Short Swords
Ariana Du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Ilum, Crystal Caverns
Objective Two: Hallowed Scar
Action: Regain Strength (Partially), Offer hand to Daisy to help and leave
Outfit (Minus the right arm)
Ariana collapsed onto all threes, her eyes clenched shut as the breathing felt difficult, the Force powers taxed so much of her energy. The sensation of complete enervation was a novel feeling, she carefully clenched her fist and pushed herself up to sit on her legs. Once before the battle the planet Ilum provided quite a bit of chilling winds, but presently Ariana wanted to sink into a tub of ice-water. Or maybe just a few minutes to leave this corporal form until the pain goes away.
The right side of her helmet’s visor had a jagged break that revealed her right eye, while her HUD flickered on and off adding further annoyance to her growing headache. The Imperial Soldier also was in a somewhat defeated position, the toll of their fight clearly weighed him down heavily. But was it enough?
The man still possessed energy to talk and as he ripped his helmet off, Ariana tensed and clenched her fist in anticipation. His words were bitting, and the familiar cold logic was dripping with the pompous attitude that her father explained once a time ago. He had served alongside Imperials beneath four different Imperial Banners, different leaders, and believed deeply in the cause even as all those Imperial Orders crashed all around him year after year.
If there was an Imperial Order that was different, it was perhaps the Grayson Imperium, for when they met the nascent Republic for control of the Core something truly incredible happened. Ariana could remember the utter amazement and joy that her father’s voice held, the birth of the Galactic Alliance came after the Republic and Imperium recognized the other as the other half to make the each other whole. The Jedi Order was a whole other matter, Ariana admitted to herself, but the light that shimmered in this dark galaxy was protected by not just the Alliance, but also the Jedi that believed in that better future.
Pride has nothing to do with a peaceful galaxy, nor does this useless war between the Imperial Order and the Alliance. The young Du Couteau heir found her strength slowly returning and carefully she stood back up, and took a few moments to steady her feet. She walked over to the other wounded Padawan, the young woman looked just as bad as Ariana if not worse, with switching glances between the Imperial Soldier and the other Padawan. Careful to act should the Imperial attack when both of them were quite wounded, sapped nearly of all strength.
Ariana stretched out her left hand to the Padawan, to help her stand back up and hopefully manage to walk out of the caverns. Out of this frozen potential tomb, filled with nothing but death and regrets. “You don’t have to choose now. . . “ Ariana spoke, her voice was firm but it was barely more than a whisper. “-Let’s find a place to heal. . . you can decide afterwards. . .” She added with a softer tone, as she gave a sideway glance back to the Imperial. She held no ill will towards the man, she couldn't, this galaxy was filled with enough hate, it didn't need her own to add to the swirling pool of rancor and hatred that threatened to destroy the galaxy.
His face reminded her of someone, a photo on a file her Father was reading one night, perhaps an Imperial he had once served along with? With a mental shrug Ariana could figure that mystery out later, such things hardly mattered when the blood inside their body was leaving to join the cold dirt below their feet. She also sensed a familiar Force signature approaching them, perhaps a way out to safety was much closer than she expected.
