Fire for the Firemane (Taryc formal intro to Firemane)

[H3xle]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

Taryc smiled and kissed her chin as she kissed Taryc's nose.

"That might be the best sleep I've gotten in years." She said, her fingers making slow circles on Elpsis's shoulder. "And you were...mind blowing..." She chuckled and took a deep breath. She had never made love to an empath before, so she was being both literal and figurative when she said mind blowing. The connection that had happened, the open flow of emotions between them, had made this a first for her. "I'm pretty sure we both needed it..." She took a deep breath and smiled. "I don't tend to let my guard down much, and last night feels like it's taken a great deal of weight off of me. Thank you."

She let her head hit the bed again and just focused on breathing and taking in the world, not quite ready to let the thoughts back in.

"What are your plans for the day?" She asked, trying to be innocuous.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Elpsis' lips curled into a bright, genuine smile. "Aww. That makes me feel very happy...and kinda special. Happy to help," she said feelingly, snuggling closer. She was quite proud of the...more unconventional uses of her empathy. Leaving aside the fact that it made the experience more intense, it made her feel connected to her lovers on a deeper level.


"Totally doesn't have to be a one-time thing, y'know," she batted her eyelashes at the older woman. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she really needed to eat something, and she looked a bit sheepish.


"Well...as tasty as you are, I gotta fill my stomach with some food...and I think I'll be heading down to the medbay. Help the wounded a bit." Reality intruded once again, and she sighed. Alas, moments of perfect bliss were fleeting, which was what made them so precious in the first place.


"Gotta check on Tempest, too. But we can hang later! Maybe do some fire stuff together. I guess Auntie Siobhan will call you in for a chat soon." Like, in a post or two, so Taryc would get a chance to eat first!

 

[H3xle]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

Taryc grinned at the young firemane when she said it didn't have to be a one time thing.

"Wonderful!" She smiled then and rolled out of bed, then padding to the food reheater to grab part of her small clothes. She tossed them to a place near the drawers, then rooted around for some clothes.

"Food sounds really good, I think the meal we were reheating has gone cold...again." She chuckled, casting a glance over at the food reheater again. She then pulled out a set of sweats with the Firemane logo on them. "I'm going to do a quick rinse off, then look for a mess hall..." She mentioned as she moved towards the bathroom.

"Gotta check on Tempest, too. But we can hang later! Maybe do some fire stuff together. I guess Auntie Siobhan will call you in for a chat soon."

"That sounds like a great plan!" She replied. "I've been wanting to find someone to help me get better control over my fire powers, just haven't found someone I could trust." She grinned wickedly, leaning on the door to the bathroom. "Until now."

Then she stepped fully into the bathroom, placing the sweats on the counter by the sink and turning the water on. She turned it so it was super hot, then stepped in, leaving the door wide open. She wasn't a shower hog, and they both had to get ready.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Taryc had just hooked up with Firemane and she'd already become best buddies with her employers' niece even before signing a contract. This was a good way to start her career!


"You know how to make a girl feel special," Elpsis blushed slightly. "I, well, haven't trained anyone yet. But fire's my element. Sure I can show you the ropes. It would be my pleasure. We can be the cool supernova team. Maybe you can help me get better with a sword," she sounded earnest and excited, though there might have been a hint of insecurity.


The firemane didn't consider herself a teacher - or even a master. That's what her mother, Siobhan and Tempest were. The Order of Fire had declared her worthy of masterhood, but the girl still considered [member="Laina Silvias"] to be her master. But she'd do all she could to help Taryc. She could not refuse that wicked grin.


Much like Taryc, she picked out a pair of sweats that sported a Firemane logo. In her case, they came out of her rucksack. This one likes to think the redhead had a Wonder Woman T-shirt, or whatever this Galaxy's equivalent of her is. In any case, she left them on the counter and followed her lover into the shower.


"You may have to, uh, make sure I don't spill anything or embarrass myself while eating," she added a bit sheepishly. It's not that she needed people to feed her...though it was occasionally fun when [member="Tempest"] did it. But some things were simply difficult for her to see. Stepping into the shower, she let the hot, steamy water kiss her skin, applying lotion and stuff.

 

[H3xle]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

"Definitely!" Swords and fire, two things Taryc loved. Learning more about one while teaching about the other seemed like a perfect exchange for her.

Taryc refrained from starting anything hot and heavy in the shower, much to her own chagrin. Her stomach growled whenever she thought about it, and she knew the day time was time to be more responsible, even on a ship with artificial days.

"You may have to, uh, make sure I don't spill anything or embarrass myself while eating,"

"I'd be happy to help!" She really was feeling a lot better. Her mind still hadn't fully caught up with the loss, nor entirely caught up with joining on to Firemane, but slowly she was coming to terms. Elpsis definitely helped with the coming to terms.

