Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Snowflakes in a Blast Furnace

[member="Coryth Elaris"]

A relentless snowstorm rolled over the windswept tundras that were the surface of Rhen Var. Temperatures were almost certainy dropping well below zero on the ice planet as it went on in the day. Deep in the remote tundra sat the village of Gabriel's Refuge, a village of several hundred stubborn, prideful people that dared called themselves Rhen Varites surviving out in the wilderness, braving the icy cold every day. As the day droned on more and more people dissipated off of the well lit streets that were once cleared, now an inch of snow began to form on their surface.

Windows were bolted and doors shut, chimneys choking out thick black smoke into the night sky as fires raged in nearly every building that had a fireplace. Gabriel's Refuge was one of the lesser trafficked villages on the surface and less traffic from the Silver Sanctum Coalition, the controlling force of Rhen Var were not frequent visitors. They traded often and hunted more so far into rural territory, it wouldn't be surprising to see someone skinning an animal out in the backyards of their homes, or carrying them in through the main road that wove its way through the moderately sized towns center, branching off in different directions like a spiderweb.

On paper the Director of Sith Intelligence, Dark Councilor, and Prime Designate of House Zambrano, Darth Prazutis was not on Rhen Var. A thoroughly backstopped fake identity coupled with the greased palms of a few of the contacts over the surface of the planet allowed the Sith to easily pass through. Everyone had a price or some means of coercion after all, and it was childs play to exploit such when in the right place. Darth Prazutis stood inside the basement of a two story building, surrounded by a team of intelligence analysts and officers who worked on a number of terminals set up. It took a long time and substantial resources before an IIA Blacksite could be established. The original owners were blackmailed into selling, and then even more credits bought their silence for good and a nice trip off world.

The building was a front for the operations that went on there and the rural area ensured the minimal presence of SSC Officials bouncing through, it was perfect. The agents were installing backdoors into servers, companies, municipalities, tapping phones and listening into conversations. It was all an incredibly lengthy process of data mining, as analysts would mine information and sift out the useless pieces to find the more valuable ones underneath, the gems. Speaking of gems there were several Intelligence Reports that said there were speculation of Solari Crystals in the nearby caves filled with monsters , the natives chalked it up to myth and legend. Solari Crystals were inaccessible to wielders of the dark side, but they were still sought after for research purposes, and the possibility of tainting one such crystal.

Prazutis walked upstairs to the first floor and deftly slid out the door into the cold. He wore on his head a cap and goggles, while a hefty black scarf sat wrapped around his neck. The Sith had half a mind to will the dreadful cold away with the force, but such a thing would surely cause him to stick out like a sore thumb among the people, and that wasn't possible in his line of work. So it was that he began snaking through the winding alleys and streets. The wind worked hard to force its way through his clothing while snow flaked onto his warm winter coat. Prazutis was used to a multitude of different kinds of weather from scorching suns, to the freezing cold. But Rhen Var for some reason was a cold few could get used to, constant rough snowstorms blanketed the surface seemingly without end.

Normally the Director didn't come out to every IIA Blacksite established around the galaxy, not unless there was a reason to be here. This one was located in the Silver Sanctum Coalition territory and on a planet particularly rich with crystals deep below the surface. One had to be extremely determined to dig through the hefty snow, hard ice, and the earthen rock that lay beneath it all. The One Sith Intelligence had interests in the rare Solari Crystals beneath the surface for research purposes, and potential corruption of said crystals were enough for him to oversee the operation personally. Life for the Dark Councilor was never dull, and he was always busy whether it was on some operation that didn't exist, ruling in the Pacanth Reach, or destroying the enemies of the Empire. But there was something about the silence and serenity of the snowstorms on Rhen Var that felt good.

The later it got in the day the less people that would be out mulling about. It allowed time to think and breath compared to how busy the city-world that Coruscant was. There was a beauty to the snowcapped landscape that wasn't often seen in the Core Worlds. The air even smelled fresher as he walked through the winding streets, a subtle shadow hidden in the rural village.
 
Rhen Var, a frigid world that the tiny redhead would have preferred not to have visited ever again in her life time. It was far too cold, with it's frequent and powerful snowstorms, and bitterly frozen plains. Too cold for her to dream of foregoing protective footwear, in favor of walking barefoot as she preferred.

