Am I Dreaming? [Primeval dominion of Sernpidal]

[Armand Temi]

10/10

“Yeah, I have, Khal, but I need some time to figure out where I’m gonna go,” Dakita said. Her boss had offered to pay for their education on their last trip to Apatros where they ended up killing Vong and taking what they could from their underground smuggling ring.

She eyed the one named Catalys who stood off to the side. The Zeltron slicer didn’t really feel like discussing her private affairs in front of this third-party, so she gave Malvern a knowing look and said, “Besides…” She tilted her chin at the mercenary.

They were on this job to help the Primeval which seemed like some kind of religious cult. Dakita having been raised by gypsies had been to a lot of religious ceremonies of various kinds but only for the free soup kitchen afterwards. She would watch these fly-by-night sermons with glazed eyes, not listening, her stomach rumbling because she was half starved, and then finally when she got to eat, she would nod along as flimsiplast pamphlets were thrust into her hand to her by confident preachers who attempted to save her eternal soul.

After all of that nonsense in her youth, she never stepped foot in a church again. Unless it was a church converted into a nightclub and then maybe she would make an exception.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] [member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Location: Sernpidal, Hyperspace[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Allies: [member="Catalys Maijora"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][02/20][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal nodded back.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Sometimes he forgot that [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]education[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] was a sensitive spot for Dak, it simply didn’t come to his mind because… well, he also had never been given any formal education. At least not when he was younger, it had taken Vaud a lot of years to get him in some kind of shape.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Learn to read, for one.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Had been tough years, but they had been repaying themselves ever since, it was probably the reason why Khal was so hellbent on getting her the education she deserved.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]If he had been able to get it, so should she.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But Malvern wouldn’t press it for now, not with Cata around and it making her more uncomfortable. Wasn’t the way to get what he wanted and get her the education she needed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]They weren’t here for Primeval-business though, not officially at least.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]These were the couple of truths that existed between Cata and himself, it had been truths established at the very beginnings, truths that had made their partnership work out as flawlessly as it did. And those truth were real simply too.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khaleel worked for himself and for himself only. Full stop.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Catalys’ loyalty would always be to the Primeval first. Full stop.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]With those loyalties established? It had been easy to establish ground rules, make sure that none of them had any illusions on how the operations would be executed. The Primeval would experience a lot of windfalls and profit from his work, but the work would be done in [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]his[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] way and his way only.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]As it stood none of them had figured it was time to burn him at the stake… so it seemed to be going rather well.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A man of risks, that Kally boy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Cata, stop staring into the wilds. Wardens say ya’ll lose your mind in the beauty.”[/SIZE]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys stepped back, turning to face the two as they engaged in their little conversation.

"Yeah, I've heard." He quipped before taking two steps towards them. Unmasked, the Bald Umbaran's silver eyes glowed faintly in the soft light of the starship.

A blaster pistol was holstered at his hip but no other weapon seemed to be on his person. "I'm taking a great risk letting you through here," he muttered. Of course both of their interests did align on this 'job' but The Primeval didn't mess around, no one knew that more than one of the men who enforced their will. If the Host Lord deemed it necessary the three of them could be strung up and executed -- or worse.

Despite the trust he had built within The Primeval, being regarded as one of their top agents and the personal enforcer to Anja herself he was still at risk with each unorthodox move he made. That was what made Catalys special, though, you don't live this long in such an occupation without being different; without doing things that would otherwise be questioned. Kind of funny when you put it that way, that following orders is what got you killed faster than doing things your own way. Still there was sense in it; you never win unless you play by your own rules.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Location: Sernpidal, Hyperspace[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Allies: [member="Catalys Maijora"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][03/20][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Yah, you told me.” A smirk started playing on his face. “More than once too.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]It wasn’t exactly fair from Khal, to joke around in this situation when their lives were on the line simply by being here. But that was the thing when dealing with immortals, they were pretty unconcerned about esoteric things like ‘[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]death[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]’ and… well… ‘[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]death[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]’. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Blood work was still coming back on the reasons, but it seemed Khal was one of a kind, none of the genetics matched up with the public records or even some of the private ones that were laying around here and there.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Did it concern Khal?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A little bit, but there was more important things for now and worrying about death wasn’t one of them.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“We both know I wouldn’t have come to ya if this would badly affect the Crusades, I got too much respect for your [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]skills[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px].”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]So that would bring them back to the job at hand.[/SIZE]

