Private Let the Games Begin

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve could barely restrain her surprise upon learning she'd been assigned as Senator Organa's personal guard.

She'd never been particularly fond or familiar with the man, not since threatening him at his own wedding. Was it purely coincidence she was here now, working under him, or was this Amani's handiwork? An attempt to force some kind of friendship between them?

She grimaced. The Force worked in mysterious ways.

Maeve had made very little conversation upon their arrival to Esfandia. It was not that she disliked Alicio, the doting husband to one of her only friends, but she'd never quite warmed to the rich or the political.

Still, a task like this, she supposed, would offer her some much needed diplomatic experience. Esfandia had long been considering membership to the Galactic Alliance and a local monarch had chosen to formally meet with Senator Organa at their city-state's grand arena. It was going to take a great deal to persuade them on their side.

While Maeve had little idea what to expect from the spectacle of the games below, she only prayed it wasn't too grisly for either of their tastes.

As they strode through the narrow hall to the monarch's observation box, alone, Maeve glanced reluctantly over to Alicio. Ice-cold eyes met his own. It was a poor time to bring this up, but she could not resist the urge since she'd been told the news weeks ago.

"So," she began, treading lightly. "I heard you and Amani are expecting. Twins, no less. Must be… exciting." She phrased the statement like a question, as if to ask, Is it?

Maeve never quite understood how people could enjoy having children.

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

ESFANDIA
GRAND ARENA
​

It didn't take the Force to sense an uneasy cold coming from Maeve.

Draped in a dark cloak, pulled tight around his body, Alicio walked with a smooth sort of elegance, the sound of his boots clicking against well-worn stone. He was silent, as he had been for most of their trip; the Jedi Shadow wasn't particularly talkative. That, combined with the well-meaning threat at his wedding with Amani, had Alicio mentally playing their two conversations, and wondering what he had said or done to upset her.

This was an important meeting. Swaying an important planetary figure to the side of the Alliance was an important step, were Esfandia were to ever join the Alliance. Alicio could only hope he was ready- he was far more experienced lobbying for refugees than true, government-sponsored diplomacy. One misplaced word, and he could doom any hope for cooperation.

Funnily enough, he felt a similar vibe speaking with Maeve. As if saying the wrong thing would condemn him in her eyes.

"I heard you and Amani are expecting. Twins, no less. Must be… exciting."

Alicio let his eyes, stony grey, flick towards her icy blue. There was a moment of calculation, before he responded, his mouth ticking upward into a smile. "Yeah. It is." His smile broadened. "And nerve-wracking." His hands fidgeted a little, underneath his cloak.

"Amani's due in a little over a month. But twins are usually early, so... It will likely be sooner." Alicio turned his eyes forward again, adjusting the cloth around his shoulders. He was nervous about being a father. He'd told Amani as much, on multiple occasions. Not to mention his worries about the pregnancy itself. What if something went wrong? But any reservations he held were dashed by the excitement of it all. "So... let's get this done fast. I'd like to be home when it happens."

Having picked up on Maeve's hesitancy, Alicio sent her a reserved grin. "Do you not like children?"

An odd conversation to have while within an arena, but the Count wasn't complaining.

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve nodded at his answer. Nerve-wracking was an understatement. She could not imagine what giving birth to twins was like, but raising them? Amani was a member of the Jedi Council and Alicio with the Senate. Neither of them could possibly have the time or effort to care for two shrieking, snot-nosed infants. It seemed utterly unimaginable.

For Maeve, perhaps. She'd dealt with her fair share of children. Nasty little ankle-biters. Her experience with them had never ended on a good note.

"Let's just say I'm not fond of them," she replied. "They scream. Cry. Fret. They require immense effort to deal with and I simply don't have the patience to nurse after them. There are far better things to do." Hunting and murdering Sith, for one. "Besides, I have found that most children are not too fond of me, either."

