Unwilling Induction (Knights of Ren)

[Varus Ren]

Garth Hummel was a man with a history of running, one that had in the end, left him with a wealth of information. Raised in the Jedi Order on Tython the human-anzat hybrid had grown into a daring Jedi Shadow but with the fall of the Sith Empire, had sought to enact further justice in what at the time was the fledgling Rebellion, and then after a time had joined the One Sith, before he ran from that too. It haunted him, all the things he'd done, but they'd shaped him all the same. Trauma and pain shaped people in this galaxy, Garth was a dime a dozen in that sense. However here, in the territory owned by the growing First Order, his history yielded important information, his talents made him a valuable commodity individually, and it had also made him quite a thorn in the First Order's side.

More than once he'd been hired on to protect smugglers from the interference of the rising power's stormtroopers, who he noted, were far more dangerous than most he'd encountered individually. Most recently he'd taken out a squad attempting to search the run down freighter he was now exiting on some world whose name he hadn't bothered to learn. It was in First Order space, he knew that, and the only reason he didn't know the name was that the writer wasn't quite sure where the First Order was actually located in the grand scheme of things.

What Garth hadn't encountered in his escapades, however, were the so called Knights of Ren. They were enigmatic, and he'd only heard them spoken of in hushed whispers and nothing more. Hummel doubted the existed to be quite honest, as he strode through the oddly desolate area surrounding the spaceport, the fallen Jedi pulled his hood over his head and began searching for an area to slip away and lay low until the commotion caused by the mysterious disappearance of ten stormtroopers blew over. He'd done it before, the whole ordeal was a cycle of rinse, wash, and repeat. It was actually quite boring, but it paid well.

Turning down an alley, Garth couldn't help but feel he wasn't the only force sensitive present, but his connection to the force, unlike his skills in combat and infiltration, had remained the same since he was young. Nearly nonexistent that is, to be quite frank it was a fluke the Jedi choose him, his connection to the supposedly all powerful energy flowing through everything manifested itself in physical enhancement and little else aside from some minor precognition. Which meant wherever [member="Belis Ren"] or whomever was in league with him had the drop on him for now.

OOC: All Knights of Ren are welcome, Belis and I talked and basically Garth is going to become a Knight of Ren himself but I didn't want his induction to be all that peaceful. Basically you're all free to jump my character and duel for a bit before re-purposing him to serve the Furhe-I mean Supreme Leader

 

[Armand Temi]

As Veer purchased a long stick of grilled meat from a street vendor, her stomach growled so loudly that even the seller noticed. "Must be hungry," he remarked, cackling to himself. She didn't smile back; only tossed a credit chit at him and turned on her heel up the walkway. Veer would eat, but it would not satisfy her in the slightest. It was more to give her something to do while she found her next target. Three days. Three days since she'd tasted the soup, and her desire to feed was a nagging, lustful ache in her belly.

She wandered past boutiques and personal electronics stores, lingering at the windows. Veer had enough credits to buy what she wanted from either merchant. But as she realized a long time ago as she wandered most planets, exiled from her home world of Nubia, that shopping was only a short-term pancea. I need to make my way to Coruscant or Nar Shaddaa where there is never a shortage of beings on which to feed, Veer thought. She ran her pale hand along the railing of the walkway, and once she reached the end, she tossed the street meat into a trash receptacle.

With her own Force sensitivity, she felt the presence of another. A Jedi or Sith would likely be too strong for Veer to overpower, especially since her own skills in the Force were nascent and untrained. But still she was curious. On heeled, thigh-high black boots she clicked up the alley, the sound of her footsteps echoing and potentially giving away her position. If I've already made this much noise, speaking won't really matter too much will it, she thought?

"Hello, who's there?" she asked in a hoarse voice, reaching out with the Force to press upon the consciousness of the other who was around.

[member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Varus Ren]

He heard the footsteps first, before he heard the voice or found [member="Veer Gravois"] in the force. Instinctively his hand balled into a fist as he prepared to eject a Hook of Ryloth and fight what could've in all likelihood been a First Order hitwoman trailing him. His mixed heritage possibly guaranteed him a longer life, but he hadn't been around long enough to know, it had made him violent and aggressive, but there was no urge to feed, in fact the tendrils used in doing so never developed in him, which among other things made it far easier to blend in. Not that it mattered now.

