Public The Price of Freedom

[Saeva]

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It would be three more hours until the sun would rise on the seaside fisherman's settlement. The full moon had promised a bright night, yet now it gave way behind a set of heavy clouds. Though a shadow was cast upon the settlement, it was not too dim. Already the sun's light was beginning to crawl up the hills' backside. There would be little solace to be found in this dawn.

As far as planets went, this one was rather unremarkable in that it only could boast 2.8 million inhabitants. Then again, it was mostly covered in ocean. Yet its occupants were mere humans, and did not know how to properly tap into the ocean for its strength. It was for wastes such as this they would be punished.

The settlement itself was one of the largest in the area, though it was far from a city. In fact, it was situated on the half opposite to that of the planet's capital, Chynoo. It was a part of a network of similar sea farming settlements that ran along this coastside. As far as Saeva could tell, the only remarkable thing about this one was that it had been designated as the region's administrative centre. Rather naively, the place seemed poorly protected, if at all. Security was no doubt centred around greater population centres. It would take them a while to respond. Were they successful here, it would be only the first of many they would bless with their visit before leaving.

Saeva was tense. He was was up against mere fishermen and farmers, but it was not for their sake he felt apprehensive. It was the significance of the moment. On the fields of Jomark came his first command, and the start of a what would either become a long list of success or failure. The plan was simple. Strike hard, strike fast and get out.

They were all planetside already. It was time. With a few light taps on his wrist, a long, elongated and singular sound beeped across their comms. The signal of the start of their operation.

The engine of his speeder came to life. Saeva's meditation had come to an end, and it was time to rise. Saeva had wanted to come at the village from the sea. He had not expressed why to his companions, though there had been no protests before he left them. Few as they were, there was no harm in a little encirclement. They would be reunited soon enough.

The speeder broke through the water's surface and Saeva came flying out like a demon of the sea, parting ways with the speeder mid-air to let it crash hard onto the streets, sliding between two nearby building while he gracefully landed just past the pier.

Iasha Rha Aliris Tremiru
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[Iasha Rha]

Saeva Aliris Tremiru

Iasha Rha touched the taozin medallion around her neck: One out of three she had dispersed as her contribution to the mission. One to Saeva, one to Isari. She too felt the gravity of the moment, and the voice that asked her to decide: Do you jump, or are you afraid?

The wind howled around her, making the black hem of her cloak flap wildly.

Before her, the ground was a blurr, passing by at breakneck speeds. Under her feet was the final precipice of their cargo-ship. It was flying low and fast, controlled by a surprisingly adept pilot droid. The terrain confused scanners and kept the ship's location obscured, but not entirely hidden. When the signal had been sent, it too made its rapid descent upon the town.

Indentured servitude was not a business she imagined herself entering, but one favour was paid for by another.

"When we arrive, keep her steady and keep her warm. Divert auxiliary power to the scanners until he gives the next signal."

The droid chirped back with surprising sass. Iasha couldn't help but smirk. She took half a step closer to the precipice. Slavery was one thing her family had never acknowledged. They had lobbied against it.

But then again, the Empire had fallen, reduced to exile.

There were no more laws.

A moment of absolute silence, Iasha turned around and let the ground fall away from under her. The wind caught her back like a fleeting embrace as she let herself fall from the ship's rear cargo bay. Her lekku were blown forward, as was the black cloak. The hood slipped up on its own to embrace her head. Then, her knees tucked up and her balance shifted. The twi'lek flipped in the air. One hand reached down, using the Force to dampen her fall, the other pulled the metal cylinder from her belt.

Two points out of three were established. Now they would herd these baby banthas to their new home.

 

[Aliris Tremiru]

The Empire had fallen. Chaos was rampant. It was bad enough her family had been so thoroughly dismantled, but whatever hope Isari had to rebuilding it was dashed the moment the Empire fell. Anger. That's all she had now. An incredible rage, uncontrolled and untapped. But nothing she could direct it towards. She was just another acolyte. The prestige of her family, gone. Worse, a stain on her. Even before the fall she could hear the whispers among the other acolytes. She was the top of her class. The strongest. The smartest.

Life had become hell when she no longer had her families name to protect her.

Bloodstained yellow eyes focused on the people around her. She walked to this 'town.' Lesser beings, all of them. Going about their daily life with a content smile on their face. Content with being lesser. These people were already slaves to their own lack of ambition. At least when they were sold, they'd be of more use. Rejoice, and be given a glorious purpose. Her gaze lifted to the gate that served as an entrance to the settlement. Their job was just to herd cattle. And just as their hounds nipped at the cattle's heels to keep them together, so too would the acolytes use fear to heard these lesser together.