After the shower, drying off and dressing, Taryc walked with Elpsis down to the nearest mess hall. It took Taryc a moment when she saw that it was quality food, then she realized that it was a corporate ship. Corporations always spent better than governments. Taryc filled her tray to a near ridiculous height, but she hadn't really eaten since before the battle. As promised, Taryc did her best to aid elpsis in not dropping food. It proved to be good training for her, as she focused on just highlighting everything on Elpsis's tray with the force, exerting concentration on that, while also focusing on eating her food in a not sloppy manner. People may have wondered why she looked so intent on the food, but this soon after a battle the mood wasn't likely back up to the normal mess hall banter.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Off they went to fill their empty bellies with food. Corporate food tended to be better than whatever a government military or civil service supplied, and Firemane did not disappoint. Taryc, who had quite an appetite, would probably be very happy about Eldorai food. See, the Space Elves had a high metabolism, so as a result their meals tended to be quite substantial and they were doing the cooking!


Thanks to Taryc's kind assistance, Elpsis was able to avoid embarrassment beyond spilling something once, and she might have done that on purpose. The redhead had not eaten since the start of the battle and so her plate was rather full. She ate slowly, carefully, sneaking glances at the older pyromancer here and there.


The mood in the cantina was subdued and less noisy than usual, which was unsurprising given the circumstances. Elpsis felt all the emotions that were swirling through the air, but did her not to focus on them, building up her mental walls.


Eventually, the time came for them to part. "Thanks, babe. You're real sweet. I'll catch you later," Elpsis spoke when she got up. "I'll be in the medbay or the training room," she leaned forward and planted a kiss on Taryc's cheek.


In the same moment a Firemane Private dressed in a green tunic and trousers approached them. "Warrior Ap'Irae, General Kerrigan requests you report to her office ASAP. Please follow me. I'll take you there," she stated.


"Tell Auntie hi from me."

 

[H3xle]

Taryc was not used to pet names, but from [member="elpsis elaris"], she had no issue. She was smitten. She smiled at the kiss, and continued to smile as the Firemane private approached.

"Warrior Ap'Irae, General Kerrigan requests you report to her office ASAP. Please follow me. I'll take you there," she stated.

"Tell Auntie hi from me."

Taryc nodded, trying to regain a more composed look. "I will, but I won't call her Auntie." Taryc said with a grin, then followed the private.

The Private led her through the confusing hallways of the ship and to a door where she pressed a button to announce their arrival, then step back.

Taryc, in her sweats and sans sword for once, stood in front of the door and waited. She was mildly apprehensive, as she didn't know what to expect, but also excited. She'd received a very...vigorous welcome, and though she didn't expect the same from anyone else, she was more at peace with working and serving Firemane.

[member="siobhan kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


"General, Warrior Ap'Irae is here to see you, ma'am," the Private said as she pressed the button, then stepped back. A moment later, the door opened from inside, as if being pulled by an invisible hand.


"Come in." It would close behind Taryc as soon as she crossed the threshold and found herself inside Siobhan's office. Behind an imposing desk stacked with datapads and folders engraved with aurebesh sigils, the Countess was seated inside a throne-like chair.


Much like the two Force warriors, Siobhan had removed her beskar'gam. Stripped of her beskar shell, the Grandmistress looked far less physically imposing. She was athletic, but not particularly muscular. Her green uniform was not form-fitting, but did not obscure her voluptuous build. Long scarlet hair framed a viciously scarred face.


In terms of height, she and Taryc were about equal, though it was likely that the fiery pyromancer was fitter and would be able to take her in melee, unless the Force came into play. However, what Siobhan had was a presence.


"Please sit down," she pointed at a chair in front of the desk. Her tone was soft, but commanding. Holopics of [member="Tegaea Alcori"] and [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] graced the desk with their presence. "I see you've been integrating well into our ranks. My niece has taken quite a shine to you."


Piercing brown eyes focused on Taryc. "I know of House Ap'Irae's history. They were highly-placed in the Primeval's Inquisition. I imagine you followed in the family business." She let those words sink in for a moment.


"I battled Kaine while Wayland's forest were set aflame and Primeval zealots broke the Mandalorian's pride. I duelled the Host Lord herself at the gates of Ziost's Citadel. Many of your former comrades flocked to the Sith after the cult self-destructed. Yet here you are, pledging allegiance to me. Why?"

 

[H3xle]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Taryc nodded at both reference to Elpsis and to her heritage. This did not feel like the time to inform the Countess that her niece said hello. Rather, it felt like she was being interrogated.

Which was exactly what she had expected. One does not wear the Ap'Irae name in polite society without expecting it.

