First Reply Jakku

[Thalia Senn]

​

It had taken a long time to get here on her own. Jakku was still a mess, what with its limited infrastructure and leadership that was just getting its feet wet in the last few years. Scavenger ships and tugs filled the stars cleaning up the short and bloody skirmish that had taken place there. On the ground, the chaos was more palpable than anywhere. Salvage operations that had been dead for years suddenly sprang to life, new portions of the great desert were ripe for the work, and Steadfast was busier than ever. But Thalia Senn wasn't a scavenger, not really. Unless trying to find and put your life back together was considered scavenging.

The last few months had been crazy. Really, the last few years. Ever since she'd left with that first Jedi from her small farm town on Pamarthe. But Jakku was where things really took off. For the worse. She'd attacked the only Master who hadn't outright given up on her and ran away from the Order. The two knights that had found her holed up at her parents' farm had said things would get better, and she'd really thought that when she stopped the Skyeels from devouring everything on the island. But where were Aaran Tafo and Khefiir now? One vanished without a trace almost immediately after the Trandoshan had taken her on, the other left her behind to fight in a war and never came back for her. Just like all the rest. Just like Zark San Tekka .

It was dark by the time she arrived at her destination. The old Jakku Enclave. She'd been dropped off by Kaska Arden. Another role model that up and vanished on her. The names continued to pile up until she couldn't take it anymore, staring at the burned-out enclave. It was mostly underground so it was odd, looking up at it from the dunes. Inside she spied the chimes Jend-Ro Quill had used to help bring out her abilities with telekenesis and the tears came. She balled her right hand into a fist and swung, a blast of power striking the chimes so awkwardly and so hard that the sound came out distorted, echoing in the hollowed-out chamber and into the dunes around. She swung again and again until she couldn't stand and curled up in a ball on the sand overlooking the enclave. Not because she was tired, but because the sobs just wouldn't stop.

"Why doesn't anybody want me?" she whimpered.

 

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | VOICE OF THE MAW
Thalia Senn

​

“They’re afraid.”

The voice echoed softly from the shifting sands, a figured shrouded in tattered robes and dark garments.

“Perhaps they should be.”

 

[Thalia Senn]

A chill ran down her spine. Slowly, she reached up to her chest holster and gripped her lightsaber and unclasped it. The hilt was a familiar and reassuring weight in her hand.

The Dark Side was heavy here, and not from the battle. Her heart rate quickened and her palms began to sweat. She knew if she was going to act she had to act decisively and quickly.

"Don't fight the ssssstorm," her old master had once said. "Be the sssstorm." Her eyes snapped open and she stood, spun, activated, and swung her lightsaber all in one fluid motion. The other was in her off-hand and erupted with righteous fury and stood at the ready in case her first attack wasn't quick enough or if the enemy was farther than he'd seemed.

"Who are you?" She snarled. Sand and grit caked her face in streaks where she'd been crying.

Darth Solipsis

 

[Romi Jade]

Clearing Out Memories....

​

With the Praxeum on Ossus in somewhat of a stable place, there was room for her to move around. She left Valery Noble in charge of the Academy while she took a slight leave of absence. A much needed break, that she instead opted to fill with going back to relive one of her darkest memories. Jakku had been a number of things to her...but it was the place she found her footing amongst the growing pains, and also the sight of one of her greatest failures.

However much destroyed the facility and it's spirit were, she thought she'd come back to gather what tools and trinkets she could salvage -- least it could be utilized at the new Prax.

Despite there being nothing but ruins now, the other portions of the campus remained somewhat intact however much dilapidated now from not being used.

There was no telling what Jend-Ro Quill had stashed at his old post, so she'd stop there after looking over the scorched sand where the main structure use to be.

Sigh

She stepped from her speeder and retraced her path through the dunes, sauntering mostly until she saw anything of interest. She curved the next mound, and saw more wreckage...it spanned the distance until she thought she saw something moving.

Salvager?

Not that she could really lay claim anymore but it did slightly bother her...deep down.

"Hey!" -- it was a reflex.

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Thalia Senn | Darth Solipsis​

 

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | VOICE OF THE MAW
Thalia Senn
Romi Jade

​

She spun forth, brandishing her roaring blade in a crashing swing that found quick purchase with a flash of brilliant light. Turning to face this stranger face to face she looked upon the face of evil.

And evil smiled back.

A dim blue light escaped the right grasp of the Sith’ari as he clenched hold of the valiant blade. Crackling power in the palm of his hand, the plasma was absorbed just as quickly as it was replenished by the emitting weapon. Her other weapon seemed to spring to life immediately, instinctually at the ready in case the first attack failed to make purchase.

