The Breaking Dawn [Sio]

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Boldly the droids flew and well until they crashed into the ground, being rendered nonfunctional and looking rather wrecked. Presumably Siobhan had plenty of cheap, mass produced droids lying around somewhere, so blowing up a dozen or so during training was no big loss.


Well, that or she bought retro TradeFed droids at the scrap heap. They had been sort of 'in' last season. Meta commentary aside, Siobhan brushed some dust off her back and flashed Aba a smile. The girl's reaction was...just totally adorable and cute. Besides, Siobhan had a bit of an ego and liked to get it stroked sometimes!


"Aww, thank you, angel," she said very brightly. "With enough time and practice, you'll be able to do that. It won't make you withstand heavy blasterfire from an entire platoon or an artillery strike, but it will help you a lot. A telekinetic defence is adequate in defending against all Force offensives. Trick lies in maintaining the focus and concentration required to keep your guard up. Now, catch your breath, take your time...then focus and form up a strong defence. Visualise it in your mind, using whatever image works best for you, the will it. Tell me when you're ready," Siobhan ordered. Of course, Aba had already been pushing herself a lot before, but in a way this was a test as well. Training was all about finding one's limits, testing and ideally surpassing them. As usual Siobhan would be operating on the principle of gradually increasing the difficulty of the exercise. While throwing in some unexpected attacks as a test.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Although Abaigeal was beginning to tire, her excitement for the training kept her going and after seeing what Sio could do in order to protect herself from such attacks only increased her desire to learn. But what imagery to use? she stood in thought for a moment, considering what was close to her and meaningful. And soon a thought came to her. She remembered her black orchard, sitting in a pot waiting for her to come and tend to it. A strange thing that is, to be able to connect to that plant and why it had chosen her was yet to be discovered.

Abaigeal, stood ready now, concentrated on the image of the black orchard .. and it's petals. The force is pulsing around her, as she summon it to her as she placed in her mind the orchard, she folded the 'petals' around her body, as if the flower had closed around her to engulf her entirely. She left like she was in a cocoon, safe and warm .. protected. Also as if ... it was a return to the womb.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


This one has decided that Siobhan really needed to met Aba's black orchid. Fun fact, the Countess loved orchids. She even talked to her plants.


In any case, Siobhan waited patiently whilst the girl erected her Force barrier, giving her time. Time that was also used to scan the shield. Every wall had weak spots, after all. One might say that the key point lay less in creating a totally impregnable barrier than in being able to sustain it against pressure and quickly compensate for the weaknesses once they were identified, knowing just when to pour in more energy to strengthen and sustain it.


"Good. Trust yourself, trust the Force," she said calmly. Then suddenly her outstretched hand erupted in a brilliant stream of blue-white lightning, shooting towards Aba. Force Lightning, perhaps the most common power amongst Sith and darksiders in general. One Darth Vornsrkr was very proficient in, as Siobhan had herself learned on Wayland.


It was obviously strongly toned down compared to the scalding hot, electrical judgement Siobhan usually employed. After all, she did not want to inflict serious injury on Aba that would necessitate visiting a hospital or getting healed up by Eileithya. However, while not designed to inflict extreme pain, the stream would be continuous and put a good deal of pressure on her barrier, as the desire was to test it.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

The words of encouragement from Sio enhanced her confidence and so too, the force barrier. But when the lightning hit, Abaigeal drew in her breath with the sudden shock. The fizzing arc hit her barrier which trembled as the lightning tried to break through, Abaigeal pulled on all her strength to maintain it, which it did for now. Fighting the urges to release the barrier and attack was great, the force pounding through her body screamed for her to take up her saber but Abaigeal resisted and tried to concentrate on the lesson.

A small 'crack' in the barrier began to form, her mind holding but with great effort and chinks began to show, it was like a knife with a thin blade, a scaple cutting at her flesh. She began to tremble, the image of the incisions cutting her skin formed in her mind. No! He cannot win!

Abaigeal pushed away the thought of the torture and focused once more on the petals of the black orchid. The barrier mended somewhat but still the lightning broke through and hit her arm. Abaigeal let out a yell of pain, her body drinking it in and she grinned, almost enjoying it. She wondered .. she wondered if rather than push this form of energy away from her by the use of a barrier ... if she could actually harness it, use it to turn back on her foe. Allow her body to take it, learn to take it ... was that possible?