"I was at Wayland as well, my troops were lost entirely to the flaming forests. My pyromancy helped save me, but I could not continue forward with my mission there." She replied, stating a sheer fact from her history, not coloring it with any emotion. She met the Countess's gaze, though there was no defiance in either her eyes, nor her voice. "Many of the soldiers, warlords, and agents of the Primeval went to the One Sith and other similarly minded organizations when the Host Lord failed." She continued, her voice going flat at mention of the Host Lord, as if scrubbing the emotion from it took a great deal of her effort. "What you will not see in the records, to my knowledge, is any other member of the Ap'Irae family doing so. We were, and I was, highly placed in the Inquisition because of the depth of our devotion to the Three and The One. The Host Lord herself raised us to our position for our piety and...resourcefulness in pursuing heretics and non-believers. Our training was deadly, our devotion was inborn, and our power was tied to the Gods." Despite her control, her voice colored with an angry emotion. Then, her face settled with a deep breath, though the anger still burned hot in her eyes. This was not directed at Kerrigan, but more inwardly, and outwardly. "The Gods proved false. Many of my family were killed, and we had earned it. We were both the velvet glove and the iron fist. People feared us even as they desired us. I left, I survived and I ran. I had believed in the Three and The One, and the Host Lord, and they all proved false, so I ran. I fled Primeval space as the forces ate at eachother. I found peace in bottles and bodies and blood. I spent seven years drinking, f**king, and killing my way around the galaxy. Then, in the depths of my despair and despondancy, I figured out what I needed to do. So I spent the past few years hunting down remnants of the Primeval and the Sith and killing them. During this hunt, I came into contact with [member="draco vereen"] and joined the Mandalorians on a couple of missions. Then I joined up with the Galactic Alliance for a few missions, all putting me in the way of Sith."

She paused then. Her history wasn't what Siobhan had asked for. She had asked for why, and Taryc took a few deep breaths before explaining.

"I am here, pledging my alleigiance to you because under you and with Firemane, I can still hunt Sith and Primeval, and I can have a home in a place that isn't abrasively altruistic like the Galactic Alliance. Nor all but gone like the Mandalorians. With Firemane, my talents would not likely go to waste. The Galactic Alliance has need for inquisitors, but I don't know if I could ever fit in with the Jedi." She shrugged, knowing she was rambling now. "Firemane isn't afraid to get their hands wet when necessary. It's what I've heard when I travelled. You have the respect of Draco, who has my trust. And, I need a home that won't ostracize me for the blood I have on my hands..." And she hoped that she had found just such a place.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Steely brown eyes held Taryc's gaze, never once wavering while the former Inquisitor recounted her tale, speaking of her time with the Primeval, their fall from grace and her decision to break with all they stood for. "I see. I thank you for honesty," Siobhan finally said. Her tone was serious and firm, but not belligerent. She leaned back into the chair, expression a rigid, stone-like mask. There were a number of factors to consider.


The betrayals she'd experienced on Kaeshana gnawed at Siobhan. The soldiers who'd defected were few in number, but it still stung. Tarriq had owed her life to Firemane. Without Elpsis' help, she'd have died on Corellia. Moreover, Firemane had helped her liberate her homeworld. Siobhan had never been close to her and considered her one officer among many, but she still considered her betrayal a personal insult. It made her more jaded when it came to people saying they'd turned a new leaf. One of her comrades, [member="Nima Tann"], had been hurt badly during Primeval's attack on Ziost.


However, at the same time, Taryc had been upfront about her involvement with Primeval and had fought on her side. She'd hinted at her dark past even before Siobhan brought it up. More to the point, her story did strike a chord with Siobhan. It reminded her of [member="Mirien Valdier"] and Naamah Aesham. Both had done despicable, reprehensible things back in the day, then they'd been forced to confront their sins, after their world came crashing down.


"I'm not fixated on the deeds you perpetrated in the past. What matters to me is the present and the future. Firemane has become a home for many with dark pasts. People who made it their home and sought to atone for their deeds, fight evil without being subjected to idiotic Jedi dogma," she remarked.


"We're not afraid of getting our hands dirty. War's hell, not a leisurely stroll through the park where you convert the bad guys and no one gets hurt. I value loyalty above everything else. I demand absolute loyalty, from you and anyone else here. As long as my people are loyal to me, I'll stick by them, come hell or high water. Equally we have no mercy for traitors. When someone dishonours the uniform, we don't waste our time trying to 'redeem' her like some naive Jedi would."


"We put her up against the wall and shoot a bolter round into the back of her skull. If you face one of your former comrades on the battlefield, I expect you to pull the trigger without hesitation." Her tone was blunt, but not unkind.

 

[H3xle]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Taryc listened, her face once again returning to the mask hiding her emotions. As Siebhan spoke, she found herself nodding. She hadn't expected anything different. Taryc understood loyalty, and after years of searching she knew that her leaving the Primeval as they fell was not about her breaking the bond of loyalty or trust. She had been burned by her fervent trust in them, which had in turn made it difficult for her to learn to trust again.

"We put her up against the wall and shoot a bolter round into the back of her skull. If you face one of your former comrades on the battlefield, I expect you to pull the trigger without hesitation."

Taryc smiled, then, and nodded.

