No Escape

[Vrak Nashar]

Ruusan
[member="Taheera Sollo"]

This time when she awoke Taheera would find herself not in a cave, not in a shuttle, but instead the great outdoors. Along with the stun cuffs around her wrists she would now feel a thick knot of rope around the length of her ankles, tying her legs together and immobilizing her.

The storm had passed and the skies above were not a dark speckled black, night having come to Ruusan in the last few hours.

"Oh good." A voice would say. "You're awake."

If Taheera opened her eyes she would see that they were upon a small cliff overlooking the clearing in which the Shuttle had crashed earlier that day. Flames from the burning engines were still flickering, though just barely, and the scene still looked about as dismal as one might expect. Trees were broken, branches snapped, a long ditch had been carved into the earth towards where the shuttle now saw.

The Scene looked as one might expect.

Vrak stood at the edge of the cliff, two lightsabers hanging from the belt in his hand. The remote to the stun cuffs was tucked away into his belt, though another similar device sat within his hand.

A broad tree lay behind Taheera, it's dense canopy hiding the stars from her vision.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

She groaned. Disorientation running through her system for what seemed like the billionth time. Myrtle-ellipses blinked open. She noticed a few things first: the damp ground at her back and the tugging of rope along her ankles. Eyes followed the sith's voice.

Hearth thudded rapidly in her chest as she eyed him and that red skin of his.

Ire flashed in her iris depths as she propped herself up with difficulty on one elbow. A wind from the forest below wove through strands of tangled and matted chestnut hair. Over his shoulder, she caught the glow of a ship on the horizon, getting closer to the glow of what remained of her shuttle, below. The words she heard right before blacking out seemed fresh in her mind.

And for a moment, she realized it hadn't happened yet.

"Don't hurt them!" She burst. "You can't take them all at once. It would be a foolish thing to do."

And why was she still alive?

"You'll get the shuttle...you just...have to sneak down there and take it while they're exploring the crash. I swear I won't say anything. You can leave me here and get away. Simple as that."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Vrak looked back at Taheera.

There were two Alliance ships, another Shuttle like the one that had crashed below and then a small fighter craft that likely acted as an escort. As he had expected they didn't send a fleet. The Alliance was stretched thin enough back home, and Ruusan was quite a ways away from Sullust. He smiled slightly, things were finally going his way.

He felt quite a bit better than he had in the cave. He'd eaten since then and in general...well he could already feel his power returning. Everything was turning out exactly as he had needed it to. He smiled and turned back towards Taheera, knowing that it would take a little bit of time before the Alliance actually found the crashed starship and made their way to it. He wandered back towards the Jedi and looked down at her, his expression screaming of smugness. "I told you what would happen."

The Sith turned the odd device around in his hand.

"This is your fault." Vrak said simply. "You could have cooperated."

Behind him he could hear the sound of the Alliance ships slowly landing.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Sharp-eyes watched his movements. Heart thudded a bit faster in her chest as the lights of the alliances ships drew closer. Not one but two. She missed the fighter escort. Probably due to her position tied up and on the ground. They were running out of time. She was running out of time.

She struggled to a seated position, back pressing against the rough bark of the massive tree behind her.

Ankles tugged against the rope, testing it. There was no leeway. Lobster-face knew his knots.

"Whatever is about to happen," she eyed his device warily. "Will be entirely on you." Voice was even but her feelings were conflicted. "But I can promise you one thing." He still hadn't agreed to leave her. His aim clearly wasn't just to escape or to use her as a bargaining tool. He had something else in mind, especially with all those questions at the cave.

"If you hurt them, I'll fight you every step of the way...of wherever you're taking me. But if you spare them, I'll come with you willingly."

She took a breath, knowing she was about to kiss any chance of freedom goodbye, at least, her immediate freedom.

"You have my word. And maybe a jedi's word is worth more than a sith's."

She held his yellow-eyed gaze, glaring.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

He looked down at her. The prospect did appeal to him, after all it would be easier to take her away if she actually cooperated, though that didn't make this any simpler than it was going to be. For a second his finger simply stroked over the control that he held in his hand, a considering frown pulling at his lips as he looked down at her.

