Darklight

[Matsu Ike]

Location: Harlequin Class Exploration Vessel The Atrisian Star

The Animiasma was a beast of a ship, in legends and notes but no one had really been found. It was something that no one had been able to find and there were clear dangers with it. The few smugglers that were coming from some of the different things on distress signals coming from the darkspace between the systems that few explored or checked. Hell she had surprised when herself and her padawan found the holocron with recorded messages that had been picked up but never been able to be located.

Voices from someone screaming in an old dead language with the most basic of translations done to try and figure out what it was they were talking about. The large domed observation deck of the ship was cleared and seeing the room like they were able to stand on the hull of the ship in space over being in an actual room. A small change of pace before off in the distance the jedi master could feel the foreboding sensation of the darkside.

Her eyes looking out the transparasteel dome towards the feeling while the sensation of the force expanded from her senses. Searching for what she could pick up on and leave the path towards the section of space off the main hyperspace route give them the time before she turned around securing the sigil on her neck to try and protect from the mental influence of the ship... Or if it had become an extension of the darkstaff's power. Perhaps it had become stronger when the real staff was destroyed by Aleidis.

She wasn't certain but the darkstaff was something old and alive almost with its own will who was to say it couldn't create things like this and work for a way to reform itself with it. Anything that can transcend space and time moving systems is not really going to be questioned until she opened one of the crates of gear they would be able to use. The circlet was easy and designed to protect from environments, a shield for lightsiders and Matsu grabbed an equipment pack with nullification resin.

It might come in handy was her thought if they could find something like a heart of the corruption and encasing it would weaken it enough maybe to decide what to do with it as she also loaded up some more equipment. "Thank you for being here, there isn't much information on the ship other then vague claims from hundreds of years ago that it became corrupted by the Darkstaff. The holocron I found with Spencer." She paused. "My padawan Spencer showed recordings and a basic idea of where to look."

She brought up an image in the room of the ship using the holographic technology they had created for things just like this. "From the basic records the ship was a slavers vessel and laid out for likely maximum captivity. While investigating we should try and find logs but it is a dangerous place and if there are problems I am fine with destroying it and never knowing. Ancient artifacts are dangerous and can do things, there might be a way the darkstaff could reform here after it was destroyed or become something more dangerous if its power could manifest."

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

There were a lot of spacer myths, and a lot of things the Warden of the Sky knew to be true, and even more he knew to be false. But the trip he was on now? Hunting the Animiasma? He wasn’t sure this was even where he wanted to be. Sure, Coren Starchaser was no Jedi, he wasn’t a Sith either, like the AIng-Tii, he was one of those colors in between light and dark, some part of the spectrum of the Force. He didn’t have anything really against the Jedi, except the ones that claimed he was evil. Now, if we go to the score board, who was fighting the Sith? And what groups were allying with people who had a Sith in their group? Yeah, we’re looking at you, Mandos.

There was a reason he walked out of that meeting.

But this one, that seemed right up his alley. The spacer was dressed as such, like some character out of a holovid from millennia ago, yet somehow still modern. Pistol on his hip, no lightsaber in sight, but he did have his armor aboard his own vessel, in the hangar here. If he needed it, he could grab it, and with the people in the room? He assumed it could go either way.

Turning to the speaker, though, he was listening. “Once we’re on board, we can tear the computer apart, find where she’s been, who she’s been with.” Then hunt those folk down. “I mean, I’m not too confident on my ability to keep the dark side at bay here… But anything the ship throws at me.” Maybe a level 5 rogue, enough to know what was going on.

How bad could it be, on a level near the Kathol Rifts? Worse? He’d not ask.

[member="Matsu Ike"]
[member="Spencer Jacobs"]
[member="Connor Harrison"]
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was reminded of her trip to the Maw. A visit to an ancient space station that had hosted Jedi affected by Force Psychosis – and at one point feared the return of Abeloth. On reflection, calling it a trip trivialised it.

She knew they’d all done the research, so she had nothing to add there. She was possibly in the minority for not having to do any research – but that was immaterial.

She was currently part of a crew. Of late she’d not engaged in missions with more than one or two people. Such a large group was – to her – unusual. Different. And dare she admit it…fun? For of late she had opened herself up to her emotions and with help was integrating them in her daily life. As a natural Empath, she had to filter them – or else she would be overwhelmed – especially surrounded by groups of people, or even creatures. But they were a daily part of her life in a way they hadn’t been since she was four. Which brought its own challenges. Like worrying that someone was worrying about her.

