Private Swords of Foerost

[Laertia Io]

More than 007 years ago...

The Sith Soldiers kept their rifles trained on the door ahead of them. The Jedi had been attacking their operations with a relentless, borderline suicidal ferocity on the outskirts of Sith Space, constantly attacking every attempt to smuggle weaponry to sympathizers in enemy governments. She'd found their deep cover base somehow on an asteroid facility in Sith Space that she had done severe damage too, killing multiple HVT's and millions in military equipment, tanhe tracked their 'other' old, abandoned Castle on Vjun.. She had chosen to send another message to the Sith Empire herself.

It was really horrifically easy for her to do. She had not needed to go on some aggressive sword slashing mayhem (Cool as that was.). Nor had she needed some rediculously overpowered BFG. No. Her instruments had been theirs.

Upon her arrival, the deep cover soldiers and agents there quickly learned how she had so thoroughly destroyed the other base.

She could control their electronics with her mind. She could shut off their blasters. Or overload them if she overwhelmed the other's will.

The very security turrets and HK Assassin Droids they had built to protect them instantly turned on them with a wave of her hand. She had only used her lightsaber when someone had actually been brave or dumb enough to get close.

She had battered their personnel into submission nearly. The last remaining defenders had taken defenses in the experimental weapons lab in the highest tower of the castle.

The remaining Sith Warriors, SF Commandos, and facility officers had taken defensive positions at all great shooting spots in the lab. Where the hell were the reinforcements?!

A green blade punctured the locked down, depowered cortosis weave door. The det charges they had set up clicked off as a large hole was cut in the door. The remaining scientists finished arming the experimental sonic device they had been cooking up.

They spotted a glimpse of her in the hole she cut, clad in her silver and bronze power armor, head and face completely concealed by a visored helmet. They immediately opened fire.

(Character Theme Song Power Up)

(Theme: "For Your Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton)

She teleported behind the shooters, the blaster scattergun mounting and covering her right arm blasting four to chunks, flicking her hand and teleporting a vibroknife to her hand from one of the equipment belts on the first four kills, activating it, and teleporting it point downward onto the head of a heavy gunner, blasting the second and third away when she teleported behind them. Then she teleported on top of a man who had been firing his disruptor at her. The weight of her power armor crushed him as she landed on him, killing him instantly. Her crossguard saber was tossed into the chest of a scientist trying to fire a chaingun at her, then it whipped around the room of its own accord stabbing multiple people, blasterbolts pinged off her armor as she charged into people, slamming them around or shooting them.

A dying soldier managed to flip the switch to the sonic agitator...

(Theme Song abruptly cuts off)

Laertia collapsed in pain, the other soldiers ruthlessly firing on her, starting to blast apart her armor...

Present Day...


Laertia snapped up in her bed within her pink and polka dot colored private quarters. Her photos of the Marksmen were no longer on the shelf. Only photos of her and Moya and her rabbits.

She had volunteered as a diplomat to Foerost, bringing relief supplies for people devastated by slavery under the Sith to a small forest valley of Golden Apples.

She found a note left by her caretaker and her new sister. They had gone to the local Garages to scout for upgrade parts.They would be back later.

Moya had made sure to land them in an abandoned military base close to the minor city they had landed near, at least reachable on foot. The Sith had ditched it, you could tell by all the material they had left behind. They had siezed it, especially the weapons. Some of it was worth thousands of credits if broken down and resold properly.

Laertia had caught a few hours of rest to give her injured brain time to relax. But that nightmare of the day she had gotten her brain damage, or rather, the start of how, had ruined it. She decided to deliver the supplies herself to the valley. Get some fresh air. She even decided to take her pet rabbit Cortosis with her after throwing on her spiky biker leathers.

She had managed to shell out for high quality supplies... ne whole gold colored crate of concentrated Healing Stimulant, loaded onto a repulsorlift trolley.

