Dominion It Belongs in a Museum | CIS Dominion of Abregado-Rae Hex

[Srina Talon]

I don't live in Darkness.
Darkness lives in me. ​

Location: Abregado-Rae [Spaceport Precinct]
Tags: Eira Talon - Darth Empyrean - Gerwald Lechner
Curse: Life's A Song

Hopefully, Eira wouldn’t leave the ship.

Srina found that her ill-fated wish fell on the deafened ears of the galaxy when her holo-comm alerted her that her youngest sibling had indeed flown the coop. She shouldn’t have been surprised. At all. The Exarch was only slightly mollified by the situation since Gerwald Lechner had kept his promise to stay at her side, as often, as possible. It almost felt cruel to ask him to cage himself inside the wolf for her benefit.

But—Was it caging? Or did it set him free?

Another query for another time. Right now, she needed to figure out how to get these people to stop fighting each other. And singing. And whatever it was a pair of Zabracks were doing in the corner. She squinted. What were they doing? Thankfully, that dawning would never come as cold irritation boiled over with the chaos. Even though she’d knocked them away from each other they were still scrambling to get right back to what they were doing.

“Enough!”​

Dulcet, melodic tones, that never raised above what was appropriate for polite conversation soared outward through the precinct in a shockwave. Srina blinked. The Banshee Wail that Tellu Talon was known for erupted from her without intent. The musical vibrato that made the singular word beautiful also caused destruction. Things flew from their desks, tossing back, and the people she had been sent to meet dropped one by one. Transparisteel cracked. At first—She thought she’d killed them.

There wasn’t that typical feeling of life swirling around the drain, melding, and returning to the Force. Oh. They were just unconscious. A faint shrug of her shoulder showed that she didn’t mind this outcome either way. Turning, she tossed a foolish man into one of the Magnaguard, and nodded her head toward the empty stasis cells. “Lock them up – Don’t let them out.”

She could feel a familiar presence at her back and turned slowly to acknowledge Maliphant. With Eira on board, she needed all the help she could get when it came to keeping her safe. Srina had so many, many enemies that just being in her orbit was a danger. Part of her didn’t want to speak up before the pale-skinned man. She did not sound like herself. Her voice was not her own. A soft, bothered chirrup escaped her before she could even try and talk. Like a bird singing.

At least her banshee wail had been directed forward. Otherwise, she feared he would have been knocked out in a similar fashion to the authorities that littered the floor. Srina remained still whilst the nightmarish Magnaguard walked past her, tossing men, and women over their shoulder. Soon enough they would all be secured in their own safe little cells. The Exarch reached up for him gently to touch the base of his ear. No blood. She was relieved. Even if it was aimed forward he’d been so close… “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Didn’t mean to make you cry…Wouldn’t blame you if you hated me for the rest of your life.”

The words just spilled from her. True or not. Sometimes she could get full sentences out that made sense, but mostly, it all came in a form of song. She knew that there was something happening between everyone in this Spaceport. Her head nodded slowly when he mentioned that they ought to get out of the precinct. “Do you think you can find it?”

“Do you know where the end is? Do you think you can see it?”

She hated how her words came out differently than intended. Srina hoped that Maliphant would understand what she was asking. Did he know what was going on? Did he know how to stop it? Had he seen Eira? So many things whirled in her mind in a singular moment that her eyes closed, briefly, and she settled. This didn’t mean that her sister was in danger. It didn’t mean, anything, except someone, liked to play games. Someone—Whom she would gladly introduce to the pointy end of her sword.

“All I need is the air I breathe…We can find it.”

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Tag: Srina Talon │ Gerwald Lechner │ Eira Talon

​

The scream was unexpected, but it didn’t bother him as much as those others in the room. While their ears bled, their minds shattered, and many more passed out, Malilphant had bigger concerns. Such as the rising lust he couldn’t seem to keep out of his mind, which grew from a slight annoyance to a very rapidly rising problem for the Sith Lord -​

​

He wasn’t sure he could explain this to Srina, nor should he. At the moment, he considered putting his lightsaber to his temple and ending it - it would be better than explaining to the Dread Queen that he didn’t want to stop the curse, but wanted her. Yet, even that thought was taken from him as she reached for his ear, rubbing at his lobe ever so slighty in the search for blood.​

​

She meant well, but in Maliphant’s state, he couldn’t help but shrink away from her touch. Of all the places he could be sensitive, he didn’t think his ear was one of them; and she hadn’t helped but so blatantly breaking his personal space - not that he minded. Well, apart of his mind did, but what the mind hated - the body wanted.​

​

“Ah!”, he offered as his hands reached out to hold her a slightly bit away from him. It didn’t help that his hands landed on her hips - and for a brief moment he was lost in that. A speeder road with curves, and he had no brakes; but he let go, and wiped his hands on his shirt as though he had done something dirty.​

​

“Srina, I…”, he idled, trying to find a way to come to an understanding. Knowing the Dread Queen, she wouldn’t understand his explanation, and continue to press herself on him in all the ways she was used to - non of which would be taken the same way.​

​

“I’ve no clue where, or what it is, but I know…”, he tried to focus again, tried to speak those words.​

​

I know we need to find it.​

​

“I know I want you.”​

​

Was there tape in this precinct? He felt he might be better off simply taping his mouth shut.​

 

[Daisy Americus]

Location: The Underground
Tag: Kaden Farr | Malok | Taiia Mataan | Ticca
Curse: Gender Swap - My name is Duke. Duke Americus.

