If Only I could remember... {Salem Norongachi}

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

This was really not the place to start anything. In fact, Katrine Van Derveld really shouldn't have been here. Not now, not any time soon. She was on a very important mission, one that had brought her from the future, one that her set her on ways. She had traveled quite a bit to be in this time all for a single reason. Unfortunately, Katrine also suffered from a condition that disabled her from contracting on thing for a long time. Things and people distracted her far too easily. Eventually, she would remember exactly why she was here, in the now. But right in this very point in time.

This time, it was simple podracing that had managed to distract the young Van Derveld. It was a fun sport. Plenty of action, lot of death possibility which made it just the right kind of fun for Kat, if one was keeping their ideas clean. And right now, she was just curious to see the race actually take place. Oovo IV was just the right place for that. While it was a prison world, it also had a whole bit dedicated to podracing, actually, kind of known for it. Katrine didn't know when she'd actually venture into this part of the galaxy again so she couldn't possibly miss the chance to see such a race. And of course, where there was a race, there was an audience. That's where Katrine was, situated among other spectators, watching the empty track. There were still a few minutes left before the race itself was to begin.

And while the chatter behind her progressed, the cars in the lane did final preparations. Sapphire blues kept focus on the vehicles. Watching the whole thing was quite interesting for her, Katrine still hadn't have watched it too many times before now so she could actually properly look forward to it.

@[member="Salem Norongachi"]

 

[Salem Norongachi]

The stadium was packed. The crowds rowdy and boisterous before the final race of the night got under way. Norongachi stood at the back of the top row behind a guard rail that ran along the length of the causeway leading to each section of seats. He leaned his elbows upon it, a cigarra smoking in his left hand and waited.

He didn't care for the racing, such petty distractions served no purpose to him, although he had heard the best part of the Oovo IV race was when one of the prisoner drivers decided to make a break for freedom. Even if that were to occur, he had no intention of waiting. Once his contact arrived, he would get the first shuttle out of there.

"Speak of the devil.." He thought as a sentient leaned against the rail beside him.

"Got any tips?" The Rodian asked, his black eyes straining to see the podracers at the starting line.

"I hear Bulga Traxar has an unbeatable engine." Norongachi responded, his free hand slipping toward the Rodian where by the object in it was replaced with another.

"Really now? I might place a few creds on him before the race starts." With that the alien was gone, lost among the crowds of late comers all looking for a seat.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

The preparations themselves took a bit too long. Katrine frowned. She had the attention span of a small child, things like this didn't bode well with her. So much that she soon had her back turned to the windows and her lower back leaning against the railing, looking at the crowds still getting in. Maybe she could just entertain herself for a little. But that didn't work. Humanoids and alients went in and out, each of them looking different than the other. None of it actually worked.

Her head turned to the side, noting one older human with one of them funny looking aliens she didn't really bother learning about. They were discussing the race? Bets? Katrine kept looking at them for a while longer before the alien left. Sapphire blues kept on @[member="Salem Norongachi"] though, narrowing ever so slightly as she debated on tiny little thing. And then finally decided. Raising her voice just a pitch higher than normal so she could be heard through the still arriving crowds and chatter, she asked. "Which one is Bulga Traxar?" Technically, she could probably look up some details about this but the pods didn't have names on them and she was kind of lazy. But the little insight made her curious.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Norongachi looked down at the speaker with a cool stare, seemingly weighing up the gain from acknowledging her existence. He slipped the object inside his pocket, then took a final drag from his cigarra before stubbing it out on the rail. A niggle at the back of his mind, like an itch he could not scratch, pulled his eyes to the right, then the left. Through the crowd he saw those that were trying their level best not to be.

"Whichever one you want it to be." He responded and then turned into the crowd. He couldn't escape them outright, the paths they were taking toward him were the only ones available. It would come down to choice in the moment, to do what would cause the least scrutiny from the others that surely followed in their wake. The raven haired soldier came shoulder to shoulder with his pursuer and as the fabrics of their clothings brushed against one another his hand shot out, never straying above hip height he caught the errant dagger that sought to end him. A twist of the attackers wrist, a barely perceived turn of his upper body and the blade had buried itself into the humans ribs. All between the length of his stride.

