Private Peregrine

[Cerys Dyn]

//Destination: Dorriella

The hum of the ship was constant. It's pulse was steady, in stark contrast to her own. The hum pressed in through the bulkheads, through the thin fabric she had laid beneath her knees. The vibration of the ship settled behind her eyes. Cerys exhaled, trying to let the rhythm carry her toward stillness.

Meditation had always come easiest in places full of light and air. This was not such a place. The guest quarters were windowless, lit by a single recessed panel that shimmered in sympathy with the ship. Somewhere beyond these walls, the Sith woman worked. Her presence was a steady weight she could feel even when she was not near.

She tried to center herself in the memory of Naboo’s gardens, of the tiny flower Elenna had coaxed into her hands. It had opened beneath her touch once, its purple petals trembling as if shy to be seen. Would it open for her now, or close itself against her entirely? The thought curled like a hook in her chest.

The fact that she found solace in memory of belonging on Naboo made her recoil.

She had abandoned Elenna without ceremony, without explanation. There had been no time for either. This had to happen. This journey into the heart of the dark, her path flanked by an escort who would see her as cargo, or perhaps as a tool. She pressed the guilt down as she had been taught, not to bury it, but to burn it from her.

The flower would answer her again. One day.

For now, she breathed, and tried not to count the hyperspace jumps that would take her deeper into enemy stars.

Kaila Irons fyi, Elenna Sylari​

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: approaching Dorriella
Wearing: Armor
Tag: Cerys Dyn

A droid rolled into the cockpit.

The BB-unit's singular slit-like optical sensor tilted upwards as it's little servo-arms lifted a small tray to the young Darth seated before the controls. The slight clattering of duraporcelain tea cups roused Kaila from her thoughts, Golden eyes blinking amidst the dark warmed only by the red gleam of various panels and switches.

"Ah, thank you Zero." she smiled faintly.

Pressing the steaming liquid to her lips, those glowing eyes shifted elsewhere, towards the Jedi's unseen presence deeper in her personal courier.

She could feel the turmoil emanating from the other room, even if she did not fully comprehend it.

Perhaps it was merely her own presence, or the Blackwall all around them, which set the Jedi's nerves alight?

It was only natural, she decided, and so the Sith would focus her inquisitiveness on the nature of her vision, and her relation to it. How she was going to explain her intentions to the girl, she did not know, only that it would be a lie.

A lie that would have to wait, as the Hyperspace proximity alert chimed at her.

"Hm. Tell our... passenger, that we're about to enter realspace. And do offer her some tea, please. To calm her nerves."

She patted his shiny little head before sipping and waving him off with a gloved hand.

The almost excited thumping heralded the little chrome-black sphere's arrival to the guest quarters as it stopped in the doorway, having to quickly re-balance itself lest Zero roll over his own head. The glowing optical sensor flashed from blue to a friendly green as it waved to Cerys Dyn excitedly.

"Weep woop!"

Then it made a beckoning motion, prepared to lead her into the cockpit.

"Bweep bweep! bweep bweep!"

​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

Cerys bristled. Not at the distracting beep of the droid, but at her own inability to find her centre. It was almost as if she had left it somewhere. Impossible.

She lent to the side, and pushed up off the floor. "Alright. Alright," she muttered, for only the droid to hear.

She understood the droid enough to know that she was supposed to go with it. But she did not share its excitement. Instead, she flattened her robes, and steeled herself for whatever mental probing the Sith had in mind.

The droid moved faster than she cared to. By the time she reached the cockpit, tea in hand, the BB-Unit was already beeping at her to hurry up. She didn't. Every small rebellion would be taken.

"Anathemous," she said, tone clipped and verging on disrespectful.

There was still not enough familiarity for her to simply take a seat. So, instead, she stood by the door the cockpit, and sipped her tea.

"We are almost there?"

Kaila Irons
​

 

[Kaila Irons]

Location: Entering Dorriella orbit
Wearing: Armor
Tag: Cerys Dyn

"Soon." she sipped.

And only when she had finished her cup did Darth Anathemous turn in her seat.

"You are troubled."

The control panel's red glow highlighted the artificial musculature built into her bodyglove as the armored sith stood, turning to face Cerys. This wasn't the silk-clad lady she'd met on Echnos, but a warrior of the sith, come to watch over her. for better or for worse.

And yet her expression was almost soft.

"I would be too. I know you've no reason to trust me, that you're a hair removed from a prisoner."

A pause followed, perhaps uncomfortably long, as she glanced at the Jedi's marking.

"...I have my reasons."

Finally she turned to stare out the viewport as the ship lurched into realspace. The planet reflected in green-blue hues back at them, untamed wilds dotted by only a small number of settlements in between, and clear lakes or oceans beyond even that. The sight brought a faint curl to the sith's lip as she pressed her palm against the glass.

"Ah! I've never been to Dorriella myself, good to see that nature thrives here."

Seeing that his master was enjoying the sights, Zero decided to plug in and guide the ship into orbit by himself, allowing the woman to enjoy that brief moment of peace.

"I bet you're looking forward to the fresh air."

​

 

[Cerys Dyn]

Cerys' brow creased. They had talked a number of times since boarding the ship. And the Sith was becoming more and more familiar in the way she conducted herself. Like, Cerys might let her guard down.

She was mistaken.

"I am on board a Sith vessel. Travelling through Sith space. It is a troubling turn of events," she said, in that matter-of-fact tone that had gotten her no end of trouble on Naboo.

"And neither could I imagine a time when I would...trust you," she said, jaw clenching. Despite Cerys being on her feet, Anathemous seemed to tower over her in prowess. The armour she wore — Cerys had seen it many times now — was imposing, and far too tight. Cerys averted her eyes.

Her gaze was pulled back by the cryptic words of the Sith. Reasons. She kept talking like she knew something. It made the Togruta uneasy, a feeling that was not needed along with her discomfort, frustration, and yes...troubled mind.

She felt inertia pull her forward, just a touch, as they exited hyperspace. She felt her lekku twitch with the exit, something to do with how the Force and Hyperspace worked together. She still did not understand it.

"I am not familiar with the world, save for the rumour..."

She had only the faintest hint of a rumour that there was an Oathwarden on Dorreilla. She would consider herself fortunate if she found a slightly more tangible clue as to where to really look. Oathwardens did not stay long in one place. The rumour was old now. The trail perhaps already cold. Still, it was as strong a lead as she had found. So much so as to be worth trying to sneak through Echnos.

"...I assume that you will not be letting me out of your sight?" She said, still trying to figure out a way to allude her captor.

Kaila Irons ​