Is it really as simple as fate? (Arthos Vynea)

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

The day began as any other of the last eight years of her life. Galina awoke with the rising sun peeking through cracks in what remained of the shuttle that had once housed her entire family. A little shy of a decade now, Galina had no guidance from anyone at all. Out here, on this planet, Nadiem, though that was one fact she did not know. No, she'd know idea the planet she was on even had a name at all.

Only one had she run upon another being in this place, the forests, and well, to say it ended badly was an understatement. She had her wounds to tend to, and the alien was dead. The redhead did all she could do in that situation, which was whatever it took to survive. In the end, it gave her so little clues as to the strange world around her. So, she gathered what was useful and left the rest behind. It was call that could be done. Though, that a day that was behind her. One she'd likely never forget. One never forgets the first time they take a life, feeling their soul slip through your fingers as it fades away.

Today was a brand new day. Winter was just starting to set in, furs, and hides helped to keep her body warm, as did her movements through the forested areas. Her feet in light boots, made by her own hands, ever light and ever silent she moved onwards, her bow drawn, and arrow strung across it, just watching and waiting for a creature to lumber by. Hunting, a game of patience and waiting, something she was forced to learn so long ago. And here and now, she sat through her routine watching and waiting to see what would happen.

Though there was an odd feeling in the air, one that the young woman could not quite place. Something was different about today, she just had yet to discover what it was, but her gut told her to be careful. And well, her gut had kept her alive this long, and against all odds at that too. By all rights the girl should have died with her parents or soon after but, no. The fates seemed to have something else in mind for the woman of the wilds.

@[member="Arthos Vynea"]

 

[Arthos Vynea]

The lost ruins of this world left shadows of the past in its wake. The Republic had fought a hard battle on this word against a Separatist enemy, and neither truly cared for the world to began with. It was just a place they could stand on, and shoot at each other. Even as it finally recovered at the end of the Galactic Alliance, again it was struck down by the invisible threat of the Gulag Plague. It was now again lost at the edge of space, and unclaimed by any major faction. In its past it had been a food supplier for the Hutt worlds, and beyond. Now it's fertile lands were used more as smuggler holds then they were as farms.

The Zabrak had come here to find perhaps something of the past, even if it was just a few scraps of art, or an old data stick. As he landed his freighter down in a field what he had not expected was to find the faintest sign of power out in the woods. This area of the world had been completely abandoned for years, and as such there were few possibilities in his mind. Pirate cache, or something still working after all this time, perhaps an old droid even.

Setting down the rear of his ship Arthos went into the cargo bay and turned on the speeder he' brought with him. Gunning it he headed off into the forest towards the power source knowing the ship would close the ramp, and seal up behind him. Flying across the tall grassed plain he moved his eyes over to passenger seat where his sniper rifle lay. Breaking into the tree line he slowed his speeder to a near crawl, and eventually was forced to leave it.

Taking his rifle with him he locked the controls to the speeder with his security code, and kept moving further into the forest towards the steady signal of miniscule power. After a few hundred feet he saw something that shouldn't have surprised him, the outline of what looked to be left of a ship, perhaps he'd found his prize after all.

@[member="Galina"]

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Sound, so unfamiliar, echoed through the forested area. Keen ears, easily picked it up, and tracking behind it. It was heading towards her home, and this, this was something she could not happen. That ship, it's remains, that datapad, the furs, everything ... the last eight years of her life were inside that ship, and she was not comfortable with the idea of anyone unfamiliar entering her domain.

Light as ever, footfalls barely heard across the dying grounds. Winter, was a hard time here. Extremely hard, never enough food to be stored, and she could not afford for even a tiny bit to be stolen. Faster, and faster she pressed, until she knew she was almost in earshot, and finally she slowed, using what little cover their was to approach silently as she could.

