Private Hunting down some monsters

[Solan Charr]

Solan didn't expect much out of what he was doing today, only that it would be more of the same for him from his old life. That was why he wanted to stretch his legs and had decided to take out one of the smaller 'nests' of the Brynadul on his own. When it came time, Alanciar would have to be retaken full, but first came the retaking of Kesh Major. It was why he had sent off his personal guards to deal with a different camp to the south while he moved through the remains of what used to be one of Kesh's great forests. Life was starting to come back thanks to the Terraforming Seed that had been provided, He would hope that the technology did not prove to be a failure but so far he would be happy with the progress. It required the removal of these creatures fully though to make certain their home would recover.

His thoughts were so fuzzy these days, constantly having to tell himself something several times to actually remember it. It felt wrong but he knew that was part of the revival process. Essence Transfer was something that defied the natural order, and his body still suffered the results of that. He could feel his body constantly trying to reject his soul, constantly working to push him out but he would have to keep his mind focused. Even his soul felt like swiss cheese though, so many holes and fractures on his being that he couldn't be certain he was actually still fully himself. That thought was something that scared him somewhat but he trusted that things would be better.

Either way he continued on, not realizing his mind was so distracted that there was another nearby. Ran Serys would feel the man walking around, the lack of hiding his place in the force and just how corrupted he was by the dark side, it certainly wasn't a good first impression but Solan didn't know he was going to be making such an impression today.

Even with that in mind though he would shift and remove the saber he had borrowed from his daughter, not yet having had the chance to go and find a crystal in order to rebuild a saber of his own. He would have to be careful with this thing, the saberstaff held tight as he moved silently towards the Brynadul camp, spying it in the distance and prepping himself.

 

[Ran Serys]

Kesh. The thought sliced like a razor blade against her mind. “I’m on Kesh-” She winced. Her mind was tender. The words barely escaped her lips and she struggled to form a single thought without searing pain. “How did I-” She began, but felt like she’d just taken a blaster bolt to the brain. Something was wrong. Radically wrong. Ran knew where she was but she had no idea how she had gotten there. She dropped to her knees suddenly unaware that she had even been standing. She was vulnerable and confused. She closed her eyes tight and attempted to make up for her current weakness.

The force was still there, with her, and it helped her to dull her pain and organize her thoughts. “How did I get here?” Words echoed to herself and the forest in front of her. She didn’t have an answer- yet.

Ran searched her mind but it was tough. She almost felt like she had amnesia, but no. That wasn’t correct. She had no memories, just impressions. An impression of how the last two years had gone by. The bulk of her time in Wild Space and beyond was nearly gone. And now she was on Kesh. No starship, but she had her lightsaber on her hip, and a blaster at her side. She searched the area, sensing through the force, and her eyes opened with a start.

The dark side. It’s corruption. It was strong. Ran could feel it coming from something. No, It was coming from someone. But there was more. Monsters! The Bryn’adul! Ran was in no state to deal with one dark side adversary, let alone the Bryn’adul. But it was likely she’d have to. She found cover in the shadow of a fledgling tree. She steeled her resolve and attempted to do the same for her mind through the force. In this precarious situation, she couldn’t afford any weakness.

From shadow to shadow she bounced, doing her best to dampen her presence, and close in on the dark sider. Her intent was to gather information. Was this dark sider with the Bryn’adul or against. If not, maybe she could use that to her advantage, at least to her benefit. She had so many questions, in a moment where there could be no doubt.

Solan Charr​

 

[Solan Charr]

Solan for his part continued, not realizing the closing in form of Ran Serys , though something in the back of his head was itching at him. He considered that to be a sense that he was getting closer to his target, closer to the creatures he needed to take out. Slowly though to be honest a bit unsteadily he made his way closer and closer, still getting used to his new body and with the saber feeling heavier in his hand since he wasn't used to it or the crystal inside of it. He knew he would have to steel himself once he got in contact with the enemy but at the same time he also was starting to realize how much he was at a disadvantage given he had not actually taken the time to rest and let his body actually get used to the power he had.

As Solan got closer though he found a rock to move behind, crouching low and checking his equipment. The blaster he had on him would be only useful as a last resort, and he knew that, the communicator could get some of his men here quickly but he did not want to rely on them, not when he knew he was capable enough for this on his own. At the same time even as he knelt here he found the wings on his back to still throw off every little movement if he did not think about them and controlled them consciously.

It was this chance to pause that made him aware of that bit hitting the back of his head, his eyes shifting and as he looked in Ran's direction he would pause. The sensation was familiar, and he knew the feeling of a Jedi far too well after spending so much time around the Silver Jedi. He was curious and had to know, stepping back and blending into the shadows, waiting for the Jedi to come out.

 

[Ran Serys]

The darksider stopped and so did Ran. Her presence had been felt and now she was at an intersection with the possible adversary. Her choices were limited. Option one, was to play the waiting game. Wait them out. Wait until they make the first move. Option two, was to reveal herself and let the chips fall where they may.