“Who are you?”

“Fate...”

The Dark Lord of the Sith opened his free hand in gesture.

“.. and freedom.”

“-Hey!”

“You can be so much more.”

 

[Thalia Senn]

Darth Solipsis Romi Jade

Thalia blinked.

He...Caught her blade? Her gaze fell on the old man's face, those yellow eyes...The darkness was so thick now. She had felt this sort of power once before. Back on that dreadnaught when she and Kirie had come face to face with Darth Carnifex . Only this was so much...Thicker. She swallowed hard, the sweat returning.

“Fate...”

The Dark Lord of the Sith opened his free hand in gesture.

“.. and freedom.”

"Let go!" She was about to swing when a familiar voice pierced the night air.

"Hey!" -- it was a reflex.

She froze.

"Master Jade...?" Another of those Jedi Masters she'd idolized for so long. But the words of the dark creature drew her attention again.

“You can be so much more.”

Fear gripped her. She swung her other blade at the monster's neck.

 

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | VOICE OF THE MAW
Thalia Senn
Romi Jade

​

Fear. Sweet sweet fear gripped hold over the Jedi Padawan as she tightened her grip over the errant blade suspended in her other hand. Lifting the weight of the offhanded weapon, she swung for the Dark Lord’s neck.

Eyes wide open, the glowing orbs stained with the sulfuric heat of a thousand scorched worlds brightened as the saber made purchase. The blade carved effortlessly into the physical form of the Dark Lord that quickly broke down into a gaseous fog.

Smoke and mirrors.

The sensory illusion dispersed into a thick black fog and as it did so the Sith’ari’s voice trailed off in slight chuckling laughter.

“That’s it. Lash out, make them feel your pain.”

The Dark Voice leaned in and whispered from seemingly the rear of the padawan as his lips approached her ears.

“..your sorrow..”

He withdrew immediately back into the nothingness. Pulling his voice away to her right flank where he stood in clear view for her to see, face gazing out into the expanse towards the approaching Romi Jade .

“There is nothing for you here.”

His terrible glare softened, eyes glancing over towards the padawan with a solemn look as his hand outstretched in gesture.

“I will show you a place you can belong. A place you can make a difference.”

He leaned in.

“Come with me.”

 

[Thalia Senn]

The man hissed into nothing, the black whisps swirling around her. Infecting her mind. That had to be it. She'd always been one to lash out but...She hadn't done so in so long, it felt good to release. She turned around, blade at the ready. She tried to shake the voice out of her head but she was beginning to realize something. Something that scared her, terrified her. The voice wasn't this creature's tantalizing advances.

They were her own.

Pa was wrong. Jedi aren't heroes.

Jedi destroy. Abandon. ​

You can't be with them.​

"There is nothing for you here."


"Get out of my head!" She swung her blade at the monster again. Where was Master Jade? She saw her, didn't she? Heard her call out? She could see what was happening couldn't she?

Why would she care about you? You attacked her friend. She hates you. She could care less about what you do.

The tears were welling up again, blurring her vision but she tried to focus, tried to fight the whispers of truth.

Darth Solipsis Romi Jade

 

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | VOICE OF THE MAW
Thalia Senn
Romi Jade

​

"Get out of my head!"

The lightsaber flashed, striking out in a swift arc intent on striking down the Dark Lord on the spot. His body pulled, feet finding ground backward as he narrowly missed being cleaved in two. The tattered black cloak of the Voice fluttered in his wake, instinctively he brandished a saber of his own and rose it to meet the errant blade of the Jedi before another strike could be made.

Crash!

Within a flash, brilliant white light engulfed the pair as their sabers met. Yet, nothing was as it seemed. The haunting image of the Sith'ari was replaced by that of what seemed to be a Nihil raider or Mawite marauder wielding a blade of hot crimson. Mysterious and foreboding, the figure wasted no time pressing down seeking an opening. A sudden surge of force and the marauder would press off from the saber lock, seeking to throw off their opponent's momentum.

Two steps back, the figure eased their stance and slowly straightened their posture. A sharp hiss of the retracting blade signalled a brief respite as the stranger clipped their saber back to their belt and reached up high. Grasping hold of their helmet, the metallic seals disengaged as air hissed forth into the desert air revealing the face within.

 

[Romi Jade]

Clearing Out Memories....

​

For all the she knew, she was running towards the commotion -- she had eyes on it. It was just in ahead.

But...

