Running on a Beach.

[Darth Ophidia]

The sun reflected off Saiah's skin much in the same shade as the froth of the seawater lapping at the shores outside of Malif Cove. She looked around with narrowed eyes, the black paints and tattoos that adorned her skin contrasted against the whiteness and gave a certain fierceness to her character. It also brought focus to her pale grey eyes; They surveyed the area, probing her surroundings.

She walked along the shore, her boots in her hand and her feet burrowing in the warm sand. It was curious to her how a planet could be so lush, when her own was an arrid rock and her people hid underground. While thinking, she let a coin flicker over her fingers. Back and forth between the ivory digits of her right hand. Again she was waiting for someone, another offer of teaching. She was excited, one could see that much in her rapid fingering of the coin. Yet, she maintained a cool exterior.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Good! You're here [member="Saiah"] . We can get started without any delay then." An almost singsong voice of the Red Assassin pipped up behind the Rattataki. Ferus, dressed in his usual armor, had both hands lazily gripping the back of his head. He almost looked like he was here to relax rather then train. But it was, perhaps, the giant black beast walking behind him that would get the most attention. The Bha'lir Bar'reth was almost his full size, just under Ferus's own height on all fours, and almost as long as a speeder. He seemed content for now, but a hint of intelligence showed a beast beyond a simple animal.

"I know you've been working with my old apprentice [member="Ballen-Ist"] , so I know you can channel the Force. For this exercise, I shall help you at least figure out how to speed yourself up, then you're going to have to run from my friend here." A red hand reached up to pat the side of the space tiger. "Shall we begin?"

 

[Darth Ophidia]

"Darth Ferus." Saiah greeted him with a small customary bow, but never took her eyes off him. She nodded in comprehension as the Red Assasin spoke. She had always thought him to be a little more serious, then again, one never knew with these types. Her eyes travelled to the great beast, it took her a moment before she recognized it as a Bha'lir. She remembered one being used in the fighting pits of Rattatak, it was a fearsome creature, and this one seemed just a little worse than the ones she had fought previously. She grinned at the challenge as the comprehension dawned on her and with a nod accepted it. "Success or death they say. How inventive." She would outrun it, or she would end up a light snack for Darth Ferus' furry friend. There was no question about it, and as such she drew the force to her and attempted to channel it into her body. She was ready. "Let's go then."

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Very well. Force Speed is as simple as channeling the force into your limbs. If you know strength, think of it similarly, only instead of hitting harder, you're to move faster. Become one with the Force, and do not limit yourself with your own doubt. Such will lead to a tasty meal."

With that, the Red Assassin once more patted the side of the massive head known as Bar'reth. Unseen, the red man was already asking a favor or two of his furry friend. The first, to give the girl a minute or so head start to at least use the ability, after which it would charge. The second, to chase her around until she could not go any more. At such a time, the Bha'lir was to leave.

"I would learn fast child. Really, really fast."

Such a bad pun, but it made the Sith grin anyway.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah didn't dally, but sprinted off. Saiah was pretty fast to begin with, but this was not yet force-speed. She did as he said, focusing the Force in her limbs. She could, she would, or she would be the picnic. It's a wonder how well death threats work as a teacher's tool. She kept pumping the force into her limbs but didn't get it right in the beginning. Success or death, run or be run down. She drew the force to her, and after some distance it developed traction. It took a moment for her to regain proper balance in the run, but she had speed. Perfect? Optimal? Hardly, but it was speed and it was a start, a chance to survive as she sprinted across the sand away from the great feline beast.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Once [member="Saiah"] showed she could use the ability the giant Bha'lir shot off like a bullet from a gun. It's massive form tore across the beach like a bat outta hell, and it was very, very clear that it had no intention on either holding back or hiding itself. The girl would know full well that the beast was coming, and fast.

Ferus himself sat down on the sand, being sure to keep an eye on the two. The test was for the Ratataki, but pat of him was worried she might think it alright to strike his fuzzy friend. If she did, she would find out very quickly the error of her ways, if she wasn't killed of course.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah heard the beast start after her, the way the sand crunched under its paws. Taking on a beast like this would take a little more than Saiah's little vibroblade, as such her best bet was to stay out of reach. Furthermore, Ferus seemed attached to the creature. Causing it harm would hardly improve her standing within the Assassins, that is if she survived. She had seen similar creatures tear good fighters apart before.

Upon sensing the beast chasing her, she got further incentive to run. She called on more of the force, pumping it into her body. She used it to propel herself forward, and to sharpen her senses as she ran. She had to go faster, she could not let it outrun her. While Saiah was rather fit, the sand was lose and tiring to run on, her breath grew heavier and the beach stretched ever on and on into the horizon. Through passion I gain strength. The Sith Code had always been her most important teacher. Her will to survive would give her the power she needed. Again she pushed her limits and pressed through, commanding the force to bring her the horizon and remove her from the quadrupedal pursuer on her heels.

[member="Darth Ferus"].

 

[Darth Ferus]

The Bha'lir kept right on her heels, still roaring loudly as [member="Saiah"] ran. Bar'reth was tasked with scaring her to make her run faster, but it seemed as if the Rataki didn't need such an edge. Ferus, still back on the beach, just watched on, a bemused grin on his face. The chase would continue until the girl either got tired or the Bha'lir got bored, but chances were that she would get tired long before a hint of boredom filled the space cats mind.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Bar'reth still on her heels, Saiah gritted her teeth as she forced power inside and pushed weakness and fatigue out. It was painful, but it also gave her an intoxicating sense of power, unlimited power. She started straying to the side, she sloped her trajectory right, towards the cliffside. Already, her eyes were scoping out a path in the jagged, rocky cliff-sides near Malif Cove. She thought she might use her light weight and agile feet to her advantage.