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Siobhan did not relent, but instead continued blasting Aba with bolts of lightning, increasing their strength a bit. She saw the struggle inside little Aba as the girl tried to maintain her barrier, then her pain when the blast of electricity hit her arm. However, there was something else that did not escape her attention, Aba's body seemed to be enjoying the experience...


Maybe this was due to something Kaine had done to her? As it happened, Siobhan was in the dark about Aba being partially a Sithspawn, though she did feel a bit odd in the Force. However, at this juncture Aba would suddenly feel Sio's voice brush against her mind. "Everything around you is energy, so is the Force. All life runs through channels of energy. Release your energy, match it, draw it in. With that you can dissipate even lightning. You can even harness it." Basic tutaminis, which according to Wookieepedia was taught to Jedi initiates.


On absurdly high levels, you could use it to block a lightsabre with your bare hand or use electrical discharges and blasterfire salvoes to fuel your own power, though obviously there was a limit to how much the human body could absorb. And in order to make things a bit more difficult, the stream of lightning turned into an AOE attack as the single arc suddenly split into several ones. Now the lightning came at Aba from multiple sides, resembling claws. Lightning, lightning everywhere! Somewhat over the top AOE spam was Siobhan's calling card.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

She heard the words in her mind, a soft voice of Sio touched her very essence. It made sense, an understanding of all living things, how it works in conjunction with one another, a dependency that will live for eternity never one without the other or else everything will die. Light and dark, life and death. Drawing from within, she could sense the force deep in her core, twisting around her body fueling her mind and limbs. Abaigeal opened her eyes, a flicker of energy dwelled within the center, and flashed yellow. The darkness in her rising to the top, securing the force barrier even more. It is the place from where Abaigeal draws her strength. Her blood line.

A snarl crossed her lips, she eyed Sio willing her to increase the power, feeding off it .. it was intoxicating. More! she replied to her mentor .. Give me more! It was like a craving, a wanting .. a lusting for power. And not the reply Sio would have expected.

She bared her teeth in a smile not friendly but threatening .. and her eyes set to yellow. Fixed ..

Suddenly, Abaigeal released the barrier and the lightning hit her full. Her body reacted immediately, the pain filling her and her sith blood relished it. She let out a cry of pain .. but the cry spoke of a desire, and she began to laugh before collapsing to the ground .. her body writhing.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Hmm. Ok. That's...unexpected and a bit weird. Well, that was probably stating the obvious. Siobhan had expected a number of things. For instance, she would not have been surprised if at some point during the electrical barrage Aba had lashed out against her with her power. Perhaps tried to reflect the lightning bac at her or assault her with telekinesis.


She had certainly expected the barrier to falter at some point and for Aba to collapse to the ground. However, she had definitely not expected Aba to enjoy being blasted. It was as if the pain had given her fuel, become something she relished and craved as if she fed of the dark power Siobhan was unelashing against her. There were certain Sith techniques that were based on this principle, but this did not seem like something she had learned. Rather it appeared to be inherent to her.


The look she had given Siobhan, the way her teeth were bared and her eyes turned yellow, seemed almost feral. The lightning dissipated and Siobhan immediately rushed towards Aba. Well, as much as she could given the fact that she had annoying limp. The girl had collapsed and so Siobhan bent down and craddled her. "You left out of the job interview that you like being cooked with lightning. It's a tad unhealthy," she joked lamely as she ran a hand across Aba's hair. Her words were flippant, but concern was etched across her features. "Are you alright, dear? Are you hurt?"

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Abaigeal lay on the ground stunned. The reason twofold, firstly because of the shock from Sio's lightning but because she had not experienced this .. this wanting for the pain. The power that came from it and she was scared. As Sio came to her and cradled her, Abaigeal looked up into her eyes, full of concern and caring just like a mother would. "I think .. I think I am alright", she was in fact she felt alive, even though her body twitched a little.