That was new!

And awkward.

Aware she was now blushing, she listened to Matsu as she talked. It wasn’t just a larger than usual group, it was also a very different composition. Connor and Matsu she knew. The others she did not. But she trusted Matsu’s choice and therefore went with the flow. And she remained relatively quiet. Her time would come – so for now she listened and learned.

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] | [member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

With new faces coming into Connor’s life recently, it felt the old ones were slowing turning their back to him. Sitting in the briefing room with those new and old faces, he rested his arms on his knees, fingers laced before him and leaning forward as he listened and watched. There was a great change in the Force between others around him, and he didn’t like how it felt. Something started to eat away inside him. Matsu spoke, and got his attention finally.

Another Dark Side relic, and another Dark Side nexus. It seemed to be a calling for him to get close to that side of things far too often. However, he wasn’t denying anything anymore. He wasn’t ignoring his purpose anymore and his abilities. If anyone didn’t like it, they didn’t need to stand with him.

Looking to Coren as he spoke after Matsu, he nodded gently.

”I’ll happily seek any remnants of artifacts, the Darklight itself, or other such relics hidden away. I’ve had my share of dealing with a few over my time so I’ll take that side of things if you’ve got the ship. Sounds good to me.”

He raised his hands and rested his chin on the steeple of his fingers and focused his sight on the ship itself; almost looking like a beast more than an inanimate object.

[member="Corvus Raaf"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Matsu Ike"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer lingered slightly farther from the group as she was engrossed in her data pad. She had felt the newly emotional Corvus and quickly shut herself from all of their emotions. The empathy that she was cursed with at a young age was still overly sensitive - it was best to keep herself sealed from the others. Glancing up from her tablet, she examined the rest of group. No one she recognized beyond glances or hearsay through the galaxy. The only one she recognized even a bit was Matsu Ike, she had never seen the woman face to face - but the way she felt in the force was familiar. Ignoring the memory tied to the force familiarity, Spencer continued to look at the group. No, she didn’t know anyone beyond that which mean she was going to have to remain on her toes.

Trust was still an issue with the woman, something she picked up from her youth. People use people to get what they want and despite the fact that she didn’t get that feeling from the message Matsu sent out, she still distrusted anyone here. They bantered with each other, but Spencer remained engrossed on her tablet. She pressed against it and eventually won the sabacc game she was playing. She then pulled up some of the records she had so carefully stolen from the Jedi Archives back in the day with a few Sith friends and started to read up on this haunted ship. The entry was brief and didn’t have much on it, but there were a few keywords that lingered with the myth. One was the Darkstaff, remembering the teachings of the old Whiphid, she picked out where she had heard of it. A finger ran down the side of her face as she drew upon the old memories of the Darkstaff the time it had resurfaced. The faces were vague, but she did remember it being destroyed or fragmented.

Spencer’s nose wrinkled slightly, there was something scratching the surface of her mind. Looking up, it seemed Matsu had begun to speak. A smile crossed her face after the face that had destroyed the darkstaff was revealed. Aleidis was someone Spencer was quite close to, she missed the girl and hoped that she was doing alright in this world. Another memory was resurfaced, seemed ot day was a trip down memory lane for the master. Aleidis was still named heir to the Echani Throne, for the time being if she didn't want it of course Ibaris would be the next to take it. The thought of Ibaris being offered the seat made Spencer sigh, knowing the girl was too much like her Papa to want to sit in one place for far too long. Tilting her head towards the other that started to speak Spencer couldn’t remember where his voice was familiar - possibly he would introduce himself and she would remember. He seemed smart enough and capable of doing what needed to be done.

Closing her eyes, Spencer continued to feel the scratching on her mental barriers. Voices started to creep in and she took in a deep breath trying to force them out. Deciding it was probably time to trust the group, she slowly lowered her barriers to allow these voices to creep in. They continued to speak, now loudly in the back of Spencer’s mind. Coughing slightly, she raised her hand. “We should be getting closer. I apologize for being quiet, but for the past few moments, there have been voices. No only are they similar to that of a Phobis Device, but they’re also getting stronger.” Her eyes fell on Corvus and then Matsu.

