Private Back to the Ashes

[Venn Kolis]

Darth Strosius Darth Empyrean
Back to the Ashes​

Breathe in. Breathe out. The flame shrinks. The flame grows.

Do not focus on the individual. They are irrelevant. A cosmic blip. Nothing. Your focus is your will. What is your desire? Replace them in your mind; they are your will, made incarnate. They are not an individual. They were born of your mind, of your need. Remove all else from your thoughts in that one moment-

"Ensign. Hand me your blaster for a moment."

The officer looked up in surprise, then drew his pistol to proffer it to Venn. "Of course, sir."

But the Sith apprentice merely shook his head, and walked away. It was impossible to tell whether he was influencing the crew through the Force, or if they were simply obeying orders. Practicing on them was hopeless.

The Sith transport shook slightly, and Venn slowed his pace to avoid a fall as the pilot's voice came over the ship's speakers. "Village sighted. Bringing her down into the jungle."

"Hear that, Alisteri? Showtime."

A brief note of trepidation sounded within the young man. This was the first he'd returned to his birth planet since the Sith Order had abducted him from his home. He shook his head and tried to burn out the doubt in his soul. He'd discovered true strength since then. He remembered close to nothing of his upbringing, and he was glad for it. He had no use for the old memories.

The Adonis Transport was configured as a cargo vessel, meaning Venn and his new friend were flying with a skeleton crew in cramped accommodations. But if they could manage to fill the transport's hold as planned, it'd be well worth a cramped flight.

A shake through the craft as it finally touched down to the planet's surface. The yellow interior lighting went red, a brief klaxon sounded off, and then the loading ramp clanked open, and began to lower. Before it was even halfway down, the warm humidity of the jungle night stole over Venn. Like a cord about his neck, it pulled him forcibly into the past, quietly insisting 'Come back to us. You are a son of this forest.'

He held a hand to his eyes and rubbed away the memories. A single tear might have come away on his black glove. Not anymore.

Venn let Alisteri head out ahead of him, hanging back to murmur to the captain, "Stay with the ship. I'll be back before too long. This is Concord space, stay alert. The locals will help with the loading, just keep an eye on them and let them work."

Then he stalked down the dark ramp and into the little jungle clearing. Lights bobbed and danced a short distance away; the outskirts of a rural village. They would be hunters. That was good. They'd have what he was looking for. Something moved through the underbrush beside him, detectable only by the faint rustling it made. Something shrieked in pain out in the shadows, followed by a scream of triumph. The sounds were oddly comforting.

Venn spoke quietly to Alisteri as he walked. "Tamed or otherwise, a village this size will have captured some beasts that suit our purposes. Faster to simply take them here, than head out into the forest hunting ourselves. Bartering with Onderonian hunters is... delicate, but I think I remember the gist well enough."

As Venn reached the village limits, a pair of locals emerged from the shadows. The men held antiquated blaster carbines tightly, and their obvious attempts to remain calm meant the lothcat was out of the bag: huge black shuttle. Dark robes with a deep hood. A companion in all black with a full face helmet. Yeah. They knew the stories. The Sith had arrived.

Pulling back his hood, Venn raised his fist to his temple. "Good Set, riders. I'm here to speak with your chief. I'm a little downwind, and require his services."

 

[Darth Strosius]

Onderon.

It wasn't often that Alisteri ventured into Jedi space, let alone this deep and with the intent to actually set foot on one of their planets no less. The danger was obvious, but to be fair that was a small part of why he had come along in the first place. The chance of seeing something new was always a plus, but the potential reward that they would be bringing back was even better.

Accompanying an ally out to a distant world in an attempt to claim great winged beasts, it reminded him of a great story. If they wound up walking away empty-handed then so be it, and if they succeeded then it would certainly be a great story with an even greater prize.

The tight quarters bothered him little, he had spent far too much time in dropships and small shuttles to be concerned with the occasional elbow brush or lack of room to stretch by now. He didn't bother the other occupants near him either, instead he busied himself with paying attention to their journey. His gaze was affixed to the nearest window as the ship made its way towards the surface, only snapping his gaze away from the sight when the speakers came to life and the pilot spoke.

Alisteri turned to glance at his companion and nodded as he stepped away from the window. Showtime indeed. If he noticed the trepidation when Venn spoke, he gave no reaction to it. "Finally. I'm eager to see what your planet has to offer friend, other than the obvious of course."

