The Zeal Of A Thousand Souls...

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...could not hope to match Delam's own.

The outer world were being summarily purged by the Black Imperium. The Techno Union recognized the Imperium's service and rewarded it with fresh recruits, droids, credits, and the various other spoils of war. Delam had returned to Zenith Prime to help deal with the logistics of the whole issue Though he was a warrior at heart, Delam was a bureaucrat at home. It was how he had to be, given his position. One could not rule through might alone.

There were, however, times when he needed a break. Even men such as himself needed to unwind from time to time. Zenith Prime had little by way of recreation - it was a military world and those who lived upon it lived well by its doctrines, but it was wild. There were areas beyond the usual training areas one could abscond to for a bit of peace. Dalem regularly went off toward one of the forests a few miles out from Camp Tal'verda. It was here that he made his decisions.

More importantly, it was here that he could be alone with nature and all the clarity that came with it.

There was a corruption within the Ruling Council. A corruption that Dalem was having trouble understanding. He knew well and good the nature of the Techno Union, but it kept its people in line, and that had been enough. Things were beginning to change. Disorder was being sewn throughout the union's holdings. Certain worlds had practically seceded.

He had returned to Zenith Prime to take a step back from the bloodshed and figure out his next move. The forest was a place of tranquility, a place where he could figure out what needed to be done about the union as a whole.

He let himself drift off into his thoughts as his speeder shot down the empty road to the small town at the edge of the great wood.

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Vaela’s next hit was on the military world of Zenith Prime. Her orders had come from an anonymous contact via the holonet. The message had simply said, KILL DELAM MAIREV. And the payment was substantial. It had been easy enough to discover his whereabouts – most of the men she had…pried…the information from were all too willing to part with it when they saw her - there were no secrets too hard to discover for Vaela. Most men would do anything for her. It had been a similar case on her journey from Nar Shaddaa to Zenith Prime – she had seduced a soldier into hiding her upon a military vessel and she had even managed to acquire a speeder when she had landed.

For a week she had been scouting the general area in which Dalem would be arriving. Vaela had discovered that there was a small town in the luscious green forests that he visited frequently. There was only one road that led to the town, and during her three-day scout, Vaela had only seen one speeder travel it. The road would be the perfect place for the assassination, quiet and lifeless. As well as the road, she had learned the lay of the forests, and would hike for three days back to the spaceport where her muse would be waiting to smuggle her off planet. Easy, simple, fool proof.

The afternoon of the assassination was hot and dry. Vaela was dressed in a dark green sun dress that finished just below her knees. It classily accentuated her curves, and concealed were an array of weapons strapped to her thighs. She had chosen a DC15 pistol, and two small vibroknives. The heels on her red shoes would act as deadly weapons should the situation call for it. She had hidden another pistol in a compartment on the land speeder, and in the forest, she had hidden a hiking pack ready for her escape.

The breeze on her face was welcomed as she set off in the landspeeder along the quiet, dusty road. Dalem would be landing at the main space port soon, and begin his journey to the small town…little did he know, Veala would be intercepting him. It was a three-hour journey to civilisation, if you could call the tiny cluster of buildings civilisation…but she stopped halfway, parking the speeder at the side of the road on a grassy bank.

She got out, and then replaced the speeders spark plug with a faulty one. Damsel in distress - it worked every time. Vaela untied her hair and frizzed her hands through it, making her look a little more dishevelled. Then she patiently waited. Looking forward to the bloodshed. Debating how to kill him. Slowly. Softly. Or brutally. After she had seduced him? If he was a hunk then maybe. She toyed with her ideas as she paced the road, her heels crunching on the dirt.

After an hour and a half of tranquillity amongst nature’s birdsong, Vaela picked up the misplaced hum of a speeder. Sure enough as she raised her green eyes, she saw the vehicle speeding towards her leaving a cloud of dust behind it. She smiled to herself. Showtime.

Vaela waved her arms, signalling for whoever it was to pull over.

‘Help,’ she cried in a desperate, breathless voice. ‘Please, my speeder!’

That's it, come to mama...

 

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Delam had rarely seen anyone else out on this road. Most of the transportation on Zenith Prime was aerial in origin. The few people that owned speeders inhabited the small towns on the edge of civilization, and they rarely if ever left. Occasionally he had seen cargo speeder passing by, but never anyone going about their business in the way that he did. No one wanted to go out of their way to visit these outlying villages - there was nothing to be gained from them. They had tranquility to offer and little more.

As chance would have it, that was all Delam wanted.

