Rising Flames

[Mariel Dawnrider]

Bastion​

Continued from Caught Out in the Fire​

She'd tried. Everything she could think of. But this sort of thing wasn't exactly in Harper's wheelhouse. She was a farmer for crying out loud. She knew the soil, the weather, the way seeds sprouted. She'd been a 'Jedi' for a few weeks, and even she was hesitant to call herself that on it's own merit. In that time she had worked hard, but none of it had been training. Sure she had looked over that holocron and talked to [member="Ember Farseer"] and [member="Alden Belmont"] a bit, but everyone had been so busy getting the Praxeum settled, starting the Horizon Foundation. It hadn't seemed the important, not really. The work itself had been the important thing to Harper. Being a Jedi? Entirely secondary to that.

Now, however, she was seriously reconsidering her priorities. If she had learned more, surely there would be something she could have done here? Normally Harper wasn't prone to bouts of imaginative 'what if' but by the third hour of consciousness and the man in the tin-can not answering any of her questions, she'd started to imagine what it would be like to throw him into a wall with the Force.

Her few possessions were either lost in the mad chase, or taken. Not that any of it mattered. A hold out blaster. A comm link. She was relieved that she had left the holocron in the care of the Praxeum instead of bringing it with her. The loss of that would have been a blow.

No, instead it was just her. Hands locked behind her with a pair of stun cuffs, the bounty hunter's hand curled tight around her upper arm and leading her.... to who? She'd asked before but-

"At least tell me where you're taking me," she said, exasperated. "I mean I know it's not like a surprise party or something- if it is it's the worst one ever, and I want to speak to your boss about scaring the piss out of people as a party planning technique."

Once she realized he wasn't going to talk to her anyway, there was a certain freedom there.

Freedom to sass.

[member="Koda Fett"] [member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Karliah"]

 

[Koda Fett]

The booted feet of the Mandalorian Bounty Hunter collided with the ground beneath him, striding along the Imperial Homeward of Bastion. His feet clinged, clanged, pinged, and panged against the metallic flooring. Where they were going, he wasn't at liberty to say, for it was a contractual agreement at the end of the day. Be sure that it was a somewhat discreet location, though. Koda marched behind Harper with his Carbine in hand, a permanent scowl residing on his face beneath the infamous helmet that encased his skull.

Freedom to sass? Suppose that was the case, unfortunately. She was wanted alive, and as a result she would be delivered as such. His irritation grew, though. That was a definite. In the end they reached the building Fett had to make the exchange, moving inside with a sigh of relief. The sass was sure to of become unbearable.

[member="Harper Kade"] - [member="Darth Imperia"] - [member="Karliah"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Darth Imperia would have preferred a meeting place somewhere deep in the void of space - but unfortunately, her Crucible Ship was still under construction, and her freighter, while good enough to move from place to place, lacked the...amenities necessary for the day's activities, so Bastion it was.

Not that that meant the Lady had to enjoy it. Truth be told, she hated Bastion; it reeked of the Inquisition's influence, all paperwork and regulation - she even had to fill out a form to use this interrogation chamber, which was much harder when you variably didn't exist or were dead according to official records. Still, Imperia was in good spirits. It wasn't every day that she got a Jedi to play with, after all. It was just a padawan, from what Imperia heard, but even a padawan's mind posed a challenge when compared to the feeble psyches of the little darlings she was normally given to practice on.

Besides, this wasn't just for her. This was a teaching experience. The young Lady looked over at her...apprentice? Imperia still wasn't sure what to think of Karliah, truth be told. But whatever she was, she was sitting on the waiting room (what sort of torture chamber had a waiting room, honestly) playing a telekinetic game of marbles.

Imperia's pondering was interrupted when, finally, the (ugh) Mandalorian stepped through the front door, arm-in-arm with his prey. The Sith hopped up from her seat with a wicked grin on her face, positively cooing with delight.

"Oh, this one is lovely." Imperia paused for a short second, retrieving a small, shiny rectangle from within her robes. On closer inspection, it was a cred-chip, inlaid with gold and platinum filigree. "The account linked to this should more than cover both the bounty and any expenses incurred in retrieval. Excellent work."