This girl, whoever she was, certainly was force sensitive, he could tell that much. Stopping in his tracks, Garth looked back over his shoulder, the dark hood concealing his face. "I'd stop following me if I were you." He warned gruffly, his voice icy and unforgiving as he spoke.

As his fist relaxed he moved it to his hip where nestled in a satchel were two lightsabers, both relics of his time in the Jedi Order, he'd built them both himself and killed plenty with them, as far as he was concerned the girl behind him would be just another kill if she kept up her current course of action. Still, if anything a fight here would draw attention that he did not need at all right now, and he was tired, he hadn't slept in a day. For those reasons, he hoped the woman would heed his warning.

 

[Armand Temi]

The lithe, black-haired Anzat-human cautiously approached, but not too close yet. The man's words were barbed and cold. And she expected no less. Veer was prowling around a deserted alley after all and now like a rat, had come nearly upon his back for just a nibble. Occasionally, she got too eager to feed, and her predatory instincts took over, especially when she was this hungry. Her darting eyes and rapid actions would become too apparent to her prey. While she couldn't tell from behind how strong the stranger was, she didn't want to scare him off either way. Assuming he was the skittish type in the first place.

He would hear her bootsteps pause as his hand hovered near his waist. Veer spent the last few years as a mercenary. She could tell the figure was itching to pull out a weapon. On her own person, Veer had a blaster and vibrodagger, but nothing more. More powerful melee weapons were on her ship, but since she preyed upon weaker beings, she never needed to pack anything heavier.

The smell of garbage from the alley assaulted her nose and only drew attention to her famished state. "I'm lost," she said, immediately regretting the lie. It sounded so hollow and suspicious. "I need to find my friend, and I'm afraid I've taken a wrong turn," Veer added in softer voice.

That's better. The lost little girl routine may just work if you can hold it together long enough to find out how this situation can be exploited, she thought.

[member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Varus Ren]

"Exactly how stupid do you think I am?" Garth questioned harshly, turning about to face the female, a glint of anger in his eyes as he did. His face was no longer smooth and unscathed as it had once been, now his brown eyes seemed heavy and full or burdens, his black hair has grown long and had to be kept up, and his face itself was scarred and burnt.

"You and I both know we share something in common, the force, I know you can sense it, and I know you haven't lost any friend. I'm not entirely sure you have any to begin with." The assassin snarked, letting out a cold laugh as he moved his hand away from the satchel. "Why don't you just go ahead and tell me what you're after." He suggested, his tone harsh as ever as his eyes shot a piercing glare straight into [member="Veer Gravois"]'s own.

 

[Armand Temi]

Veer stopped completely and then crossed one leg in front of the other. Her entire body was still, the only movement a blink or two from her dark-lined eyes. But when the man in the alley suggested she had no friends, she let out a long, guttural laugh. There was some truth to this, in a way. She had very little friends as a mercenary, and like most Anzats, lived an isolated life, only venturing out for meals or credits. Veer had expensive taste, which was apparent in her well-tailored black coat, the hem of which skimmed the top of her high boots.

His cold demeanor was matched by her own, but she swallowed nervously, a sign that she wasn't so calm and poised after all. Every nerve in her body was singing now with hunger. But she was still wary of telling the stranger the truth.

"Like you I possess the Force, but... I am unskilled," she admitted. Unlike the stranger, Veer possessed most of the Anzat traits, including mental coercison. But the icy eyes of the man staring back at her made her wonder if her mind tricks would even work on him. "I did not lie about needing to find someone. But it's not a friend."

She slowly held her hands out, palms spread almost religiously, so he could see she held no weapons. However, her hands had a slight tremble, reminiscent of spice abuse.

"But if I don't find this... person soon, I will die."

[member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Varus Ren]

"What's in it for me?"

The inquiry made what was left of the Jedi in Garth cringe, it was selfish and lowly, but he knew what was necessary to survive. At least his tone had become less hostile as the wall of aggression he'd built up slowly crumbled, but it still remained unsympathetic. The twitch suggested spice abuse, the high fashion led him to the conclusion that it was probably not a typical street drug that could be easily acquired and that the effects of withdrawal likely were as dire as she made them out to be.