Plucking the Lightsaber containing the painkilling crystal that gave the glossy, obsidian hilt its black cored, green aura blade, Laertia, her brown furred rabbit hopping faithfully by her side, scooted the trolley down the ramp, locked the vessel, and proceeded to Hysparrudi Valley on a simple foot path leading into the wildlands. There were no enemies...GA had effectively taken care of that so the roads were safe for the moment, free of brigands and the like.

Laertia felt a lightness in the Force, her rabbit keeping a steady, happy pace. Who knows what awaited her here?

As long as it distracted her from the horrible truth she had learned at Kar Shian, Laertia was perfectly happy to be lost in the breeze with her bunny and a lightsaber...

Pash Tafo

 

[Pash Tafo]

Nearly a year and a half had passed since his brief stay at Silver Rest. Pash had thought he sought connection, knowledge. Those who practiced the disciplines of the Matukai were a scattered diaspora, leaving the Force warrior with few peers. So he sought further enlightenment from the Jedi.

He was welcomed, joining the Jedi in their exploration of Ruusan, finding their Temple a place of rest and revitalization. Yet he was not one of them, held at arms length, a welcomed guest, but ill-suited to be named among their number. But there was more, a resolution sought that could not be found with the Jedi. With gratitude for their hospitality, Pash left Silver Rest.

The truth that haunted him, that didn't allow him rest, was a decade old. The ghost of Tara's memory haunted him. The images could not banish, even with the Force, plagued him...

Tara's wan-shen whirled around her in a dizzying blur, blaster bolts ricocheting from its blade in a shower. her raven hair a dark halo whipping around her, she glowed in the light of the incoming fire. The rain of blaster bolts was withering. Pash had raced towards her, nearly a blur himself, desperate to get to his Apprentice. But she could not hold out, and she crumpled in a barrage of gunfire. Pash exploded in a rage as he descended upon the killers, his own wan-shen wielded like lightening as foe after foe were cut down, cleaved in pieces, until the battlefield was littered with severed heads and limbs. Not one corpse remained whole...

But slaughtering her killers did not bring Tara back. Nothing did. So, deep within him, where Pash did not wish to go, was the guilt and anger of losing her. That was what he truly sought to silence, Pash sought redemption, if only in his own eyes.

Yet, he continued the path of the Matukai, to help and serve. Protecting others, lending aid, gave him purpose. Pash had his eyes set on the Outer RIm, where a young alliance was forming from the ORC. But first, he learned of a need in the Deep Core. It was Foerest, recently liberated by the Galactic Alliance and reeling from oppressive occupation. A call had been sent out for aid. Pash crammed every crevice of the old Y-wing with medical supplies from a donor on Duro. The most precious of the pharmaceuticals were sent with the Matukai for safe delivery.

The shipment was delegated for a rural region by the coordinating relief manager, a valley particularly hit hard. Pash would be able to land the Skull close to one of the villages for safer delivery. To avoid alarming the residents, he put the fighter down well outside of town. The aging ship hissed and groaned as it cycled down, the canopy lifting to allow the fresh terrestrial air to fill the Matukai's lungs. Pash leaped down, his boots planting on solid soil. A small smile touched his lips. Pash was not the best spacefarer, and much preferred to be planet-side.

Popping open the small cargo compartment, Pash pulled out his collapsed wan-shen, securing the sheath harness to his back and slipping the weapon's razor-edged head into the scabbard. The shortened haft jutted over his shoulder. A small repulsor sled was retrieved and activated, and the containers of medicines were stacked on the hovering device. Securing the ship, Pash lead the supply sled to a nearby road that lead towards the village.

He spotted a larger delivery of supplies being lead down the road as well. Guiding it was a woman in leather, accompanied by a small mammal. Pash adjusted his course to intercept her at the road.

Laertia Io

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia lazily pushed the cart along, her bunny following quietly. She didn't sense Pash Tafo behind her trying to catch up due to her brain damage reducing her ability to sense threats or life behind and to the side beyond a few dozen or so meters. But she was highly connected to her rabbit, and stopped a moment to feed it a protein pellet, stroking its head as it ate.

