Chasing Shadows

[Riamah]

Not seeing the thing making the noise, Ailuros turned back around to look in the original direction she had been facing. Noticing the portals, she poked her head into one and shined the light into it. It was slimy and didn't appear to contain any life like the one she was standing in. It was a route to take, but she chose to stay in the tunnel she was in.

Those portals were spaced along the wall, so if she had to get out of this one, there were others the cat could jump into. As for the use, she did wonder since this was supposed to be tomb.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

As she continued her passage, the soft crunching underfoot accentuated by the occasional sound of clicking which now seemed to come in all directions, had [member="Ailuros"] paranoia at all time high that she wasn’t surprised when the clicking sound drew much closer and a hideous half organic half metallic creature appeared in pursuit from behind.

The creature was shaped like a spider, the clicking sound was from fhe metallic limbs against the stone surface, scarlet and gold eyes seemed to pulse in hunger at the sight of fresh meat, as its jaws flexed in anticiation, glistening with saliva and possible venom.

There was no cover between the two save for the vegetation that had overgrown the passageway. She might get a shot or two off as the creature was rapidly closing the distance between them....

 

[Riamah]

The cat wasn't afraid of the noises, but wary certainly. Twitching her ears whenever she heard the clicking noise to try and pin point it. She never could though. Suddenly the clicking sound became a single one noise that came from behind her.

What made the noise wasn't anything like the trianni had ever seen before and typical to a cat, she puffed up her fur and appeared to be larger than she really was. Letting out a hiss, laying back her ears, she drew her disruptor blaster and fired in its direction as it advanced.

Knowing there were those portals, if she missed then Ailuros would dive into one of them as the creature went past her. If the shot connected, then it should slow it down enough she could fire on it again.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Ailuros"] first shot missed completely whilce the second one struck it center mass but instead of slowing it down, only seemed to enrage it further. Purple ichor oozed out of pulsing wound, as it snapped its jaws in anticipation of sinking it into soft cat flesh. The smell of offal grew stronger as it closed the gap.

Leaping down the shaft, she narrowly missed getting nicked by the creatures jaws. Fortunately for her the creature was too big to fit inside the shaft, so she left it behind as she descended into the darkness.

After what seemed like a long fall, she tumbled into a dark musty smelling room. Waving her light about she could see it seemed to be some kind of processing area. Huge bolts of fabric, about taller than her height were leaning against a wall on her left, on the right side was a simple looking door. The rest of the space was filled with what looked like dresses of ancient design, the fabric was old but well preserved.

 

[Riamah]

Doing her best to maintain control of her plummet down the tunnel she had dove into, the cat gave up. However as she came shooting out of the end, she got her feet under her, rolled a few times and landed on them slightly dizzy. Her light waved around the room, slightly unsteady at first until the wave passed. Once her head wasn't spinning anymore, Ailuros took note of the room and its details.

Wrinkling her nose at the smell of herself, she briefly wondered if she had the time to give herself a bath before continuing on. Deciding that at least for now, she was safe. This was supposed to be a tomb, so in theory there wasn't anything else in this are that could harm her. The creature from above couldn't follow her down the tunnel as it was too big and with these clothes being so far out of date, she didn't think she would be in danger.

Turning the light off, the cat sat down and proceeded to start cleaning the fur on her legs first. The light was in easy each reach if she started hearing any odd sounds in this silent area.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Not surprisingly, there were no other sounds on this level save for the echoes of the creature’s rage coming from the shaft. Apparently, it was frustrated that [member="Ailuros"] would deny it a juicy meal. Still all in all a good thing one could suppose.

After a moment or two the creature ceased its rage and sought off easier prey, once again the place fell silent as a tomb, in all senses of the word.

 

[Riamah]

In the darkness of the room, Ailuros actually got filled with a second wind after cleaning herself to the best of her ability. Picking up her light, but not turning it on, she walked over to where she remembered seeing the door. Feeling along the wall, she ended up bumping into some of the fabric that was stacked there. Reaching her paws, she extended her claws to try and catch bolt before it crashed to the floor.