She was truly desperate, from what he could gather, and that meant he'd get more out of her, as low as it sounded. Still however, he felt something else was out there, another, or perhaps multiple others. Whoever the girl needed found it needed to be done fast before whatever else was out there found him.

[member="Veer Gravois"]
[member="Belis Ren"]

 

[Armand Temi]

He hadn't tried to slam her against the building or Force choke her yet. This said a couple of things to Veer. The stranger wasn't going to hurt her, or conversely, he wasn't that powerful of a Force user. Either way she nodded when he asked what was in it for him. "Your question does not offend me," the Anzat-human said. "It's natural to want payment." She finally took a couple of slow steps forward. It was difficult not to rush to him, and grab his face in her hands, positioning his head just right so that...

No, Veer. Focus.

"And payment you should have. Now, we need to move quickly," she said. As she walked closer to him, he was even more familiar to her, and it wasn't just the Force connection. Veer couldn't quite place why. She wondered if he was a Sith or a Jedi, but the strong need was now overtaking any tolerance for idle conversation. With long steps, the Anzat-human finally strode past him, giving the man a wide berth. Veer was all precise and calculated action now.

"I hear the sounds of a cantina close by. We'll enter separately. You will stay close to me in case something happens. When I give you the signal, we'll meet back here."

The dark-haired woman was almost running now to the cantina. As she reached the bouncer, she stopped and smiled very graciously, flashing a brilliant, white smile and a credit chit. She gave one last look to the rugged, nameless stranger and disappeared inside the darkened club.

[member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Varus Ren]

With a nod, Garth seemingly disappeared, weaving his way through back alleys he came to another entrance and with a wave of his hand and the pushing of his abilities to the limit, he simply strode past the blank faced bouncer. Instantly his eyes scanned the packed are for [member="Veer Gravois"] and within a few moments he spotted the eccentrically dressed girl and locked onto her, weaving his way through the crowd with little trouble, getting close to her but not to the point where it was clear if he had anything to do with her.

Unfortunately for Veer, Garth never had been all that social, with his hood pulled up the dark robed figured simply shot white hot glares at anyone who dared to look at him for too long. He wondered what kind of trap it was, having quite the bad feeling it was. Had the One Sith taken offense to his leaving? Was she a Jedi setting him up for arrest? Or was she one of the Knights of Re-no, they didn't exist, the First Order was nothing more than a struggling remnant of Empire's long gone dreaming of becoming what once was. But they'd never achieve it...right?

Shaking off the thoughts the hybrid anzat-human kept his eyes open, trailing behind the female force users from a distance, just in case something unfavorable were to occur. Or so that he could kill her the instant whatever trap possibly laying in wait was sprung. Either way, he was staying close.

 

[Armand Temi]

The cantina wasn't large, but it was dim and smoky. Veer's focus was now on the hunt, so she payed attention to her new colleague through the Force. Every now and then he would feel her nudging his consciousness with hers, a simple touch to let him know she was there and vice versa. Soon he would see her against the wall of the cantina, a male Balosaur glued to her. The antenneaed alien, death stick dangling out of his mouth, was much shorter than she was, but he had one arm up against the wall, pinning her there. Veer whispered seductively into his ears, vacant words with the promise of an ephermeral moment of bliss. And soon enough, she was leading him out of the cantina. The Anzat-human passed by her co-hort, with a self-satisfied smile and a wink.

She led the unsuspecting Balosar back outside and down the alley. Looking over her shoulder, she glanced around for the fellow Force user. But once she reached the darkest part of the alley, her hunger took over, and in a role reversal, she slammed the alien male up against a trash receptacle. He pulled out a blaster, which she batted away with a quick backhand. But even a whole head shorter than Veer, the Balosar was stronger than he looked. He began to claw back at her, kicking and letting out a high-pitched yell.

"You came here for a kiss, and I'm going to give you one," she hissed at him, her cheek tentacles emerging finally. Even in the moonlight the Jedi would be able to see her for what she was now, a ravenous Anzat-hybrid ready to feed upon another's life essence. Veer clasped at the Balosar's throat and began to hypnotise him, but she was too eager, and he was terrified.