 

[Armand Temi]

11/20

The mention of her education kind of sent Dak into an emotional tailspin again, but she tried to keep this from Malvern. It was definitely a sore spot at times, and then at other moments, she could care less that she came off as an imbecile from bumblekark nowhere. Truth be told, Dakita was a smart gal. But they were street smarts as she constantly reminded her boss. She knew enough Huttese to know when Khal was about to be swindled. If she ordered him a companion, she would be able to tell if the specific lady friend had a vibrodagger in her brassiere just from the shape of her shirt.

Khal was powerful and was becoming more wealthy by the day. The Zeltron worked fething hard to make sure she was valuable in other areas of his business. Even down to his personal business.

When she thought about an academy though, she really wanted to stay close to home, perhaps Nar Shaddaa. She had considered a school on Zeltros but there were too many distractions there, plus the threat that she would run into her crazy, estranged gypsy parents there.

Suddenly Catalys murmured what almost sounded like a threat and it made the slicer’s hackles stand on end. But she kept her mouth shut, trusting in Khal to say the right thing back.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] [member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

He shrugged, "I'm not too concerned. As far as I'm aware I'm already dead -- the gunman just hasn't found me yet." He joked a little on the situation before turning his attention back to their task at hand. There would be plenty of time for them to be irresponsible afterwards. As for the compliment of his 'skills', well the stranger in the room probably had no idea who he was. Still Catalys wasn't one for introductions he merely glanced to the Zeltron before eyeing Khal again.

"What's the plan?" The matter at hand was probably more complicated than Khal actually let on but that was fine for Catalys, too many details to think about meant it'd only become a distraction. As long as there as a simple explanation then it'd work out in the end... And if it didn't? Too bad for them.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Armand Temi]

12/20

The Zeltron approached the Umbaran whose skin was as white as hers was pink. He was your typical mercenary, young and in excellent shape. As she sized him up as well, she began checking her blaster and strapping a knife to a harness on her belt. Dakita wasn’t particularly shy so finally when there was a pause in the conversation, she turned to Catalys and asked, “How do you know Malvern? Do you two go way back?"

As for the plan? She had a feeling Khal would offer the framework of a plan. But to the actual plan down to every little detail, entrance, exit, mainframe to hack, building to scale, targets to shoot, items to steal? He would be making it up as he went along.

As usual.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] [member="Catalys Maijora"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Location: Sernpidal, Hyperspace[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Allies: [member="Catalys Maijora"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][04/20][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A shrug would follow.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Rival crime syndicate.” the answer would come after a final review of the datapad, before it got shut down and put away to focus on those eerie eyes that gave away light. Dakita didn’t receive a formal introduction, because it was safer for her to [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]not[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] know certain things.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]He was immortal, she [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]clearly[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] wasn’t.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“They used Sernpidal as a to-go-to hub for most of their operations in Wild Space, think slavery, drug trafficking and gun-rolling.” scratch of the chin. [/SIZE]

“Most of the resistance the Crusades are getting at the border, and those guns that magically pop up in the hands of the plausible dissidents?”

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Yeah.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal didn’t have much love for the Primeval, but he had even less love for [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]competition.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“We are breaking into their main compound, to capture their leaders and start dismantling their operations.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Which brought them back towards the [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]official[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] explanation.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“The Primeval won’t be harassed by those guns anymore, I get a slightly tighter grip over my competition and my operations here would support the Crusades, [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]to a degree[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px].” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Everyone wins. [/SIZE]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

He had no problem with that, how could he complain? Catalys would figure out how to explain this event later on to his superiors but for now it was easier to just think about his role in this objective.