That, however, would not be what he received today, it seemed. Up ahead, Delam could just barely make out the figure of an inert speeder on the side of the road. Had there been an accident? No, that was impossible. No one came out here. The driver might have hit an animal in the center of the road, but then there was no corpse to be seen. It had to be a technical issue. On any other world, Delam would have been suspicious. He might have just driven on by. There were other people far more accommodating and friendly than he.

Yet, on Zenith Prime, an issue like a failing speeder could be deadly. There were a number of violent beasts roaming the wilds. Without the right supplies, it would be far too easy for an unlucky traveler to fall prey to the elements. That was why Dalem stopped. That was why he checked to make sure his DC-15 was firmly entrenched within his coat.

There was a woman. She was clothed like a civilian - one of the rare few on this warrior world. Delam pulled over alongside her and slipped out of the speeder. He was a tall man, standing a little over six feet in height. His hair was short and pulled to the side. A thin beard lined his jawline, and his bright green eyes affixed the stranger with a predatory glare. He was clad in a black hooded jacket and jeans - rather casual, all things considered.

"Having a problem?" He asked quietly, his eyes shifting from the woman to the speeder, "Doesn't look like you hit anything."

His gaze flickered back to the woman. Pretty, swan-like neck, blue eyes, white hair...not one of the legion. She was too bright; too glowing. His warriors were stern. Some were beautiful, yes, but in a regal fashion. They were honored warriors - people with a cause. This was a civilian, and he would do well to keep that in mind.

"My name is Delam. I was heading to Kaltan." He spoke, referring to the village, "Yourself?"

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

As the man pulled over and introduced himself, Vaela flashed him an appreciative smile; though the true nature behind it was delight that he was her target. He was a tall, well-built man, in casual attire. Even from a distance, to Vaela he looked delicious – she would have a little fun with him before she sliced his throat.

‘Thank you so much for stopping,’ she exclaimed. ‘I didn’t think I’d see anyone out here; I was starting to worry I’d have to walk in these heels.’ She laughed softly and looked down at her expensive dress, drawing Delam’s eyes to her body.

‘I was headed to Kaltan,’ she continued. ‘For my sister’s wedding. But my speeder decided to die on me, and I’m no mechanic.’

She edged a little closer to him. You’re going to die on me too, babe.

‘Perhaps you might take a look?’ she asked coyly.

Now that she was closer, Vaela could see his face. His eyes were a beautiful shade of green, and over one of them sat a fierce looking scar. He was well kempt, tall, dark, and handsome. It would be a shame for him to die.

‘I bet you would know what to do with it.’

Her compliment came natural but it was laced with a subtle hint of allurement.

‘I’m Vaela,’ she smiled. ‘Vaela Saboe.’

 

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Green eyes followed her hands. A shapely woman - they all seemed to be lately. He noted it away for later and folded his arms over his chest, listening to her tale with mired interest. It seemed his suspicions had been correct: as they ever were.

"You wouldn't get far. The beasts would tear you apart," he replied brusquely as he met her eyes. Was she raised on Zenith Prime? He gave her a second once over and decided she was not. Even the civilians ha a certain way about them, and this one was far too...was flirty the word? Delam did not have enough experience to accurately make an assumption.

"I'll take a look, just..." he looked back toward his speeder, "Don't touch anything.'

Shaking his head, Delam made his way toward the front of the downed speeder. It was an older model, the kind he would have expected to see on Zenith Prime. That fit the narrative, at the very least. He popped the hood, set his hands on either side of the front end, and leaned forward. It only took him a few moments to find the issue.

"Your spark plugs karked," he spoke distractedly as he wrenched the device free from the vehicle's grip. "You won't get very far at all, and something tells me you don't have an extra," a hint of amusement laced his words. Then came the realization; this woman was stranded.

Shab.

He turned back to face her. "A pleasure, Vaela," he offered the best smile he could muster. It wasn't much. "You'll need to leave the speeder for now. You can come back with a new plug an fix it. In the meantime, we're heading to the same place."

He motioned toward his speeder.


"Come with me?"

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Vaela watched as the man checked under the hood of the speeder. In her mind, she ran through all the possible scenarios of his death. Shoot him now? Stab him? No it was too soon, she wanted to toy with him a little, plus, he had been too quick to diagnose the ‘problem’ with the speeder - he wasn’t distracted enough. The muscles in his arms told Vaela that he would struggle and win if she pounced when his attention wasn’t absorbed. So instead, she waited for her prime opportunity.