What to do...what to do.

"Very well." He said simply. "But I will remind you, lying to me does not end well, and if you do fight you can expect that the results will neither be pleasant for you, nor anyone who associates with you."

The threat was a simple one, but a truthful one. "I promise you that."

How would he achieve it? Well, Vrak could get creative. Though the Alliance was strong, stronger than any Sith faction in fact, there were ways of doing things. Russan held dozens of villages both small and large. If Taheera chose to fight he would return to this world and burn them in her name. He would slaughter and kill, strike when he could. It was petty, almost childish in a way, but it would be enough to calm the vengeance he would feel.

"They will live." For now.

Slowly he stood, backing away from her and slipping the detonator he had been holding back into his pocket. In the distance he could see the landing ships, the fighter setting down first, two men crawling out of the cockpit and quickly moving to secure the landing zone.

That was what they would take.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

She couldn't help the relief that flashed across her face. Shoulders slumped in relief. She didn't know if he was lying. If he was just trying to appease her and she'd have no way of knowing until they were off this world.

A knot of worry still wound in her stomach.

Where were they going?

Eyes drifted down to the ropes around her ankles. The wet ground of the rain from an hour or so before was soaking into her clothes, making her a little chilled. "Are you going to untie these? It'll be a lot easier to move."

She didn't want to sound too eager.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

"No." He watched the two pilots slowly slip among the trees. They held rifles, likely standard issue and moved rather quickly. The shuttle touched down a few seconds after them, settling into place just a few hundred meters away from the still burning crash site.

For a few moments Vrak simply watched them, Taheera chattering on behind him as he observed the Alliance soldiers. The two pilots moved with a certain amount of precision, likely well trained. Those that came from the shuttle were different however. Three of them wore simple garb of white and red, a fourth a suit made of black, and the last and fifth man wore the same uniform as the pilots. They all moved off the ramp and headed towards the crashed shuttle, though the last pilot stayed behind.

"Only one soldier." He said quietly to himself. The man in black was actual military the rest were either pilots or medical personnel. "Good."

They hadn't brought an army. "Come on."

Slowly Vrak wandered over to her before quickly leaning down. In one quick swoop his hands found their way around her and with one great heave he scooped her off the ground and over his shoulder. She hefted his weight for a moment and then pulled the detonator from his pocket, taking careful note not to allow her within reach of either the lightsabers or the remote to the stun cuffs.

"Remember your promise." He said waving the detonator. "And I'll remember mine."

With that he set off towards the Landing site.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

The mirialan bit back a verbal protest as he hefted her up like some courier package. A quiet grumble still escaped her throat. Strands of chestnut hair dripped past her eyes and head. His shoulder was digging into her hips and stomach. A shiver ran through her that he'd probably feel.

Cuffed wrists dangled behind him. Fingertips flexed. She was just out of reach from one of the lightsaber hilts. But she didn't go for it. She'd made a promise and she wouldn't risk their lives. Not again.

"We could've walked," she grumbled quietly, trying not to stare at his butt, the only thing in her immediate view.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

"We are walking." He told her as he quickly made his way down the mountainside. It was a quick path, his way of descent having been chosen before Taheera had even woken up. The Alliance would make it to the Shuttle at about the same time as they made it down to the ground, giving them just enough time to make it to the fighter.

He had no doubt that once they inspected the wreckage they would find the...surprise he had left them, but he was no savage.

If Taheera kept her word then he wouldn't do what he had first intended. While the Miralin had been unconscious he had rigged the Shuttle with explosives, having intended to detonate them once the Alliance was close enough. The blast would have been enough to kill more than a few of them, and in the confusion he would have been able to finish off the rest. Of course now that he had promised not to do as such things would be slightly more difficult, but he wasn't some sort of savage.

She was a useful tool, and if not killing a few people would ensure her cooperation then it was a price he would pay.

He could always kill them later.

"Quiet now." He whispered. "We're getting closer."