A small bit of fear, a little panic, and even anger crept in. That someone would dare touch her home. Nothing had ever been so close. Finally, she could make out a figure against the dead forest. Her bow, she slipped from her shoulder, and pulled out a single arrow, before she took aim. Lining up the shot, she took a deep breath in and held it, before letting the arrow fly, aimed merely to buzz by his right ear.

"Leave," A pause, her voice firm, "While still can." The words sounded so foreign, so strange off her lips. Her own voice she had not heard in some years. Between the furs for warmth, the shoes, hand-stitched, the woman barely able to speak basic it seemed, and with all of this combine, a wild one, fearful of losing all she had worked so hard for. Very clear by her mannerisms, the way she curiously looked to the stranger, but still kept a fierce guard up, she had rarely if ever encountered a sentient, that much certain.

@[member="Arthos Vynea"]

 

[Arthos Vynea]

The Zabrak turned his eyes towards the voice coming from the woods near him. His first impression wasn't simply of her wild look, but of the passion she exuded. Her sensitivity was immature but it was there ready to bloom, and most likely already had at the least touched it. "I no longer care about whatever is in this woods, you are much more precious then whatever it could be. I can feel you though the Force, and you are beautiful."


Walking over towards the girl slowly he opened himself up to the Force and stood far enough distance in hope of keeping her calm. "Do you feel it in the air? Can you taste the power? Would you like to feel it inside if you? To leave this rock forever, and be the ruler of your own destiny?"


Taking a few more steps towards the woman he smiled at her, and raised his hand. "Come with me, and travel the stars, leave this world behind you.

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Her chest rose and fell quickly, fear tearing at her. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the stranger before her. And reaching out without ever an ounce of training, she seemed to linger a moment, trying to draw what little she could take, to understand him better. "Stay back!" She commanded.

The second he stepped forward, she drew her bow a little tighter, and another step back followed. Her mind, was working through what he had said. Eyes never moving from him, but they did move slowly as she thought. Basic, wasn't her first language. Not at all. Words, didn't make a lot of sense, desperate to attach them to something she knew. Still her voice, felt so strange, sounding so strange, something about it just did not feel right. But for one how had only spoken to herself for many years, it was bound to feel odd.


Her breathing quickened, fear and panic about the only thing she could feel, but there was more. Something tangible in the air, power, deep strong power. Her eyes said it all, she didn't quite understand, and she wanted to. But one word she did catch, did know, "Leave?" Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke, eyes gleaming slightly at that word. It was a chance to leave this place, a chance to go away from the wretched life, but she had no idea what life was waiting out there for her. Surely it had to be better than this.


More steps towards her, and she again backed away. Terrified, the girl had walked through the fires of hell and survived, and now, confused, afraid and unsure. At least this place she knew, this world. She'd no idea of life off this place. Childhood memories that were long gone. So much easier for her to deal with the loss of her family, but simply, locking away the memories, and never remembering them.

The situation only seemed to further confuse her, she didn't understand why he'd want her. To take her to who knows where. "Don't know you .... why?" The real dangers of the universe, one's she wasn't completely aware of, from slavery, to torture and so much worse.


"Why? Don't trust." So much fear in her words. So used to everything being life and death out here, and it all was. Always had been this way.

@[member="Arthos Vynea"]

 

[Arthos Vynea]

Arthos stopped his footwork and simply put his hand out towards the girl. He felt no need to explain, and it was likely the only offer she may ever get. She'd take it, he was sure, fear would compel her. "Come with me, be free among the stars, and be the master of your own life. Will another ever come to save you from all this?" With a small smile Arthos extended his arm completely towards her, an open gesture of help and acceptance.


Opening himself up to the force Arthos simply channeled his feeling of power, and strength through the force. Staring her directly into her eyes Arthos just stood there as if locked in place, a statue of hope and strength for a long moment before slowly letting his arm fall. Slowly he stopped channeling his feeling of power and let her fears sink into her, the thought of being forever alone was pushed towards her through the force as Arthos stepped back one step. Moving to half turn away his smile faded to a look of regret before he took the first step away. She would come to him, not he to her, but she would come.