“I’m sure you can feel and hear them as well.”

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Coren Starchaser"]

Matsu looked and was listening to the others as they were talking about it. The prodding at the back of her mind was there and she heard Spencer mention it... Which was bad, it was just like a paper cut. Once you noticed it and knew it was there it hurt a lot more, now that she knew the feeling wasn't just with her she couldn't stop feeling it at the surface. SHe would have to remember to thank Spencer for that thought now while she was moving around a little looking at Coren and Connor. "The ship has been missing, the hope I am going with is decaying and unable to move under its own power. If the darkstaff corrupted it and left it stranded."

That was the hopeful one.. or that it was in a decaying orbit of some uncharted world and going to crash vaporizing on impact with the surface... but that was next best option. Her attention went to Connor though. "I don't know what might happen, the corruption might be able to spread, might be transmittable. It could cling to things or worse case scenario the staffs sentience carried over as a remnant and it slowly uses people it lures in to fuel itself. We have seen ancient spirits trick and work to reconstitute themselves and they were not able to move entire systems through space and time. We don't know what might be able to happen."

That was a theory.... a worst case scenario, hellfire theory but given some of the things that have happened with them and it the galaxy. She sadly couldn't rule it out. Finally she was looking at Corvus and didn't know what the jedi grandmaster was like under this sort of mission... An exploration of an ancient prison and walking through a flying city sized temple made of gold... Easy and fun, possibly walking onto a haunted ship in the dead of space where no one really knows you are there. Slightly different but she wasn't going to discount the woman out for her skill. That would be a dangerous and foolish as she had skill to become a jedi grandmaster.

"At least we know we are going the right way." She gave a nervous chuckle working to keep that foreboding pit in her stomach from forming before she reached out working to reinforce and make her mental barriers stronger. A phobis device she had not encountered, she hadn't been at Polis Massa but had been on Dagobah and Elrood confronting them. Her attention going to the sigil they had been able to fashion from the harvesters research while she let it bright up pushing back at the different voices as she looked around from from the observation dome around them. There in the distance was the view of a black ship with its hull pulsing in the force to her.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Ship was missing, made sense. Still rumors persisted of things like that through the space lanes. A ship with black sails, crewed by the damned, and all that. Or one that would arise from the depth, only after a beast had attacked another vessel. Myths and legends from any world with starports and a history of maritime exploration, really. It was all the same tales, different faces, different languages, but it boiled down to one true fact.

Something out there was looking for you.

Maybe not you specifically, but you in the collective. Spacers, maritime sailors, whoever. Adventurers, explorers. The Unknown Region was crawling with these sort of situations, and why shouldn’t the rest of space? He looked to [member="Matsu Ike"] and nodded. “Sure, the thing could be ripping the ship open, disabling, but what are we looking to do with her?” He didn’t care for dark sticks of corruption. What he cared about was ships, important ones, famous ones.

Things he could take, rebuild, understand, and throw into the collective of his own future creations. Ships he could live in, fight in, and use to turn the tide of the dark side back. He had a few ideas, but right now? It was all about this mission, something he wasn’t leading, but something that had brought a good number of personalities together.

“Or are we looking to terminate her?” Ships were always her.

[member="Spencer Jacobs"]
[member="Connor Harrison"]
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

As [member="Spencer Jacobs"] spoke up, Connor recognized her face around from the Sanctum, but hadn't yet had dealings with her. She was another who had come over from the merger probably and already forged relations with [member="Matsu Ike"]. He stood and walked to the viewing station around them and looked out into the darkness of space as the others spoke. [member="Coren Starchaser"] seemed to know his stuff.

”A ship's a ship, right? If we can get whatever is running it out and away then I figure the ship will be yours to do as you wish Coren. I'm no expert on that, but that's what I figure.”

He turned to the others.

”I know how the Dark Side works on people like us - I'm a good tool to use against any objects there infused with it. I've already been broken, so I can't break much more and I'd rather I help in that way rather than see others suffer unnecessarily.”

Connor then looked at [member="Corvus Raaf"]. She seemed...different, not her usual self.

”You're a little quiet Corvy. Are you ok? What do you think about this.”

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Sometimes the simple answer was the truth. Corvus was quiet because she was not her usual self.