Salem kept moving, he was five or six bodies away before his assailant slipped into the throng, lost amongst the feet of the race goers. The other was still coming, a glance over his shoulder showed that the Transdoshan hadn't stopped to check on his partners well being, if anything it had hastened his advance. The reptile shouldered and pushed his way toward him, knocking sentients left and right with little regard for subtlety any more.

A dozen or so more feet and he would be at the entrance to the stands, from there it was a short walk to the docking ring and then he would be on his merry way. If no more surprises awaited him, that was.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

There was a look. Then there was a small body movement. Then he finished up with his cigarra. And still no answer. Then what did come out of his mouth wasn't really an answer. Whichever she wanted it to be? No. That wasn't an answer at all. Not half an answer, a quarter of an answer, not an answer one single bit. Katrine blinked and he had already turned away. There was another blink. He had just turned and gone, no answer. It took her a second to take note in this in her mind. Before the alarms went on one by one. No answer. He didn't give her one. NO ANSWER. Katrine needed an answer to her question. Of course, someone else would have just gone and asked someone else but all the redhead could think about was the fact that this guy didn't answer her. He didn't answer. He had to answer the question.

She was moving a millisecond later, without even thinking about her own movements, just walking in the direction he had gone. She bumped into a few people on the way, Katrine dind't notice, moving thorugh. She halted only when in the mist of it all she caught him twisting someone's wrist, ribs shot. Katrine released a giggle from her lips. But in light of the big question, that didn't distract her for long. The answer was too important right now.

Nothing was ever allowed to be left unfinished. Anything unfinished and right there in front of her, well, that would just drive her insane and Katrine couldn't let that happen. She was in this time for reason, she had not go insane. She skipped over the attacker on the floor and kept moving. "Hey, you! Old guy!" Katrine called out as she pushed through, quite literally. "Wait up!" She called out to him once more and then she got annoyed by all the people. "Eff this," she muttered and called on the Force, asking her for a push. A push was all she needed it, some speed to her feet. Yep, that would do it. The Force listened, like an old friend and gave her what she needed. Though the speed made the masses slightly more unbearable as it seemed like they were coming at her faster. She pushed through stronger in her skinny form hearing 'hey' and 'stop that' or 'watch where you're going' from the ones she passed.

Irrelevant. They were all irrelevant. Only her answer mattered now. Just in front of her, two of her hands away, she caught the man nearing the entrance. Nope. Wasn't going to happen. Katrine had a question that needed answer and moved forward, pushing an alien to the side without so much as looking for him before she reaching for @[member="Salem Norongachi"]'s sleeve. "You rush too much, you'll get old too fast like that" was what came out of her mouth when she was finally all caught up, though she wasn't sure where it had come from.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

One, no, two more ahead watching the entrance. He cursed the loose lipped lowlifes he'd had to deal with to get to this point, someone had ratted them out, who they were was irrelevant at this juncture but he would make sure to deal with them before the week was out. Right now he had to focus, no time for distractions or thoughts beyond what was required of him in the moment. The two sentries he could deal with but if they had anything larger than a pea shooter in orbit his flimsy transport wouldn't stand much of a chance.

"Cross that bridge when you come to it." He thought, mere steps away from subduing the first of the two when he felt a pull in the Force. The ever tremulous waters of the great sea of energy were being focused, harnessed and it was occurring behind him, moving toward him. If these lowlifes had a Force user on their payroll then that changed the entire equation and so he looked behind him, saw the shimmer and the glow cascading off the redhead now hot on his heels. It wasn't the face he had expected but then again, when was it ever?

The sentries had taken note of the sudden and preternatural accelerator in the crowd, everyone had, and now their eyes were pinned to her. Any chance of subtlety was bowled aside like so many stadium patrons in the Force users wake and then she upon him. They saw him then and those who were better at remaining inconspicuous suddenly revealed themselves. He was surrounded by a dozen or so thugs with ill intentions.