@[member="Galina"]

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

The girl was almost panting, nearly shaking when he stopped moving forward. Then she steadied herself, trying to bring calm back to her mind, and allow sense to control her rather than the fear that was dominating her mind. Words again spoken, only a few made sense once more. She closed her eyes, relaxed her arm and the bow, lowering it to the ground but kept it in hand for the moment. For some reason it felt like that was all that stood between her and him.

The words sunk in what she understood so well. It had been six long years since the time she had crashed here and the last strange being walked this world, and had hurt her badly, but she was just a hair faster. "No. No one come. Ever." She whispered, on the verge of tears, feeling so alone, and afraid. This she knew so deeply in her heart, the fears sinking even deeper, down to her bones. Her eyes pleading for a moment, without a word spoken.

Once more something in the air changed, she could feel it, almost taste it, likely very similar to the way her fears hung heavily in the air mixed with powerful emotions, and strength of her own that was not yet tamed. She knew what she was going to have to do, if she was to be able to truly live, not just survive.

With his step forward, she moved with him, one step. "Wait." She said softly, a bit warmer in her tone, "Please," Pleading tones sinking in, but still there was a child like quality to her speaking, that was completely impossible to miss. "Have things, grab, wait." Again she repeated, wanting the stranger to stay, let her collect what belonged to her.

Galina could only hope he'd give her the time. And moving back to the ship with a quickness, and quietness, that was unlikely he'd ever heard. Her footfalls barely making a sound as she moved. Into the ship, she took a hand made leather like bag, and threw in her datapad, and what little she had that amounted to clothing, a locket that her parents had given her on her eighth birthday, and a single paper-bound book of her father's that had survived. Even, reaching down on her way out what amounted to a door, just furs stitched together to help keep the cold out. Just to her right as she reached that fur skin door, she looked down to all the arrows she had spent time making and shoved them into her quiver, before pulling a dark grey cloak her cloak on over her body.

Closing her eyes, a soft sigh came, this was the last time she'd be here most likely. Somehow in her heart she felt she may never come back to this place. A part of her wanted to cry, leaving behind her parents grave and more or less what had been her home for many years now. As she pushed past the furs, her eyes looked hoping he had waited for her.

The question was how would handle the transition from the wilds to more civilized pursuits. But more importantly, she knew it was going change her, but in what ways exactly, only the gods knew.

@[member="Arthos Vynea"]

 

[Arthos Vynea]

The Zabrak had no such plans as to allow some visit back to what this girl considered home here impede with her growth. In such cases there was only on thing he that could be done, he was going to erase it. The trip back to his speeder had only taken a few minutes, but in that quick moment he had enough thermaplast to handle whatever home this girl could have. As he approached the destroyed ship he saw her come out through a fur door, and without a word walked past her inside the dead ship. Looking around for just a moment Arthos placed small packs of explosives around the ship before walking back out.


Waving for her to follow him as he walked towards his speeder he didn't say a single word but kept the detonator in his hand. Jumping into the speeder Arthos simply waited in silence for her to join him before handing her the small detonator. "Push the button"


@[member="Galina"]

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

Galina's brow furrowed for a moment as the being stepped back into her home. For a moment, she almost followed... Almost. There were just some things she didn't understand, what he'd done, not at all. She'd never known what he did inside there. The concept just not something she'd even thought about, that he'd destroy what had been her home for so long.

Eyes followed as he started back towards his speeder, and the redhead lingered briefly. A hand touching lightly upon the metal that had been both the loss of everything and her saving grace when the first winter set in. It had been her home, her life for so long. A moment or two longer and she fell behind him walking back to the speeder.

Her eyes fell to the detonator he was reaching to hand her. For a long moment, she only stared at it, her head curiously cocked to the side, eyes searching it. Clearly, technology was something she did not have a clear grasp of. The young woman had no clue as to what he was giving her.