Hate flooded her gaze as she lifted her hands towards the gate. All at once the air grew heavy. Groans of metal and wood filled the silent air, causing people to stop on their trips home from the various field jobs they did with content smiles. The sounds grew louder and louder by the second, turning from groans to cracking. Splintering. Tearing. Good. Channel your hate.

The voice that had begun to whisper in her ear some months ago whispered again. A guiding womanly voice with no name. The First. Isari listened, letting all her hate forward. A loud, terrible sound of metal and wood being forcibly ripped apart and crushed filled the air, then silence. Everyone stared at the gate, not daring to speak in fear that a sound might bring chaos.

Chaos came regardless. The pillars that kept the gate up had been broken. It creaked, swayed, then fell. Panic spread like wildfire as people started to run, trying to escape the crashing fortification. Dust kicked up as it collapsed with a loud bang. Dust that made it impossible to see. People still close by panicked further. Some tried to find loved ones in a hopes they were caught in the crash. Others tried to helped the injured.

A red light cut through the dust as Isari stood atop the rubble. The heavy air swirled as the dust was kicked away. Her yellow eyes narrowed on the people below her.

"Run."

Iasha Rha | Saeva

 

[Saeva]

Behind a still dripping helmet, Saeva’s eyes scanned the pier for what would serve his purpose best. At this time of day it was a scant selection. The one closest to him was an old man, long grey locks way past his shoulders, and a fishing rod in his hands. Not satisfied he looked on until he found a human couple, the man Saeva deemed to be in his mid-thirties, though humans all looked the same to him.

Within one leap he stood before the man, brandishing his crimson saber and spinning it with lethal precision. Two thuds sounded as slabs of meat hit the ground, followed by a collection of the rest that dropped around the same time. What was left was the man, his torso, but neither arms nor legs were no longer attached. He screamed.

It was just the right pitch Saeva needed. When his date got over the initial shock, she too made some wicked sound. It was as if her mind was not collected enough to manage even a scream, instead what came was primal and almost guttural. Pure horror. Saeva felt it take flight and spread. This was the sound from which this side of town awoke.

The message was clear enough. Get out. Get away. Here death and pain stalks the land. Like cattle they were being herded toward the same spot. There, the ship which would seem their rescue would become their cage.

To truly work, however, the fear must be real, and it must be deep. In his left he held the hilt of his saber, and in the right the head of mutilated man’s date. He would toss it against the next crowd he saw. Additionally, these people may not be allowed to hunker down where they felt the safest, in their homes. “Burn” he said to no one in particular as he excessively flung his speeder into one of the nearby buildings. Extravagantly, perhaps unnecessarily, it exploded. The flames took hold and began to spread.

Iasha Rha Aliris Tremiru​

 

[Iasha Rha]

All operatives in position; it was time to herd the cattle.

With the sabre in one hand, she studied the buildings around her: Residental structures on top of a quaint shopping district. Based on the areal photos, she knew that if she could shut this side of the street down, then it would easily funnel the people down toward the rendezvous point. Good thing she came prepared.

A hand disappeared into her robe, and the little bag she hid within. Out of the dark fabrics came a slilvery orb. Her thumb pressed a red button and slid the timer down to minimal timing before she flung it through a store window.

Moving rapidly, she walked over to one of the many parked landspeeders and ripped open the door. She set it into gear and placed a weight on the throttle, then stepped away and undid the handbrake with the Force. The speeder shot off down the street, quickly gaining momentum before crashing with another parked landspeeder and flipping over into another storefront.

Now panic was beginning to take root as screams and shouts for aid broke into the air.

Windows filled with faces, staring in awe.

Some ran to help, others stood by unknowing of what to do.

Iasha took that moment to fill her lungs with air and then expel a loud message to the populace.

"You are under attack! Run, run for your lives!"

Her sabre sparked into life as one of the citizens tried to run the wrong way. He had no time to react as she bisected him horizontally. Her other hand reached out to stop another one, seizing him by the throat and lifting him up with the Force.

"Run! Flee!"

He choked in her hand until she decided to throw him down on the ground and let him go

"Flee for your lives!"

The twi'lek reached for another thermal detonator in her bag.

Aliris Tremiru Saeva