Despite the small fog that still rolled over Ran's mind, she was still herself. She chose to be bold, yet she did not reveal herself visibly but sonically instead. Through the use of the force she amplified and directed her whisper. "Friend or Foe?" The question would travel low across the forest and to its intended recipient. "Your answer dictates my next action." She promised with an audible click that followed across the quiet forest floor. The click heard was the hilt of her lightsaber being removed from her hip. Ran was often a woman of action over words.

Solan Charr​

 

[Solan Charr]

It appears that he was right, raising a brow and making sure to look around him before starting to stand up fully. He would cross his hands over his chest, thinking about what to do in the moment as the words flowed to him. The sense of hesitation, the small bit of hostility, it was easy enough for him to sense as he shifted and started to slowly walk. Stepping carefully through the forest, thinking about how she might react if he came upon her and struck to disarm. He couldn't be sure that this was just some padawan, fully expecting it to be a master considering how out of the Galactic Core they were... if they were letting Padawans out this far on their own, he really would have to pen a letter to their temple berating them.

He did not rush though in the end and stopped, looking around before answering her with a smirk on his lips.

"Hmm, that is a bit hard for me to answer considering you have me at a disadvantage. Kind of surprising to see someone like you to be the the one skulking in the shadows. That is, unless I am wrong about who my dear guest is and instead I have stumbled on some Sith?" He would turn his head, seeing if he could pin down the woman and where she was, his mind reaching out and spreading through the area. If he could find her that would at the least remove the element of surprise from her.

Ran Serys

 

[Ran Serys]

"I am no Sith." Ran announced taking the accusation as a personal challenge of proof. Another twinge of pain slammed against her mind. She winced, gathered herself, and then stepped out of cover to see the man. "And now we are on even footing."

Ran ignited the silvery white blade of her lightsaber and pointed its tip at the man across the forest floor. "Now again. Friend or Foe? Declare the one you intend to be. I have no time, nor am I of the mind, to argue semantics with the Bryn'adul about, Dark Sider."

She took the man's appearance in. He'd looked familiar but she couldn't place him. He was more than several meters away. Maybe they had met on the battlefield. Maybe not. Maybe he just had one of those faces.

Solan Charr​

 

[Solan Charr]

"Are sure you aren't a Sith? Your yellow eyes are kind of making me question how truthful you are being with me." He would cross his hands over his chest, looking her over for a moment and finding a place to lean against. The blade being pointed at him caused him some pause, thinking it over and looking at it carefully. She was most definitely a Jedi, that was certain. The color aside he is quite familiar with how Jedi feel in the force, a fact he had become quite used to in the old days. He really did miss Sochi and the others... he wondered how many of them were still around.

"But, if you are so interested, I suppose we will have to find out. I think that figuring out if we are friend or foe would be best done over a drink, don't you? Kind of hard to make such a decision over a blade to my throat when I was busy exterminating the Bryn'adul threat about... two hundred meters to our right?" He would pause for a moment longer before laughing to himself.

"You remind me of an old friend in the Silver Jedi Order, she was a Mirailan too, far less violent though. Aren't Jedi suppose to be all 'there is no emotion'? You really are making me question what I know about you guys."

Ran Serys

 

[Ran Serys]

Ran couldn't tell if the man's tone was mocking or an effect of charm. Maybe it was both. To Ran, the presence of both seemed a common trait in those who followed the Dark side. Regardless, he seemed relaxed. It unnerved Ran more than it would have had her current situation not been so precarious. But it seemed he was determined to make the situation less so.

"Friend or foe may be unclear, but if you are hunting the Bryn'adul, we can at least call each other temporary allies." The blade of Ran's lightsaber disappeared with a hiss. She hooked the lightsaber back onto her hip and made her way to the man keeping a lightsaber's distance between them.

"I am sorry to confuse you," She extended a half-sincere apology. "Peace can take a lot of forms, but it will never be devoid of emotion. I am no droid and I am not a part of the orders of the past." Ran answered the question. "Anything else you "know" about us guys?" She asked sarcastically.

She'd been through a lot, she could feel it in her body, but couldn't quite remember the events that brought her here. It made her unusually testy, but still she tried to shrug it off. "Shall we?" She waved a hand in the direction of the Bryn'adul monsters she could sense.

"This friend of yours, The Silver Jedi" She referenced as they marched. "Do they have a name and if so do you know where I can find them?" She questioned realizing she didn't even know what planet she currently stood on. Ran was a bit vulnerable and decided she would keep that fact to herself. "My name is Ran Serys, Jedi Knight." She volunteered her name hoping the dark man would do so in kind.

