One More Troubled Soul

[Shalimar]

"Just a little bit." It certainly wasn't a fun life. Nothing at all had been enjoyable and happiness so fleeting. She'd barely gotten to experience the true galaxy. So far, she knew only a tiny part of it which left her fighting for survival along side criminals, thugs and rather dark sinister people.

Shalimar looked away as Elpsis continued. She still felt terrible for bringing it up. "Okay." Her voice was oh so quiet. "Not being an experienment and treated as a human being instead of a toy for a scientist would be a dream. And I don't mean to upset, I'll try to be more considerate in the future."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Elpsis sighed slightly. She felt a bit bad. "Shali, ease up. You made a mistake, you apologised. End of the story. We're cool, kay?" Her tone might been gruffer than she wanted to come across. Stars blurred around them as the freighter continued traversing hyperspace. The autopilot could be relied upon to steer them safely.


"C'mon. I could use a drink and so could you," she declared, undid her seatbelt and got to her feet. Her dirty boots made little noise on the floor when she sauntered out of the cockpit to what passed for the galley on the freighter. She'd probably have to clean them before she showed up at the villa because her aunt was a neat freak.


"So, who were the arseholes who made you into catwoman?" She rummaged a bit in a cupboard, then got out a whiskey bottle and two glasses, which were soon filled with liquor. Good Corellian whiskey was so rare these days ever since a certain mad goddess had a temper tantrum and did a number on the planet.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar nodded, "Yeah, you're right. I just worry." It wasn't like Elpsis was holding it against her. It had been a simple mistake. Slowly she finally got up to follow Elpsis out of the cockpit and down to the galley. "A drink would be good."

Shalimar took a seat in the galley after taking the glass from the redhead. "Thanks." Now it came to the question of who created her. "I was originally created on Atrisia under a scientist by the name of Madeline Kahoshi. I don't know what happened or how, but she ended up with Archangel." That she didn't know the details of, with how Madeline was turned into an HRD. That bit, she wasn't aware of. "I got lucky and escaped both Madeline and Archangel. But, it seems I've not been forgotten by either. So, I have to be extremely careful." With that, Shalimar took a small sip from her glass and sighed. "Such is life when you're created in a test tube entirely as an experiment."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Archangel? The psycho 'kill all organics' droids? Oh, then you're gonna fit right in. We got a ton of people in our clique who hate 'em. My aunt's right on top of the list," along with an aloof woman called Mirien Valdier. Elpsis had never met, her name was only spoken in hushed whispers among the lower ranks. Some called her Lady Vader. Auntie Siobhan fangirled over her an awful lot.


"If you wanna stay out of the clutches of creepy droids, we can help you. Honest. Now, drink up. Honest-to-goodness Corellian whiskey. Fething rare these days," their glasses clinked together and Elpsis took a swig at her drink.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar sighed, "Yeah that'd be them." She'd set her glass down and for a moment nervously wrung her hands. "Didn't think many folks were aware of them and what they do. All I know is I never want to be caught and forced to go back. I just, I can't do it."

"I guess, I'm not the only one in the galaxy with issues with them." How did the old saying go? The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That certainly seemed to fit the case here. "I just don't want to be an experiment ever again, for anyone. Ever. I'd much rather die than be forced to live through that kind of environment again now that I know what it's like on the outside. I just can't go back."

She gave a nod, looking back to her drink. "It's good stuff, don't get me wrong. My sense of taste is one thing that happens to be enhanced, so it's a lot stronger for me. So I take my time with it." Only then did she take another sip, savoring the amber-colored drink.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Elpsis nodded while Shalimar told her tale. "A toast to being free from fascist arseholes," she declared, then downed most of her whiskey like a shot. She promptly refilled her glass. In all fairness, her drinking was a lot better than before. She could still drink Auntie Siobhan under the table! Meanwhile, Leo had joined them and settled in a spot he seemed to consider his seat. He came up to Shalimar and nuzzled his head against her leg.


"Things ain't gonna be sugar and roses all the time, but we hate those bastards, too. So we can protect you. And, more importantly, help you protect yourself, so you don't have to always be on the run. Did the robo bitches ever tell you that you got the Force?" she suddenly asked. That was truly the most tactful way to approach things.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar raised her glass as Elpsis spoke. "And isn't it a beautiful thing, to be free." For a moment she only swirled the liquid around the glass just watching it before she took another sip. Her thoughts were in another place as she stared at the amber colored fluid. Who knew to what degree alcohol would affect her now that there was no cap on such things and no one to watch her, or cut her off before she desired it?

"I didn't expect it would be that way. Seems like nothing that is worth it, is all rainbows and butterflies. And I'm okay with that reality. I don't mind working for what is worth the effort."