"Are you really this moronic?" Norongachi spat before turning her aside and heaving an almighty blast of telekinetic energy into the crowd that sent bodies tossing, turning, sprawling and screaming into the bulk of his would be attackers. He had a clear path now, one that he had a heartbeat to take before they recovered. A blaster bolt far too close for his comfort sealed the deal. "If you have any sense you'll run." It was more of a warning than she deserved, he thought as he summoned the Force into his body, letting it infuse and invigorate muscle and ligaments before bounding over the downed crowd and landing heavily by the mouth of the entrance tunnel.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

"Wha...?" She'd barely even began asking about his question before the telekinetic energy came surging through, making her release his sleeve. The bodies dropped and were forced to the side, screamers followed. When she focused sapphire blues again, the path between them was clear. Katrine looked up at @[member="Salem Norongachi"], her mouth parting for an inch. She had something to say again, which was common for her around strangers. But she didn't get a chance when the sound of the blaster bolt. "Hey!" So rude! All of this. All she wanted was an answer to her question!

If she had any sense, she'd run? Run? But...? He was in the air after that, she blinked. Tag, you're it again, she thought and huffed, getting the Force to her again. This time she asked for a jump, fueling her feet as she had summoned the necessary energy and went down even so slightly for the necessary jump. It had been what he had done, Katrine follow instructions. Her feet straightened up quickly and she was in the air, her landing on the other end of the bodies less graceful than that of the man. She'd have to work on that, Katrine told herself.

She wasn't that far behind him again she noticed one of the guards getting to his feet already. "Oh, no you don't!" If they were trouble, they weren't getting up now. Her being was still entwined with that of the Force as she called it again, waving her hand at the man, watching him fly to the nearest corner. "You lead an interesting life," she finally told the old man before eyeing the entrance.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Norongachi felt it again, that tingle in the back of his mind that urged him to look around. The redhead was still coming, like some kind of unstoppable machine sent back in time to frak up his day as much as possible. He had only crossed the threshold of the tunnel entrance when she landed beside him. The Master had to note her skill, she was clearly a novice but the Force answered her more promptly than he had seen in a long time. "About 800 years, give or take." He thought with a smile.

"Keeps me young." He answered, finally submitting to the fact that he wasn't going to shake loose this bloodhound. As he finished a blaster bolt slammed into the wall next to his head and on instinct his saber came to its masters defence, the green blade hissing to life to deflect another back out into the crowd. Norongachi turned and ran down the tunnel, occasionally the his sense alerted him to a threat forcing him to half turn and deflect or adjust his footing so it sailed by him harmlessly.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Young? Katrine chuckled at that joke. He seemed really old. Then again, most adults seemed old. Especially for someone who'd spent most time on a planet where most appeared a lot younger than they actually were. Like her great great grandmother who was a century and a half old and yet she looked extremely young. So anyone was potentially old, just faking outside appearance in the teenager's mind.

She didn't get to enjoy that one long though, the shot ending in the wall beside her, making her snap her head slightly to her side. Folks bringing guns to simple power play. Some people... The familiar sound made her think of The Figaro and The Favoura, her mind instantly wishing to see the lime-green hue when she looked back at @[member="Salem Norongachi"] but sadly, that wasn't it. One blade, in the hands of the man looked nothing like those of her father and once again, Katrine had to remind herself she was no longer home and like she could not see her father, she wouldn't be seeing the two sabers any time soon.

The petite redhead had to remind herself not to remember when her eyes caught the man already on his way. She ran as well, not that she reason other than her own personal ones that had already gotten her to chase him. There was a question still left in the air. A few shots had passed her by that point and she remembered something she should have remembered in the first place - shots. Blasted shots were being fired their way. Her head turned to the side catching glimps of one flying towards her and jumped to the side before continuing, watching it crash into the wall to her right. Katrine really hated being fired at. "Some people... shouldn't be... allowed to have weapons," she spat out, moving a few more times.

All Katrine really wanted was an answer. But no... trouble sometimes seemed like it followed her.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

"Your telling me..." Salem growled his green eyes blazing with irritation. He saw it then, on the left side of the tunnel, a pipe jutting from the wall and connecting to a cooling unit in the celling. A flick of his eyes was all it took to puncture it and a thought set the gas aflame. The resulting explosion was cast backwards by the power of the Force, the flames being brought to heel by his mind and roaring down the confined space like a serpent sent straight from hell.