Hearing Kaden sing something out caused him to stop in his tracks. What the kark? Duke didn’t really know how to respond to

that, or, whether or not it might be catching so he took off. That was one hekka nasty cold he really didn’t need to catch if he was going to pop a cap in some slaving pieces of trash. He didn’t know that Kiandra Ceryss was off in the tavern doing Kads work to figure out how to stop these wermo once and for all. When Duke had a celebratory drink? He wanted to celebrate, hard, with a little spice a few ladies and a fat stack of credits. ​

​

Not wonder whether or not these scum bags still lived. ​

​

He moved into the Underground with his shoulder to the wall as he accessed the breach point. He went the opposite way from Malok and Taiia Mataan to avoid friendly fire. And crowding. These walkways were not that wide. Duke moved tactically while securing corridors, choosing carefully, which rooms to investigate. His HUD showed that there were plenty of droids already doing their job. Man, what a sorry sight. He hated these gigs where people were treated like animals. At least he droids seemed to have orders to carry out wounded prisoners before tackling the big kahunas. “Rooms to the right of entry are clear!” ​

​

Unless you counted old corpses and spider webs thicker than a door. A humanoid figure came running at him with what appeared to be a sickle, and a battle cry, to which Duke responded with controlled violence. He squeezed the trigger of his rifle and plugged the sucker three times in the chest before he’d even made it halfway across the room. He gave another shake of his head. What a sad sack. He had to wonder what could drive another person to sell out their own. Credits were great and all. But this? ​

​

It bugged him something fierce. ​

​

“Enemy combatants straight ahead. Using some of the hostages as a shield. Requesting support.” ​

​

His speed remained constant. It was smooth, like some large, feline on the prowl on a savannah. Duke tried to always use the first vital seconds of surprise to his maximum advantage. In close quarters, speed, did not imply incautious haste. It was more of a careful hurry. The idea was to get these people out of this damnable place and back to their families. Thankfully, Kaden responded to his call for back up. “It’s about time, vod. Did you take a pit stop for a dinner and a gorram movie—”​

​

His voice was cut off by blaster fire whizzing by just a little too close to his head. The chipped and decaying permacrete burned and sizzled. Well, dang. Fun time was over he supposed. His voice, perhaps as a surprise to Kaden, seemed to have less, and less of an accent as time went on. “You take the right I got the left. Bring em down, mind the friendlies.” ​

​

Duke held a mind-set of complete domination and they entered on a single command. Controlled violence coupled with speed increased surprise. Hence, his successful surprise allowing an increase of speed in which they cleared the room. The first two he ganked were down before they could reach for their ordinance. They were spittin’ some kind of gibberish baby-talk at him. Even still, hostile was hostile. He could see how afraid the girls in the cages were of them. Shrieking when they came near. Pleading for help. ​

​

These little chits deserved everything he could deliver. ​

​

By the time the dust settled Duke nodded at Kaden. They had control of the room proper and all of the slavers were down for the count. “You free them, Farr. I’ll check the deadites.” ​

​

He almost missed Kaden shoving a broken piece of metal in his T-Visor. What? “Yeah, dude. That’s a helluva scorch from a blaster. We can have a repair party, get a brew, and check out a few babes before dinner time. Prisoners now Farr—Armor later.”​

​

Even the people that were locked up seemed a little funny. Some scared, some speaking gibberish, some were forgetful. It was crazy AF. Duke moved to confirm whether or not enemy casualties were wounded or dead. He disarmed them, even though, his HUD showed a full lack of lifesigns. Couldn’t be too careful. ​

​

He turned to his comm and hailed the group the dark-skinned Sith Lord was in. “Prince of Darkness...@Darth Metus, yo. Reporting acquisition of about a dozen victims. Sending them topside with the droids. Any sign of the head honcho down here yet? I already got a lot of bodies. Over.” ​

​

Turning to a superior felt natural. Man, what a day. He thought he’d feel better about this mission once he took out some of the bad guys. But really? He just felt mad. ​

​

Chit, could he use a death stick right about now. ​

 

[Srina Talon]

I don't live in Darkness.
Darkness lives in me. ​

Location: Abregado-Rae [Spaceport Precinct]
Tags: Eira Talon - Darth Empyrean - Gerwald Lechner
Curse: Life's A Song

“Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Still. Singing. The cold white-witch of the CIS couldn’t stop. She tried. Oh, how she tried. Her facial expressions remained empty but there was something bubbling beneath the surface that Maliphant would recognize. Frustration. Rage. The wintry woman buried it deep and fueled it into her own perfect countenance. Soon, not even those closest to her would know. She thought. She did not feel. That was the way of it. She was a painting without color, a firework, without sound. Empty—Save for the will to serve and complete her duties.

The much taller Sith lightly shrunk away from her touch. She frowned. Why did that bother her?

Actions spoke far louder than words to the Echani. The dismissal might as well have been a slap to the face. He would see her guard rising, as it always should have been, even while he reached out placed his hands on her hips. Srina felt her brow furrow, especially, when he jerked away and wiped as his hands like she was some…Unclean, thing. No. She did not understand his actions nor his explanation.

Advisor to an Exarch. Not, friend.

She should have simply let his ears bleed.

“…I am here, Maliphant.”

Her voice betrayed her. This consequence of being forced to sing. There was far too much emotion present, more, than she ever would have allowed. It betrayed her silence, expressing, that which she buried with a soft sadness. His actions hurt what few feelings she had left to hurt. Ever since Ryloth she’d slowly softened, however, that would change. She shouldn’t have. With the exception of a few precious few, everyone, always left. Either by death or choice.

