Private Similar Means

[Sola Wessiri]

Sola had spent the better part of a half hour in the training arena deep within the Adamite Tower. Paladins had used it for centuries, building up their strength and stamina through various excercises and obsticle courses. And they'd spar eachother.

For the moment though she was alone, working her way up a rope wall and then leaping from metal hoop to metal hoop with her hands. Her muscles burned with the exertion, beads of sweat soaking the blonde curls of her hair, yet she continued on, determined to finish the course.

The last metal ring was always the most difficult for her. Not only was it further away than the rest, but it was also smaller too. Sola grit her teeth as she started to swing, using her legs to help with the momentum so that she'd have less distance to leap. When she though she was good enough, she let go, feeling as her body rose while it flew. Yet it descended a little quicker than she liked, her fingertips of her outstretched hands only grazing the metal ring. And so she fell, dropping twenty feet into the pool of water below.

SPLASH!

Sola rose to the surface and just floated on her back, staring at the metal rings for a moment, wondering where it was that she went wrong this time.

And that was when she heard it. Varlo , her longtime training partner had snuck in there to watch without her knowing and was now applauding her fall.

 

[Varlo]

Varlow looked down at the soaked woman and was giving a taunting slow clap. “Well done! You’ve certainly gotten much better at diving if nothing else.”

He walked around to the rope wall and scrambled up the rope wall and swung like a monkey until he was directly above her. “Should I join you? Would it make you feel better? Or should I give you something to catch up to?”

He, having not yet exhausted himself, was finding it much easier to keep to the ceiling than she did. While they were at about the same skill and physical strength, he was quite a bit larger than she, he was broad shouldered and well over six feet tall.

 

[Sola Wessiri]

"Ha ha ha..." Sola gave him a sarcastic laugh as she swam to the edge of the pool and pulled herself out of the water. Dripping wet she walked over to the towels and grabbed one so that she could dry herself off. Her eyes were completely on Varlo as she studied his technique.

"You've got a couple of advantages there, Varlo. And you know it." First of which were his powerful arms. Just one of them was easily more than twice the size of her own. And then there was the lengths of them. He was more than half a foot taller than she was, so her length just paled in comparrison to his.

Yet Sola wasn't exactly short in her own right. She stood a proud 6 foot, taller than most women that she knew. Her muscles might not be as bulky as his, yet they were strong and well toned. She was able to get herself out of tighter spots than he could. Together their strengths and weaknesses both complimented and challenged eachother. That was why Falknor put the two together.

Sola began straining the water out of her hair. "We've got patrol tonight in Vossport. You up for it?"

 

[Varlo]

“Oh I know, and that’s just the way I like it.” He said with a grin, from there he swung once, swung twice and released letting him land then roll to break his fall, and he came up only a few feet from her as she dried herself off, and he allowed his eyes to roam over her with a grin. “Question is, are you up for it? I can handle walking through the streets, but you grab quite a bit of attention. Unless that’s something you like.”

He walked towards the exit, “I’ll meet you outside the tower partner! Don’t fall into the water on your way out.”

 

[Sola Wessiri]

Sola smirked as Varlo avoided falling into the pool. He loved to show off, even as they were kids. Yet he still encouraged her to be the best that she could, in his own way.

She wrapped the towel around herself at his remarks, not in a bid to hide herself, but to warm herself up a little. "I grab the attention? Don't tell me you're jealous."

A small chuckle escaped her as Varlo left the training arena. She grabbed her things and then left to her quarters to change.

Twenty minutes later Sola was outside, dry for the most part, except for some parts of her hair. She was armed as always. There were parts of Vossport where she had to be. Shadow never followed her into the city. It was no place for a vask-wolf. So instead she had to rely on Varlo to watch her back, just as she watched his.

The sun was just settling down below the mountain peaks. A good 45 minute walk and they'd be at the city gates. Sola started the trek first. "Valknor says we're to start at the docks tonight, then work our way through. He sensed something there in his meditations."

 

[Varlo]

“No, not jealous. I don’t mind you getting the attention. Not at all.” He said with a smirk of his own.

