Private Outer Rim by Night

[Faegard]

UNKNOWN OUTER RIM PLANET​

T A G: Agravain

Dathomir had been a bust.

Well, for the time being, at least. It was under Sith control, and being entirely unwilling to bend to the enemy of my fathers, I had to give up on finding anything about my heritage... for now, anyway. That was, until I learned of a mystery. Rifling through old files on the family holocron, I'd come across something; a recording of me as an infant... with another girl. A sister, perhaps? Where was she? Had she been taken like I had? Was she a nightsister? For months, my secret search for answers about this mysterious girl had totally consumed me. I couldn't ask my fathers. They had made it very clear from very early on that they would not discuss my life before them. Once I'd tried to ask about my mother... learned very quickly not to do that again.

So I had searched on my on. And eventually, here I was; in hyperspace, heading right for the outer rim, following a tiny blip on the map. Was there even a planet there? The Phantasm's star charts didn't have one recorded, but it wasn't unheard of for someone to have hidden a planet before.

Leaning over the galley bench, I waited for the coffee to finish brewing, my hair a dishevelled, unbrushed mess. We were due to drop out of hyperspace within a few minutes, but if the Phantasm wanted an actual pilot and not a squinting, grumbling zombie, coffee would come first. Turning my head, I glanced at my companion. Agravain had owed me a favor, after my magic had snatched him out of trouble a few years ago. The phantasm only technically bunked one, so I'd been sleeping in the med bay during our trip. By now, I'm sure that whatever air of mystery and dark, foreboding allure I might have once had was well and truly gone as he saw me bleary-eyed and clumsily pottering around in the mornings.

"Coffee?"​

 

[Agravain]

W A K I NG​

T A G : Faegard

The itch was damning.

For those who had been cursed with the maladies of mortality, Agravain's present reality might have been interpreted as a gift. The addition of one "simple" craving to one's appetite was surely a meager price to pay for eternity, was it not? For the sick, would it not be a gift to be immune to disease? For the aging, would it not be a miracle to live forever? For the weak, was it not a dream come true to be strong? For all who were stricken with the mortal condition, was it not desireable to be a creature of the night? Ah, but once the reality settled in, one might spit in the face of this gift. To drink the lifeblood of others was anathema to the former Jedi. To rely on death to live clashed with his entire state of being.

And though, once fed, the urge to kill passed...it always lingered. Nagging just at the back of his throat.

He would have been happy to hide away from the light alone. Away from where he might cause harm and undo the good of the Light. Yet, a debt was owed. A weaver of spells had plucked him from the jaws of death some time ago, and thus his word was his bond. Was it true that, beyond this, they would bound? Yes. It was his fangs, after all, which had infected her with the same malady. In a sense, she belonged to Agravain - yet another reality that clashed with the core of his ideals. To have such claim over another life was...evil was it not?

And yet, that nagging part of him liked it just fine.

In the moment, he was seated not too far away from the pale woman as she made a pot of caf. The aroma was delicious, especially with his heightened senses. He could distinguish how quality the coffee would be, just based on what type of water was being used - all by a whiff of his nostrils. The curse was appealing, no? No. He raised his eyes as she approached. His lips curved into a smile at the sight of her and a slow nod was given. "That would be lovely." he remarked. Coffee now, and then onto the search. Perhaps they would find something...anything...related to what they were. Perhaps they would find a cure.

For Agravain would much rather die a man than live a monster.

​

 

[Faegard]

T A G: Agravain

In a way, I was comforted by this sleepy little waking routine.

I hadn't completely lost myself. I was not some cold, sharp queen of shadows that rose from a tomb every eve, no shred of humanity left in her. No, I was still me, I was still Faegard. I craved hot, sweet beverages when I woke, I was sleepy, my hair dishevelled. I'd changed now, we both had, but I was still me, underneath it all. Well, mostly.

Preparing two mugs, I turned to hand Agravain's to him and practically melted into the chair opposite him. For a moment I said nothing, scooting bak in the seat to draw my knees up to my chest and protectively hold my mug under my chin as I closed my eyes and took in the sensations. The hot steam caressed my skin, melting away the stuffiness of the previous night, warming my face. The rich, sweet aroma of the beverage itself seemed to invigorate my weary muscles.