Protection, now that was a thought she genuinely liked. The simple thought of having a defense beyond herself and her skills felt like a dream. Maybe she wouldn't have to look over her shoulder as much. Maybe, just maybe she might find a comfortable place, among people that at the very least understood her hatred and fears of Archangel. "Not running would be fabulous." She murmured softly.

Then that last sentence, Shalimar froze. Her eyes widened, "Wuuut?!" It didn't seem real as the shock of those words rolled through her body. Surely she had misheard. "I ... I ..." She stammered, "I... uh ... I'm not... I can't be. I'd have known by now, surely." This statement had to be wrong. "That doesn't make any sense." Shal finally managed to put a coherent sentence together. The woman set aside her glass and leaned forward placing her head in her hands as she tried to grasp what Elpsis had just said.

Granted she had zero experience with the Force. She'd never actually run into Jedi or Sith. And it wasn't like Archangel allowed her social visits to the outside galaxy. So Shalimar had positively no clue as to what gifts she possessed. The only thing she knew where what had been in the literature that the HRDs had provided her. And she had her doubts on its accuracy. After all, when she escaped, she quickly learned that things weren't exactly like the droids there had preached. "You've got to be mistaken," She whispered. Those powers, she didn't want to deal with when she was already so different from her fellow humans.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Elpsis had already finished her second glass by the time Shalimar reacted to the bomb shell she'd just dropped on the catwoman. There was probably a more tactful way to impart this revelation, but the redhead preferred a straightforward approach and was blunt to a fault. The girl savoured the taste of the amber coloured fluid. Good Corellian whiskey was so hard to come by these days.


"Whoa, slow down, babe," Elpsis cautioned her. "I guess this is...kinda shocking." Gee, you think? "But I'm not yanking your chain. Firegirl Scout's honour. I have a way of telling. Suffice to say I can see into someone's aura and yours with the Force. Like a bright star in the night. If this this scary for you, I get that. I didn't want these powers either. Luckily for you, you're not gonna be dragged off to a temple by Jedi cultists. Just sit down, we can talk things through."

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar was almost in tears, more than a little scared. "Shocking? No freaking kidding!" Her voice was raised slightly with how much this new knowledge had disturbed her. She didn't have a single clue as to how to deal with the new revelation. The whole idea so far had made her panic. All she could do was take in a couple of quick sharp breaths as she tried to wrap her mind around this frightening idea. It was a harsh reality that she wasn't exactly thrilled with having.

Taking a deep slower breath, she tried to calm down, only to find herself biting nervously at her lip. Slowly she lifted a hand, running it through her hair trying hard to self-soothe. "I ... I, I don't know how to do this." She breathlessly whispered. "I ... I've never... I didn't know." With a pained grimace, Shalimar finally sat back down. "I ... I don't..." She heavily sighed as she shook her head. "What the worlds am I supposed to do?"

She finally glanced back to Elpsis, "I don't know how even to start with this, this thing. I know nothing about the Force. And what I do know of Jedi and Sith has turned out to be lies Archangel wanted me to believe."

In a way she felt as if her body had betrayed her, forcing one more burden onto her after everything else that had happened so far in her life. "I've already got so much to deal with that isn't normal. To have this too? I don't want this. I wonder why they never told me. Or if they even knew." She said with a sigh, thinking back to her time with Archangel.

"What, how am I supposed to deal with this? I don't know that I can." Shal had so many doubts about the Force, so many doubts about the things this would change. "I'm still just getting used to having my freedom, and adjusting to what it's really like in the galaxy. I'm not quite ready to deal with something like this."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


To her credit, Elpsis felt bad about giving Shalimar the shock of her life. To say that the tall, leggy blonde was agitated was probably an understatement. "Sorry you had to hear about it this way," Elpsis responded, feeling a bit guilty. Empathy was a queen because it meant you knew exactly how the other person felt and experienced it yourself.


She reached out with her hand and took Shali's, trying to soothe her a bit as she drew upon her power. Not enough to be invasive, but hopefully sufficient to make sure Shali did not suffer a panic attack.


"Figured it was better this way than have you find out when a Sith comes after you. Or a Jedi who's big on self-righteous dickishness and low on brains. It's just something you gotta be aware of. As far for if they knew, I dunno. Maybe they didn't. Robots don't really understand the Force. Or they figured you'd be too difficult too control if you had Force powers on top of cool martial arts skills," she shrugged at that.