"My only reason to hesitate in such a case would be a desire to hurt them far more than a bullet to the brainpan." She replied. Siobhan would once again see the fires of anger and pain in the pyromancers eyes. "However, I am nothing if not disciplined. If you allow me to make a bond of trust with you and Firemane, I will be the weapon in your hand, Countess." She spoke honestly. There were likely very few instances where she would turn down an order from someone with the reputation Siobhan had, and Taryc highly doubted that she would ask the pyromancer to harm innocents, Draco and his family, or her own niece. Taryc didn't have any friends beyond that.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


There was a brief moment of silence. Then Siobhan reached out with the Force to levitate a bottle and fill a glass with water. Then she pushed it over towards Taryc. Subsequently, she poured herself a glass.


"I believe then we understand one another, Taryc. Welcome to Firemane. We can draw up a formal contract later," The smile did not reach her eyes, but it was there. Her tone had softened a bit. The fiery pyromancer might not know this due to not being very familiar with the Lady, but it was generally a good sign when Siobhan addressed someone by their given name.


"Our return to Tygara will be difficult. I predict unrest once the people hear what happened. Certain selfish elements amongst the nobility will take advantage. The usual game of thrones nonsense. A strong hand will be needed to ensure order and focus our people. An iron fist in a velvet glove, so to speak. I need people I can count on for what is to come. Mark my words, we will strike back against the First Order and their Sith masters. We will have revenge, Taryc," she put the glass to her lips and drank.


"I have a task for you. A Lieutenant Gina Cain tried to perform sabotage during the battle, but she was caught in the act and put in detention. I've got reason to believe she lied about her identity to infiltrate us and was just waiting for an opportune moment to make her move. I want you to interrogate her and find out at whose behest she acted and if she had allies. Do whatever it takes. Then eliminate her."

Spoiler

Thought it would be cool if the mole turns out to be ex-Prime. Perhaps someone Taryc knew. Giving you total freedom here

 

[H3xle]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Taryc nodded and took her leave of the Countess. The Firemane agent fell into step behind her as she made her way back to her quarters. It seemed the agent understood that interogation didn't happen in sweats. Taryc walked into her new quarters, and began to strip. She showed no shyness in changing in front of the stranger, quickly donning her armor. She sheathed her sword on the back sheath, then nodded to the agent to lead the way.

The agent took her in a slightly different way. If Taryc had been any sort of ship hand, she would have been able to understand that they were in a brig area below Siobhan's office. As it was, it seemed like yet another completely new area on the giant ship. She didn't show this feeling at all, as with each step, she fell further into her Inquisitor mask, the part of her self that let her do anything necessary to get information. The agent stepped aside as they reached a door. Inside was a small interrogation chamber. Taryc nodded to the agent, then stepped in, closing the door behind her.

The prisoner was sitting in a chair, secured with binders on her wrists and ankles. She wore a Firemane uniform, had fair skin, and dark hair. Her eyes moved to Taryc, her face an impassive mask as she watched.

Taryc, on the other hand, looked around the room as she stood by the door for a moment. She made note of all of the items in the room, noting what they were and what damage they could do. She removed her helmet, setting it aside on a table by the door before moving towards the table. She drew her sword from the back sheath without any flourish, then leaned it tip down against the table. Then, Taryc sat down and looked into the prisoners eyes. She could see that there was strain around the prisoner's eyes, signs of crying. The uniform was disheveled, showing a fight had happened, likely when she was brought in. Taryc remained silent as she sat back in the chair and crossed her arms. She took long, even breaths as she watched the prisoner.

"You're here to find out why..." She said in a hoarse voice, still looking at Taryc. Taryc arched an eyebrow in response, but otherwise said nothing.

The silence dragged for minutes.

"Aren't you going to ask me a question?" Gina said. Her breath was starting to come a little faster, the vein in her neck throbbed noticeably.

"Gina Cain." Taryc said, breaking her silence finally.

"I'm aware of who I am, you can get on with the questions." She replied, fidgeting in her chair.

"You are Gina Cain." Taryc remained calm, simply stating it.

"What are you here for? Ask me questions!" The anger was becoming visible in Gina.

"Are you Gina Cain?" Taryc asked, her nostrils flared, taking in a short breath. Her eyes remained on the prisoner, taking in all of the details.

"Yes!" She said, growling the word out through gritted teeth. "I am Gina fething Cain!"

"Gina Cain." She said slowly, as if testing the name. She paused, and she saw the ire in the other woman's eyes practically glow. "Do you work for Firemane?"

The anger seemed to evaporate from Gina's eyes, and the impassive mask replaced it. Taryc thought she had seen some triumph in the woman's eyes, but it was only for a moment.

"Yes, I work for Firemane." She said, her shoulders became slightly more comfortable. Taryc turned her head slightly, eyeing her.

"What is your position in Firemane, Ms. Cain?" Taryc asked, almost absently.

"Lieutenant. I am Lieutenant Gina Cain. I work in combat engineering." She replied, emphasizing her title.

