Windrage & The Minotaur

[Stephanie Swail]

Ravelin
Bastion, Sartinaynian system ​

With numerous failed attempts in obtaining his prize for [member="Anja Aj'Rou"] – who probably had forgotten his very existence now – and side-lined with preparations for the birthday of his “creation”, daughter Morgana, alongside his lover [member="Nimue Stormson"], Asterion was desperate.

Desperate to make his way into the Primeval to become something else rather than just a nobody spending his time shadowing the Empress of Effekt. So it was in Ravelin, on the world of Bastion, that Asterion would return to look for his trophy – a Force User he could return to the Host Lord and prove his dedication.

A city full of history and technology, and at times downright dangerous beings and military figures, it was a good place in the Outer Rim for those passing who wanted to understand the bigger picture of galactic history. Perched on the side of a long street, Asterion had spent two days here now, and used that time to watch and wait for anyone that caught his eye – or, more so, his Force signature – as one he could claim.

The spaceport was the best place to wait for those incoming and passing through the Outer Rim who used the city as a stop-gap. Perfect time to snatch and grab.

[member=Snowflake]

 

[Lief]

[Théa Windrage]

Of all the planets with a distinct medical presence, her Father had chosen Bastion. It had taken several intense days of space travel to reach the once-Sith world, which had done naught save anger the little girl who had studied a spacemap and knew that there were many other, closer planets which would have sufficed. When she cornered him about this he had simply told her to trust his judgement, and when she insisted on pressing further he had scolded her and sent her back to her cabin.

The journey was miserable. Being so cooped up she could witness the deterioration of her mother's health and felt her diminished presence in the Force. Were the Gods angry that they had sought outside help? That they had forsaken the ways of their people and entered one of the flying metal beasts? Each bump of turbulence, every blinking light and wailing sound set her on edge. She did not like this method of transport, and wished there had been another way to treat her mother.

But she was in no position to defy her father, and besides which he wasn't even the one piloting the ship. When the vessel sank into orbit around Bastion, and then through into the atmosphere, Théa felt anxious to exit; the moment that the ramp lowered once the ship had settled into the spaceport she swooped down and firmly planted her feet onto the duracrete ground. Her father was far more occupied with paying the pilot and tending to his wife than he was watching his ten year old daughter, so she was free to explore as she wished.

Calling over his shoulder, he told her to meet him back there in a few hours and left her to her own devices. While she might have begrudged him the lack of care, she could see that her mother's condition was becoming dire. Instead she shouldered the heavy pack she had brought and set off through the spaceport. All of the ships felt oppressive, and so she headed to the first exit she could find. No one at customs bothered to give her a second glance, figuring she was just a child dawdling behind her parents, and she did not know enough about spaceport security to correct them.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

The latest arrival touched down; port authorities did their usual, a few faces of the remaining Imperial Stormtrooper divisions kept order. The touches of fallen Empires still had claws into the planet, that was certain. Asterion crouched forward for a moment, watching the shuttles, and as people started to mill out, he made his move.

Standing, his black cowl still with no breeze but his black and green combat suit glinting in the light, bearing the colours of the Stormson household he also served, Asterion held his hands wide and resorted to one thing he knew would attract the naïve and innocent – the offer of trust.

”Welcome to Bastion – please, step over if you wish to see the sights of long forgotten history! Fallen palaces, ghostly barracks, imposing statues and fully operational war-machines!”

There were Force Users here – and it would be a matter of time before one, hopefully, syphoned themselves from the arrivals to alert him.

”See the history of the Jedi and the Sith; the marks they left on not just this world, but the entire galaxy – and see the footprints of famed Sith Lord Darth Vader in ruins of fallen Imperial academies and fortresses!”

Total lies, but rather than try and be discreet about it, Asterion learnt that the gullible would make themselves known at the prospect of something so innocent and exciting. Two human males approached, neither Force sensitive. Asterion sighed, and began the process of fobbing them off to “his colleagues” in the main plaza of the city.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

The spaceport was abuzz with life as she wandered through it, dodging bodies along the way. Never had she been to such a densely populated area before, her tribe on Midvinter was one of the smaller which inhabited the planet, and so the child felt out of place and trapped among them. Mentally praying to Éar for support and strength she pressed onward, making little sense of anything which was said. As her frustrations grew the Force pulsated through her, as it always did, kicking up a rush of adrenaline which more often than not manifested itself into a childish episode.

