The Sons of Thyrsus

[TB-705]

Anx Minor,
http://starwarsrp.net/topic/101493-helix-syndicate-fighting-pits/][/FONT]Pit of Ill Omen

Frankly, Thengil found fighting pits rather disgusting. It was not that he did not enjoy the thrill of the fight, for he did greatly. Nor was it that he thought the warriors themselves feeble, for in single combat champions produced by such arenas tended to be fearsome foes. No, it was simply that he knew the cold reality of fighting pits. Nearly all the fights were doubtless rigged in some manner. It left some doubt in his mind as to whether he could find what he sought here, of all places.

The roar of the crowd grew louder as the Cathar and his human companion emerged from a hallway into one of the viewing booths overlooking the arena. The booth was filled with raucous fans, their cheers as grating as their flabby, undeveloped figures. Ri’shajirr’s lips pulled back, exposing long fangs in a grimace at the scene.

“Are you sure we can find them here, Maijora?”

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The pit thundered with roaring cheers, boos, and applause; blood sports invoked a primal pursuit in all who partook. Perhaps most of all, however, is how it sated the needs of the spectator. You bring them blood and death, and they'll love you for it.

Every great empire relied on such charms to control their masses, but alas such great empires no longer exist... What they see is but a relic of barbarism that veils gambling operations. Catalys of all people was not one to offer any opinion on such matters, however. "Patience."

Hidden behind his transparisteel visage, the agent's eyes searched the arena, the AR display offering him a detailed insight of potential targets--using both private and public databases made available on his frequencies. "Everyone has a routine--a pattern to which they live. Identify that pattern, and you'll find what you're looking for." A monotone voice modulator masks his tones, to further cultivate a notion of mystery surrounding Catalys and his intentions.

"That is if you know what you're looking for," he adds.

Fighters danced in the pits, revealing years of training and whole histories of culture and martial arts. Centuries of defense and warfare led them to this point, he wondered if that made it only more insulting. To take a form perfected by the countless deaths of kin and marginalize it for credits.

[member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"]

 

[TB-705]

Thengil nodded sagely, concerns somewhat alleviated.

"Even so, this ilk is tiresome. Look at them." He crossed his arms and glared around. All manner of species stood present in the crowd, most with glowing ticket stubs in their fingers. Too busy focused on the odds of their latest bets to notice or care about the two eccentric individuals now staring out the glasteel window with them. "Their patterns are slow grinds of monotony, eking out futile, purposeless existences. Small dreams and smaller obsessions. Give them a dose of our ambition and they would choke on it."

A low predatory rumbling of displeasure came from the back of Ri'shajirr's throat, then died away.

"Forgive me. My time aboard the Mictlan left me with more patience for some things... less for others."

Ten years a captive of the Republic. Ten years without the Force's touch.

His amber gaze searched the combatants below for clues, but he did not have Maijora's training, nor his experience. To him, one martial form looked much the same as another from this distance. Ask him to pick out Echani from Teras Kasi and he would be at a loss.

"Do you see the Thyrsians?"

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

"Ambition with what purpose?," Catalys asks with a hidden stare, his gaze returning to the pits once more.

The cheers grew louder each time one fiend decks a scoundrel or another. You could tell who the veterans were, they had showmanship and poise--a style that remained theirs alone. It's what made them popular, and they were sure to take generous cuts of the gambling profits. Then you had the unproven talent, the cut throats who tried to claw their way to the very top only to be bested not by a better fighter, but by the politics of the pits; extortion from the gang lords.

Finally, he spotted a sight that stood out. A warrior clad heavy armour jumps down into the pits, picking up a battered sword and thwarts the final blow of a certainly rigged match. "Someone is angry," he remarks. Upon the ground a dark-skinned and equally dark-haired fighter spat blood from his battered mouth, his more imposing comrade lifting him to his feet over the corpse of an unfortunate contender.

With the crowd in uproar, and gang enforcers moving in with security, their time in pits would certainly take an interesting turn. "I believe that's what we came here for, yes? There must be more than two, but we better get to them before the mob does... Unless?" He looks over to Thengil and awaits his response.

Catalys came to offer his expertise, but he'd leave the planning up to the Cathar.

[member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"]

 

[TB-705]

"Yes."

Without further preamble, the golden furred Cathar prowled toward the stairs. Raucous onlookers seemed to crowd the majority of the building, in various stages of intoxication. A protocol droid waddled up to Thengil as he passed.

"Do you wish to place a bit, sir?"

"I do not."