And it came, given to her freely by Delam himself.

‘Come with me?’ he had said, gesturing to his speeder.

Yes, yes, that would work. He would be concentrating on driving the vehicle; Vaela could easily unsheathe one of the vibroblades strapped to her thigh, and embed it in his jugular.

She smiled warmly at Delam.

‘Really?’ she said sweetly. ‘You wouldn’t mind taking me all that way? That’s very kind of you.’

Before he could change his mind, Vaela rushed to the broken speeder. She grabbed a small travelling bag she had bought. Ever prepared, the bag contained walking boots, green trousers, a water bottle and food rations – just in case she had been diverted a little way from the hiking pack she had concealed in the trees. Once she had heard Delam’s speeder spring to life, she took the opportunity to slide the hidden pistol from its compartment and stuff it into the bag.

With a smile perched on her lips, Vaela turned and made her way to the passenger side of Delam’s speeder. Despite the high heels, she climbed elegantly into the seat and placed the travelling bag in the footwell. Her movements were like a dance, and each one was habitually calculated. Her legs crossed, showing more of the skin on her silky thigh.

‘Thank you,’ she smiled her sweet smile. ‘My sister will be so pleased!’

The wind blew her hair back as they set off down the dusty road.

‘So what brings you to Zenith Prime, Delam?’

She knew exactly why he was here. But her disguise dictated her every word.

‘Perhaps you’re one of the groom’s friends? No date though, hmm?’ Vaela giggled, suggesting that she hoped that he would be at the fake wedding.

Vaela was the type to play with her food before she ate it. There was nothing more fun in her lifestyle than manipulating the trust of her victims to seek power over them, especially when they looked like Delam. She could get away with anything hidden in her disguise; he would never suspect her true intentions until it was too late. Nor would he ever see her true nature, her real self, the person she kept buried by filling up her time with jobs such as these.

Every time she killed someone, she was given relief from the internal struggle against herself; a channel for all the self-loathing of who she had become, the loss and abandonment by her brother, the unrelenting hate for her family, batted against the desire to fight for a real cause, to really make a true difference to the Galaxy. It was a vicious cycle. She was sure that all the deaths by her hands hadn’t made any world better for long…most of the assassinations had been crime lords, or corrupt politicians – you killed one, and another sprung up in their place. She wanted something real to fight for. And she wanted love, a real family to belong to, who would fight with and for her.
But she knew that such an opportunity wouldn’t come around, not for her.

And so the anger began to creep up on her, slowly seeping its way into every inch of her body. She wanted to kill Delam. And she wanted him to suffer.

As the man spoke, her thoughts decided on his death. When the time was right, she would use one of the vibroblades to stab his jugular, then guide the speeder to a grassy bank like the one she had ‘broken down’ on, then finish him off should he still be breathing, and then drag his body into the forest for the beasts of Zenith Prime to clean up.

As the man spoke, Vaela’s eyes watched ahead.

There was a grassy bank in the distance, just over a hundred meters down the road.

A little spike of adrenalin seeped into her blood.

[member="Delam Mairev"]

 

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Flashy smiles and friendly words were this woman's weapons then.

Delam had been suspicious initially. It was odd for a speeder to lose function this far from civilization. It just didn't happen much, and for it to happen on the one day he decided to take his trip? It seemed a little convenient. The woman was pleasant enough; friendly, flirty even. She didn't seem the type to cause anyone any sort of ire, but then Delam had never been a good judge of character. He was used to dealing with the enemies of the Techno Union, not young women in sun dresses attending weddings.

Was it safe to tell her why he was here? He pressed his lips into a thin line and thought about it for a moment as they sailed across the dusty road. After a moment's pondering, he opted to speak.

"I wouldn't want to disappoint your sister," he spoke awkwardly, his gaze affixed on the road ahead. Battle was simple; you only had to out think your enemy and assure your men that your decisions were the right one. Casual conversation with someone not of his kind was...difficult.

"Zenith Prime is my home. I was brought here as a very small child and raised by the legionnaires along with many others," he paused for a moment, green eyes drifting over to meet Vaela's own, "I'm on leave. I figured I needed to clear my head."

With that, he cracked a thin smile. It was a faint one, but there all the same. His suspicion was beginning to evaporate as they drew farther away from Vaela's ruined speeder. Her behavior and, admittedly, appearance made the High Lord want to enjoy her company.

And he did not enjoy that urging.

"I know no groom. I've never attended a wedding," the speeder drove up on a bridge the hung over a massive ravine. "I imagine it'd be a bit...stuffy. You go alone?"