Some blamed her eternally resting grimace. Others chalked it up to her blunt nature. But Maeve liked to think she just wasn't fit to be a mother or a nanny, only a Jedi Shadow.

"Of course, despite my... personal opinions about them, it's good to hear you and Amani are ready for parenthood. You seem like you'd make a decent father." As backhanded as the compliment might've sounded, Maeve meant every word. Alicio was a good man. Amani had seen that much. Why else would she have married him?

"I hope the twins come out safely and well. Amani is strong. She will be a wonderful mother." Maeve kept her eyes forward. Up carpeted stairs they went, towards the light of what was likely the monarch's viewing box. It was almost time. "Have either you at least considered hiring a nursemaid to help around, or do you to plan to raise the twins yourselves?"

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio didn't know much about Maeve. Only what he'd gleaned from their curt interactions, and second-hand from Amani. But he had the instincts of a politician, when it came to reading people. He could've guessed there was no love lost between the Shadow and children, which she was quick to confirm.

"It makes a lot of sense, when you put it like that. Not everyone needs children, despite what cultural norms have to say about it. But I've always wanted kids. I don't know how to describe it, just that starting a family with Amani feels like... the most right thing I could do. I've... lost hope, for a lot of things. But... at least for us, the future looks bright."

"Besides, babies don't scream, cry, and fret forever, you know." Alicio's smile turned mischievous, dark eyes glinting with humor. "Well, maybe some do. The Federal Assembly is proof of that."

Maeve's lukewarm compliment was received warmly by the Count. "Thank you," he said, nodding once to the Jedi, before beginning to ascend the carpeted stairs. "And I know she will be. She's so compassionate, and patient, and endlessly caring..." He caught himself before he could completely lose himself thinking about his wife. He was distracted by Maeve's final question. "We haven't talked about it. As far as I know, we don't plan to. Just hiring babysitters as necessary." Thankfully, they also had the Jedi Temple to fall on- certainly, there was some kind of daycare service? "I'm going to try to be in their lives as much as I can." His eyes narrowed in thought. It was obviously something he cared a great deal about.

As they began to reach the top of the stairs, Alicio lowered his voice, just above a whisper. "I want to give our host the benefit of the doubt, but... stay vigilant. Something feels... off." Perhaps it was just lingering anxieties from a looming fatherhood.

Or perhaps it was an echo from the Future.

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

So, it was true. Alicio and Amani had wanted this life. To bear children. To be parents. She'd found it hard to believe when the Jedi healer had told her such during their last outing together, but this was confirmation.

Raising children without help? They both really were mad.

"Well, as long as this is what you want, I am happy for you both. Just don't turn to me when you're unable to locate a nursemaid. It would only do your twins more harm than good." Maeve had already traumatized countless children in her quest as a Jedi Knight. Better if she steered clear of them in the future, and for everyone's sake.

As they reached the end of the staircase, Maeve nodded at Alicio's last remark. "I understand. I feel it, too. Like the undercurrent of a threat." She double-checked her lightsaber, stashed neatly up the sleeve of her robe. "I will be on the lookout."

Upon reaching the observation box, she was greeted with the sight of a young woman with long, dark hair. Guards stood watch about her, at least four in total.

Duchess Sofia Lorenza was a terribly beautiful woman. She had skin like burnt amber and eyes bright as jewels. She wore a deep plum dress with a plunging neckline and what had to be at least a dozen accessories: gold rings, ruby necklaces, pearl earrings. She reeked of luxury and wealth. Worse than Maeve had ever felt with Alicio, and it made her nearly scowl.

"Senator Organa," Sofia greeted with deep bow. "Knight Linahan. What an absolute pleasure. Please, be seated. The games will begin shortly."

She waved a hand to an attendant. "Care for a drink, Senator?"

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"No worries there," Alicio said, an impish smile sneaking onto his face. "We plan on cajoling Valery and Kahlil into watching them, if Amani and I ever need some time alone." There was something intensely funny about the picture of the Sword and Shield of the Jedi, hands full of five newborn children and Vera.

