Xeonon Solomon
The First Order
Posts: 2,206 
Affiliation: First Order
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Xeonon Solomon on Sept 13, 2014 15:18:42 GMT -8
12. Belly Of The Beast
Our combatants find themselves in a cave much like the scene from Empire Strikes Back. The sides of the cave cannot be seen from where they are but, if they were to move far enough they will encounter strange walls dripping with a thin layer of seems to be slime. There is a ship resting on its hardstand and the air is think with moisture. Breathing apparatus adorns both our duelists faces (if needed) and they face each other across a ten meter distance, with the ship off to their side. Each or our characters struggle with their footing, finding that the ground underneath seems to give a little with each step and a squelching sound accompanies each contact.
Having a bad feeling about this is natural and, as they look at each other in confusion, the ground tilts dramatically to the side, sending both staggering, perhaps falling, towards the ship. Vague shadows slip and flit here and there, always lost in the gloom, but tangible enough to give the impression that they are not tricks of the dim light from the ship.
They are, of course, in the belly of the Space Slug though they may or may not know it at this time. Any impact, be it a hard step or a weapon discharging, on the "floor" or "walls" will result in a massive rocking motion as the whole place tilts this way and that. Indigestion is never nice, not even for a gargantuan worm, so the earthquake-like occurrence will happen with more regularity and more force as the duel wears on...
Standard GBA rules
Begin!!
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Panno
The First Order
Posts: 365
Affiliation: Imperial Knights
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Post by Panno on Sept 13, 2014 15:38:56 GMT -8
Panno was regretting this whole I'll fated venture. Why had he allowed this person to talk him into going into the asteroid field, he wasn't a good pilot on the best of days and taking sanctuary in this cave seemed the best course of action. Checking the breathing apparatus on his face after shifting from what he assumed was a collision with a similar sized chunk of rock he looked around his current surroundings. It was dark and gloomy, touching the ground with a bare hand he found it slimy to the touch. What is it youve gotten us into? Almost as if to prove his point; at the edge of his vision the shadows moved against the light. Hoping it was a trick of the eyes he mentally checked himself over after the fall.
Over his skin he had on his armour forged specifically for him by him. Being the master Armourer gave him some liberties had he chosen it. The only thing out of the ordinary from the usual sets of armour the other Imperial Knights wore was his left gauntlet. After the war against the Mandos there was a surplus of Beskar. Being the winner had it's rewards, including the armour. A crush gaunt taken from one of the many ships and debris around Kaut it didn't fit his hand perfectly. It was molded for another person, and he didn't have the skill or knowledge to change that. To compensate for the I'll fitting form, he wore an extra amount of padding so it wouldn't slip around. Of course it was the same colour red as his other gaunt so as to match his armour.
On his chest maglocked was the lightsaber given to him by Xeonon after his death. The curved hilt looking like the letter "U" under his left breast. On his right hip the sword he forged using the combined knowledge of the Imperial Knights, Jedi and Jensaarai. It was one of the sharpest blades in existence hidden beneath it's sheath was a series of intricate lightning bolt shapes. An unusual effect of the way he forged it allowed it to glow showing Pannos emotions no matter the distance between he and it. Right now it was a light shade of purple, showing his anxiety of the situation.
So tell me friend what are we going to do now? Putting extra emphasis on the word friend he looked to the ship. It was damaged slightly from the field outside and they were in the thick of it. The heart of the tremendous rocks. Getting our the words would be a lot higher than 3720 to 1.
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Atia
Member
Posts: 1,232
Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Sept 15, 2014 12:07:55 GMT -8
The old yellow twilek walked slowly after the imperial knight, with weak steps, leaning on the strait branch she carried as a walking stick.
"Oh dont you start panicing deary, t´s just a snag on the road."
Her voice was weak, as her body seemed to be. The old woman walked down with a crooked back and as she got to the end of the ramp, she tried the flooring with the end of her stick. Three wet squishy noises told her the reality of the situation. Yes. They had come to the right cave. To the knight, she spoke differently.
"Oh dear."
The hag proclaimed in an alarmed tone. The way she had been walking around the ship with her limp and bent back, she surely would slip and break something on all this soft wetness. That would be great... Imperial Knight on mission, and the key figure takes up and dies in the middle of an asteroid field by jolly old falling.