In the past month she’d witness a Sith Lord she known from afar for a dozen years declare her undying love to her. Then reveal she was actually possessed by a goddess. A goddess that was effectively dead for 10,000 years – who was the one that truly loved her.

At which point it got weird.

The Sith Lord convinced her to open up to her emotions and Corvus did. Against all logic, she chose to do so. And for the first time since she was four felt whole again. And felt the feelings directed at her reciprocated to the Sith, or was it the goddess? But before she could investigate, the Sith left and asked to meet again.

Except when she went to meet her, she was in another war-zone and the Sith died before she could speak to her again. All she had was a name. So, to cut a long story short, she had a sliver of a dead Sith Lord’s psyche removed from her brain, found the whereabouts of the goddess and found her.

Which is when it got really weird. Or perfect. Or both. Yes…probably both.

How else can you explain meeting someone ten millennia old and knowing immediately they are the one for you? So she kept a different Sith Lord at arm’s length, awoke the goddess from her slumber, found out that the Grand Master herself was the double of the goddess’ previous…ahem…partner and what followed could not have been more fairy-tale if you’d sat in on a unicorn, tied a pink ribbon around it and started the retelling of the story, once upon a time. Certainly Corvus hoped it would have a happy ending.

So…not her usual cold and logical self. Not even close.

She looked up at Spencer, aware she’d not paid full attention to the conversations going on. “Yes. Yes, I feel them too. And the voices. Most…disturbing.”

Then she glanced at Connor. They most definitely had to talk. But not here. Not now. She gave him a half-smile and contemplated closing her emotions down now – to mentally sever the link between the inner and outer portions of the brain. But she decided against it. She was enjoying the emotions right now. There would be plenty of time ahead to be the cold-fish once more.

“Yeah, I’m OK. And like most things, I know the theory but will reserve judgement until I see something. We’ve been on enough wild-fynock chases to know that by now. So I’ll keep an open mind for now. But whatever we’re approaching? It’s Dark. That much is abundantly clear.”

And she fiddled with the chains at her neck as her gaze once more fell upon the floor, but this time she was listening. To those voices – trying to ascertain what they were saying.

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Matsu Ike"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

The moment Spencer let her guard down to listen to these voices, she was smacked with a whirlwind of just everything everyone was feeling. The one with the most emotions she looked at, it was a woman she didn’t know too well, but knew her well enough as someone higher up in the Jedi Order. The other man, Connor, called her ‘Corvy’ which Spencer assumed was a nickname. Her mind seemed somewhere else which to Spencer only read as a liability. There was one thing that stood some truth with the Order, or well the old ways the Order did things was the deal with Emotion leaving you open to temptation of the dark side. With emotions especially emotions about another it changed the way you judged things. You look out for your security and the security of that person. Again, a liability to the group.

Spencer shut herself off, but the voices were still there. It was familiar, it was like the Phobis device reborn. Though Spencer knew how to shield and protect from that sort of stuff. Tilting her head she tried to shake off the chilled feeling she was getting. It was as if the voices were behind her whispering things in her ear and grabbing hold of whatever force connection she had. Voices and the terrors that lingered in things like the Phobis device attach themselves to any connection, any stray tendril of the Force that someone was giving off. Closing her eyes, Spencer focused on the Force and the auras that everyone gave off – most of the group was scared, some were excited and others seemed a bit everywhere.

Seeing the Force was different for everyone, for Spencer it was as if everything was made of strings. Force users had thousands of strings reaching out for the Force latching on and drawing the mysterious phenomina towards them. Non force users, their strings were smaller, but still attached seeing as the Force is what connects all living things. Then you have those that are force dead, no strings attaching them to the living force – those are the ones that confused Spencer, it never made sense to her. Opening her eyes she twitched her nose slightly, she thought about focusing on Corvus telling the woman to relax or something, she could feel a lot coming from her and to Spencer that was more terrifying than what they would find with this ship. Deciding to be civil, Spencer sighed softly.

