Clash

[Thaddeus Wyse]

​

D R O M U N D | K A A S​

[member="Calina Ovmar"]​

Dromund Kaas was free now.

Except that it wasn't ever truly free.

After the reconstruction of the world by the Remnant Empire and then the subsequent fall of the Empire the world had experienced a rapid change of Lords and Masters. Last thing Skai heard was that a newly-crowned Triumvirate ruled the world- their faces were unknown to her, but the rumors spoke of Purebloods, each holding dominion over a particular branch of the world.

Religion. Industry. Politics.

None of this was in Skai's interest, because the Dathomiri Witch was not here for any of it. She was a hidden dagger, the dripping poison, the shadow hidden in the corner, she was a foot-soldier and nothing more.

The apprentice to Cerbera, some said.

But today her mission revolved around another. A wayward soul, a student of Cerbera who had been... misplaced. The details were sketchy (as they often were when Cerbera was involved), but the end result was the same. It was up to Skai to track her down, bag her and bring her back to the Sith Lord. No matter what. Even if this Calina wasn't interested in being brought back.

Eventually Skai managed to track her down to Dromund Kaas. She loved it, the jungles, the danger, it was a shame that Calina was in the city though. The alley was dark, damp and Skai was currently watching as Calina found herself in a corner, surrounded by about four thugs and one... Sith, yes. The Dathomiri would have stepped in a while ago, but in truth she was interested how the girl would handle herself.

Where was her worth?

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina was an ocean of cool and calculated calm as she stood her back to the wall, assessing her situation. She'd seen the chaos that uncontrolled anger could bring, and the mistakes that went along with it. The sith was stood back, arms folded regarding the acolyte with triumphant eyes. "I warned your mother about selling on my patch. See if mussing up her little girl will remind her why."

Calina snorted derisively, adjusting her grip on her unlit lightsaber at her back. "Do you really think she cares?" his smile widened and Calina laughed. "Hell, you're even more stupid than I originally estimated." He smile faded, his arms dropped to his sides and he nodded. The thugs moved as one stupid lump, each seeking to turn a part of Calina into pulp. The lightsaber flashed as she brought it round, cleaving the first on her right, the second seized her wrist slamming it against the wall, in an attempt to dislodge her grip, while his other hand seized her throat. She deactivated her lightsaber, but held tight as another's fist found her abdomen. She seized him in the force and threw him into his fellow before the third could reach her.

She threw her head forwards, cartilage crumbling under the force of her forehead and the hand around her wrist loosened. She yanked it free, lightsaber hand coming down, hissing into life only when it was in close contact with her assailants chest. The angry red beam punching clean through him before cutting out again. He dropped and a fist caught her from behind him, stars exploded across her vision and a copper tang filled her mouth, she staggered backwards, back hitting the wall once more.

She slid down as another blow was swung her her face and spun out from under his arms, saber coming to life once more, singing a line up his back. She was in full flow now, her fury a controlled and steady pulse, eyes fixed on her mothers competitor as she advanced. The fourth thug stepped into her way, blaster coming up. She stopped short and tilted her head at him. "You really want to see who's faster?"

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

She had seen enough.

Sloppy.

Unfocused.

How this girl could ever be her Master's apprentice was anyone's guess.

She dropped down into the alleyway as silent as a whisper, while a blade of emerald was forged in her hands in reaction to a series of swift gestures of the fingers. Two moments later the blade had already impaled the Sith through the back, heart, chest, twist, then with the rotate it popped right back out as Skai pulled it out.

The Sith slumped and was kicked to the side by Skai.

"Finish the fool." Her voice would snap out, firmly focused on Calina and ignoring the shaking thug completely. She offered no explanation, no nothing, just the appearance, the slaughter and then the words.

What more was necessary in this situation?

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina blinked as the emerald saver punched clean through the Sith's chest. She'd not heard her coming, no tingling sense of warning, and neither, by the look and his face, nor had he.

The thugs gun dropped, peering over his shoulder at the toppling form of his employer. The red eyed woman's words were curt and crisp, a command Calina seemed unable to refuse. Not because there was any mental influence, but because the queen has just come out of nowhere.

With a casual flick of her wrist, the crimson blade, slid through the soft tissue of the thugs neck. Wary eyes fixed on the woman in front of her.

"Who the kark are you?"

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

She flicked her sword and it cleaned the edge of stray blood.

Then it disappeared once more.

"That depends." Skai retorted, before eyeing the stance of Calina and the grip around the hilt. By the looks of it she could have rip it loose and gut her, before she would even blink. But this was not the time to challenge her... no, that would come later. "Lady Cerbera bids you to return to her- what is your reply?"

Already her stance shifted, minuscule so.

If necessary Skai could lung right this instant, beat her up and sling her over her shoulder. When Cerbera wished for something, you didn't ask her many questions... you simply did as you were told.

Or you died.

Horrifically.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina did not reply instantly, spouting aside a mouthful of she weighed up her options. If she ran, there was no doubt that whoever this woman was would catch her, and right now, she was cutting off her optimum exit. So it would have to be up. Her eyes flicked skyward briefly, assessing the possible jump, and climb.

