Dominion Beachfront Healing -- SJO Dominion of Kattada Hex

[Tarish Galland]

The knight tilted his head a little, not straining himself as he nodded to them both after Karra had spoken. "You both, did well. Was a battle. Not training. Real fighting. Real, consequence. As you, both know. Which means. Thank you, as well. Had you, not been there. I wouldn't, be here. Every little, bit helps." He spoke to both, but gave a nod to Ura towards the end. "We did, what we, could. It never, feels, like enough, but. We get better, each time." He added, taking the cup with another nod. Careful to not spill, he took another drink before setting it on the side table.

"What do, you plan to, study when we, get back? Or have you, already begun, studying?" He offered, moving the conversation to something different.

 

[Kyra Perl]

With a flat look Damian raised his hands up with open palms. Staring at Kyra he began to move his hands around opening his arms and flipping them over taking the girls measurements. “No,” he said… looking at her and cocking his head. A smile crept over his face, “You’ve gotten too large to fit in my suitcase. Besides I only brought a duffel bag.”

Taking a set of tongs he grabbed one of the packages of fish and placed it on a nearby plate.He punched a small hole in the top and ripped the foil open revealing the cooked meal. Steam rose up out of the foil into the air allowing the scent of the meal to infect the air around them.

“Besides you don’t need to hide,” Without even thinking Damian reached across the table and cut a portion of the fish and veggies into manageable chunks. “Also maybe ask someone to help you with your studies, make it a group activity, it helps to train and learn with a friend.”


Kyra Perl

Kyra couldn't help the large grin that split over her cheeks, a napkin picked up and tossed Damian's way. Come on, be serious! She was trying to pout!

"I dun wanna train with my classmates, they make me feel stupid," she complained, watching as he cut her food. "They don't need study groups-- it's not fair. I swear they can do anything, like, first try!-- none of them need masters! I'm not gonna make a fool out of myself, I'm not stupid," she grumbled, not much logic to the words that bubbled out of her. But when did it ever with Kyra, I mean really. Her brows furrowed, her grumpy mood persisting. She picked up the fork and sloppy scooped at the meat, struggling to get it on the fork.

"And now I'll never catch up- ugh-- its not fair. They should give me credits for going to Yurb. Fighting in a war should count."

Screeeeeeech, went the metal on the porcelain her knuckles white at her failed exertion.

Damian Starchaser

 

[Karra Tor]

It wasn't until Karra had fully re-emerged from Ura's mind that she noticed her fingers had partially sunken into her sandy body - it felt kind of nice. Still, she gently pulled away quickly, she didn't know if it was hurting her after all, and she was in enough pain as it was. She had done all she could for now, but she made a mental note to start looking into healing methods for Lervons in the future. Stepping away, she moved back over to Tarish and Amani, noting the red eyes and puffy lids, but with a nice smile.
"Feeling a little less blue and green now?" She asked lightly. It was a horrible joke but they always seemed to lighten the mood with people, the cheesier the better.

Thankfully, despite her exertion on Ura, Karra still had the energy to spare for Tarish. He was her patient at the moment, after all, she came here to aid his healing in the first place. Moving behind him, she placed both hands on his shoulders and let herself relax, breathing out as she closed her eyes and the force flowed out of her and into him, knitting together sinew and bone as best as it could. It was standard practice for her, being a healer, so she could still talk with them, but for the next 5 minutes, she would be stationary while she worked on him. "What do you three normally study? You don't get to refrain Mr Galland, a Knight should still study after all, hehe."

Tarish Galland Amani Serys Ura Iolar

 

[Laertia Io]

"Obviously this is not how I wanted it..." the stitched together abomination that was all that remained of Celsius's original incarnation began as she and Laertia moved across a lake of golden flames. "I had always imagined being there for you on a more solid, concrete basis. Not in this dessicated state."

"You have me at a disadvantage. I don't recall soliciting you for the purposes of a benefactor, Fragment." Laertia replied stoically.

"No need to be so ungenerous Laertia. I'm not your enemy. I'm the last creature who would want to be."

"You are wise to display such caution." Laertia replied icily, the fingers of her unnatural, obsidian left arm twitching for the feel of a weapon to hold in the Flame Realm.