"Miss Cain..." Taryc emphasized the Miss, then paused. A different shade of anger, almost calculated, showed in the woman's eyes.

"I haven't been officially relieved, so I am still Lieutenant...who are you?"

"Miss Cain, I am supposed to ascertain why you were trying to sabotage our forces on Kaeshana." She said, then paused for a long stretch. The new anger remained, and Taryc watched it. Right when Gina was about to speak, Taryc continued. "However, I don't think that is the truth we need to talk about here. Truth..." She trailed off, looking towards the door and her helmet. "You haven't told me any truth yet..." She looked back at the woman. An instant of fear showed before the anger came back.

"What do you mean?" She growled again.

Taryc remained silent again, looking at the woman. She held up a gauntleted hand and conjured fire around it. She turned her hand this way and that, then balled the fire up in her palm and held it there. After a moment, she began to roll the fire from hand to hand in a slow, methodical way. Taryc was thinking. Gina looked at the fire, then at Taryc. There was something there that Taryc hadn't seen before.

"You asked me who I am. I will trade you a truth for a truth. Deal?" The odd look went away as Gina went back into her role. Taryc could swear that Gina had recognized her, but she didn't recognize Gina. Gina nodded. "Good. I am Taryc Ap'Irae." She paused, Gina had a slight tightening around the eyes, but she hid it well. Taryc couldn't guarantee it was there. "I work for Countess Kerrigan, as of twenty minutes ago. I am her Inquisitor." There were few who would hear Ap'Irae and Inquisitor and not have some recognition, but Gina maintained her mask. "Now, you tell me why."

"I saw others turning and I figured it was better to go with them then remain with this company. You just started here? Run, this place is going away, it is going to burn." She lied. Not only did she lie, but she did nothing to hide it.

Taryc flicked her hand, and the ball of fire shot at Gina. Her eyes went wide, and fear scented the air. The ball of fire knicked her right ear, then spent itself in the wall. Taryc was grinning now.

"Agent, I said truth. Truth. You know what it is, as you have been quite skilled in concealing it up to now. Tell me why." Taryc said, a darkness glinted in her eyes.

"Uh...I, uh..." Gina was rattled a bit, pain was showing in her eyes. "I...uh, I was supposed to plant charges to take out tanks, weapons. Let the defectors get to the First Order lines..." She started. It was all true, none of the telltales of humans lying showed, and Taryc smiled more. She flicked a new fireball, and knicked her left ear. "Whoa! Whoa! I told the truth!" Taryc conjured a new pair of small fireballs and sent them to orbit Gina's head. "Stop it! I told you, I was told to! I was going to defect too! When we heard we were going to Kaeshana we were going to defect! Stop it!" At seemingly random intervals, the fireballs zoomed closer, singing hair and skin as the woman tried to get away from them. "I was part of the planning! You want to know my contact, where the defectors are? I'll tell you!" Taryc kept one fireball spinning around the womans head, while the other rolled around her skin, leaving red welts and screams. Then, suddenly, they were gone.

"Are you Gina Cain?" She asked again, her smile was gone. Replaced by her inquisitor face.

"Are you fething crazy! I'm a prisoner of war! You can't do that!"

"Are you Gina Cain?"

"I need a lawyer! I can't be treated this way! I..."

The walls reverberated witht he sound of the back of Taryc's gauntlet colliding with the side of Gina's face. Her eyes unfocused for a moment.

"Are you Gina Cain?" Taryc asked again, calmly.

"Yes..." Gina replied, closing her eyes to hide the pain. "I am Gina Cain." She sounded angry, but unwilling to push Taryc further.

"No. You are not Gina Cain. You hold her identity, and you have been a Lieutenant in Firemane, but you are not her." Taryc said calmly, almost sweetly. Gina opened her eyes, confused and scared.

"Wh...what?"

"Who are you?"

"I am Gina Cain, Combat Engineering Lieutenant."

"You recognized me." Taryc said, smiling.

"You fought on Kaeshana, that is where I saw you..." Gina started, but Taryc was already shaking her head.

"You didn't recognize the armor, you didn't recognize the sword. You recognized me. Me."

"What?"

"You recognized my face, you recognized my name, and you recognized my style..." She summoned fire for a moment, then flicked it past her ear again. Gina twitched. "There is no reason for a Lieutenant in Firemane to know who I am, or even who my family is. Yet, here you sit. I took off my helmet, and you tightened up. I said my name, and you twitched. I conjured fire, and memories came back to you. Stories from your childhood, I presume. I know the stories they tell. Heretics are consumed by the fire of House Ap'Irae. The premier Inquisitor's of the Primeval, who will stop at nothing to find the answers they need. Every region had specifics. Who was it in your family, that my family immolated?" Taryc spoke sweetly. Her tone disaffected by her own words.

"My brother..." She started after waging a war within her mind for a minute. "You took my brother. He didn't want to fight for the Host Lord, he didn't believe in the gods, he just wanted to be free. You came for him...after I reported him." Gina said, Taryc looked on, waiting for a moment.

