The imprisonment of Sorel Crieff

[Sorel Crieff]

A storm of rocks swept across space, colliding and smashing with enough force to crush boulders-or spaceships-to powder.

The Hoth Asteroid Belt was a nightmarish hazard to navigation – as Sorel was finding out. For some reason she’d exited from hyperspace in the middle of it and a few fragments collided with the ship's forward deflector shields, then vanished into bright plumes of vaporized dust. She shook her head. Navigation wasn’t impossible – but it would take all of her piloting skills. At least there wasn’t a droid around to tell her the odds.

She increased the deflector shields,and allowed her vision to slide to the ice world of Hoth that hung beneath its coterie of moons like a cracked snowball. She had another eye on the coordinates she was trying to make for and if she had as many eyes as her former Master – a gran – she might have avoided the large asteroid that slipped the ship. Her overconfidence had done it again.

She sat tense, now gripping the controls. Warning lights were flashing and she was losing power. Finally she exited the asteroid belt but she was less sure she would have sufficient control to land safely. At least it was snow, as opposed to bare rock. She stared at the ice planet as she skimmed through the misty atmosphere, coming in way too fast and unable to slow the ship down.

She saw the white-pocked glacier fields beneath her speeding ship. As she approached a line of rocky hummocks, she spotted the Rakata monument. It was a large statue constructed by the Infinite Empire during the height of its rule. Created thousands of years ago by the Rakata to serve as a monument of their victory over the rampaging Esh-kha, it was ironically what she had come looking for. “Looks like I found it,” she said as her ship touched down and skidded along the ice before finally coming to a stop with a jolt.

She picked herself off the floor of her cockpit and headed for the exit ramp. She was groggy and unable to walk in a straight line and no sooner had she opened the ramp than the whoosh of oxygen and cold hit her and made her feel even worse. Ahead of her she saw figures and waved to them. Why she did it, she had no idea, but it seemed to be a good idea at the time. Then she was aware the snow was rushing towards her face before blackness claimed her. The next thing she remembered was waking in a small concrete room, with just a cot to lie on. Her saber was gone and she was aware that her hair was matted to her forehead by blood. Her blood. She sat up and wished she hadn’t. The nausea was extreme and she vomited in the corner of the room.

“Sorry,” she muttered and wondered when someone could come and see if she was awake.

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]

 

[Syss Rembala]

The cold environment of Hoth was something that she had grown accustomed to as soon as she had set foot on its surface. She, unlike her mother and ancestors, hadn't been raised in the frigid planet of Glyss but apparently liking this hostile climate came naturally to the young Sovereign. Her steps were careful and light, elegantly making her way through the immaculate white snow as fast as she could. Keeping her weight off of her feet as much as was possible was certainly helping a lot.

The Andre'al hybrid had come to visit this lonely and cold world with the sole intention of exploring. Iceis wished to see with her own eyes a place she had read about in one of the scripts found in the immense library aboard the Pillar of Ascension, the base of The Awoken and the place she called her home. This place was the Rakata monument, the statue that existed to proclaim the past victory of the Rakata over the Esh-kha.

At the moment, the statue was nothing but a small figure in the distance that became invisible whenever a gust of wind brought down heavier snow for a moment. The little visibility made it look as though it was much farther away than what it really was. Suddenly, the Princess stopped moving mid step and stood straight. Something felt...odd. And sure enough, this feeling had been right.

Her violet eyes rapidly caught sign of movement in the sky many, many meters in front of her. A spaceship was descending rather violently in the area near the statue. Even Iceis, who was not the best pilot out there, could tell that that landing would not be precisely safe.It reached the snow and then slid until its impulse abandoned it and it came to a halt. She started heading rather hurriedly over to the now motionless ship, knowing its passengers could have had sustained some kind of injury. She then saw some figures approaching the ship.

Her keen eyes could make out the anatomy of these mysterious figures and she felt surprised. They were droids.

Then she saw something that made her stop dead on her tracks once more. The droids were dragging an unconscious form away from the ship. A group of big, sharp and black boulders rested on the snow a small distance away from the ship and moving cautiously and fast, Iceis was able to get near the droids without being noticed, using said boulders as cover. Being nearer now, she could notice that the humanoid te droids were carrying was a force-sensitive like herself. She followed them.