“Sounds like a problem we will be taking care of. Not to worry mein fruend. We’ve handled such difficulties before.” He said, quite literally watching her back, though he supposed it was a little too Low to be considered her back. “Besides, trouble is something that always seems to pop up, and it keeps us busy. Which I am absolutely fine with.”

 

[Sola Wessiri]

Sola didn't know whether to roll her eyes or to smirk. Varlo was always quick with his remarks and at times she had caught him looking at her in a certain way that left her feeling both flattered and creeped out at the same time. It was difficult for her to even explain it to herself, let alone to another person.

"Yes, I know, you hate to get bored. But sometimes boredom is a good thing. It means that we're doing our jobs well." Although with Varlo's height and stature, it was difficult for anyone to not feel intimidated.

"Market Day is coming soon. No doubt we'll find illegal goods at the docks. I'm sure that that's the trouble Valknor is warning us about." Though deep down she knew that it wasn't. Tensions between the Trade Guilds were on the rise again. It was her hope that it wouldn't lead to another war.

 

[Varlo]

“Possibly. I for one a more hoping for something a bit more fun to deal with. Armed criminals or something of the like. I’ve had so little things to challenge me! Ooooooooooh! Maybe Lucites? I really hope it’s Lucites, they’re the biggest threat we have and I absolutely love fighting some actually skilled opponents in a full fight!”

He absolutely loved having a good fight. Mostly because he loved improving.his skills and testing them.

 

[Sola Wessiri]

Sola smirked while she shook her head, her blonde curls swaying with her movements. "Oh Varlo , you've always been the eager one. But the Lucites aren't our biggest threat. War is. That is the real danger. And I have a feeling that we'll be fighting in a big one. Don't you?"

The Paladins of years past had often helped to protect Vossport from the Warlords, leading armies and engaging in many battles to reinstate peace. Marketdays and the Trades Guild itself were meant to help prevent future wars. But disagreements between the Trades Guild Masters could easily escalate to military action if tempers were flared.

 

[Varlo]

"yes, that is a concern, and while we may be able to take steps to prevent it, it will never be eliminated completely. But if war does come I say let them try! They've failed every time and that will not change this time." He said with his signature semi wicked semi excited grin. He had always been a little bloodthirsty, not murderous, but he did have a big tendency to go too far when it came to jobs that got him worked up, were a little personal, or when he got angry. He kept it under control for the most part, but it got out ahead of him every now and then.

(so hey, I was wondering, is the tech level on this planet something akin to technopunk or something?)

 

[Sola Wessiri]

"You're great with strategy, I'll give you that. Especially when it comes to the battlefield. It's almost as though you were a God of War yourself!" Sola envied Varlo 's strategic mind and had sometimes wished that training with him would cause it to rub off on her. But so far, it hadn't. The two had fought together in a minir skirmish before; back to back, weapons in hand. They cut through their enemy's flanks as though they were carving bread. And it didn't take much to see how he had enjoyed it. Sola tended to think of the more practical side of things. The battle was necessary, but unfortunate. Yet it wasn't the first time that the Paladins were put to use in that way. And it wouldn't be the last.

"At least we have the night shift, this time. Your gaggle of fans won't be shadowing us." Varlo wasn't easily missed whenever he was in Vossport. He had a presence that just drew in a lot of the younger women. At times Sola felt it herself, yet she tucked those feelings away so that she could focus on their jobs. The protection of Vossport was far more important. As were her Paladin brothers and sisters.

((No they aren't that tech advanced. Most of the tech on the old star destroyers and such that had crashed hundreds of years beforehand died out. Except for what could be found at the Adamite Tower. Vossport has electric lights though in some areas. It's just not that widespread.))

 

[Varlo]

“I’m flattered you didn’t say so.” He said with a grin. His strategies were definitely something to be wary of, since he was never going for what he seemed to be. When it looked lie his goal was to destroy a certain base he’d play that card, sometimes succeed, and a few moments later they’d see that they’d been framed for acts of war against their allies. This usually happened in various strategy games he hadn’t collected to help hone his capabilities.

