Private Looking Into A Mirror

[Vaylin]

"It's no problem," Myra said in a cheery tone, despite having just witnessed Sylvia throwing up. "Just don't make a habit of staring out into space during it, that definitely doesn't help." The young redhead spared a glance over at the Elder Valkyrie, but Vaylin just returned it with a blank stare of her own. "Aaaanyway, it's been real nice to meet you Sylvia. If you happen to be around these parts again, let me know. I'd love to ask some more about Mechu Deru." With that, the young mechanic departed, giving them a quick wave before she disappeared around the corner.

Silence fell as both just stared out of the viewport, until a question started to stir and Sylvia spoke up.

"To a planet within the Empire's territory, one on the other side of it. For us however, we're going to be exploring a tomb." Vaylin began to walk away, expecting Sylvia to be following soon after. "It was recently discovered deep underground, and while the initial excavation teams were able to clear out the majority of the levels. The last few require a more...aggressive hand." It was killing two birds with one stone. The Valkyries would be planetside exploring it, so why not have an Elder Valkyrie delve into the tomb to exterminate its current occupants. Sylvia would just so happen to be a helping hand in that, while hopefully learning some things.

The Zabrak led the way through the Serran, as they headed towards her office.

"Rumour is, that there's a artifact buried at the very bottom floor, in the main chamber. A tomb belonging to an ancient Sith Seer, if the texts are to be believed." Part of Vaylin was curious to see how Sylvia would cope in this kind of environment. Walking far beneath the surface of a planet, the fear of being trapped ever looming, and potentially nothing technological around to use as a clutch.

Eventually, they arrived at the Valkyrie's office. Split into two main parts, with the initial reception area, and a door that led to the office itself. "Do whatever you need to prepare, get changed, go and refresh yourself..." She said, waving a hand towards a side door, the public bathroom/refresher. "We should still have some time before the Serran arrives at its destination."

Vaylin said nothing more as she disappeared into her office, the door locking behind her.

Sylvia Virtos​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

When Sylvia heard she was going on a field trip, she didn't know what to exactly expect. Exploring a tomb was something she probably should've seen coming, considering how many there were and how often they were filled with valuable artifacts and more, but suddenly she was a little less excited to explore wherever it was they were going. Especially with the implication that the trip was going to involve combat. Sure, she'd duelled other students with training sabers, but that's as far as she had gotten.

Sylvia went from glad to be gone from Bastion, to hoping she'd be able to return in one piece.

"Um, okay. Just, well, I don't have any weapons. I mean I do, just not here. On me." The mentioned weapons weren't exactly academy-approved either, but Darth Moirai didn't need to know that. It all started with a silly taser idea and it quickly turned into a bit of a collection of 'tools' she created, most for basically no reason.

Whether or not anything was going to be done about it, Moirai would disappear into her office and leave Sylvia to her own devices. Moments later she felt the tension on her shoulders, which she only noticed now, easing off. A long breath out later, the girl decided to head over to the refresher. She could still taste her returned-to-sender breakfast in her mouth, and it was pretty disgusting. With a few mouthfuls of water she was able to get the last bits out, and she took a few sips for good measure.

Much like before, Sylvia's stomach began rumbling as she made her way back out, so while she went to go look for a place to sit down at for a bit she took the bar she got from Myra out of her pocket. A torn-off piece of paper fell out while she did, which after picking it up turned out to be Myra's contact details. Apparently she really did want to ask her those questions. Hopefully it wouldn't end up with Sylvia having to make things awkward, hanging out she'd be okay with, but she was very much not feeling anything more than that.

Sylvia found a place to sit down at, giving her a bit of a moment to process everything that happened so far. From the near-heart attack, to the sensory wonderland, to whatever one could classify an encounter with Myra as, the magenta-haired girl definitely needed a moment to calm down.

Vaylin ​

 

[Vaylin]

Vaylin returned a short while later, the door to her office sliding open as the Valkyrie stepped out. She was adorned in her usual armour, her pair of lightsabers hanging at her hip. The evidence of its use was apparent with the variation of scars and battle damage that decorated it. Clear signs where pieces had been removed and replaced with fresh material. Years of being used across numerous battlefields.