"What happened?", she asked but deep down she knew .. her blood still relishing the experience. "I think I need to tell you something, about my parents .. well, my father". She added, as she managed to sit up and as time passed the feeling left her. Abaigeal rested her hand on Sio's arm, gave her a weak smile. "My father, you may know of him, Syn. He is sith spawn and so I have his blood and his .. heritage". She breathed laboured, and sat there not know how Sio would take this, it was all she could manage to say at this point.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Err, you kind of acted like me when Tegs or Mirien give me a good whippin' at night, Siobhan thought to herself, then quickly decided that was not the thing to say to the child! At least she would not have to give Aba the birds and bees talk thanks to Elpsis.


So she gave Aba a good one-over, checking for any sign of injury and pulled he closer, hugging her against her body. "It's ok, sweetie. I'm here," she said in a soothing tone. She had almost said 'mummy's here', but then caught herself just in time. "Well, you got blasted with lightning, your eyes turned yellow and you looked like you were enjoying it, feeding off the pain." Then Aba dropped her bomb shell about her heritage. Siobhan was quiet for a moment, then stroked her hair.


"Syn? Yeah, heard of him." Actually she had met him once but this one does not think she knew who he was then! "You know, given some of the employees Firemane has, a Sithspawn is not even the weirdest." A very lame joke, but an attempt to lighten the mood a bit. "It doesn't change anything about you, dear. Far as I'm concerned. You're still my little angel. We'll just have to work on control, so that you're the one in the driver's seat and not your heritage."

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

She clung to Sio, as tears welled up in her eyes. But could not help but laugh through them as Sio tried to break tension. It worked and Abaigeal relaxed more. "I need, I need to learn to control it, or I can't be what I want to be or do .. them". She managed to sit up on ground ... "My body relishes it, drinks it in, the pain. I grow stronger and it frightens me".

"Oh .. what a basket case you have taken on?", she made an attempt at her own joke. "But I see the potential. I do but just don't know how". Abaigeal leaned forward, her arms around Sio's neck and she buried her face in her hair. Looking for comfort not only of a friend but that of a mother. "I miss her, you know", she whispered. "I don't, feel the guilt anymore, but still I miss her. I also know .. I would do the same if ... I was to be placed in the same position".

Abaigeal pulled back and looked into Sio's eyes. "I have my mother in me as well", she smiled, that is the heritage that will see her achieve her desires and goals.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Dear, one of my minions is a hammer-wielding lunatic who's a 'demigoddess' and the daughter of Ashira. I'm Force-bonded to a lovely brunette who used to be a Sith serial killer before she lost her memory. Another of my employees is a pregnant amazon on the run from her tribe who want to steal her baby. And once upon a time Coryth wiped out a whole town. You're basket case level is not that high, Siobhan thought to herself, but wisely refrained from saying that to little Aba!


Instead she held Aba, using one hand to rub soothing circles across her back. Well, Siobhan hoped that she was being soothing. "Yes, you do. It hurts losing her. She gave her life for you...but she's still there. In here." At that one had snaked down to rest upon Aba's chest, specifically above her heart.


"And she'll always be with you. You're her legacy, her little angel. You made some bad choices, but you're bettering yourself, you've come a long way and I'm sure if she's watching she'll be proud of you. And, well, I'm here for you." The last few words came out a bit awkwardly, but they were clearly heartfelt. "You will learn control, dear. We all have a darkness inside us. Key thing is what we make out of it, how we control it. Believing that you can do it is half the battle. What did your mother tell you that you should do?"

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]


"She would have told me to be true to myself, to lie to yourself is to lie to others, the ones that care for you that love you". She smiled thinking of her mother before she looked up to Sio. "She would have told me something like you just did, to believe. Believe you can do it, believe in yourself and your abilities. Not just force abilities but self values as well".

Abaigeal pulled Sio into a hug, her face near her ear, "I love you very much, you are a very kind person". She whispered, before pulling back to give a beaming smile. "It is going to take a long time but I will do it, I will control this darkness in me. I want to be a Jedi Sio. Like my mother, I want to follow the light".

Abaigeal stood up now with the help of Sio, her mind drifting to the woman before her, "May I ask you a personal question? .. do you have a daughter .. a child? one of your own".