"We were always meant to meet." Cidd proclaimed, a stitched together hand pointing to one area of the burning lake which swirled, an image appearing above a fiery whirlpool. It depicted the blood-haired Jedi slowly being escorted out of the temple under guard.

"A visionless, unimaginative, petty, sniveling lot. Too afraid of anything that threatened their silly preconceptions of what was proper Jedi Study. They caused more problems than they solved. Surely you have felt the same distaste. The same mistrust from them that they had for me." Cidd remarked.

"The Jedi Order you hate no longer exists. Its methods were discredited by History. It's final Council was a victim of their own systemic hubris and refusal to reexamine themselves or their traditions, or listen fully to those Jedi who saw the problems that doomed them, such as Qui-Gon."

"But you HAVE felt their mistrust. They know you are not like them. They may have changed--but not out of sincerity. They changed because The Galaxy quite literally stopped giving them any other choice. They have so many enemies on all sides that they cannot afford to turn away even those their philosophical forebears would have censured or killed without a second thought." Cidd replied. "You are an outlier. They haven't changed 'that' much, Laertia. In spite of all you've done for them, eventually they will hate you. They may love their mavericks. When its convenient. But the one thing they love more than a Maverick Jedi is watching a Maverick Jedi fail. Fall. Die trying. Why bother?"

(Cutaway of The Green Goblin getting impaled on his Glider.)

"We are nothing alike. My problem is that I was made to facilitate easier killing, and that violence has never stopped being my true profession, whatever weapon I have used to convey it over the years. I never partook in the Arcane Heresies that you indulged in. Not willingly anyway. Your bauble has so far proven useful, but I am quickly reassessing its usefulness given my current predicament. Now...what do you mean by 'We were meant to meet?'

"We are bonded, you and I."

"Impossible."

(Cutaway of DKR Bane staring at the burning Bat Symbol)

"You haunted me in my very bones. A person who didn't even exist yet. I began to feel you once I became a Knight."

Laertia was creeped the unholy feth out by this but said nothing.

"Wanting to speak to you was one of the reasons I explored magic. I sought to understand. To learn how to reach you. To find you."

Laertia fought away the seething dread and nausea that threatened to creep up her. Her expression remained flat as she stared at the Monstrosity.

"I have never felt a link to a person I never met. Whatever this 'Bond' you call actually is, its one sided. Some accident of the wretched energies you were tied to perhaps."

"I am not surprised you have never felt it. Tell me, after you were knighted, you recall a visit from something unnatural? A twisted, living malignance that gave you its blessing?" Cidd asked, conjuring another image of a more recently recovered memory, during an adventure with Bella Rimini.

She had been kidnapped after her knighting. By a strange, lamprey mouthed creature she had later realized was The Amalgam. Laertia had been utterly devastated learning the truth about that monster.

That blessing was still in effect. She dared not call on it.

"That blessing you received deadened the connection on your end. Disrupted it. Else you would know the truth of my words."

"How convenient for you that they can neither be confirmed nor refuted." Laertia said contemptuously.

The Stitched Abomination that was Cidd Cinndurr smirked a bit.

"Oh, but that is the very first thing you are mistaken about. I can prove what I am saying."

The creature held out a slender patchwork hand.

"Take my hand."

Laertia offered not her natural hand, but the demonic one. She didn't want whatever was still human inside of her coming into contact with this thing.

Laertia was not prepared for what happened next.

It was like a veil had been lifted from her mind...

Laertia dropped to her knees in surprise and shock as a bond she had never known was there manifested itself consciously, the influence of the living fragment lifting the barrier of The Amalgam's magic enough albeit temporarily.

Laertia was crawling away from the fragment in horror at being actually tied to it...The Monstrosity smiled, waiting patiently for Laertia to gather her wits...

 

[Amani Serys]

Tarish Galland | Karra Tor | Ura Iolar

Amani allowed herself the faintest of laughs at Karra’s exceptionally cheesy joke, “Heh--ow.” She pressed her hand against her ribs, soothing the dull pain. Looking away from the others for a moment she rubbed at her eyes to try and wipe away any extra tears, quickly making an effort to regain her cool. It all felt a little embarrassing to her, but it was nice to get the emotions out of the way. “Yeah, all fine now.” Not completely true, but certainly better than before.

