Let's Talk [Elpsis]

[Nima Tann]

As Nima got closer to the Falleen, there was no reaction from her, at all. Instead, she continued reading another passage, her gaze still focused on the book and her tone robotic like she was put in a trance. Yes, Nima knew that Isem could be workaholic to an extreme, but this was too much even for her. No, this was the book's doing. She felt it herself just a moment ago. A dark influence, getting stronger and louder each second. They had to get rid of the book, quick.

"The seal shall be broken.", "the gateway shall open", "the wheel shall turn once more."

A cult... A book that is used to consort with the demons... A gateway... A blessed place... Foretold hour... It was all coming together now.

Nima walked towards the Falleen until she was close enough. "Isem?" She called out once more, her tone brimming with concern as she reached to her shoulder. "You okay?"

[member="Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Nima Tann"]

"You really like being dramatic, don't you? It's gonna get you in trouble one day."
"Answer the question," Elpsis snapped
"Stop interrupting. Long story cut short, I didn't sell to your silly teens. Not worth the trouble. Unfortunately, one of my minions - Galdron - is retarded and cannot keep his hands to himself."
"And I'm supposed to believe you're the innocent lamb and your hands are clean."
"Sweetie, neither your nor my hands are clean. I'm just smart about it. Why would I bother with short-term profit that's bound to bring heat down on me? You didn't chit where you eat."
That...made sense. "Continue," Elpsis conceded reluctantly.
"Anyhow, a while ago an outsider showed up. Had big ideas that made him sound like he was hooked on his own product. He could do tricks like you. Thought he was just an outside crime boss trying to move in, but turns out he's a rabid cultist."
"What's his name?"
"Nagodre."

xxx

"And at the fountain of power...," Isem's recitation was interrupted by Nima suddenly approaching her. She was just getting to the good stuff, but now the Twi'lek had to keep her from finding out the ending. That would not do.

"Stay away," she ordered coldly, holding on to the book. The room was getting colder. Clearly the Twi'lek would have to get aggressive if she wanted to take it from her. When Nima touched her, Isem roughly removed her hand. Then she tried to go for her lekku. Sadly she did not so in a pleasant way.

 

[Nima Tann]

It seemed that the book's influence reached to Isem's mind faster than the Twi'lek could. Isem removed Nima's hand from her shoulder rather aggresively which caused a brief shock for the Twi'lek but it quickly passed when Isem lunged at her aiming to grab her lekku. Out of reflex she moved her head away and took a few steps back.

“Snap out of it!” She said as she took a defensive position. After regaining her balance from the failed attack, Isem wasn’t in the talking mood and once again attacked her, this time with a punch coming right towards her face. Nima protected herself by redirecting the punch to the side with her arm, but didn’t see the kick coming. Her eyes watered when she took a huge blow to her stomach and the power of the kick pushed her towards the file cabinet nearby, causing her a back pain. Isem wasn’t done, however. Now that she got the advantage, she kept on the offensive. Without giving Nima a chance to recollect herself, she went for her throat and started choking her. “I...sem... stop....” Words didn’t help. Of course.

Taking strength from the cabinet, Nima lifted herself and pushed her with her feet, which made her grip loosen so Nima could manage to free herself from her grasp. As oxygen invaded her lungs suddenly, she couldn’t help but cough. Still though, she had a moment to regain composure. After that, she decided to change her tactics. Clearly, defense wasn’t working and they were losing precious time. She had to get a bit more aggressive if she wanted her to snap out of it. So cracking her knuckles, she moved towards the Falleen, who seemed not so happy to see her. Isem went for a punch but Nima managed to redirect it, which created an opportunity for her to go for a hit. With her free hand, she went for the face. Her punch connected with the Falleen’s face, which unbalanced her. Using that opportunity, she continued attacking. Her aim was to push her towards one of the cabinets and keep her from attacking until she came to her senses.

Isem tried to get in a few punches of her own, though since Nima didn’t give her a chance to aim, most of them missed. Except one. It was a wild one, so when it hit, it busted her lip. Nima spat the blood filling in her mouth. Adrenaline kicking in, she kicked her, unintentionally hard, towards the cabinets behind the desk and immediately followed her. Pressuring her throat with her arm, she kept her body close not to give her much space to free herself.

There was something else, however. Her legs were failing her. She felt wobbly. In order to stay standing, she put her free hand on the cabinet as well, nearby Isem’s head. It would look like something else to a person who didn’t know what was happening here.

Out of breath, she asked. “Had enough?”

[member="Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Nima Tann"]

Suffice to say that by the time the fight was over, both of them were quite bruised and bloodied. Isem crashed against the cabinet, then Nima's arm was on her throat. Immediately the Falleen struggled, trying to free herself from the hold. Then her mind cleared. She blinked, trying to force oxygen into her lungs.

The expression on her face was more than a little perplexed. By pushing her towards the cabinet, Nima had also gotten the Falleen close enough to be in the direct proximity of the Voidstone. Which probably also affected Nima's ability to keep standing. "W...what happened?" Isem stammered, sounding confused. "You're hurt." She took in Nima's bloody face. "I hurt you." To her credit, she put two and two together quite soon. "The book..." The pair was cut off by Nima's commlink ringing.