Repossession

[Lassiter]

The growl of a hound, while terrifying, still felt oddly invigorating. She was being tested in fire though for what purpose she truly did not know. A slash swung wildly for her head with the ferocious precision that only her training partners could possess. Sena leant back and with a roll she relocated herself to a spot of relative security.

Her saber hummed in-tune with the weapons of the hounds. It was a far-fetched idea to compare it all to a symphony in the making but it was hard not to. The hounds played the strings and for each stroke playing along the all too much predictable notebook. The dodges and the parries that ended with the percussion of a saber clashing.

Sena’s eyes darted between the hounds. She couldn’t stay passive on this one. They had the upper hand in both numbers and strength whereas she had neither. With a move that took brass on the girl’s account she dove right in to the hound as her blade sought to impale it upon it’s superheated tip. The attack struck true and for a moment the girl hesitated as the girl found herself surrounded once more.

The hounds crept in. She had to dig in deep. She had to disperse of the attackers. She knew a method, she had to try it. She was surrounded, the hounds outnumbered her and they were all ready to end it.

Well, the girl was not particularly keen on the prospect of being sacrificed.

The force radiated off of her in an attempt to repel them in a blast or a wave of pure telekinetic power. The hounds around the room was sent flying and she quickly followed up by setting her sights on the one closest to her. With the orange blade in tow she let it sing against the opponent’s legs. One after another she sought them out in a tango around the room filled with confusion and imbalance.

While certainly not able to pick all of them off she bought herself enough breathing room to disperse of a big enough group of them to boost her own confidence.

The rest set their sights on her. Their fallen brothers having been ‘slain’ in combat there was something extraordinarily eerie about their gazes. Sena felt it chill her to the bone as she raised her saber for defense once more. There was a storm coming, and she was going to ride it out and come out on top. She wanted to, she had to.

This alone was motivation to go on.

For the goddess.

 

[Darth Nephthys]

There was a method to the madness. One would wonder why the Ember of Vahl was so keen on such a bloody path to show their devotion to their Goddess. Be as it may, in order for Sena to be embraced within the heart of Vahl, she would have to pass a number of fiery tests to prove her faith.

Her combat ability and survival instincts would be one. The mission to reclaim the Lorrd Talisman was another. Every step would be perfectly planned and executed, and with this Sena would be reforged, tempered, and sharpened into a vessel of the Goddess. A new sword etched with the trials of her Faith, with the scars of her devotion.

At the end, she would be anointed and reborn, blessed by She and heralded as the new Sword. Total obedience would be expected, utter submission.

In this, by blood and by fire would the end result be presented. For within the walls of a temple would the Vahla alchemists toil to forge the armor and blade that would be presented as a visible brand of success. The first would be the mining of Phrikite ore from Rendili. Vahla miners from the Migrant Vahla fleet were already at the planet, toiling away for the Goddess to bring forth their tribute.

 

[Lassiter]

But to her mixed relief and disappointment they all seemed to back off. Those she had cut down rose from the floor as the whistle of approval sounded. This test was finished, the girl’s trial had been dubbed a success. The hounds backed off one after another and set off into the hallways to seek others to haunt. Sena herself let her heart calm itself as her hands once more sought contact with her knees. One deep breath was followed by another as the acolyte’s nerves untangled themselves.

As the room fell flat she looked at the tassels and pondered their meaning. Why was she sent here? A careful study of each tassel had her pondering their meaning as they spoke of sacrifice, justice, renaming oneself and breaking your chains. It didn’t take a genius to figure their meaning. It was about what it meant to continue down the road Sena had chosen. She picked each of them up and placed them in her arms. It was like cradling a baby. Soft, powerful baby that had existed since long before Sena was even born.

With a determined stride she sought to continue her contemplation of their meaning. Man and woman alike were skillfully dodged as Sena kept her eyes on each tassel she rotated out in front of her.

“He will make a pet?” Sena crooked her eyebrow in offense. “A slave?”

With the shake of her head she brought the tassels to her master’s immediate attention. A kneel felt appropriate as she raised them above her head in an offer to the one who was shaping her. That was of course also beyond the fact that the high priestess herself was present. Something that was a tremendous honor as well.

By the very least Sena did not short circuit from the overwhelming sense of questioning her worth.

 

[Darth Nephthys]

Nephthys would silently study the bowed head of Sena, in her hand the talisman that the young Vahla had been tasked to find. Her hand rose, drifting over to take the Lorrd artifact from Sena's outstretched hand. There was power within those tassels, perhaps not one that would be immediately discerned, but it was in the guidance brought forth by the verses written therein.

// You have done well, Sena Lassiter //

The Force would drift over to Sena, relaying her approval. Her apprentice had passed not only her first trial, but that of her mission. The next series of tests would require a bit more. The Vahla miners were still mining the phrik ore required for the young woman's armor and sword. It would be another month before all the phrik required would be collected for the young woman to use.