"Thank the gods for this stuff." I purred sleepily.

As I took a sip, the cockpit chirped, the autopilot taking us out of hyperspace and calling me to come take over. With a sigh, I slunk further back into myself,

"In a bit!" I called out to it.

The Phantasm didn't have an AI, or VI, or any sort of interface that would respond me. But seeing as I was usually alone on the ship, I hadn't let that stop me from conversing with her. However, this time, I wasn't alone. Sheepishly glancing to Agravain, I blushed and offered a slightly embarrassed smile.

"What do you hope to find out here?" I asked, changing the subject.​

 

[Agravain]

W A K I NG​

T A G : Faegard

Divine.

As his companion returned with a warm mug of caf, the dark shadow broke ever so slightly. The gloom which hung to his shoulders - the ire at his current circumstances - briefly gave way to a smile. His lips moved effortlessly, presenting genuine gratitude for the kindness. Though they were both monstrosities, there was still humanity within. They, both, had not succumbed to their base instincts. They, both, craved things that were not the lives of others. Agravain could enjoy a mug of caf in the morning. Could enjoy his companion's comforts in the evening. He could very much so be a man.

And he would do so whilst refusing the urges.

He would not descend into being an animal. He hoped their voyage today would cement this fact evermore. "Thank you, love." he replied, offering a slight nod as the mug settled into his grasp. As she crossed the room and sat down, he indulged in a sip of his own. Black, per the usual, but the flavor was immaculate. His tongue could suss out every nuance. The boldness. The bitterness. It was enough to shock every ounce of fatigue from his form. Ah, the curse was good no? Never.

It was the chirp of the vessel's auto-pilot and the woman's response which caused him to remove the caf from his lips. Her face was plastered with an embarrassed smile, but frankly it was adorable that she called back to the console like a teenager being told to take out the dishes. It was a very human response. And that was what they needed, to keep being human.

As for her subsequent question, the gloom seemed to take hold again. Focus consumed his features. "Everything." he answered, before elaborating. "How long we can go without 'eating' until we become dangerous to others. Can we substitute human blood for others? How will near-human, or non-human, or even animal blood compare?" And, most importantly. "..Beyond dying, is there a cure? I seek to answer all of these."

He leaned back in his seat for a moment, motioning his mug towards her. "Are you hoping to find anything specific as well?"

​

 

[Faegard]

T A G: Agravain

I kept my attention on Agravain as he spoke, answering my question as both of us waited for the hot drink to bring us back from our slumber. It seemed that even crossing the threshold of life and death didn't allow one to escape the clutches of a caf addiction. I chuckled to myself at the thought; did the old ghosts of my ancestors sit around the afterlife, drinking the stuff still? Or were the restless spirits from tales angry not because of some ancient curse, but rather because they just craved to drink it again?

"Well you've given this a lot more thought than I have," I confessed, "but those are good points. Personally, I would like to know how this has changed our relationship to magick - er, the force, as you call it - if it has at all."

I paused, shifting in my seat and taking another sip. Once more, the Phantasm chirped from the cockpit, and I rolled my eyes at it.

"Yeah alright I'm coming." I sighed.

Pulling myself up, I turned to my companion,

"We'll be on the ground soon. You're welcome to come watch me and the Phantasm fight over the calculations if you like."

Giving his shoulder a squeeze, I moved past him and into the cockpit, slinking into the pilot's chair, still with my drink in my free hand. I could see our destination ahead of us; a little bead, perfect and round, hanging in the infinite void. For a moment, I fell quiet and still, taking a moment to simply marvel at it. Space was so impossibly huge; this vast expanse of deadly nothing. Yet, sitting in that nothing were tiny beads of life; little islands of warmth and sound and light and history and culture. It never ceased to humble me.

"Alright girl," I cooed to my ship, "Let's see if we can't get you on the ground somewhere."​

 

[Agravain]

A R R I V A L S​

Tag: Faegard

Magick.