-

[member="Koda Fett"] | [member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Karliah"]

 

[Karliah]

The girls eyes quickly snapped to attention as the door opened to the room, a marble going astray as she lost focus. UGH. They ruined it.

Getting up off the counter, the marbles all collected themselves into a pouch at her side, (maybe she could fling them at something to get rid of her anger) and lifted up her grimoire.

"I'm not so entirely sure why you wanted this one specifically. She doesn't seem so special." The child came into view of the captured woman before them, she couldn't have been more than thirteen, maybe fourteen if you pushed it. Her bright blue eyes stared almost as if into Harper's very soul.

[member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Koda Fett"] | [member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Mariel Dawnrider]

Oh boy. Things were just getting better and better.

This one? Lovely?

Chit.

"Oh, I'm not," Harper responded cheerfully to the child's comment.

"Nope. Pretty ordinary. Just a farmer. Couldn't even tell you why this one jumped me on the streets. Since apparently he doesn't talk. I'd show you my callouses, but, I'm a little tied up at the moment so you'll have to forgive me."

It didn't take her empathy (which was screaming at the predatory feel of the other woman) to know she was in trouble. Just how bad news this whole thing was.

"This is all just some big misunderstanding."

[member="Koda Fett"] [member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Karliah"]

 

[Koda Fett]

The Mandalorian truly wasn't much of a talker. There was never any malice behind it, and even then it wasn't as if anybody truly cared. May have received a slight chill from his silent demeanour, however. Being silent was something he learned to do, you were capable of finding out a lot more if you simply stood there and listened. It was said by a man he knew (in a way) that you only ever speak when it's necessary. They were simply words heeded.

Fett's left hand outstretched to grab hold of the credit-chip with his thumb and index finger, placing it into one of the many pouches spread across his waist. The same hand reaching over towards his right gauntlet, pressing on a button that disengaged the locks on Harper's wrists. They slammed into the ground with a thud, maybe even colliding with her toes if she wasn't careful enough.
With that, he turned to walk away. The Sith didn't hold Mandalorians in high regard, or at least Imperia and her Apprentice. Fett didn't bother giving them an excuse to further it.

[member="Harper Kade"] - [member="Darth Imperia"] - [member="Karliah"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Imperia's smile only grew wider as her quarry spoke, and even wider still as the poor darling's restraints hit the ground. Without the slightest bit of outward hostility, she reached out with a hand and curled her fingers around the young Jedi's chin - the gesture was gentle, in stark contrast to the sheer predatory menace the Lady gave off, but firm; far more so, in fact, than the Sith's delicate form should have allowed.

"Oh, but you are both so wrong. You may not be apprentice material, little darling, but there are plenty of uses for a creature of such middling talent." Imperia's smile faltered for a half second, and briefly, Harper might have been able to feel a surge of...not sadness, necessarily, but disappointment.

"Ah well - I'm sure whatever the Dark Lord has planned for you is," She paused again, allowing herself a small giggle, "incredibly boring, actually, and much less pleasant than if you were released into my care. You have my sympathies. Now, would you like to see where you'll be staying for the next little while?"

--

[member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Karliah"]

 

[Karliah]

"From what you've told me he'd probably just cut right to the pain and suffering."

Alarming words to be heard from a child, though in reality, was Karliah even a child anymore? She was probably rightly considered a monster.

In Harper's mind the thought may have passed for a moment that this child could have been a wonderful, happy, and even charming girl. That may have all been true, however her grandfather was to blame, perhaps even her parents who shunned her because of what she knew. Karliah knew there was more, and she wanted power.

The book to her side radiated a dark power that was almost visible to those in the room, for this reason the girl held it close.

"We shouldn't drag this on much either in all honesty, I'm sure the Dark Lord would not be happy with us for keeping her selfishly for so long."

[member="Darth Imperia"] | [member="Harper Kade"]

 

[Mariel Dawnrider]

She managed to avoid having the cuffs crash into her feet, but only just, making a frankly stupid looking jump-shuffle back to avoid it. Rubbing her wrists she glanced over at the retreating form of the bounty hunter, then back at her two new 'friends.'