She was clutching something else in her right hand however, what exactly became apparent as she approached Sylvia.

“Given the nature of your mechu deru ability, I’m surprised you don’t have some gadgets or such on your person.” Oh she knew such things wouldn’t be officially approved, but then keeping a trump card up your sleeve was very Sith. “Therefore, you’ll use these.” She held out her right hand to reveal the items she was holding.

A standard issue blaster pistol, and a sheathed sword. The latter’s material was incredibly weathered, having obviously seen a lot of use in the past. Whether that had been by the Elder Valkyrie’s hand, went unanswered.

She had debated giving Sylvia a lightsaber, but far as she knew the young woman hadn’t finished her training yet. Not to a point where she had acquired her own weapon. Thus, Vaylin assumed it was probably safer to use a physical blade.

“I’ll be taking the lead, and likely any combat encounters we may possibly cross. But just in case we get surrounded, I’m going to need someone watching my back.”

Even someone as experienced as Vaylin, wasn’t foolish enough to not have some form of backup. Tombs could be tricky and deadly, especially one that had hosted a Sith. Because you could always count on some experiment or abomination waiting within.

Sylvia Virtos​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Sylvia had shaken off the leftover jitters she felt by the time Moirai returned, carrying what turned out to be equipment for her to use. She nodded as she took them, knowing better than to question what she'd been given and instead simply putting on the belt that holstered the weapons. What somehow had slipped past the Sith lady was the fact the girl hadn't been entirely honest, much to her relief. Her long-sleeved jacket hid some small pieces of equipment that she could use when under threat, such as a small sticky device that continuously gave off electric shocks at a high intensity, especially for how small it was.

Luckily though, it seemed like most of the fighting would be handled by the one more qualified. "I think I can handle that," Sylvia replied as she unsheathed the sword to inspect it for a moment. The weathered look made the blade all the more fascinating, the wear hiding countless stories within. Hopefully she'd be able to get a few of those out of the zabrak. If it had been hers in the first place, at least.

The sword was sheathed, and Sylvia then took out the blaster to inspect. It wasn't anything special, but it would get the job done. She was quite thankful for learning how to use one before now. "Anything I should be expecting beforehand, or are we going in blind?" She hoped to get an answer, though wouldn't have been surprised were she not getting one.

Vaylin ​

 

[Vaylin]

The Zabrak didn't answer initially, just stared at Sylvia as she mused on what to tell her. Part of her wanted to see how Sylvia would react if she went into this blind. But that might cause potential issues, namely the girl panicking. Vaylin wasn’t completely aware of what exactly Sylvia had experienced, but something told her that exploring an ancient tomb wasn’t one of them.

Better to have her know something, so she was prepared for the potential.

“We’re going to be exploring an ancient tomb, a Sith one at that.” She spoke in a deadpan tone, as if that was all one needed to know. And Vaylin didn’t initially continue, leaving it in the air for a few moments. “So expect there to be traps, likely some creatures that want to eat us, and a possibility of an ancient spirit wanting to take over your body.”

And without missing a beat, Vaylin turned on her heels and walked towards the door. She neared the door, stopping to turn and look at Sylvia, expecting the woman to have not moved and just be looking at her.

“Come now, VIrtos. Our time is short.” It really wasn’t, they weren’t exactly going to miss anything if they didn’t hop onto a shuttle asap. But Vaylin was the type that wanted to get things underway immediately.

As they made their way towards one of its hangar bays, Vaylin fell deep into thought.

She was reminded of her first excursion on her own, incidentally leading her to exploring a tomb. One that had contained already triggered traps, a Terentatek and finally a disembodied spirit that wanted to use her as a vessel. Albeit she had ran into someone back then, a person who had proved instrumental to how the Zabrak had developed in the years that followed.

Sylvia Virtos​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Traps Sylvia could handle, as long as they weren't Force-based. If anything, the girl was quick on her feet, so that didn't bother her too much. The creatures, well, for that she'd have Darth Moirai watching her back, at least she hoped. The spirits, though, the notion of them definitely freaked her out just a little. She had never seen one before, but she was very doubtful any of her tech would do much of anything.