She took off her jacket and put it on the cart, revealing a gray shirt with a crosshair on her back, her sense of very morbid humor. She knealt, hugging her pet a moment. Her bunnies. Her caretaker. Her new Sister. Only those she could trust. Maybe Uri too.

The grief at the awful truth she had learned at Kar Shian tore at her and she wanted to be sick. Her rabbit bonded to her by years of love and care and training, sensed her distress and snuggled against her.

Tears spilt on the ground. Laertia forced the pain back. Forced herself to continue. She could still help people. She had a choice.

She stopped petting her rabbit and put her jacket on, still feeling sick inside at the truth. She glanced down at her lightsaber. The relic of the heretical Sith that had altered her at birth hummed with ancient power. She had not understood the power of the heavily altered Ankarres until encountering Themis.

The Light's power was literally twisted around the crystal in a way that was not natural, just like it was around Themis...a Jedi could 'technically' use it but there was no telling the long term effects. Since learning the truth about Themis, Laertia had been tempted 007 times to discard the crystal but the pragmatist in her said it was too useful.

So it remained at her side.

Laertia stopped, sensing a disturbance in the Force. A concentration of hate and suffering.

Her bunny stopped cold as she turned to face the direction it had come from, an old, very crumbled looking watchtower not too far off the main path. Not one to let the Dark Side rest easy, Laertia slicked back her hair and headed toward the tower, feeling the tinges of a death that had occured. It had been a Sith, she surmised as she came across an armored corpse at what was left of the foundation, one who had not died in battle, but unceremoniously with the ceiling crushing his skull. His hate and despair had flooded the area upon his death.

She would quell it. Quell his death throes from the place.

Laertia knealt down, and meditated. She felt the darkness in this place recoil at her light touched presence. She reached out, letting herself be guided rather than control the Light as Themis did.

The pain and death reminded her of all the times she had ever questioned herself in the street about whether she was anything but a vicious killer but she would not dwell on past wounds. She dwelt in the light, and drew on it more, the taint hissing away as it was scoured by the presence of Laertia being guided by The Force...

Eventually the taint faded completely after struggling against her will for five minutes and Laertia was heading back her cart when she spotted Pash.

"Hiyaz!" she spoke uncritically. "Nyce dayyz weez havinz!"

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io

As he drew up to the road, the woman with the cargo greeted him. Her inflection and tone sounded accented, but Pash couldn't place the origin. She was a rather tall and beautiful woman, in spite of the scars that marred the supple skin of her face. There was a...ruggedness about her.

The Matukai also took curious note of the light saber dangling at her side. A Force-sensitive? Few carried such a weapon without the Force to help guide them in its use. Pash's own Force-sensitivity was not overly powerful, but the physical practices of the Matukai, such as his Alchaka, turned his body into a sort of Force antenna to amplify his ability to connect. His practices of the Force were focused on tuning and empowering his physical being, or material objects around him, not the finer arts of sensing the Force. So the stranger's relationship to the Force was a mystery for the moment.

Pash's eyes darted to the pet mammal faithfully at her side before looking up to the woman again. "Hello." He replied with a smile, his gaze turning upwards, as if acknowledging her comment about the day in general.

"It is a nice day, isn't it?" Having just climbed out of a cramped fighter's cockpit after a long journey, Pash had been grateful to simply place his boots on solid soil, let alone note the kind of weather present. He let the sun warm his upturned face for a breath, before turning back to the dark-haired woman.

"I'm Pash, are you heading to the village too?" He asked. "Care for some company?"

 

[Laertia Io]

"I amz heddinz too duh Vyllyage...anndz I'dz beez happiez tuh havvz commpuhnee..." Laertia replied, staving off her embarrassment at her own speech impediment.

"Oh! Myy naymez Io. Laertia Io."

(Clip of Bond Theme Plays)

She saw the weapon in his back. Recognized the shape.

"Nyce Wan-Shen..." Laertia said to him politely. "Iyve reecenntleez brannched intuh pollarrmmz myysellfz."