Vrak hefted her weight on his shoulder, then began to crouch as they entered the forest. With quick steps he rushed through the trees, heading directly towards where he knew the Shuttle and Starfighter were waiting.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

'We are walking.'

Such a smartarse.

She tried not to squirm as he shifted her weight. How many had those red hands killed? Heart felt like it was pounding in her throat and she was about to lose that dried fruit she'd eaten earlier. She tried to look around the bob of his waist but could just see the area they left.

It took every ounce of self control to keep her mouth shut and her lips sealed, not to cry out for help.

A sharp branch pricked against the back of her thigh as they rushed forward.

"Ouch," she whispered. Hip shifted against his ear.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

He frowned as she kept up with the wiggling, but at the moment it simply couldn't be helped. Eventually they reached the edge of the forest. The Shuttle and fighter came into view almost instantly. The latter was parked at the south end of the clearing, further away from where Taheera and Vrak now sat. He frowned slightly, the pilot of the shuttle sat aboard the ramp, directly in view from where they were.

The man would see if they tried to get to the Fighter.

There was no sign of the others, they were likely inspecting the wreckage. It would no doubt take them a few minutes to grasp what had happened, but just how long Vrak had he didn't know. His lips settled into a frown, his eyes peering at the pilot. He seemed to be playing some sort of game on a datapad, the device shifting one way or another every few seconds. The Pureblood watched him for a minute more, then finally set Taheera down onto the ground.

"Stay quiet." He told her with a point of his finger. "Or he dies."

He could do this without killing him easily enough, but if Taheera screamed then the others would likely hear her.

Vrak couldn't have that.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

She looked up at him, swaying slightly. Too much blood rushing to her head for too long. Eyes darted to the officer and the clearing then back to the sith. This would be her last chance. Once he got her away from the planet, escaping would be ten times as more difficult.

She might never make it back to the alliance. Would she ever see Val again? Anyone she knew and cared about?

But it was too great a risk. She'd never risk others for herself.

Lips thinned and she gave the sith a slow and silent nod.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Good.

Now he would just have to see if she stayed silent.

Vrak took in a breath, shifting his weight slightly and standing up. Taheera would be able to feel the flow of power that wrought its way through him, the sickening, dreadful splendor of the darkside that rushed beneath his skin. His back stiffened, his skin grew a bit more vibrant, his eyes began to glow. He looked down at her, cocking his head for just a moment before he turned towards the Shuttle. Another breath filtered through his lungs, and then he moved.

The dash was fast, fast enough to cause a bit of dirt to kick up as he rushed forward.

The pilot looked up just in time to see Vrak fall upon him. The lightsabers remained on his hips, he drew no weapon but instead tore the pilot forward. Panic filled the mans eyes and he looked as though he were about to scream, but before he could do any such thing Vrak caught him within his hands. The flat of his palm slammed into the mans throat, silencing him before he could get out a single word. Next his foot drove into the man's knee, followed quickly by a sweep of his legs.

Within half a second the pilot thudded to the ground, hitting the ramp of the shuttle and lapsing into unconsciousness.

Vrak looked around for a moment, then went to retrieve Taheera.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Eyes closed and she looked away after the man fell. Frustration rippled across her jaw. Hands clenched into fists. He might look dead to the ordinary person but she knew better. The healer could feel the man's pain. Vrak kept his word. She would keep hers.

Even if it pissed her the frex off.

She felt his presence return without looking up, that sickening and twisting power. Seductive and alluring and something that a part of her had already felt not so long ago. Eyes remained closed; she refused to look at him afraid of what she might see.

"What are you planning to do with me?" The question was a quiet and tension filled whisper.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Once again he leaned down and scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

His head swiveled from side to side as he checked for the return of any of the crew of the shuttle, when none came her wandered across the field and towards the fighter. It was a simple ship really, small enough that it could pass under most cliff sides but large enough to be comfortable for several days journey. He wondered briefly who had designed it, but that hardly mattered.

"There is a Master on my homeworld." It was his proper title.