Sure last time she was here, she'd met her daughter for the first time. Not that, that went particularly well. Seemed like nothing did when it came to her kid. Though that was an extremely complex situation. Either way it made for an awkward return now.

If it hadn't been a need and desire to seek out Solari crystals for her own purposes, she'd have been anywhere else. Anywhere warmer, where thick furs and the warmest of clothing wasn't required. The powerful lightsided crystals had so many uses for not only her, but for Phylis Alince as well. After all Phylis had explored so much with lightsided alchemy, such crystals helped with numerous items, from healing to focusing items, to even just plain lightsaber crystals for force users like herself.

Perhaps a few hours prior, Coryth had touched down near a remote village. Gabriel's Refuge. To the redhead's recollection there had been crystal caves nearby, though those caves were not without their own inherent dangers. It had taken time to find an entrance to the cavern complex, but eventually she did find what she was looking for.

She had gone back to her ship to gather the rest of her supplies. A task that didn't take all that long, and soon the small woman was heading back to the entrance of the cavern. Something caught her attention on the way back across the frozen tundra. There was something in the air, another presence on the wind. Something dark, but distant enough that Coryth wasn't too concerned. At least not yet. Though she wasn't the only one tinged in darkness. Horrific and darker times had left an imprint on Coryth's spirit, a fingerprint on her soul that couldn't be hidden regardless of how much she had tried. It was a mark that always would be there, just like the physical scars she still carried from her torture, among other things. She'd just done her best to make up for her own darker deeds and past.

[member="Darth Prazutis"]
 
There was a presence on the cold wind, a powerful presence in the force in the distance. However there was a familiar darkness, a very small presence was but it was there. Darkness was something Prazutis was quite familiar with. This particular force presence was strong, surrounded by the light but at the same time there was a small imprint of darkness, a scar on the individuals soul.

Prazutis own soul was corrupted by the black power of the dark side of the force, a power he surrounded himself with day in day out. The dark side pumped through his very veins due to the empowerment of Darth Apparatus known as [member="Soeht"] and the items he wore, Valthris the Dark Crystal pulsated with dark energy. For years he had been enamored in the mystical power of the dark side, the time when it didn't flow through his veins seemed almost alien, distant. It was a time before he was Darth Prazutis, when he was just Braxus Zambrano, the mercenary trying to make his way through the world.

That individual without purpose was weak, naive, he didn't have the power to take what was his. The presence was still far off, he would have to keep a watch on it to make sure it wasn't going to be a problem. According to Sith Intelligence the cave complex was close by, agent analysts back at the blacksite already gave him the coordinates to the cave entrance. Prazutis walked to the outskirts of town and grabbed his speeder, taking off towards the complex.

It took a few minutes for him to ride to the entrances of the cave complex, according to his knowledge there were approximately two entrances that went in. Both entrances were relatively close to one another, but still out of view of each other. Once he stopped at the large snowcapped cave, the darkness within illuminated by the bright sky of the surface, he couldn't help but hone in on the force presence. Whoever it was, was close and going deeper into the same complex of caves. Prazutis could feel them through the force, and through the racial senses of Anzati that allowed him to feel the life essences of others.

He knew for sure it wasn't a Sith, the dark side was only a small scar on their very soul a remnant of a dark time. Those who embrace the dark side and later turn from its ways are forever scarred by its power, greatness came at a price. Whoever it was appeared to be powerful in the force, very powerful. He had all of his weaponry including his lightsaber on him, if they presented a threat, he would be ready.

[member="Coryth Elaris"]
 
The cave entrance lead to a tight tunnel at a steep incline. The kind of space that would have made most folks a tiny bit claustrophobic. In this case, her tiny petite frame, a clear advantage as she traversed the passage. After a long walk with her back hunched over, doing her best to keep from bumping her head on the ceiling of the cave, she finally came to a small open room. There she breathed a small sigh of relief, happy to be able to stand upright again.

A frown soon crossed her lips, that same dark presence, she could sense it closer now. Fantastic. She thought to herself. It wasn't what she wanted to deal with today. However, as far as she knew, there was only one entrance to the caverns. So, going back the way she came seemed unwise.

