The Poorer Side Of The Cosmos

[Mariya Pyne]

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M O N T I T I A​

N I G H T - C I T Y - S T R E E T S​

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Plumes of frost billowed from the lips of the woman. Beneath the darkened sky of Montitia's largest city, she was but one face of many that stalked the night. Neon signs illuminated patches of duracrete, some known for the less savory affairs the city had to offer. Slave trade, brothels, spice dealers and illegal arms exchange were just a few of the things one could find if they looked under a rock or two. Lawlessness was rampant across the city, with those responsible for enforcing the law the very ones involved in breaking it. Justice found no place here. With that however came anonymity. The Sene Seekers would never venture forth to such a deplorable wasteland in search of one of their own gone rogue. If they found her, Eira knew her life was forfeit. Perhaps they wouldn't kill her, though her fate would certainly be as bad. To be stripped of the Force, or forced to conform to the ancient dogma was a fate as grim as death itself.

But the voices. They helped Eira stay alive.

T͈̩̮̗̗ͅh̲e̖͕̣y'̭̪̦͎̺̣̹r͉e̗̹͎ ̩͔w̞ͅa̖̹̖̭̦͉̤tc͎̠̞̮͉hiṉ̙̼g ͙̪̬yo͔u̳̱͚͓͈.͕̟̱̣​

A look shot over her shoulder, cautiously observing the two men speaking to one another as the frigid rain beat down from above. Though their physical features eluded her, the Miraluka could sense them, could feel their thoughts and emotions. She listened to the words of the Force, rather than the tongue. It was so much more telling than the lies the lips produced. Soft pattering of water beat against her filthy tunic, the furs surrounding the neckline worn and tattered, the threading along the hem at the waist coming undone. To others she likely appeared a slave, or beggar. Neither was she those things, but nor did she have the credits to spare on proper attire for a fancy meal at a fine cuisine establishment. Not that there were any to be found on Montitia anyway.

T̝̖̝̫̹̹h̰͕̻͚͕̞̭e̲̭̲̝̪͎̬ ̗S̫͎̙͈ͅee̙̰͕̖̹k̖̞͖͈̫̞e͙̮̬r̳͍̠s̟͔̜̦͖̘ s͈̣̠̲e̻̠n̜̠͚͔̮̟̺t͖̩̰ ̱̜̰t̹̪̗h̺̞̱e͚̥͈̩̠͎̝m̫̹̦.̱̰͖​

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Eira felt her heart skip a beat. The God Bogan was in her ear and mind now, tormenting her thoughts and swaying her calm. The rogue's heart rate increased, she could feel it thumping in her chest. A shiver crawled up her spine. Was that from the cold? Or the grip of fear tightening around her like a snake coiling its prey? The men made no movement, still speaking to one another quietly. It didn't matter. They were going to kill her if she lingered. She had to leave. The knot threatening to choke her consciousness was repressed, and as fast as her legs carried her Eira ran. Other voices chimed in as she sprinted through the streets.

R̺̪ṷn̗.̦̳ ̫͙͙F̗̖̪̘a͍̤̠̙ͅͅs̯t͕̩̳͖̤̫ͅe͚̥̜r̼̥̰̯̗̱!͕̹ ͕͍̬̹̣No̱̪̩t͙ ̻̦̖͎͕t͈̯̱̗h̠̲̠a̖t̹̣̯͎̯͓ ̳wa͔y͇̟̻͙̺̮! ͇̺͔̙̮̺N̞̠o̻̳t ̹t͙̟̹̳̼͖̟h̝͕̼̠͇a͖̰̞̖̺̪t̼̘ ̺w̼̭̤̬̮̝a̙̗̹͚͍̥y̖̪̲̳͓!͇͈̦̣ ̩͎̠T͉̫h̝͙e̝y̯'̻̪̳̼̻̠l̞̮̩͙͓ͅl̩̫ ̳c͖a͍̭͉ṯ̖̙̤ch̥̪͔̲̫̜ ̲h̠͕͙e̱̮̫͔̠r̬̭̲̣ ̫̘-̙̥̦-̺ ̹̺͔̱̘ͅṰ̣͚̺̬̠̹ḥ͚e̼͇͚ͅy̖̪͈͍̻'̘̥̺̻̭̲r̦͚ẹ ̯̱̣̻̙ͅg͉oͅi̤̠͎n̜̪̥g͇̫̮̝ ̞to̦͎ͅ ͔͇̩ͅc̤a͍͙̩̮t̲̜c̞̗̹͈̳h̞͉̗̮ ̣͇̤h̭̰̱̟̪̜̗e̖̖r!̪̮̞̺̜ͅ ̥̫Ṯ̠͕̗̹͚el͔l̠̙̰̝͉̬ ͇̲͕̝̤he͖̣̯̦̭̝ͅr̫ ͔̯t̻͙͙̱̲o͍̭̠͇̥̤ ͕̤͈go ̗̼̬fa̮͖͚̻̞s̬̖̱t̰͎̗͓̰̼e̯̭ͅr̙!͖​