Solan Charr​

 

[Solan Charr]

Solan continued to relax there, his eyes more focused on the direction of the Brynadul camp, curious about if it was a danger to them while they stood here or if he had nothing to worry about. The fact that the creatures could come into this little conversation of theirs did keep him a little worried but soon the hiss of the Jedi's saber would draw his attention back to her. He was surprised at her hooking the lightsaber back to her hip, thinking that might have been a bit premature given the fact that there was going to be some more to fight. He would lean forward and stand up a little straighter now, seeing her apologizing and having to laugh at that. He meant no harm in the laugh but she could tell now he was trying to mess with her in the first place.

Still as she waved her hand in the direction of the Bryn, he would give her a side glance and a raised brow, thinking for a moment about how it was quite interesting that the Jedi had so quickly put aside the fact he was a darksider. Surely she still had her problems with the situation? He would shrug though and stretch his arms above his head.

"The Silver Jedi was a group, probably hasn't been around for a bit but they were a good bunch." He would pause for a moment, looking at Ran from the side and would laugh a bit more.

"Good to meet you miss Serys, you can call me Solan Charr. I own this world you have found yourself on, and something tells me we will have alot more to talk about later. For now, ladies first." He would start walking, but his mood and tone seemed to still be relaxed. She would notice the moment she reached out or looked through the force that the calm and collected demeanor was a mask of sorts, his body drawing the force in like a vacuum, it being corrupted the second he took hold of it as the darkside cloaked him so completely his features would almost seem gone when someone looked at him through the force.

Ran Serys

 

[Ran Serys]

Chivalry isn't dead but in this case it was wholly unwelcome. Ran defied the idea of "Ladies First" and walked beside the man. While the blade of her lightsaber had disappeared, the sense of danger she felt from him didn't. She would keep her peripheries on the man until they approached the Bryn.

He was quiet about the Silver Jedi. They had come and gone. Ran thought there might be something significant in his silence. But that was for him to know.

"Own this world?" She questioned as she marched. Her tone softened and curiosity piqued. "Are you a king or planetary tycoon?" She whispered the legitimate question in jest. They were almost upon the Bryn'adul. Solan was the owner of the planet and the hunter of monsters. She let him establish the game plan.

Solan Charr​

 

[Solan Charr]

Solan wanted to laugh but the closer they got he would instead just smile to her and give off a small whisper as to the answer for her question.

"Oh? Did my features not reflect my Kingly disposition already? That is a shame, I had thought that I had gotten the look down by now." He would sigh before reaching down and pulling the saber on his back down to his hand. He would give her a quick wink before focusing on the task at hand, hearing a patrol from the Bryn just around the corner as they got closer, looking around the tree and seeing the creatures before breathing in and with his body remembering how to move he would step out and jump towards the enemy. Ran would see the man collapse down on it, igniting the blade through its neck to keep it quiet and looking for the next target before seeing the creature was alone.

He would only then look over his shoulder at Ran, letting her move forward now as they would have nothing between them and the encampment's walls at this point. He in turn would get up and pull the body of the creature to the wall, that way it would be a little more out of sight if he pushed it up against that wall.

Ran Serys

 

[Ran Serys]

Ran got nothing but sarcasm and jests from the King. She was beginning to like him. He was charming and fascinating in an infuriating way. Upon the sight of his guile and use of the lightsaber, Ran found herself even more intrigued.

The Jedi Knight never wasted a moment. As Solan was set in motion, so was she. With the flow of the force she leaped high and landed on the encampment's makeshift ramparts. She balanced herself and crouched behind a supply crate. She made eight Bryn'Adul in the open of camp. There'd be more she couldn't see.

Her lightsaber never left her hand as she vaulted the crate and ducked into another one of the enemies blindspots. She maneuvered her way to a decent vantage point. She could've taken four of the Bryn' down in one fell swoop. Instead she watched, listened, and reached out to the force to get a sense of the pieces she was missing.

Her mind and heart stuttered and she stared in Solan's direction. He was no ordinary darkside practitioner. He was a corrupter. A hole in the force. His aura was black and malevolent. It shrouded his visage. She blinked as if she couldn't believe what she'd seen. With her eyes she saw just another man, but the force told her no lies.

She was distracted. She smelled the stale, and rotting breath as an evil whisper crossed her shoulder. A threat was made in a language she could not understand, although she didn't need to understand the blaster barrel that jabbed into her back. As she put her hands up she gestured with the force. The blaster aimed sideways and Ran spun, flourishing her Saber and cutting the monster at the legs. The white light blade dismembered them and cauterized the wounds instantly. Ran pushed against the creature's pained body and mind with the force and pushed them into a state of unconsciousness. They'd wake up in a few hours if they were strong enough.

Ran searched through the monster's possessions. She found little of value. Save for a simple communicator, and a remote that would signal an alarm across camp. The remote had gone untouched. Ran and Solan still had the element of surprise on their side. But for how long? She searched for Solan to see his next move. She hoped it was a good one.

Solan Charr​