"Two questions," he began, "One: What do you want me to do? Two: Lethal or non-lethal weapons?" He asked for the small details, Catalys was an accomplished infiltrator and capable leader but he specialized in take downs and captures. He was more of an assassin rather than a commando, but if it came to it he could probably do both.

His second question was in reference to their first job together, taking over a space station. He recalled Khal preferring non-lethal weaponry being used to prevent an unnecessary loss of life but those were civilians; Catalys doubted that these criminals wouldn't try to kill him given the chance. Still; he had to respect the man's moral high ground -- funny coming from the least zealous person in this room... Well, perhaps besides the girl depending on what she was like.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Laguz Vald]

[5/20]

So Laguz had spaced out a bit; so what? Whenever did anybody say that having a moment of quiet recollection was forbidden for shi'ido? And if there was ever a perfect moment to do so, it was caught inside an ancient Sith illusion — well, at least xe assumed it was of the Sith, for Laguz, for all xir years, was quite ignorant of others' culture — whence there's no way out; at least not without the help of someone who had the power to play with space-magic.

Before xe'd… zoned out, there was a girl stalking around, her expression blank, looking straight ahead with that trademark thousand-yard stare that the sniper had seen so many times on junkies huddled up in side alleys of Nar Shaddaa or Zeltros. A sad state of being, that was for sure, but xir current predicament wouldn't be made any better if xe started moping about the cruelty of the Galaxy. Not that xe actually would, but that's completely besides the point.

Instead of standing around pointlessly for a few more minutes, the shifter decided to be productive for a change, borrowing the legs of the felacatian to follow wherever the girl had gone off to.

It didn't take xem particularly long before xir borrowed nose lead xem to what looked to be a clearing of sorts, and there was the chicka, still studying the empty air around her. For feth's sake.

"HEY, YOU!"

"YES, YOU! CUT THAT OFF RIGHT NOW!"


[member="Perla Pirjo"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Location: Sernpidal, Hyperspace[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Allies: [member="Catalys Maijora"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][05/20][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Those had been civilians[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Because after working with Cata as much as he had, he knew exactly why the question was asked and what the Agent was currently thinking. These men were his competition, stone-hard killers, drug-peddlers, rapists and other scum of the earth.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]And it would be Khal’s pleasure to wipe them all out.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Not that he would ever admit it to himself, of course. Instead it was rationalization that brought him to the same cold and calculated conclusion, they had to be killed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The compound was a literal fortress, there ain’t no easy way to breach it if you try to preserve lives in there. These men would be trying to kill them at every opportunity, caring about their lives would only make it that much harder to keep themselves alive.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]They were competition, a message had to be said.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But Khal never repeated any of those rationalizations out loud, too much respect, too tired and not enough time to repeat all of it anyway.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Lethal, except their leaders. We will need them alive.” [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]for reasons.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] “I will need you to make sure that that happens, while we present opposition for them, you slip in and knock ‘em out cold.”[/SIZE]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

This worked well for the agent, if that's what had to be done then it'd be what he'll do.

"Affirmative," He went over to the table containing his assault rifle and helmet, picking up the rifle he checked its ammunition and set it for blaster rounds instead of slugs. That way if he'd have to wound one of their leaders they wouldn't bleed out. Turning back, "Just give me the word and I'll be on it -- almost there yet?" He quickly switched the meaning of his statement into a question before looking over to his Kath Hound buggy. The vehicle was nothing special but it'd get him into position swiftly if they dropped him off out of range of their true destination, that way the enemy wouldn't see him coming either.