Harper already missed the Tin-Can-Man. With people like this around, who could blame her?

"Not even middling, lady." Harper responded cheerfully, but internally she was trying not to scream at the way she cupped her chin.

Nopenopenope.

"All I'm good for is plowing fields and trampling hay. Maw honest truth. I'd be of no interest to your 'Dark Lord'. Nope. Absolutely none."

When the older woman glanced at her.... daughter? Niece? Honestly Harper had no idea and didn't want to know, the Jedi's own eyes darted in the direction the mando had gone. Muscles bunching slightly.

"You know, that's tempting!" She said, snapping her fingers in mock chagrin. "Really is! But I'm going to have to-"

She set off at a dead sprint. Making a beeline for the door.

"Decline!"

[member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Karliah"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

There was, in Imperia's experience, no great cruelty than hope. Nothing broke the spirit faster than having hope snatched away at just the right moment.

Which is why the Lady let Harper Kade reach the door. It's why she let the sliding metal panel open, revealing the sweet (relative) freedom of Bastion outside.

And it's why, as soon a Harper took a single step outside, Imperia offered a nod to Karliah - her signal for the girl to shield her mind, or at least try to - and spoke, her voice sweet a honey and layered with Forceful suggestion.

"You don't really want to leave, do you, sweetie? There's so much fun for the three of us to have."

And if that didn't work, well, there was always telekinesis.

--

[member="Karliah"] | [member="Harper Kade"]

 

[Mariel Dawnrider]

There was a hitch to her step. The words honey and wanted. She could feel the desire to do just that. To turn around. To stay. Could feel the lassitude, the sense of desire to do exactly what the other woman wanted. The suggestion layered with Harper's native talent in empathy, a double dose of want.

Her hand paused on the door, back to Imperia and Karliah, body almost quivering for a heartbeat. Two.

Imperia would feel her break free of it a moment before the Jedi started to move again. Enough of a warning that Harper didn't make it more than one heavy step before the back up plan hit her with full force.

[member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Karliah"]

 

[Karliah]

Without Imperia's permission, the girl didn't want to intervene. The last thing she needed was to come across as was misbehaving.

So as she dragged the unwilling, thing? Woman? She wasn't quite sure Imperia's stance on Harper yet, one she wasn't going to ask. But as she was brought back the girl opened the door to the further room and slipped in, making sure everything was in its place. She was here to observe, maybe be helpful.

After making sure everything was present she peaked back out the door simply to see what was happening, keeping out of the way just as if she wasn't there at all.

[member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Darth Imperia"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Imperia was just a bit irked. She must've been out of practice, if she wasn't able to convince such a pitiful creature to perform a task as simple as turn around. With perhaps slightly more force (heh) than was necessary, she pulled Harper away from the building's exit, then caught the padawan mere inches before they collided. With a soft giggle, she spun her victim slowly in the air, so that they faced one another.

"Now now, dear," the Lady began, a low purr carried on the undercurrent of her voice. "Don't misbehave too much. I promised the Dark Lord that you'd be delivered without a scratch, and I'd hate to have lied to him. Understand? Good." With that, Imperia turned away and curled her hand up into a fist, tightening her grip on the woman - not enough to cause any damage, of course, but she couldn't have the frightened creature striking out with her apprentice nearby. "We'll get you nice and comfortable in your home - for the time being - and then begin." With that wicked grin still on her face, the Sith offered a nod of acknowledgement to Karliah, then lazily strolled on into the torture chamber, willing Harper to float along behind her.

It was a simple room, the one Imperia led her quarry into - featureless grey walls, three chairs, and a table with a pair of manacles bolted to the underside.

Perfectly normal, at least at first glance.

--

[member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Karliah"]

 

[Mariel Dawnrider]

NOPE NOPE NOPE

Every fiber of Harper's body screamed those words, but it didn't make much of a difference. There was no amount of sass or chutzpah that was going to break the telekinetic hold on her. The grip was like a vice- it wasn't simply that struggling did no good but she couldn't struggle.