// Your next task is to procure the Life Drain crystal // Nephthys informed Sena. The Life Drain was a lightsaber crystal used by Galen Marek's clone. The crystal allowed its wielder to drain the life of others -- an asset that would benefit the Sword of Vahl.

 

[Lassiter]

Sena’s hands placed themselves on her knee as the tassels left her grasp. The sense of approval that was relayed from her master caused the young acolyte to smile ever so slightly. The girl had done good and she knew it. Perhaps it was an ego, or perhaps it was just the simple truth but the girl had delivered and for that she was awarded like a kitten to a ball of yarn.

Well, this kitten was just about to tangle herself all into that little wooly sphere of fun when the rest of the message was relayed to her. Find the Life Drain crystal.

“Yes, master.” Sena responded and wiped the smile from her face. “It will be done.”

But eagerness had a rival that it at times seemed to go hand in hand with. Forgetfulness.

“Where do I go, what do I do?” Asked the kneeling acolyte. “Should I expect resistance?”

 

[Darth Nephthys]

// You will travel to Dagobah //

It was an Outer Rim Planet in the Dagobah system. A remote world of swamps and forests, reachable only by obscure hyperlanes. It was a harsh, humid, swampy planet; one who had seen the birth of the Dark Harvest virus that had once ravaged nearly three quarters of the known galaxy.

[member="Sena Lassiter"] 's trip would be no less dangerous. She would have to travel to the planet, trek the swamplands and the vast expanses of mud fields. From there, she would start her journey to discover the location of this life drain crystal.


// Resistance is always expected //

More so as the chances of any remains from the Dark Harvest event are likely still there. This would be a test of not only courage, but merit and survival.

 

[Lassiter]

Dagobah. Remote, swampy, personally uncharted for good reason. Sena knew of the planet, but that was about it. Part of her thought it’d make sense for the crystal to be in such a place, but the rest of her dreaded the rest of it. Humidity was her hair’s greatest oppressor, but when it came to duty to her master and the proving of one’s self Sena was willing to sacrifice it all for the greater good.

With the greater good being a crystal that would undoubtedly come to serve her well.

“Yes, master.” The woman remained hunched for a while longer. “It shall be done.”

She let out a small grunt as she pushed herself from the ground. A respectful glance at her Master had her nodding in further affirmation. She knew what she had to do, she knew where to go. Her task had been laid out for her and now was the time to act on it.

The acolyte took her first step towards her transport and not soon after came the rest. She was hesitant but she could do this, she had to do this. It was a test of both her self-worth and actual worth. It was a challenge and Sena strove to deliver. She always did when it came to [member="Darth Nephthys"].

After all, what did an acolyte have a master for if not to please it? ... Somehow.

 

[Revy Khai]

D A G O B A H


The swampy world would be seemingly isolated. It would take time to travel to, but once the young Vahla would be birthed from hyperspace and within orbit of the moss green planet, arriving to the surface would not be long.

It is landing that would become troublesome.

A thick fog would cover the planet, the ever high reaching mangrove trees reaching to the sky like clawed fingers aimed to latch upon passing prey. A shuttle or a starfighter would do best at navigating through the terrain, but the choice will ultimately be left to the Vahla as this was her mission.

What steps she would take next was left to deliberation as the lone life crystal she'd claim gave a soft glow.

 

[Lassiter]

Sena had never minded the times it took for space travel. It was like a break that you couldn’t escape as you drifted from system to system in order to reach your destination. You could practice your skills, hone your skill with blades or just pass time doing something else of use. The young acolyte herself found peace in meditation. Quiet contemplation over what she had done and seen or to just mentally prepare herself for the task she was about to undertake.

But for all such preparation was worth it was still an adventure into the unknown. The alarm on her shuttle chimed up that it was about to exit hyperspace and with it she broke out of her momentary peace.

A quick inspection of the landscape outside the cockpit spoke of nothing but trees. Trees, fog and swamps. The droid would handle this one. Sena could have done it herself, but the differences in just how well the landing would go was enough for her to feel by the very least slightly more comfortable in letting something else take on that responsibility.

They touched ground. The ship shook and with it came the beeping noises from a droid happy to have delivered it’s master to the surface of the planet before them.

The humidity was thicker than the acolyte would have imagined.

Her eyes scanned the horizon. The first step to finding the tassels were to try and sense them, but this was for a crystal that could be virtually anywhere on the swamp-ridden surface of this world.

First step, and naturally the obvious step, was to sense for people in the nearby area. Not to ask for help but to see just how many dangers there were around.

Safety first. That was the motto for all Sith, right?

[member="Revy Khai"]

 

[Revy Khai]

[member="Darth Drethi"]

Safety was naturally not part of the Sith Motto; Sena would learn that well. The swamps of Dagobah may seem to be silent, but there were horrors and predators that would lurk within the shadows of the mangroves.