If she stopped it, then she would continue on her way to trying to open the door. If it crashed, the cat would wait to know if anything was on this level that heard it and came to find out what had happened.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Ailuros"] caught the bolt of fabric before it fell to ground and caused additional noise. The fabric was rich, soft and smooth but the same time almost transparent to the touch. Clothes made from this material would being a pretty hefty amount of credits among the civilized worlds.

She finally located the door and after some experimentation got it to open slowly. The silence seemed to almost echo, as the temperature dropped a couple of degrees sending a chill down her spine. She would almost swear she heard something in the breeze asking, whispering ever so softly at the very edge of hearing one simple question, “Why?”

Just in front of her was a series of transparent passageways leading down to a central chamber. She would encounter not a soul along the way, until she stands before a pair of sealed blast doors. On either side stood two guards dressed in relic armor. Upon closer inspect, the guards were long since mummified and posed no obvious threat for now. She had a feeling that the treasure she sought was on the other side of these doors if she could find a way to get them open....

 

[Riamah]

Pleased with herself for catching the bolt of fabric, Ailuros patted it lightly and hoped it stayed in its place. After getting the door open, the cat cautiously walked the passage in front of her. Looking down each of the other passages as she walked near them, she didn't see or feel another living thing.

Reaching the end of the apparently empty chambers, she came to a door that had two long dead guards on either side. She looked at the doors in front of her to see if there was an easy way in like a knob to turn, lever to push or anything else.

If there wasn't any to try then, she would simply attempt to push them open.

That voice on the air that set out a constant whisper sent small shivers over her fur, but no further reaction than that.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Sometimes the simplest solution is the one that works. Long dormant sensors on the blast door detected [member="Ailuros"] effort to push, they did, slowly as time had corroded their joints, until finally they opened. The smell of decay was strongest in here, not suprising since ot was supposed to be the tomb of long dead sith.

Inside was a stone coffin, on which there was a holocron as well as a few crystals. If the light were shone on the holocron, it would glow a dull pulsing red, a beacon of temptation of open it and preview its contents.

 

[Riamah]

The doors opened ever so slowly in front of Ailuros, but she paused before crossing. She felt confident she could at least go to the edge of the doors, she did step into the room. Stopping before passing the doors though, she turned her light on and shined it along the floor.

The smell didn't disturb the cat, but she had figured it would have disappeared after so many years.

If there were no visible trap lines, then she would advance further into the room. The thought of any wall traps didn't cross her mind.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Fortunately for [member="Ailuros"] there were no trap in this part of the tomb, at least none she had triggered so far. The room was silent save for the thundering beat of her heart. Eyes ever alert she walked on the balls of her feet, ready to spring as soon as so,ething out of the ordinary appeared. It soon became apparent that she was the only living organic in the room.

 

[Riamah]

When the light showed there were traps set up on the floor, Ailuros stepped out from behind the doors and advanced into the room. Nothing became obvious to her as she approached the sarcophagus. While there wasn't riches of gold and jewels in here like she expected there were a few crystals and something that looked like a dark red pyramid.

Hidden within her belt was bag which the cat took out of the pocket it had been kept in. Reaching out for the small items, she knew they easily fit and could be carried out if she could find her way out. Only a moment's hesitation, but her paw picked up the items and placed them in the bag she had waiting for them.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

What [member="Ailuros"] probably did not expect was the pyramid itself was a trap. The minute her hand came into contact with the device something invaded her mind, engulfing her in uncontrollable spinning vertigo as the ground came crashing into her body.

The next thing she recalled the soft beeping sound of vitals monitor as she floating in some sort of transparent liquid. Liquid fire seemed to race through her veins as her mind sought to reestablish control over her haywired system.