But there were no parents here for her to throw a tantrum at, instead she felt herself shrink inward. Finally there came the sight of the entrance, and she found herself stuck within the steady tide of people also making their way outside. She turned around, trying to find her parents in the crowd to try and make sure they weren't struggling as she was. However, the crowd did not cease in their movements and so she was thrown aside and almost trampled underfoot.

Thankfully she had learned a thing or two while out hunting with her father, and she swiftly moved out of the way of the people as though they were charging beasts with her scent locked on. Panting she backed up to the wall and stood there for a moment, trying to catch her breath. Oh what she wouldn't give to be back on Midvinter right now! She glanced around slowly, spotting several other motionless individuals and for a moment simply observed. Her pulse was racing, her legs turned to jelly. Maybe it was best she just returned to the ship...

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

There.

A spark of anxiety and fear in the Force found him, something he learned to prey on serving the long gone Lady Kyros. Fear. Fear of everything uncertain in the world.

Asterion continued to talk and ignore those not getting his attention; he wanted the Force User he was scared. They would be perfect.

”Come one and all – don’t be afraid. If you’re lost, let me help you find your way around. Take a souvenir of the city back to your friends; and maybe just a little bit more.”

His dark eyes pierced through the bodies and found a few who looked alone and lost in the swarm of people coming and going.

”Find the real you amongst us in Bastion, and you’ll never regret your time here!”

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

If you’re lost, let me help you find your way around.

The words broke through the static of the spaceport and had her glancing around frantically. Oh, assistance in leaving this place would be appreciated indeed. Spotting an individual who was addressing the crowd she pushed away from the wall, shouldered the pack once again, and headed in his direction. His appearance did not bother her, she was used to people covering up being that Midvinter was so cold. And at any rate, the promise of help wasn't something to turn down. She had been raised in a close-knit community, and her naivety was a result of such. Everyone helped everyone, who was she to know the Galaxy did not work that way?

As she neared him the girl bit her lip and tried to refind her confidence. She was usually a loud, chatty child. But everything around her seemed so new and intimidating. Finally finding her voice, she spoke up - her words directed toward [member="Asterion"] as she did so. "Excuse me, Sir..." she began, stepping closer to where the man was stood, "Do you know of a safe way out of here?" Standing awkwardly in place after asking him, Théa tugged at the hem of her pure white shirt and wiggled her toes anxiously.

 

[Stephanie Swail]

The Force called out to him, and the aura was coming closer – the one he wanted to spot. And he did so, as she moved through the faces towards where he stood. Before she spoke, he clocked her curls of dirty blonde and innocence ripe for breaking. Dismissing the men, Asterion knelt down to be more on the girl’s level.

”Greetings my child.”

He noted her different coloured irises – a perfect mutation of genes.

”Welcome to Bastion. Where do you need to get to?”

He leant his arms folded over bended knee and conveyed a sense of confidence and strength to her; one she would hopefully find comfort in and trust. He bore no weapons, bar his lightsaber hilt under the fold of his cowl on his hip.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

She watched as the man descended to her level. The words he chose were a little chiding, yet helpful all the same. As he lent against one of his knees she drew from his presence strength and soon found the anxiety leaving her. The Force which pulsated through her veins remained just as intense, but it seemed as though she had taken a grip of it before she could act up too badly.

The question he asked, however, brought a frown to her flawless face. "Anywhere but here. There are too many people, Sir." She pulled a face, showing her disdain of the crowds, and cast her gaze back again in search of her mother and father. They were, of course, already long gone by now, seeking out the medi-center. She just hoped that everything would be okay. "Is there a better exit than that one?" Her head tipped in the direction of the heavily congested main foyer of the spaceport.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion followed her gaze around the crowds – he didn’t care about anyone else, as this wasn’t a very busy day in the city, but for someone so small as the girl it probably looked like a nightmare. He smiled and chuckled a little.

”It is a busy city, but I’ve been here for months now. I know my way around, the best places to go, places to see.”

Pursing his lips and drumming his fingers gently, he nodded and looked out to the city, not making the girl feel pressure by gazing right at her.

”Well the exit at the other end is just as bad. I flew in on my ship from the Great Palace of Bastion where I do my duties for my Lord Anja. I don’t like crowds so try not to get too involved- fly in, fly out, and back again.”

Let the curious lamb come to the wolf.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

His confidence with regards to the City led the young girl to nod her head; she had been taught to always trust and respect her Elders, and since her Father hadn't bothered to inform her otherwise - since the likelihood was he too had a tunneled vision of the Galaxy - she believed that it must transfer over to here, too.