She began pushing her cart, her bunny following, going to sniff the boots of Pash Tafo in curiosity before hopping to Laertia, who had already guessed what he was but wanted to be sure.

"Arr yooz a Matukai Warriorz? I harrddlee evuh runnz intuh annywunz whoo uzzez a Wan-Shen but Matukai." Laertia asked in fascination, feeling the Force ebb quietly within Tafo. Never mind the fact he had a Wan-Shen. She had only encountered Matukai once before, while still a Padawan. Yes, his was a quiet connection indeed. It was like spotting a Unicorn.

In her it was never quiet. Never ever quiet. Especially of late. The tombstone skinned woman peered about, cybernetic eye going into telescopic as she spotted a bird flying over them, chirping. The whole world was awash in The Force and in pain. Just like her.

"I'mz a Jedi Knyghtz heddinz too duh vyllyage uppz ahedz wyth meddysinz. Dhey suffereddz hevuhleez wenn duh Syth rulledz." She told him as they walked together.

"How'd yooz heerz aboutz Foerost?"

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io

The woman welcomed Pash's company on the road, and the two began again to guide their cargo towards the distant village as the rabbit hopped along. Her speech was still a bit of a mystery, as far as dialect or disability, but Pash could easily understand her and didn't concern himself with it further.

What intrigued him more was that she recognized his weapon for what it was... and what he was. Pash nodded in affirmation, a humble smile touching his lips. She explained who she was, at least enough to explain the lightsaber at her side.

Laertia seemed a bit different than the Jedi he met at Silver Rest. Not that they were all the same, but in her spiked leather and scarred face, she looked a bit more menacing. Her demeanor, however, was far from threatening. Laertia was quite pleasant in fact.

"I have contacts, some with the Silver Jedi for instance, and I heard about the need on Foerost. I had the time so I volunteered. I don't much in the way of room to haul things..." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the old Y-Wing parked a ways off the road. "...but there was a small, valuable load I was able to bring. Bacta, med kits and some specialized medicines." He added, patting the boxes on the small hover sled.

His gaze looked out over the rural landscape, admiring its beauty. "What brought you here, Lartia?" Pash turned the question back on his new companion.

 

[Laertia Io]

"Ohh, I wannted to hellpz orrduhnarree peopullz. I...I wuzzint duh sorta Jedi dhat specialized inn dhat aspekt duringz myy trainningz. I wuz...uzed fer diffrunt tingz..." Laertia answered. "I'mz a memmbuh ov duh Sillvuh Jedi myysellfz. Dhis craytez ov medz wuz all I cudz akkwirez onn shorrtz knowtyce."

The Forest Path began to show brilliant colored flowers as it passed through a large meadow. Her bunny would pause sometimes to sniff one then quickly catch up to Laertia. The village was not far now.

Then its ears perked. It heard something. Sensed something.

Laertia felt it a second later up ahead.

"We gotz compuhneez..." she said under her breath. "Akt norrmullz..."

Bandits dropped from the trees above them after they crossed a certain threshold on the path. Laertia was not caught off guard, as she had engaged in such acts of robbery herself.

They didn't have insignia. She should have expected that. No identity marks. Masks too. Her bunny hopped away on instinct.

"Why hello there!" One robber asked as they were surrounded, secretly unnerved by Laertia's deadpan expression. "These meds are now the possession of The Imperial Enlightenment Protectorate. We--"

Laertia's response was to spring forward and punch him in the gut so hard half his ribs broke. The others stepped back in shock.

"Scrammz. Wun channce." The Knight warned, getting in front of Pash Tafo to shield him from frontal fire so he could protect his rear better.

They began firing on both of them, but Laertia was already teleporting and chucking people into one another with sheer brute strength...still with that grim expression on her face as she maimed one with an eye gouge...so far, none were dead. Laertia was brutally efficient if nothing else...

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io
Laertia certainly didn't seem to be the Silver Jedi type, or a typical jedi. Pash nodded at her comment, finding the battle-hardened woman to be much more amiable than her appearance suggested. He was glad to have her company on the walk to the village.