The word was a reminder of the world that once was. Prior to when the former Jedi had been ripped from the mortal coil. In those days, he had first encountered his companion when she was Human. She called herself a Witch and identified her usage of the Force as Magick. At first, the Jedi was skeptical regarding such an interpretation - that is, until she demonstrated just what the spirits could do. In the present, her companion rendered a nod of respect once she mentioned her thoughts on what they would find. Her concern was about the relationship their plight had with the Force...her Magicks...her Spirits.

Understandable.

As she spoke, he raised the mug to his lips once more and indulged in a hearty sip. Remarking only once the vessel chirped for her attention once more. The Phantasm was needy it seemed. "I can only assume that we will be more inclined towards the Darkness, but beyond that I have no idea." he admitted. When she laid her hand upon his shoulder, rendering a squeeze, she was met with a genuine smile. Though he was effectively immortal, at the very least, he was not walking the Galaxy alone.

"In flight entertainment and caf? You sure know how to host, love." Amidst a chuckle he rose and followed her to the cockpit. His form descended into the co-pilot's seat, where he continued to nurse his beverage with hearty sips.​

 

[Faegard]

T A G: Agravain

I smirked at Agravain and his comment as he sank into the seat beside me, before beginning the Phantasm's descent towards the little planet.

It wasn't that I'm some stellar pilot; I'm not. In truth, my ship still has a ding in her hull that is proof enough of that (and I haven't gotten it fixed yet because that means explaining to the shipyard that I thought I knew better than my ship's computer). Rather, I just... have a feel for certain things; the winds, the energy of the planet, sometimes the computer and I disagree on how safe a particular trajectory was, and I usually won.

This played out with Agravain next to me, as the computer occasionally chirped and I grumbled in disagreement. However, eventually, we were safely on the ground.

With a sigh from myself and a hiss as the landing gear descended, I leaned back, running my fingers through the hair I still hadn't tamed.

"I guess it's time to see what's out there," I turned to my companion with a shy smile, "I won't lie, I'm glad I'm not trying to do this one on my own."

Pulling myself up from the pilot seat, I retreated back to the living quarters, intending to change into terrain-appropriate clothing. It was time to find out if any of our questions would be answered today.​

 

[Agravain]

E X P L O R E​

Tag: Faegard

An old married couple.

Over time, navigating the descent of a vessel through the atmosphere becomes like second nature. However, the thundering of the controls in one's palms never ceases to get the heart racing. In the case of the Vampyr's companion, her demeanor was far from shaken. Rather, she and her vessel seemed to share a relationship identical to that of an old married couple. Where the ship would chirp, she would grunt. As if an aging bride was nagging her spouse to take out the garbage or something. For some reason, a mental image of the ship wearing an apron popped into Agravain's head. The absurdity of it all caused the man to chuckle whilst he finished off his beverage. Soon, they were safely settled down upon the planet.

"A job well done. Both of you." he said, raising his empty mug towards the console in particular.

Fae then turned and faced him, running a hand through that lovely hair of hers. "You guess correctly. I'd grab a rebreather - just in case." They were immortal, yes, but there was no telling what sorts of hazards awaited them in their quest. Agravain's Jedi heritage told him to be prepared, rather than sorry. Taking his own advice, he rose from the seat and delved into one of the adjacent drawers. A rebreather and bacta pack were procured and promptly stored within his pockets. He then did a quick once over of his person. Lightsaber? Check. Backup Lightsaber? Check. Long strides bore him to the rear of the vessel, where the ramp promptly extended at his presence. A wall of humidity was their greeting to the planet. It was hot - even though the sun had fully dipped beyond the horizon.

"Ugh." he remarked, pausing to shrug off his cloak. He wouldn't be needing that. "Let's not forget the charts." He reminded, before descending down the ramp. Each step was punctuated by his rolling up the sleeves of his button down. By the time he reached the solid ground, he looked the part of rugged adventurer - straight out of the holo-flicks. He took a moment to take in his surroundings. Opening his awareness and allowing his presence to sweep all about. They had landed in a jungle clearing. All about them was teeming with life, of all shapes and sizes. Yet there was no pronounced presence in the For-no. Wait. East. There was a shadow to the East.