Until then he made sure the communications on his helmet were working correctly, it'd be bad if they weren't.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Post 1 of 20
Objective: Find a pet amphistaff
Mentions: [member="Perla Pirjo"], [member="Laguz Vald"]

Spoiler: Post Theme

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n6WP9qHyRM[/youtube]​

The sun lit a picturesque scene.

The distinction silhouette of the Sienar Star Courier parked in one of the mountain regions of Sernpidal, a world out in Wild Space. Atop the long 'nose' of the black spacecraft, the young Pantoran meditated underneath the light of Nogras. It was prayer in motion, something that the Jedi referred to as Alchaka. To the young monk, it was the monastic tradition of continuous prayer. Or, perhaps, prayer in continuous motion. The white trousers gave a soft contrast to the pale blue skin, the jacket of his usual attire cast aside as he performed his supplications bare chested.

His arms moved in broad circles, his hands held knife-like as he weaved the motions of Teras Kasai exercises into his kinetic supplication. A kick threw his center of gravity around, carrying the boy through into a follow-up; a round-house, high kick that drove power through the back of the heel. Spinning with the momentum, the youth performed two lighter kicks as he spun and caught himself so that he now faced the opposite of the direction that he had traveled. Like a serpent, the youth's body undulated with a predatory grace as his arms again swept up and around -- the prayer starting back to where he had begun.

A benediction to Nogras, the Starmaker, whose light was the light of truth.

A meditation on Balagoth, the Dead One, in whom that cannot die which may eternal lie.

A supplication to Halrormalenth, the Broken Creator, who spoke with the voice of the Tongueless Speaker.

His body moved, but the boy no longer thought about what he was doing. It was action without thought. Thought no longer self-centered. There was only the Primeval. The Primeval was in him, and he was in the Primeval. To live is Primeval, and to die is gain.

Dropping into a leg sweep, the boy was barely conscious of a sudden change in the light. It was as though the sun had been snuffed out of the sky, plunging him past shadow, into darkness. Even still, the boy might have well continued on with his continuous prayer had it not been for the smell.

It smelled like chit.

Opening his eyes, the young monk stood to find himself in the streets of Coruscant. Not the pretty Coruscant, like you see in the holos. No, this was the far side of that city. Far below. In the trenches, in the sewers, in the lightless reaches of the ghetto where only shadows held sway. Day and night were meaningless, as there was no sky above them. Merely building upon building. A durasteel web that cocooned the lower levels, sealing them away to where they were neither seen nor heard.

People lived and died here, without ever seeing the sun. Or the stars.

He knew. He had grown up here. "-tt-" the boy uttered derisively, even as the memories flooded back. The Chiss and Whistle was on the corner next to him. It was a bar, if you could call it that. But people used it as a public house, because it was about the only place left where you could get food. Not that it was any good. Watery broth and spoiled Bantha milk, but a single credit could buy you dinner.

In a time and place where a single credit was worth more than a man's life, that amounted to a lot.

It was in this street, in front of the pub, that the Pantoran thief had seen another boy have this throat cut open by a dug, who'd caught the youth trying to pickpocket him. It was what they did to survive. Except he hadn't survived, and wound up being dumped in a bin in the alley. All in a place where people came and went all the time, with none sparing so much as a glance for the very public murder. Because it happened here all the time.

Life was cheap on Coruscant.

Here in the Red Light District, it was marked down to market wholesale prices.

The boy's sweat became a layer of frost over his skin. The scent of blood radiating from out of the cold aura which suddenly resonated from out of his small form. Just seeing this place made his blood run cold.

But that was all this was. Seeing this place. "This isn't real," the tween uttered softly, even as his hands balled into fists. The bloodlust was causing the hair to stand up on the nape of his neck. The quiet fury, the belief that someone should die for this. Them. All of those who lived up in the spires of Coruscant's upper crust, never knowing, never caring, never sparing so much as a single credit for those who starved to death beneath their feet.