Slowly Vrak moved over towards the starighter, half climbing its side to put Taheera into the back seat, still bound of course.

"He is very sick." He lingered at the edge of her seat, watching her. "He was nearly assassinated but survived. The attempt left a mark on him however, a certain...scar that sit across his heart. No one has been able to heal him."

He shifted an moved into the pilots seat. "I think you might be able to."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Eyes snapped open as he started scaling the starfighter. She watched him steadily, pools of green narrowed. "I think you over estimate my skill," she muttered, eyes tracking him as he took the seat in front.

Legs again tugged against the rope, testing them. Fingers flexed.

Neck craned as she peaked out one last time. The tinted hatch was already closing. The engines stirred to life beneath her seat. Fingers came up, palm pressing flat against the canopy as it sealed shut with a hiss. Thoughts churned. She had to come up with a plan and soon. Maybe once they landed she'd be able to....

Whatever it was, she had to try.

But there was another problem. "You're taking me to a place full of sith? You'll never be able to protect me. I'll be dead the second my feet touch soil."

Dead or claimed as a prize of another.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

She was probably right. Not only one they be approaching in an Alliance fighter, landing would also become extremely difficult. He had the proper codes of course, and no one would dare fire on him once they realized who he was, but there would be a certain stigma to him returning. His landing would undoubtedly be met with some sneers, perhaps even attempted assassinations.

It was something he would have to plan for. "Don't worry."

He needed her. Even if she couldn't heal him there was a chance. That Chance was well worth the risk. Even if she only made mild progress on his affliction it would be enough to buy him some favor with the Old Man, and in his current state that could mean quite a bit. The old Master controlled half of Athiss' production facilities. He was one of the only beings capable of advancing technology on their homeworld, if Vrak could gain influence there it would be invaluable to his goals.

His fingers flipped the switches.

"I won't let you die." He told her. "Not while you're valuable."

The engines suddenly kicked into life, the hatch sealing shut just as the fighter lurched up from the ground.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

"It's not death I'm afraid of," she murmured to his back. It was the not dying part. She sat unstrapped in. A bit difficult when restraints were on. Back pressed against the seat. Flying was definitely not something she enjoyed doing. And being bound like some prized calf made it even worse.

She was gonna make him wish he never...

Face pressed against the hatch. She could see some of the search and rescue team heading out of her shuttle in confusion. One was running over to the man that wasn't so lucky to meet Vrak. It was hard to tell from this distance but it looked like another one has a comm pressed to his lips.

But the figures quickly became nothing more than blots on the ground below as lobster sith took them higher and higher.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

They did indeed becoming nothing but blots.

Vrak didn't want to wait to stick around for the Alliance troopers to ask questions, he also didn't want them to save Taheera. While she had promised not to scream and shout, she hadn't exactly said she wouldn't try to escape if others came and attempted to rescue her. He knew that well enough from her earlier mincing of words, and thus as soon as the engines blazed into life Vrak pushed the controls up and out of the atmosphere. The heavy banking was enough to send him surging into his seat.

Luckily for him the fighter was fast.

The craft shot into space within just a few seconds.

Blaster bolts chased them, the soldiers on the ground almost instinctively firing their weapons at the fleeing craft. The bright red bolts bounced against the fighters deflectors, the small ship easily stopping the blasters from harming either Taheera or Vrak. "If you cooperate."

Vrak said as they passed into the darkness of space.

"I will ensure you survive this." His fingers toggled a nearby switch. "And at the end you'll walk free."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Muscles clenched. Green fingers curled into fists. It took every ounce of self-control not to pounce on the lobster Sith in front of her. But they were too close to the alliance members. He'd kill them.

A deep and long breath went through her nose. Eyes clenched closed. Quietly, she reached for the force. The light side. Centering herself. The feeling of warmth and strength flowed through her.

Just on the edge, she felt something else. The gnawing of something savage, dark, and untamed. She ignored it just like she ignored the Sith. She didn't care if it was passive aggressive. It was the only thing she could do, at this moment, to rebel against him.