"Hey, hey now, we can be reasonable, right?" Harper said as she was floated through the gorram air.

"You don't want to hurt me, I don't want to get hurt! This sounds like a win win!"

There were shackles under the side of the table Harper was lowered down into the chair on-

NOPE

NOPE

NOPE

"You said it yourself! Middle talent at best. Very boring. Even your boss "

Right now talk was about all Harper could manage as the Sith manuvered her through the air like a rag doll a toddler was pretending could fly- oh that was a bad analogy because if that one were right she could get launched into the air to maniacal giggling at any second.

[member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Karliah"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Imperia snapped her fingers, and the manacles locked themselves around Harper's wrists with a clack. They were surprisingly comfortable - Harper certainly wouldn't be wriggling her way out of them, but they had padding on the interior and were neither tight enough to cut off circulation or loose enough to cause chafing on the wrists. Even the chair was, while not luxury grade, comfortable enough.

"The interesting thing about Jedi, dear apprentice," Imperia began, her tone brisk and upbeat, not unlike the rare schoolteacher who actually enjoyed her job. Her attention was almost entirely focused on Karliah, ignoring the - admittedly adorable - pleading of the bound Jedi. "Is that they are both weak and strong. It's true that the average Jedi is less powerful than the average Sith, but even the most pathetic padawan -" Imperia had wandered over to Harper by this point, and pinched her cheek for emphasis. "Possesses a certain strength of will. By training to resist the Dark Side, they train themselves also to resist pain, fear, and misery - traditional torture techniques will more often than not prove an ineffective, if amusing, strategy." The Lady wandered over to the other side of the table again, taking a seat across from Harper with a serene smile on her face.

"But that isn't to say they're unbreakable. They may teach detachment, but when you target their friends? Their family? You'll find that they're as attached to this life as any Sith."

--

[member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Karliah"]

 

[Mariel Dawnrider]

Harper shifted her head away from Imperia when she reached out, but the pinch was insistent and Harper ended up just making a scrunched up face. Her wrists worked in the confines, trying to twist, to gauge, to test, but the hold was *firm*. Didn't stop her from trying though.

"You keep calling me Jedi but you keep being wrong," she said conversationally. "Really, really wrong."

Harper wasn't even lying entirely here. She had virtually no training as a Jedi other than a couple casual flicks through that holocron. Thank the Force she'd left that back at the Praxeum. It hadn't been on purpose to protect it, just so that someone else could make use of it (with the guardian's permission), but it had worked out very well, all things considered.

It would be difficult to pretend she wasn't a Jedi at all with a holocron by a famous Jedi healer in her pocket, wouldn't it?

"Farmer, hello. Anything you're getting now is that. So, honestly all this posturing is just really weird and maybe you need better hobbies, you know? Honestly, if I'm handling your creepy vibes just fine, I don't even know how you'd handle an actual Jedi Knight. Kinda sad really."

It was probably a huge mistake.

[member="Darth Imperia"] [member="Karliah"]

 

[Karliah]

Honestly, if I'm handling your creepy vibes just fine, I don't even know how you'd handle an actual Jedi Knight. Kinda sad really.

The girls eyes darted from Harper to Imperia, what she had just said was a huge mistake. Imperia was going to be extremely angry, the woman she had come to know in recent time did not take blows to her ego well, and calling her sad. That was bad. Really really bad.

"We can sense you have some connection to the force, that much is easy to tell, you are no simple farmer so drop that act."

Karliah made it simple for her. "If you are a Jedi, she will find it out." The words were matter of fact, little care behind them, though maybe a child could convince her to make it less of a bother for her Master. Though she was sure Imperia would enjoy every minute of it regardless.

"The more you confess the less your pain will be, the more you tell her, the less the Lord will have to torture out of you later. In your position, personally I would start talking now and avoid the pain."

With that she simply went back to reading her book, disappearing back out of sight behind the corner as she sat on the counter. Out of sight out of mind, and she really didn't want to be on Imperia's mind when the anger joined the party.

[member="Harper Kade"] | [member="Darth Imperia"]