On second thought, maybe they would have to find new babysitters.

The confirmation that it wasn't just him tasting something off in the air gave the Count a slight frown. He nodded to Maeve, and turned his eyes ahead. He would be vigilant, too.

He needed to get home, after all.

Cresting the top of the stairs, Alicio's countenance shifted ever-so-slightly. It was as if all his reservations drained away, as his body language opened up, and a warm, if reserved, smile lit his features. The image of the Duchess was one familiar to the Count- while perhaps a bit excessively dressed, she looked like she could belong at an Alderaanian soiree. "Duchess Lorenza," he returned, matching her bow with a tight, practiced motion. "Thank you for inviting us. While Esfandia wasn't the easiest planetary body to find, I have faith the trip will be worth it."

At the offer of drinks, Alicio nodded. Already, he could tell she was the type to circle around the proverbial drain. Not Alicio's preferred method, but he could play that game. "Of course." He looked to the Duchess' attendant, an apologetic smile on his face. "Would it be too much hassle to ask for tea? If so, whatever the Duchess recommends."

Usually, the Count would offer to get Maeve a drink as well, but if there was truly something wrong, Alicio didn't want to distract or draw attention to her.

Alicio stepped past them, his cloak coming to rest around him as he stared down from the viewing box, to the stadium beneath. "What kind of game will we be watching?"

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"Tea? How very tame of you, Senator." Duchess Lorenza smiled teasingly and signaled to the attendant. "Fetch us two cups of jasmine, would you, dear?"

As the attendant bowed and left, Maeve stood by in absolute silence. She didn't mind the lack of an offer. Whatever drinks they served, she wouldn't partake, besides. Best to keep her mind clear while she kept watch and even better to stay out of Sofia's dismantling gaze. She was only a guard. Diplomacy was best left to the diplomats.

Settling into her own cushioned seat, Duchess Lorenza smoothed the wrinkles in her dress and looked down into the arena. "You've come at a perfect time, Senator Organa. These games are held only twice a year, where champions from across the planet and mercenaries from distant worlds come together to offer us—and the people of Esfandia—a taste of exhilarating battle."

As if on cue, at least a dozen men exited out onto the bare grounds of the arena. Applause roared from the stands. Thousands had to be watching, many crying for blood, which made Maeve sour with displeasure. A gladiatorial fight. She expected as much.

"The rules are simple," Sofia went on and waved a hand. "Survive."

At her signal, a gate in the arena groaned open. Not even halfway up and a massive, painted rancor burst through, shrieking with teeth bared. Maeve blinked a little in surprise.

Now that, she hadn't expected.

"Ah, lovely," said the duchess as the attendant returned with two steaming, porcelain cups. "Tea is served. How about some lunch, Senator?"

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Is it a crime to enjoy the taste?" Alicio smiled back, before returning his eyes to the space beneath. Jasmine did sound lovely. Perhaps it would dull the strange flavors coming from the Force.

"You've come at a perfect time, Senator Organa. These games are held only twice a year, where champions from across the planet and mercenaries from distant worlds come together to offer us—and the people of Esfandia—a taste of exhilarating battle."

Alicio's pleasant, agreeable demeanor slowly drained, until he was glaring down at the arena, watching as an enormous painted creature hunted the people below. His easy smile had devolved to a thin, shaded frown. This sort of event would certainly be illegal within Alliance space. Even disregarding the blood sport, Alicio was certain there were a few animal cruelty charges one could levy.

The Count had learned to play the game. But he couldn't continue it, not when an affront to his ideals stared him in the face.

Tea was served, but Alicio didn't make a move for his cup. Instead, he raised a hand. His infallible peace had morphed into an unnerving, ghastly calm. "I'm not hungry." He clenched his jaw, staring out over the suddenly grisly scene. The rancor managed to close it's fist around a mercenary, taking off the top of their body in a single bite. That caused Alicio to look down.