"You wanna get your life back on track and don't wanna deal with the mystical mumbo-jumbo, I get that. For a long time I was...weird because I had the Force. A freak. Specially because my role models were crappy." Like, you know, an evil sadist for a father. "Then I met some good people. They taught me that...I'm not unnatural and my powers are there for a reason. Once you've settled in, I can help you if want."

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar kept biting her lip. Her mind was running through a million different thoughts racing through her mind. It was taking quite the effort to calm herself. Unfortunate as it was, sooner or later she could have discovered it, and most likely in the harshest of ways. "It's okay." She murmured.

"It would have happened eventually, I guess. I just, I-I don't know a thing about the Force. More than anything it scares me. It's strange. It's new. All I know is it's this energy like thing, which I know people have always warred over. And I don't want to get drawn into any of that. I just want my freedom and life. I don't want to get caught between opposing factions or things like that." She sighed, as Elpsis took her hand.

For a moment she looked away, letting the redhead hold her hand. Elpsis through her gifts, it was helping to bring Shal back to a calmer state. Without letting go, she brought her knees up into the chair, and up against her chest. Somehow that position felt safer. Only then did she nod a little before resting her chin on her knees.

It took her a quiet moment before she spoke again. "You're not wrong. It is just the very last thing I expected to hear today. Truthfully, I'm in my twenties now, and I've had all that time believing at least in that one aspect I was normal. And that helped make what I was, what was being done to me a little easier. Because in that one single way I was normal when everything else about me was so different and always being tested by the doctors and droids." She sighed and cast a glance back to Elpsis. "I just wanted to have something that felt normal. That's why this bothers me so much. That's why I don't want it."

Then she nodded once more, "Getting my life back; it's all I want. I didn't want more things to complicate how it's been so far because that was bad enough." Shali thought about what Elpsis was offering her. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't mind if you helped me with it. No matter what, it seems I'd be stuck learning how to manage this thing. You're the only person I've ever spent this much time with, and the only one to ever help me get out of a tight spot. So, I trust you. Not anyone else at this point."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Ok. That's all I'm askin'. I'm big on freedom, too. Last thing I want is to be caught up in a pissing contest between two cults the Galaxy would be better off without. I haven't done the whole teacher thing before...but I think I can show you the ropes," Elpsis replied, hopefully projecting more confidence than she felt at the moment. She's so cute...and has fantastic legs, she thought to herself. One of her fingers circled across Shalimar's palm, stroking it gently.


In all fairness, it was a bit difficult for her not to notice how...leggy Shalimar was. She was a hell of a lot taller than Elpsis, which the redhead thought was super sexy. She coughed slightly, when she realised where her thoughts were going and put her mental shields up, before too much bled over into Shali's mind. The last thing the blonde needed was to find out that her rescue was lusting after her, given the uncomfortable revelation she'd just been subjected to.


To distract herself, Elpsis refilled their whiskey glasses. It was probably not smart to drink while having this conversation, but it meant her fingers had something to do before she started feeling up Shalimar's thigh. "So, what did Archangel and Friends tell you about the Force, Jedi and Sith? It's probably a ton of bullchit, but it's a place to start."

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar nodded, "No kidding." Thankfully she'd been lost enough in her own thoughts that she missed the lack of confidence in Elpsis' voice. She softly sighed and gently squeezed Elpsis' hand in return.

At least Shalimar wasn't quite good with this whole force thing at all, so she missed out on the subtle and not so subtle clues of how into her the redhead might be. Some naivety seemed actually to have a use from time to time. Though there was the empathy to factor in. At that moment, Shali was picking up a few things but chose to ignore for the time being.

She gave a shrug, "They didn't exactly teach me. It was more of what literature I was aloud to read, what news, etc. I didn't get too much interaction with the staff themselves. What little I do know of the Jedi is that they are an evil monstrous cult that steals babies and children away from their homes. That they are in a constant religious war between themselves, other governments and cultures but mostly against the Sith, yet another evil cult." She gave a nod again, "I figured most of it was bull, but that there had to be some truth in it somewhere."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


From a certain point of view, that was not inaccurate! "Not that far off the mark. Jedi aren't monstrous. Well, most aren't, but they're sanctimonious, holier than thou dicks who think they can meddle and trample over other people because their Code says they represent 'good'. They used to all serve a nation called the Republic, which was half federalised oligarchy an' half theocracy, but because they're incapable of being united, they schismed into various sects. Bottom line, they think you can be good if you do as they say."


Elpsis' Jedi hatred knew no bounds. "Sith are pure monsters. They think might makes right and that they can stomp over people because havin' special powers makes them superior beings. Jedi you can avoid, Sith just need to be shot. There's some stupid Jedi who think they should be 'redeemed' by chatting with them. Idiots. The first Sith were Jedi who turned traitor. It's been a cycle since then."

