on the prowl. But it was the eyes that was the most frightening. They glowed with an internal light that shone with power and madness.

The family hurried along, but their fear abated somewhat when the brand of the Doashim was seen upon his back. Chuckling lightly he pulled the tunic on and rolled up the sleeves before hooking the gunbelt to his waist and placing the sheath across his back.

Turning to look at the city once more he felt the call of the Spirit to one of the three in the city. His lips twitched slightly as he sensed the new Nightmother. Ryloth had no idea what was in store from the spirits. Neither did the Galaxy. A primordial purr form the spirit within gave his agreement to the Mad Master.

[member="Maple Harte"] [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"] [member="Veronika Fleischer"]

 

[Veronika Fleischer]

She broke into a smile again.

The day was supposed to be peaceful, where she would finish her tea with her celebrity friend and leave Ryloth. Now? Her friend had left, replaced by a brunette biker chick who kept looking at her lips. Sure, she knew her lips were soft and beautiful, coupled with a red tone from her lipstick. [member="Maple Harte"] was clearly not discrete either, not with that tone of voice and that double play of words. "Gorgeous views indeed," her smile became wider, right hand toying with her hair around her neck area. Emerald eyes met the greens who had been staring.

Patience, darling. Have to settle the more important stuff first.

She sent her mental message across to the brunette, making sure it was readable. [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"] was done with the lunch and suggested for them to leave. Was it because of the newcomer who had just arrived? Or was she keen to get things moving? Perhaps both, the blonde told herself. The newcomer [member="Muad Dib"] was crackling with wild energy and was just outside the city. His presence was easily detected even at such a distance.

"Oh my. Quite a company we are having today. Four is quite a crowd. And this time, we have someone masculine." The blonde finished her cup of tea and stood up as well. "Let's meet him before going to the farm. Won't mind hiring some transport as well if the walk is going to be long."

 

[Maple Harte]

Oh, she has got some perfect eyes, Maple thought, watching as Veronika played with her own hair. She could see the desire, already forming. Maple heard the message in her head, and the forming desire in it. Patience. Maple knew patience. She had been a Marksmen, after all.

Maple currently though, agreed with her on the matter of that mysterious presence which had replied. She headed out the door, subtly beckoning Veronika to follow. Oh dear, that woman had cast a spell somehow. And Maple was like a bee to a flower. Maple was not certain what it was about her. But she liked it. She liked it a lot. Plus she hadn't turned out to be the Mind-Binder! That was always a plus, being all not-Mind-Binder.

The crowds seemed to fast-forward past Maple as her instincts led her to the source of power just outside the city limits. She went on alert as it finally got more defined the closer she got.

Darkness. A great and restrained dark power. Not Sith...didn't 'quite' have that feel to it. But it wasn't too far from it. Nasty specimen, no doubt. Maple thought hard about approaching it any further, wondering if it was the Mind-Binder, but the presence, though darker than Veronika, was still all wrong. It didn't writhe. It waited.

Hesitantly, Maple approached the man, feeling two different things. One him. One...not him.

Maple stood in front of him, uncertain what to say. She felt the stirring of the other presence as she approached.

"I'm guessing you got a bargain going with one of the spirits Katrine told me of. Lemme guess: You made a deal with the mean one, didn't you?" she questioned out loud.

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

The farm would be a long walk and Maple hadn't rented a speeder. Katrine hadn't brought her either but she did have shopping bags which she remembered as she'd gathered her things. Though rather than taking everything with her, she'd headed off to the waiter and instructed them to hold them somewhere. She'd come back for them. By the time she'd returned, Maple was asking if she felt that and what that was. She suspected just what that was, making her grin. "You'll see," she'd only said, not wanting to give away anything. It confirmed though that she was the one that he wanted, an even bigger reason for her not to spoil the surprise.

As Veronika spoke, Katrine glanced over at her. She noted their count and company, even the Shaman they were about to meet up. The other blonde wished to meet him first, before heading off to the Farm. A soft growl came in place of words, which the Witch understood. "Doashim wants us to," she agreed. They'd be meeting up with Muad Dib first.

She'd made her way towards the doors after the two, their journey out of the city surprising fast with a clear destination. When they did meet up with him, Maple had stood right in front of him, asking her question, making Kat giggle slightly. "He's not the mean one, he's the strong one," she pointed out without hesitation. There was nothing mean about the demon, he was the embodiment of strength and a different kind of power in comparison to Jart and Lylek. Maple was still unclaimed, yet it showed incredible promise the way the spirit could reach out to. Veronika's promise was different, she seemed incredibly strong with her mental abilities which made her open to unspoken communication. Jart would be pleased with her, that was for sure.