"Have you ever been in battle, Duchess Lorenza? A real battle?" His voice had quieted, evening in tone, as if he were fighting to keep it that way.

"I have, and I didn't find it particularly exhilarating. It was desperate. Awful. A necessity, but not something to be glorified. Not something to emulate for fun."

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"I'm afraid I've never participated in a battle, Senator Organa. Only watched from the comfort of a cushioned lounge with a goblet of wine and a bowl of diced fruit." Sofia gave a short laugh. "Ah, speaking of which…"

With a beckoning wave, Duchess Lorenza summoned another attendant, who brought her a ceramic dish of peeled mangoes and berries. She plopped one into her mouth before offering the bowl to him. "You sure you're not hungry? It's plucked straight from the orchards."

Her smile was radiant and sweet, but as Alicio went on, his voice dropping an octave and growing more serious by the syllable, Sofia's smile faded. She looked at him for a long moment, considering.

"You speak as if this arena fight and your war with the Sith are the same, Senator. This is merely spectacle for the masses. Our champions choose to compete in the arena, despite the risks, despite the… consequences." The last word came as the rancor took hold of another mercenary and ripped their body in two, provoking a round of gasps and applause from the crowd. Even Maeve struggled not to turn away at the grisly sight.

"These are the traditions of our great city. Would you ask that we abandon them in favor of, what, pleasing a few soft-stomached Core Worlders?"

Sofia relaxed into her seat. "Come, Count Organa. You must find some amusement in these games. How about a wager? No winnings. Just fun." She gestured to the arena. "Who do you think will come out of this alive? The beast, or the champions?"

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio scorched the Duchess with a deadpan stare. "I am certain." He'd lost his appetite, for whatever reason. He checked in with Maeve then, noting with some amount of comfort that she had taken all of this... similarly to him.

He found Lorenza to be a level-headed and charismatic speaker, which made her calm in the face of his displeasure particularly worrying. She was made of stern stuff, that was certain. Alicio continued to stare into the arena, a growing snarl on his face. He would meet her sheer presence with his own. "You are correct, this is not like the wars against the Sith."

"The lives lost against the Maw meant something. They died to protect the innocent, against a threat that could have subsumed the galaxy in darkness, and protected against a tyrannical rule I can't well imagine. The lives lost here are... 'merely spectacle for the masses'." If looks could kill, Alicio would have reduced the roaring crowd to ash by now. He completely ignored her question on tradition, instead responding to her last point.

"I don't wager with lives." He took that time to look at her, his disintegrating gaze as dangerous as ever.

"Do you think these games accurately represent the traditions and values of Esfandia? Of you, Duchess?"

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

By now, Duchess Lorenza had recognized Alicio's disapproval. His disgust. He wore it on his face plain as morning, and she'd finally caught onto it.

"I did not mean to offend you, Senator Organa. I'd hoped you might find some entertainment in our negotiations, rather than over a banquet table. But I see now I was mistaken." She folded her hands in her lap. "You really are like the Jedi. Preachy and self-righteous."

Sofia's eyes flicked to Maeve. She didn't like the look the duchess wore.

"These games may not have been a centuries-long tradition on Esfandia, but it has been a successful one. Before, when your Jedi waged war with the Sith and left multiple worlds in ruin, my people lived in constant fear that one day, our world would be next. These games offer them a chance to escape that fear. To feel in control."

"The war may be over, but I will not take away their amusements just to spare your feelings."

She lifted her chin and plopped another grape into her mouth. "However, I sympathize with your… propensity for peace, Senator Organa. As I think about it, perhaps I will consider ending these games, if it might earn Esfandia a trade deal with the Galactic Alliance." She raised a finger. "But only on one condition."

Her finger lowered at him. "Enter the next and final round of the games. You don't like to wager on lives? How about you wager with your own."