He chose.

“You're not such an easy target. One minute I know you then I don't.”, she breathed, pulling away, so that she could side-step and make her way back onto the streets. Eira was out there somewhere and Srina didn’t know what this Spaceport had in store for someone so young. Naïve. Nothing would be solved until the force that kept them in strange states ended. “I know you…Then I don't.”

She replayed his words…None of it really made any sense. If he wanted her, she was clearly present. If he wanted her in any other way, it really, really didn’t click. No one wanted her. She was beautiful in the very same way that a forest fire was beautiful. She was something to be admired from afar. Not up close. Never, up close.

Srina stepped out of the precinct and back into the light of day. The chaos had intensified. Vendors were tripping all over each other, fighting, or the opposite of fighting. She could feel her sister nearby but she didn’t see her yet. It was only then, that she realized, that she was compromised. She spent nearly every moment worrying about the welfare of Eira when she should have been more concerned about dealing with the real issue. Eira was with Gerwald. He would keep her safe.

The Exarch had to believe that. Instead, she schooled her features, and tried to focus on the direction the madness was coming from. The source. She could see it in her mind's eye. A silver ball that was old, so old, that it took extreme joy in being free. It was infecting…

Everything.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Tag: Srina Talon │ Gerwald Lechner │ Eira Talon

​

Even as Maliphant fought back the effects of ‘thirst’, he couldn’t help but feel a more anguished sadness from Srina; amplified through the small bridge between them. Despite his attempts to temper his emotions, he could feel that ever painful hole grow in his heart - a pressure, anxiety from her sadness. As much as he wanted to… stop what was going on, he also had to make sure Srina wasn’t hurt from this - that they weren’t.​

​

Was that really important right now? For a moment, he considered if it was, but he was a Sith - he accepted that he came first, and made the choice to be selfish, if only for a moment. Srina turned, past him, walked into the sunlight, and turned her back on the Advisor - on Maliphant.​

​

He reached out for her, pulling at her arm. It would almost seem aggressive, forceful in his actions; but it was only for a moment. While she might have had an initial protest, Maliphant had brought her in tight - hugging her. While she might have been bothered by his lightsaber poking her, he closed his eyes, fought back the embarrassment, and held her for a moment - hoping that it would be enough to convey the emotions and words he couldn’t do so through more spoken means.​

​

“You know me.”, he offered quietly, struggling to maintain that focuse once more, and more importantly stopping his hand from wandering where it shouldn’t. The focuse would only remain for a moment, and he slowly let go - keeping his eyes closed to try and see if the effects would be tempered without vision.​

​

They weren’t, unfortunately.​

​

“We… need to go…”, he struggled out once more as he readjusted his pants.​

 

[Kaden Farr]

LOCATION: The Underground
TAG: Daisy Americus | Malok | Taiia Mataan | Ticca
CURSE: Life's a Song -- Can I carry a tune?

It was all Kaden could do to keep up with Daisy... or whoever it was she thought she was being. There was something very wrong, and everytime Kaden tried to open his mouth to express it, all he could do was sing. Hell, he wasn't even good at singing. Kaden could kill, he could hit anything that flew right between the eyes with his blaster, and he was more than handy in battle, but Kaden Farr did not sing. Whatever it was making him sing was also making Daisy, and everyone around them, act in strange ways. If Kaden didn't know any better he would almost swear that Daisy WAS a man. There really did not seem to be anything of her original self. In fact she acted more like... her brothers. ​

​

She was not going to believe this... would they remember?​

​

Most of the path was cleared by Daisy... Duke... whoever she was at the moment. The Mandalorian did not save any kills for Kaden, and in fact left him with the task of freeing the slaves. Sure there were still a good amount of bodies for him to put on the ground, though he was used to charging in ahead of Daisy while she had the joy of watching his shebs. Still, adjusting to that was minor compared to how happy Kaden was feeling despite everything... it was the singing, and as the bodies fell around them could not help make a little toon... "Let the bodies hit the floor... let the bodies hit the floor..."​

​

That was not the thing to be singing when Kaden was answering the call for backup to guards using the slaves as human shields.​

​

Disgusting.​

​

Kaden had seen too much of this in war, and it was something that he always saw with fresh and raw emotion. Perhaps it was his own experience of feeling discarded that made him find this atrocity so offensive. There was only one thing to be done, and that was to kill with much prejudice. ​

​

He nodded when Dai... Duke told him to go left. There was no more accent, which was even more strange. Whatever was doing this to people seemed to be altering Daisy in a significant way. It was too good to be true he supposed. Things had been going well for them. They were due for another brush with something... abnormal. ​

​

Still singing his crazy song, Kaden took out the guards. Two in front went down with a couple of slugs between their eyes. Apollo and Artemis, his twin pistols, had been his go to weapons since they were gifted to him. Custom weapons were a surefire way to make Mandalorian happy, the knives Kaden had made for Daisy certainly went a long way to showing how much he valued her. ​

​

Kaden could not help feel a little indignant when Duke bossed him about. There were two things happening at once and both were as pressing as the other. He shrugged, dropping the metal and went to release the prisoners, slaves, whatever they were. His mind was distracted from that task. While it was what they signed up for, Kaden was more concerned about the fact his girlfriend was acting more like... well... a man. She looked like a man, talked like a man, and was even walking like a man. ​

​

Once all the prisoners were released, and sent up to the transport ships, Kaden grabbed Daisy by the arm.​

​

"You walk like a man and talk like a man," he sang trying to keep her attention. The rest of what he had to say rang out in song. ​