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

‘Oh, I thought you fit the bill of a warrior,’ Vaela stroked the man’s ego. ‘Who would have thought that this planet would harbour some of the most attractive sceneries the Galaxy has to offer.’ She met his eyes as she implied a double meaning to her words. He cracked a thin smile.

[SIZE=9pt]"I know no groom. I've never attended a wedding," the speeder drove up on a bridge the hung over a massive ravine. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]"I imagine it'd be a bit...stuffy. You go alone?"[/SIZE]

Despite his reserved nature, in the short time they had been in one another’s company, Vaela had captured his attraction. His inquisition if she would be attending alone gave him away. Show a little leg, and all the men have their tongues wagging, even the brusque ones.

‘Oh yes,’ she smiled. ‘I’ll be attending alone.’ Vaela let her words linger in silence for a moment, letting him think that perhaps he had a chance with her if he so desired. Her mind, however, calculated the exact moment she would end his life. The grassy bank was easily visible at the end of the bridge now. As soon as the speeder left the bridge, she would pounce.

‘Unfortunately,’ she continued, drawing her attention back to Delam. ‘The demands of my work don’t allow any time for candid relations.’ The speeder was half way across the bridge. She placed a delicate finger on his arm and ran it down his muscles, hoping to absorb his attention on her amped up amour. ‘I would have loved for a handsome man like you to have accompanied me, though.’ Vaela turned her body closer to him so that he could smell her perfume; the moment was electric…she almost wished she didn’t have to kill him.

‘The thing is Delam,’ her voice took on a new tenor. It was quiet and alluring. Obscured from his view, she lifted her dress slightly and began to slowly tug a vibroblade from its sheath. ‘I get close to a lot of men…but only to kill them.’

With her last words, the virboblade was free from its sheath. In a quick motion, Vaela began to swing her arm around to implant the blade in the man’s jugular. Before it came into contact with its target, a sharp pain erupted on Vaela’s forearm. The pain made her fingers loosen around the hilt of the knife and it fell to the floor of the speeder. In a blur, Delam had struck her arm. The speeder wobbled as the man’s focus turned to his assassin.

In the milliseconds that had passed, Vaela balled her fist and punched the man’s jaw as hard as she could. It was hard enough to dazzle Delam, though not enough to leave him unconscious. With a grunt, Vaela lifted her feet and kicked his hands away from the steering wheel. The speeder wobbled violently. The next moments were tumultuous - the vehicle crashed into the end railing of the bridge, broke through, and then began to topple down the side of the ravine.

There was too much motion for Vaela to accurately pull any of her weapons from their hiding places and finish the job. She held on for dear life. As they toppled against the sides of the speeder, she saw just how deep the ravine was – perhaps the fall would kill Delam. If she got out the vehicle right then, she could try and escape unscathed.

Without hesitation, Vaela pushed off with her feet and flung herself from the side of the speeder. She then began to roll down the side of the ravine. She tried to grab anything she could to slow her momentum. She was moving too fast. Her fingers slipped on the dirt. Panic began to rise inside her. Then, she slammed into a rock. The collision winded her, a searing pain shooting through her skull.

Everything went black.

[member="Delam Mairev"]

 

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Delam had issues with personal space. When he was working he set it aside. He did not allow his personal dislike for physical contact to get in the way of his job, but in situations such as this it was a different story. He tensed up as her finger drew along his forearm, the warning klaxons whirring in his mind. She had been alluring enough, and the scent of her perfume was intoxicating, but Delam was no simple man. It took much more than a beautiful woman to distract him from his purpose. His brow furrowed.

"The planet is mostly artificial and many of the enviroments can be changed via the main control center," he explained as he attempted to shift attentions away from her all-too-obvious advances. Delam was too confused to decide whether they were unwelcome or not.

Then things changed. She spoke of going alone, of her job taking precedence over relationships. Delam was half-listening to her, half keeping his eyes on the road. Then her final words fell from her lips.

She should not have spoken them.

A calloused hand caught her own in an iron grip that could have crushed bone. He caught the gleam of steel in the evening sun - a knife! A fist cracked against his face just as he prepared to pull the speeder aside and made him waver. Small hands grabbed for the wheel of the speeder and sent it careening off to the side of the road - off the bridge.

Shab.

Delam had pulled his DC-15 free from its place in his pocket by the time Vaela had jumped free from the speeder. He didn't get the chance to fire. The speeder crashed against the side of the ravine, bounced one, then twice, and fell straight down to the bottom. The ensuing crash tore the speeder in half and it took everything Delam had to keep a hold on his seat.