He noticed the dark-haired woman pause a moment, then again. It was clear there was something that had attracted Laertia's attention, and by her comment to act normal, it seemed the two of them had attracted some attention themselves. Pash followed his companion's lead and continued to walk on casually. But he was preparing his body, deepening his breath, channeling the Force through sinew and muscle, nerve and tissue. As expected, a number of bandits descended from the trees to surround the two offworlders.

They weren't the overtly violent type, Pash surmised, choosing to parley with their 'victim' rather than outright attack to kill. That lack of commitment to kill would make them easier to defeat. Pash remained calm on the outside, coiled like a spring on the inside. As of yet, Laertia had not moved to attack either. Pash almost laughed out loud when the jedi interrupted the leader's mocking comment with a punch to the gut. The tension thickened instantly as the other took a step back. Laertia gave them a chance to escape, Pash knew there was little chance the bandits weren't intelligent enough to see what faced them.

Then the blasters came out. Pash noted how quickly Laertia moved to shield him, and he turned his back to hers to face off the threat behind her.

Pash instantly rolled and bound to his feet, his hand shooting out, employing the Force to slam the bandit closest to him against a tree behind him, knocking him to the ground. In an instant, the wan-shen was in the Matukai's hand and the haft extended with a quick snap, the blade gleaming. Force was sent through the haft to the blade and it began whirling around Pash as he worked to deflect the blaster bolts.

He raced to a second bandit slamming the butt of the pole arm into the man's gut then shoving it upwards to catch the chin, knocking the bandit out. Pash felt a searing pain in his shoulder as a blaster bolt grazed him, and his hand shot out to push the shooter off balance. Pash tucked and rolled to bring him closer to the fallen bandit.

 

[Laertia Io]

It said a lot about how restrained Laertia was being when a combatant only received 'one' broken arm fighting her instead of getting their chest caved in. But Laertia rarely killed Level 2 enemies anymore deliberately. It was more efficient to give them a hospital bill than spill their blood.

A flick of her wrist and she was somehow conjuring vast plumes of gray smoke to interfere with the aim of the shooters, teleporting behind them and tossing them into each other, or tossing pazzaak cards that doubled as throwing knives into weapons, knocking them out of hands. She never drew her saber, as she was still in control of the situation. Only when their will failed and the remainder started to flee did she cease tossing objects and people like a champion pitcher.

Laertia looked at Pash Tafo . He seemed to have things well in hand. When there were no more enemies, Laertia walked over to him.

"Yooz okayyz?" Laertia asked, whistling. Her bunny sprinted out of the woods, nuzzling its head against her ankle.

"Wee shudd getz goinz...wun atak haz a badd habbitz ov leedinz too anuthuhz..." Laertia said, looking over to the leader she had crippled.

"Yoo assk himm whoo hee izz. Hallf duh damm tyme peopullz can'tz unduhstanndz meez." she muttered, turning him over, stripping him over of his sweet loot and punching him awake.

"'Sup, dummee?" Laertia asked in an annoyed mannuh, gesturing to Pash.

"Yoo annswerz everytingz hee askkz. Getz meez?" she growled quietly.

The leader nodded.

Laertia turned back to Pash.

"Heez all yorrz, Warriorz ov duh Matukai.

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io
The figth was over quickly. Pash moved from bandit to bandit, his wan-shen whirling, the butt-end used to incapacitate his foes, as well as a solid fist and a swift foot. He took the smallest moments to note his new companion's efforts, and how she jumped from place to place, like a ship hyperjumping. Smoke too was produced, foiling the shooters. Soon, Laertia and Pash stood in a quiet wooded clearing surrounded by the bandits who were not conscious enough to flee, on had been an obvious leader.

The Matukai's gaze followed the black-clad jedi as she pillaged the man, nodding that he was alright. He agreed they should move on and get the valuable supplies to the village. But Laertia intended to get some information first. Pash nodded again in agreement. The more time he spent with the woman with the strange speech, the more Pash was able to understand her.