The familiar shake as the ship touched down and landed was always comforting in his opinion, especially so far into the lands of their enemies on a foreign planet. "I never get tired of the first steps back onto solid ground." Alisteri mused aloud as he idly watched the boarding ramp lower to allow them exit, the red lighting of the interior shining off of his mask in a far more appropriate color than the yellow had.

There was no hesitation in his stride as he stepped forward, down the ramp and out onto the surface of Onderon with a small sigh at the feeling of the jungle's humidity. Despite so much time spent living on Dromund Kaas, the sheer dampness in the air still unsettled him slightly. He supposed he never did get over the comparatively dry air of his own home world in the end after all. His gaze shifted around their landing site as he awaited his fellow Sith's exit from the transport.

The small clearing was almost perfect for them, he only hoped that the large wings wouldn't be too noticeable against the trees and other foliage of the planet. Regardless, they had a task at hand and he wasted no time in gawking at the scenery. The distant lights garnered his attention instead.

And there would be the target.

He ignored the sounds of the jungle as he fell into stride with Venn, knowing better than to go off hunting after odd noises in the jungle. "Oh come now Venn, surely no beast is the match of two Sith." The masked Acolyte let out a small chuckle at his own joke but nodded. "I shall happily leave the parleying with the locals entirely in your hands then. Just be sure to alert me if negotiations start to turn...aggressive."

Alisteri only stopped when two figures suddenly appeared from the jungle and stood before the pair of Sith, casting a glance at his companion for a moment to watch for any signs of worry. Speaking of the locals... He would not speak for himself however, allowing his ally the opportunity instead with him only offering a polite bow of his head in an attempt to show respect.

Venn Kolis

 

[Venn Kolis]

Darth Strosius
Back to the Ashes​

Alisteri inclined his head next to him, and Venn was glad. The gesture of goodwill would assure these guards that there wasn't going to be a fight. Now, to show them they were not in control of the situation.

The apprentice strode calmly past the guarding Onderonians and into the village, as if there was no question whether he'd be allowed entry. The low buildings that made up the village were built with modern designs, but made of outdated materials. Careful faces peered out of windows, disappearing if he glanced in their direction. The shuttle had landed only a short walk away purposefully; they'd all be awake. They all knew. Their chief knew. And he'd be ready to meet them.

Venn's feet seemed to remember something that he didn't, and brought him to a huge wooden barn with massive doors. Rolling open the portal, he was greeted with a fearsome sight. A triumphant grin spread across his face.

A long serpentine body and two thick arms. A thrashing tale that ended in a wicked barb. Bulging muscles that rippled deep indigo scales, and a wingspan greater than the length of a civil transport speeder. Those black beady eyes and disgusting sharp beak that split four ways into a mouth full of tongues. Something inside Venn was remembering. And it was a good feeling.

Some cautious beast riders had followed Venn to the stables, along with Alisteri and the guards from earlier. Aware of the audience of villagers, Venn lifted his hand up over his head, and dipped into his arrogance and confidence. A flame filled his palm, illuminating the stable enclosure and causing multiple creatures to stir anxiously, rear, or scream.

Now, the Drexl were the largest animals in there, but they certainly weren't the only species. It was a veritable menagerie, and like Venn had suspected, while some were simply tethered and seemed well-behaved, a few were lashing about in durasteel cages, or yowling from inside pits. So the pair certainly had options.

The bit of sorcery had stirred up more than just the animals, however. There were worried whispers among the natives, and a few hostile looks. Venn refused to show any sign of worry, and though he spoke loud enough for all to hear, he addressed Alisteri and ignored all others. "Looks like a fine selection. I'm certain we'll find specimens to fill our purpose." There was a commotion at this; he'd confirmed they were here for the beast-riders' beloved beasts. Venn ignored them still. "I'll meet with the chief and make all the arrangements. Why don't you peruse the inventory, try and find something you like? Oh and, if these people aggravate you at all, try and be forgiving."

That little comment did the trick. Venn's impression of his new companion was that Alisteri was not easily riled up (though some pink imps liked to try very hard to change that,) but the mutinous looks from the natives evaporated as soon as Venn addressed the passionless helmet like it was some vengeful despot.

Turning now to the largest and oldest beast-rider in the crowd, Venn took a breath and looked up at the man- no, the door, unflinchingly. Because it wasn't a person at all. It was a portal that led to the natives chief. All Venn had to do was ask it to open...