The impact stole the air from his lungs. His arm was engulfed in pain and he was thrown a good ten meters from the wreckage.

He lay there for a moment processing what had happened. When it finally registered, Delam pushed up to his feet, shouted a string of curses, and retrieved his Shacklebolt rifle from the back of the speeder before it went up in flames.

The ravine was a quite a ways away from the road, and the village ever-farther. Delam's mind went to one thing: the woman. Fighting the urge to snarl, the High Lord marched toward the girl's broken body at the foot of the river. He could just barely make out the mop of white hair upon her head - she was going to regret her actions.

He wasted no time in hefting the unconscious girl over his shoulder and marching off toward the woods ahead. A three hour trip had become a three day one. They were going to have a talk.

Delam sat her down beneath a massive oak, tied her hands behind her back with a zip-tie, and sat down adjacent to her, rifle pointed at her chest.

"Wake up."

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Vaela struggled to fight the darkness. She came to several times, only to be continuously pulled back under. When her mind would surface, she felt a horrid ache in her head, and abdomen. She could feel her self being thrown around. Maybe it was vertigo. Or maybe one of the beasts Delam spoke of had found her, and was dragging her to its lair to be eaten.

Her guess wasn't far off.

It was easier to raise her eyelids the next time she surfaced. She was upside down, and she could see the ground in the dim light; it must be close to twilight. She heard the crunch of boots on the ground. She smelt blood mixed with musky pine. Darkness.

‘Wake up,’ a voice called out to her.

Vaela followed the sound.

‘Wake up.’

Her green eyes opened wearily. Her face felt wet with what she presumed was blood. She groaned. Her hands were bound behind her securely – she tried to wiggle them free but it was useless. In the dim light, she could make out a crouched figure. It was holding a blaster that was pointed directly at her chest.

She focused. The crouched figure was Delam.

The tables had turned.

‘Ugh,’ she moaned. ‘I was hoping you were dead.’

Vaela’s disguise had been stripped away. Her usual unparalleled sharp mind struggled to find an escape.

[member="Delam Mairev"]

 

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"You could be in a moment, if you don't explain yourself," Delam growled.

Gone was the uncertainty. Gone was the awkward that had plagued him when dealing with this woman earlier. She might have been a pretty face, but she'd tried to kill him. She was an enemy of the Techno Union, of the Imperium, of himself. He had half a mind to fill her with the mass-accelerated rounds from his rifle right then and there, but he had questions.

"Who hired you? How much did they pay?" He continued, lowering his rifle somewhat though not enough to lack threat. Vaela was restrained, but if she found her way out of the wire, he wasn't going to let her escape.

His eyes narrowed. His gaze fell to her legs - where she had pulled the blade from. There was no hesitation as he reached under her dress and felt around for the weapons strapped to her thighs. With a look of distinct displeasure, he pulled them away one by one and tossed them into the grass at his feet.

"A bit overkill, don't you think?" He challenged.

He settled back on his haunches and watched her, all the while ignoring the throbbing pain in his right arm.

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Vaela let slip a little laugh as he removed the weapons strapped to her thighs.

'Hardly overkill,' she mused. 'Have you seen yourself?'

She referred to his muscles and tank like stance. It would have been a whole lot easier if she had just sniped him from the trees. A part of her wished she had died on the way down the ravine; it bruised her ego a little to be caught like this, helpless and arms bound.

In the trees behind the pair, something began to move. Vaela could hear twigs cracking under its weight. She wasn't sure if Delam had noticed - his face was shrouded in the growing darkness of the night.

She spoke a little louder, drawing his attention.

'I don't know who issued the hit,' Vaela said truthfully. She winced through the pain on her forehead. 'I don't ask questions. Got paid half before, half later...eighty grand in total. One hell of a bounty.'

More snapping.

Please be something ferocious. Come on, come on, finish the job.

Vaela shook her head to the left, spraying blood on the grass.

A growl erupted from the shadows.

 

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"Once or twice," Delam shot back as she laughed. A hint of amusement laced his words, though it was overshadowed by his ire.

He did, however, soften up slightly when she answered his questions. At the very least, she hadn't tried to challenge him or make things difficult. Delam did not take well to the resisting types - they just made things difficult. He always found the answers he was looking for in the end. Resisting made things take longer and ruined everyone's mood.

He was quite pleased that he hadn't needed to break her nose.