Why did they come here, you ask? Well, the old hag has that staff of hers. Its a staff she claimed had magic in it, but in truth it is only just imbuned with the force, as the Knight can himself attest to. She promissed to bring him to the people that made staffs like this, and other items, so he could get some of his own, or even learn the secrets of "Magic Stuff making" as the hag put it. But, the way she was breathing in that mask, he might never have the chance. Even Darth Vader would turn to her with disgust and offer the contact information of his own lung expert.
She wore an old rag coat over her back, that covered her pretty well. Was a 5 star hotel morning coat, before some nice patron stole it as a memento and years later it found itself to a homeless shelter. Surely the coat could tell many stories of old, more then the knight himself, mayhap. It smelled old, and that smell had filled the knights ship, as the woman walked back and forth in it while they traveled.
Underneath, she seemed to cover her body in some kind of rag wrapping, the cloth going round and round her body from boot to her neck and even the fingers. It was stained and smelled even worse then the coat. Not that the knight saw much of that. She was always hunkered forward beause of her bad back, plus, the hag wore some kind of back warmer thing old people ware when they are scarred of getting teir kidnies and livers cold. A belt of cloth that held a pillow to their backs. Or she just liked to sit comfterbly wherever she put down her old wrinkly buttocks.
In truth, it was far from comfterble. The pillow was there to hide the lightsaber and the two gas granades. Just simple yellow teargas for crowd controll, and a yellow lightsaber. Underneath the cloth belt was an actual belt, a stealth generator for making the nightsister near invisible and soundless.
and in truth, the hag was no hag at all, but a rather good looking ex slave called Atia in some established govermental centers, Mistress on other slave hubs, or, in some dark marshes, the Bloodhound of Dathomir.
It was the staff that was the distraction, that and the spell. In truth, it was a mixture of art of the small, and some illusionary effects to make her look old, added with some herbs and ointments that makes the skin discolour and the voice darken. That is how the young woman stood now before the knight as an old hag.
The staff, you ask? What about the staff? Is it a mare trick also, like her apearence and the knights quest?
No, it is the real deal, imbued with the power of three sisters of the Night, one of them their Matriarch. It is as real as the knights quest is false.
Because the knights quest is not knowledge.
The knights quest is to DIE.
"I do now recall what t´s is, deary... T´s not a cave made by nature no... T´s a creature, a worm of sorts. We... we are in its belly, it seems."
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Panno
The First Order
Posts: 365
Affiliation: Imperial Knights
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Post by Panno on Sept 15, 2014 14:45:05 GMT -8
Had Panno been human instead of Dressilian he probably would have gone the whitest shade of pale this side of a ghost. As it was a dozen questions entered his head, none of them being "how does she know this is a stomach". He was willing to go back inside the shuttle back on this errand and breath those noxious fumes the lady put off if it meant getting out of the belly of the east. Anything to get back on the quest for the makers of this staff, he had seen many different ways to forge things but this was something new. Something unique.
He hoped that the people this old woman had gotten the staff from would be more forthcoming than Mandalorians. He was ever on the quest for knowledge to make armour and weapons better and this was something to never pass up. And the only price the woman had demanded? To go with him! He was willing to give her money, fix her ailments. Find a way to get rid of the smell. Hell even replace the clothes she wore so she was on par with the most fashionable Curusanti woman. She denied him everything but no one would call him a fool for passing up such a swell deal.
Walking back towards her Panno was still oblivious to whom he transported or indeed the threat he was in. The skill of her deciept was masterful, not even the force was warning him. Besides the fact that it was warning him he was about to be eaten by a thousand foot long space worm. Well then let's get out of her then madam. No point dawdling in the worms gullet.
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Atia
Member
Posts: 1,232
Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Sept 22, 2014 6:49:02 GMT -8
"T's admirable of you, ser knight..."
With a fake artritis cursed hand, she reached behind her, in that little pack where she cept her weapons and found the grenades, pulling their pins. The faint 'hsssssss' sound was quelled by the murmuring of the ships sistems, generator and lifesupport.
"... attempting to flee what you not recon. ..."