"Help me restrain him," she shot back at partner. "I'm weak, and I don't know that I can overpower him alone." Veer was holding the alien up by the neck, his feet nearly off the ground, but she would need concentration to drain him. Like it or not, this abnormal feeding ritual was going to take two people in order to be successful.

[member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Varus Ren]

Veer had peaked Garth's interest, Anzati, while close to human were usually distinguishable from regular human by some minor details. She lacked them, she was like him, she was one of the rare few human-Anzati hybrids. While he did not need the soup or to feed he could understand the urges, when he had been in adolescence they'd driven him crazy especially as he had no way to feed it, but he could sympathize with the girl now. Not to mention the man she had now wasn't exactly the pinnacle of society. Balling one hand into a fist and flexed his hand upward his assassins blade sprung forth from under his wrist. With a quick jab through the shoulder, the Balosar was pinned to the wall by the blade.

"You're a hybrid too, aren't you?" He questioned, his tone less cold and more curious than before. In 28 years never once had he met another like himself, he'd been told that the amount of hybrids was supposed to be incredibly low, yet here he was in the presence of another. Still, Garth had a haunting feeling that the two hybrids and Veer's chosen prey were being watched, or hunted. "Hurry up." His tone suddenly went cold once again as he looked around ensuring they were alone as he kept the man pinned with the force reinforcing his already naturally high strength.

[member="Veer Gravois"]

 

[Armand Temi]

The assassin's blade landed in the Balosar's shoulder with a loud, squelching noise. He howled in agony, which prompted Veer to take one of her hands and clasp it over his mouth, careful to avoid his snapping teeth.

She whipped her head around to face the Force user. "Too? You are an Anzat?" But he hurried her, and she took no offense. He was right. The feeding needed to happen now as most planets still held a strict penalty for murder, including prison time or execution. The Balosar was completely incapacitated with the help of her new... ally, if she could call him that. And if he was truly another Anzat she may feel so inclined to consider him a friend... eventually.

Veer's proboscises fully uncoiled, she placed her face close to the Balosar, who stunk of death sticks and bad cologne. She wrinkled her nose, but a shushing noise came out of her mouth, signaling that she was at least slightly sympathetic to her own victim. But only until the cheek tentacles found his nostrils and slipped inside in a way that made most sentient beings's stomachs turn. Once the feeding began, her hazel eyes rolled back in her head as she sucked out the contents of the helpless Balosar's brain. Veer was so ravenous, she entered a trance-like state and was only finished when the diminutive alien finally slumped over dead, one shoulder still hanging from the blade in the wall. Her tentacles whipped back into her cheeks as quickly as they had emerged. A drowsy, pale hand wiped her mouth.

When she opened her eyes fully, they sparkled brightly and the Anzat-human had a radiance about her that was lacking before.

"Payment?" she asked, her hand slipping inside her dark coat for a credit chit.

[member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Jaron Lesan]

Jaron sat in the Cantina and watched the entire exchange, it was sloppy. The attempt at seduction, the glance to the partner in crime, all of it was sloppy. Two force users should not have been as such. They were raw, and untrained. There was a hunger though, one which made him curious about the female. If she was willing to go to these lengths for a mere victim, perhaps the Ren could find in her an assassin. She would have to be trained to maintain her composure when desperate, but that would not be difficult. Jaron stood and followed the pair out at a distance and remained in the shadows. His aura was masked from them. Their untrained skill would not be able to focus enough to sense him near them.

He waited for the female to finish her feeding and listened. They were both Hybrids. He didn't need to eat, but she did. This was interesting. Both of them would be assets. The male seemed a trained assassin already. Two assassins, one with a blade under his wrist, the other who was a killer by nature. It was time to reveal himself.

"That was impressive, but your seduction was sloppy," Jaron said as he emerged from the shadows. "You almost lost this one, and all because you were not in control. I can make you stronger."

[member="Veer Gravois"] [member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Varus Ren]

"Half." He explained, watching as the man slowly had his life drained away, he was sleepy, tired, sloppy, but he wasn't untrained unlike [member="Veer Gravois"]. He turned as the man, [member="Jaron Lesan"], emerged from the shadows, sensing his presence before he had time to speak, though not through his signature in the force but instead by his movements. As the man's force mask dissipated more about him became clear, he was force sensitive, had followed them here, and was trying to recruit the girl.