But they weren't here. And neither was he. "This isn't real," the boy repeated, closing his eyes and drawing in a deep breath.

When he opened them again, he saw the world of Sernpidal. Slowly, the youth let go of the breath that he had held in. Then looked down at the fists which were still shaking. Opening his hands, the boy forced the muscles to relax, even as he found his heart racing and his veins chilled by the darkness which had been stirred by the vision.

Bending down, the youth snatched up his white jacket and jumped down from the top of the spacecraft.

He was going to get what he came for, and then get the kark out of here.

 

[Armand Temi]

13/20

Yet again, Perla heard a strange noise, but this time it wasn't the smoke demon. It was more of a muffled sound, as though she were hearing something on the other side of a thick pane of glass. The demon was almost fully formed, and it wouldn't be long until the spirit would enter Perla's body, would consume her soul, materialize her flesh and finally vaporize her. As she had Manju's daughter. As the ancient Sith demon had done for centuries. The demon and the illusion of comfort were becoming one and the same as the Sith magic sought to consume Perla by any means now.

But that faint voice, she thought. Maybe that someone or something could help her!

She reached out her hands for Laguz Vald, like a blind woman looking for a hasty exit, and asked, "Is anyone there? I can hear you faintly. But I can't see you."

The smoke demon reached out with a black claw and scratched Perla on the back, sending another wave of shivers up her spine.

[member="Laguz Vald"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Location: Sernpidal - System[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Allies: [member="Catalys Maijora"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][06/20][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Yep.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]And just as he said it, they would drop out of hyperspace and enter the system proper. If people didn’t know any better, they might have thought that he had planned it out exactly as it happened for maximum theatrics.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But things like that didn’t really happen.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Probably.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Khal himself just had a dropsuit that the guys in the backroom had been testing out, Yuuzhan Vong-creation, organical to a severe and disturbing degree, but it would get him through the day and that was literally all that mattered this time around.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]He stood up and quirked a brow.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Gonna suit up, ETA is about ten minutes, so let’s get ready people.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]With that the Underlord marched out of room to change out into his gear.[/SIZE]

 

[Laguz Vald]

[6/20]


Bo-ring.

I mean, how much can one do when they are surrounded by individuals clearly not possessed of the mental integrity required to resist whatever dirty tricks the illusion was plaiyng on them? It had taken the sniper a whole three minutes, tops, to shake off the spell and gather xir bearings.

This girl, though. Ugh.

Laguz shook xir head in bewilderment and disappointment, wondering why xe kept such lame and incompetent company. Not only were they religious — God forbid! — but they were also incapable of escaping the greedy fingers of some outdated sorcery of someone who had bitten the dust ages ago.

Pathetic.

The sniper had almost turned on xir heel by now when the girl in front of xem suddenly reached out towards xem, flailing wildly with her arms as she stared somewhere to xir left.

"What the—" xe began, pinched the bridge of xir nose, and tried again. This was important. Probably. To someone. The Host Lord, maybe? Would [member="Anja Aj'Rou"] finally let xem between her sheets if xe saved one of her faithful servants? Not like xe had anything better to do.

"YES, I'M HERE," the shifter bellowed at the top of xir lungs while moving closer to the woman
albeit cautously, keeping watch of her outstretched arms — xir tone one of a caretaker talking to the old and the feeble.

Xe then placed a hand upon her shoulder, firmly, and squeezed, pulling the girl away from her spot. Perhaps getting her to move would finally shake her out of her magical stupor?


[member="Perla Pirjo"]

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Catalys put on his helmet before strapping the assault rifle to his back before heading over to his buggy. It was a risky move they'd pull--dropping in as close as they could to the ground and letting him drive out. The Kath Hound was not necessarily meant for something like this but it worked.

Stepping into the buggy he flicked the ignition switch, the electric engine didn't exactly roar to life but it buzzed loudly as he maneuvered the light vehicle into place, until he got the words he'd sit in place but when he did he'd step on it... Quite literally.