He poured his will into the force, and the force into his voice. "You there. I'll see your chief now. Lead the way."

A moment's hesitation. The grizzled warrior looked down at the young sorcerer...

then nodded curtly. "As you say, Lord." He began to walk to a particular house. Venn followed, trying hard not to laugh, and wondering if Alisteri was doing the same. 'Lord?' That was new. And entirely inaccurate. Venn's master was a Dark Lord, while he was just a flickering shadow next to the abyss.

As for his attempt at domination, it was hard to know if Venn had influenced the old hunter's mind with the Force, or simply intimidated him. But Venn was starting to wonder if there was much of a difference either way.

 

[Darth Strosius]

To his relief they were let in, or at the very least not stopped, without much trouble. He trailed not far behind Venn as the other Sith led the way through the village, occasionally glancing around at the houses and signs of movement from the locals. For a bunch of beast tamers they seem rather tame themselves, no weapons emplacements or strategic chokepoints to employ. Were I their leader I'd be very wary about letting in strangers with such lacking defenses in case of an attack.

Alisteri wasn't about to complain too much on the matter of the village's construction though, lest their disadvantage work in the Sith's favor if the villagers decided to remove them forcefully. Perhaps the shuttle is keeping them pacified, doesn't seem like they could take it down with anything but whatever flying creatures they have stabled.

The huge barn caught his attention immediately, his gaze sweeping over the structure with a mixture of interest and suspicion. Given what little he knew of the planet's indigenous fauna from Venn, he could only guess at what may await them inside. To that end he noticeably stood a bit back from his ally as he went to open the entrance to the building and waited with a hand resting on his hip near his hidden lightsaber. He had little intent of dying in the middle of Jedi space to a rampaging beast of all things after all.

He supposed he could always simply hack the building and whatever was inside it to pieces if the need arose, wood wasn't much protection against a lightsaber after all. His only worry was the potential of a beast getting out and ripping his arm off before he could draw his weapon. And what a beast it was that lay behind the door, and thankfully it wasn't quite rampaging around at the moment.

Alisteri took no step back, not flinching nor showing any other noticeable sign of worry or concern in front of the village as Venn illuminated the barn with a show of power and caused some of the inhabitants to grow frantic for a moment. The mask did plenty of helping in that regard. He was still surprised at the sheer variety of the creatures within the stable of course, but he refused to indicate it visibly. It's been quite awhile since I've seen so many claws and fangs in one place. Against his better judgement he took a few steps closer to the barn's entrance for a better look and came to a stop beside Venn.

"An impressive collection indeed." Alisteri spoke in agreement, ensuring that the villagers behind them could hear his comment as well. Their reaction drew a small smirk to his face, but it was quickly dismissed.

He paused for a moment after Venn had spoken again, clearly looking over his shoulder at the crowd that had gathered with an imperceptible expression before he replied. "As you wish. No point in leaving a mess like last time I suppose..." His voice was purposely low, as if it were only supposed to be for his companion to hear, yet it still reached the nearest villagers. A little threat to keep the populace in line was nothing new after all. Then he quickly shifted his attention back to the barn and the creatures within, merely nodding as the other Sith stepped away to go and meet with the chief.

With nothing more to say to the locals at teh moment he instead moved forward into the stable and began perusing around for whatever caught his eye. The Drexl were still very much in his interest of course, but he may as well look and see what else the village could offer. There wasn't much point in sitting idly by and waiting for his ally to return anyway, better to try and spot something unique before the villagers got any ideas about locking either of them out of the barn and away from their prizes.

Venn Kolis

 

[Venn Kolis]

Darth Strosius
Back to the Ashes​

The grizzled hunter brought Venn to a particular house in short order. Inside, he found the beast riders' chief awaiting his arrival. He was a big man in his prime, since the hunter tribes would never be led by a man who couldn't wrangle his own mount. He fidgeted in his big wooden chair at Venn's approach, his guards on either side looking just as uncomfortable.

Standing in the center of the room, Venn clasped his hands in front of him, his head bowed. Silence.

The chief looked at his guards before beginning hesitantly, "I-I have heard you've come here looking for beasts, lord. Shall we discuss manner of payment before...?"

"Shattered Sword."