"I see...and this is why you recognized me." Taryc nodded, not looking away. "Who do you work for now? The Sith?"

"Sith?" Gina snorted, "Honey, I worked for them for a month, chaos to the host lord's order. No, I work for me, figured the First Order was better for me than Firemane. I made a gamble and lost."

Taryc nodded, the lie slid onto Gina's face almost out of habit. Taryc took a deep breath and leaned forward.

"I see that, despite everything, you have a great deal left to learn." Taryc said, almost sadly. "Let's start at the beginning. Who are you?"

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Taryc was being given complete freedom in her interrogation, though one of Firemane's Inquisitors was nearby. The same applied to a medical droid, should the prisoner need the attention. However, there would be no interference.


It went without saying that the cell was being monitored by a security camera and that Siobhan could access it. Thus it was no surprise that the Countess was watching the interrogation on a monitor. She watched dispassionately while Taryc began the process of piercing the fog of lies the renegade had created. The Inquisitor was good at reading people. She employed violence, but it seemed she did so in a strategic manner, instead of using it as a crutch.


So there was history between the two. The irony was strong. In a way, this made the traitor Taryc's creation. No emotion crossed Siobhan's face while she absorbed this information. She frowned slightly, looking deep in thought, then suddenly she heard a knock on the door.


She turned down the volume and looked up, pausing. If it were anyone else, she would have told them to go, but it was Elpsis. "Come in." The door opened and the young firemane entered, looking a bit tired. "You look like crap. Don't strain yourself so much in the medbay that you end up there," Siobhan remarked.


"Hey, I know my limits, auntie. And isn't that the pot calling the kettle?" Elpsis could not see the black bags beneath Siobhan's eyes, but she could sense her tiredness.


"How are the patients?"


"Getting better. I helped till Eileithya kicked me out. Some will...need new limbs. Imperialist bastards mutilated them," Elpsis sighed and flopped down into the chair opposite her aunt's desk.


"We'll get the bastards. We'll hit them hard and crush them with an iron fist. Not today...but one day. We will have revenge."


"Yes, auntie." There was a slightly awkward pause. "So...how'd the talk with Taryc go?" her tone was a bit tentative.


"You say that if you're afraid I bit her head off."


"You can be...intimidating sometimes."


"Only sometimes? I have to correct that. Did she tell you that she used to be a Primeval Inquisitor?"


"No," Elpsis said quietly. She furrowed her brow and ran a hand through her scarlet mane. She was feeling the start of a headache after her exertions in the medbay. "And?"


"And?"


"I get it. They were evil and did horrible things. You fought them. But she's not with them anymore. She's with us now."


"So was Tarriq. You saved her arse on Corellia. We helped her liberate her homeworld from the Sith. Then she and her friends suddenly decide to join a nation of fascists that gives safe haven to Sith and slaughters innocents. The sort of people she used to fight against her," her tone was caustic, disgust rolled off her tongue.


"I know, and they'll pay for that. They deserve it. I should've let her die in Coronet. But Taryc's not like that. I just...know, ok? And she's not the only one here who's done...terrible things. I get that we got to vet people better and harden ourselves, but Firemane's about second chances, isn't it? I used to sell guns to slavers and gangbangers, remember? Then there's Mirien, Cora, even my mum isn't pure as white snow."


"You like her, don't you?"


Elpsis' cheeks coloured slightly, acquiring an adorable shade of red. "I do. I mean, not in a sappy hallmark cards and candlelight dinners way, ok? But yeah, I like her."


"Don't let emotions cloud your judgement. It's especially dangerous for someone so empathic. You wear your heart on your sleeve. It will leave you vulnerable. Our enemies will exploit it," she raised her hand to forestall a protest. "However, as a matter of fact, I agree with you about her. I believe she's earnest and has potential. So I've decided to give her a chance."

 

[H3xle]

"I see that, despite everything, you have a great deal left to learn." Taryc said, almost sadly. "Let's start at the beginning. Who are you?"

The agent formerly known as Gina closed her eyes and remained silent. She hung her head and just breathed. They stayed like that for a while, and Taryc waited. Interrogation was always about adapting, knowing when to push and when to wait. You pushed at the wrong time, and you would just solidify their resistance. You waited when you should push, then you lose control of the conversation.

Now was a time to wait. Taryc had pushed hard, and now Gina was thinking, weighing the consequences of the whole situation. Taryc knew how it would turn out. She was trained by the Primeval. If Taryc gave her enough time, she would figure some way to weasel out. Give her too little and she wouldn't be fragile enough to break. Taryc took a few breaths, then smirked.

"Who are you, agent?" She asked, her voice amused. Gina looked up mid breath and blinked. She opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times, as if she was going to say something. "Who are you?" She asked again, her voice dropped the amusement like a ton of bricks, and her eyes turned cold. Gina's eyes widened a little, but she otherwise didn't say anything.

