Into the Fire [Vik]

[Yula Perl]

There was a lot going on in the room, and Yula’s empath capabilities were working over time trying to discern who would be an immediate threat and who wouldn’t. It was just easier to assume that everyone in the room was a threat, really. From the grotesque Hutt, to her bounty hunter cronies and body guards. Everyone seemed to move closer, or at least lean in and watch the spectacle before them. They’d never seen someone with Vik’s features after all, and were curious if the Madame was going to be pleased with the gift.

Yula was impressed with Vik’s ability not to spit in the Hutt’s ugly face, or start stabbing someone, which is likely what she would have done if she had been in his situation. Madame Urdru made an odd sort of purring sound before addressing her advisor in her naturally guttural voice.

In an instant, Yula’s body stiffened at the Hutt’s command. Someone had yanked Vik’s chain away from her and was attempting to drag him towards an exit near the back, deeper into the compound. As one of the Trandoshan body guards stalked forward, Yula’s hand was already wrapped around the handle of her vibroblade, jabbing into the reptilian’s abdomen with a forceful strike. The beast went down with a cry, but it didn’t take long for the Zeltron to become out muscled. One of the bounty hunters had approached her from behind and struck her with a stun weapon.

She convulsed briefly under the shock before collapsing to the ground, temporarily unconscious.

[member="Vik Velkarson"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

He felt the metal bit into his wrists as the chain was forcefully yanked and he was being led away toward the back, behind the Hutt. An alarm through the power of the Frostvatn told him that their situation had turned against them and Yula was in danger, as was he. The noise of an attack pinned his pointed ears to the side of his head taking in everything more clear than most, he heard the fizz of some kind of weapon as he turned his head to see Yula hit the floor not moving. The man leading him away made his first mistake by shoving him in the back to force him forward, he got to close and Vik turned on him and raised his cuffed hands which were now glowing white with magic and in his green eyes nothing but death.

There was no need for brute force, but Vik did it anyway so angry with what they had done to Yula, and as his hands wrapped around the man's neck he opened his mouth to scream, it was a silent scream sound unable to leave his throat as his neck and head instant froze. The body dropped to the floor, before it even hit the ground, Vik was positioned behind the Hutt, his hands still filled with magic the Hutts fluid body began to freeze but this time it would be a more slow and painful death. There was simply more bulk. Vik knew they would be no good to anyone dead, let alone themselves but he had acted on impulse and could not bear the thought of anything bad happening to Yula he did not think.

Two of the Hutts goons had taken her, dragging her along the floor to the back and through the door which he was supposed to go and the next thing he knew everything turned black. The result of the same stun gun what dropped him to the floor. He did not know how long he had been out to it, and as Vik's sharp eyes opened he found a dark dank room, no light musty air and three males sitting on the floor with their heads lowered in defeat.

His head pounded with dull pain as he attempted to stand and stumbled to the door which of course would not be opened, there was only a small grated window through which they could be watched and the only avenue to see passed these four walls. "Yula!", he shouted loud and the only reply was a sharp pain in his neck from the shock collar. They had given him a new one.


[member="Yula Perl"]

 

[Yula Perl]

When Yula woke up, she was not alone. Instead of being cornered in a pen with other slaves, two enforcers were in what appeared to be a storage room with her. They were arguing, but she was too groggy to understand about what.

Her head hurt, and she touched it, trying to steady her swimming vision. When she brought her hand away, there was no blood—a good sign, but there wasn’t really anything good about the situation she had found herself in. Injured, separated from Vik and in a slave compound. Bravo.

Suddenly, one of the men grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her back. Ice chilled her blood as he began to wrestled with her clothes, and Yula felt a fear she hadn’t experienced before. Sure, she’d been in danger, she’d been caught, but there had always been a way out. But now, she was faced with something that had plagued her family for generations. An act, an industry that was built on selling lives.

“W-wait.” She tried to argue, not recognizing the shake in her own voice. “Wont you get in trouble for doing this? Won’t your boss be mad?” Yula didn’t know how the rules worked, but if she couldn’t see a way out, maybe she could make one for herself.

“Boss is dead. Yer boyfriend killed ‘er.” The man grunted, trying to pin down her flailing limbs. “So, who’s in charge then?” Her tone may have been a little snide for the situation, but so be it. “Is it you? Or him?” She nodded her chin toward the other man.

“Me, of course.” The second man snorted as if the answer had been obvious. “What?” The first grunted, head whipping around and his grip easing from Yula’s shirt. Her heart was jackhammering away in her chest. “What do you think makes you the new boss? I’m the one who gained her favor first. I brought you here!” Now angry, the first man had risen to his feet and drawn a blaster from his belt, making threatening gestures towards the other man.