She would be caught. Superior agility was evident, no matter how cocky she thought she might be. So it was very simple. Come conscious or unconscious.

She deactivated her lightsaber, clipping it back in place at her lower back. "I'm not so much of a fool to think I actually have a choice in the matter. And I've had enough beating for one day."

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

A shake of the head.

Her hand extended and fingers gestured. "You will get your lightsaber back when the Master wishes it so." In truth... it wasn't necessary, at all, but Cerbera had given her free reign on how to tackle this mission. And right now Skai wished to escalate the situation. Every single fiber in her body wished for Calina to make a problem out of it.

Just so Skai had an excuse to bring her back with a shock-collar on, unconscious, slung over her shoulder.

The Sith apprentice turned out to be smarter than she looked- already she had given up on simply fleeing, but just how much brain was there truly in that pretty little head?

That was the question.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina drew back ever so slightly, her hand paused, still closed around the lightsaber clipped to her belt. "That seems unreasonable, when I'm coming quietly." she retorted sharply. The last time she'd handed a weapon over willingly she'd wound up spending several months behind bars in a mandalorian prison. She was not overly optimistic about handing it over.

"The Master has never had issue with my having a weapon."

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Once more the blade emerged from nothing, only wisps of emerald trailing in its wake.

"This was before you were send on a mission and failed to report back." Skai retorted. Her eyes burned with hunger, she wished to fight. It was in her veins, it whispered to her, it pushed her towards the most dramatic approach available to her. "Before the Master was forced to do your mission for you."

Head tilted slightly.

"Before you abandoned her."

Now the smile was bright.

In truth Cerbera had not told her to do all of this- just the mission: bring her back to me. But she had not said in what condition, just alive, just breathing, but there were plenty of states between breathing and none-breathing. The spirits were with her... she would not kill Calina today, but that did not mean she could not make her hurt just a little bit. All that it took was a single movement, a single failure of obedience, before her blade would be unleashed.

"Your lightsaber, last chance."

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Much to her own annoyance, Calina could not recall what her mission had even be. Pursuit of her own personal goals had clouded and warped it, of that she had no doubt. "Abandoned is a pretty strong word, its not like she's some helpless wench with no support around her."

Teenage angst was battling with well practised logic. She should absolutely give up her lightsaber, look at that damn sword. Where did it even come from, and those eyes...they reminded her of the mad look her mother got when she was closing in on her prey, maddened by blood lust, hungry for the kill. It irked Calina. She'd never taken pleasure in death, in fact the first time she'd killed someone she'd thrown up. It was a messy and unnecessary business that was often forced upon her. Take today for example, being a representative of the Lady Apoleia required harsh judgement, mercy was not an option.

But it was so bloody wasteful.

Snap-hiss.

"Go to hell."

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Smile widened.

"I hoped you'd say that." But from there the crazed look suddenly left her eyes as if it hadn't been there to begin with. As if it had been a simple engineering of appearances to lure Calina out, push and prod her, until she followed the line that Skai wanted her to follow. Truly an apprentice of Cerbera. Instead of lunging at Calina with no purpose, her free hand suddenly twitched from her side. From nothing mist forced itself into existence, emerald darts shaping itself from them within the span of a single breath, they launched themselves at Calina.

Four in total.

Leg, hip, torso, neck.

Different angles, different pacing, different timing.

Then Skai disappeared.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

By the force, she was fast. Instant regret of her irrational choice to stand her ground rippled through her. Her saber flashed, catching two of the four darts that few at her upper body, sharp pains spasm down her left leg. She glanced down, a hiss of breath eased from behind her lips and she tugged the darts out.

The red eyed witch was gone. Calina adjusted her grip on her lightsaber and stretched out in the force looking for something...anything, the smallest trace of her in the force, or even the whisper of wind left by her movements. She turned slowly on the spot.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." she said in an undertone.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

The wind fluttered from her left.

Almost as if someone was utilizing bending of light to become invisible. After all, light-bending did nothing about your corporeal form, so you continued to make trails, you continued to breathe, you continued to leave currents of air all around you as you moved.

....Skai wasn't a light-bender though.

As Calina's attention shifted to the left, raising her defenses for an attack from that direction, the true assault burst in from the right. Edged blade suddenly slashed low, across leg, presumably through several important tendons for mobility. There was a brief shimmer accompanying the sudden burst of speed, before disappearing once more. The blur had remained silent though. Because Skai did not believe in speaking before the piper had paid its due.

There would be time to gloat later.

Once the idiot was down.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina cried out, left leg crumpling beneath her. She never fought against anything like this, Anaya she had always seen coming, KAine she had always seen coming. Trust Cerbera to send something after her that didn't behave normally. Anger flared and she sent a wave of telekinetic energy outwards and around her.

She'd find the witch. She tried to stand, her left leg trembling violently under her weight.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

It was the unique that Cerbera gathered to herself in one way or another.

Why put someone in your employ that you have seen a thousand times over already?