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Well, if she hadn't meant to offend him before, calling him 'preachy' now certainly didn't help matters. Though, he supposed after a moment of introspection, being compared to a Jedi was a better compliment than any other honeyed words the Duchess could force-feed him.

Alicio's face remained stoic and unbreaking, his eyes hard like shale as Lorenza attempted to justify the gladiatorial games, her reasonings falling on deaf ears. He was usually the sympathetic sort, but the Duchess and her games would have none of his. At least, until she made her wager.

"Enter the next and final round of the games. You don't like to wager on lives? How about you wager with your own."

Alicio canted his head to the side, his icy eyes growing distant with thought. It was only a moment, before they crystalized again, and Alicio stuck out a gloved hand to shake the Duchess'. "I accept," he said, his tone soft and light. "On my condition that you announce the terms of our wager, for all to hear." Having a crowd of witnesses to their bet would prevent her from backing out after the fact, and he was certain the audience would enjoy the spectacle.

He stepped away from the Duchess as quick as he'd stepped up to her, boots clicking towards the doorway. He mustered one last severe look towards Lorenza, the venom dripping from his final words to her. "Let's continue this discussion once I return. Enjoy the show, Duchess." He menaced out of the doorway, cloak following behind him like a dark shadow.

He let a few beats of silence pass, before speaking quietly to the wind, expecting Maeve to have followed. "You don't... have to join me down there. I'm already betting my life, it isn't my place to bet yours, too."

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"Deal."

Duchess Lorenza's lips broke into an eager smile. She clearly found the whole situation entertaining, more than the games beneath them, even as the painted rancor continued to ruthlessly tear through the gathered mercenaries. It seemed on the verge of winning.

"I will announce your participation in the games, including the terms of our wager. I am a woman of my word, Senator Organa. I will keep it regardless of the outcome." She stirred a spoonful of honey into her tea and took a long sip. "You are welcome to bring your Jedi companion too, if you feel you need her. But I suspect it may make little difference."

Maeve shot the woman a deep glower. If Alicio's stare could kill, then hers perhaps would've set the entire arena ablaze. She didn't like the woman one bit, but Senator Organa had accepted her offer. There was very little for the Jedi Shadow to do than go along with him.

With the deal done, Maeve turned and followed Alicio from the observation box, leaving behind Sofia's smug grin and miserable company.

"You aren't going alone," she told Alicio as they strode back downstairs. "I am under orders to protect you, Senator, and I will follow them. Besides, if anything were to happen to you, my life would be forfeit. Amani would personally see to that." A slight exaggeration. But she was not going to sit back and watch as her friend's husband blindly tossed himself into an arena.

Not without her to back him, at least.

"I may not understand you or your wife's love for children, but I would not rob the twins of their father." She folded her arms and shook her head. "I should be the one in the arena. Not you. Can you imagine what Amani would say about this? About what you're risking?"

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio was glad to be rid of Sofia Lorenza.

He would take Maeve's silence over the Duchess' boastful maneuverings any day.

He didn't know how to feel about the Shadow's insistence that she would be jumping into the proverbial inferno with him. His face betrayed his relief, and his guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't exactly give you a say in the matter. But... thank you, regardless." He smiled cautiously at the Jedi, before returning to staring ahead.

The crowd's cheers reached a fever pitch- it seemed the rancor had finally devoured it's prey.

"I should be the one in the arena. Not you. Can you imagine what Amani would say about this? About what you're risking?"

Alicio chuckled, nervous tension leaking from his shoulders, even as his face betrayed none of it. "She knows I... have a nasty habit of finding danger at every opportunity I can." It was a disturbing pattern. The first time he'd met Amani, he had been running towards a Sith Lord attacking his refugee camp. Since then, he'd led rescue teams in active warzones, offered himself up as assassin-bait, and stepped in front of Alliance soldiers to hold the front lines. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. "If this is what it takes for Esfandia to join the Alliance, for this barbaric practice to end... I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try. And I certainly couldn't live with myself if I forced you to fight in my stead."