“You’re too slow.” The second one had an edge of ridicule to his voice. “I finish my work in half of the time it takes you. Everyone knows it!”

The conversation escalated to blows and shots, to which Yula contemplated sneaking away from. The bolts bouncing off of the walls were dangerous, but what was even more dangerous was trying to leave when her captors were confronting each other in front of the door. Quickly and quietly, Yula drew the knife she had strapped to the inside of her thigh. It wasn’t very big, but it was the only chance she had.


---


Stunning had always been her weapon of choice, but it was a luxury she couldn’t afford here. Though she had an aversion to taking lives, Yula had left behind a pair of corpses in the supply closet. Her rewards were a black eye, bruised ribs and the blaster she’d pilfered from one of the men.

Shuffling outside of the cells where slaves were kept, Yula concentrated on finding Vik. Was he alright? Where had they taken him? One of the men had said that Vik killed their boss.

She heard something—him. He’d called her name, she felt it as a faint ring in her head. Though in pain the adrenaline boost had her upright and searching the hall, trying to find any trace of Vik or his presence.

[member="Vik Velkarson"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

There had been no response, not immediately anyway but Vik was not sure if that was a good sign or not. He could sense her still, she was alive and close by but in what circumstances escaped him. Everything that Yula had given him, hidden on him was taken not that it would be of any use now expect .. he could still feel the cold of the metal against his thigh. But he would leave it there for now, just in case. There was not much he could say to the others in the small cell, they just hugged the wall and did their best to pretend he was not there, already Vik had caused trouble by yelling out and they feared they would be lumped in with him. They were not a threat to Vik of course, mostly due to the fact they had little will or energy for that matter.

His shackled hands raised to the collar and as soon as he touched, it sent pain through his body and it almost felt as if it was more intense, enough for him to reel against it and slam his back to the wall, the only thing he was able to discern was laughter from the guards. "Go on keep trying, I love it when that happens", an ugly face came to the slot in the door. Something hidden in Vik bubbled to the surface, it was rage and death all directed toward the guard and he swore that they would pay not only for this but if any harm had come to Yula they would all die. Some how he would escape and kill them all.

A familiar presence was approaching, Yula was head their way and he had to warn her, he was about to yell when he noticed movement in the cell. The cowering slaves rose as if they knew of his intentions and fear set in their hearts that this man would be the cause of more pain to them, or even death if he did not submit to his plight. They were weak but in fear men find courage and strength. They approached him, walking like the dead toward him, nothing in their eyes of the desire to shut Vik up no matter the cost. "Don't", he heard himself say, a warning that he too would not allow them to stop him.

They hesitated only for a moment, before they reached him and grabbed at him trying to throw him to the ground, the guards enjoyed the sport for the moment, allowing it to happen or rather watching to see who would be the victor. Vik did not want to kill them, deep down he did not but he had to get to her and their lives where forfeit, they were pass saving, at least that was what was running through his mind to justify his action. He looped his arms over the top of one man's head pulling the shackles to his neck and chocking him, his whole body trembling with the sudden violence and the air in his lungs running out. The others taken aback by the sudden action stumbled back, realising that Vik had more strength and more motivation then them.

The rise in pure malice toward these men and the men outside the cell unhidden in his force presence, he did not know how to shield it not that he wanted to and deep down with Vik, he relished it. To have life in ones hands, and the ability to take it away felt glorious.




[member="Yula Perl"]

 

[Yula Perl]

Stumbling down the hall, Yula thought that her senses were misfiring. The Force shifted and twisted with a sudden feeling of malice, one that made her pause to catch her breath and figure out if she was heading in the right direction.

"Go on keep trying, I love it when that happens"

She peeked around the corner to see one of the guards pressing his face against the bars in a sneer, while the other looked on in amusement. Her view was somewhat obstructed, but she could make out several figures in the cage, one of them being Vik. A mixture of rage and longing bubbled up in Yula, and she moved before her mind had time to catch up.

The first guard’s head found itself slammed against the bars, while the second caught a knife to the throat after a brief struggle. Yula dropped to her knees, partially from exhaustion as she caught sight of her beloved and the situation that he was in. It was not at all what she had expected.

He had one of the slaves by the neck, pressed between the chain of his wrist shackles. “Vik…” She sounded a mixture of relief and pleading, pausing for a few moments to try and take in the situation before rifling through one of the guard’s for keys to the cell.

“Vik…let him go.” Her voice was soft, controlled, with a measure of disbelief. She’d never seen him so aggressive, so poised to kill. “We’re all going to get out of here, I promise.” Quickly, she unlocked the cell door.