The big man blinked, his brave face falling away as if confronted by a ghost. "I'm sorry, what are you-"

"What do you remember of the hunter clan Shattered Sword?" Venn's question was a quiet one, but his voice seemed to suck all the air out of the room, so that each breath taken by those present sounded like a desperate gasp in their ears. Willpower is a key aspect of strong mental fortitude. The chief was floundering now, and stammered out "They were all killed. It was an off-world raid. Pirates."

Venn took a step forward at this, and the men before him visibly flinched. Embarrassed by their cowardice, the guards on either side of the chief leveled their spears at the young man as he lifted the dark hood from his face to let it fall back on his shoulders. His green eyes were filled with anger. "No. Not pirates. And not a raid." Then those angry eyes blazed with yellow fire at the word "Sith."

At once, the spears clutched in the guards hands burst into that same yellow flame, and the men dropped their weapons in panic as the chief stood defiantly and drew a ceremonial dagger. "What do you want from us?"

"Payment." Venn took quick steps to stand inches from the man confronting him, as if daring him to lash out with his dead blade. "It was the Sith who gave you dominion over the beasts of Dxun. It was the Sith who made your people strong. And now, generations living under Jedi rule have begun to weaken Onderon. You've seen it. The ones who live in the cities, turning their backs on the old ways. They mock your tradition, our tradition, and fly the skies in lifeless metal husks."

And now there was more than fear in the chief's face, as a kind of understanding began to dawn in his little brain. Venn pressed on, turning to address the men who'd threatened him, still clutching their burned hands. As he spoke, Venn poured his vitriol and conviction into his voice. He could hear a cold and patient voice in the back of his head: Practicing the strength of one's mind is best done against those without mortal intent.

"Shattered Sword paid its debt to the Sith in blood and in me. Its last son. But I am Onderonian, and I see dark strength in this once-proud planet. I will not exact death and fire from you in payment. I will give this village the honor of raising monsters for the Sith, so that they may remind the galaxy of the meaning of strength. We will take what we see fit, and you will be rewarded for your fealty to the Old Ways. Should you betray my trust in you, I promise that no Jedi alive can hide you from my fire."

The crackling fire leaking from the boy's eye sockets went out. But his irises remained bright yellow. Venn replaced his hood and turned to leave. As he went, he remarked casually "Those two who pointed the sticks at me? Their lives are forfeit. They have one hour to pack their things and bid their loved ones farewell. They will serve me, as warriors of an Onderonian Sith. Truly, there is no higher honor they might aspire to."

He did not wait for a response before stalking from the room. There was no room for discussion. They would comply.

Or they would burn.

~}&{~​

Returning to the huge stables, Venn began to point out individual Ruping to watching villagers. "That one, those two over their, and that one... he's a little young, but it'll grow. I need several strong Dalgo, and a few mating pairs as well..." With their chief watching mutely and without protest, the hunters began to follow the Sith's directions. Animals began to be towed by leash or shipped in hovering cages, slowly proceeding towards the awaiting shuttle.

Spotting Alisteri, Venn raised a hand in greeting. "Their chief has decided to be reasonable. They have chosen strength over weakness." He smiled widely at this, and the smile wasn't for show. It was good to see his people serving the cause of the Sith, even if they had taken some persuading. "Drexl can be damned tricky to ride, so I've picked out some Ruping to take with us; they're more agile in the air, and easier to learn on if you've never flown a reptavian before." Then he gestured to a caged panther beside him. Its scaly body was gold and scarlet, with a thorny spine and two barbed tails. "The Gharzr is a silent predator, and its stingers secrete a paralyzing venom. As an added bonus, it's an assassin that never asks questions." A moment passed in silence. "That was a joke. 'Cuz it's a big scaly cat. That can't talk."

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Strosius]

There was something oddly charming about the wildlife of Onderon, at least the ones that he could see in the stable anyway. His own home planet hadn't had much fauna to speak of, and what little there was was all imported anyhow, and the worlds of the Sith had often proved too deadly to risk venturing into the forests and jungles to gaze at the local creatures. The ones that weren't too riled up and eager to claw his face off anyway. I suppose this is somewhat akin to one of those zoo things that children rant about every now and then.

Alisteri stopped to inspect a four legged creature, a Dalgo, that huffed at him in annoyance as he glanced it over. "Spirited aren't we?" Even with the animals all being secured he decided it was best not to bother one and risk it getting loose or upsetting another any more than they already had been, so he moved on after looking the mount over again.