Alicio fell silent as the pair had to push their way through a crowded section of the arena, coming upon decorated Esfandian guards. "Senator Organa? Knight Linahan?" The Count nodded, as the soldier continued his drawl. "Right this way." With a practiced spin, the guards escorted the two Alliance delegates to the entrance of the field. Alicio let the weight of the Force mantle his shoulders, as he spied into the future, the tastes of burnt incense and sea-salt on his tongue.

He frowned.

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"Don't apologize. I had considered volunteering to join the games when we first arrived. The rancor would have served as better company than the Duchess."

Maeve clasped her hands. She understood Alicio to some extent. She too had a habit of seeking out danger, of stumbling into a fight whenever the opportunity presented itself. Perhaps that was just life in the Alliance. Constantly throwing your life on the line. She only wished it wasn't Senator Organa they were risking this time around.

But it wasn't like she could stop him. It was far too late for that.

"I still have my lightsaber," she murmured to Alicio as the guards escorted them to the arena entrance. "You may have a Jedi's experience, but I would recommend you stay behind me. For Amani's sake, at least. She finds one bruise on your head and I may be doomed."

The gate groaned open. Maeve walked ahead. The painted rancor by now had been cleared from the arena floor, though the remnants of its victims had not. Dismembered bodies and blood spattered the sands. Several weapons had been abandoned here and there as well, gleaming under the sun. There was no sign yet of their opponent.

Maeve slanted a glance at Alicio. "Are you ready, Senator?"

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Don't apologize. I had considered volunteering to join the games when we first arrived. The rancor would have served as better company than the Duchess."

Alicio snorted hard, one hand instinctually moving to conceal his mouth. "True. I'm sure our battle will be less painful than spending even another minute up there." It was a moment of brevity that the Count needed, grey eyes glimmering with humor.

As Maeve whispered to him, Alicio's happy expression finally fell into concentration, staring ahead as if he were peeking into what might happen. "Alright," he finally said, nodding slowly. "I have no doubt you're the better fighter between us. Still, I'll be right behind you."

Though as they stepped out into the arena, feet padding lightly over the sands, Alicio palmed his own lightsaber, keeping the weapon concealed beneath his long cloak. He drew on the crystal within for strength. For calm.

"I'm with you," he breathed, his signature in the Force continuing to billow out as he drew on it. He scanned the crowd until he found the Duchess' box, and gave it a piercing, pale stare.

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

As they exchanged glances, Duchess Lorenza rose from her cushioned lounge. Her dress glittered in the sunlight and with a raised arm, she silenced the crowd. "People of Esfandia! For this last game, we have a special treat."

"Senator Alicio Organa has elected to participate in our celebrations. He has asked me that we put an end to these games, to these festivities, in order to forge a friendship with the Galactic Alliance, and I, being the gracious host that I am, have chosen to weigh his offer. Should he win, he will have what he desires and we shall proceed into our negotiations!"

"But should he lose? Well, I'm sure we all know what will happen." Sofia flashed a grand smile and some in the crowd laughed and cheered. "Either way, let us enjoy this rare and welcome sight. Let us give our guests our encouragement and support. Most of all, let the games begin!"

At the woman's signal, the gate groaned opened. "You have all seen her fight in the past, and none have been able to defeat her before. So, it is my privilege to introduce our long-time champion of Esfandia, the greatest and the most beautiful, Dona Vorchenza!"

The arena roared with applause. But when Vorchenza revealed herself, it was not at all what Maeve expected. Not a champion clad in armor, nor the painted rancor from before. Instead, a beast with a long and sinuous neck, scales red as blood, emerged from the gate.

Maeve clutched her lightsaber immediately. "Is that a—?"

The dragon shrieked. Tied to the arena by a long and heavy chain, a droid was nudging it forward with a crackling stun-prod, but when it jabbed the creature a third time, Vorchenza's neck snapped and chewed up its keeper in a mess of circuitry and steel, throwing it into the wall. The crowd cheered, relishing the sight.