Shifting her lantern about, the walls sparked and glittered from tiny crystal formations. The light reflected and bounced around the room in a few places a bit like a prism showing off rather dazzling effects. Coryth knew, this room, these crystals were still too young and small for her purposes. Not only that but they were ... ordinary when she needed extraordinary. There was hope to find a Solari crystal or two. Items she hoped to return to her good friend with.

Something was off though, outside of the dark force user nearing her area. There were something else. A sense of possible danger that held no relation to that problem. The redhead naturally assumed it must be something of the creatures within the cave system, and not something much bigger. It after all, seemed quite logical.

With a glance behind her, the redhead pulled her saber from her belt - just in case. There was no telling what she'd experience. Sighing softly, Coryth pressed forward into the cavern, knowing what she needed would be much further along in the system. So slowly, she moved on through the darkness, a little more on edge now.

[member="Darth Prazutis"]
 
Prazutis walked down the tunnel hunching over as the long, dark passage narrowed. In this instance his size was a clear disadvantage. These tight and short tunnels would put him at an absolute disadvantage were someone, or something to ambush him in the darkness. However natural cave tunnels such as these tended to expand suddenly, and quickly so while it narrowed now it was sure to open up at some point. While the Sith Knight walked he couldn't help but shake that presence getting closer and closer, with each step into the cavern it was brought closer to him.

He hoped whoever it was wouldn't end up being a problem in his travels, but it seemed that it was doomed to be a problem. Prazutis on one end expected such problems, he was in Silver Sanctum Coalition Space after all. The Jedi seemed to have a tendency to constantly meddle in the affairs of the One Sith. However it couldn't have at all been a coincidence that someone was heading to the same caves as he was, and they were powerful in the force. However the force did work in mysterious ways, he often spent quiet, peaceful times contemplating such notions surrounded by the power of the dark side.

Prazutis carefully drew the saber from his belt and stepped out into a large central chamber deep within the rock. A light shined from the tunnel opposite of his own, a light of some kind illuminating the way of whoever was approaching. While they did have light Prazutis had no need for it, his helmet providing vision in the darkness. Like a phantom he crept to the sides of the chamber, now swelling with so much dark side energy it would be impossible to pinpoint his exact position. As the person, a woman rounded the corner Prazutis choked down a laugh.

A short beautiful red haired woman clad in winter clothing, a saber gripped in her one hand and a lantern in the other. Clearly he wasn't the only one expecting trouble in this cavern, he couldn't help but be curious of the woman. Size didn't matter when it came to the force so whether she was short, or the tallest woman in the world she shouldn't be underestimated. "How interesting, a Jedi stumbling around in the desolate caves of Rhen Var, you're far away from home. Welcome to the darkness, jedi."

[member="Coryth Elaris"]
 
Coryth kept moving slowly, her eyes searching the walls of the caverns, seeking the crystals she wanted so badly. Such wonderful objects for lightsiders like herself. Still now, she couldn't help but feel a darkness looming. That being she'd sensed was close now, far too close. She rounded the corner and finally saw exactly who it was she'd been sensing as the light from her lantern danced over him and his armor.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked to him. "Jedi?" She chuckled, somewhat amused. "That assumes a lot. I am a lightsider, so I must follow the rules and dictates of the Order?" She shook her head. "The term Jedi merely suggests a rule-set, a religion. One that not every lightsided being in the galaxy follows." Sure, once upon a time she had followed their beliefs and been a part of their order. However, that was a long time ago, before she'd been used and abandoned by them. While she had been faithfully there to serve them, when she'd needed them most, they weren't there. "Don't assume that I am, what you think I am. It would be ... unwise." She was not wanting trouble, but highly suspected it would come to that.

That same danger she had sensed earlier, was growing more urgent. But now, now she could at least tell it had less to do with him. And more to do with the caves themselves. And before she could get much further in through, something that sounded like an explosion rumbled through the caverns as rock snapped and shifted. Now the redhead understood. And there was no easy way out of this as stone could be heard tumbling and falling.

Given the direction of the sound, from behind them both, and her own senses of where safety might be, Coryth without much thought reached out to give him a slight push in what felt like the right direction as she darted behind him and through the cave space onto the next room. Damn her life saving instincts. She might later regret the attempt, but only time would tell. "Run!" At least there was enough room to stand upright along this path, allowing for quick movement. With some manner of luck they might survive the initial cave-in.

