Lords of the Fringe Dominion of Thakwaa

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Anders Sivas"] [member="Marselia Urstalis"]

Jorus blinked in mild incomprehension. "Fragile?" He blinked again as Adair Versus Na'Varro took a turn for the brutal. "Yeah, you're going to be needed in there pretty soon, near as I can tell. Your access shouldn't be too bad, just down that row and past the cheese vendor, but if you need someone to clear you a path...I'm kinda good at clearing paths."

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Got that right, Lia." As the fighters brawl it out, they end up exhausted and chest to chest. Are.. are they hugging? They might be death hugging. Close to the end hugging. I kneel on one knee and flip open the top of the med case, handing Lia a sani-spray and a pair of gloves. "Wash up, Lia. Mighty appreciate that cleared path." I do the same, watching Lucianus' liver as Alen gut shots him with a firm hook to the side. The man crumples in slow motion, I see his eyes dim as the shock of it blurs out his brain.

He'll be fine in a minute or seven, but for the moment I'm more concerned with doing my duty as a heal everyone sort of dude. "Fight's ending in 5… 4…." Alen's on top of him, bringing Luci's shoulder up, up and then rocking him with another huge hammer fist. "3…"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

The sky turned to fire. She threw an armored forearm across her eyes to blot out the glare a moment before it got really bad -- combat precognition was a joy. Even the onrushing undead paused, turned, looked back over their shoulders as Pandorum heavy gunships mowed them down, burnt them down.

That still left the, oh, two hundred or so swarming over the ship above and around the place where Ashin stood. She raised the sword again, the weapon caked in layers of fresh, old, or well-toasted gore.

 

[Ordo]

"Evening Mrs. [member="Ashin Varanin"]." Ordo said as he beskad separated limbs from bodies. The blade of the Manda was sharper than any other and would separate bone from marrow and flesh from spirit. A gauntlet clad hand shot out hand with a hand bent down at the wrist. The ensueing flames that spewed from his flamethrower shrouded many beast and the following slashes from his beskad left smoldering masses where creatures once stood.

 

[Velok the Younger]

"Orbital, this is Merrill. I've landed." The hull plating creaked ominously under her boots as she looked around. She drew Entropy with a practiced motion. "Got visual on Arbiter Varanin. Hostiles on me."

And then they really where -- undead Thakwaash swarmng over the wreck of the crucial ardanium transport, moving from the death zone of Ashin to the undiscovered country of Rave. The Sith blade, perhaps the finest of the modern era, rose as Rave settled into an Atrisian stance at odds with her armor's appearance.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ordo"]

"And not a fething moment too soon," she said over the roar of the flamer. Her sword flashed about her as, with Ordo, she set up an impromptu position outside the hatch. A little telekinesis dragged the nearest bodies into the semblance of barricades in a semicircle around them, up against the flank of the fallen ship.

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

As instructed, Lia took the spray and 'washed up', then donned the gloves. This kind of thing was well outside of her limited areas of expertise, and that was why she would do well to listen and pay attention.

Which was what she always did. Of course. The fight, of course, had gotten rather brutal and it was very hard to not watch. Like a speeder wreck.

"I take it they..." Oh, this was just not pretty at all! "...they don't do this all the time, do they?"

 

[Yasha Cadera]

The Thakwaa population loved violence, it seemed and this show was no exception in bringing them into the Fringe fold. I, well, if it were up to me violence would die peacefully in its bed. And never come again. Childless, it would die to an upstanding peace and that would have been the best. But in this case, "2… 1…"

As I say one, Alen socks the other man so squarely in the jaw I can hear the crack from my seat. I feel the damage the men have taken and I'm on my feet as the officiants crowd the ring to declare Alen the winner. "[member="Jorus Merrill"], you owe me a favour. Huh! That'll be handy."

I wait three seconds, then heft my bag over my shoulder. "Alright Lia, follow me. . . Run!"

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

That was quite the crack. Not one she liked to hear, but one she'd heard before, and thankfully, not one she had experienced being enacted on her own face.