Taryc summoned another fireball into her hand, then set it floating above the table. She looked Gina in the eyes through the flames.

"Tell me who you are." She said.

"I am..." Gina began. Taryc pushed the fireball closer, and Gina's eyes shot straight to it and she paused.

"What are you doing at Firemane?" Taryc asked. Gina's eyes came back up to Taryc's.

"I..." Taryc pushed the fireball closer still. Gina's eyes widened in frustration.

"Why were you infiltrating Firemane?!"

"I..." Gina's voice was shrill, paniced, and her eyes switched between the ball of fire and Taryc. Gina froze up. Taryc flung the ball at Gina's face. Gina's eyes widened and her mouth opened to scream, but no sound came out. Right before it impacted, Taryc dismissed it, utilizing the utmost of her control. Gina's eyes stayed wide and her mouth hung open.

"Who are you?" Taryc asked, her voice utterly neutral.

"I am..Nadvia Telorn." She muttered softly, her voice almost dead. Her eyes were unfocused in the mid ground.

"Why are you here?" She continued. The rest of the conversation was utterly boring, and Nadvia required no more incentives to talk. She spilled her beans about everything she had been doing at Firemane, everyone she had subverted, and everyone she had contact with outside of Firemane.

Afterward, Taryc walked back up to [member="siobhan kerrigan"]'s office and knocked on the door.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


An intangible hand pulled the door open, granting the Inquisitor entrance. "Ah, Taryc. Come in. Young Elpsis can't stop singing your praises," Siobhan spoke. Her tone was not quite jovial, but a good deal more pleasant and warmer than during their first interview.


"Auntie," Elpsis looked just a bit embarrassed and her cheeks coloured slightly, but she gave Taryc a thin smile.


"I watched the interrogation. You were very effective. You employed violence and intimidation as tools, not crutches. Not many agents find that balance so easily." In the light of the fact that Siobhan tended towards brute force, this statement might be unintentionally ironic.


"Welcome to the team, dear. I've sent out orders to plug the leaks and arrest anyone Telorn corrupted. For now, we have a termination to see to," at that she pressed a button on the comm device on her desk.


"Sergeant Solveig, bring Nadvia Telorn and the six other traitors in our custody to the hangar deck. And assemble a few marines." Evidently other interrogations had taken place as well. There was a gruff acknowledgement on the other end and Siobhan cut the line, turning her gaze towards Taryc. "Come with me. I shall direct this personally."

 

[H3xle]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Taryc smiled at Elpsis, then tried to focus on Siobhan. With Elpsis in the room, Taryc was visibly more relaxed. Whether that was from the young girls presence, or the fact that she wouldn't have to say 'Elpsis says Hi Auntie.' no one but she would know, and in fact was a combination of the two. Taryc stood at a relaxed At Ease position in front of Siobhan's desk and nodded as she spoke. She couldn't help but smile when she had announced that Taryc was officially part of the team. She finally had a home again.

Taryc remained silent, and followed Siobhan towards the hangar deck. As she came up to Elpsis, she bumped her hip softly into her, keeping sure to not bump too hard as she was in her armor. They moved in a group down towards the hangar deck, where the Primeval agent stood amidst Firemane guards. There were no pleasant faces turned towards Telorn, even though she had spent years among these people. She had betrayed them, and Taryc could see in their eyes that whatever happened would be the least that she deserved in their eyes.

Taryc remained behind and to the side of Siobhan as they stopped in front of the guarded prisoner, and waited for Siobhan to give her orders.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


In response to the hip bump, Elpsis reached out to squeeze Taryc's hand gently. Siobhan walked ahead of the group, moving with great purpose in her stride despite the evident limp. A grim shadow was cast over her eyes. Soon the three reached the hangar.


Aside from Telorn, six other traitors had congregated there. They were all dressed in prison fatigues, for they'd been stripped of their Firemane uniforms. Moreover, they showed signs of having suffered beatings. Firemane had strict regulations regarding the treatment of prisoners. While no army was entirely clean, these rules were generally observed and abuse was punished. However, they did not cover Sith, slavers or traitors. In the eyes of Siobhan, these three formed a trinity of evil that had gone beyond the pale.


The guilty ones were lashed to poles, and paper targets were painted over their hearts so the executioners could have a clear shot. A few Firemane soldiers, assigned to pay the butcher's bill, stood on the other side of the room, waiting for the signal. Other soldiers and crew members had simply joined to watch the grisly spectacle. This had not been required, but many did not need an order because the betrayals had caused a lot of anger.


"General on deck!" soldiers snapped to attention when Siobhan stepped in.