The subject then changed to studies, which Amani was more than comfortable with. What even was she studying? “Uh… well, I’m training to be a healer, actually.” It felt like it had been so long since she had done anything even remotely related to that. Studying in general had been slow going since Yurb. The padawan leaned back in her seat, glancing over to Ura and Tarish, genuinely curious as to what it was they focused in.

 

[Melia Siari]

HOTTER THAN HELL

Aboard the HIMS Sith Saber II, Somewhere near Vjun

The task had been a simple one, as was usual from the plans created by Vesta Zambrano, to maneuver a portion of the Armada along the border the Empire shared with the Silver Jedi space. To the circle, to the Emperor and his Shadow Hand, and to all the rest of the Sith that weren't in the Shi'ido and Zeltron's inner circle, it was just a precaution from a secondary assault from potential allies of the New Imperial Order from a flanked position to their campaign toward Bastion - but Melia knew better, knew the reason her ships were being moved as they were. She - or they as Vesta preferred to be referred to, given their lack of static appearance - wanted things in position in the event that Bastion fell.

If it meant what she had been promised, then the Zeltron was more than happy to comply.

The small task force, an impressive defense force if that had been its true purpose, was positioning itself in space near the planet of Vjun, not at all interested in the nearby world. Rather, it was the hyperlane nearby - the Daragon Trail - that was their point of interest, and its proximity to Vjun as well as the world's closeness to Silver Jedi space lined up with all of the perfect excuses for their movements if the Circle or Dark Councilors decided to question the decision. They were maybe ten minutes from where the force was going to be positioned, which was where she'd make her exit in a hyperspace-capable shuttle to travel to Korriban to link up with the next task force that was to be moved, when the communicator at Melia's side began to move and ring.

At first she ignored it, but after the call dropped she let her curiosity get the better of her and retrieved the device and failed to recognize the number - though the chances of someone she didn't know getting access to her secure line narrowed down the options considerably. A few faces, even, popped into her head as likelihoods, which prompted her to redial the number. Maybe it was a slip of a finger, or maybe it was simply a glitch in the communicator of whoever had called her, but the line was picked up almost immediately after she'd started the call.

"Hello? This is Melia Siari, I believe I missed a call from this number?" She said.

Tulan Kor

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Was it fair that he knew how to push her buttons? No, but she also knew how he worked as well. Grinning as he looked at her, holding her for a second. Watching the wheels turn behind her eyes, and having an idea of his own, he was going to let her speak first. And he felt it was going to be – yep. Right, about the girls. He did miss them but they were in good hands, and it was time for a bit of a trip away. Even if this was after a war effort. But this world, it reminded him so much of the worlds he always sought to travel to in his younger years, Mon Cala, Pamarthe, he wasn’t sure why he never made it to Kattada.

And for now? Maybe it was close enough but far enough from the Concord’s capitol. He smiled. “They’re fine.” An agreement to his wife, but she was the one who always had that little worry about everyone. Coren felt that many could handle themselves, war zones excluded.

“We both did. Since we got back I feel like I’ve been moving a lot.” It was his habit. “But I had an idea… What do you feel about this world?” It could offer a perfect location for a training temple… Not for war, but not exclusively NOT for war.

Celeste Rigel

 

[Tulan Kor]

What was seconds, felt like hours


There it was, the quiet ringing. The sounds of the waves crashing against the sand, the push and pull of water on forgotten shards of rock pulled at him for a moment, while the dial tone told him all he needed to know. With a sigh- one of contentment, and sadness. It wasn't unexpected, but it was still a let-down.

He rarely met someone who captivated him as much as she did on a single night.

He dropped his communicator behind him with a simple toss, sighing as the driftwood he sat on sank a little bit.

Then he fell through the old, dry wood.

He sighed, leaning back in the sand, letting the futility of his endeavors weigh on him, watching the sky. The sky- he hadn't just looked up at the sky in what felt like years. All in all, maybe the piece of wood he was sitting on breaking wasn't too bad.