The next creature that drew his gaze and attention was a Ruping, one that had let out a rasping growl as he looked at it in particular. The winged mount seemed less initially hostile than the Dalgo, but it clearly didn't intend on the Sith coming too close. "Hm. A pretty beast, shame that you're all locked up in here instead of out sailing the skies." The reptavian let out a hollow hiss in response and the masked man chuckled. "Perhaps Onderon is not as kind to visitors as the locals would have me believe, given the reactions from you lot." He muttered under his breath as he strode back towards the main creature that had caught his eye.

The great Drexl near the entrance paid him little mind as he circled around it, admiring the deadly spikes jutting out from it as he ignored the curious and concerned stares of the villagers still waiting outside the stable. They were of little consequence at the moment and seemed to be calm and cowed enough that he could wander around as he wished without them interfering. "And here we have the king above them all." In truth he was surprised that it even had the space to lay on the ground given all the various other animals and mounts contained within the stable. Even with the size of the building taken into account.

Were it not for his own inexperience with creatures in general, as well as a desire to keep all of his limbs intact, he may have even tried to touch the Drexl while it was still and docile at the time. The desire was thankfully very fleeting and he subconsciously took a step or two back from the beast as a precaution. By the time that Venn had returned Alisteri had gotten his fill of inspecting the calmer creatures within the stable and had made his way back towards the entrance once more as he idly watched the other Sith give out orders to the locals on his way back. He had no intent on getting in the way as they moved to fulfill his wishes, instead simply leaning against a supporting pillar and watching.

His head inclined at the greeting and a nod followed in reply to the remark. "Good. Always glad to see that there is still some reason left in the galaxy." He nodded as he listened to his fellow Sith, his gaze landing on the Drexl and then the Ruping respectively as they were mentioned. Riding anything other than some form of vehicle was fairly new and foreign, so he had little desire to dispute the other's judgement.

Alisteri looked into the cage and noted the creature inside, a Gharzr evidently, as one of the creatures that he hadn't approached before. It was a sight to see and gave off a unique aura of predatory malice. It idly reminded him of some warbeast that would be deployed back in the days of the Sith Empire in that regard. Although he didn't laugh at the joke, the subsequent comment did bring a small laugh out of the masked man. "Indeed. Seems rather useful to keep closer to the enemy than to oneself. You know what they say about watching out for the quiet ones after all."

He paused and finally looked back at Venn. "Speaking of which, I trust that we won't have to worry about the locals stabbing us in the back just yet, but some of these beasts look rather hungry." The various carnivores and predators looked pretty well taken care of, but it never hurt to reward good service and behavior with a treat or two. Living, fighting treats even. "I think a bit of a...team bonding exercise with some of our new friends here would prove beneficial. Aside from teaching me how to saddle up on of the fliers as well. What say you?"

Venn Kolis

 

[Venn Kolis]

Darth Strosius
Back to the Ashes​

Venn grinned widely at the suggestion, and waved over a pair of Onderonians. "Those Ruping there; I need them saddled and tacked. We're hunting Boma."

The two villagers exchanged looks, then nodded. They gathered their fellows and gave instructions, sending small groups scurrying about the stables. The Ruping were prepped, and several hunters began to load up their own equipment onto Dalgo and Tee-muss. They cantered restlessly about the space, giving the Sith looks of equal doubt and appreciation.

As the pair walked to their fliers, Venn leaned towards Alisteri. "Boma isn't an easy hunt, so this ought to do us wonders earning the villagers' respect. The Sith trained the very first Beast Riders of this planet thousands of years ago; in their eyes, we are both outsiders and progenitors."

In the middle of his speaking, he was approached by a villager child. Surprised at the insolence, Venn looked down to see what the small hands proffered up to him; a dark helmet of strange make.

"For your eyes, as you fly."

Taking the gift mutely, Venn nodded once at the little scamp as she dashed off. The plating was of fine material, but bore no manufacturer's sigil. Seemed to be a custom piece, meaning the hunters had likely taken it off of a bounty hunter or mercenary. All sorts perished out in those dark jungles, leaving behind their legacy in equipment and gear.

Tucking the helmet under one arm, Venn gestured towards the larger of the two Ruping. "Take that older one, he won't be as skittish. Mount with your foot on the shoulder joint, but wait until he lowers his arms to the ground; that means he's ready to fly. Don't approach from behind, let him get a good look at you."