Anger found resolve and purpose turned into kinetic onslaught- there was little to be done about it other than make herself as small a target as possible. From one moment to the next Skai dropped to her knees, pressed tight against the wall as a ball, to avoid the worst of it all. The tendrils still snapped against her, the force enough to buffet and from somewhere shards of metal - shrapnel - burst against her, cutting through skin and causing blood to flair. It was a mesmerizing thing... to stand one-foot in the world of spirits and spill blood.

The smoke curled, spirits growing curious, but Skai was not afraid.

This was her domain.

Constructs in her hands were formed: black, obsidian smoke daggers instead of the acidic green needles, from two directions they were thrown.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Glittering obsidian slammed into her back, sliding between shoulder blade and spine as her lightsaber shatter the one coming at her front. Another cry of pain slipped her lips and her leg crumpled again. With one knee on the floor Calina contemplated her options carefully. She was not equipped in any way to fight an enemy she could not see, she was already bleeding badly from three wound on her left leg alone, never mind the dagger that now protruded from her back.

Know when you're beaten.

A lesson she had learned from Anaya, not that she taught it, but a lifetime of observation was enough to glean that from her mothers mistakes. Her lightsaber deactivated with a soft his and she tossed it a few feet in front of her. Her head bowed and she forced herself to look at the floor.

Respect powers greater than you.

"I surrender." she said softly.

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Silence.

The fight was over far too soon for Skai's taste, but there was no option of continuation.

Capture, not kill. The moment she had surrendered was the moment Cerbera's directive took over and there was nothing Skai could do about it- she loved the thrill of the fight, yes, enjoyed grinding her opponents to dust and ashes, but there was something even the Dathomiri feared.

Unseeing amber eyes, the void behind it... there was no feeling there. It was like looking into the eyes of an insect made sentient, a spider perhaps- one that cared little for the comings and goings of the small people. Equally like to rip your head off and eat it, just to see how the twitch of the dying corpse would react in those last moments. Curiosity borne not from empathetic wonder, but silent regard for the mysteries.... and a willingness to do whatever it took to get the very bottom of those very mysteries.

The lightsaber slipped up in the air and was caught by an extended arm.

The mist spread out and covered a large portion of the alleyway, before dissipating completely. "Accepted. The kinetic bomb was a fine touch." Skai complimented as she appeared from the acidic mists. "Come, we have much ground to cover today."

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina looked up at the compliment, though her expression was less than pleased. She reached over her shoulder, flicking the obsidian blade from her skin with a gesture, a grunt of pain going with it. "It was the only touch I could use." she retorted, only slightly sulky. She climbed to unsteady feet, using the wall for support.

"I've never fought anything like you before. Everything I've come across has been loud and in your face. You're like a shadow." she met the red eyed gaze, with a slight smile of admiration on her lips. "I see why Cerbera likes you."

She tested her weight on her leg, limping forward a few steps. She would manage a short distance on foot without complaint, she could not however, stop the pained expression that spasmed across her face with each step. Stubbornness and pride prevented her from asking for help, and even if she wasn't so proud, she very much doubt that this woman would give it.

"Do you have a name?"

[member="Skai"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Calina Ovmar"]

Approval was apparent on Skai's expression as she saw Calina struggle.

That was good.

Struggle made you strong and this one understood that, otherwise she would have weakened herself by asking for assistance. Would Skai have given it to her? Perhaps... but it would have been an insult, a veiled one Calina might not have understood, but an insult regardless. After all, to offer or agree to render assistance meant weakening the very person you set out to help. You underlined that they could not help themselves and stated that proudly. Yet, perhaps Skai had been wrong about this girl after all.

"I do. Skai." An inclination of the head followed, as she gestured for Calina to follow her. "I was trained by the Nightsisters on Dathomir. The night, the shadows and spirits, they have been with me since I was born."

The Dathomiri Witch did not understand the Sith's inclination towards secrets. She had heard the tale of Bane many times before, with the betrayal of his Order he had presumably strengthened that very Order with the Rule of Two. Yet, it was that same secrecy that had ensured so many secrets of power had died with the same people he had betrayed.

No.

Knowledge was there to be shared, freely, to educate those still ignorant. Perhaps by learning they would become worthy of the spirits' embrace... that would be good.

"Stand tall, Calina Ovmar, you fought hard and you fought well. None have scratched me since the day I took the sword." A gesture showed the line of blood already dried across her shoulder, where leather had been scrapped off by the metal shrapnel.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Calina smiled slightly at the graze, it wasn't much in her own opinion, to suffer so many wounds in order to land such a tiny one in return, but Skai seemed genuine in her praise. Whatever misgiving she had had initially, were long gone, Calina's curiosity and thirst for knowledge drained the out. She had always wanted to go to Dathomir, to be among the Nightsisters and learn from them. Restrictions had always prevented her.

Restrictions in the form of Anaya Fen.

"Those darts and daggers," Calina questioned, doing her best to limp alongside Skai, eyes rarely leaving the woman's face now. "Are they spears of midnight black?"