His ringtone snapped his attention back to reality. It wasn't one of the ones designated for work-related calls- no this was a new number, so it got the 'machine gun' ringtone. He sat up- then it dawned on him. He scrambled, digging through the sand, answering it within a few rings.

Then she spoke. If Angels didn't sound like that, then he was sold a lie about where he went after he died.

"Hello. It's Tulan Kor. From Bespin- you told me to call you when you weren't so..." Lips pursed, eyes darting to think of what to say next. Lasted the space between seconds. But Tulan was a man who chose his words- that much was obvious, even over the phone. "Occupied." No judgement, no hang-ups either. His words fell softly, despite his gravelly tone. His accent carried- deep core, lower class, but refined. Learned, experienced. Not like hers.

He watched the waves crash and fall, his voice carrying the gentle nature of the area he was in.

"I'll bet you fifty credits I'm in a more lovely spot than you are."

Melia Siari

 

[Celeste Rigel]

Celeste relaxed a little, breathing some of the tension out from between her shoulders. And she stood close to Coren as he gave her some words of reassurance. He knew that's all she really needed to hear.

Indeed he had been moving a lot, and she'd come to know it was his way. But sometimes, she wished he'd slow down, much like he had when they'd traveled the galaxy together. How she wished for those days, but she knew it was selfish. Celeste couldn't keep Coren from the galaxy forever.

And so, when he revealed is idea, she gave a thoughtful pause.

This place was quite nice. It did remind her of some of the worlds they'd visited. “Well, I certainly like what I see,” she said, clearly picturing Coren fitting into this place. “It could be a nice place for a temple,” she said, nodding. “And with a healing center, it could be a fabulous place for rehabilitation.”

Celeste squinted slightly as she thought. “Yes, that could work quite well, I think.”

Coren Starchaser

 

[Laertia Io]

The Stitched Monstrosity floated towards a crawling Laertia across the roiling lake of golden flames.

"You feel it. At last. The Connection that was there, ignoring Time and reality itself." Cinndurr hissed in delight.

Laertia knew only fear and revulsion at being connected to this...creature. She could feel what it felt, knew how its obsession with her had helped to warp it into what it was today. How it hungered for her, hungered to literally be a mixed into her.

"What do you want?" Laertia asked, stomach curdling.

"We are The Bond of Power. Our strengths compliment the other. As do our nature as Force Embued. We were meant to be a Force for Good...together, we would be all but unstoppable. Don't you feel it now? The pain of having been severed from me for so long?

Laertia felt a gnawing ache in the center of her mind as this unnatural bond she had never known was there suddenly pouring out years of strained agony. She was already starting to get more details into its insights about her thanks to their temporarily reestablished connection, all of which deeply frightened Laertia because they were all accurate.

"I know many secrets. Mine would be yours."

"Your secrets would but prove my ruin. Keep them." Laertia snapped, wanting a weapon badly to cut the Fragment of Cinndurr down.

"But I know the most important secret of all, Laertia." The Fragment responded, floating a little closer, empty eye sockets glimmering with unnatural golden fire at the center.

"I can heal your wounds. No more headaches. No more living in dread of the next migraine. No more filling your life with just rabbits and machines to fill the void. The void that's been in you all your life."

"There's always a price with you damned Sorcerers. What's yours?"

"Expose this 'bauble' as you put it to my latest incarnation. The me called Syd...She'll be made whole. I'll be whole. We'll be whole. Make us whole."

(Cutaway of Isaac Clarke stomping a Necromorph)

Laertia raised an eyebrow.

"She is not bound in conspiracy with you?"

"She has forgotten much. When you reintegrate us, she will understand. But do you understand?" The Fragment asked, lifting her from the "lake" through sheer control of the realm of fire itself.

"We were always meant to be a Force for good, a Force for Order, operating in tandem strengthening each other, knowing each other by sheer proximity. Let me lift that Witch's magic from your skull. Let me into your life...we'll build a philosophy of Ashla that outstrip's the Jedi. We don't need them to find the Light. We can seek it out for ourselves. We can leave them behind and teach our own."

Laertia blinked and gave her reply.