He fit the bill for what he'd expected the Knights of Ren to be like. However he hadn't spoken to Garth, and the man had an idea why. After all he'd killed the First Order's troops and advised insurgents on their worlds, he wasn't exactly on their good side and felt he wasn't going to receive as pleasant an offer. "He'll also make you a slave." He snarked, the Jedi Knight in him shining through for once.

Garth's eyes didn't remain fixed on Jaron however, however tired he was his senses were still in tune enough to worry that the the man in front of him might not be the only one here. For the moment Garth, however tense didn't go for either of his sabers, instead he looked for anything he could to get away. If there was even the slightest chance he was outnumbered then it would be excessively complicated to get out of the bing he found himself in.

Looking over to Veer he hoped her reaction to the offer would be rejection, the last thing he needed was one more person standing against him. "Keep your credits girl, but I'd stay away from this one. I'd come with me, if I were you." Garth suggested, slowly backing down the alley and making his attempt to get away before things got rough.

 

[Armand Temi]

Another appeared from the darkness of the night and spoke out. As though emerging from a floodgate, endorphins released from the feeding rushed through the Anzat-hybrid, causing her to be slightly drowsy and a little buzzed. "Sloppy!" she exclaimed with mild outrage. She realized it was unusual for two Force users to be scuttling around cantinas like dirty vagrants, but Veer was quite used to her difficult existance. She had performed many unsavory acts in bedrooms that she wasn't proud of - just to feed, to keep herself strong and alive.

"Do you know that we are half-Anzat?" she asked the dark-haired newcomer. "That can be like a death sentence on certain planets. Before you judge my poise, please realize that most of my life is spent hiding in the shadows like a rat."

The nuance of the power shift here in the alley was not lost on Veer. She was the most untrained in the Force, but filled with another's essence would make her incredibly strong. Therefore, she felt less fear and a little more bravado now.

"I am no one's slave. I left the servant's life a long time ago."

The half-Anzat who helped her was now backing away. Perhaps he was a criminal after all, hiding from someone who wanted to kill him, maybe this stronger Force user even. But again Veer was unfazed. She brought out a handkerchief from her coat and wiped a speckle of blood off of her hands. She then pulled on set of soft, black leather gloves and reapplied a deep shade of red to her lips from a small tube of lipstick. In typical reckless fashion, she stood there just inspecting the newcomer. Now that she had fed, she was no longer in a hurry to do anything but let her sharp senses and reflexes take in everything around her, including the man who was fleeing.

[member="Jaron Lesan"] [member="Garth Hummel"]

 

[Shawn Withers]

There were many reasons why I choose to stay back. One, My Master could flush out the stronger of the two force users. Second, It was to keep me a secret. Since my lessons with Jaron upon hiding within the force, I have become very adept in the art. Most notably to stay alive in situations where I may have to run. or simply hide. At this moment, it was also to keep the attention on the Knight of Ren, and not myself. An apprentice to said Knight. I was prepared. Ready for a fight should there be one. I hung back. Preferring to let Jaron deal with the politics of the two Knights.

Oh yes. I could tell the man with the cloak was clearly a Knight. As a survivalist, I had to gauge my enemies, prey, and people alike. You never knew who would turn on you. And as such a situation would arise, you had to be prepared for it. Assassin. Strong with the force. Training in some dark, but his signature felt lighter than Jarons at times. Almost as though the man had only recently been converted. It was strange, but was very likely not uncommon.

My position not known for the moment, I made sure that my signature was not broadcasting anything. Hiding me within the force. However, my eyes were still very much open. Watching this. Watching how my teacher operated. Find out what he did right, and wrong. Where I can learn from him, either by his victories, or his failures. Then when the time was right, I would surpass him, and soon, we would be on equal levels.

For now, I hid. Keeping silent. and not even daring to move. Sure the assassin was good, but focusing on one man, then the lady, then myself, as well as watching for everything that was happening, he was to slip up somewhere. Everybody does. And that is what I paid attention for as well. To learn from his failures, and mistakes.

As to the lady, I kept an eye on her. She was something strange. Different. And I wanted to see who she was. The best way to do that? Either a fight, or by watching from afar. The choice was theirs.

[member="Veer Gravois"], [member="Garth Hummel"], [member="Jaron Lesan"],