With the pole arm still in one hand, Pash grabbed the bandit by the collar and easily hauled him to his feet, slamming him against a tree. The man groaned in pain. He had been one that Laertia had taken down, and was well beaten. "Bold move, one that didn't pay off, did it?" Pash asked calmly, a small smirk touching his lips. Who are you, why are you lurking in these woods, and who do you work for.," Pash asked. It wouldn't do much good to leave the villagers with supplies if there were scum out there waiting to take it as soon as the offworlders left.

 

[Laertia Io]

"The Bandit coughed at the question Pash Tafo posed to him.

"Well, as I was about to say before...before your spiky friend broke my entire left side...we're the Imperial Enlightenment Protectorate...here to oppose...the illegal occupation of Foerost by any means necessary...we ambush convoys of false emissaries like yourselves to keep ourselves supplied, make sure The GA cannot rest easy with their theft. We have a supplier...but you will never find them! We will die before--"

Laertia teleport-dropped a vibroknife point down, a hair from his foot. "Whooopzieez..." Laertia said with a not so innocent whistle.

"He has a castle over looking the village you are going to! I couldn't prove it, but I think he practices the Dark Side! That is all I know!" The man yelled pitifully.

"Seez? Yooz cannz maykez a guddz duhcyshunn whennz yooz tryyz..." (What are you?!: 89 XP) Laertia muttered, getting up and placing electronic restraints on him, taking off her jacket and hoisting him over her shoulder like he weighed nothing.

"Summwunnz inn towwnz myte knowwz hiz fayce. Keepz kwesschunnyngz himmz iff yooz wanntz." She said, her bunny following as she went back to her cart, teleporting all her throwing card knives back to her hand and pocketing them. She walked slowly.

"You fytez pretti gudd, Pash. I cannz tellz yorr Wan Shen skyllz iz a laybur ov luvv. Howwz muchh doo yooz knowwz abboutz duh Foyce? Yoo uze ittz in a reelee yuuneek wayyz. I havv onlee runnedd intuh Matukai wunce buhforr, whennz I wuzz styllz a Padawannz." She spoke. "Yooz cudd uze a littull worrk onn parriez doh. Noz offennz. Othuhwyze ittz wuzz quitez beauuutyfullz tuh waatch. Howw didd yooz becomez a Matukai annywayz? I wuz taykennz inn frumm duh streetz fer traynyngz...doo parrtz tymez wurrk az a maajiishunn nowwz. Guddz gigg, but duzzint payyz az wellz az ittz uzed tooz..."

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io
Pash's new companion proved to be one of the most unusual people he had met. She was in tune with the Force, uniquely employing in her fighting style. And he sensed, though she was certainly skilled enough to have taken out the attackers and leaving them dead, Laertia chose to chose to spare them. While she may appear dark in her spiked leather and scarred face, she was what Pash would call 'good', if unorthodox.

The gang's leader spoke, with some coaxing from the raven-haired woman. He professed to be of the Imperial Enlightenment Protectorate, hangers-on after the liberation of the planet, certainly. But more importantly, the man offered a lead on who was behind forces that still may be troubling the local population. He had a hunch Laertia thought like him, stepping in to help the oppressed when they couldn't help themselves.

And that seemed to be exactly what Laertia thought as she bound the man up and impressively hoisted him over her shoulder. The continued on their way to the village. Pash listened closely as his companion spoke, so he could understand every word she spoke.

"I have to say, I don't think I have met anyone who fights like you." he replied. "I use the Force a bit different than others, for the Matukai, we focus on the Force in our physical bodies, we become a sort of amplifier of the Force, allowing it to encompass and penetrate me. My parents were Matukai." He added.

Pash ignored the man they hauled along with them as he spoke. "You say you were a Padawa, a Jedi. If I can ask, why are you doing side work with a magic act? Certainly your skills are better used in other ways."

 

[Laertia Io]

"Yooz... yooz had payrenntz?" Laertia said enviously. Pash Tafo had met his biological parents. Had been raised by them. She had been forced to acquire a parental figure when none was forthcoming.