"I'll find out myself then. I don't take kindly to people trying to assassinate me, pretty faces or not. Whoever your boss is -" he rose up to his feet, " - well, you're not going to be getting that other forty thousand."

Something else drew his attention. he could just barely hear it behind him - something large was snarling. The soldier whirled about, his rifle raised. He was met with a massive wolf-like creature easily as big as the speeder they had crashed. It bore massive jagged fangs and leered at the two of them with beady yellow eyes. Other forms moved beyond the treeline as well, prowling.

"Shab."

The beast charged.

Delam pulled the trigger on his rifle. The mass-driver within roared as it sent forth hyper-accelerated slugs. They pelted the beast, piercing fur, skin, muscle, and bone. The monster fell to the right of Delam, its face a mess of blood and viscera.

And still more came.

They charged in twos, claws outstretched to gore the warrior. Delam forgot about the woman. He was busy pumping the beasts full of slugs.


[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Vaela took her chance. While Delam's back was turned, she stood to her feet. It was a strenuous task - the vertigo almost floored her, but she managed to shimmy herself up using the tree trunk behind her. With her eyes still blurred, she began to stumble to the left.

Vaela could hear the yelps of the wolf like creatures as Delam's blaster tore through their flesh. The night lit up with every shot, giving her a chance to discover her bearings. On the floor, she saw one of her blades resting in the grass. She fell to her knees, leaned back, and grabbed the hilt with her tied hands. Every inch of her ached, but she got to her feet again.

Again the area lit up with blaster fire. Vaela froze. In front of her stood a snarling beast, saliva dripping from its barred teeth. It smelt her blood; it wanted her flesh.

She began frantically jarring the knife against the tie binding her hands as panic welled inside her.

The wolf started to advance, slowly stalking her before it would pounce and sink it's teeth into her neck. More shots fired, and a piercing yelp erupted - one of the beasts fighting Delam had finally fallen. The creature advancing on Vaela broke it's stare and turned it's head in the direction of its dead kin. Taking advantage of its brief distraction, Vaela began to run. She could hear the beast's paws on the ground behind her as it noticed it's prey fleeing.

She ran as fast as her weary body would allow, but the vertigo made her slow and weak. Her heel caught in mud, pulling the shoe from her foot. She cried out as she fell to the grass.

'Delam!'

She doubted he would come, why would he?

The beast pounced as she rolled over, and in one last attempt at survival, Vaela kicked her leg forward. The heel of her remaining shoe sunk into the chest of the beast. It roared in pain, but the woman's feeble attempt to kill it only angered the wolf further.

All Vaela could do now was meet her death.

 

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Delam was too preoccupied to notice Vaela's flight. Frankly, even if he had taken note of it, he would not have cared. He was far too busy dealing with the great wolves. He had hoped killing one of the beasts would send the others off. It had the opposite effect. The beasts grew more savage; angry over the death of their pack-mate. Delam had been the one to take it from them, and so he was the target of their ire.

Claws raked aling his wounded arms. Blood spurt from the shallow gouges like a fountain, and the tendons beneath his epidermis shine in the moon light as they were exposed to the outside air. Shouting a string of curses at the top of his lungs, Delam shoved his rifle into the gaping maw of the beast's mouth and pulled the trigger. The monster's throat was ripped apart and the head torn clean off. Its blood splattered across Delam's arms and face, but the warrior paid it no mind. The attack had a positive effect- the beasts backed off, if only for a moment.

Then he heard it.

Vaela had screamed his name. He chanced a look over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. One of the beasts was pouncing on the girl. Delam had to make a quick decision. Vaela had tried to murder him, but the walk to civilization would take time, and these beasts regularly prowled the lands. He would need the assistance.

With that thought in mind, Delam sprinted toward the wolf. He brought his shoulder low and crashed it into the beast's rib cage. It yelped in surprise and stumbled back, turning only to receive a slug into its right eye. The monster bellowed in agony and tore off toward the woods, its comrades remained, though they prowled within the treeline.

Bloodied, covered both in his own and that of the wolves, Delam offered the assassin a hand.

"Up, quickly. They're angry now."

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Vaela closed her eyes and awaited death. She hoped that it might be instant and painless, but the beast was vicious, it's sharp teeth would rip her limbs apart and tear chunks of her flesh as it feasted on her. Behind her eyelids, Vaela saw a happier time, one with her brother - before all the crimes she had committed and before all the blood on her hands. They were young and innocent in their youth, talking of the great adventures they desired and escaping their families expectations. What a journey her life had been, one tainted and troubled but an adventure none the less, far greater than the fate her parents had intended for her. She thought of her brother, older, and hoped that he was still alive somewhere, perhaps settling down somewhere beautiful, with a wife and children. She had hoped the same for herself one day.