Their pursuers had little hope of escape, the fire swept over them and burned away clothes, skin and bone leaving only dust in its wake. As it reached the tunnel entrance it hit the ground more akin to a liquid and remained there barring passage to any that might remain to give chase.

Norongachi slowed to a walk then, his hand reaching for a cigarra in his jacket pocket and set it between his teeth before setting its end alight. He sucked in a lungful of death and savoured it for a moment, letting the calming nicotine wash over his mind. This was turning out to be more eventful that he had hoped but he had the information.

"Just so you know, Bulga Traxar has been dead for 800 years." He called out to the girl that was quickly becoming his shadow
@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

The explosion came with no warning, making Katrine lose her balance forward, her feet tangling as she moved, taking her some time to regain it. She stopped finally, before she'd actually fall on her nose, her feet spread just enough to regain ground. She exhaled then. She hardly didn't need a damaged nose right now.

With a swift turn around on her heel, graceful as that of a ballerina, much like she had learned from her big sister, Kat watched the flames behind her before returning to the right turn and continuing ahead. @[member="Salem Norongachi"] was no longer running so neither did she. Instead, she skipped from one foot the next without actually putting thought to it, "one, two, three...," quietly counting each time her foot had touched the metal.

Just so you know, Bulga Traxar has been dead for 800 years, she suddenly heard. The counting was long gone, not even aware of what she had been doing, sapphire blues looking up at the man. "Oh." So none of the drivers were Bulga Traxar. So that meant...? "You were speaking in code." That wasn't a question, just a simple statement. It wasn't the answer Katrine was looking for but it clearly was an answer her mind needed to let go of the question. "Thank you," she quickly said. Now that she'd been released from it though, her mind realised she'd been chasing a complete stranger, almost got shot, burned and who knows what else would have happened, all because of an answer. She stopping waking for a bit, looked back at the flames. "Who knew one answer could get me in so much trouble." Those that knew her, knew to answer her when she asked. Some knew of her conditions, others just knew she wouldn't stop asking without knowing the why.

She let out a sigh and continued walking, this time quite a bit behind the man, whose cigarra she could smell in the steps she made soon enough. "Now, how do I get off this rock?" She wasn't asking him really, though he could hear it loud and clear. The race had already started, she didn't get to see it, she couldn't go back through those fires anymore. There was really nothing more for Katrine to do on this planet.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

The docking bay wasn't far just another dozen or so meters. If he was lucky, which was laughably optimistic at this point, then most of his pursuers were still trapped in the stadium itself, leaving the docking area relatively clear. "If only I could believe that to be the case.." He thought, as the girl finally realized the truth.

"Something like that." Norongachi muttered in response. He had never wanted to get off a planet so bad in all his days. "And to think, you wanted children once." The green eyed master thought. He continued onward, barely noticing that she had fallen out of stride with him when he heard her voice again.

"A pretty little thing like you should have no trouble finding a willing captain." A slither of what might have been guilt, although it had been so long since he'd cared about anyone elses well being that he wasn't quite sure. They had seen the girl with him and owing to the inherent stupidity of the criminal class he was dealing with, they would no doubt assume that she was somehow involved. "She could be useful," He thought. "Besides, when have you ever known a chance meeting to be just that?"

"Fine," He sighed. "I'll drop you wherever you need to go although I can't promise you'll be safe." He waited then, at the open doorway to the docking bay where his ship lay waiting.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Pretty little thing like her? Katrine looked to @[member="Salem Norongachi"] as she thought about it for a second. She was pretty. She was also little. Not a thing though. But it worked even with that last bit. Would that give her no trouble find a willing captain... "If you say so," the redhead gave a short answer. She didn't usually require a willing captain or her looks to get a ride. But then again, she hadn't actually traveled on her own before arriving to this time. Or without her family. She'd just have to take his word for it.

She continued moving, step by step, her lips quietly making a count as her eyes wandered to the floor. The girl thought about what she had been told. It was new to her and had to be thought of. He wasn't talking at the time anyway so her attention had left him for a while. A silent person was of no interest to the girl, even for short periods of time.