Ri'shajirr continued down, taking the steps two at a time in long strides. The real money in this place likely came from the private lounges, where high rollers dumped thousands of credits on their favorites. A profitable establishment, raking in more coin in a day than Thengil could in a month.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Thengil moved to vault the fence and move into the pit. security guard in the familiar trappings of the Helix Syndicate moved to block his way.

"Step back. You don't have authorization to enter the pit."

Glancing past the guard, the Sith watched as one rebellious gladiator became encircled by enforcers, while the other lay on the ground, body subject to a flurry of stun baton blows.

"We do not have time for this. Maijora?"

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys agreed.

"On it." He rushed forward with a burst of speed supported by his recent enhancements and armour, the Umbaran swiftly grabs hold of an enforcer's wrist and disarmed his stun baton. Twirling it around, the agent activated the electrical end and relentlessly began to beat down the guard until he was incapacitated. He looked over to the other guard who had already turned his attention to Catalys, "you karked up now, boy!" The Enforcer shouts in a fit of adrenaline rage.

Catalys turned his attention to the guard, darting an eye over to Thengil to catch his angle. A little help would be nice, he thought to himself.

Of course by now other enforcers around the room would soon turn their attention to the brawl, and divert their course to meet the two in the pits.

 

[TB-705]

A disdainful growl rumbled from Ri'shajirr's throat. He took two steps toward the guard and wrapped his forearm around the man's feeble neck.

I had hoped not to get involved with this petty rabble. Scrapping as if I were back aboard the barge.

Thengil punched the enforcer in the kidney. Hard.

Should have known better.

The man cried out, back arching, and fell to the floor. Ri'shajirr stomped on his stomach, ensuring he stayed there.

Bending down, Thengil picked up the enforcer's stun stick and chucked it at an oncoming goon. The sparking end hit the bullseye on the peon's target head. The fellow dropped like a rock. Turning, Thengil pointed toward the gladiators.

"Come with us unless you wish to spend the rest of your lives in a debtor mine."

[member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

The gladiators weren't going to pick the latter option, and without delay hopped up to join the two.

Catalys bolted towards the exit with the stun baton in hand, and quickly took out another enforcer who had been rushing to shut the blast door and trap them inside the ring. "We need to get the rest you came for and leave... The hangar will be under lockdown soon enough, so make it quick." The agent insisted. Time was of the essence, and it wouldn't take long before they knew which Catalys had arrived in.

Holocams dotted the corners of corridors and rooms, tracking them with precision and allowing the security chief to redirect enforcers en masse to their position. Soon three or four at a time arrived to meet them instead of the occasional one or two minions. Of course they didn't exactly have an army, either, there was no need to have a force when the design of the facility had security in mind.

Brawls weren't uncommon in such places, and already electrified field barriers sprung up at the ends of hallways. Another obstacle to overcome.

 

[TB-705]

Thengil growled his assent to [member="Catalys Maijora"].

A spark of lightning leapt from Thengil's fingertips and hit one of the electrical field generator tubes. The tube exploded in a shower of sparks and the field dissipated, allowing the small party to spring past.

Two minions rounded a corner, spotted them, and came head on. Ri'Shajirr punched the first in the stomach, hefted him bodily, and hurled the target head into the one behind. They collapsed in a heap.

"Over here."

Thengil approached the holding area the two enforcers had been guarding. Several Thyrsians stood there, no doubt prepping for their next fight.

"If you wish freedom, come."

Ri'Shajirr turned and made for the exit, where they would hopefully find their shuttle pilot waiting, sublights warmed.

 

[Catalys Maijora]

With the small crowd behind them, the group moved through the final checkpoint. Yet already the guards knew exactly which ship they'd be taking after the security chief identified where Catalys had arrived from when cross-referencing security footage from the day.

The bothan--tall for his species--stood center with arms crossed and an angry glare. Behind him were a dozen or so guards with carbines set to stun. "End of the road," he says with a confident canine-revealing smirk. "Surrender and I may consider a peaceful resolution to your situation..." A mixture of posture existed in the guards behind him. Some were poised, others clearly on edge after hearing what Catalys and Thengil had done to their colleagues. Unfortunately for the chief--and perhaps them as well--one of the latter sort was too trigger happy.

He shot a stun blast towards a Thyrsian standing off the fringe of the group, the sod let out a painful grunt but did not go down completely. His training and adrenaline kept him on his feet as he hunkered over. Catalys took this opportunity to draw a concealed flash explosive from his gauntlet and tossed it in front of him, glancing away without warning to the rest.

The white flash filled the room with a sharp ring, enough to daze and disorient those without the means to protect themselves for a few seconds. Catalys didn't wait, however, he immediately pushed past a few stumbling guards and ran up the ramp of the starship whilst his vision remained blurred.