[member="Maple Harte"] [member="Muad Dib"] [member="Veronika Fleischer"]

 

[Muad Dib]

Watching the trio of women near he leaned back against the swoop and folded his arms across his chest, eyes scanning the ladies while also tentatively sensing them through the force. The Patron growled his approval at the power the Mad Master sensed. A curt nod to Kat as his mind raced at the plans for the woman shared by the Patron, but his attention went to the other two. As Maple then Kat spoke he couldn't stop a grin from crossing his face.

"Aye, I've met the spirits, but as Ms Kat has stated, Doashim is the powerful one. I'm the mean one."

A smirk crossed his face lightening his words somewhat. Leaving forward he gave a slight bow to the women before straightening. Shrewd eyes glanced between Veronika and Maple as he tasted the potential of power from their auras. A slight nod off understanding as the Patron within again growled his approval at the potentials.

"So what brings you to Ryloth, other then the calling of the patrons?"

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"] [member="Maple Harte"] [member="Veronika Fleischer"]

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple hesitated slightly before answering.

"I'm on the hunt for someone. A Sith Witch called The Mind-Binder. There's a man on a farm beyond who may have seen her. Its just that in the process your friend here recruited me after I was...drawn from the hunt by...pleasant company." Maple answered. "She's a...bit of unfinished business from a prior occupation. Business I intend to settle. Preferably with a very blunt and heavy stick. Repeatedly. In a rapid motion."

Maple stood back from the others and gestured with her cane, bringing it down in a faux-epic swing where she fantasized about the Mind-Binder's head being. She tried to look like some pro athlete doing it, trying to make it look dignified, only for it to look both weird and awkward. Then she straightened out her hair, which had been disheveled in the process by desert wind, and calmly went back to him and stood in front of him.

"It'll look cool, like that," she explained, before shrugging. "Well, it looked cooler in my head anyway. Ok, ok maybe it won't be that epic, and in truth its probably gonna look like some sorta back alley beating, but it'd be really cool if your spirit buddies were down with that and wanted to help me. I'm Maple. Maple Harte. Who are you?" she asked [member="Muad Dib"].

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

[member="Veronika Fleischer"]

 

[Veronika Fleischer]

Veronika was thankful that she was not in heels. It would be a disaster to walk in those, considering the terrain they had crossed. She stood by idly, letting [member="Maple Harte"] introducing herself to the new warrior in front of them. Well, a man with battle scars. Obviously she could ask [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"] who he really was, but it was be better for the man to introduce himself. Judging from the way he spoke about the spirits as patrons, the blonde knew that [member="Muad Dib"] was a witch too. A male witch. Perhaps there would be a better term for that.

"I am here for business really," the blonde replied with a nonchalant shrug. "Then I meet this friend of mine," she paused, emerald eyes meeting the brunette's cane for a moment in amusement. "And Katrine comes along to say hello. Whether it's spirits, patrons or the Force, it doesn't really matter. Let's just finish whatever Maple is looking for and be done with walking."

She smirked, clearly not a fan of standing in the midday sun. At the rate they were going, she might need to top up the sunscreen powder on her face. Too much sunlight might just cause her skin to look older, a horrific thought for someone obsessed with vanity.

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Miss Kat had stated, the Witch had registered the foreign word for the first time, now storing a question into her head as Muad continued answering about Doashim being the powerful one and he the mean one. She'd considered asking about the odd word now before her thought had been interrupted. Another time, Jart had warned in her head. "Why?" She argued almost immediately with the spirit. Patience, the spirit continued. We wish to focus on the ones we have chosen, Lylek chipped in from the side, making Katrine nod as she understood them.

When she didn't interrupt with her question, she heard more on the one Maple was hunting for, a Sith Witch called Mind-Binder though she was on Ryloth, as Kat already knew, searching for a man on a farm who might have seen her. An unfinished business from her previous occupation, one to be settled with a blunt and heavy stick. Katrine laughed. Repeatedly. Katrine laughed some more. In a rapid motion. And she continued to laugh as the image of Maple beating this unfinished business popped into her head, her back turning to everyone for a moment as she couldn't stop herself right now, recalling a number of stories involving similar situations, recalling, even more, the way her Mother couldn't stop laughing as she'd start telling her stories of her childhood, unable to finish stories, with two generations of Hawks laughing senseless as Mother pushed the images into her head.

Away from her, Veronika had begun speaking as well, Katrine hearing bits of it until her laughter finally began to come down, hearing the part about finishing up whatever Maple was looking for. "Yeah," she finally managed as she looked back, one last small chuckle still escaping her for a moment.