It was faint. But they had their heading. "Towards dawn we go."​

 

[Faegard]

P L A N E T S I D E​

T A G: Agravain

As I pulled on a tight jumpsuit and my cloak (a strange juxtaposition of "new" and "old", but I felt at home in it), I snickered, descending the ship without even glancing towards Agravain as I called out to him.

"You and your weapons." I smirked, turning around to grin at him, "I always get two very subtle, yet distinct sensations of satisfaction from you when you're getting ready to go somewhere. It took the longest time to figure out what causes it." I nodded at the lightsaber on his hip, knowing the other was likely not far away.

In truth, there was no way I'd argue against them today. Neither of us had any idea what was out there, and while I didn't normally carry a weapon, I was not about to turn down potentially vital protection. Following my companion's lead, I also grabbed a rebreather, but not a bacta tank, deciding instead to rely on my own abilities. As he mentioned the charts, I just grinned at him and pulled back my cloak, revealing the datapad clipped to my belt.

I took a few steps onto the planet and crouched, allowing my hand to touch the earth. It felt fundamentally different to anything I'd experienced before. My head canted to one side, my notice shifting away from my senses and off into some distant nothing as I focused instead on the energy. The words tumbled from my lips in a soft whisper as the emotions flowed through me.

"Lonely. Lost. Broken... Old, very old." I turned to Agravain, "I doesn't want us here."

I sighed, standing up to follow him to the East with a grimace on my features. I didn't like going against the wishes of any creature; but especially not one so old and powerful as this. Still, I wasn't about to be deterred. Whatever secrets she held, we needed to find them, whether she approved or not.​

 

[Agravain]

P R E P A R E​

Tag: Faegard

The Former Jedi was no Empath.

One of the most defining characteristics of his ebony-clad companion was her ability to feel. Faegard was empathic, not in the sense that she related to others, but in the sense that she could literally divine the exact nature of their feelings. The Force had blessed her with an innate ability to simply take a gander at a person and to glimpse inside their soul. She could tell just how joyous a sip of caf made a man first thing in the morning. Or, in the moment, she could tell just how much satisfaction Agravain found in verifying the presence of his lightsabers. This was a fact that she remarked upon as she drew the cloak about her form, thereby adopting an instant air of mystery.

"You and your black." came his retort, alive with snark. Though he was the furthest thing from empathic, he was quick-witted. It was one of the things that allowed lengthy trips through the stars to be an enjoyable experience between the two. When they weren't slumbering, feeding, or feeding, a battle of wit and charm was easy to pass the time. "I always get a very subtle sense that you like being mysterious. Or maybe that black is your favorite color. Both? Both."

He chuckled to himself as they disembarked. Yet the mirth fell when the job began. The wall of humid that greeted them was enough to focus any man. And whilst Agravain got his bearings, seeking out direction, Faegard took a look at the planet. By lowering herself to the surface and placing a hand upon the earth, she felt the shadow to the east. The Former Jedi could not ascertain if what he perceived was living or a temple or some other means of Darkness. Yet Faegard was able to put some of its identity to words. Lonely. Lost. Broken. Old. Those were very key clues to what they were dealing with. It doesn't want us here. Very key clues indeed.

Experience reared its head in that moment. She'd feel a sense of relief in the fact that he brought his lightsabers. She'd also feel the creeping cold racing down his spine. The known, yet unknown. There were a number of possibilities, one larger theory, but ultimately they would not know until they got there. "This strikes me as a Guardian of sorts." he began. "Tasked with protecting something...possibly forgotten by whomever or whatever put it there. Time. Battles. Broken." His dominant hand rested upon his hip whilst he mused. "Is...Is it possible for you to get a feel on the size of what we're coming up against?"

Like their afflication, the extent of Faegard's empathic abilities was a mystery. However, unlike their affliction, he could find out more by simply asking.

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