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Running for what felt like miles and hours, Eira finally stopped to catch her breath. Gasping, the voices had quieted themselves for the time being. Hand reached for her chest, feeling the pounding from her heart. Her face was drenched in sweat and run-off from the gutters above the buildings she ran beneath. She smelled something fierce. Sitting beneath an awning of a closed shoppe she buried her face in her hands. This was her life, terrible as it seemed, she persevered because it was the only path to true freedom. At least Ashla joined her now.

Y̒͒̊̋̊͑o̐̃̈́ȕͧ͑ ͭ̒wͥ̀̓͐iͪ́̊͛l̎͐ͬl͒̊ͬ̂̍ ͦͤ̑̌̊̍m̏â͆ͨ͊̍kẻͩ̃̾̑͑́ ͭíͣ͑tͩ ̊̄ͤ̿͂͐yͭͥ̉̽ͫ͐͋e͊̂̌ͮͮt̄̆,͂ͮ̓̏ͫ ̓̓cͤ̉̄͑h͊̄̔͋̔ͭ̚íͩ̐̊ldͩ.̈​

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[member="Anilah"]

 

[Progflaw99]

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A child of the night, cloaked in darkness both of own design and that of the very Force she worshiped - silence and shadow made their embrace welcome to the woman. The ways of the Force were often strange, winding paths, never seeming to correlate with one another except in the most dire of circumstances. Time upon time the Force had manifested itself across the galaxy, sometimes in tangible ways, a Force Nexus or disturbance, other times in more subtle ways - a war, a conflict, the death of someone powerful, each according to the ever present will of the Force. Over 800 years ago, the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire, before that - the Sith Wars. History was riddled with the effects of the Force, and while it never propagated itself in physical form, it was there. Anilah knew it, she felt it. It was what had brought her here in the first place. She'd had a hard time explaining it to the others, many of them more well versed in the physical applications of the Force rather than 'those of the beyond' as they'd worded it. Anilah wasn't like the rest of them, at least not in most ways. She held a loyalty to Sieger and to the Order of Ren itself, but she held a much more intimate relationship with the Force than most.

*A Jal Shey... how intriguing...* The dusky voice replayed in her mind as her footsteps led her through the washed out streets. This place reminded her of where she'd come from, at least in some measure. Even now her clothing leaned on the tattered side, simple cloths accented by leather bindings wrapped her body, a bracelets and strange pouches adorning her wrists and belt - what was inside one could only guess. Across her narrow shoulders rest a cloak, the dark fabric repelling a fair amount of water but even from a distance one could tell it was soaked through. From beneath the weathered hood, the features of a woman were well obscured though with each passing of a lamp or a streetlight markings could be seen, drawn with some sort of dye and partially smeared by the downpour. Anilah had felt the calling, the subtle prodding of the Force directing her to this place, its purpose yet concealed. And so she wandered about, slowly winding through the derelict streets and alleyways.