[member="Vik Velkarson"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

He could feel the life within the man slipping away, his last breaths was intoxicating. The words of his father echoing through his mind, To thine own self be true, was this what he was? a killer? and in that moment he faltered, Vik's hands slowly releasing his grip and the man gasped, body trembling weak and feeble beneath him. Vik started to tremble now, and his head turned to see Yula standing in the doorway, her face scared and pleading with him to stop.

He hated that look on her face.

He hated it because he had caused it.

Vik let the man drop as he stood, turning his hands palms upward as he looked at them shimmering with power, and trembling with fear of what he would do, what he could become if this was to happen again. He did not feeling the cold of the cell wall on his back, but it was the only means for him to be able to stand, his own strength failing him. He turned his head and looked passed Yula, as if looking right through her to the bodies on the ground outside the cell. She had done that, to get to him and the slaves, she had killed and was that right of her to do that?

They had been the ones that took freedom from them, from all the people they had enslaved over the years, and deserved punishment, but what he was about to do, if she did not stop him, was kill out of fear of his life. Was that right? to kill or be killed?

It was now he breathed, and he felt his lungs burn with it.

"Yula .. I .. I need to get out of here", he said not really knowing what to say or what to think. He did not want to get out because of fear of being discovered or further danger but because he was ashamed. But first thing first, they both needed to get them all out and to safety, he remembered that was their mission after all and after that he would need time to think. One thing was certain, he would have to thank her for stopping him.


[member="Yula Perl"]

 

[Yula Perl]

Yula bent down, cupping Vik’s face briefly with both hands. “We’re leaving.” She whispered in an attempt to assure him, but really she had needed to hear that too. “Half of the guards and bounty hunters left after…their Mistress died.” She urged the others to get up and grab whatever they could fashion as a weapon. “The other half are tearing the place apart, taking anything of value.” With their boss gone, there was no need for revenge. Only payment.

Her mind was in survival mode now as they left the cell and made their way though the hall. With any luck, they’d be able to make it to the ship without being spotted.


[member="Vik Velkarson"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Between the two of them, Vik was quickly out of his slave bindings and collar and was very grateful to be getting out of that cell. He could hear the commotion up the corridors and the main hall and it would not be long before someone would venture down to the cells to take the slaves as payment as well. "We need to get them all out", he turned back to the man that just tried to kill him .. out of fear but still. Vik pulled him up onto his feet and helped him out the door, the others in the cell did not need any invitation to leave and ran hoping to get away even from them. Whether they would make it out and off this planet was in the lap of the gods at this point.

With the man, Vik followed Yula to each cell which she open and beckoned the slaves to follow, before long there was at least twenty and Vik wondered if they would have enough room on the ship. They would make room.

The children were the hardest, the hardest to see in such conditions and the hardest to convince to leave, they were so frightened and would not move for who knew who or what type of person Yula and Vik were, could be worse than their current masters. And the numbers had swollen to thirty or more. Out side the compound, smoke made visibility almost impossible, the main hall was ablaze as well as some of the other buildings and black smoke choked the air but at least it would provide them cover until they could get out and to the ship.

The group with Yula and Vik clung to the side of a build just waiting the opportunity to run, "Yula", Vik gained her attention and nodded to the right indicating that they would soon have company in the form of a group of the Hutts thugs.

[member="Yula Perl"]

 

[Yula Perl]

It was absolute chaos—physically and mentally. Somehow, they’d managed to round up the slaves and convince them that now was their only chance to flee. Some were understandably skeptical, but seeing the pandemonium, elected to join the escape.

Vik’s voice came from somewhere to her side, alerting her to a group of thugs heading their way.

Every curse word she’d ever heard dropped from her lips, and she paused to look down at the wide-eyed child clinging to her shirt. “Oh. Oh, sorry.” Was all she could say, not having the grace to be particularly embarrassed in this situation. Her attention was mostly elsewhere. “You know what, hon? Why don’t you go with her—” She began to pry the kid from her torso, a Twi’lek girl with blue skin that almost seemed to glow in the light of the flames. With some effort, she managed to hand the wailing child to a Nautolan woman that had stepped forward.

As the woman comforted the upset Twi’lek, Yula turned to Vik. “I’ll deal with those guys. Just get everyone to the ship, and don’t stop.” There was a firmness in her words. She darted forward to press her lips to his own, then dashed towards the approaching thugs.

She leapt, coming down hard and using the Force to shatter the ground beneath and the thugs with a shout. The earth rippled, causing the men to lose their footing. Inhaling sharply, Yula drew the Force to her once more.

[member="Vik Velkarson"]