At the mention of a Palace her eyes lit up. "Papa never let me go with him to the Great Hall." The slightest hint of a childish pout laced her lips for a moment, she had always wondered where it was that Leaders resided! The Chieftain of her village had a house that was just a tiny bit larger than her own, but she knew that High King Dawnbringer must have had quite the residence.

However, she did not relish the thought of flying again. "Could you show me, Sir?" she asked, all the same. The likelihood was that he would say no anyway, he seemed very busy after all.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

It was as easy as that, for a child to follow the breadcrumbs. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing then for this girl, if her upbringing had allowed her to be so naïve and gullible to the greater galaxy. Unaccompanied and alone, the shadow of the Minotaur moved across her from the sun in the sky as he kept his cool, composed look and nodded.

”Well, I can take you to the Great Hall for a few minutes, maybe an hour. I am busy, but I’d be happy to show you some of the Lords and Ladies and other magnificent beings there.”

From what he remembered of the palace itself, it reeked of death and blood, the walls moved with those chained to it and shadows came alive with those who stalked them in serving the Host Lord herself.

”In fact,” Asterion said as he turned, pointing into the far distance at a distant pyramid and the large palace of the Primeval, ”you can see the Grand Hall from here, right on the horizon.”

He could smell her curiosity in the Force, and he knew that soon she would be delivered for a fate much like his – handed to the darkness and swallowed up forever.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

Théa kept her gaze up at him hopefully, and watched as he moved infront of her, blotting out the sun. His actions were not cause for concern, however, she had seen the self same way her Father deliberated over such things when he was busy. More often than not he would shake her off and tell her to go and bother her Mother instead. The thought of that sick woman made the young girl frown, saddened.

"You could?" she asked, snapping out of her momentary depression in hopes that it might cheer her up. Turning on the spot she peered toward where the man was gesturing. It looked nothing like the Great Hall of Midvinter, but her curiosity urged her to go and visit it all the same. "I would like to see it, Sir!"

Gazing out over the City, she was slightly taken aback by the apparent lack of snow. Never had she seen the ground, rooftops or even the sky so clear as this. Her eyes widened and she took a few steps toward the view, her breath catching in her throat with one quiet gasp. "I'm certainly not on Midvinter anymore..." she whispered. However, a sudden passing speeder had the small child leap back in fright, her body flung into the man who had been trying to help her.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion placed a hand on her shoulder as the girl fell back into him, watching the speeder go by.

”Watch yourself, child - this place is dangerous at times. You always need to have your eyes open.”

He kept his hand on her shoulder and started to walk away form the spaceport with her in tow, moving away to where his two-man speeder would be, away from the crowds at the back of the units. There was no rush, and no need to make her feel uncomfortable if he were to gain a sliver of trust.

”So where are you from? Visiting here with family or do you live here.”

Asterion didn't care, but if she kept talking, she wouldn't be thinking. His eyes watched the crowds as they walked slowly but with purpose.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

She felt the hand steadying her upon her shoulder and breathed out her relief. "What was that?" she asked, trembling and still a little bit shaken by the whole ordeal. It was safe to say that her kind were not used to technology of any level. As he began to walk she made no attempt to stop him and fell in line beside him as he guided her carefully through the spaceport. It seemed as though the sight of him had people parting through the crowd. He must have been quite the influential figure!

"I'm from Midvinter" she began, peering up at him as they walked onward. "Mama is very sick, so Papa brought us here on a great flying beast! It was very scary." She really hadn't liked travelling by starship, and the memory of it had the small girl frowning. "Will we be back in time to meet back up with him later?"

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

”Just another reckless being in a speeder – have you not seen one before? It’s the way we get around more or less here from town to town, city to city. Easy and cheap.”

A little idle chatter didn’t hurt to distract one’s attention from walking to a 2-man speeder a few clicks away from the spaceport. A camouflaged tarpaulin covered it that Asterion walked forward to and pulled back.

”I’ve heard of Midvinter. This must be a big shock to you, seeing a planet so rich with galactic history and technology? Does it scare you?”

A couple of small Jawas stood around watching and conversing in their native tongue. The speeder was forest green and brown – basic, but did the job.

”Oh, and I can have you back here in under one hour if you’d like. The tour itself won’t take too long, and I myself have duties to attend to, but as you’re on your own I can walk with you and bring you back here.”

He turned and rubbed his hands together, before indicating to the speeder.

”I may even be able to grant you an audience with the Lord of the Palace if you’re lucky.”