At the mention of his ‘gaggle of fans’ he let out a laugh. “Awww, jealous are we?”

(So basically colonial age tech with some scavenged futuristic tech?)

 

[Sola Wessiri]

" Varlo I'm surprised that you don't have some plan in mind to force the Lucites out of hiding." She turned her head to him so that she could study his reaction. "Or maybe you do, but you just haven't let me in on it yet." The latter was more than likely the case. Varlo hated failure and the Lucites were extremely elusive. It had always been that way.

Sola was a little jealous of his gaggle of fans, yet she wasn't about to outright admit it. Instead she lightly shrugged her shoulders as they pressed on towards the city. "I find them annoying, don't you? And they alert others that we are coming. It's always better to have the element of surprise. Otherwise I'd of let Shadow come with us." The vask-wolf was her most trusted companion. Yet his size and red eyes tended to draw a lot of attention in the city.

(Yes, that's right)

 

[Varlo]

“Maybe I do maybe I don’t. You’ll be informed when you need to be.” He said with a mischievous smirk. He loved to play tricks and mislead people, particularly his comrade, he thought it was fun watching them try to Puzzle through his phrases, though that’s was less of a trick and more of a statement.

“On occasion they get on my nerves. But more often I find it flattering that they see me to be so desirable.” He said with a grin. “But yes, they tend to be disadvantageous at most times, though if used right, might be a useful tool.”

 

[Sola Wessiri]

Sola met Varlo 's smirk with her own. "Of course I will..." He always had secrets. At times she wasn't sure if she ever wanted him to be completely honest and open with her or not. No doubt if that was the case, there was probably certain facts and aspects about him that she wouldn't like. His cockiness betrayed that a little.

They broke the treeline and the white stone walls of Vossport lay ahead of them, with the Trades Guild Hall standing taller than the rest. "I don't think that you'd have to worry about not being able to acquire a wife and having a family of your own some day. I'm just glad to not be in your shoes. If I had a gaggle of fans following me around, I'd make them stop..." Usually with a look or punch in the face. Either way, she wasn't going to let them get in the way of her duties.

 

[Varlo]

“It’s good to know that you understand me so well.” He said with a smile. He had secrets yes, a lot of them. Mostly because he being so secretive kept people on their toes, it in and of itself was a strategy to keep people guessing.

“Well to each their own. I’ve actually been able to maneuver them in just the right way as Tom make them useful if you remember. So you may want to consider that setbacks are also opportunities. A gaggle of fans, is a gaggle of tools. Not to say I don’t view them as people, just useful people.”

 

[Sola Wessiri]

"And just how is it that you make them useful? What use is there for a bunch of lovesick girls unless..." Varlo wasn't bedding them, was he? Of course such an idea shouldn't bother her, so she couldn't let it.

But now it was time to change the subject. "The warlords haven't been seen or heard from in a while. Just like the Lucites. I wonder if they are planning something together. We should make sure tgat there are no weaknesses to exploit in the city's walls while we're there." Just in case.

 

[Varlo]

"They make a nice distraction. To hold someone's attention to keep their focus off the real threat." He said calmly.

"They might be." He said thoughtfully. "In which case there's no telling what they could have planned. With the warlords having the strength of their armies and the Lucites' uncanny subterfuge and guerilla tactics, without sufficient opposition they could easily bring the world to it's knees. Our best shot at preventing that is to cover all bases then play it by ear."

 

[Sola Wessiri]

A distraction indeed...

Sola listened as Varlo elaborated on her suggestion, and she was very keen on what insight he had to offer.

"And what if we brought the war to the warlords? Instead of being on the defensive, what if we attacked their means to attack us? We could burn their ships and trebuchets, buying ourselves more time to secure our lines of defence. It ciuld be enough of a surprise that they wouldn't see it coming."

 

[Varlo]

“If we go about it the right way, it could work. If we blatantly attack one, the rest will have an excuse to attack us together. So we’ll need to use subterfuge if we intend to do that, pin the attack on another warlord or at least leave no evidence that it was us.”