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


"Your mother was a wise woman," Siobhan spoke softly, stroking Aba's hair. "I love you, too, sweetie. And...I believe you'll make a great Jedi one day." Yes, Siobhan was a thoroughly unrepentant Dark Side practitioner. She also did not want Aba to succumb to her own darkness, so her going light side would make her happy.


With some help from Siobhan, Aba stood up. "Yes, I have two daughters. [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] and [member="Natoline Kerrigan"]. I adopted both of them. Long story, I can tell it to you if you like. Lovely girls." There was a strong note of fondness and affection in her voice when she spoke their names, but then she paused, feeling a bit awkward. "I, uh, don't know how you feel...but you're like a...daughter to me as well."

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

She brushed away some to of the dirt on her clothes, her mind thinking about what Sio had said about her family. "I would like that, I would like to know how you met your daughters, maybe when we get back home". Abaigeal suddenly thought of a nice warm bath and good food. And maybe sitting on the sofa next to Sio as she told her stories. That sounded like a great night in.

Sio is her master and mentor, her adviser and friend. As she mention that she sees Abaigeal as a daughter, this struck a nerve with her. Never could her mother be replaced, nor would Sio want that, that much Abaigeal knew of the woman. But to have someone that loved and cared for you was something all girls want and need and if the change is presented to those that have lost mothers ... it is one that should never be passed up. Deep down Abaigeal knew her mother would be happy if this was to happen.

She looked to Sio and smiled. "Maybe one day I can meet them, your daughters. And I think of you as my mother as well". The relationship is a growing one and over time would grow even stronger, as there was still much to learn about one another.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Siobhan could obviously not replace Iella. Her birth mother would always be in Aba's heart, but then that wasn't what Sio was trying to do. Truth be told, part of her could not help wonder whether Iella would approve of the way she was raising Aba. After all, Siobhan was an open Dark Side practitioner and she had never met the woman. It would not stop Siobhan from trying though. In any case, her lips curved into a very bright, genuinely happy smile. For the record, this one finds the image of Aba and Sio being curled up on a sofa together totally adorable and thinks the thread should end that way!


"Thank you, dear. That makes me very, very happy. My little angel. I'd love for you to meet my little girls. Maybe we can do something fun together," she said feelingly, seemingly overcome by emotion. Spontaneously she pulled Aba into a hug and planted a kiss on her forehead. She looked just a bit embarrassed and a slight pink hue spread across her cheeks when she withdrew, but she still looked joyful. "Wanna take a break from training and get something to eat at the cantina? We can play with guns and blow stuff up later. Maybe work on mental defence training a bit."

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

It was nice to feel Sio's arms around her. The gentleness of her kiss as soft as any feather yet full of emotion and love. It warmed Abaigeal's heart, she did not feel so alone anymore. Her hands rested on her arms and she rubbed more out of gratitude for the words she spoke. "Angel?", she smiled, "I am no angel", but Abaigeal loved the name.

At the mention of food, Abaigeal was reminded that the last time they had eaten was breakfast and it is now well past midday. "Yes that would good .. I could do with something to eat".

One thing Abaigeal needed more than of the training was to be able to use a mind barrier, this was some thing lacking in her and does not have the natural talent some possess. Her mother was that good at it either, guess it runs in the family.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


"Yes, you are one. You're an angel to me," Siobhan insisted firmly. "Maybe with cute little horns and black wings," she joked. Siobhan's sense of humour tended to be very corny. Probably because she also secretly read corny romance novels. The sort no woman would ever admit to actually owning! However, regardless of that, though she was perhaps trolling a little bit the words were heartfelt.


For her part Siobhan could use some food as well since they had been training for quite a while, so she gave Aba a smile and started leading away from the training grounds towards the cantina. When they were back, give or take a few posts, they could work a bit on mind barrier and other mental defences. Of course, there were limitations about what Siobhan could show her since while she was good at defending her mind, her offensive mentalism was lacking. But it would probably suffice for now.


They passed some Firemane employees as they walked. They usually tended to salute Siobhan as was proper, though some glanced curiously at Aba. Presumably some were trying to decipher what role she played now. The unitiated observer might be forgiven to thinking that she had joined Siobhan's harem, since she looked a lot older than she was, though the thought is wrong on so many levels given their actual relationship. Or maybe she was another waif and stray the Countess had decided to adopt as a daughter.