Her attention was caught again as the single word reached her ears. The counting stopped, her mouth stopped moving as she looked up. She forgot what she had been said as the man offered to drop her where she needed to go but without a promise of safety. Why'd he just do that? "Oh! Oh! Thank you!" She pipped excited and skipped a few steps closer to him, a big grin plastered all of her face.

But where did she need to go? Katrine halted thinking about it. There was an important mission that got her here, caused her to crash Daddy's ship and have her wander the galaxy without transport... But where was Chloe right now? Katrine had no idea. She knew bits and pieces from what they'd told her but nothing solid. She could find her parents if she wanted to, she knew where they were right now but no, that was dangerous. This changed later too if they changed now, Katrine figured that out alright.

Slowly, she looked up, realized he was waiting for at the doorway. "I don't know where I'm supposed to go," she confessed and followed. "If you're headed to one of the more crowded planets, that would be smashing."

 

[Salem Norongachi]

"Precise." Salem said, with a shake of his head. "Well? Come on." With that he moved toward the ship. It was barely above an escape pod in terms of room but it could fly and that was all that really mattered, usually. He couldn't shake the feeling that somewhere overhead there was a world of pain just waiting to club him over the head. The day couldn't come quick enough when the Hand of Fate was back in operation.

The boarding ramp hissed down with a squeal of rusted servos and he walked up and into the ship itself. It had no seating area for passengers, nor any standard living quarters. In the corner of the shoebox that passed for a cargo hold was a bedroll and down the adjoining corridor the cockpit which could, luckily, seat two.

"By the way the names Salem or Sal, whichever you prefer. Now get aboard, we dust off in two minutes."

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

She followed quietly, sapphire blues taking in the docking bay that had only briefly caught her attention when she arrived to the planet. Wasn't all that interesting though. Katrine didn't like ships because they were ships, she was curious to the secrets they held. And since most folks weren't into revealing secrets, she just carried on her merry ways.

But this time, led by @[member="Salem Norongachi"], she arrived to a tiny little... wait, what? The redhead blinked once, then again. She was sure she was seeing things. She had to be. This wasn't a ship, this was part of a ship. "Is this...?" She totally did not see that happening. Not at all. And yet, that was where he led her to, boarding ramp opening up for them.

Katrine didn't actually get a chance to say her words, the ramp full lowered and the man introducing himself as Salem or Sal before quickly giving the orders and giving departure time. "I'm Katrine. But sometimes I get called Kat." No last names given, no obligation to give hers. Definitely a good thing. Short introductions exchanged, the redhead boarded the ship, entering what should have been a cargo hold but instead there was a bed and then a corridor. O...kay. So nothing like the Deceased Star that she missed so much at this point. "Uhh... nice place you got here," she finally said. "Does this take us to the ship?" It was an honest question, really. At least to her.

 

[Salem Norongachi]

"Ha," He barked, slipping into the pilots chair. She had a set of stones on her at least. "Unfortunately, no, this is your lot Katrine." His hands danced over the controls, coaxing the battered junk heap to life with a sputter of the engines. The ship vibrated alarmingly as he did so, to the point where he was ready to hit the emergency shut down but then it settled, although he could still feel a much subdued tremor through the soles of his boots. "Buckle up, I have a feeling this day isn't done throwing curve balls just yet."

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Another follow of the man whose name she actual knew now. Sal would do. Salem sounded like a cat. She wouldn't mind a cat. Then again, Katrine and pets were not a good mix. Not sinc her pet bunny who was just the cuttest thing ever and then he became a rain of blood when she found explosives to be fun. It was a good day. And then it ended and she had to wash the blood off. But yes, pets and Katrine Van Derveld did not mix. It just never ended up well.

The corridor led to the cockpit, small as the rest of this place. With one seat for the pilot and another one she guessed she'd take. And took it as soon as she saw it. This was all there was, she found out then it was just this ship. Made her frown. "How is that possible?" Seriously? How?