"Ready when you are," He sent over the comm.

Taking in a deep breath through his rebreather Catalys couldn't help but feel uneasy for a moment, his heartrate slowed as he exhaled.

Let's get on with it , he thought to himself.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"] | [member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Post 2 of 20
Objective: Find a pet amphistaff

Spoiler: Post Theme

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkXbzffVl44[/youtube]​

The Yuuzhan Vong had come to Sernpidal at the start of an interstellar conquest eight hundred years ago. They had been defeated, but the evidence of their migration to many worlds remained in what they had introduced to the ecosystems of the planets they had visited.

Take the amphistaff. It was a living creature, a biot, which grew in nature as something not at all like what most would recognize it as. It was almost a plant. Three serpentine forms, like vines, pulling prey into a central hub -- a ground mouth -- which used to be one of the serpent-vines. When the snake-like appendages got to be between one or two meters in length, they would break off from the ground mouth. Those who grew, and fed, would in turn become new ground mouths and spawn new vines. And so the species perpetuated itself.

This particular vine was about a meter-and-a-half long, tugged as it pulled away from the ground mouth.

There was something to be said in that struggle for freedom. Crouching atop a rock, the young monk watched the dying ground mouth as the three serpentine heads pulled in different directions. One longer. One shorter. One a little more aggressive.

He would need to chose one.

Of course, if the Primeval philosopher Ll'chu'tha-dor had to say about it, it would be that the choice was already made, and Boo merely playing the part which had been scripted for him as part of Halrormalenth's broken creation. This but a stage, and we but actors in it.

Not a philosophy that the boy subscribed to, not in whole anyway. But interesting to reflect on nonetheless.

 

[Dara Gola]

[3/20]

The world returned to her as light shined down from something above. After blinking the blurry vision away she could see that she was in a hall, it was vaguely familiar but she was having trouble placing it. Her back was cold and it took a few more moments for her to regain enough of her senses to realize that she was laying on the ground. sitting up was harder than she remembered it being, a rush of blood kept her seated for the moment. The room was large and long, almost like a storeroom of some kind, there were bodies all around her, she focused on one of them and she finally remembered why they looked so familiar. They were her troops, she had lead them into the storeroom for something, hadn't she. Her mind felt like cotton, everything seemed so off, memories of the past, and of things that never came about blended into the present. Flashed of Ossus mixed with a familiar cage. Her body groaned in protest as she finally pulled herself off of the floor, the bodies of the dozen Bleeding Sun troopers that had been in her charge were scattered around the room.

She reached out with the force and felt each one to ensure that they were all still alive. Everything still felt off, like there were pieces missing, she wanted to just sit and pick through the memories until she found the right ones. Time wasn't a luxury though, there was a job to so, she remembered that much, they were here to make a deal of some kind. She hadn't been given the specifics, only that she was to provide support as needed. Tapping her kimmunicator she shook her head to clear the fog a bit before she spoke, "This is Dara Gola, is anyone receiving this?"

 

[Armand Temi]

14/20

"Eiiiiieeee," Perla screeched at the touch from the Shi'ido. At first she thought it was the clawed hand of the smoke demon, but then she realized that the demon was behind her, and this new, foreign touch was ahead.

Suddenly she could see the other as though now through a veil. With her long, muscular arms, the witch spellweaver pulled Laguz Vald through the veil and into the illusion. Now they inhabited this in-between space - the smoke demon was still there, but the Shi'ido was too.

The Dathomir exile still didn't quite realize that she was still suffering from the effects of powerful magic. "Do you have a lightsaber?" she asked her new ally. Perla was wiser now than when she had conjured the original succubus so many years before. "Sometimes they respond to a psychic attack. Or even a reverse chant."

She looked desperately at the Shi'ido for ideas. "Do you know anything like that? Otherwise that schutta is bound to kill us both!"

[member="Laguz Vald"]