It seemed like some sort of unseen force was at play here, mentally it felt like she had been running for a length period of time. She sensed it, on the outer layers of the empyrean; she also sensed Darth Solipsis . It made sense to suspect his foul powers to be at play here, even if it was just his presence lingering in the aftermath. Long after he carved a path through this valley, his corrupting influence would go on to influence any stragglers.

"Thalia-" She called forth, realizing finally who she saw from a distance.

But there was no sign of Solipsis, at least not visibly, but she could feel his aura permeating the dunes...and encroaching upon Thalia; it had great intensity.

"Thalia-what'r-what're you doing out here?"

"Get out of my head!" She swung her blade at the monster again. Where was Master Jade? She saw her, didn't she? Heard her call out? She could see what was happening couldn't she?

She lurched back, "What's going on-" she backpedalled out of the trajectory of her blade.

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Thalia Senn​

 

[Thalia Senn]

Romi Jade Darth Solipsis

The King and his men stole the queen from her bed
and bound her in her bones
The seas be ours and by the powers
Where we will...we'll roam​

No, no, no. She'd fought herself before, she knew this trick. She knew-

Yo ho, all hands, hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die​

Lightning crashed and thunder boomed. The sound of creaking wood and warping durasteel filled her ears as the dunes changed before her eyes to a stormy sea. Her footing faltered as the boat she was standing on crested a wave and crashed back into the sea. The sea spray splashed against her face and the figure that had once been standing before her was taller now, a black hood hiding their features. Water dropplets from the rain hissed on their scarlet lightsaber.

Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die
​

Lightning flashed, illuminating a hideous face. The heavy footsteps of the monster on the wooden planks thundered in her ears as loud as the raging storm around them. She brought up her own blade to defend, panic on her face. Where was Romi? She'd been right there. She couldn't fight a Sith Lord on her own! Why did she leave her to die like this? As the anger built so did the rage of the storm as the two fought, lightsabers clashing again and again. Terror on the face of the padawan became hatred as she pulled more and more on the dark side. She brought down her blade again and again, sweat mixing with the salty spray plastered onto her face.

The bell has been raised from its watery grave
Do you hear its sepulchral tone?
A Call to all, pay heed to the squall
And turn your sail towards home!​

Somewhere off in the distance he could hear the cry of a Drake. No, not somewhere distant. The beast crashed onto the deck and stood at her back, its wings torn and ripped, its scales splotched and dark, and wings as black as night. A murder of stormcrows circled above. A voice, dark and as forboding as a Weeping storm filled her mind.

"Never be afraid of who you are."

"I am a Tempest. And I will not be held back anymore."

You could not abandon, ignore, and toss aside a Tempest.
​

Opening her eyes again she saw she was indeed still on Jakku. The scarlet blade she had been dueling against was real, though with anger she realized it was being held by Romi Jade. Her lips curled into a snarl.

"You," she bit out before bringing her emerald blade to bear. "You abandoned me to this!" Her grip on her lightsaber darkened her knuckles.

​

 

[Romi Jade]

Clearing Out Memories....

"You," she bit out before bringing her emerald blade to bear. "You abandoned me to this!" Her grip on her lightsaber darkened her knuckles.

"What are-" She was reluctant to bare strength, tightening her wrist instead. Though, she eventually started to buckled under the lock, "-you talking about!?" She gave in her forearms and broke off their blades.

Romi had deduced that the corrupting influence she'd felt earlier, the one that fit Solipsis might have been at play here -- corrupting an already vulnerable Thalia, who had just been re-exposed to a place of trauma. Jade decided to follow that thread.

She didn't want this to lead to anyone getting hurt, "Thalia. You're confused right now. There's a shadow over you and I need you to listen to me." She backpedalled a step or so,

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Thalia Senn​

 

[Thalia Senn]

"There's always been a shadow," she muttered, her arms going limp and her head hanging low. The pain welled up inside her again and she fought to keep the tears back. Her hand tightened on her lightsaber. The Tempest was calling to her.

"But I won't let the shadow of the Jedi control me anymore." The stormcrows called to her now. They knew the storm was coming and they were ready to witness its wrath. Her hand shaking, she reached up and grabbed the second lightsaber from her chest holster and let the arm fall. With a snap-hiss the second green blade activated and Thalia raised her head high.

"No more." She didn't give Romi a chance to respond. She knew she'd chase her down now. They'd keep her locked up. She wouldn't be held back by the Jedi anymore, wouldn't be abandoned by anyone ever again. She swung both of her lightsabers at Romi's perfect face, a snarl etched into her face.

Romi Jade

 

[Darth Solipsis]

A whisper, a thought, a venomous bug in the ear of Thalia Senn ​

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