The yellow smoke started to well out from under the hags cloak, thick and foreboding. The Hag streightened out, a feat that would seem unpleasant or even impossible seeing that huge hump on her back. Or... wait... where is the hump?
The illusion was fading, Atia was even slowly letting go of the spell that held her aura in check.
"... Was it not knowledge you seeked? So much can be learned even here, Sir Knight, oh yes. More then you will ever know."
The voice was not rasp anymore, not the voice of a 40 year old smoker.
The hag looked back over her shoulder, now fully erect in her stence. The face under the mask was not a wrinkly old raisin, but the slate and beautiful face of a twilak woman. With cold cold blue eyes. And at that moment, the yellow smoke finally embraced her, and came closer and closer to Panno.
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Panno
The First Order
Posts: 365
Affiliation: Imperial Knights
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Post by Panno on Sept 23, 2014 16:45:50 GMT -8
After hearing he was in the belly of a giant space worm Panno would have believed anything. Even the fact that yellow smoke could spontaneously appear on an older ladys hump. She did smell really bad after all. For a second though he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, first a smoke could than the woman standing fully upright, only to become one of the best looking females he had ever seen. Even amoung her own race she had to be considered beautiful.
More than I will ever know? Sending out his awareness with the force he was confronted with the feelings of contempt and danger. This woman obviously meant him harm, but the idea of an old hag with a hunch harming him almost made him scoff. What would she do? Beat against his finely toned chest until her hands were stumps? It wasnt hard to believe he could have overlooked these thoughts of hers. All one had to do was think about other things; mix that with the state of the galaxy in open war almost perpetually. Feelings of ill will were everywhere.
As his training kicked in it beat back that part of his brain that said "she is harmless, she wont hurt you" beat it back with such force for a moment he stopped doing everything. Looking as if he was frozen by fear the glow of his sword may have given him away had she known him better. Showing a light blue for a calm cool collected mind he processed everything in a moment. Had he been in an open aired environment the gas may have harmed him. Indeed it still may irritate the exposed flesh if and when he made contact with it but the heavy moisture in the air mixed with the breathing apparatus on his face should combat the worst of the effects.
Next. The old woman, until seen again was to believed a threat. Reaching up with his hand he took grabbed the hilt of his blade but held it in its sheath only removing the top three inches or so.
Well come on then, lets get out of this nasty ass yellow fog, back on the ship and out of those field.
Although his words spoke as if he were still playing a game with a child his body was coiled like a spring ready to release at a moments notice. Who knows maybe this was just a natural phenomenon and his mind was just playing tricks on him. Maybe he would go, learn how to forge a new thing and there would be no blood spilt. Maybe.
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Atia
Member
Posts: 1,232
Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Sept 27, 2014 4:37:12 GMT -8
Or Maybe not.
The smoke spread quickly, engulfing the back of the ship moment after the woman was gone from the knights eyes, and spreading even more. The Nightsister took a great leap, aided by the force and landed on the back of the ship, above the ramp. Mid jump, she activated the sound distortion device on the stealth belt, her landing went without a sound.
She had walked here and there on the ship mid travel, right? Like some old coot being marveled at todays level of technology? Whats this button? And can this be pushed? How does the toilet work? Why is it just steam coming out of the shower? and so on and so on... Annoying, yes? But this way she also learned a good deal about the ship. This may be the knights own little baby, but she knew enough to hurt it.
So... where is the shield generator? If the knight wanted to leave her here and exit the worm, he would make sure she couldnt get back on, and that would be done by activating the shields. If he actually made it, she could stand there and slam her lightsaber at the damned thing, the energy barrier would not let her through.
Nine steps forward, six steps to the right. She stepped quickly, moving her mouth as she counted her steps. As she went, the smoke kept coming out from under her and spread around along the ships hull. Here. This looks like it. She stopped at a small module that was actually the one she seeked, the shield generators array. She lit her yellow lightsaber just as she pulled it from the pouch on the back, and just before the smoke covered them all again, she plunged the plasma blade into the aparatus. It went through like butter, but to make sure to really disable and destroy it, she wiggled it a bit, like scrambling an egg a tired monday morning.
Next.... thrusters... How was it again? Five more to the left and back six?
Inside, the shorting out and damadged shield generator sould make some nasty sparks and flickers of lamps, maybe with some luck even a short corridor section going silent and dark....