She heard a disembodied voice asked in a calm clinical manner, “Patient seems to be awake. Can you hear me my dear?”

 

[Riamah]

Her eyes opened and she almost yowled out in the pain that felt like flame going through her body. If it had been an external pain, it would have been easier to control. Hearing the sound of machinery beeping nearby her, she focused on that until a voice spoke to her.

It came from somewhere Ailuros couldn't see and then she realized she was in some sort of liquid. Whatever it was would take a long time to get out of her fur. Letting out a growl before answering.

Another thought dawned on her, she was in this liquid, but able to breathe just fine. Opening her mouth, the liquid came pouring in, but it didn't choke her. There was no suffocating from being drowned or anything uncomfortable other than the infernal burning in her veins.

"I can hear you. What am I in?"

The was no fear in the cat yet and none showed in her tone. Just the stress of the pain flowing through her body.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“Bacta. Premium grade bacta no less, mind you. It was most fortunate that the damage was minimal.” Although she would hear clearly, her vision was still fuzzy. A humanoid figure appeared on the other side of the clear container she was floating in, but she could not make make out distinguishing features. Her reflexes seemed slowed and dulled by the liquid as well.

The voice asked [member="Ailuros"], “Do you recall anything, my dear?”

 

[Riamah]

The confusion Ailuros had would probably be quite obvious to the person speaking to her. If he could see through the murk to her, it would show in her features. Her brows came together and her ears laid down slightly as she thought of what she remembered. The cat could easily hear the voice, but her vision was obscured. She was intelligent enough to know her movement would be impaired while she was within the liquid so her movements were minimal.

"The last thing I remember was reaching for something that looked like a pyramid."

After that her next memory was waking up in this tube. Luckily she wasn't claustrophobic or she would be freaking out about being trapped.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“Ah yes the holocron.” The voice sounded amused at [member="Ailuros"], “That was intended for another I am afraid, which is why it short circuited your system. Do you have a name? I am U1O1, but you may call me Yulol, which was my name while I was still living. And no, I am not dead and neither are you, well not for now at least. The Master is most curious to make your acquaintance.”

 

[Riamah]

A holocron? Ailuros had heard the word before when she had been with Silver Jedi Rangers and on guard at the library on Ossus. Never having seen one though, she had no way to know what one looked like. The voice stated it was intended for another and that was why when she touched it, it had knocked her out. He asked for her name and provided his to her.

Tilting her head to the side slightly and slowly, she wondered what he meant about him not being alive or dead even. Not missing the hidden threat in his words, she wondered where exactly she was.

"Ailuros is my name. I thought I entered a tomb with treasures inside. Then I wake up in a bacta tank. Where am I?"

He also called something 'the Master' and the cat wondered what that was all about, but waited to ask if she was given the opportunity.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“A pleasure [member="Ailuros"], although I can honestly say I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances. While you were correct that it was a tomb, the purpose of which was far from what you had assumed it to be.” The voice clucked in soft quiet amusement.

A second, more robotic voice could be heard saying. “Subject is showing 100% rejuvenation, vitals are steady. Do you wish to release the patient?”

“Why but of course. Do so post haste, I really hate not having this conversation face to face.”

A third voice, droid in nature began whistling and chirping.

“Shush you. Make fun my face again and I will make sure you get trash compacting duty.”

The bacta slowly receeded as it was drained from the holding until the cat girl was standing weakly on her feet. A nearby droid offered her a plush catnip towel as the rest slowly waited for her eyes to adjust.

Low blue lights illuminated the med room, so she could see that had been in one of a bank of bacta tanks. Four medical droids bustled about checking various screens and dials. A singled hooded figure stood about as high as her patiently waiting to make face to face contact.

At first glance he looked like a Zabrak, one with a heavy scar running from his left eyebrow, down his nose unto his right cheek. The left eye was robotic in nature while the right was still organic.

“Hello and welcome aboard The Chaos Harbringer.”