Once she found a path, she rushed towards it with renewed passion and belief. She grinned and glanced behind her at the beast on her tail. With a force-imbued jump she found footing in a narrow, ledge. She used her momentum to keep her balance, as she sped diagonally up the cliffside.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Bar'reth was getting ever closer as [member="Saiah"] started to move to the right, and it leaped forward, going to pounce on the girl. But her sudden jump caused the pounce to miss, and a low growl to rumble from it's throat as she began to run across the cliffside. The beast began to burst forward, running along the lower side of the cliff as he waited for either her to slip or find his own path up.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah smiled a sinister smile down at the furry beast. How elegantly plain her situation was: One slip and she would be dead. The fire burned in her belly and she surveyed the area for another twist. Surely this creature was not going to give up, and Saiah was beginning to feel the fatigue. Keeping her balance here was even more taxing than running in the heavy sand, she needed a safe spot to regain her breath. She jumped again, betting everything on a ledge. If she fell, she would lose. The jump was far, but Saiah was Sith. She leapt, she reached, but her legs faltered. Instead of landing gracefully in moderate safety she scrambled onto the very edge; her legs dangled off the side as she gasped for breath through gritted teeth and desperate effort.

[member="Darth Ferus"].

 

[Darth Ferus]

Green eyes watched [member="Saiah"] as she moved, growling lowly as she moved. And then she jumped. Bar'reth stopped for a moment, eager to see her fall. And while she didn't, there was still a slip. Those very same ferocious eyes widen at the chance, and without warning the great Bha'lir would leap onto the side of the rock face, digging in it's alchemised claws as it slowly began to climb upwards. While it wasn't fast, the threat to the Rataki was very, very real.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

As Saiah heard the scratching of claws climbing the cliff-side, she had a moment of panic. She looked down at Bar'reth and sneered. Her grip was starting to slip. Saiah was in deep poodoo, and if she didn't make a clever escape she would be the poodoo. She looked down at the sand underneath, and then surveyed the cliff-side for other holds. There was only one way down, and the Bha'lir was climbing it. Saiah changed her position, gripping onto a crack in the cliff so that she could better face the enhanced space tiger. She looked straight at it, again considering her options. She could not hang on indefinitely and her fingers were already growing weary.

"Kark it!"

She never had much chance of a long life anyway, so she kicked the cliff-side with her feet and jumped. Her intent was to jump past Bar'reth's claws and teeth, grab it by the scruff and wrestle her way down. It was a suicidal idea. Saiah was no acrobat, but she was desperate and, some would argue, stark raving mad.

[member="Darth Ferus"].

 

[Darth Ferus]

There was a blink from the Bha'lir as [member="Saiah"] leaped down. It paused in it's climb, claws dug in deep to keep it attached. But it could do little as she went down, and lesser still as she grabbed a hold of him. With a surprised yelp he would suddenly find himself flying back down to the sandy beach he had just leapt from.

A hollow thud would be all the noise he would make as he connected with the sand, followed by a sad rumble from in it's throat. While he himself wasn't hurt, his pride was.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah couldn't believe it worked, but now she was in another pickle. Rather than escape the Bha'lir she was right there with it, and it did not sound happy at all. She groaned in pain and forced herself on her feet. She wasn't too badly hurt herself, but her limbs ached and she had fractured a few ribs. She smirked to herself, Darth Ferus was not going to like what she did to his beast. Saiah brought herself upright and called on the force again to fortify her legs. She started to run, limping a little and gritting her teeth in pain as she rushed towards The Red Assassin.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Saiah"] wouldn't have to wait long to find Ferus. In fact, as soon as she jumped down and grabbed a hold of Bar'reth, the red man burst off into a run right towards their location. As the Rataki was running, so was he, except he wasn't happy. She was not to harm the giant cat, and upon her doing so he was set into a rage.

Getting close, he would bring about his left and flesh hand, going to punch her right in the throat if she didn't try to evade.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Ferus' sheer speed surprised Saiah. She could see the attack come and she swayed to dodge, but lost balance and tripped, tumbling to the side and into the salty waves. She quickly assumed a mobile position, her toes digging into the wet sand for traction. Her pale eyes followed Ferus with an eerie stillness. She had to admit she felt anxious, but also exhilarated by the Sith Lord's rage. Her breath was still ragged, her ribs, and legs, and hands all ached. This was not a fight she could ever hope to win, but perhaps she could survive it without being hunted by some of the most fearsome hunters in the Galaxy.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

The Lord stopped after his punch had missed, and slowly he would turn his head towards [member="Saiah"] . There would be a frown there, but rather than proceed with his assault he would lower his arms to a non threatening level. "Speed doesn't just increase how fast you go, but how fast you can react. Keep that in mind, yeah?" The Bha'lir by this point had gotten up and went to actually leave, growling under its breath. If one could understand cat, they might hear something along the lines of "She got the jump on me". However, no one speaks cat.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Saiah stood up in full, putting her hand on her fractured ribs. They would heal just fine, but for now they hurt. Her knees felt weak, and her hands shook lightly with overexertion. "I will. Thank you, Lord Ferus." She bowed her head, but didn't take her eyes off him, except to shoot a little glance at the insulted Bha'lir walking away. She did not speak cat, but somehow she understood the idea, she had insulted the great beast, and indeed gotten the jump on it.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

There was a slight grunt from Ferus in response to [member="Saiah"] before he turned to walk away. Of course, he stopped in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder to the girl. "Oh, and as repayment for attacking the cat I will be using you in the future for a mining expedition. Be ready, as I don't care what you were doing prior you will stop what ever it was and come immediately. Understood?"