A Bladeswoman's Duty

[Viliih Marais]

Planet: Anaxes
Sitrep: Various groups of rebels are fighting against a local warlord's forces, while one group works to hastily set up a forward camp.

Viliih leaned her shoulder against the post of the hastily constructed med tent. Her left arm is wrapped in a bandage, though the injury it covered was minor. The Miraluka was still clad in full metal armor, her arms crossed across her chest as she seemed to stare out at the ramshackle camp. The local militia she found herself fighting with was small, but fought with all their heart. She admired that.

The warrior pushed away from the post and started walking. Three full metal swords clinked as she moved, hooked to the left side of her belt. Metal boots thudded confidently on the dirt. Her back was straight, her head held high. Injured or not, she was most likely the strongest fighter here. Activity paused around her as she walked, the militia members looking to her before quickly returning to their tasks.

Skirmishes continued in the distance, but Viliih was more concerned in getting this forward resupply station secured. The rebels would never last if they didn't. As she reached the edge of the camp she stooped down, grabbing a large kite shield, made of a heavy metal, sliding it on to her left arm and placing her right hand on the hilt of one of the swords.

Then, she just stood there, 'staring' out at the fighting, a guardian, keeping watch, ready to defend the moment an offensive was mounted. This was just another day. Another battle. So why did she feel like it wasn't? She couldn't explain it, but something was telling her something was going to happen. But what? Viliih heaved a heavy sigh, shaking her head.

She knew better than to ignore what she wrote of as gut feelings and intuition, but it would do her no good to dwell upon it. The kite shield was drawn up against her body, hiding the hand which was resting on the blade's hilt. Her face was completely hidden behind a mask, but even without it, her expression was stone. That feeling nudged at her again, though. It was clear, this time, she was not going to be ignore it.

[member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

Alyson was strange among Jedi. She did not train in solitude, hiding behind castle walls, doing sequences to practice lightsaber combat, trying force powers over and over until she had them memorized. She went to real battles, real places worth fighting over, and fought. Rebel causes, freedom fighters, anything of those like, and she would fight for them. Even if only for a time, she found it a great way to train. She had come to Anaxes for this. There was a cause worth fighting for, a small bush war that nobody would notice her being at. She had her lightsaber, her revolver, and her IR-12. She would fight for this cause, it would hone her skills, and perhaps she would find people worth recruiting.
She landed her shuttle some distance away from the camp and made her way into the camp of freedom fighters. She found the leader, and offered her services free of charge. As far as they were aware, she was a mercenary, there were plenty of those around these days, no need to turn down somebody willing to join the cause. She would stay as long as she felt necessary, or until some greater matter demanded her attention. She could see the lines of pain and suffering all around, they were miserable, but the strings also showed hope, perhaps it was possible for them to win, no matter how desperate they were.

She saw on figure standing away from the rest. Their strings were determined, they did not show the despair the others showed. They were willing to die for their brothers, and to die for their cause, and more importantly, they were strongly connected to the force. This was a warrior, and a force sensitive one none the less. Alyson decided to approach the figure up on the hill. This trip seemed to be more worth it than she would have thought.

She could sense the oncoming enemy, a few kilometers away. They were coming, and it seemed that this fighter knew it, even if they didn't know it consciously.

"You on edge too?" She said.

[member="Viliih Marais"]

 

[Viliih Marais]

Viliih shifted when she felt the new presence. She could always feel them. Force users. She, supposedly, was one herself, but she had never put much stock into it. It had, however, been useful to locate the more fearsome enemies and make them focus on her. Those dark force users. This one felt different, somehow.

The Miraluka turned her head towards the woman that walked up next to her. She was older, but she was battle hardened. Just like her. A warrior. That's why this one felt different. The weapons she carried were interesting, but the same could be said about her choice of weapons. In a galaxy full of blasters and lightsabers, her swords and shield were positively primitive.

Her head turned back out down the hill, pulling off her mask before she replied. She was wearing a worn black cloth over her 'eyes'. "I am always on edge. These battles can change for the worse in an instant. Come to join the fight?" Her voice was gruff, but not unkind. The mask was then put right back on.

The kite shield was shifted to the side ever so slightly as her right hand started to pull a gleaming metal sword from its sheath. Her head didn't move as she scanned the perimeter through her Force Sight. Her shoulders tensed and she turned back towards the crude camp. "Can't let 'em get too close to this camp. Looks like it's time to go plant my line in the sand."

Without another word, Viliih turned and started walking down the hill, her kite shield held up, protecting her left side, the whole time. She didn't seem to be in a hurry, but neither was she hesitating. This was a normal day to her. A whistle came from the scout on duty and a group of militia members scrambled to grab their weapons and follow. They weren't shy about complaining about the 'kriffing woman never giving us any warning.'

Viliih hadn't seemed to care if this camp's militia was going to join her or not. She either had no qualms with facing the enemy alone, or complete faith that the militia would be at her back. Likely the latter.

[member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

If this woman was anything, it seemed she was decisive. Without any thought to her own safety. Alyson could respect that, she was expected to the same when she was younger, and to be entirely honest, she still felt a need to do it to this day. Her choice of weapon was also odd, a vibroblade and shield, another throwback to her use. She had never even heard of a blaster, assault rifle, or lightsaber before she left her world and now they were commonplace. Seeing somebody using weapons so common in her youth was a bit of a nostalgia trip for her. It felt rather relieving.