At his other question, of why she was doing side work as a Magician, Laertia shrugged.

"Wuzzint allwayyz a Jehdie. Uzed tuh beez a streetz muhjishunn. Nevuh reelee losst dhose skillz. Buhsydez, dhey arr suhprysynglee uzefull skillz innz myy lynez ov wurrk. Slyte ov Hannd. Vanyshingz aktz. Opptykall illushunnz. Itz all leethullz iff uzed correcktlee."

The Village Gates at last came in sight, framed by the great trees all around and people gave a wide berth as Laertia walked past them hauling a full grown man, dumping him into a pile of cattle dung. The village was fairly large and naturalist, with eco architectural and what looked like a number of damaged buildings.

"Annybuddeez knowz dhis fethh?" Laertia asked.

One of them, the Village constable approached.

"Aye. He's been a terrible spot of bother, this one. Bounty for his capture. Worth thousands. He's killed over twelve people in ambushes.

"I ruhfuuse duh reewarrdz." Laertia said, her innate revulsion at the trade of credits for flesh showing itself. "I'mmz heerz tuh donaytez medykall suppliez. Pash heer iz also heer forr duh sayme reezun."

"Then your presence is greatly welcomed. We've had such low supplies for days now."

"Sayz..." Laertia trailed, pointing to the castle in the distance. "Whooz owwnz dhat playce?"

"Count Tycho Dragi, miss. He's been a long time citizen of our fair habitat."

"Howw lonngz?"

"007 years, I believe."

The constable picked up the irritant.

"Manure..." the murderous ambusher coughed, spitting some cattle dung out. "I hate manure."

He was hauled away while others came to take the medical supplies.

(Cutaway of lightning striking the DeLorean.)

"Haa! I aktshullee gotz dhat moovee refferunce!" Laertia chuckled, having seen a production suspiciously similar to the time travel classic recently. She turned to Pash, her bunny snuggled against her leg.

"So Pash...feelz like tesstyngz dhat Matukai trayynyng inn a frenndlee boutz?"

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io

Laertia shared a bit about her self, some directly, like the reason she knew how to perform slight of hand tricks. Some were indirect, like the surprise she showed when she heard that Pash had known his parents. It seemed Laertia didn't get to know hers.

At the village, the unlikely pair were welcomed warmly, for they delivered not only critical supplies, but the leather-clad Laertia dumped their local nemesis in a pile of shyte to boot.

Pash listened as his companion asked about the castle on the hill, the place where the bandit had indicated his employer lived. He glanced at the scarred woman, guessing at what she was thinking. He had known Laertia for only a few hours, but he understood the type of person she was. One that stood up for the underdog, like the villagers.

Having delivered both the medical supplies and a local criminal, the pair were able to relax. When Laertia offered a sparring session, Pash paused and looked over the woman. "That would be very interesting, yes, let's do it!"

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia grinned at Pash Tafo . Here was a sport.

She directed him to a grassy clearing outside the village, her rabbit hopping along getting to a safe distance once Laertia stopped and held out her glossy, straight bladed obsidian hilt and activated it. Its black blade with a green aura shot out to Claymore length and she assumed the fighting stance of The Strong Style, blade held up and vertical.

Laertia cringed in agony, affected by the noise, equilibrium thrown off as her will to live and training forced her up, continuing to fight as she barreled into the first group, still functioning power armor helping her plow through them as she struggled to maintain her balance, saber sawing through their armor as she fought her way to the Sonic Agitator, cleaving it into many pieces as she felt its painful effects cease. She had experienced worse pain on Nar Shaddaa. Still, while the Sonic Agitator was not the worst pain she had experienced, it was up there.

She was still being shot at and could not use the Force however, so she was forced to kill everyone else the old fashioned way, a combination of speed and raw aggression ripping and tearing through her enemies.

Half of the walls exploded and Laertia could only barely dive behind the base of a raised platform to protect her compromised power suit as she beheld an attack shuttle in the rainy sky through a burning lab.