“We need to remember to focus our thoughts. Anything that strays us from what our goal is provides an avenue for whatever is out there to latch on to. I’d like to go home with everyone in once piece.” She glanced looking at everyone then finally rested her sights on Corvus. “There are people waiting at home for all of us. Let’s make it back.” A soft smile, it was all she could offer for the time being. Spencer took her own advice and spoke about her experiences with something such as this. “The voices are pretty similar to what I experienced when I fought against a Phobis Device. I’m sure most of you know what that is and what’s contained in side of it. Anyways, from what I understand from the voices, they’re pretty common with Sith Artifacts such as the Phobis Device. They’ll latch on to whatever they can and invade your mind. When we get closer, I’ll shield everyone’s mind the best I could.” Doing a count on everyone in the room, she rubbed the back of her neck slightly. “Because I’ll be moving and most likely remaining conscious. My shields won’t be as strong as if I was meditating. So you’re going to have to plug whatever holds my shield has with your own mental defenses.”

Pausing, Spencer listened. “They’re getting louder. We’re not far off from our target.”

[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Connor Harrison"]

Matsu had no illusion about the ship as it was coming more into view. The observation dome showing the scans for it as they pulled alongside and lights lit it up. The black hull showing it wasn't natural as veins of the original grey metal glistened like fat marbling in a piece of meat. The voices getting stronger as she was focusing and SPencer's comment about moving and not being as strong as if she was stationary held true... She knew that feeling with the meditations as well and using them as she pressed and worked to enforce her own will to block out influences clamping down in her head at the thoughts and memories behind steels barred blast doors in windowless starship tombs.

Her hands went to the holograms that were on display showing readouts from the ship and their map room here she was holding it while speaking. "Coren as much as it pains me to destroy something this ship is dangerous. If it could be purified, it would be one thing but it is a mobile nexus calling the darkside. That is dangerous on its own but if people got a hold of it." She didn't want to think about it but destroying something without understanding or at least trying to learn how it happened. "Salvage the logs and any data that can be found, if we can't stop the corruption we can set charges and fire torpedo. Nuke and vaporize it from a safe distance. Only way to be certain."

She finished with that as they found an airlock and started to extend a docking arm. Her attention going to some of the small things they had before she was moving now and leading the way towards the airlock. The feeling in the ship while she grabbed some of the probe droids was careful with the crew feeling uneasy. With a look on her face when the doors were hissing open with her body feeling the wash of it. The docking tube as she moved through it and looked out at the space between the two ships, moving to the black airlock she touched it with a glove as the black on the metal seemed sticky while it came away and she looked at the strands between her fingers. "Gross...."

She could feel the darkside pulsing within it while she pulled her hand away backing a little and looking at Coren. "You're up for the door..... I need to clean this." She was looking as she pulled out a small bottle wiping it with a small rag.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He understood where Matsu was coming from. They were both of exploratory minds, looking to get out into the galaxy, find what made it tick. Sure, his was with hyperspace lanes, and Matsu was the type to chase down ancient relics. Coren couldn’t judge, on some worlds, they juggled baby geese… goslings! He liked to find new routes to get from point A to B, and others preferred to learn the history of the Force. Now, since he wasn’t a Jedi, those items had very little for him. But a ship, that was something else.

Looking at the Master, he nodded before grabbing a datapad. “Yeah, that makes sense. That falling into the wrong hands wouldn’t be good, but lets at least try.” He looked to the others. Keeping something like that around, lest it fall into the hands of the One Sith? It was better to destroy it out right, but not without some attempt at salvage.

Giving Matsu a nod as he looked at the others, mainly people that looked at the Force from a completely different lens than he did, he stepped up to the door. Calling the Force to him, it was an instinct, to get ready to absorb that which may be thrown at him. “Y’all ready?” he looked back at everyone as he took a breath before grabbing the door.

[member="Matsu Ike"]
[member="Connor Harrison"]
[member="Spencer Jacobs"]
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Standing up, watching the others – some hearing voices, others preparing to move – Connor looked down at his side and lifted the breathing mask from his side and carried it by the leather straps as their ship started to jerk slightly, docking procedures initiated.

The mask would at least help protect him from any lurking toxins or gas around the ship, even if it did make him look like a monster.

He walked on a specially diverted route around the holodisplay, watching [member="Spencer Jacobs"] as he tried to work out what her motives were having not been out with her in the field previously. She was certainly in touch with some ethereal side of the Force.

Connor stopped for a second by [member="Corvus Raaf"], seeing her perfectly distracted by something.

”Hey,” he said gently, and placed his fingers on her shoulder, ”it’ll be ok, don’t worry. I’ve got your back remember”.