By the time she'd caught sight of the girl, Anilah had been wandering for more than four hours, allowing the Force alone to guide her steps, listening ot the quiet voices gently passing through the streets. Here an there she'd touch her hand upon a rail, reach down to the ground upon which she stood, gleaning whispers of the past. It was those whispers and her open mind which had led her to this spot, a precarious perch between a shop and what looked to be someone's personal dwelling, a piece of corrugated durasteel rattling as the rain fell across the degenerate city. Nestled snugly beneath sat Anilah, her eyes carefully watching the street. Most people had long since retreated to the assumed warmth and comfort of their homes, even the ramshackle buildings and burn barrels provided a decent respite from the storm. It was from this perch that Anilah first caught sight of the figure, short, thin - a girl. As the sorceress set eyes on her, she felt a flaming tongue ignite behind her retinas, a blinding pain that caused her a muffled cry as it cut through her mind. Her breath caught in her throat, she blinked rapidly, purging the pain from her body, instead channeling that energy inwards - an almost warming effect despite the rain. Her cry had likely been hidden by the storm, but she knew as the girl seated herself that now was the chance to act. It wasn't a decision so much as it was a reaction. Anilah felt herself rise, an otherworldly feeling enveloping her very being as she took steps slowly towards where the girl had buried her head in hands.

The sound of rain around her drowned out all natural noise, but the voice in her mind was as clear as ever. *This one is important - this one you must deliver, this one you must protect.* The voice commanded, and Anilah heeded its words. It didn't take an empath to feel the turbulence surrounding the girl as she sat. Quietly she approached, gently pressing her mind against the edges of the girl's.

*Girl.. What is it you run from?*​

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Perhaps a strange request, no doubt equally as surprising as it came unbidden to the girl's mind however it was not alone. As the question permeated the fragile link between the two, Anilah took great care to avoid being invasive, hovering at the very edges of the girl's consciousness. The question silently voiced, Anilah's attention took to the streets, wary of any watching eyes or listening ears, though as the rain picked up a giant thunderclap echoed and allayed her fears to a degree. To pay attention to two huddled figures in a storm such as this would be anything but inconspicuous.

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[member="Eira Sjona"]​

 

[Mariya Pyne]

G̿ͪ̈́͊i̒̐ͮ̉͌̍r̽ͦͣl.́͆́̀͒ͯͭ.̀̾̽͐͑͐ ̓ͭ͊̀͗̌̊W̋h̽ǎ̇ͬͤtͧͫ̐ͭ ̒̄̓ͥͭ̅ĭͦ̂̇͌̇͂s͐̌̍̚ ̓ȉ̆͂̏tͧ̑̐̍̊̚ ̅̋͌ͫyou͗ͫ͌̍͋ ͫrͣ͐̆̆ůn̂̔ͥ ̈́̎͌̏͛fͮ̌̍̔ȓ̓ͪͮ̓̒ŏͧͫ͐mͮͧ̔̇̈?͆̉​

Eira turned her head, lifting it free of the cover of her hands. The voice at the edge of her mind was unfamiliar from those she shared the space with. It was not Bogan, or Ashla, nor was it one of the twenty or so other voices that frequented her consciousness. Though on occasion others would join, it was a rarity nowadays. The translucent vision she possessed peered about her surroundings, noting the several figures and buildings nearby, some huddled beneath coverage as the heavy, cold rain beat down upon the city streets. It was nearly winter, and in days to come that rain would turn to sleet and snow. Dark, ragged hair touched the ground behind where she sat.

I͇̞̺̟t̯͓'̭ṣ ̩a̲͖̼͓ ̠͖tr͕̤̬͎i̱͎͔̳͔c̥̪̝̳̟͙͈k -͈̠̖̤-̯̠͔ͅ A̦ ͚̙t̼ra̺̬̟͍͈p̖̖̯̫̹ ̺͎̼̗̖̜-͈̟̫-̫̱̯̹̲̼͓ ̹̼̱̫̹Do̝͕̗̲n̝͙͍͎̼̺'̯t̟͍̦̺̹ ̲̼̫͙̪ḻi̜̹ͅs̗̼̪̥t̫̪̖͉̻͉ͅe͍̹̱̝̯n̦̦͓̦!̭̲͖​

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It was difficult at times to concentrate with so many voices in her mind. Eira constantly struggled to subdue her inner demons while simultaneously attempting to decipher and read them. Something nobody else understood, her very existence was an anomaly. Perhaps that was why she was so easily drawn to the dark side of the Force. While others sought the power and strength to topple empires, wage wars, and rise above their adversaries, Eira desired simply knowledge, to become a unified body within the Force. The very embodiment of Light and Dark. The Luka Sene would forbade her this path, and so she cast herself into exile, forsaking her brothers and sisters of Alpheridies, and labeling herself a rogue of the Order.