Laertia felt the servos on her power armor fail and she was forced to slip out of it running for her life as the shuttle fired on her with a spray of deadly laser bolts...

Laertia blinked away the memory. The Castle looked remarkably like the one she had gotten her brain damage at...maybe that was what had triggered it...

"Reddee whennz yooz iz!" She called out.

 

[Pash Tafo]

Tag: Laertia Io

Pash breathed deeply as the curious pair and the long-eared rodent made their way to the open grass Laertia had suggested for their sparring. Pash watched as she chose her spot, planted her feet and drew out the gleaming black hilt of her weapon. The blade ignited, the most unusual light saber blade he had ever seen. A smile of admiration touched his lips as he stood back and readied himself.

Reaching back, Pash slid the collapsed wan-shen from its sheath on his back. With an unseen movement, the haft of the weapon extended to its full length. Pash allowed the Force to flow through muscle and sinew, and into the weapon to imbue it with the Force, not only to enhance its lightsabere deflecting ability, but to make it a continuum of his own body. His feet parted a bit more, knees bent and loose, the polearm held in both hands.

Pash recognized the intent of Laertia's fighting stance. Power. He anticipated strong, fierce, driving blows from the spiked leather-clad woman. While his strikes were powerful, Pash's Matukai style was focused around speed and a quick succession of strikes. It would be interesting to see how the two fared against one another.

He studied Laertia's face. She was pretty, in spite of the scarring and she had a good heart, Pash could see that in her actions. And she was a controlled fighter, as he witnessed during the ambush where she could have easily killed every one of the attackers. Now, he would see what it was like to face her in true combat.

With a nod of his head, Pash let Laertia know he was ready to begin.

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia darted forward with a surprising quickness, her blade swinging down at half strength as she wasn't trying to kill him or break his arms, just trying to rip the weapon from his grasp. But he was a sea cobra, this one...she had watched how he danced through the bandits with ballet grace...there had been a fluidity to the combat pattern of Pash Tafo and Uri Udinia that was very similar.

She directed the slash right in the middle of his weapon, to test his reflexes.

"So wutz Matukai Traynyngz lyke?" She asked. "Seez, I mysellf wuz traynned...sorrtaz howw yooz wud traynz a gladdyatur. Itz gottenz too duh pointz I don'tz sleepz wythout a lytesabuh closse byy. Iz itt more intennsive orr morr lernyng azz yoo go? Annd howwz duz duh foyce faktor innz? Duz yorr traynyng offuh anny protekshun frumm duh Darrk Sydez?"

The main reason she had asked this last question was because they were going into a potential Dark Jedi or hidden Sith's territory. She wanted to prepare him in case he had never fought one. Other than that this was just much needed exercise before the real work started...

Meanwhile...

The Jedi ForceSpawn known as Syd Celsius orbited above Foerost in a VT-49 Decimator, preparing herself for the infiltration of Count Dragi's Castle. If she was going to make her dual identity scheme work she was going to commit to it in the long term.

The elderly yet athletic looking woman with long dark brown hair in a white catsuit that had belonged to a victim she was imitating had been prepping the ritual for a half hour when she stopped, sensing the presence of her friend Laertia. She was close to where Syd was going but she couldn't indulge her urge to visit the warrior as she was, nor could she cancel her mission. Count Tycho would be fleeing to Sith Space soon and she could not afford to let him flee.

Syd sat in a meditative position in the main hold, a pentacle with runes surrounding her. She held up Lyli's lightsaber, using a trace of her essence within as the focus.

Her flesh bubbled and rippled on the skeleton, melting and sagging, changing pigment until it reformed on her, taking the appearance of a fair skinned, youthful red headed woman with sharp blue eyes. Syd's mind, that of a Jedi, disappeared under the false persona of a Dark Jedi, in hiding, yet directing the false persona.

Lyli Dragi opened her eyes a slave to the Darkness as always. As far as she knew, she was simply here to visit dear old dad and play a game of catch up...

The smirking "Dark Jedi" headed to the cockpit to initiate landing procedure. Such f7n she would have, betraying her father...