He smiled a little, some reassurance given to the Grandmaster who wasn’t all there. Still, she knew what she was doing. Connor moved away and stepped up to [member="Matsu Ike"], frowning at her gunk she had picked up, and standing beside [member="Coren Starchaser"].

”Let’s crack it open and see what’s inside shall we, Starchaser.”

The Jedi raised his brow slightly and slipped on the breathing mask over his head, pulling it around his mouth and chin so he could still talk but protect himself at the same time. Armour on tight, fingers flexing with his weapon by his side, he glanced back over his shoulder to check on her, before returning his gaze to the door and waited as the ship groaned around them.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus allowed those around her to hustle and bustle. At the moment they clearly had roles to play and she had no desire to get in their way. And finally the voices grew so loud, so visceral that she was obliged to change from the state BVeino Garn had taught here - where she filtered emotions so as to not be overwhelmed to a place where none could pass.

Sure she was susceptible to the stimuli of emotions. But with the link between her inner and outer brain now shut down, they had nowhere to go. She was unaware of them and they could spark no physical or mental reaction.

And even if they did, she was a Jedi. Too many considered the Order to be emotionless and misunderstood the true meaning of the Code. Recently she'd been able to put it into practice. Jedi are people and people have emotions. But a Jedi does not act upon them. Just as Master Kenobi chose not to seek revenge for the deaths of the Younglings on Coruscant, Corvus had been able to make rational decisions despite feeling emotions. In truth it had made no difference to her actions. The greater good was all that mattered. It may be considered by some to be handicap - but it was who she was. A Jedi. First, foremost and only. And if she loved and was loved? It was for who she was, not who she wasn't.

She glanced at Spencer and wondered why she focused specifically on her. Corvus was here for a mission, not to arrange her trip home. She would join the Force one day, why not today? Not that she planned to - but her driver was completing the mission, not fretting about Braith.

In truth she would put up her own mental defences - she had a few to choose from. She planned to enter Meditation of Emptiness when she heard Connor's voice. Looking up, she half-smiled. "Who's worried," she said. And she meant it. "And don't worry. I have your back too." For it had been like that for countless years. In truth it didn't need saying, but every now and then it never hurt to reassure.

And then she emptied her mind of the last vestiges of feelings and prepared to open herself to the Force. Once necessary she would centre herself and find the eye of calm in the upcoming storm. She would feel nothing but peace and knew in this state she would be effectively immune to external mental influence or attack. And if she was needed, the Force would tell her. It always did - and she trusted it implicitly.

So she waited...

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Matsu Ike"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Corvus Raaf"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

The doors opened as Matsu was looking at him, a rush of stale air coming out like opening a freezer while she could feel it thicker now. Her feet moving to go in while she didn't touch the walls that seemed to be secreting the slime that was on the exterior of the hull. She could feel her face cringing while avoiding touching the walls of the ship as she walked, the sound of the boots on the metal grating as it just smelled strange to her. Like old milk and fish as Matsu took out her combat blade using it to scrap the slime off a keypad as she opened the door letting her eyes flick around the room. It was decimated with everything torn off the walls while she was investigating it.

There was claw marks and streaks against the metal where something had been trying to claw through it into the next room she was guessing as the door closed showing to her even more along the door. Matsu opened it to look at them and motioning to keep moving as her attention was on what was around them before she spoke coming into one of the large rooms. "Mess Hall from the looks of it." She wasn't to certain but those looked like food converters they could recycle waste into paste for slaves. Her eyes flicking around until she was at a computer console and hooking her palm holo into it and bringing up the schematics of the ship for them to look and get a better idea.

"This looks the quickest way to the bridge, this will lead to the engine room." She was zooming in on it and trying to figure out where they could go. "We'll look for the captains cabin and their cargo hold." She was looking for a route while motioning for corvus and spencer before she was making some route for herself. "I'll check the engineering tubes to get through the levels and find medical, Spencer you know how to neutralize places like this. FInd where it is strongest and alert us." She was thinking about it and. "Corvus we'll try and find the darkest part of the ship and try to purify it. Stay in contact and report anything unusual."