"That, uh..." Sylvia swallowed, feeling cold sweat break out on her forehead. "That's not so bad, right? Heh," she said, an awkward laugh following while she scratched her neck. "No... no problem. I got your back!"

For a second, she pondered if running away at the sign of danger once they were down there would be worth it against the repercussions at the hand of the zabrak. The possibility was quickly forgotten about, though. She was absolutely unwilling to get on her bad side. The punishment was absolutely going to be much, much worse in nearly every scenario.

Stay the course, and hopefully I can get something positive out of it. Positive thinking, Sylvia. Positive thinking.

At Moirai's command Sylvia quietly followed behind her, while she tried to focus on her breathing to steady herself again. It was mostly effective, calming herself down enough to look like she had herself together on the surface, even if she still was a little nervous. Once again the two would find themselves in one of the hangar bays. Soon, they'd be deep in an ancient tomb, likely haunted by the spirit of the Sith who was buried there.

Vaylin ​

 

[Vaylin]

Nothing was said as they made their way through the Serran’s hallways once more. Sylvia remained characteristically quiet, and thus Vaylin had no reason to stir up further conversation. If anything, she wanted to keep the young women in her own mind, thinking over what she’d be potentially encountering in the tomb.

To the Valkyrie, it was better to know what to fear, than fear the unknown. At least that way, you know what you’re going to walk into. Prepare yourself not just physically, but mentally as well.

Some would probably claim Vaylin was throwing her charge straight into the deep end.

And they were probably right.

Eventually, they reached one of the hangars. It was bustling with activity, with a larger Valkyrie force split into smaller groups. Each containing a mix of their ranks, with a proven Sister as the leader. Every single group would be taking their own shuttle down to the surface, to their specific destination and objective.

For Sylvia and Vaylin however, they were taking their own vessel.

“You have everything you need, yes?” The Zabrak chimed in suddenly, looking over at Sylvia. Last minute checks were important, as Vaylin had learned when she was younger. Eager to start a mission and forgetting a couple important items.

Once everything was settled, the two boarded the shuttle and didn’t wait for the others before lifting off. The trip wasn’t overly long, but familiarly quiet. They soared over hilly and mountainous terrain, until they finally landed in a clearing. Stepping out into some particular high winds

“This is the spot!” She had to practically shout to be heard over the wind. Vaylin led the way as they pushed onwards, towards what looked to be a ruined temple. A majority of its structure still remained, but elements such as the roof had long collapsed. Drawing closer, it became apparent another group had been here before them. Makeshift tables and workstations had been planted around the entrance.

Vaylin used the Force to yank the large ornate doors open, ushering Sylvia in before following right behind her. She pulled them closed, dulling the sound of the turbulent weather.

Sylvia Virtos​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

Though the hangar was bustling with activity, Sylvia paid little attention to it. She simply followed right behind the Valkyrie elder, instead placing her attention on her breathing. It kept her calm for now, though she was doubtful the same tactic would work inside the actual tomb, directly faced by its dangers. Until that moment, however, she more than gladly made use of it. The pit of danger was waiting, but she wasn't actually inside it just yet. If these were her last moments in this galaxy, they would be best spent not panicking.

By the time Darth Moirai asked Sylvia if she had everything she needed, the girl was surprisingly sharp in her response, her mind in a state of hyperfocus. She checked her belt and the two provided weapons, double-checking to ensure they were properly secured, then nodded. "I'm as ready as I could be," she responded, though she hadn't checked all of her equipment just yet. Only when the zabrak turned to walk up the boarding ramp would she quickly check her sleeves. If she had no choice but to make use of anything hidden there, she'd try to explain later. It was probably better to explain later rather than run the risk of having everything taken away from her beforehand.

The short trip with the shuttle concluded with them landing in a mountainous area, something she had never seen with her own eyes before. A sense of wonder overcame the girl once more, looking around while they walked as if she had been transported to a completely different dimension. For just a moment, she had forgotten about the fact she was about to be tossed into incredible danger.