​

"Something is very very wrong here..."​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

LOCATION: Ferocity
TAG: Eira Talon | Srina Talon | Darth Empyrean
CURSE: Baby Talk -- Goo goo gah gah

Gerwald wasted no time in finding some patch of grassy ground where he could relive the contents of his bladder and bowels. If he were in his human form a long sigh of relief would likely flow from his lips as it had been far too long since his last opportunity. This would prove to be problematic however. It only took a second for Gerwald's attention to leave the Echani he was supposed to be watching for him to lose sight of her. ​

​

For a moment he panicked, at least until he caught wind of her scent. There was one benefit to being a wolf at the moment which would save his fur. Srina did not need to know this happened. ​

​

His eyes fell on the girl, who seemed to be accosting a grease monkey. Looking around, Gerwald observed that everyone was acting crazy. He needed to get Eira back on the ship, but how? He certainly was not going to get her back there as a wolf. As a human, he was strong enough to lift her off the ground and carry her back. If it came to it, that is what he would do. ​

​

She wasn't looking, so Gerwald shifted as he moved toward her, yes, he was nude, but as there were plenty of vendors, Gerwald found a pair of pants rather quickly. Hiking them up and securing them so as not to be indecent, Gerwald approached the Echani. He was more than certain Srina would make him a eunuch if he dared to be anything but a perfect gentleman. While Gerwald have been abstinent for some time, he was aware of his own reputation among the other Confederates. ​

​

Walking up to Eira and the grease monkey, who seemed to want the woman off of him, Gerwald pushed himself between them.​

​

"bsir furpin galmesh fer tootin..." Gerwald clapped a hand over his mouth. Nothing he said was discernible. All he was trying to say was it was time for them to break it up, but it certainly did not come out like that. ​

​

At least the man used the awkward moment to make his escape. Hopefully Eira did not chase after him. Gerwald was ready to scoop her up if she did. ​

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Curse: Dizzy
Tags: Open
​

After a short time in failing to apply mind over matter -- the power radiating from whatever had drawn her here being too great this close to the source -- the Nightmother opted for a different solution. One that didn't have her unable to leave the alleyway from the all too recognizable need for a solid wall to remain upright. A Witch could not set spirits loose on the city in her stead. Not one populated by people best not aggravated needlessly.

One hand pressed against the wall, the Dathomiri woman wove a tapestry of arcane art in the space before her as she concentrated on the spoke component of her spell. The spirits could not act in her place, but they could make locating and dealing with the source possible. It would take too long if she were forced to stumble about drunkenly through the city on her own. Amusing as some might find it. At last, the lines of mystic power came together and streams of mist shot out into the city ahead.

It was not the first time she'd conjured sprites to seek out the hidden things of the world. Small, nimble, and crafty they were -- to pute it crudely -- the bloodhounds of the spiritual world. And quite dangerous if left unattended.

With her teeth clenched, Vytal stepped forward to leave the alleyway. When her leg gave out from the vertigo, the Nightmother's hand caught a solid and unyielding forearm with her hand. Slowly her hand slid forward and took the clawed appendage. Vytal's green eyes slid closed as she managed to straighten up nearly to her full height. "Let us depart." A sliver of unease colored the Witch's normally firmset voice.

The long, serpentine creature with the ivory, featureless mask provided the support Vytal needed to make her way through the city. It was true such an appearance would draw attention. However, how many would dare accost or stand in the way of such a pair? They had no intention of meddling in the affairs of locals, if locals deigned not meddle in the affairs of Witches.

That and most of the residents were suffering the effects of the artifact as well. There would be fewer idly sitting by desperate for something to do.

It took some time after they'd been conjured, but at last a high-pitched, low-powered cry announced a discovery. The sprites beckoned their summoner to a part of the city where the creature responsible had taken refuge. Vytal made her way there as quickly as her unstable footing would allow her. Little of the city was seen by the Nightmother as she kept her eyes closed to lessen the vertigo and tricks played on the mind. It was still only her companion that made forward movement truly possible, however.

"Time for us to meet that which has brought a pox on this world," Vytal announced as they drew near. The delighted chattering of the sprites grew louder the closer they came to the man.

 

[Eira Talon]

Location: Spaceport
Tags: Gerwald Lechner
Curse: Love at first sight

Eira was halfway through proclaiming her heart to the man in her arms when Gerwarld arrived. At first his presence wasn't even noticed, the face of the squirming man occupied her attention entirely.

Oh how she soared under gaze, his arms-- "My love, I-" Something tore him out of her grasp. In an instant, her doey-eyes narrowed. Her lips peeled back into a furious hiss. Her features sharpened, the cherub cheeks becoming defined and angular. It was as if a dewy sunrise had been swallowed up by a sudden storm. Eira looked nothing like her sister in that moment. Her movements though? Oh those would be familiar.

She lashed out, the motion a blur. While she was barely an adult herself, lacking the years and experience that Srina possessed, she was still an Enchani. Fighting was her language, and...
She.
Was.
Pissed.

Her fingers encircled the wrist that reached out to separate her from the man. Thin and delicate, those fingers possessed a strength that would startle many. In one deft yank, she jerked his wrist down in a semi circle. Her body followed the motion, her left foot stepping out to give her space to turn.
And surely, if she had continued that action in its entirety-- given him her back and pinned his arm on her shoulder-- the tension she would have driven through his locked up arm would have been enough to shatter an elbow. But the moment she turned, she stilled....

The intense need to defend her love disappeared from her in a cloud of smoke.