"Betray The Order that gave me a purpose? Heresy."

(Sekiro Deathblow Sound Plays)

"It wasn't the Order that gave you purpose. You cared nothing for the Order or its teachings, until Ursula--"

"Don't." Laertia warned in spite of being completely at her mercy. "You don't say that name in front of me. Ever."

The Fragment nodded, conceding the request.

"All your most powerful tools belonged to those who were heretics. Your most beloved companions were made by heretics. Your strength, your power, your intelligence, all partly a gift from a Heretic. Heresy is woven into your very life strands." The Fragment of Cinndurr replied patiently, sympathetically...

"Your very existence would be a crime to the Jedi of ages past. They would have considered you as much of an abomination as you consider me or The Amalgam."

"I don't live in ages past. But you do, it seems..." Laertia replied.

In the real world, Laertia had unconsciously gripped Moya De Lifte's crystal.

"Heresy is both our nature. I'm not your enemy, Laertia. I'm the only creature that will ever really understand you."

Drawing on the twisted light of the De Lifte Crystal allowed Laertia to summon up enough strength to create a black Atrisian Tanto, even as she felt for the first time an actual, twisted sort of affection for her from Cinndurr.

It didn't stop her from ramming it into the Monstrosity's skull.

Laertia was dropped to the fiery lake as the fragment writhed in pain...

 

[Ura Iolar]

Ura shifted her structure as Karra pulled her hands away. It didn't hurt, but it just felt weird. She looked at Tarish, her eyes and the Force showing that it made her happy to hear him said every little bit helps. She the looked at Amani, putting a somewhat droopy hand on her shoulder. She looked over at the two knights when they asked what everyone was studying, if they were right now. Ura looked around a little before answering.

"I've been training to be a Guardian, plus keeping my flying skill up."

Karra Tor Tarish Galland Amani Serys

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Feeling like if he dropped too many more bombs on his wife, he felt he’d be living alone again. And that was not the world Coren wanted to be living in at the moment. But the man really enjoyed the life he was living. He loved Celeste, he wanted to get away from the war, and show the Jedi how they should be fighting, and acting. And uniting.

“I need to hold myself still, but until there is someone who can fight like I can… I think I’m going to be needed.” The Jedi Master smiled. “But with what we bring to the table? I think we could set up shop here, help teach the next generation, leaders, healers, explorers… Maybe even teaching the Sentinels, the ones who can help protect us, another way to combat darkness than my process of… y’know.” The Master grinned, despite himself.

“It’d keep us close enough to Commenor, but still, on our own world. And the resources here…” He gestured all around him.

“Are hard to beat.”

Celeste Rigel

 

[Tarish Galland]

Yeah, all fine now. Eyes rolled at the words, but her tone suggested at least she was feeling a little better in truth. And Karra's attempt to help the Levron had succeeded it seemed. Karra returned her attention to them, focusing on him now as he let his arm fall to his side. Her hands were on his shoulders, his body relaxing as he felt the force move through him. The direction of it was not his own however, and it felt strange. Her question was almost missed as he found himself drifting in a relaxed state.

His eyes blinked as he focused on not feeling entirely in pain for a brief moment.

"A number, of things. Mainly, physical train-training." He sighed. The irony of all that training as he lay there on the receiving end of healing was not lost on him. "Suppose I, should have studied, other things."

"Not surprised, you are, a healer. You've got, the heart, for it." A gravely voice called to Amani before his eyes drifted to Ura for the next part. "Didn't know, you flew."

Ura Iolar Amani Serys Karra Tor​

 

[Tarish Galland]

...

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia had been mindlessly wandering a deserted part of the beach for nearly four hours, the sweat of terror having matted her hair to her scalp. She didn't know when she had left the shack. She knew only that she was scared, alone and no longer wanted to be near the Sword of Cinndurr, yet forced herself to take it, as she knew the cost of leaving it behind for the enemy to steal.

Laertia walked an empty stretch of the beach in a haze of fright, making notice of a large number of finely dressed men in green tweed suits and bowler hats walking towards her from afar, all equipped with canes.