[member="Muad Dib"] [member="Maple Harte"] [member="Veronika Fleischer"]

 

[Muad Dib]

Listening to Maple's explanation he nodded, though he was distracted by the sound of Kat's laughter that rang out for several moments. The blonde was interesting. Glancing at Veronika he nodded once again as she gave a short summary of her exploits on Ryloth. With a sheepish grin he spoke.

"Where are my manners? My name is Muad Dib, Shaman of Doashim. And it sounds like you have quite the quest Maple, so far be it for me to intrude. You have questions that need answering."

Looking to Veronika he gave a knowing smile.

"Spirits, Patrons, or the force .... Who says they are not one and the same. You can either he'd their direction or forge your own path. Good luck with your decision."

Turning to the formerly laughing Katrine he chuckled.

"You're odd. I think I like you. Now off, happy hunting."

He didn't push his presence into the group, it was their quest, yet he knew that he would see the two women again soon. Just as he knew that soon the altar and patrons would receive a visit. Sometimes it felt that certain events were ordained.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"] I [member="Veronika Fleischer"] I [member="Maple Harte"]

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple happily nodded to [member="Muad Dib"], even though she was still wary of his presence in the force somewhat. But he wasn't the Mind-Binder. That was her primary worry.

She nodded to Muad Dib and set out for the farm in the wastes, walking. It was about forty minutes before she arrived, leading the others to the small farm. It was almost dome shaped, made of permacrete and painted pink. She saw a twilek woman with red skin, middle aged in a green dress working the front, tending to crops. She said nothing as Maple approached.

"You said you would come alone." the woman spoke without looking up.

"Ran into unexpected situations. Your son...is he..."

"He's home." The woman spoke calmly. "You're all he's talked about."

"May I speak with him?"

"Yeah. I want the one who did this to him as much as you do." The woman said, getting up and bidding Maple and the others to follow.

Maple stepped into a roomy farmhouse. There were all sorts of figurines and rustic art to make it cozy. Fireplace was going strong.

And he was sitting there, in a rocking chair, mumbling. He had red skin, like his mother.

"The bees! They swarm over my effervescent fungus! Making guards from clay which they send to the stars!" he muttered.

"Sween? The woman you asked for. She's here." The twilek woman spoke, clearly shaken by what had happened to her son, huddled in a blanket, mumbling.

The shaken relatively young man turned furtively in Maple's direction. "The herald! The mad surfer upon the waves of eternity! The cheese involved!"

"Sween, I need you to focus." The mother said gently.

"Oh, yes yes yes! Can't have dogs stealing my beer while I excrete my candy! The lumps growing within!" Sween muttered, getting up to stare at Maple, who was perfectly comfortable around his madness.

"Hello Sween. I'm told you asked for me by name." Maple said, before a mad look entered her own eyes and she slowly approached.

"So. The Mind-Binder. Did you see her?" Maple asked pointedly, clasping him by the shoulders. "You've got to tell me, man."

"It...it came...it came and it tortured them...tortured them for the sheer sake of it. It...was swift. It filled our heads with lies...with horrors...the...the cresting waves dump their blood upon my corset..."

"Focus, Sween. The Mind-Binder." Maple repeated.

Sween looked lost, devastated. "Black hair...such black hair. Black hair. Black hair..."

"Yes! And!"

"A blade of...fire...indigo fire...c-c-cutting into my mind, scattering pieces on its wake.

"Her face?" Maple asked desperately, on the verge of shaking him.

"Face...like the Devil...seductive...mad...vicious..."

"What else? Details!" Maple exclaimed.

"Indigo...indigo fire..., Sween trailed.

"Indigo fire..."

"Sween?" she asked worriedly.

"The plague took our minds, and was given legs. Long legs. Took our minds. Broke them...broke me...just to break. Just to break..." he trailed weakly. He clasped her gently by the shoulders.

"The fetus...you know it wants to kill me, right?" he asked in fear. Maple nodded. It had killed her before as well. She knew what he was going through, panicking about that thing. It always smiled.

"Where did she go? Sween?"

"Away...she went away...hiding...but she wants you."

Maple sighed.

"I'm afraid that's the most anyone can get from him on the matter." The twilek farm woman spoke. "I do what I can."

Maple fished out two thousand credits, slapping it into her hand. "Take care of him. By him something nice. And give him love. He needs it."

The woman nodded. Maple turned to leave.

"Make her pay..." the twilek woman said.

"I intend to.." Maple trailed menacingly.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]


[member="Veronika Fleischer"]