This one finds the thought of Aba discovering that a tabloid had written a presumably totally inaccurate article about her hilarious. In any case soon they would enter the cantina after passing through the main building, which was a hub of activity as usual. Here and there a minion was so impertinent to bother Siobhan with totally important paperwork that absolutely needed her signature now! Since there was a kid around, she had to try to be somewhat proper since she had to set a good example for the child.


But then they found a space inside the cantina, which was your typical corporate/military style establishment that catered to the soldiers and civilian employees of Firemane. Needless to say they got the best seat. A waitress came to take their orders for drinks and food. "Order what you like, sweetie. I'm paying."

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

The interaction between Sio and all her workers played out before her. Abaigeal would stop when Sio did, even if she had to partake in mundane of signing papers for purchase or orders. The running of Firemane an endless task Abaigeal assumed, and Sio had more to contend with than this. All these workers relied of Firemane for their livelihood, feeding of their families and so on. As much as Fireman is a place that develops weapon of mass destruction with only one intent to their purpose, Abaigeal realised it was a necessity. Especially considering all the wars going on at the moment. Would a time of peace ever be realised? if it did it would not be for long. Sentients never work that way.

They entered the canteen and Sio walked with authority to the table, the best seat in the place by far and Abaigeal had to admit, she liked it. Her order place, a simply big fat juicy bantha burger and a blue milk. After the train and moreover the revelation of her heritage, Abaigeal could have eaten the ar*e out of a low flying duck or a horse (not that they fly), depending on what part of the galaxy one came from. She grinned .. "Horns indeed, and I don't think they are hidden either".

Abaigeal looked out the window, the day is a nice day, and a coolness could be felt with the coming of the afternoon. She wondered what exactly what her training would be, how to proceed with mental stuff. But she would discover that soon enough. "Sio, where are you from?", she did not know much about her mentor and guardian who she was growing ever closer too day by day.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Paperwork was the bane of her existence. Well, that was obviously very melodramatic, but sometimes it sounded like that to Siobhan. She had hated it when she was Exarch of the Protectorate, and still did, though she had learned to stop moping and occasionally do it herself. Some her minions had learned to accompany their requests with all sort of flattery and sycophancy, which always put Sio in a good mood.


Anyhow, now they were seated in the cantina and after Aba placed her order, Siobhan did likewise. She could use a good burger as well. Aba's comment made the Countess chuckle though. "Does that you're very horny? Will I have a harem of admirers knocking at my doorstep for my little girl? No worries, I'm liberal and stuff. Of course I'll have to get to know every one of them to make sure they're decent," she joked. Undoubtedly she was under the belief that she was being extremely 'witty'.


The waitress came and brought their drinks. Presumably food would follow soon after. "I'm from Minos. Small outer rim planet. My parents were very poor, I worked in a factory when I was kid. I left the planet after the Sith occupied it and my sister got killed fighting them." This was true, but she left out the fact that her sister dying was at least partially Sio's fault. "Ended up on Nar Shaddaa."

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

"So if I meet a boy you will have to meet them? Like .. interrogate them .. oh boy I will have to choose wisely", she joked back, knowing if they did not meet Sio's standards they would have a hard time of it. Abaigeal couldn't help but laugh, but deep down Abaigeal loved the idea that Sio cared for her so much. It may have been a joke by Sio but if they did anything bad to her .. they would meet Sio's wrath.

She decided to ignore the bit about her being 'horny', she is a young woman of age and has her desires of the physical nature although poorly experienced, only the once in fact. Elipsis saw to that ... Abaigeal smiled at the memory of her friend and their adventures through the galaxy. It had been ages since they last saw each other and she wondered how she was and if she had been keeping out of trouble. In her heart of hearts, Abaigeal knew she had not.

"I don't know Minos. And I am sorry to hear about your sister", she said but was interrupted by the waitress bringing the food to the table. A very big burger sat in front of her, salad and chips but she did not eat immediately. "Do you have other family? beside your daughters". Was there a mister Siobhan Kerrigan?