Without a word, she followed quickly after Anders, through the crowd and down to the fighters, running the whole way. She hadn't come expecting to do anything other than watch the fight. So... this was unexpected, and in a certain way, nice.

Well, not nice, but... it made her feel useful.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

If there's one gift I'm learning that made up the hidden backbone to Anders Sivas, it's Will. Willpower I've got in spades, clubs, diamonds, the whole lot. I pull into that willpower and throw it in front of me to give the crowd a firm soundless command: Out of My Way. They move. Oh, they don't know they're moving per-se, most are merely shifting from their seats or going to talk to the people next to them. There's the odd person who gets it, but as the officiants take Alen for his victory tour of the stadium, I take the stairs up to the ring at a run.

I free-base the stairs, hop on the railing and over the top of the rails with a sliding jump and skid over to where one of the Thakwaa are poking Lucianus in the chest. "Dude, I got him. Noble opponent and all that. Lia, talk to him. Get his name and number, kay? Most of all, get him awake and focussed. Won't take me a minute."

Besides, let the girl have some fun with a beautiful prize fighter in the ring - who happened to be one of the most powerful of the Fringe.

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

Lia went to the top of the handsome fighter laying in the ring, all beaten and bruised, he was, and she knelt, gingerly touching his forehead, his face. But she is tentative, knowing that what he is... is what her father was.

"Hey... you still in there?"

He moaned, his eyes fluttering open, unfocused.

"I..." This thing seemed slightly ridiculous. Was that a smile attempting to form on his lips? Her brow furrowed, and she couldn't help smiling too. "...I'm Lia. What's your name?"

His eyes finally focus on the redheaded apprentice, and she can see it in his eyes that he's thinking - or trying to think - about the answer to her question. The corners of his eyes crinkle lightly, and he laughs. Lia glances over to Anders, slightly confused, then back at this man.

"You took one too many to the head, didn't you?"

He just laughs more, and she can see it hurts, because something in his face is broken, but at the same time, the fact hardly seems to bother him. Which is... weird, in her mind. But the laughter slows, and he focuses on her again, mirth mixed with pain, tinged with animalistic determination in his visage.

'I am Adair. Master... Lucianus Adair.' His voice slips into her mind, and the fingers she had at his forehead snap away, as if the contact burns. 'And... oh, what is this I see in you, Miss Lia? That is most interesting...'

She looks, worried, at Anders, again.

"Are you sure he needs to be awake?" She says sardonically. He starts laughing, again.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Why get the new girl to talk to Lucianus? 'Cause I didn't want to while I'm healing him up, I don't know him that well and with all the people around thundering in my head, I'm about two seconds from losing some valuably healthy hair colour. That and she wanted to learn. This is learning! Interpersonal communications! "Median concussion, three broken ribs, two displaced on the other side. Bruised liver, don't get me started on the bruises. Another ten minutes Lord Adair and no beauty queen'll be praising your swarthy smile. 'Less I get cracking!" I crack my knuckles and a wash of radiant light pours from my hands. I concentrate it in the tips of my fingers and they alight on either side of his face. "Hold still and you can flirt some more, Wild Man." His face re-knits, a crack pop as his jaw settles and teeth which had taken concussive pressure settle into what I imagine would be physical perfection.

This, well, this is my gift. I breathe deep and lift my hands, the glow continues on his face until the bruises disappear.

"Nope! But it's easier for me to get the right spot doing…. this." I stick my fingers under Lucianus' bottom rib and shut my eyes. A luminescence takes my arm and I pour it into Lucianus. There are three resounding popping sounds as bones stitch back in place and reknit themselves to perfect working order. "Keep talking. Bones are done, blood vessels sealing, but that liver's crying. Lucianus, you're human right? Bog standard human?" Hey, with all the hybrids it's nice to ask once in a while.

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

"Ah."

Lia settled her eyes back on the face of this... Adair. He seemed to be settling as the causes of pain were removed, the mirth calming, as if... he enjoyed the pain, somehow.

Weird? Yes. Flirting? No, no I don't think so.

Though she would be lying if she said not even some small part of her enjoyed it. Not that she was going to be broadcasting that fact. Sith were off-limits.