[member="Darth Prazutis"]
 
Prazutis gripped the lightsaber tightly in hand as he eyed the powerful force user, choking back a grin at her comments. He never underestimated the skill of the woman, and while admittedly he did make an unhealthy assumption he was glad it was wrong. Not all lightsiders were pious, short-sighted fools like the Jedi. While this one was short in height, the power contained in her little frame was utterly deceiving. Whoever this was standing before him was powerful in the force, more than making up for her smaller and weaker frame.

However while he planned his next move against the redhead his mind suddenly tingled with alarm. Suddenly he could feel the tremors deep in the earth, the rumbles that echoed through the cave complex. The walls just began to shake as pieces began to fall from the roof, the calm before the storm. But just as his mind was momentarily distracted trying to discern the scale and origins of the eruptions, the redhead pushed him. Prazutis stumbled backward as hefty rocks crashed down where he once stood, narrowly avoiding being smashed in the head by the heavy sharp rocks, the lightsider saved his life.

The gargantuan Sith Knight didn't have time to ponder what was going on or why as more powerful tremors exploded around them, and as quickly as he could ducked down the corridor that she went, clipping his lightsaber to his belt. They ran away from the entrance he took in that was as they moved caving in. It was in these situations he cursed his large imposing frame, for the redhead was able to quickly move through the tunnels with a speed he could not match due to his size. The woman's light was still in sight as she moved further ahead.

As the tremors became less and less severe cutting them off from the entrances both used to get in here, the two of them found themselves in a large dark chamber, the shadows reaching out like creatures in response to the woman's light. As he approached her Prazutis couldn't help but feeling something was off, danger still screamed in his mind. As if on cue the womans lantern soon began to flicker rapidly, it hit him. The bright light caused him to shut off his night vision, and in doing so he wasn't able to spot the threatening creature stalking but a few feet from her.

Prazutis ran in a charge towards Coryth his full mountainous bulk bearing down upon her as she turned back towards him. In any other situation it would have looked like an all out attack on the woman, but not this time. "Move now!" Prazutis shoved her aside just in time. A large hulking feline creature, its fur white as snow with large sharp teeth and wicked claws snarled lunging in the air towards her. She had saved his life back during the cave in and he owed her a debt. It was exactly the reason why he didn't let her get torn apart by the large beast. Prazutis's anger exploded, fueling his powerful muscles with the black power of the dark side as he grappled with the beast.

Its claws gored through his armor and tore a pretty substantial gash in his shoulder, a feral snarl escaping his mouth as crimson blood bubbled from underneath. The tiger was rapidly snapping at his face, its massive bulk held back by the titanic Sith. A feral roar escaped his lips as he drove his feet into the ground like pistons, driving the tiger hard against the wall. The creature yelped quickly as it crashed against the wall, but that wasn't its moment of respite. Prazutis spun the beast down and brought it to the ground. He unclipped the lightsaber quickly from its belt and brought a powerful strike down on its head, impaling his crimson blade through the scrambling creatures large skull.

The man deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt, his breathing heavy. The anger faded and immediately a powerful pain shot through his shoulder, his large gift from the claws of the tiger. "Were even." He said, gritting his teeth as he rested his back against the wall holding his shoulder gushing with blood.

[member="Coryth Elaris"]
 
Such an action to save another life, their alignments had never come into her mind when she pushed him out of the way of the massive stones. Lives to her were always what came first. Save the life, and maybe save the person later on. After all, there were few in the galaxy who deserved nothing but death without question. This man, wasn't one of those. At least not at that moment in time. Not only that, she'd have sorely regretted just letting the boulders crush him, such a horrific death.

As she darted through the cavern tunnels, Coryth didn't look back to see if he was still behind her. Surely if it was smart he'd have kept up with her and not taken any detours. The tremors were beginning to die down a little, the rumbling and crashing growing less and less by the minute.
Something wasn't right though as she came to a stop in another open cavernous space. She could still sense a heavy imminent danger. Her attention turned to the stranger. She somehow expected it to come from him. After all, it seemed the most natural and likely idea. It was then that he charged her.

The redhead's eyes widened, pulling her saber from her belt. Before she could ignite it she came to understand exactly what he was doing. Coryth stumbled to the side. Her knees buckling beneath her which left her solidly on the stone floor. Everything happened so quickly, so fast. Before she could really fully appraise the situation it was all over.