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer blinked as nothing was said beyond her attempt to make herself feel better and possibly the rest of the group. Seemed to be the case of being the new addition to the crew. Rubbing the back of her neck again she sighed and halfway wished she would have ignored the invitation to go somewhere with people she didn’t know. Retirement sounded really good right now. Her mind focused again and she reached out, only to find the others have built up their own defenses. On one hand this was a good thing, she could focus her efforts somewhere else and on the other hand - she started to feel like the fifth wheel. Not saying anything more beyond what she attempted to say, she waited for the door to be opened.

Following the others Spencer oddly felt at home, the thickness reminded her of some training locations she had with Velok and other Sith Masters. The girl mused as she felt the eeriness in the vicinity and the heavy darkside concentration, it all reminded her of one Sith Lord - the one who taught her the funner aspects to the darkside. The man devoured thousands of souls, he taught Spencer when she was just a padawan about Force walking and how to master it. The ship felt like Moridin and in a weird way - she enjoyed it.

Memories of childhood eh?

Matsu spoke to her, the first and only person to speak to her. It was awkward, but she’d have to get used to it. The request was simple and it let her go on her own - which was something she desperately wanted to do. Nodding, Spencer stretched her arms over her head and sighed. “For sure, I already have an idea where it is. Kind of calls you and stuff.” It was odd, the others seemed a bit more serious about this entire thing, at least they weren’t scared. Spencer decided she’d have her own agenda - there has to be a reason why they shouldn’t destroy it and she decided to figure that out. The dark side was interesting, it wouldn’t exist without the light and vice versa.

While she wandered down the hallway fingers grazed against the claw marks that ripped through the hallway’s wall. There was chuckle that echoed lightly over her footsteps, she couldn’t help but find this entire thing amusing and fun. As she disappeared into the shadows a faint golden glow came from her hand that was brushing against the wall. Spencer began to focus her energy not on just defending herself from whatever was lurking, but to see if she could figure why it was here.

[member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren had his pistol at the ready, sure, it was a pretty crappy way for a Warden of the Sky to approach something, but some people used lightsabers, the others, they made blasters dance. No scattergun, but using a pistol? It was simple, he could make the shots and take out anything that got in his way. Stepping in, and following the lead of Matsu, one of the lead investigators the Silvers could field. The pilot looked around. Mess, claws, and a giant mess.

He ran a hand along the wall, trying to get a psychometric feel for the vessel. Licking at his lip before biting it between his teeth, he nodded. “I’ll head up to the bridge, stay in comms, so…” He nodded. Taking his leave, he made his way up toward the cockpit, a slow walk, trying to not reach into the Force, not touching this vessel. Not yet, at least.

A deep breath and he made his way to the bridge. Taking the pilot’s seat, he relaxed into the chair. “Alright girl, talk to me.” He said, running his hands over her controls. He wasn’t quite sure what he’d get from her, but checking her systems, he could probably start it up, once they had power. “Anyone down in engineering want to try to start her up?”

[member="Spencer Jacobs"]
[member="Matsu Ike"]
[member="Connor Harrison"]
[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

In one sense the door opening was an anticlimax. Corvus’s mind was locked up tighter than a drum but the Force issued no warnings to her and she slowly opened one eye and allowed herself to exit from the meditative state.

Matsu was already off and into the other ship. Corvus gathered her cloak about her and stepped forward, giving both Connor and Spencer a nod. So far it seemed too easy, and that was often a worrying sign. Letting your guard down too quickly was always foolish. So she entered Center of Being – trusting implicitly in the Force, as she always did. Her focus was on the here and now, and she kept close to the others – stringing out was rarely a good option – especially for whoever brought up the rear.

She glanced at the walls – the slime particularly repulsive and given it could contain anything, best not touched. Claw marks were another warning sign and Jedi Master or not, this place demanded the utmost respect.

She listened to Matsu’s instructions and allowed herself to go with the flow. Splitting up made things quicker but came with the obvious pitfalls – although Matsu’s plan made sense, so she continued to follow the Jedi Master, her left hand now resting on the pommel of her katana. It could have been made for this mission.

Once more she nodded to the others as they went their separate ways. She was suddenly aware she’d really only spoken to Connor thus far and felt oddly anti-social. She was not exactly a party animal but her own silence felt oppressive – to the point that she needed to break it.

“Not sure what I was expecting, but if I drew up a long list…this might be near the bottom. If anyone knows what the slime is, I’d appreciate the heads up, and those claw marks too – it would be useful to know what sort of beast made them.”