It would be cruel to give up the charade so soon – Asterion was enjoying how it felt to be the bastard again. It’d been far too long since playing the good lover and father, and he’d nearly forgotten just who he was inside.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

Théa shook her head. She most definitely had never seen a ... Speeder? Whatever that meant. It was unnaturally fast, and looked like a miniature version of the beast she had traveled within to get here. No, she definitely preferred the fauna of Midvinter. It was far more graceful, agile, and predictable. As they reached the exterior completely, the child was shocked by how warm it was. Her outer coat seemed ridiculous, especially given that it was lined with fur, so she shrugged it off and put it through the straps of her backpack, wedging it between the bag and her back.

Beneath was a flowing white tunic and simple trousers, all of which her mother had sewn for her. There, that was much better. She could actually breathe now, though the heat was still far more fierce than she was used to. Her fair skin did nothing to help the situation. "It doesn't scare me" she offered, with a slight shrug, "it just seems odd... Unnecessary." Was that a silly thing to say? Oh, Huntress knew she didn't really care, since she did speak the truth after all. Father sometimes told her to stop prattling on, she supposed that was good advice in situations such as this. She didn't want to scare the man off!

"I'd like that, Sir, it would be very interesting." Théa wished she could meet with the likes of Thrand! Or perhaps a Clan Leader from another part of Midvinter. She had only ever really known her own people, the distance between their civilizations was so drastic on the stark world, after all. "I'm Théa, by the way Sir, Théa Windrage!" It seemed a little bad of her to not have introduced herself sooner. Mother would not be pleased.

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Asterion pushed back his cowl to allow an easier step up and into the speeder itself, instantly prepping the sole engine for a steady ride away and out to the Palace, and the Host Lord herself. All the while, however, Asterion looked on to the girl – Théa – and smiled gently. On introductions, he hesitated – he wasn’t about to give names that would get him recognised.

”My name is Mino Tor, Knight of the Host Lord. Please, just Mino however. Not a dignified name, but my own none the less.”

With a free hand he patted to the seat beside him and held out his hand for her to take, one that if she did, would signal the end of the life she once knew; the parents she loved and the family that protected her.

Taking his hand would be selling her soul unknowingly to the devil himself.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

Théa bit back a tiny giggle to the revelation of his name. It sounded strange! But then again, she was used to the more fantastical names of the Valkyri! She watched as he prepped the strange beast - speeder, had he called it? - and heard it purr as it came to life.

As he extended out his hand the small girl took it without even a second thought, not really aware of the impact it would have. After all, she had been raised to trust and respect her elders, and on a world where everybody knew everybody it was easy to forget that there were bad people out there. Stranger danger hadn't exactly been hammered into her during her youth!

"This thing doesn't have a heartbeat" she remarked, still genuinely expecting it to be an actual beast rather than a piece of technology. Settling into the seat at his side she surveyed the Palace as best she could, curious of the place she was headed. Oh, she hoped it was as great as Papa made the Great Hall out to be!

[member="Asterion"]

 

[Stephanie Swail]

The girl stepped in, her grip tight on his hand, his eyes fixed on her coming into the speeder and sitting down. My, how easy this has been. A girl simmering with Force potential and his own charm had taken her away from everything.

”It doesn’t have a heartbeat, no,” partly talking about himself, ”but it is safe and reliable and I am always in control.”

He pushed back the steering yolk to move the speeder around the small clearing, turning them to face the Primeval Palace in the distance, surrounded by smaller buildings and plazas, guard towers all around the super structure.

”Everything you knew before, Théa, can now be just thought of as a distant memory when you see the wonder of where I’m taking you. A whole new world is opening up for you.”

Asterion took the speeder forward, and began the drive across the plains towards the exterior of the city and to the Palace as the warm air rushed around them.

[member="Snowflake"]

 

[Lief]

She frowned slightly. "Then how is it alive?" she asked, peering curiously about the beast she was now seated upon... Within... Whatever. "But I trust you Sir" she said, in all of her ignorance.

As the speeder turned in direction toward the Palace she was very happy to be able to witness it come into view. It seemed larger than any building she had seen before, although there also seemed to be quite a few dotted around which would outshine anything on Midvinter.

Théa once again giggled as the man spoke, however, thinking him silly for believing that the sight of one building could change anything. "It's just a building" she she said, still humoured, enjoying the feel of the air against her skin as it staved off a little bit of the heat which was currently oppressing her. "Is it as unimaginable as you say it is, Sir?"

[member="Asterion"]