Slowly she rose to her feet. His wound, she could feel it from where she was standing. That kind of pain radiated out like a beacon to the healer. And even as he leaned against the wall, at the edges of her lantern light, she could see the blood gleaming in the shadows. The woman sighed heavily. This wasn't how this day was suppose to go. That was for sure. From her pack she removed a handful of supplies, aimed at cleaning his wound. "Let me see your shoulder, please. That I can mend. The last thing I need is for you to bleed out and die here. Stars know how long we'll be trapped."

Reaching up she pinched the bridge of her nose as she glanced back the way they'd came. The tunnel was completely sealed. "Because it seems our way back out on this side is now blocked." There wasn't much point in playing good versus evil here in the caves. Not when it would achieve little and reduce both their chances of making it out alive. "The real worry is infection." She said softly, taking a few steps closer. "Infection from feline claws are some of the most dangerous in the galaxy."

Another sigh, "You got a name?" Might as well pass the time with a small bit of conversation.

[member="Darth Prazutis"]
 
Prazutis was certainly no stranger to pain many years of battle, and ruthless training under the Black-Iron Tyrant honed his conditioning in regards to embracing pain. Prazutis's shoulder throbbed with pain while crimson blood gushed through the gashing wound made by the tigers claw. The pain was substantial but good did come out of it. Anger, hate, all of which now burned like a radiant sun. the pain dulled away but it certainly didn't stop the blood from spilling out of his shoulder.

He looked over to the redheaded woman he just saved from being eaten by the tiger, and a surprised look formed on his face. Prazutis was enamored in the power of the dark side and a clear enemy by organization standards. But yet who they pledged allegiance to didn't seem to matter when their very survival was at stake. The woman was already getting her healing bandages and the like out, as if he already had accepted her offer of healing, if it fact it was an offer.

Prazutis sighed and knelt down to allow Coryth to work on his shoulder, the battle of Jedi versus Sith could wait for a more appropriate time. In here killing one another would mean nothing, except ensuring the death of the other. "It seems the only way out of this cavern is through." Prazutis replied to the woman. He nodded as she spoke about the infection from the feline claws, and replied "I've been through worse." It would take more than a tigers claw to bring him down a peg or two. "Braxus."

[member="Coryth Elaris"]
 
Coryth was grateful he didn't resist her attempt to help. A wound like this could be lethal if one wasn't careful and she knew that too well. Sith and Jedi, the mix of old battles between two mortal enemies could wait until after this passed. For in here they needed one another for protection and to aid one another in getting out. Differences had to be set aside if both were going to to survive. For if not, both would surely perish.

From her bag she pulled out a cleansing sterile water solution. Though this one was unique to her. With art of the small she had managed to give her own tears unique healing properties. And in this bottle with sterile water, and her tears sterilized, were mixed to help clean wounds and begin the healing process. Something she had learned long ago from a holocron of Vergere. "I agree." She said quietly, her mind mostly focused on gather the supplies she needed from her bag to properly mend him.

"I've no doubt you have." Her own sleeve fell back exposing the massive twisted pattern of crisscrossing scars that were deeply etched in her skin and clearly they went much further than just her forearm. "Braxus, I'm Coryth." Her voice warm and gentle like something you'd expect of a tender loving mother.

Gently she moved back the armor around his shoulder and pushed away the underlying materials to get a clear area in which to work. The bottle she brought up to show him as she opened it, "Sterile water, and tears that have been enhanced with Art of the Small to help heal and destroy harmful bacteria." She then carefully poured it over the wound washing away blood and any possible infectious materials.

After that she laid her hand gently over the wound, blood seeping over it. Though that she didn't mind. Closing her eyes, she focused her force energies on the wound shrinking her focus down to the smallest possible level, right down to cells to help speed them to heal more quickly. While she would not be able to seal the wound completely, at the least she could ease some pain and seal it enough not to be a bother.

After a while she remove her hand, the wound much smaller, the bleeding nearly stopped. From there she gingerly covered the wound and then used a larger roll of gauze to hold it in place and allow him greater movement. "Try not to overdo it with it. Be careful or you can tear the wound completely back open."

Then there was one last thing to address as she put her things back in her pack. "Thank you for saving me."

[member="Darth Prazutis"]
 

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