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Panno
The First Order
Posts: 365
Affiliation: Imperial Knights
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Post by Panno on Sept 27, 2014 14:22:20 GMT -8
Well fiddle sticks. Even in the middle of space, in a space worm when your ship is being blanketed by yellow smoke and only your ship you know things are about to get hot. So does sound. Panno heard the snapp-hiss that signified a lightsaber moments before the sound of molten metal. Wait your saying, "how does one know the sound of molten metal?" Well as I have said like 100 million times before Panno was the master armourer and eventually you get to know those silent sounds (shut up) including metal so hot it can burn through most anything.
Closing his eyes Panno searched through his mind to that little nub that was there. The one that with enough pressure allowed him to access the force. Massaging that nub it extended like an engorged blob over that part of his brain that worked his eyes. When he opened them again he saw the world in a whole new light. The gas was gone, instead what he was was a bright blue surrounding them (space slug) with the dull grey outline of non organic material (his ship). Attached to it were a few mynocks which he could tell from their mottled green colour in the force, but more importantly he saw a yellow figure shining brighter than the sun. Had it been usual vision he would have burned his retinas out right away.
He could see her this way, but only just as her person wavered. No doubt she had on some form of cloaking and wasn't some old fart if her being able to get on top of the ship was anything. She was damaging the only way out of this slug, which meant she was prepared for them to both die here. Not good.
Panno unsheathed his sword to reveal the full 40 inch blade. All along the length of the metal was a criss cross of lightning bolts where he reinforced the metal with the force connecting it to him. His brown hands covered the crystal in the hand a half hilt. Just as he jumped on top of the ship he reached pointed the tip down into the fleshy ground belly below him. The beast shook with the terrible tummy pain but it affected Panno not as he was in the air. He hoped that the movement would maybe catch the not so old Twilek off balance and make her stumble.
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Atia
Member
Posts: 1,232
Affiliation: Nightsisters of Dathomir
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Post by Atia on Sept 30, 2014 5:00:09 GMT -8
Three four....
Atia got aware of her sound dampner had shut off. Must be the dampness in the air fracking with the electronics. She heard her own steps, and that was not good because the Knight would hear it too. She took her fifth step to the left and took a quick look around.
Then she took a couple more just to hold her balance. The ship shook and quaked. She had no ploblem holding her balance, she was a twilek after all, but it did frack up her counting, not to metnion her focus on sabotaging the thrusters. A blue light apeared in the fog of yellow. She guessed a blue lightsabers shine through thick smoke. The knight had followed instead of trying to leave her here. Good. She disengaged the lightsaber and put it on her hilt, then started the sound dampner again. She didnt want him to know she was coming.
She grabbed the staff in both hands, grabbed it low so she could have a longer range and use it as a club, and started to sneak slowly towards the blue light in the fog. She intended to assault then run away, there was one other thing she needed to get before she could be sure she had the overhand, and that was inside the ship.
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Panno
The First Order
Posts: 365
Affiliation: Imperial Knights
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Post by Panno on Sept 30, 2014 15:03:13 GMT -8
Ha. Seeing her come towards made him want to laugh, she still wavered in her form. Sort of like the rays off the hot pavement in well the heat. Kind of like water more accurately. Although she could see the blue glow and indeed it did remind most people of a lightsaber it had his roots in something much older. The ancient Jedi on Tython called them Jedi Katanas, and the Jensaarai took from them and applied their own knowledge mixed with that of the Sith. Together it made something not wholly Sith, not wholly Jedi. A Jensaarai sword, the knowledge passed onto Panno by one Monte Demici.
Walking towards her when they got within 6 feet of one another on the roof it was Panno who made the first move. His blade flashing to red, the colour of passion and occasionally anger, he took a final step forward with his right foot in the lead and raised the blade above his head. Slashing down he didnt totally expect to kill his opponent. He hoped for the best but expected the worst. It wasnt wise to overestimate your abilities and underestimate your opponents. Thats how you ended up pushing up daisies. Or in this case left in the digestive track of a space slug.
Trying to engage his enemy in small talk often proved pointless. No one ever tried for the witty banter but it was worth the shot.
Can I have the knowledge of who tricked me so I can write your name upon your grave?
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