Alyson's face was hidden by a mask as well, for her own safety as well as the safety of those around her. Somebody might recognize her, thatt would be detrimental to the entire purpose of her being there. She simply hat the crest of Merides on her pauldron, and that was the only signifier that she was who she was. It was all she needed in fact, for the right people to know her. Alyson looked behind her and sensed the low grumbling emanating from the soldiers of the camp. It seemed this was a regular occurrence. Perhaps it was for the best that she had arrived. They needed new blood by the looks of things.

"That's what i'm here for." She replied, following closely after her.

The enemy was massing not too far away. This would be bloody. Anaxes was a planet known for war, it was home to the imperial war college many hundreds of years ago, this planet was no stranger to war. Not that she was a stranger herself.

[member="Viliih Marais"]

 

[Viliih Marais]

Viliih chuckled low in her chest. "Then you came to the right place. Don't worry about them, they know what to do." She walked in silence for a moment as the militiamen got organized and started to follow. "You know, I've never fought beside a Jedi before. I'm curious to see your skill when it isn't being used against me." She meant her words. She knew force users were fearsome warriors. They had left permanent marks on her body.

All told, 19 men and women followed them. The moment the enemy soldiers came into sight, two dropped down. Snipers. Their cloaking devices were activated, and they disappeared. 200 meters further, and 5 dropped down, setting up mobile energy shields and forming a rear defense. Another 500 meters and 8 more stopped, dropping more energy shields and forming a forward defense. The remaining 4 stayed 5 right behind Viliih and her new Jedi friend, guns lowered, but ready.

It was then that Viliih did exactly what she had said she was going to do. The sound of metal sliding across metal sounded as she pulled the first sword from it's sheath. The blade swiped down, directly in front of her, slicing into the ground and forming a line in the dirt. The kite shield came up, and her feet were planted firmly on the ground. The sword swiped back, before being held still, down and slightly behind her.

It was then that she spoke, her voice booming across the field to cover the distance between herself and the enemy. "Retreat or surrender now, this is your only warning." She was a woman of honor, she would allow them the opportunity to run or lay down their arms.

She was also a woman of her word. "If you do not, I will cut each and every one of you down." There was no animosity in her voice. Only confidence that comes from experience. It was a very businesslike warning. A promise. The militiamen behind Viliih all mimicked her confidence. This was more than just a random warrior and a band of freedom fighters. This was a commander, and the soldiers who had learned discipline and strategy from her.

[member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

"I've heard of the strange abilities of your people, but I never knew it was that attuned. I'm impressed." She said in response to the miralukan.

Violence was to be expected from a warrior, especially those who were not well attuned to the force, they didn't have to worry about their actions attracting the attention of the dark side of the force, leading down the dark path to damnation that ended in a lonely death. Yet, the words she spoke were not in anger, they were a statement of fact. She didn't mean to boast, or to play up her strength, she meant it. She would cut them all down. Alyson could appreciate that matter of fact nature of her statements.The men that stood across from them lacked unity, their strings were twisted, mangled, and frayed at the ends. They had no clue what they were doing, they just wanted to shoot something. It stood in contrast to the well ordered battle lines set up behind her.

Alyson decided to keep her cards close, if they knew she was a jedi, they would probably bolt the second they saw a glowing blue lightsaber. No, she just drew her rifle, aiming it with her one good eye. Her aiming was guided by the force, she didn't have to think, her body moved for her. She was deadly accurate against standard targets, to the point where she had to handicap herself to not seem too impressive. She shouldered the rifle, pointing it at the nearest target. If they moved they would soon understand the mistake they had made. She was using her senses to feel around, if they tried a trap or a flanking manuever, she would know. She could sense living things for kilometers, they could not evade her.

While she would not make her own boast, she would hopefully be able to end this without bloodshed. Though she didn't think these thugs were the type to just walk away without drawing blood. They would regret that decision.

[member="Viliih Marais"]

 

[Viliih Marais]

Viliih stood in silence as the enemy troops scrambled to form a defensive line, unprepared for the militia to come to them. She tilted her head when the man that seemed to be the leader walked forward. "You have one chance to surrender. Do so and we'll show mercy and not kill your wounded." The Miraluka chuckled and lowered her head.

"Do you think me a fool? I have been fighting on these fields long enough to know your lord.." Viliih swung the sword up then down, pointing it directly at the man. "Does not take prisoners." She inclines her head, swinging her sword out to the side. "You go no further."

The leader sneers and walks back behind his men giving the order to take them down. The swordswoman shook her head, muttering under her breath. "Wrong choice."

The enemy soldiers began to advance towards them, blasters raised and firing. The militia men behind the pair lays down suppressive fire as Viliih lifts her shield. The blasterbolts burn the surface of the material, but it seems to be made out of a tempered beskar. There was a single heavy gunner in this group, in the back near the leader, who hid behind his soldiers as they advanced forward. Viliih however, didn't move. Only the militia had begun firing, as Viliih kept herself covered behind her shield.

She was waiting. Waiting for them to reach her line. One soldier fell to the suppressive fire, but there were 29 more where he came from. Clearly, they didn't have the same dicipline as her own troops, but they did out number them. Viliih was used to those odds, though.

[member="Alyson Halle"]