Her attack passed in the span of a second. And for many, it might have been utterly disorienting to respond to. Her grip loosened on the wrist, the girl taking back her own hands so she could stare down at them.

Had she just- Ugh, she smelt like grease-

"What in the-" She stiffened, the presence at her back drawing her attention. For a moment, she didn't turn, processing the person pressed behind her. It's muscles could felt, its body language clear to the girl despite not knowing who it was. Tense-- defensive-- Coiled with anticipation, awaiting her next move. She had been the attacker, she could recall that. And he? With not enough exposure to read his motivations, she turned to regard the stranger and his improper handling of her-...

A set of vibrant blue eyes looked down at her, framed by a pair of thick lashes. Chiseled cheek bones pointed down to a bare chest. Her gaze followed it, the hard set of muscles around her eyes softening. Her hand reached out again, this time slowly ... the tips of her fingers hitting the planes of that chest. Electricity shot up her core in a pleasant burst.


"...My love," she declared. And with that same speed... She went up on her toes for a kiss.

Lips parted.

 

[Daisy Americus]

Location: The Underground
Tag: Kaden Farr Malok Taiia Mataan Ticca
Curse: Gender Swap - My name is Duke. Duke Americus.​

Overall, things could have gone worse.

Duke kicked a weapon away from one of the ganked slavers and reached around his armor for something to smoke. Not a cig, nor, even a death stick.

Why didn’t he have a pack? He always had one, maybe two, but he didn’t even have one behind his ear at this point. Chit. He could hear Farr singing something about some bodies hitting the floor and gave an indignant snort. “Vod, whatever you’ve been smokin’ – Stick to your day job.”

He’d never heard someone that couldn’t carry a tune caterwaul with such confidence and consistency.

It seemed that their opposition really was down for the count. Sighing, he straightened up and headed over toward the cages that held some truly pathetic souls. He didn’t know what to make of it. Duke remembered seeing all manner of nasty in the galaxy, insects included, but there was something that made his chest tight about seeing this kind of depravity. It wasn’t like taking an assassination puck. It was suffering. Duke didn’t know what to do. What to say.

Just gotta’ get the job done.

Some droids shuffled in and helped take the tormented folk away. Where? He wasn’t quite sure. Maybe up to one of the CIS motherships for treatment, or, to be whisked away to new lives. He didn’t know how many more were still hidden in these catacombs. Didn’t want to know. Out of the corner of his eye he spied a familiar silver and red glint. Oh, kark yes. Snatching up the pack of cigarra from a dilapidated desk he checked the pack with a sniff.

Not the freshest—But good enough. He pulled one from the pack, standing against the wall, so the droids could do their thing in peace. Duke didn’t want to leave them unattended until he was sure they were out in the open air. There could still be uglies running amuck, hiding, and waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Couldn’t have that.

Duke realized he didn’t have a light either and glanced down at his armor. Dang, that was a lot of purple. It was then that he realized through the HUD that he had access to quite a few tricks. One of them? A flamethrower. He held the cigarette a decent distance away from himself and raised his gauntlet, pointed up, extremely, extremely silent with the intense focus this required. Just a little more left…

A bright light flared that caused some of the people in the crappy room jump.

“False alarm!”, he yelled, patting some of the more flammable hemp coverings that caught nearby. Whoops. That could have been bad. But—His cig? Lit. The Mandalorian went to pop his helmet off for a moment to take a deep drag but eventually found himself being grabbed by Farr. “Hey—”

Cigarra dropped. Out.

Son of a—

“Yeah, vod, what’s your problem? That’s what men do. Walk, talk, rut…How else do you want me to do it?”

Ok. So, he was a little testier than he ought to have been. Farr was a good dude. There in a pinch, supportive, and fairly easy on the eyes—

Duke paused. There was a momentary flash that popped in his head. It was blinding, like a flare, that almost gave him a headache. He didn’t just remember looking at Kaden Farr. He remembered kissing him. Even more than that, what caused him to balk, was that it didn’t sound entirely unpleasant. That was new. Maybe this purplebellie air was making him abit greedy with his needs. “Calm your girly-pillows. We’ll be outta the trenches soon Farr.”

“When we are—You owe me some tabac.”

 

[Srina Talon]

I don't live in Darkness.
Darkness lives in me. ​

Location: Abregado-Rae [Spaceport Precinct]
Tags: Eira Talon - Darth Empyrean - Gerwald Lechner
Curse: Life's A Song

Flustered.

This was not a word in her vocabulary. She was unmoved, unbroken, and indomitable. Trying to clear her mind and focus on the real issues at hand had never been more difficult. The fact that she couldn’t communicate as she wished to, and instead, could only utter blitheringly unintelligent versus from rudimentary lyrical numbers bothered her. It felt like someone, or something, was speaking for her.

The concept was almost debilitating. Spoken language, on its own, was already convoluted and incredibly difficult. Srina wasn’t a scholar, nor, was she an artist or a poet. The only thing she owned that ought to be singing through the air was a blade. This was the reason that whatever it was that plagued Maliphant seemed to strike her. It burned—Worse than any verbal insult. Her irritation with the situation broke between them like a wave crashing against the shore.

Srina almost moved when she felt Maliphant reach for her.

It would have been too easy to raise her elbow and strike him in the solar plexus. He didn’t expect her to react with violence. For some reason, despite being Sith, he seemed to favor parts of her that weren’t there. Things that didn’t actually exist. Except, on occasion, in the palest shade of day—When the moons were blue—They did. He brought her form against his. It was the exact opposite of the way he had acted before, as if the very air she breathed, drew disgust.

