Extraction at the temple of reflections

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

It was a cold and stary night on the surface of Unos III. The night was shrouded in silence only broken by the calm blows of the wind, and the rare gravcar going through the sleeping city resting by the temple of reflections. The buildings were flat and square in design, but at the center of the city stood a tall temple in bright colours and with curved shapes, a total contrast to the rest of the city. The main street which led up to the temple was the only lit street at the time of the night and the only people which were usually awake were a few of the priests and guards at the temple.

Earlier that day, a private ship had landed in the forest nearby under the cover of the trees, and a man had made his way to the city known as Dallos.

Delyna's room was decorated in purple design with simple furniture and two paintings. One representing the ocean and another the nearby sun. The room was coated in the same smell as the rest of the palace, a soft hint of rosebuds in the otherwise cleanly sterile enviroment. The footsteps of the occasional guard or priest could be heard outside her room as she lay on her bed, not really ready to fall asleep yet. Something didn't feel right.

 

[Mikkel Markov]

Mikkel disembarked the ship, armed with only his pistol, lightsaber, his knives (hidden), and dressed in his armor. Closing the ship and making sure that it was sealed and concealed, Mikkel made his way towards the city. Mikkel had heard rumors of this planet, an isolated civilization with some very talented force users. With the interests of the Bleeding Sun in mind, Mikkel decided to visit the planet and see just how talented these force users were. Approaching the city, Mikkel spotted the Temple in the center of the city. If they are anywhere, the force users would be in that temple, Mikkel thought. Remaining in the edge of the woods, he waited for nighttime to make his move.

Entering the city, Mikkel moved from rooftop to rooftop making his way to the center of the city. As he moved closer, Mikkel could feel something...off about the place. He decided if he were to enter and leave the city, it would be best not to be noticed by anyone but whoever or whatever gave him that feeling. At the edge of the one illuminated street in the city, Mikkel carefully observed all patrons using it. Once he saw an opening, Mikkel jumped off the building he was on and ran to the other side of the street and up against the Temple. After waiting five minutes, Mikkel felt certain nobody had noticed him.

Entering through the side of the Temple, Mikkel roamed the halls, searching for what gave him the strange feeling. Ducking into the occasional room as guards and priests passed, Mikkel found himself inside the room. Unable to tell why or how he was certain he had reached the certain place, Mikkel slowly turned around, examining the room. Mikkel stopped when he saw a woman sleeping on a bed. There she is Mikkel thought. Slowly and without a sound Mikkel made his way to the end of the bed, and when he reached the bed Mikkel realized something he should have realized a while ago: she was awake.

His surprise hidden by his helmet, Mikkel slowly placed his finger over where his mouth would be, signalling her to be quiet. "My name is Mikkel Markov," he said "and I have come to set you free."

[member="Delyna Karthoys Haymire"]

 

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

The footsteps were different from the usual. Whoever was outside must have other, harder shoes on than the usual members of the temple. Was he or she coming for her room? It was unusual for the priests to awaken her at this time, she was was expected full privacy and seclusion so she could conduct her rituals without disruption. As her door opened she blinked twice and slowly turned her head towards the intruder, [member="Mikkel Markov"]. Her clear blue eyes slowly examined him as he walked around the room, seemingly unaware of her consciousness.

Suddenly he looked upon her, and their eyes met. She was still fully clothed in her rich blue robes, as she hadn't expected to fall asleep. He was force sensitive, but his power wasn't refined or too sharp. She opened her mind and gaze through him, a bright individual with many rough edges. The intruder was a near human, much like herself. Probably an Umbaran, but she wasn't certain of that. Was he truly there?

He hushed her with a gesture and spoke to her, and as he did the oracle slowly slid off the large bed as she sat up. It would appear that something was about to happen. She tilted her head. "Set med free?" She slowly stood up and took in her surroundings, she was at the temple. "Am I trapped in here?"

As she asked her question, a cold breeze blew through the small window in the room, and she inhaled deeply.