The droids entered with the conscious-less humanoid into a rather big cave-like building constructed into the side of a mountain, some kilometers away from the Rakata statue. The place was large but apparently not that heavily guarded. The princess couldn't help but feel the captured pilot would be held hostage. Maybe intervening was not the wisest action but it felt like the right one. Having made her decision, the Voidseer found a way into the building and through sensing the Force was able to avoid the guards and find the Force-sensitive, who had sprung back into consciousness....and vomited.

"My name is Iceis Sovereign. You have been brought to this base and imprisoned by unidentified guardian droids after your crash landing on the planet's surface. Have you sustained any severe injury?" The coldness in her voice would have certainly made the temperature around them lower if it hadn't already been so low. Normally she would have greeted the stranger but the current situation did not allow them to waste precious time and Iceis had a feeling that getting out would not be nearly as easy as getting in had been.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel glanced down at her wrist – at least they hadn’t taken her bracelet. It was metal and unassuming and had few special properties – certainly nothing offensive – but it regulated temperature amongst other things. So she felt perfectly comfortable in just her Jedi robes – despite the extreme cold of the planet and the fact that the building she was in having no heating whatsoever.

As she sat there, pleased for the cold – as it negated some of the aroma of her vomit – she replayed what she last remembered. There was the crash, and then she remembers hitting her head and making her way to the exit of the ship. Then there were people coming to help her. No, not people. She racked her brains as she tried to clear her thoughts and drew the Force to her. The immediate impact was a sense of calmness and she recollected the figures heading towards her. Not people – droids.

But that was all she remembered.

As she tried to make sense of it, she was aware the door was opening and she stood, ready to spring into action. But there was no droid ahead of her but a white-haired woman, whose aged belied the colour of her hair. She listened and kept the Force close to her – but could sense no ill intent and relaxed slightly.

“I am Sorel. You have filled in some blanks in my memory, thank you. I expected this place to be unoccupied. The droids weren’t part of my plan – which was to simply look around. I have a fascination for old things. In this case my curiosity nearly did what it did to the Loth-cat!” She smiled weakly, her head was still throbbing. “And no serious injury, but my head hurts and I missed the lesson where we were taught Force Heal” Another weak smile and she raised an eyebrow to her rescuer. “Are you a Jedi? Because you don’t seem to be a Sith and I can’t place your aura.” It was true, there was no obvious darkness emanating from the young woman – but then her tone wasn’t precisely friendly.

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]

 

[Syss Rembala]

During the long seconds that the unknown female humanoid looked at her she had done the same, examining her. The Princess Sovereign would have said that the girl was either a human or an epicanthix, given the particular shape of her eyes but there was no certain way of knowing and no time to ask. Raising a very white eyebrow, Iceis saw how the stranger sprung onto her feet and felt how she braced herself in the Force for a possible encounter with the Princess. The Voidseer came to the conclusion that this was an understandable reaction and soon enough the girl appeared to realize Iceis meant no harm.

Iceis was surprised to find out that the they shared the same purpose. Both of them had come to the frigid planet of Hoth to visit its old and interesting locations, "I too had come to Hoth with the intention of exploring. I was nearing the Rakata monument when I saw your ship...land; then the droids dragging your unconscious form all the way here" Explaining what had happened would maybe help Sorel clear out some confusions she might have had.

She then heard the girl mention something about Force Healing. To Iceis this was known simply as Cure and raising one of her hands she posed it near Sorel's forehead injury. She draw on the powers of the Force and after some seconds, Sorel's injury was cured only leaving a little bit of drying blood on her forehead. Luckily the wound was small, Iceis knew only a very basic form of this power.

"I am not a Jedi nor a Sith" She then answered. "I am a Witch and draw on both sides of the Force equally" She added. Truth was Iceis would never fully agree with none of the sides, Light and Dark were two extremes. And extremes, in her eyes, were usually poor answers. She believed in balance and in truth and those were the only teachings she followed.

"We might encounter resistance while trying to leave...I know nothing yet of these droids' origin but they are not precisely hospitable"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

The young woman was entirely factual in her recollection but to be told – twice – how she’d crashed her ship and been captured wasn’t pleasant. Sorel still had a streak of arrogance in her and did not like to be reminded of her failings. “The ship was damaged,” she said, slightly forcefully, then realised it meant little. “It emerged from hyperspace in the middle of an asteroid belt. I managed to navigate my way through but the small amount of damage meant I landed too hot. And bumped my head.” She pointed at the large egg shaped protrusion on her head that was covered in congealed blood. She pointed a little too closely and winced at the pain.