The young woman initially tied to pull away. Not out of anger, or dislike. It was simply because they had a job to do, duties to perform, and her constancies were singular. When things were overwhelming and chaotic, she found peace in a sword. Tranquility, in unrelenting aggression. In solving the problem. Something in his grasp, almost desperate, caused her to stop fighting and slowly accept the embrace. Srina could feel his eyes close and for a moment her cheek rest delicately against his shoulder. Whispers of things unspoken drew a soft sight from her.

It was strange behavior—

Oh.

If she was afflicted with singing, perhaps, Maliphant was affected as well? Just like the people in the precinct. By some small mercy she didn’t seem to realize his lightsaber seemed to be in an awkward place, however, his body temperature had risen. “Are you all right? All of the sudden you went away.”

“I hope you come back around someday…I looked around and you were gone.”, it was her turn, to close her eyes, while a soft sing-song voice pulled up from the space between them. It was agitating. “I feel like there must be something wrong.”

Yes. There was definitely something wrong.

Srina felt a little more centered when his arms slipped away. She did know him. Achingly beautiful features seemed to have fallen to a halt, still, and emotionless. As if someone had carved her from stone. She did know him. As well as she could, given, the circumstances. His ultimate goals were still a mystery to her but for the time being, at least, she knew Maliphant was on her side. “You feel warm. Please…Be still. There is nothing you need say. It can wait.”

He must have been overheated, shifting, and squirming like that. For a brief moment her gaze lingered on his form. There was something he wasn’t saying or something he wasn’t able to say. Her intuition seemed to reach for it. She could almost picture it, but, it remained just out of reach. The difficulties he currently endured were the fault of someone else. “I know you've been hurt by someone else. I can tell by the way you carry yourself…If you let me, here's what I'll do—I'll take care of you.”

‘Right after we take care of this.’

It was a good thing she didn't know what she was volunteering to take care of.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Tag: Srina Talon │ Gerwald Lechner │ Eira Talon

​

“I’m alright.”, Maliphant offered quietly.​

​

He had resisted the Darkstaff’s cruel will once upon a time. A weapon of mass annihilation had made him its shadowy puppet, demanded he destroy planets in its name; and he had resisted it, even destroy it through sheer force of will. So why did this feel so similar, from a nameless artifact that should never had so much sway over his emotions?​

​

The reality of it was, and perhaps to Maliphant’s own dismay, was that he wanted what it was trying to push him towards. It might have been easier to shrug off the Darkstaff, as it worked entirely against his will - but this, it wanted what he wanted, and it tore oneself apart to fight their wants. Just as she had noticed, his body temperature had risen - for a variety of reasons, but fighting that feeling was certainly among them.​

​

With her offer to say nothing, he took that chance for once; desperately trying to look upwards as his cheek flushed with embarrassment. If he looked at the sky - he couldn’t be caught staring where he shouldn’t, but the heart wants what the heart wants, the mind’s eye imagined what the heart asked. Forcing Maliphant to clench up, feeling that tension tear at his body.​

​

“I’ll take care of you.”​

​

It was those words that made his pant’s shrink three sizes that day; and both the worst and best things he could hear in the moment. His heart quickened to an almost uncomfortable rate, a cold sweat began to grow on his forehead, and he couldn’t help but clench up -​

​

“I uh… Srina -”, he tried to stammer out in protest. She didn’t understand.​

​

“... We should hurry and take care of this then.”​

​

Please stop, he thought to himself.​

​

Why are you like this?, he cried internally.​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

LOCATION: Ferocity
TAG: Eira Talon | Srina Talon | Darth Empyrean
CURSE: Baby Talk -- Goo goo gah gah

Gerwald was highly confused. One moment his target, ward, whatever the right word was for what Eira was to him, was fawning over some grease monkey and then wrenching his arm, which...​

​

"OUCH! That hurt!"​

​

Which it did. While Eira was smaller, and no where near as strong as Gerwald her quick movement, coupled with the element of surprise meant she had the upper hand, for now. If Gerwald wanted to, he could easily overpower the young Echani, but that would defeat the purpose of being her bodyguard. Besides, she had managed to pull him off balance which caused him to lunge forward slightly.​

​

The next moment came just quickly as the previous. Gerwald barely had himself stood up when the trademark eyes of the Echani looked up to his. Her hand reached out to touch the plane of his bare chest, a sensation Gerwald had not felt in a long time. It was almost foreign, the touch of a woman, it had been so long, and Gerwald panicked. His mind raced to thoughts of wishing the hand on his chest belonged to Naedira Darcrath , Srina Talon with a pair of tin snips in her hands, and the fact it had simply been a long time since he had been kissed by anyone. His panic did not leave him with enough time to react in anyway.​

​

Her lips pressed to his, and Gerwald immediately pushed her away.​

​

"hibu manif gaber flubbin..."​

​

Gerwald meant to say we cannot be doing this... but there was no way she was going to understand a word he said. He needed to get back into his wolf form, but without being seen. The only problem was how was a 6'7" man supposed to get lost enough in a crowd to shift.​

​

He didn't know... He didn't care.​

​

Gerwald started running pretty sure he was going to get chased. Why did most of his encounters with women result in him running and turning into a wolf?​

 

[Kaden Farr]

LOCATION: The Underground
TAG: Daisy Americus | Malok | Taiia Mataan | Ticca
CURSE: Life's a Song -- Can I carry a tune?

