I Was Here First [Sawa Ike & Ryiah Tenriem]

[Kerstas]

[member="Nei Laa"] [member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Ryiah Tenriem"]

Location: En-route to Aing-Tii (Hyperspace)

Kerstas sat cross-legged in front of the passed-out Nautolan, her eyes closed as she centred herself within the Force. For now, there was no repulsion of the light, or tantalizing temptation of the dark - instead, it was just her and the All-Being Force, the energy of the past, present, and future whirling around her. It was exhilarating, almost; the meditation always gave the Chagrian a sort of weightless feeling akin to being in a zero-G's setting. Except this time her consciousness was everywhere and nowhere, everything and nothing. It was, quite simply, amazing.

It was also helpful, too - it allowed Kerstas to compose herself for the looming conversation she was to have with the smuggler. The Acolyte intended to plant the first seedlings of weakness into the alien's mind, so as to allow her easier control. Unfortunately, based on what she'd seen, the girl had a sneaking suspicion this was easier said than done.

Hence the meditation.

Behind her, she could sense the sergeant as well as DS and Tavil, all waiting patiently for Laa to awaken. The two humans were present should Nei Laa try to escape; Tavil was there to tend any injuries inflicted. She could sense their discontent with the situation. Well, Tavil appeared to be indifferent either way, but the other two... Sergeant Leon was skilled at masking his emotions, even from a Force User like herself, but DS made it clear that enslavement was not something he liked. The Chagrian was merely surprised he hadn't said something before then. Usually the broad-shouldered soldier was more vocal.

Kerstas's thoughts were pulled away from her men by the stirring of the smuggler's consciousness. Blue eyelids fluttering open to reveal burning orange irises, the girl affixed her gaze to the Nautolan, waiting.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Nei Laa"] [member="Kerstas"] [member="Ryiah Tenriem"]

Sawa stood there on the planet, these being were calming as it was before she moved around a little. Attention on the few things of food they were willing to bring her but she coudln't kill the beings while sitting there and awaiting the arrival of her apprentices... yes two. She had a surprise for Ryiah who she was teaching shaping skills to her. If all went well her apprentices would be here with the pet one was bringing and she could serve a proper purpose... Something to train and teach to follow orders properly. "Come to me my dears, come to your master and enjoy the plans we can do." The one looked at her while her silvery eyes glowed a little and it stuck out its large tongue before she went back to her meditations listening to the force spectrum with all of the teachings they were giving to her.

 

[Nei Laa]

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Kerstas"] [member="Ryiah Tenriem"]

"Motherkriffin' scum feeders!" Nei whipped her upper body up off the floor, letting out a hiss as all the blood came rushing to her head - resulting in a pounding headache. Her black eyes were seeing red, and her tresses whipped and coiled like a writhing mass of psychotic serpents. It was only when she attempted to pull her hands apart to choke the blue shutta who'd tricked her that she noticed her wrists were bound - her feet, likewise. There was a heavy weight around her neck, too. Further inspection revealed it to be a metallic collar. Nei was smart enough to know what it was, and that caused her blood to boil even more.

"Si'ma'i Fuk ercirak!" she howled, spittle flying from her lips. "When I get free, I choke you! I squeeze life from you! I rain wrath from skies on you!" SSh continued on, stopping only when she ran out of breath.

 

[Kerstas]

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Nei Laa"]

Kerstas quirked an eyebrow in cold amusement, not moving. Behind her, DS shifted on his feet. Otherwise, the quartet acted as if the Nautolan hadn't said anything to begin with.

"If you're done making empty threats..." The Acolyte's voice was a soft purr, cold and aloof. She'd learned that from her Master. "Perhaps you'd like to hear the details of your new....job?" The gleaming orange orbs travelled over the smuggler, a glimmer of sinister amusement dancing in them.

Not bothering to give the older woman a chance to respond, the girl continued. "My group and I are mercenaries in need of a pilot. Your skills and relative - if paranoid - anonymity were delectable to us. As such, you're now claimed as ours. You will be in our service indefinitely, until such a time as you are no longer needed." The lies (or rather, half-truths) flowed off of her tongue with ease. The trick to a good lie was to take a truth and smother it. The last part, at least, was entirely truthful. There was no point in keeping the Nautolan around if they had no more use of her. However, Kerstas deliberately left out the fact that the smuggler's indenture wouldn't be the only thing terminated. By then, the alien would know too much.

"The slave collar is there to track your whereabouts and ensure obedience. You will obviously be allowed off the ship when it's safe to do so. However, before you consider putting out a call for help, consider these few things." The Chagrian held up her hand, ticking the items off with her fingers. "One: the collar is designed to deliver a shock should your distance from the ship exceed a certain length. You will be made aware of that parameter when the time comes. Two: There is a microphone that will transmit your words to us, allowing us to monitor what you say. Three: The collar is also outfitted to block the signal from any communications device in your immediate proximity. Which means there will be no escaping for you." Kerstas smiled unpleasantly. Three was, of course, a lie. The proximity limit and the microphone were quite easy for Radio to put in, but the signal jammer would've been too much.

Of course, it didn't hurt to have the smuggler believe all hope was lost.

Finished, she put her hand back down in her lap, smoothing the grey fabric of her tunic. "Any questions?"

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Nei Laa"] [member="Kerstas"]

Sawa looked as it was all trailing off be a problem for herself as she enjoyed the ones around the world she was on. Turning around with some of her attention to what her apprentice was doing, what she was going to do with her pet in the end. She was looking over a lot of the things with the Aing-tii that she could learn from them finding purpose in their serenity within the force as opposed to the violent urges most of the sith would have preferred. it gave her what she wanted in the long run when it came to possible avenues for where she could go and what she could do with a few hundred spent learning from them their secrets to the force and folding space and time.

 

[Nei Laa]

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Kerstas"]

The Nautolan sat back, her face drawn as she considered what the girl said. She was right - there was no escape, not for her. They had her cornered, and nobody could save her, not even [member="Joran Del-Finn"]. This last thought caused more pain than anything else; nobody had had her back more than the human, and now she couldn't even reach out to him. She doubted he even knew where she was.

Stupid. You're better than this! You fought against a powerful Jedi and survived! You fought against a trained Mando and survived! You've been shot at and injured - and survived! You've been through Hell and back, and you know what? You barely had a scratch! Nei straightened up as the voice in her head continued. You've gone through things most other people haven't, and you've survived! Don't let this puny little half-pint beat you into submission - you're stronger than that! You're stronger than her!

​She raised her head again, black eyes staring defiantly into orange ones. "You think I be stupid," she told the girl, her voice even. "But you will not break me. Not you, and not your minions." Nei sneered at the girl. "It take more than enslavement to scare me off, o'hi'su'a. ​It take something you don't got, and won't ever get." A victorious smirk on her face, the smuggler sat back again, pleased. Most of it was a bluff, but she'd made herself clear - Nei would not back down.