Seeing the massive set of doors before her, though, snapped her survival instincts back into action. The doors were thrown open by Moirai with use of the Force, and the temple interior behind them was revealed. Having to enter first scared just a little bit, but after slight trepidation she did make her way inside. Once the doors closed behind her, she knew there was no way back.

"Alright, here... here we are. I... can't see a damn thing."

The place was really, really dark.

Vaylin ​

 

[Vaylin]

The moment the doors had been shut, darkness had enclosed around them. Only the barest flickers of light made it through shutters high above, currently fighting against the turbulent wind outside. Vaylin’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, immediately taking note of several unlit braziers that decorated the walls, lined up in a pattern.

She heard Sylia’s complaint about not seeing, and Vaylin scoffed lightly.

The Zabrak’s eyes were suddenly aflame, lighting up the area immediately around her. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers. The numerous braziers began to light up one after another, going in a line until it illuminated the entire area.

“Hopefully the wind won’t get through, else we’re gonna be in the dark again.” Vaylin looked over at Sylvia, eyes still orbs of fire before they dissipated back to their usual corrupted amber. “Though, it’s not like it’s going to make too much of a difference where we’re going.” She left the ominous words in the air as she walked forwards, deeper into the building.

They were in a foyer initially, leading into a much larger and expansive area. Each corner was held up by a large pillar, the architecture wasn’t anything commonly seen and looked very decrepit. There was a main aisle that stretched from the foyer, to the furthest end of the hall. At each side was rows and rows of wooden pews.

It was a church of some sort, with a significant glaring difference.

There was a giant sinkhole at the very center.

“We were able to pick up this building when we initially surveyed the planet. Running assumption is this used to be part of a larger mountainside settlement. There were other ruins spotted nearby.”

The area around the sinkhole had numerous bits of excavation equipment surrounding it. From simple gear to machinery that was likely keeping the hole from expanding further.

“Our initial team sent to investigate made quick work in setting this all up. They found the interior being gradually consumed by the sinkhole. Our destination, the tomb, is down there.” Vaylin stopped just by the edge of the sinkhole, peering down at the dark seemingly endless descent.

Sylvia Virtos​

 

[Sylvia Virtos]

With a mildly interested look Sylvia looked to her side at the sound of fingers snapping, which had been the precursor to the lighting of all the braziers in the chamber. It was a neat trick, but one she quickly stopped thinking about when Darth Moirai looked back. Whatever was going on with the zabrak's eyes was quite frankly terrifying and Sylvia was glad the fire, or whatever it was that turned her eyes into windows into the Netherworld, quickly dimmed down again.

Sylvia looked around the place for a moment to take in the atmosphere while Moirai spoke, though just as her fear had died down it came creeping back up with the zabrak's last comment. A comment that, when the two walked deeper into the church, suddenly made a lot more sense. Suddenly, the girl realized why the overseer hadn't been too bothered to see her go. She could just imagine the glee he had to be feeling over all this, and suddenly fear wasn't the only emotion she had to deal with anymore. She was angry- angry at that sleazy smirk she imagined being plastered all over the overseer's face.

"I take it nobody else has been down there, yet," Sylvia responded, her tone almost seething. It was a sudden shift from the varying levels of fear she had been showing before. Now, she had a reason to impress Moirai, if only to rub any and all positive remarks in his face.

After coming to a halt at the edge of the giant hole in the floor, standing right next to the Sith Lady, she began messing with the left sleeve of her jacket. "It's not the strongest thing, but..." As her voice trailed off, a small metal cylinder popped out of the sleeve. Turning it on with a snap of her fingers revealed it to be a flashlight. "This should help at least a little bit. They don't confiscate hidden tools if they're harmless."

Perhaps she was a bit too quick to try to cover up the fact she had much more than just a flashlight on her, or at least explain it away. Especially because the last thing she wanted was for any attention to be drawn to the items that were capable of harm.

The light was cast all around the sinkhole as Sylvia looked for a way down, but didn't see one right away. "So," she mused, "did anyone leave any rope around, maybe?"

Vaylin ​