Vaela gritted her teeth and waited for the wolf's sharp claws to sink into her skin. She could hear it's paws on the grass, and it's low growl as it readied to pounce on her frozen body. Then she heard boots, hurrying closer. Then a yelp. Then her eyelids lit up with blaster fire. Another yelp erupted, this time more pained. She still expected it, but death never came.

'Up, quickly. They're angry now'

A voice. A man's voice. Was it her brother? No, no, she felt the grass underneath her and the faint cries of the beastly wolves. It was Delam.

Vaela opened her eyes slowly. The man's bloody face was close to hers, searching for a reaction from her own. She stared into his eyes while she grasped what had happened. Her target had come to her rescue after all. The beast had fled. Confusion washed over her, followed by a deep sense of appreciation and admiration.

His words came back to Vaela along with her senses. The wolves were angry. She had to move.

'Untie me,' she whispered, barely audible. 'Untie me and I will help you.'

She owed this man her life now.

What a strange turn of events.

 

[Placeholder 01]

Why had he saved the assassin? He needed her assistance. The beasts were far too numerous for him to deal with on his own, especially if he hoped to make it back to the nearest town in a timely manner. They would need to work together to survive - the biggest issue being sleep. Someone needed to take watch while he rested and vice versa. So long as Vaela was alive, he could rest in relative peace. Then there was the more base issue; that Delam had a soft heart now and again and did not wish to see the assassin torn limb from limb.

He pulled her close, breathed in the peculiar scent of her perfume mixed with the planet's detritus, and drew his knife. He cut the ties and shoved a DC-15 into her hand. Her weapons had been left behind at the oak tree. It would have to do.

"I believe you," he huffed back, "But if you try to harm me, I will end you."

There was no subtelty behind the threat. Vaela needed to know where they stood. He had allowed her to live out of his own mercy and a need for an ally. If she chose to take advantage of that, she would fail, and that mercy would not continue to be so.

The beasts came then. Four of them, some wounded, others pristine, charged out from the treeline. Delam slammed another magazine into his rifle, pressed his back against Vaela's and didn't let go of the trigger until it clicked.

"We can't kill them all, but we can get them to leave!"

[member="Vaela Saboe"]

 

[Vaela Saboe]

The man bent down and pulled Vaela close to his hard body. She studied his face as he drew a knife and freed her hands from their bind. In her line of work, if you got compromised and got caught, it usually meant death. But this man had spared her from being torn to pieces, and it confused her; she didn't know what to make of it - she should be dead. Vaela could have killed the man right there and then when he handed her his pistol. Though if she did, it would mean dying to the wolves he had just spared her from. Vaela was not in fighting form - her head and abdomen ached, and even if she were able, there were still too many wolves for her to take on herself. She needed Delam, if only for a little while until she made up her mind.

Perhaps Delam would let her go after they made it back to civilization? Or she could formulate a solid escape plan once she had rested her wounds?

Her thoughts whirled as she pressed her back to Delam's. There would be more time to think later of how she would play her circumstances.

'We can't kill them all, but we can get some of them to leave!' Delam shouted.

One of the four wolves had circled around the pair and was glaring it's beady yellow eyes in Vaela's direction. The pistol in her hands wouldn't cause as much damage as Delam's weapon, but it would be enough. She focused through the waning vertigo and aimed the blaster at the beast's front leg. She fired until the barrel overheated and the wolf recoiled in agony, raising it's burnt paw. The barrel cooled and she fired again, aiming at the creature's chest and neck. It flinched and whimpered with each shot, eventually retreating back into the trees.

Vaela could feel Delam's back shuddering from the recoil of his blaster. The shots lit up the trees in front of her, allowing better vision directly ahead. She could see nothing prowling in the shrubs but Vaela fired into them anyway, hoping to deter anything that might be considering pouncing on her.

'No more this way,' she shouted over her shoulder. She kept her eyes peeled for movement. She dared not turn her back to the trees.

'What direction is the speeder?' Vaela asked the man.

Perhaps if they could get closer to it and blow up the engine, the fire would scare the beasts away long enough for them to gather their thoughts and formulate a plan; that's if the speeder was still in tact, the fall into the ravine looked deep and she doubted it would be in a drivable condition at the very least. Apart from being covered in wolf blood, Delam looked unscathed. Perhaps the speeder had the same fate.