What I am, and everything I was.​

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A person wandered nearer, the likely source of the voice in her mind. The aura of the approaching woman seemed to lack hostility, and the preemptive urge to flee hadn't displayed itself in the manner in which had become typical of situations of impending danger, thus Eira remained seated beneath the awning to avoid soaking up any further water from the storm. Her hands tucked beneath her arms, despite the clothing being soaked through, it was still warmer than going without. Given that the downpour appeared not to be letting up anytime soon, where she sat was the best spot available to her for the time. With no credits for an inn or hotel, the streets were more often than not where she made home.

[member="Anilah"]

 

[Progflaw99]

Footsteps drowned out by the downpour took Anilah closer yet, just beyond arm's reach. Here the turbulence was even worse, the Force itself seeming as if to boil and churn in the space around the girl. *What does it mean?* she thought to herself, the answer however eluded her. A response touched the edge of her mind's eye - but was it a response to her question, or something else? The chaotic aura was strong enough to even play with the woman's perceptions. Anilah knew one thing for certain, the girl had definitely been running away from something - or someone. The rain almost stung, the intensity of the storm picking up further, wind sending a gust of water whipping down the now empty street. With a quiet noise Anilah lowered herself to the ground, eyes tracing along the rushing gout of water coursing through the gutter.

The Force had strange methods, Anilah claimed to know none of them. At least for the most part. One could listen, one could command, but one without the other she found particularly useless. Hers had been an interesting path, raised in the belief that the Force was an intellectual pursuit, it often put her at odds when it came to the Knights of Ren, and yet somehow she had found peace amidst the chaos. Religion removed from the application of the Force had been freeing, and even though her endeavors had at first been free of the zealotry similar to the Sith or the Jedi, she had found a new calling in the Force, a new religion as it were. Sieger Ren. Though perhaps not as delusional as the Sith of the past, nor the Jedi, she had become enamored with the Order itself, raised to believe in its teachings and the fundamental belief in a world where order was upheld by a strong presence. The Force though it seemed chaotic was anything but - it had a purpose, just as the Order had its.

Opening her mouth, voice was broken only by the rattling of rain against the roofs above.

"And what is that?"​

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Her question was short, a verbal cue made in an attempt to assist the troubled girl in identifying which voices were in her mind, and that of the woman before her. Scooting a foot closer, Anilah took a deep breath, watching her breath fill the air for a moment before closing her eyes and focusing. Nothing at first, the sound of rain overpowering but slowly she began to shut out all that was around her. First the rattling, then the rain itself. As she reached a quiet place in her mind she opened a new path, one outside the physical plane. Ethereal in nature, she felt the winds of the Force swirling as in a hurricane, a vortex of unrelenting and raw power all about her - and that was when she began. It was a small thing at first, she felt her consciousness being whisked about, faster and faster as the vortex consumed. And then slowly, carefully, she began to exert force of mind over the maelstrom that was the raw power of the Force.

It took time, or at least it seemed so from inside her own mind. In actuality, it was only a few silent moments. A few silent moments as the tumult began to slow, the chaos began to become muted. The voices should there be any muffled as if spoken through water.

*Calm yourself, isolate my voice - I am a friend, not an enemy.*​

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What did that mean - to be a friend, and not an enemy? For all Anilah knew this girl could be a fugitive, a criminal, a murderer... but weren't they all? That send a smirk twitching it across her somewhat obscured features. It took energy to suppress the chaotic flow of the Force, especially near the girl. Her bones felt the chill of the cold rain acutely. Instead of warming herself she maintained her attention on the girl. As she spoke again, it came out almost as a croak at first, but her words became clearer with each word uttered.

"You don't live out here do you? Certainly not warm."​

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With that final comment, she wrinkled her nose, eyes opening before she looked up and down the empty street.

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[member="Eira Sjona"]​