Smoking... Kaden had not been smoking. He had no idea what Daisy... Duke... whatever was going on had Kaden singing, had Daisy thinking she was a man, and apparently looking like one. He did not want to know what was underneath that armor at the moment. At this rate though, Kaden wished he was smoking something at this point, or so drunk he would forget all of this. Maybe it was all a bad dream. If he pinched himself hard enough would he wake up? There was only one way to find out... the problem was rescuing prisoners was not the place to try.​

​

There was one consolation in all of this mess, the slaves they had set out to free were getting freed. Duke seemed intent on making sure all the bad guys were out for the count, and all their weapons were accounted for. Smart. It was something Kaden would have typically done himself had his partner not been so quick to make sure it happened. It felt good setting slaves free. ​

​

This was not something his mother Selene would likely approve of, however, the death surrounding their freedom she would love. That was something Kaden still needed to figure out. How was he going to tell Daisy about Selene? What if Selene wanted to meet Daisy? If his association with Yasha had caused Daisy to pause, what would his association with Selene do? If Daisy knew it was the dark side which allowed him to reach out to her? Yet, Kaden was not the same anymore. The person was with Daisy was no longer the same person who had returned from the Netherworld with his heart set on revenge. ​

​

The flamethrower pulled him out of his own mind. Quick motion was made to put out the fire Duke had started. Kaden shook his head as he looked to the other Mandalorian who had just lit a cigarette with a FLAMETHROWER!​

​

"You couldn't get enough so you had to self-destruct," Kaden sang having to deal with a pissy Duke over the fact the cig fell the ground. ​

​

She... He... looked at Kaden like there was something there, was Daisy trying to come back? By the Manda he certainly hoped she was. Kaden was not too sure he could deal with Daisy being a man all the time. She was so much like her brothers, and while Kaden enjoyed them, he did have to take them in doses. He was pretty certain they were all planning his death behind closed doors anyway.​

​

Instinctively Kaden put his hands to his chest when he was told to calm his girly pillows... wait... he didn't have those. Then again with what was going on with Daisy he would not put it outside the real of possible. Trading places? He supposed if he could survive the Netherworld twice he could be woman if had to be...​

​

They were almost out of there, great, but that didn't solve the issues hat hand. Kaden could not stop singing, and Daisy turned into a man... a hot man, but still a man.​

​

He was going to try with Duke one more time.​

​

"What has happened to it all? Crazy some would say. Where is the life that I recognize?"​

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Life's a Song...?
​

"Stand back, everyone, nothing here to see!" Alkor burst onto the scene with unexpected gusto, belting out a song that had suddenly and uncontrollably seeped into his thoughts. Normally, such things never wormed beneath his skin; but this curse was different. It was ancient, it was powerful, and it needed to end.

"Just imminent danger, in the middle of it, me!" He pointed out toward Vytal Noctura and then toward the Mandragora and other Knights Obsidian who had arrived before him. "Yes, Cap'n Alkor's here, hair blowing in the breeze," he gestured toward himself, "the day needs my saving expertise!"

The entire group who entered with him erupted next, joining him in song. "A maaaaaaan's gotta do what a maaaaaaan's gotta do," he stepped forward and took the Nightmother's hand overdramatically, quite displeased with his body's apparent need to get lost in the melody. "Seems destiny ends with meeeeee saving youuuu..."

He whirled the woman around in a circle and dipped her, displaying a secretly kept skill with dance that the entire Confederacy would doubtless never let him live down after this. "The only doom that's glooming is you loving me today, so I'll give you a sec to catch your breath."

​

 

[Eira Talon]

Location: Spaceport
Curse: Love at first sight
Tag: Gerwald Lechner

The shove was a start to her senses, the young echani caught off guard and left stumbling back. The man had well over a good foot on her, and the means of which it had taken for her to reach his lips left her sorely unprepared to catch herself.

That, and she frankly hadn't expected the rejection.

She landed hard on her ass, the rattling pain leaving her blinking and clearing her mind for the briefest of moments. What had gotten into her? Came the flickering thought.

Before she could process her own confusion, her gaze settled on the bare back fleeing away. Her sense of purpose slammed back over her with invigorating force, her heart jumping in her chest at the concept of loosing him.

"No!" She cried out. And in probably the cheapest shot known to man, Eira reached out with the force and grabbed at him. Or more accurately-- his ankle. She scrambled forward on all fours, finding her footing as the curse urged her forward. Didn't he know they were meant to be together? Maybe the kiss had been to much, but she couldn't help but to respond to the wealth of warmth he had brought forward.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out, desperate in her pursuit. "Wait, please! Let me explain!" Those thin fingers lashed out, reaching for his wrist to tug him back around to her.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Curse: Dizzy
Tag: Alkor Centaris​

Why did Vytal hear a loud, boisterous voice with a bit of melody suddenly burst onto the scene? Her brow drew low over her closed eyes as the source of the offending cry seemed in no hurry to stop while they were ahead. To say the incredibly loud grandstanding made the Nightmother want to open her eyes and shove a ghastly spirit down the offending gullet was putting it mildly. First off, what imminent danger? Second, how was he in the middle of it having arrived late to the scene? And what expertise?

Also, there was no chance the man had hair worth worrying about being blown in the breeze.

Then the chorus arrived. The chorus. A group of people that sang "a man's got to do..." See, a Nightsister did not tremble. Not out of fear. Not out of jealousy. Not even out of rage. No, Nightsisters calmly selected a means of making their enemies remember their fateful encounter so they could complain over drinks at some cantinas about the mean women that had no sense of humor.