Finally with rough hands, she reached forward and took the detonator in hands and further inspected the device. Eyes seemed to question him, as she looked up and then down to the device. Uncertainty clear, but she didn't have the words for what she wished to ask. Write them, yes, speak them, no. He had said he would take her away from here, that she understood. What she didn't was what he was asking of her now. Having no idea what was in her hands would do. After a long while of staring at the device, she finally did as he had asked. She pressed the button, only to be startled, frightened by the blast behind them.

She turned and looked at the smoldering remains of her home, her life. Crying out in shock, surprise and pain at what had been lost. In seconds everything she had known was gone. At least she'd been sitting down inside the speeder with him, or she'd have likely collapsed to the ground. The remote fell from her hands, it clattering to the floor of the speeder.

Her old life was gone. For a moment, she felt as if she couldn't breathe. The only thing she could feel was cold, anger, and pain. But it was done, there was no way undo it. So, Galina slowly drew her knees up to her chest as tears slowly began to fall silently.

@[member="Arthos Vynea"]

 

[Arthos Vynea]

Arthos drove onward towards his ship his attention shifted mostly to the form of the woman sitting besides him, the feel of the emotions coming off her sending his passion thirsty mind into ecstasy. With a near dark thirst he soaked up her emotions as he slowed down the speeder till it finally came to a stop in the middle of the plain, his ship easily seen just a few miles in the distance. Turning to her with his dark eyes he moved his hand to her chin, pulling her face towards his to look into his eyes.

Slowly he allowed his passions to build up around him, his hate, his pain, his fear, and his passions. Like a vicious storm they gathered about him, the force of the winds seemed to tug at his clothes, and the heat his passion radiated inside of him made the air feel like it was about to burst into fire. Slowly he dragged her into it, into his own awareness as he stared into her eyes, his own eyes reflecting the image of her tear streaked face back to her. "Can you feel it all around you? Can you feel it inside of you? If you want to leave all you need to do is touch it, reach inside you and use your fear, and hate to take control of it. Take it and come with me, or fail and I'll sell you to the nearest slavers."

@[member="Galina"]

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

@[member="Arthos Vynea"]

Hands instantly clutched for the hand grabbing her chin, forcing her to look up to him. Things were changing fast, and her other hand already reaching for the small handmade dagger at her waist. She was trembling in his hand, terrified, tears streaming as she panted for breath. Her fear growing, but even she sensed a being far more powerful than she, a fight she would not win. But in her heart, she was a fighter, a survivor. Blade drawn still as she could feel it all changing around her, the air, hate so tangible, fear further drawing out her own.

His words, spoken quicker than she could keep up with. Basic was not native to her. Put it in writing, she could figure it out. Talk too fast and it took a lot to catch up. Closing her eyes she managed to work through a few words, but not a lot. Enough only to nod to him. How could she not feel it? It was surrounding her, almost choking her. A heat she'd never felt, never known.

Every urge in her screamed to use the blade, "No ... slave." She spoke slowly, having trouble forming the words, "Please." Her voice so soft amid the storm, though no less frightened.

Finally she shoved his hand away from her with some force, the dagger only now lay in her lap. She wanted to leave this place, more than anything else in the world. Looking away, back to where the smoke rose from what had been the only thing she recalled as home. Closing her eyes once more even she was no fool, there wasn't anything to return to, no home, no life. He'd taken it from her, and she was angry.

Her mind still worked through the words he'd spoken, good memory she had at least after the crash. Touch, she didn't understand. Touch was physical, what she felt, what she had been pulled into felt like magic. All so overwhelming for the girl. Then she leaned forward hands both held to her head, struggling clearly. Whether it was his words or the task, it wasn't clear. She was fighting for control of something, a part of her that frightened her, a part that made no sense.

It wasn't easy, when so much seemed to be overwhelming her, threatening to destroy her at any moment, and knowing full well he had a power that could crush her should he desire it. Any moment it could end. She lashed out though, more from fear than anything else, the small blade flew towards him. Head spun eyes instantly fearing what she'd done, what'd he would do in return.