At which point the woman raised a hand and Sorel felt the Force wash over her and the pain vanished. “Oh…” she managed. And, “Thanks.”

And she listened to Iceis’ Force position. Her own Master had drawn from both sides and had shamed her. But this was different, despite the similarities. Her Master was a Jedi and sworn to the Jedi Code. This young woman was not honour bound – but the thought was still difficult to reconcile in her brain as it saw things as very much black and white still – through years of Jedi training and the study of Lore.

Sorel smiled. “And who said anything about leaving? I need to find my saber and then we should take a look around. Guards mean something worth guarding. I don’t fancy making an exit just yet. Who knows what we might find?”

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]

 

[Syss Rembala]

Iceis might have been quite stoic about emotions herself but having been born and raised with two sisters that constantly displayed them and due to her naturally observant nature she had grown quite perceptive to the emotions of others, even if sometimes she didn't completely understand them. This was the case. Apparently the humanoid girl had taken her double-mentioning of the not so perfect landing slightly personal, it hadn't been her intention to upset the girl but she soon shrugged it off as Sorel did, too.

The next thing the white haired Princess noticed was that the Jedi Padawan had taken a moment to think on the answer Iceis had given regarding her usage of the Force. Even if she disagreed with the incapacity of acknowledging that both Light and Dark had positives and negatives, the Andre'a hybrid understood the position of the girl. Life-long conventions were extremely difficult to break, just like habits. And even if they weren't, in the end, everyone should be free to believe in what they choose.

An eyebrow was again raised when Sorel so decisively said she wanted to uncover the secret behind the guardian droids. Truthfully, Iceis had considered the idea herself but given the fact that Sorel had sustained a hit to the head and had vomited she resolved that maybe it wouldn't be a good idea, "If you feel well enough to do so I'll be happy to help" She said, her tone still devoid of any major emotional alterations.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Being a Jedi did not mean you were incapable of emotion or even immune to them. All it meant was that you were not supposed to act upon them. But the young woman standing in front of her. She was an ice-queen in more ways than one. Sorel cocked her head slightly to one side. She was a decent judge of character – at least in her own mind she was. This one was almost impossible to read – so she decided to take her at face value and to read nothing into the words spoken, nor to take offence.

Nodding, she made up her mind on the next course of action. “I need to find my saber first. If we get close, I’m sure I’ll sense it. This place seems devoid of people, so I should be able to use my senses to locate it. If we encounter any droids? Well we’ll have to deal with them. I can’t believe they’d guard my saber – given they weren’t guarding me. So, did you see anything that looked like a control room or storage area when you found me? I’m afraid I can’t remember anything about the building.”

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]

 

[Syss Rembala]

Iceis did remember a storage room at the end of a hallway she did not take when making her way to the Jedi Padawan. But, her thoughts soon got occupied by another issue. It was true that the possibility of the storage room itself being guarded was slim but nothing assured them they wouldn't encounter droids when heading there nor that the saber would indeed be in that storage room. The last one they would know because Sorel would sense it but the first one? Iceis wasn't about to risk being caught in a compromised situation with an unarmed companion.

She guided her right hand to her hip and from the belt detached one of her light sabers. She then held it in front of her for Sorel to take. It was indeed a very, very personal object the one she was handing to the Padawan but she thought it was better to confide one of her sabers in her than to risk her sustaining an injury again. One that would definitely be worse than a hit in the head.

"You can use one of mine until we find yours. We cannot have you completely unarmed until then. The Force is strong, but it is not always enough" She said, raising her violet gaze from her saber to look at [member="Sorel Crieff"]. She was ready to move when the Jedi Padawan was.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

There was a wise-crack on Sorel’s lips. It so desperately wanted to be said, but given her very recent decision to avoid emotional responses to anything said, she decided – for once – that sarcasm was not going to be appreciated. Not that it ever was. But she’d been taught that the saber was not a weapon. For weapons can be taken – just like now really. It was the Jedi that was the weapon in truth, and the Force their armour. Not that she didn’t appreciate having a saber in her hands. So she took it and nodded her thank. Not every Jedi would hand over their weapon so readily. It was a most personal thing.But given she’d used her Master’s saber for the past two years, she was used to using an unfamiliar weapon and gave the unactivated hilt a swing or two – to check out its balance.