Perhaps the man thought if he swept in and took her hand, the sudden intrusion would throw off her mindset of electing the form of his destruction. If that were the case, he would be sorely -- if briefly -- disappointed in the near future. Women of Dathomir were exceptional at making decisions under duress. Being involved in a badly executed song-and-dance routine was duress.

The world whirled as it had been for... Fanged God she had no idea how long she'd been on the planet. She couldn't even open her eyes without collapsing on the spot. So, naturally, this man that walked in on certain danger in both of its forms elected to aggravate the matter. Vytal clenched her teeth as she spun about and was caught in the man's arm.

Ordinarily the serpentine guardian would have set upon Alkor, but it already knew the Nightmother's thoughts. If anyone else decided to form a ring for an overly elaborate dance routine, however, she would brain them with her very muscular lower half.

"The only doom is you standing between me and that artifact," Vytal growled. "Let me absolve you of your concern." Seeing how Alkor so thoughtfully caught her in his arm, the pale Witch's green eyes could open and suffer the endless motion of the cosmos long enough to hook a fist toward his face.

Was it the curse? Of course it was. Did it matter? Not at all. Deliberate or not these antics were stalling the end of their suffering; and if she had to knock an assassin out of the way to do it, by the Fanged God she would. Also, was that Alkor's face she made out in the stomach-wrenching vision of the world?

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Oh yeah, definitely a song.
​

If their situations were reversed, Alkor would have done the same. The punch landed, but did nothing to abate the ridiculous curse that had taken hold of him. In fact, as Vytal spurned his uncontrollable advance, the Jen'jidai winced as another song burst into the forefront of his mind.

And it wasn't as though he could simply hum it, or push it aside. Normally, if something sought to seize control of his mental facilities, he could force them out and close his mind. That wasn't what this was at all. He was mentally present and his thoughts were his own.

No, this was something else entirely.

And so, in fact, was the song. Alkor's fingers danced ever so softly over the Dathomiri woman's palm as he pulled her backward and upright, turning in a perfectly timed box step to face her square on. As he did so, he looked away, feigning the horror of being slighted by placing the back of his hand to his forehead, face screwed into an expression of heart-wrenching sorrow.

"Loooove huuuurts..."

What.

What.

No, this damned curse has gone too far.

"Love scars..."

If he could have bit through his tongue and drowned in his own blood, Alkor would have in that moment. Alas, it seemed that this otherworldly phenomenon sought to make a complete mockery of him, and with the Nightmother as not only a captivated audience, but the object of his apparent affections.

"Love wounds," he sang in a trilling rasp, "and marks..."

His eyes found hers, and if she had the ability to see them now, she would see the frustration and annoyance that burned behind them. That didn't change that he now faced her, kneeling, gently letting her hand go free.

"Any heart not tough or strong enough to take a lot of pain..."

Please, get rid of it. End it. Or me. Either works.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Curse: Dizzy
Tag: Alkor Centaris​

Ugh, the knot in her stomache at the sky being all too bright, held at an angle, and set upon by endless karaoke. If this went on much longer, the Nightmother felt she might actually expel the contents of her stomach. It was not made any better when Alkor helped straighten the pale woman back up so considerately after she popped him in the nose.

"Stop," the Witch moaned as Alkor started up again, literally sick to her stomach. Not that there was any point in asking, or he would have never started. Now would be a good time for her god to get off his throne and do something, however.

Narrowed eyes made tolerating the existence of the world around her bearable, but there was an obvious sway to Vytal's shoulders. Her lips twisted about as she sought to rise above the physical desire to expel a sour kernel that had plagued her since arriving. Alkor's words weren't helping. Not that this all wouldn't have been flattering or entertaining under better circumstances. Neither party was particular smitten with current events; though Alkor might have felt the worse off, Vytal's concentration was in maintaining her own composure.

Her right hand lifted up and a ball of energy began to form. As it grew larger in the palm of her hand it also grew brighter. "How much pain?" A swirling spiral of energy flared into being as the energy ball expanded nearly twice its size.

Teeth clenched, Vytal mentally readied herself for what would follow.

Left hand dropped atop the kneeling Alkor's head, the Witch pivoted away and flung the ball of energy back toward the artifact that plagued the planet -- and them personally. "Annihilation!" The serpentine guardian swept in to catch Vytal as she began to spin too far and would soon topple to the ground without intervention. The churning mass of energy shot across the distance and slammed into the cursed object. It engulfed the artifact, and the speed in which the energy swirled grew faster and faster.

Vytal's pale complexion took on an unwelcome green tint as she was craddled in the supporting arms behind her. She managed to lift her hand and clench her fingers into a fist to tighten down the frantic energy and consume the orb.

 

[Aspect of Defiance]

A blast of energy from Vytal Noctura destroyed the orb which was causing everyone under its influence to go insane. Whatever energy was making them go crazy began to dissipate. A second wave of energy shot out of the orb only to pull back into itself before an explosion sent a final shockwave to counter the energy which made everything turn upside down. Soon those under the effects of the orb would begin to come back to themselves. The changes they had undergone would not be permanent.

Those who were sent to free the slaves also prevailed. Thanks particularly to the efforts of Daisy Americus ... er Duke Americus... those set to be sold into a lifetime of servitude would find new life among the freedoms the Confederacy of Independent Systems had to offer. All of them were safe. The slavers were all dead or found themselves arrested to stand trial. The Confederacy did not stand for slavery, and those imprisoned would be made an example of.

Despite the activation of the artifact, the day had been good for the Confederacy and another world was under their control.