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

Searching into the future, Alicio was overwhelmed by the taste of immense danger.

He looked to Maeve as Duchess Lorenzo began speaking, alarm in his eyes. But he kept his mouth shut, a hand cradling the dark hilt in his hand, as he stared at where the creature would appear. A foot traced back, as Alicio absently found a tense stance, watching as the behemoth emerged.

"Is that a—?"

Alicio narrowed his eyes at the creature, frowning heavily as it screeched it's challenge into the air. "Dragon," he finished. With the flex of his fingers, the pressure of the Force playing around his digits, the Count's cloak unclasped from around his shoulders, spooling onto the sand around his boots. Introspect growled to life at his side, it's thin blue and black blade only a small comfort against the enormous dragon.

He had plenty of experience fighting humanoid targets. He could block blaster shots and saber swings all day. But this? How could they even get close enough to hit it?

<This is bad...> Alicio sent his thoughts towards Maeve's mind, forging a telepathic connection with the Jedi. <What should we do? Just... charge it?>

The senator's center of gravity lowered, as if he were planning to do just that.

- Maeve Linahan -

 

[Maeve Linahan]

A dragon. Of course. Maeve should've known.

It had been foolish to hope she would face down the rancor or some weakling gladiator. Duchess Lorenza was a crooked entertainer and it made perfect sense the woman would've possessed a dragon in her dungeons. It was also perfectly in line with Maeve's luck. Never before had she been able to weather a mission without something going wrong.

"Charging might not be the best idea," she replied. But what other options did they have? As the dragon's slitted eyes turned from the broken droid and towards them, she had every reason to believe it was going to strike. "We should split up and find a weak point."

Vorchenza, the dragon, snorted smoke. Teeth bared, the beast reared its long neck up and she saw an orange glow emanating from its throat. Surprise rendered her speechless. Before long, the dragon unleashed a stream of red flames at them both. Without thinking, Maeve threw herself forward and lifted her arms. The Force rose to meet the inferno.

For a moment they were evenly matched—a rosy blossom of flame buffeted against her own might. But rather than contend with Vorchenza, the Jedi Shadow raised her hands higher and snapped them back down. As if seized by some invisible hand, the dragon's head crashed into the arena floor, smacked down harshly by the Force.

Maeve's hair snapped in the wind like serpents and she smiled.

"Perhaps that should strike some sense into—" she said, only to be cut off shortly as Vorchenza's tail spun around and crashed into her, sending her flying into the arena wall.

Alicio Organa​

​

 

[Alicio Organa]

A terse nod was all the response Maeve received; it was all he could truly offer at the moment, as his vision doubled, then quadrupled, then octupled...

Perhaps the most beneficial part of focusing on his talents as a seer was that he suffered his surprise just a few moments quicker than others. As Maeve was shocked by the sudden heat flushing the arena, Alicio was already taking quick steps to the side, rushing forward as the dragon was occupied by the epic struggle. The dragon's head smashing into the ground was all the Count needed to get in close.

Using the opportunity, Alicio dashed in low, running his blade along one of the creature's legs. A thin line of molten orange scratched the terrible beast, a small wound scored, but a wound nonetheless. He allowed himself a moment of victory, before Vorchenza reacted swiftly enough, stomping at him as one might stamp out a cockroach. Just barely leaping out of the way in time, Alicio was unsteady as a single beat of the Dona's wings blew him to the wall opposite Maeve. Scrambling off of his back and onto his feet, Alicio looked around for the Jedi, praying for her to be alive.

Using the Force at a much smaller scale than Maeve, Alicio extended his fingers towards the dragon's face. He poked at her eyes, trying to keep her attention away from where Maeve was hopefully recovering. Which worked a little too well, as the dragon blinked annoyedly, and charged at her nuisance, maw spilling over with recuperating heat.

Uh oh.

- Maeve Linahan -