 

[Mikkel Markov]

Mikkel lowered his hands, not moving too quickly as the woman stood up. Still speaking softly, Mikkel chose his next words carefully, still speaking in his hushed tone. "This temple may seem great, but my people can set your mind free, expose you to vasts amount of knowledge in the ways of the Force and otherwise," Mikkel said. This was going a lot smoother than he expected. "The priests of this temple cannot even begin to comprehend your potential, much less unlock it."

Mikkel took his mask off, and greeted the woman's face with a smile. "What's your name, ma'am?"

[member="Delyna Karthoys Haymire"]

 

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

Her chest heaved up and down as she breathed, thinking to herself. "The name I was given at birth is Delyna Karthoys Haymire." As she stood up fully, she spun around herself a few times at a slow pace and stopped to examine him once more. She spoke out once again, her voice clear and calm. "Does the ability of the priests matter in regards to my potential? I can sense that you yourself is a force user. Do you think I should be located elsewhere?"

She slowly walked over to her desk, blowing out the lit candles on her bed and over by her collection of books. Then she turned to face him again, waiting for his response - and tilting her head.

Meanwhile, someone else had sensed a disturbance within the temple, and master Illios slowly walked down the stairs towards the chambers of the Oracle of Reflections. His long brown hair swept behind his shoulders, and his right hand resting by his decorated alchemist sword.

[member="Mikkel Markov"]

 

[Mikkel Markov]

"Delyna...that's a lovely name," Mikkel said. "And the ability of the priests does matter in regards to your potential. I know of several much more qualified force users that would be delighted to teach you. I myself am force sensitive, and I am working on finding a master of my own. You, on the other hand, would have no trouble finding someone to train you."

Setting his helmet down on the bed, Mikkel waited in anticipation of her answer. While he was waiting, Mikkel heard someone coming to the door. Mikkel quickly grabbed his helmet and hid behind where the door would swing open, making the motion with his finger telling Delyna to be quiet as he put on his mask. Waiting for the uninvited guest to enter and leave, Mikkel put his hand on his lightsaber in anticipation for a fight.

[member="Delyna Karthoys Haymire"]

 

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

As soon as [member="Mikkel Markov"] stepped back, Delyna turned around to face the window for a few seconds, then she moved to open the door. When she reached out for the knob master Illios knocked on the door - which was opened quickly. He rested his left hand behind his back and asked her a stern question. "Is everything alright, Delyna? Why are you still awake?" The oracle closed her eyes and answered. "How does one answer such a question? "Is everything alright?" I suppose so. A man suggested to me that I should leave with him for another place where other masters of the force resides." She offhandledly gestures to the door, where the man was hiding. She calmly folds her hands.

Master Illios turns and steels himself as he hopes to face the intruder. "Who are you? And who do you represent? Tithos? Malligna?" - The room seemed to stand still as the situation unfolds. The man narrowed his eyes as he anticipated a move from the outsider.

 

[Mikkel Markov]

Mikkel cringed as the man questioned him, gripping onto his lightsaber tight when he saw the man had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Calm down. You aren't in any danger so long as you are calm Mikkel thought to himself. Relaxing, Mikkel took off his helmet again to reveal his Umbaran face. "My name is Mikkel Markov, and I do not represent any order of this world. The order I represent is home to many talented users of the Force, and we look to recruit Delyna here if she chooses to come along."

Mikkel put on his best smile, hoping the man wouldn't alert any of the guards of his being here. Continuing, Mikkel said, "The priests you have here may be talented, but they are not skilled enough to unlock the full potential of Ms. Delyna."

[member="Delyna Karthoys Haymire"]

 

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

The man stretched out his long hand, quietly reaching out for the door which he then closed. He shaked his head slowly. "Delyna is very important for this place. That being said, she is being limited severely by being here." He sighed to himself and adjusted his collar. Then spoke out again. "I am master Illios, probably the only other force user with any actual training in this temple." He looked to the painting by the walls and frowned a bit. "I am also directly responsible for Delyna for that very reason. She needs to be taken good care of, in good, steady hands - or she may risk tearing herself apart."