Katrine was already seated nicely when the tiny ship began to shake. She was told to buckle up and went to reach for the belt as it settled. "That was nice..." but not really. She never actually finished with the belt when a red shot passed by the window. "Fun never ends with you, Sal." And one more followed that. Were those warning shots or were these guys related to storm troopers?

@[member="Salem Norongachi"]

 

[Salem Norongachi]

"You tend to be short on options when the Galaxy goes to hell in a hand basket while you nap." He quipped as the ship rose hastily from the landing pad. If just one for those shots found any of the weakened areas of hull plating they were toast. The ship tilted toward the opening in the roof and then they were gone in a blur of acceleration, speed limits be damned.

The setting sun was their backdrop and then the inky black of space when the ship finally burst from the atmosphere. The sight the pair, were greeted with upon said exit was not a welcome one. The skeletal form of a Nebulon-B frigate bore down upon them and for the first time in as long as he could remember Sal felt guts twist into knots of fear.

"If you have any gods in mind, I suggest prayer." He followed his own advice.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

The galaxy went to hell in a hand basket while he napped? "Say what?" Katrine shot back right away and turned her head, forgetting all about her seatbelt as she turned to the side to look at him. Katrine wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about. Sure, she could probably remember that some century or so ago, the galaxy was barely waking up from this thing called the Gulag plague which didn't bode well with anybody but Katrine didn't really think about the galaxy that much. Great great grandmother spoke of it but she only half listened to be perfectly honest. It didn't effect her, her sister or her parents at that point in time so it wasn't so important to remember. But what Sal had said, made her curious.

The ship rose, causing her to slightly lean to the side than moved forward, making her slightly go to the left. She probably should have put her seat belt on at this point but nooo, Katrine tended to zero in on a single thought currently relevant to her to think of such trivial things like seat belts.

Atmosphere breaking did her no good, the entire chair and her along with it shaking as they broke through. With the first small bounce in her seat, Katrine held on tightly to the arm holders, trying not to run off. The sudden of deal of getting hurt from this wrapped her mind, upset her ever so slightly. It was a nagging feeling the back of her head, poking and prodding her. It was also an important reminder that it was time to take her pill. Usually, Katrine kept tabs on time but with what had happened today, she had obviously lost track of time and forgot to take it. Which was never a good thing.

Then she forgot about it all over again when Salem suggested prayer, making her turn the chair to the side and look ahead. They weren't alone. She was supposed to pray? What? "Taku?" She couldn't really stop her. There was but what religion Katrine Van Derveld knew and it wasn't that of the Jedi or Sith. It was that of the Witches, a culture she had been submerged since the day she was born. She took a good look at what was ahead, the numbers faced and just said: "Uhh... Allya, okiye..." There was Allya, the ancestors and there was the Wingless Goddess. She didn't know any other deities to speak to so if he wanted some extra help that was all Kat could give, even though she wasn't really a Witch, just sort of somewhere in the middle...


(Taku? - What?
Okiye... - help)

@[member="Salem Norongachi"]

 

[Salem Norongachi]

There really wasn't any time to comment upon her literal understanding of what he had said. The Frigate began to launch death toward them and it took all that Norongachi could muster to keep them out of the ships firing solution. If he had more confidence in the ships maintenece he would not have been so worried but as it stood he wouldn't risk a direct hit to the shield generator.

The tiny craft barrelled through the mesh of turbolaser fire, the battered old ship surprisingly nimble under his command. Again and again the coms system squawked at him to power down his engines but the Master ignored it. The Nebulon was effectively blocking their path into hyperspace, the prison asteroid they had come from a mere blip upon the ships sensors at this point.

"What I wouldn't give to be aboard the Hand of Fate right now." Norongachi snarled, dipping the nose of the ship down and then spinning them to the right as the enemies gunners sought to end them. Another dizzing series of evasions brought them within touching distance of the frigates hull. "Now what will you do, I wonder..." He said aloud to himself before they cleared the ships massive engines.

He let one hand slide from the flight controls and transferred what little power the ships shields had to the rear facing deflector. His timing couldn't have been better as a shot rocked the old transport. "And we're away." He grinned, firing them into hyperspace.

@[member="Katrine Van Derveld"]