"Nadvia Telorn, Aaron Preston, Anna Zhukova, Airasha Daliro, Deldrach Virkas, Eilauver Xyrcaryn and Xia Wuhan." Cold, merciless fell upon the prisoners, scrutinising them one by one. Her gaze was so intent it might as well burn holes. Some captives flinched, but others spat and glared defiantly. These stood straight, determined to die with as much dignity as possible. One of those who tried to maintain a dignified posture was Nadvia, the false Gina Cain. For a moment, the Primeval agent's empty, fatalistic eyes locked with Taryc's. She knew her time was up and was resigned to her fate.


"The seven of you have been found guilty of treason, subversion and conspiracy. I, Lady Siobhan Kerrigan, have laid down your punishment, death by firing squad. You are scum without honour and no longer part of Firemane. May your deaths go out as a warning to any who would think to betray Firemane, Tygara or their people. There shall be no mercy for oathbreakers."


Her eyes found Taryc's. "Inquisitor Ap'Irae, you and the squad may carry out the sentence." Siobhan had been very tempted to just cut down the prisoners herself, but a firing squad was more official. Anger rolled off her in waves. Elpsis looked more than a little uncomfortable due to the empathic backlash, then her features hardened. Then, without prompting, she joined Taryc and the other designated shooters.

 

[H3xle]

"Inquisitor Ap'Irae, you and the squad may carry out the sentence."

Taryc nodded and moved to the end of the line. She was mildly surprised when Elpsis came and stood beside her, but she said nothing and only smiled grimly and nodded to the beautiful woman. Then she looked to the traitors, and took a deep breath.

She still had the bolter that had been given to her, attached to her hip. However, there was a part of her that gelt that the former Primeval agent deserved a more traditional send off. One that would remind her of why it was important to never cross an Ap'Irae. She began to center herself, drawing the flame from her center to charge her whole body with energy. After a moment of silence, she let it go, and nodded to herself. Setting fire to prisoners and enjoying the sounds of their pain was who she had been. It did not need to be who she was.

In that moment, Taryc cared far less than ever about the Ap'Irae name she had carried her whole life. Her hand slipped down to the bolter at her side and drew it up, drawing a bead on Nadvia Telorn's center of mass.

"Squad take aim." She said in a voice that was bereft of emotion. The eyes of the primeval agent widened in mild surprise. The rest of the squad brought up their rifles and took aim. Taryc paused for a heartbeat. With her next action she would be taking a step towards being a different kind of inquisitor. No longer would she be burning heretics, instead she would be efficient and brutally effective. Much like the bolter in her hands.

"Fire." And she pulled the trigger. The hand bolter was an efficient weapon, but it left a gruesome wound on an unarmored body. A hole the size of her fist blossomed on the top part of Nadvia's chest, and a massive hole was ripped out of her back.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Ironically, Taryc was not the only one feeling temptation. There was a strong part of Siobhan that felt the traitors should suffer more. Sucking out their life force via Force Drain sounded tempting. They would have been in agony till they were nothing but empty husks. But she suppressed the urge. They would deserve it, but it was not who she was. So she watched grimly, with an impassive expression on her face. Her stance was as rigid as that of a statue. Her features did not convey it, but she felt pleased when young Elpsis joined the firing squad.


Elpsis had fallen in line alongside Taryc. She took a breath, and retrieved the Magnetic Revolver that was still holstered on her thigh. Her hands shook just a bit. The girl was no stranger to killing. She was a soldier, a warrior of her goddess. But most of the killing she did was in hot blood. Judicial execution of prisoners was different. It reminded her a bit too much of her gang days.


The scum deserve it. They sold us out to fascist butchers,, she reminded herself. The smile from Taryc, however, grim, helped focus her. She felt the surge of energy flow through Taryc, and stiffened. But then there was a ghost of a smile on the firemane's face when her fellow pyromancer resisted the urge to burn the traitor alive.


When the order was given, she took aim and squeezed the trigger. The guns of the firing squad fired as one. Her projectile, moving faster than the speed of sound, was meant for Anna Zhukova. She remembered the soldier from the Boz Pity and Atrisia...it no longer mattered. The tiny hypervelocity tore right through. The prisoners thrashed as the air around them erupted in bloody droplets, the bodies hung limply from their tethers.


One captive was still alive, and so Elpsis stepped forward and fired once more, dispatching him. Her milky-white eyes looked vacant, but she felt no regret.


"Justice has been served," she heard Auntie Siobhan state grimly. "With the witness of the members of this crew, I call the sentence fufilled. You may proceed. Dispose of the bodies."


A few grunts quickly made their way to the poles. They'd been given the slightly odious duty of getting rid of the corpses. "We'll remember the betrayals, and the valour of those who showed loyalty. Mark my words, we will have retribution. Until the First Order and its Sith masters have been ground into dust, we are at war. There will be no pity, no compromise." Lady Kerrigan gave Taryc a curt nod, then turned and limped out of the hangar.


"Well, that's over and done with," Elpsis suddenly declared when she appeared back at Taryc's side. "Guess we got some alon time now!" her tone was unusually, inapropriately perky. Her dead eyes told a different story. "I mean, you wanna get some training stuff done?"