As Venn approached his Ruping, he realized with a start that his memories had been flowing freely for some time. All of the fondness for his traditions had returned, without any of the heartbreak or attachment. To be Sith was truly to be free: to love fiercely when it suited you, and to stare impassively when to love would be a weakness.

He swung astride the big orange animal as if he'd done it a thousand times (he suspected because he actually had,) and as he gripped the reins with one hand, he ran the other hand down the beast's neck. He let his emotion flow through him, through the Force, into the flier's mind. The excitement, the fear of failure, the determination to prove himself.

The Ruping raised it's wings and shrieked. With a laugh, Venn scooped his new helmet from his lap and pulled it on. Fiddling with internal coms, he messed about until he'd was pretty sure he'd found Alisteri's frequency.

<"This maneuver's a classic one; we harass the Boma from overhead to drive it from its hole, and then the villagers charge on their ground mounts to make it flee. We run it down, bag it, and they drag it back here. After a few months of their training, we'll have a huge obedient monster waiting here for pickup. Just watch out for the tongue; its longer than you think, and its barbed on the end. Even big Boma can't usually eat a whole Ruping, but that doesn't stop them from trying.">

Now Venn's Ruping was worked up, and with steady beats of its wings, it lifted from the ground. A delicious sinking feeling gripped his stomach, and underneath his new helmet, he couldn't stop smiling. He didn't remember this. But he had missed it. <"Don't worry about directing your mount at first; it'll follow mine instinctively. Keep a loose grip on the guidelines, and once we're cruising, start to give it little signals, see how it reacts. He can tell you're new, so for both your sakes he wants to teach you. Let him.">

Some of the villagers underneath him were cheering as he began to rise above the dark treeline to gaze at the endless roof of the jungle canopy. Underneath him, mounted warriors of the Twin River Clan galloped through the flickering firelight of their village and into the forest, towards the lair of an adult Boma. Almost nervously, Venn nudged on his Ruping's reins. The big animal swooped after the hunting party, and Venn was grateful he'd switched off his helmet coms as a scream of joy burst out of him unbidden and unintended.

He flying again. He was hunting.

He was home.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Alisteri was glad that the other Sith agreed to go hunting, but he raised an eyebrow at the reaction of the villagers to their apparent prey. He had never heard of Boma before, and by his guess there weren't any in the stables, so he could only imagine that they were either too elusive or too savage to be tamed and kept. Either way it didn't matter in the end, whatever beast this Boma was would die regardless.

He did his best to keep out of the way as the preparations for their coming hunt were made, too busy with idly stretching as they waited for their own Rupings to be prepared. Also trying to think on how he was going to not fall off the Ruping that he was soon to be riding. Alisteri had never been one that was in tune or well liked by every animal he came across, usually they were either running away or trying to eat him. Dealing with tamed and domesticated beasts was a whole new experience though, and he sincerely hoped he wouldn't be plummeting from his ride to the jungle floor before they made it off the planet.

He could only hope.

"Interesting. Beast taming does seem very Sith like, dominating and making use of a savage creature is a step above simply killing it. I see the logic." If this practice was something that Sith had done in the past, then he would partake in it. He glanced over the helmet, idly looking over his shoulder as the child that gifted it ran off before nodding. "A mount and a free helmet. A good homecoming thus far I'd say."

His gaze turned to the larger, evidently older, of the two Rupings and he tilted his head slightly as he listened to the instruction. "As you say." And now he would put his resolve to the test. May the Force help me on this task. Alisteri maneuvered around to the front of the Ruping, offering the beast a small wave to get its attention before he attempted to climb atop it. Thankfully it was docile and surprisingly patient as he attempted to find the proper joint to step on and pull himself up with.

It took a good few more seconds than it had taken Venn or any of the other riders, but he eventually managed to get upright and facing forward with only a little bit of exhaustion to show for it. "Alright big guy, don't throw me off too quickly." He muttered under his breath as he patted the Ruping in appreciation. The masked man perked up slightly as he heard Venn on his comms, glancing and giving the other man a nod. <"As long as it doesn't make a meal out of me, I'll follow your lead just fine.">

Not long after the younger Ruping had taken flight, the elder would follow and Alisteri could do little but hold onto the guidelines and saddle as his mount flapped up into the air. Riding immediately brought mixed feelings, the most predominant one being himself resisting the urge to look down at the jungle below as his mount quickly caught up and flew behind Venn's.