Dagobah held an air of mystery; a promise as much as a threat. Once the Vahla would trek deeper into the swamplands, she would come face to face with it.

The slight tap of a spider's legs would flutter on the highest branches of a mangrove. Eight black beady eyes would view eight different figures of the Sith, trekking across calf high water.

Mandibles would click silently, and spun shell silk would be lightly pinned from the pad of a hairy leg to the wood of the tree. Further down, would the creeping sense of something dark and twisted float like miasma. That crystal would glow within the palm of the woman.

Just what could it be?

 

[Lassiter]

[member="Revy Khai"]

There was something to this planet that didn’t sit right with the young Vahla. For every step she took came the odd sensation that she was being followed. The ground slid beneath her foot ever so gently as step after step she continued her stride towards what she felt to be the right direction. The air was thick like a near palpable fog, the stench of salt and rot lingered in the air like a premonition of an uncertain future but still the young one moved onwards.

There was a clearing up ahead. The force cried out in a warning for the woman to keep herself on edge and Sena gladly obliged. Something didn’t sit right with her, the feeling of being watched seemed to amplify itself the closer to the opening she got. Her head began looking to the top of the trees, then her left and then her right until finally she turned around.

A hissing shriek unlike any other she had heard, though she didn’t know if it was hers or if it was the spider’s.

She fell on her back, arms and feet sliding against the wet mud she tried to push herself away from the spider only to really dig herself further into the mud. Her back was soaked, her legs and arms equally so as the spider towered over her.

Sena was nearly paralyzed. The surprise and fear left her in panic and the price she paid was evident. The spider lunged at her face. Her hand reached up to cover it. The force surged through her and with a push unlike any she had ever performed before sent it flying away from her.

Breathing became a possibiity again and the acolyte rose to her feet. Her hand grabbed her saber and without hesitation she flicked it on. No spider was going to get her. Not today.

 

[Revy Khai]

[member="Darth Drethi"]

A chuckle would echo around the Vahla. One that would wane as it would resonate with notable humor.

"Such fear, little one." the voice would rasp with a heavy accent. It wasn't anything familiar to say the least, nothing from the Core Worlds. Revy would stand on top of a branch, her perch of observation as the Gaping Spider that was her familiar drew up on her legs anew. A hiss and clicking sound from her mandibles could be heard, sinister and threatening.

Held back by the soft sing song of the Dathomiri's flow of words. The chat was short, but curious. The pad of hairy feet from the spider would direct her to climb the nearest mangrove tree.

"But such bite." her crimson eyes would peer through the semi translucent smoke that would hide her from view, her painted visage of white and black clay paint crackling against her pale skin. She would rub the life drain crystal, contemplating on using it upon the woman.

"Why are you here, little one? So far away from home..."

 

[Lassiter]

Heavy panting. It was all she could afford for the moment as the temporary paralysis ever so gently let go of the controls of Sena’s nervous systems. She was a city slicker by all means, the jungles, tundras, marshes and plains of the galaxy had a near-second hand nature to her at this point of her life. There was a comfort in numbers. She could disappear in crowds, stand out from crowds, she could be anyone and nobody would be any the wiser. Out here in the fields there was just her and the solitude. Not that she minded the solitude, but she most certainly minded the exposition she subjected herself to by stepping out of her ship.

“That is not of your concern.” Sena finally afforded the woman that approached. “My business are my own, I have no intentions of sharing them with a witch of the woods.”

Spoken like a true ‘I-once-heard-a-children’s-story-that-started-like-this’ kind of girl. The ending wasn’t very pleasant for the kids involved in the story, getting turned into stew was neither a good fate nor was it tasty. Sena had tried once -- ‘by mistake’ -- and that was the story of how she swore off meat for a year. Or well, tried to, poverty didn’t leave her much choice but to trust the minerals and vitamins to be from non-humanoid meat.

Still, her saber hummed as the two woman reached eye contact. The muddied back and hands of the young acolyte could have matched the entirety of the other woman’s face. Cracked mud seemed to slither and crack around her face. Some sort of ritual to be sure.

“That’s what you are, aren’t you?”

[member="Revy Khai"]

 

[Revy Khai]

[member="Lassiter"]


Painted black lips cracked into a wide grin.

“I am dha ground you stand upon.” she told the woman simply, her thick accent flowing over the young woman. Beside her, a pulse of energy swept across the din. Just enough to make the tiny hairs at the nape of the neck stand on end.

“The air you breathe,” she emphasized, and a hush of the wind would strike upon the swampland just then. A swing, and the flex of muscle would bring the young woman to splash in front of the Vahla. She landed in a crouched position, water scattering in waves and messy mud splats. But the Nightsister paid it no mind. Around them, other critters would start to stir, as if summoned by a call.

“So, child… what are you?” she asked as she played with the life drain crystal in her hand.