'Half, Councilor Sivas.' He replied, in answer to her question. 'I am... gifted with stronger bones, two hearts, among other things...'

He blinked. So serious, all of a sudden.

'...lengthy lifespan. Enhanced regenerative ability... but it is not quite so convenient as the touch of a healer.'

Well, Lia would have never guessed. He certainly looked human.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

I have to chuckle at the escapades. This dude gets around. As he lists off his halfsies prowess, I snap my fingers. "That's why I wasn't feeling right. We're going to have a sit-down and talk about what the other half is one of these days, Councillor Adair. That way I can heal you without the touching."

I lean over to his liver and put my hand on it. I feel the subtle differences in the man, and can't rely on my own knowledge of anatomy. Thus, the Force is strong. My eyes flash white as I view his liver in my mind's eye. "Hopefully you'll only need me if your head's nearly off. Lia, that happens around here. . . oh there we go!" Sticking my hand deep on the bruised organ, I flow through with the luminescent glow and the liver begins to repair. "This is gonna take a minute. Know any good places to eat on Thakwaa, Adair? Lia here's gonna be staying with us for a while."

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

That happens around here? Just so... casually, 'that happens around here'?

This was a very different 'around here' than what she was used to, then!

'I am not familiar with this world,' he said in response, 'but finding sustenance should not be difficult.'

He looked at Lia again, as if to consider her more carefully upon being informed that she would be joining the domain he called home.

"I hope so, because I'm starting to feel a bit hungry," Lia said with a laugh, diffusing the tension she felt in herself.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Ashin's fighting zombies! Might not want to go there. Gee, who picked this planet to dominion anyway? I mean sure, they need us badly but this is ridiculous." The last of the light filters around and through Lucianus' body and I hop up on my feet and stretch. "There. All better. Hand up?" I offer him my hand and my other for Lia.

"If we don't find a good place, my droid Nimfador fancies itself a cook. Hasn't killed me yet, kinda good all in. Makes a decent cup of stimcaf to go with the sandwiches. It's on my ship. You're both welcome."

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

Lia moved around and helped Anders leverage the Sith to his feet. He was heavy... but he would be at his height, wouldn't he?

"That sounds good to me!" Lia chirped, happy to move along. Lucianus, however, did not seem to warm to the idea. At the mention of the droid, his facial expression went... flat and expressionless.

'I will pass... but I thank you for your offer, Councillor, and your assistance.'

With a tip of his head, he went his own way, presumably to his own ship.

"Well, that was... interesting," she said, in a tone that said it was more 'weird' than 'interesting', as she watched him go. "So, sandwiches?"

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"What? Whaaat!?" I ask, wondering what on Thakwaa has Lucianus suddenly so stiff upper lip. Maybe he lost his favourite toy in childhood and he's only now remembering it.

That would do it for me. I'd be in tears, with this crowd. "Sandwiches, stimcaf and a place that's not filled with murderous zombies or fighty-mc-gee people. Sounds like a plan, right Lia? So, how did you come to Thakwaa anyway? I get the ship thing, but why Thakwaa? The scenery?" I motion to the shirtless man walking off and pack up my things, closing the kit with a wave of my hand.

Pulling it onto my shoulder, I take a look at the emptying arena. What a day. Where'd Merrill get with my favour? We shook on it and everything.

 

[Marselia Urstalis]

She laughed.

"The scenery, yes," she admitted, "and I wanted to do something with the people I'm going to be spending my time with. I heard that there was a number of you coming here, so... I came, too."

Lia looked over the stands, which were far emptier than when she had run through them, tailing after Anders. When there was nothing to stay for, people really did leave.

"It was a good decision on my part, I think, in some ways."

 

[Yasha Cadera]

"Sound like as good of a plan on this end of it?" I wonder, has she been scared off or egged on by zombies and shirtless men pummelling each other to near death in front of a crowd? Sure would have sent me running! But I chose the place 'cause someone bought me boots so what do I know?

"I think it was a good decision, too. Come on, my ship's not far from here, the Suma's in port two blocks off. Welcome aboard, [member="Marselia Urstalis"]"