<"Loosen up on them? You are aware that these things don't come with seatbelts? I just think that's a bit of a design flaw."> Still he reluctantly complied and his tight grip gradually loosened on the reins and he attempted to relax. Beasts tended to be aware of when someone was tense and anxious after all. Said tension almost immediately returned as he watched Venn swoop after the hunting party and his own mount following not soon after. Luckily for him the movement was far less drastic and quick, meaning his momentary yell of alarm was very short.

He glanced down at the Ruping as he caught his breath again and shook his head, muttering a curse under his breath. "Just follow Venn and I'll try not to choke you with these things, deal?" The flying creature let out a noise of affirmation and he chuckled. "Atta boy."

Venn Kolis

 

[Venn Kolis]

Darth Strosius
Back to the Ashes​

As he flew, Venn tried his hardest to remember if he'd ever hunted Boma in his old life. The details were fuzzy, but he seemed to remember his Dalgo kicking him in the head that day. So, that wasn't particularly encouraging.

The apprentice chuckled at his friend's comment about seatbelts, and then realized he'd strapped himself in by muscle-memory, without telling Alisteri how. <"There's a tab of green leather on your left side by your thigh; pull on it, and a cord with a fastener comes free. It's attached to the saddle harness, and it's meant to latch to your belt.">

Venn ducked a tree branch as his Ruping dipped into the treeline before cresting the forest canopy again. <"In the same spot by your right thigh, there's a high-power stun carbine in a holster. It's essentially a weak ion rifle, so try not to hit anything that isn't the Boma. Aim for the head. If the Boma is about to kill a mount or one of the villagers, we'll swoop in with lethal force. Ideally, we catch it and drag it back to tame, but plenty of hunts end in a kill. No shame in it.">

In the forest below, the village hunters had pulled their mounts up short. Venn flew on, finding they'd come to the edge of a bog. He could just make out the dark maw of the Boma's lair. The wallow was essentially a big hole that the beast had attempted to conceal with a rudimentary nest. All that ripped up foliage was a fair cover, but it also made for great firewood.

Swooping low over the lair, Venn reached out a hand towards the dark hole. "Emberfly."

Tiny sparks danced off the young man's fingertips, drifting down to alight on the crude roof... and catch it ablaze in an instant. Each little fire spread to join with its fellows, until the flames were crashing down on shattered tree limbs into the depths of the wallow.

Shifting a little in his seat, Venn drew his stun carbine and began to circle the wallow at an angle, waiting to see what the great beast would do. Somewhere in that hole, a very large animal was getting a nasty shock....

 

[Darth Strosius]

The news of his brilliant idea already being in place paused Alisteri for a moment, both dumbfounded and yet shocked that he had thought there seriously wasn't some form of strap in place already. That moment quickly passed and he was soon latching the fastener of the cord to his belt as quick as he could manage with one hand. The other still holding onto the reigns of course. <"Please feel free to tell me that information ahead of time if there is a next time, alright?">

His tone was one of humor, albeit with a hint of seriousness.

His Ruping kept a steady course just above the treeline as they flew, thankfully for him not following the small dip down into the trees that Venn's did. Alisteri didn't do too much in the way of steering or spurring the creature on faster either, instead allowing his mount to follow the other Ruping and the pack of hunters while he made small adjustments here and there.

The masked man turned to the weapon in question holstered on the side of his saddle and he idly glanced it over to see if he could determine a make or model of it. <"Aim for the head and don't hit anyone else, got it. I thought you said that you hadn't done this for a while Venn, yet here you are an expert in hunting these beasts."> Admittedly he assumed that the other Sith had done research in addition to whatever experience he had before, but it was still impressive to him.

<"In the unlikely case that it does happen to die during this hunt, how do these Boma taste?">

As the forest gave way to a bog Alisteri peered down from his saddle in search of their prey. He had no idea what he was looking for, but he assumed that it would be easy to spot. Thankfully he didn't have to look too long as he saw Venn swoop down over some fairly large portion of disturbed foliage. It had to be some sort of den for the Boma if he had to guess.

When he saw the foliage go up in flames he grit his teeth and successfully, yet cautiously, steered his Ruping down to match the other Sith's path around the burning lair as they awaited for their prey to emerge. <"I'm guessing it won't be happy when it comes out?">

He already knew the answer of course, drawing his own stun carbine as he watched the burning limbs and foliage fall down into the hole below. And then the resident of said hole let out a roar of pain and anger.

Venn Kolis