In the meantime, the oracle had sat down on the floor with her knees bent. With closed eyes she had gathered a stack of hand crafted papyrus and a worn pen, and had started drawing... Something.

A particularly bright star blinked calmly in unison with her strokes, as if she was trying hard to match it, without exactly looking at it.

The robed man spoke once more. "Do you believe your people can ensure her safety?"

[member="Mikkel Markov"]

 

[Mikkel Markov]

Mikkel looked down at Delyna while she was drawing, and then looked back up to Illios. "You have my word she will be safe. I would personally look after her while I'm not on active duty, if that would ease your mind," Mikkel said. "Or, you could come along yourself. But I doubt you would want to abandon your followers here."

Mikkel put his helmet back on, the HUD lightly illuminating his face. "My ship is in the forest just outside of the city, and I am certain I can get us there without being spotted by any unwanted eyes," Mikkel said. "Make your decision soon, I'd rather be off planet by sunrise."

[member="Delyna Karthoys Haymire"]

 

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

As the man was about to respond, Delyna interrupted. "Master Illios. It would seem that it is more favourable to have me follow him than stay here. Look at the edges, and the colouring. Something big will happen to the temple in the coming weeks." She stood up. "I will follow you."

Illios let a stretched palm run along his face, as he sighed again. "Very well, stay safe, oracle." Then he moved to dash out of the room, gazing at the two one last time. "I hope I wont come to regret this. I will have to alert the guards in twenty minutes. You should be out of here by then." He quietly vanished from the room and up the stairs.

The route they would have to take was rather certain, now. She awaited his reaction.

[member="Mikkel Markov"]

 

[Mikkel Markov]

Mikkel nodded to Illios as he left the room. Turning his back to Delyna, Mikkel crouched down and looked to her over his shoulder. "Climb on and hold tight," Mikkel said. When Delyna had climbed on, Mikkel went to the door and waited for the hall to be clear. Peeking out, Mikkel ran as fast as he could the way he came. Before he heard anyone coming around a corner, Delyna would alert him. "Hide here." "Wait two seconds." Following her advice blindly, Mikkel got them out of the Temple in half the time it took to find her.

Moving along the wall, Mikkel looked up to Delyna when they got to the illuminated road. "All clear" was her response. Running across the road and moving through alleys, Mikkel got them to the woods, and at the same time they got there the alarm at the Temple started to go off.

When Mikkel reached the ship, he let Delyna off his back and unlocked the ship. Motioning her to climb aboard, Mikkel followed behind and started to get the ship ready to take off.

[member="Delyna Karthoys Haymire"]

 

[Delyna Karthoys Haymire]

It was perhaps no coincidence that this night was much akin to the night she was born on Unos III. A quiet, peaceful night with a star filled sky and cold, clean air. The soft and moist, moss covered ground gave in weakly beneath her feet and she could see the same was happening under the landing gear of the ship. Twigs were crushed under the hard metal of the vehicle. As were her old chains broken by this intruder's promise and presence. It was funny to her that she had spent most of her time in the temple, and now she was about to leave the planet where she had lived for her entire life. A planet she hadn't actually seen too much of herself. Residing in a heavily forested area, she had dodged the desert and the sea which were the most common biomes on her home planet.

It all reminded her of a dream she had had. A dream of a beautiful ice asteroid floating around the same gas giant for millions of years, reflecting beautiful light upon the worlds surrounding it. Then one day, as the local system was interrupted, the comet was flung out into the vastness of space. For forgotten centuries it floated there, until one day it collided with a large, but cold and dead planet. And such life was brought to the unchartered planet.

Delyna calmly walked up the ramp, entering the metal ship. As soon as she had climbed aboard, she spun around herself a few times, and found somewhere to sit.

The engines roared to life as the ship ascended, the landing gear withdrawn - and the planet left behind. The darkness of space engulfed them as they vanished from view.

[member="Mikkel Markov"]