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar nodded and listened carefully. It was about time she got a straight answer as to what Jedi and Sith are. She shook her head, "Well either way, sure as hell ain't folks I want to get to know. I don't need someone inserting themselves into my life forcefully, to push some Code, some doctrine on me. I just want to be able to decide for myself."

"And well, the Sith, I never want to know, or to meet." She shook her head, "Though, doesn't sound like the Jedi are all that smart. There's very few in the galaxy that are worthy of redemption. And fewer still that will work for it and achieve it. I only know what I've seen in this universe so far, and it's not a pretty sight." Admittedly Shal had only seen the seedier underbelly of the galaxy so far. She hadn't gotten to see anything that was much better than that, save Elpsis.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Rest assured that Elpsis had given Shali a fair and balanced answer. "Nope, Jedi aren't smart. Honestly baffles me that they still exist, after screwing up all the time. Most Sith are former Jedi, but no, you gotta be nice and give them candy because 'they're just scared inside and must be saved'. Translation: Only the lives of space wizards matter, even if they're genocidal monsters. The world would be better off without them."


She caught herself before she could go on a rant. She'd once considered Abaigeal a friend, but that had changed. "A lot of places in the galaxy are crappy, but it's not all doom and gloom. There's still worlds worth living on, things worth fighting for. Hope, love, faith," she paused, shifting a bit awkwardly. "I was on Nar Shaddaa to rescue you because I got a vision of you being in danger."

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar nodded, "It certainly seems rather stupid of them. It's a foolish notion to run on. Bad things happen, bad people exist. And if there is one thing I've learned so far it's that beings don't change unless they want to, and are willing. It's not a matter of flipping a switch. And for the stars' sake, kindness, just because you doesn't mean a single soul in the galaxy will ever be kind in return. It's not enough to turn someone away from such a dark path. Believe me, I've seen my fair share of beings at this point."

Shalimar frowned a good deal, "I'd certainly hope there is more than just doom and gloom. But at this point, I've learned not to expect rainbows and sunshine. There'll be plenty of the bad in with the good." Her brow knitted together, seemingly confused. "A vision? And you came who knows how far for me? Just me?" That part didn't quite make sense to her. And she wasn't sure she entirely believed it just yet. "I don't know if I understand."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Yeah," Elpsis said simply, as if it were blatantly obvious. Then she frowned, seemingly realising that the idea would sound understandably incomprehensible to any normal person. "Long story cut short, I get visions. It's been like that since I was a kid. Sometimes they're about people I know, most of the time it's total strangers. Some are about the future, others about stuff that's happened ages ago, which is annoying as it sounds. I dunno who beams them into my brain. Maybe it's the Great White Wolf, the Goddess or whoever. I just get 'em," she sighed.


At this point in time, she'd concluded that some sort of higher power was responsible for her visions. She used the Force as a instrument, but a tool could not have a will of own and convey it to her. This was not an easy subject to explain. She figured that she probably sounded more than a little crazy. "Bottom line, I had a dream about you. You were alone, on the run and in need of help."

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar listened with a grim confused expression upon her face. This was more than a little difficult to wrap her mind around. She nodded slowly, just once before biting her lower lip. She was trying to absorb the information and somehow piece it together in a way that made sense to her. Right now, that seemed a little beyond her reach.

"So ..." She started slowly. "If I am understanding this right, you get visions of the future or the past. Is this from the Force?" Shalimar asked softly, taking a small sip from her glass.

Shalimar exhaled slowly, "So, you obviously get these visions about other people. Do you go trying to rescue em all? Or was there a particular reason you came to me?" Leaning forward, she rubbed at her forehead, "I'm just trying to understand. This is all a bit beyond me and my understandings of the galaxy and the people within it. I'm trying just to understand."

She sighed heavily, "I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful. I'm not. I couldn't be more grateful and happy you were there to help me. I don't know, I guess I just want to know why me? That's all."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


This question gave Elpsis more than a little pause. "Yeah, it's Force stuff. I think there's some, I dunno, higher power beaming them into my brain, though I'm not sure what exactly. All I know is, I get 'em. I try to help where I can, but I can't help everyone. Sometimes I'm too far away, sometimes bad stuff's already happened, sometimes I try to do stuff and it just makes things worse," she trailed off.


It was one of her visions that led Siobhan to Shador, into an apocalyptic duel with [member="Matsu Xiangu"]. An entire town was wiped out, plenty of people died. The deaths weighed heavily on the young redhead. She could not escape the belief that she was at fault. "I could help in your case. And, well, you felt like a kindred spirit. I know what it's like to be alone, on the run, with no one to turn to."