The night was proving too dangerous to travel in the dark forests, especially in Vaela's condition. Though adaptable, she was much more comfortable fighting in close quarter confrontations with humans and the likes. Trying to battle waves of four-legged beasts with sharp claws and fangs, all the while suffering with a head wound in the pitch black, was not her forte.

'Is it still in tact?' she pressed.

 

[Placeholder 01]

The speeder? Did she intend to try and flee? Delam was rather sure the vehicle was well and utterly trashed. The best they could hope of it was a bit of scrap and, perhaps, a power source. He furrowed his brow at her suggestion for a moment as another of the approaching monstrosities pulled him from his thoughts. Wh ywere these thing allowed to thrive anyway?

"The speeder is totaled," Delam explained between shots, "But you're right. I believe the engine is still intact. If we're quick...it might work." The warrior drew in a deep breath and nailed another beast in its skull. It didn't die, but it did recoil back into the treeline, howling in pain.

Better than nothing.

Delam's mind went to the speeder. It had not crashed particularly far - he could see it when he'd tied her up near the old Oak. If they could just find a moment of peace amidst the endless assault...

There it was, a momentary break in the attack. The beasts' circle had been shattered as one of their kin fled into the protective darkness of the trees. Delam took the chance, seizing Vaela by the forearm and marching through the momentary break.

The speeder was within viewing distance. Delam raised his rifle, squeezed the trigger, and watched as the engine exploded. Fire and metal rained out over the ravine. The beasts screeched. The ear shook.

The warrior smiled.

 

[Vaela Saboe]

Delam was right, they had to act fast. The beasts were relentless in their hunger. The man grabbed Vaela's forearm and began to pull her in the direction of the speeder. She was glad for his guidance - her last remaining shoe made it near impossible to run. His strong grip almost carried her across the grass. With her free arm, she aimed the pistol behind her, firing blindly at anything that might have pursued them.

Before any of the beasts could pounce, Delam fired his blaster at the speeder. With a deafening bang, the engine exploded. Vaela's reflexes caused her to press her body into Delam's back - his tank-like frame shielding her from the fiery shrapnel.

The plan seemed to have worked - there were no beasts in sight, though Vaela was sure they were watching from the treeline.
The fire from the engine burned into the night casting an eerie orange glow over their surroundings. A river shimmered softly, and on the opposite bank dense trees towered to the sky. Vaela figured the side of the ravine rose in the confines of the forest. As she stepped from behind Delam, she noticed her travelling bag on the grass. It had been strewn from the vehicle on the descent. Gasping in relief she stumbled to it.

From inside, she pulled out walking boots and a pair of trousers. At least her situation had gotten a whole lot comfier. Vaela pulled the brown trousers on under her sundress, which she tied up like a shirt as best as she could, and then slid the boots on her feet. In the bag remained her spare pistol; she could easily whip it out and shoot Delam to claim the rest of her payment, then find some isolation while she enjoyed the money and tried to forget the mercy he had shown her.

She could just as easily make it on her own now. After all, her original plan had dictated a hike in the woods back to the space port alone. The only trouble was that she was weaker now, it would take a day or so to build her strength back up, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself adequately should the situation arise.

The debate ended in indecision. Vaela blamed her second guessing on the head wound.

She pulled the pistol from her bag and turned to Delam. She then held the weapon up for him the see, pointing the barrel vertically to the night sky.

She raised her eyebrow, then tucked the blaster in the waist of her trousers, indicating a truce. For the moment at least.

'My original plan,' she began as she walked to the river edge. 'You know, after I had killed you...was to travel by day and keep to the trees at night. I scouted these forests for days,' she began to wash her face with the cool water, wiping the dried blood from her hair and brow. 'Though not on this side of the bridge - I never intended to come this far. I hid a pack near the broken speeder, but by the angle of the ravine I'd say we're too far out to head back. If we can find a way up the side or around in the morning, it'll be roughly three days walk to Kaltan.'

Vaela stood from the waters edge. Her face and hair were as clean as she could manage. Luckily, her head wound had stopped bleeding but the dizziness still lingered slightly, and her abdomen felt bruised. But this was no time for weakness - she had been given a second chance at life and she intended to take it.

'Just my suggestion anyhow,' she turned to Delam awaiting his response. The wolf blood shone on the man's face in the glowing firelight.

'You look like shab by the way.'

Though in the private confines of her mind, Vaela thought he actually looked quite badass. And good looking. Fiercely good looking.

She cocked her head.