The sound of her voice seemed out of place. The ship had a dead feeling to it and her voice sounded muffled as a result.

In truth she was unsure exactly what her role here was and wondered if others felt the same. But she was a team player and would gladly take instruction to help the group. And although this was not a social trip, she started to regret not speaking to the others on her way here. But she pushed that thought aside for now. They could chat on the way home with their spoils. For they would all make it out alive – she was determined to play her part in ensuring that happened.

So she smiled at Spencer as she disappeared and did the same to Coren, before turning her attention back to Matsu. “Lead on. I have a handy tool for purifying things of the Dark-side.”

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"] | [member="Matsu Ike"] | [member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

There was probably no need for this breather now, come to think of it. But, still, if anything was to happen he would have some protection at least. Walking in the middle of the others, observing the marks on the ship as they entered, it seemed much like the station he had visited with Mastu Xiangu – and what happened there? A moon was imploded and alien-technology had risen to destroy the station itself. Still, that was but a memory.

Watching the holodisplay, everyone took their orders and moved away. Everyone but Connor. [member="Spencer Jacobs"] was already moving with her instruction. Hot shot [member="Coren Starchaser"] had the route to the cockpit up above. [member="Matsu Ike"] had collared [member="Corvus Raaf"] for their trip to the quarters.

Connor looked sideways, then back to the display, and held his arms out.

”I see, leave the volatile one on their own. Great.”

He pointed down an illuminated corridor adjacent to Matsu and Corvus.

”I’ll just go down here then, yes?”

Shaking his head, he started off down, eyes moving behind the mask to take in the corridor that was lit by green lighting along the sides. Luckily no claw marks as yet. Listening to his own breathing inside the mask, Connor knew one thing he’d have to invest in; a torch. The simple things would help so much in situations like this.

There was nothing too out of the ordinary as his steady steps moved along the metallic floor, turning left and gradually right, before coming into a larger room that looked like a briefing room. No chairs, but a fixed podium to the side and a projector fixed to the wall. A few arched doors led out of the room on either side.

Connor moved through to the other side and through the opposite doorway.

He stopped and slowly turned. Either his mind was playing tricks on him, or in the arch of the door he had walked through, silhouettes resembling two small people stood watching him. His blue eyes squinted and his breathing dipped. Gently reaching for his com on his side, he pulled it up to address the frequencies around the ship, and hopefully the active ones of the team.

”I don’t think…we are alone.”

A muted roar that he hoped was metal and not a beast above him caused his eyes to move instantly up for a split-second, to see nothing, and then moved back to the far door. The figures were gone.

”Oh dear.”

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Corvus Raaf"] Spencer Jacobs

Splitting up might be more dangerous but id they all walked in a group she knew the dangers of something just following behind where they went was easier. They could get more ground and not get surprised or trapped all in one location as she was moving down the hallway. Corvus with her as the only other jedi and that sword on her hip would prove useful as she spoke. "The slime is corruption... I think, the lake at Ambria it can cover with a film from the energy and spirits underneath." She didn't know much else but there was usually signs of the darkside corruption it compared to the light. The plant life becoming overgrown and violent like on the world she and Domino had explored in the maw.

Going deeper into the ship though Matsu brought her hand up as she opened a maintenance hatch and started crawling into the tube to partake in jeffries tube crawling as she started going inside. "We can take this down the length of the ship and find the vents to search for the captains cabin. Then we'll check and see if anything lasted in the cargo hold while they work to get the ship either moving or we all learn there is some giant monster that wants to suck our souls out through our heads... with a straw." She was looking at her before looking forward and crawling quickly with the force to aid her a little. She was moving forward now and working to keep away from the gunk in the ship itself as sounds came around her.

Okay that is not fun, the sounds coming were like voices in the tubes and she was letting the presence of the other jedi be the only thing she was focusing on. She knew none of the others could be there with them... because it was two of them and Corvus would hopefully tell her if they were both seeing something coming after them. At least as far as when it came to the ship and monsters, her senses were expanding out as she searched for life signs within the force. Slowly matsu came to a vertical section going to the lower levels and the highest levels before she lept up grabbing one of the bars to start lifting herself up before she started flying. The shadows below looking like a pool that would swallow them before she shook off the feeling there was something moving against the shadows.