Even in her crazed and frightened state she knew on an unconscious level that a highly choreographed fight scene was in danger of taking place. This was a problem because although Laertia did not remember why she was scared of the Sword of Cinndurr, she was adamant that it had to be for a damn good reason. Everything after she had gone into the Void inside the crystal was a blank. She didn't remember what she had encountered inside at all. This inability to remember would be the cause of other, far worse traumas Io was due for down the road.

Io forced herself to think past her fright for a precious few moments to pick up the details of her attackers. Experienced in working in teams, given how they moved in synchronized fashion, carefully avoiding touching each other. Highly skilled solo.

The fear of whatever she had seen in the crystal took route. She could barely think again. She tried to control her emotions with Jedi teachings but her damaged brain wasn't cooperating, so bad was her recent mental trauma.

A glimpse of empty eye sockets with tiny orbs of golden fire staring at her made Laertia suppress a terrified shriek of fear as she suddenly found herself surrounded by the men.

"Well well well boys, isn't this a fine surprise? Here we are, members of The Gentleman's Club, and who do we find but the very woman who trashed our Headquarters on Kintan and killed our boss? Laertia Io." Spoke the leader, a severe faced man with a sickly pale complexion.

The name barely registered. The Gentleman's Club. Offshoot of the Genoharadan, or so they claimed. Few survived them. Laertia had taken notice after one got aboard the ship, his great skill and melee training providing a not inconsiderable defense, but then he had made the mistake of taking the fight to the cargo bay. His death was quick but messy and brutal for how he had had the nerve to point a blaster at her rabbits. She'd snapped, disarming him and pummeling his face in until it collapsed. Moya had literally had to sedate her to stop her from continually pummeling the man into the hull. She'd paid their headquarters a visit afterward. With an Atrisian Kanebo.

But she was in no condition to face them. No condition to use the Force either.

Not that they knew that.

"Looking a bit under the weather, I see...fresh air helping?" he asked.

Laertia hid her terror.

"Wuzz untyllz I rannz intuh yooz. I'mm suppozed tuh ruhmemmbuhz evry stoopydd bunncha fetthz wyth a gymmickz?" Laertia grumbled, half remembering the slaughter, one hundred percent not caring.

"You damaged our operations in over twelve sectors. There's a price for that. In the form of your head in a box."

Laertia hid the fear.

"Smaarrtuh menn dhen yooz wudda struckz foyst."

Then she brushed past them all casually.

The stunned man could only blink.

"You think you can just walk away from us?!"

"I 'amz' wallkinz awayz frumm yooz." She said, struggling to keep her composure and not break down as she walked, the fiery eye sockets staring at her from the back of her head.

She kept her heart from pounding as she heard a sword being drawn.

"You ain't leaving here without a fight..."

Laertia turned, looked at him, narrowed her eyes.

"Mayke duh foyst muuv dhen."

The Leader grinned, raised his sword, drawn from a hidden sheath in his cane, but the steel gaze she forced herself to maintain as she stared into his made him falter.

Laertia said nothing as she stared at them, stared at all of them. They knew what she was. Knew how she did things. Knew there would be no mercy. Other Jedi might have spared some of them if it came to blows. Laertia had grew up dealing with such unsavory sorts. She was of the opinion sparing them after trying to kill her was just giving them the opportunity to try again. The deaths of such people were usually quite prompt at her hands.

"I'mz waitinz..." she trailed.

They were already all running away.

"Smarrtest muthurrfetthers I'v runnnedd intuh all yeerz." she grumbled walking about ten minutes more before completely breaking down on the beach, the fear of what she could not remember cracking through her will to keep moving. She tossed the Sword of Cinndurr away, and it hit wet sand, starting to steam the water and burn the sand.

That was when she sensed her and another Android she was tied to emotionally moving toward her quickly.

Moya, in her green skinned form and Melissa, her golden hair whipping about ran to her.

"Sweetie? Sweetie talk to me..." Moya called out, cradling Laertia as she dropped to her knees. Melissa knealt by her as well.

"Sister? What happened?"

Laertia felt burning eyes of golden fire in her head.

"I cann'tz ruhmemmberrz..." Laertia whispered, hugging Moya, too scared to let go...

(Exit post)