“Nice,” she said, “A fine saber you have here.” It was not a pleasantry or even a means of flattery, it was merely a fact. She kept it in her right palm for now, ready for action. Then she nodded at the doorway, “Ready when you are.”

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]

 

[Syss Rembala]

The Princesses observed her movements with attention. To her her sabers were a very personal possession, yes. She took great care of them, she liked to think of them as an extension of herself but in the end, they were weapons she used. And weapons came after more important things. Did they represent her? Yes. Would something of her be lost with them? Not at all. She did not value the weapon over the ability to use it. She did not see an instrument as responsible and deserving of recognition for the work of the one utilizing it.

The Force...the Force was her essence, her fuel. Her guide in the task of seeking truth and balance with it and within herself, too. She valued more the simple fact of being blessed with a connection to it than the abilities and skills that harnessing its power offered. She respected it and worked hard to not let herself be drawn to any sides of it, so that she could appreciate its greatness in an unbiased and full way. The Force was many things to her and nothing at the same time, just like the Void. It was the most important thing. It was both sides of every binary opposition....the biggest ones being Light and Darkness.

She nodded shortly and once as her only answer to Sorel's comment on the saber before proceeding, "Then let's get going" She said and turned, walking through the door and starting to make her way through the hallways, paying attention to anything that could indicate that danger was near.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel paused to wonder if the blow on her head had left her with any lasting damage? She was confident to the point of arrogance, but to go charging around a building with no expectation of how many droids they might face? Was she still feeling the effects of the bump? She dismissed the thought a little too quickly – that over-developed sense of certainty leading her, rather than the Force.

She closed her eyes and built a quick mental map in her head. She was no expert at Force Sight but she had a range of about five metres now and could see through relatively thin walls. She saw nothing – and fortunately not even droids – which despite being inorganic, still would show in her mind’s picture – even if translucent.

They kept going, the ice-maiden leading the way – Sorel had decided this was a far more apt title than her real name. The bump on the head had a lot to answer for! As they neared the room that was potentially used for storage, Sorel sensed two droids up ahead, coming towards them from a junction to their right, only three metres ahead.

She didn’t need to look behind her to know there was nowhere to hide, they had to stand and fight. “Looks like we got company,” she said softly and pointed to the junction ahead, where the droids would be appearing from at any moment.

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]

 

[Syss Rembala]

She moved swiftly and stealthily. Her strides were sure and precise, not even the slightest of noises arising when she stepped on the pale floor of the foreign and hostile base. Her face remained blank and her stance ready, she was concentrated on the task at hand and clearly ready for any unexpected event. Who could assure that there were no booby traps in the base? The droids did seem somewhat ancient despite being absolutely functional and, sadly for her and Sorel, efficient.

She suddenly felt a warning signal come to her through the Force, that so familiar bad feeling and seconds after Sorel, who had been using an ability known as Force Sight, alerted her that there were droids coming their way from a passage to their right. She nodded in acknowledgment, already planning on what to do.

Her cold eyes glowed, the violet hue could only be described as a freezing fire. Maybe the term conveyed an oxymoron, but it was the only one that felt accurate. As soon as the droids appeared, Iceis picked up her pace to a speedy trot towards them. A few meters before she lowered herself until her hand touched the floor and from the tips of her fingers a layer of ice started to expand through the ground until it was in front of the droids who, after stepping on the very slippery surface fell to the ground. Without stopping her movement she ignited her saber quickly cut through the droid further away from them, leaving the other one to Sorel.

She had used spell taught to her by her Mother, Winter's Touch....

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Her own footing was sure and she had the balance and poise of a dancer – but her companion was equally as silent – and her demeanour remained impassive. Clearly Sorel’s warning wasn’t the first indication the ice maiden had of the impending altercation.

One moment they were alone and the next the droids appeared – but the Force users had the element of surprise at least and were ready for action. The ice maiden was already ahead of her, trotting to meet them and her hand reached down. Sorel felt the Force being used but was not expecting the outcome. The ground quite literally froze over and the droids, caught unawares, slipped and then fell as they failed to keep themselves upright. The ice maiden was on one straight away and immediately took it out of action. Sorel, for her part, jumped at the other, landing well but misjudging the slipperiness of the ice and only just kept her balance as she impaled the other droid – the smell of burning circuits filling the vicinity with a pungent aroma.

“Two down, how many more to go?”

More carefully than she leaped at the droid, Sorel deactivated the saber and carefully stepped over it, back on to the stone floor.

[member="Iceis Sovereign"]