Private On the Hunt

[Aiden Rennek]

​

<Looking good down there, Bri,> Aiden teased over comms, as he watched her through the scope of his sniper rifle. He had zoomed in on her to keep a close eye on her while she approached the village. Its buildings had been heavily damaged, bodies littered the streets and any Force-sensitive could feel death and agony linger in the Force. Aiden wasn't able to pick up on that, but the destruction he saw from afar told him everything he needed to know.

A monster had attacked this town.

With the Maw's collapse, a lot of them were out there, uncontrolled and filled with rage and hunger they turned against innocent people. The Jedi were preparing to sweep in and take them down, but it would take time to help everybody. Today, he was joining Briana on a priority task to hunt down a creature that had been particularly dangerous. Several towns had been completely destroyed by it, and nobody had been able to stop the monster yet.

But with Briana moving to its last known location, and Aiden covering her with his sniper from a position higher up behind some rocks, he felt confident that they could take it down together.

<Are you uh, feeling something? Anything?> He didn't know how the Force worked, but she always had a way to pick up on danger before it had a chance to take them by surprise. The last thing he wanted was for her to be ambushed by this creature. <The second that thing shows its ugly head, I'm taking the shot. Not taking any risks today. Not with you down there.> He still didn't really like that she was facing it on her own, but he knew better than to argue with her.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Aiden Rennek

A light smiled ghosted across her rosebud lips as she walked closer to the burning wreckage of the village ahead, trying to focus on Aiden's playful words in her ear, rather than the grim scenery surrounding her. It was a concentrated effort to close herself off to the darkness saturating the area and tune in to the light that would guide her to the creature that withered this town to ruin.

While this wasn't the first time either of them had seen brutal conflict, nor would it be their last, it was still disheartening to see. There would be more planets to clean up in the coming months, perhaps years, as the remaining Mawites slunk back into the shadows. Plentiful work remained for the foreseeable future, a future that was now up to the Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance to try and secure for the people who'd suffered under Mawite control.

People didn't often talk about what war looked like when it was over, of the wreckage it left behind when all was said and done. Peace was tenuous, requiring a steady hand to maintain.

They were that hand.

<Are you uh, feeling something? Anything?>

Her lips pursed and her brows furrowed as she carefully stepped over a fallen wooden beam from one of the houses, <It's hard to say,> she told him honestly over their shared frequency. Trying to wade through the Force wasn't an easy task in this sort of environment, not when the flux and flow was this much of a chaotic mess.

<If it decides to get closer, I'll definitely know.> Which was an unsettling thought in and of itself. They'd spent the week among locals, gathering intel, learning about the beasts patterns and its habits. It was a predator, that was certain, and the realization that it might be hunting her, or even Aiden, was a truth not far from her mind.

<The second that thing shows its ugly head, I'm taking the shot. Not taking any risks today. Not with you down there.>

A grin spread from ear to ear, as her heart picked up a tick. <It's really cute when you worry about me, you know.> she teased playfully, moving on to check the next street.

From the moment she'd turned, Briana picked up on the subtle shift in the atmosphere. Everything was quieter here, the dreaded kind of quiet that follows death. <It's here.> She breathed uneasily, reaching down slowly to bring her lightsaber to hand, backing up a few paces as she felt the danger rise around her, a large shadow emerging, materializing, and barreling straight towards her.

Briefly, her eyes widened. Pushing the Force into her feet, she spun over the massive creatures head, landing on the other side with effortless grace and continuing on her sprint down the narrow street and to a wider area. <Move to the West end, I'll try and lead it to you!>

 

[Aiden Rennek]

​

<If it decides to get closer, I'll definitely know.>

That wasn't the answer he had hoped to hear, but one he had expected. He had worked alongside Jedi more than enough to know that their senses had a harder time picking up on trouble when everything around them was trouble. The Dark Side could cloud senses or something like that. Right now, it meant he had to keep his focus extra sharp so that maybe he'd be able to see something she potentially missed.

It would likely still be the other way around.

<It's really cute when you worry about me, you know.>

Aiden cleared his throat and grinned, knowing she couldn't see it, but also knowing she'd still be able to tell. <Just want to make sure we make it back together,> he said, trying to play it cool to avoid more teasing, but his voice couldn't hide just how much he cared. Ever since they reconnected, it was hard to keep her off his mind. He had never been particularly good at showing emotion, but with Briana, it was impossible not to.

<I'm sure you-> he stopped as Briana picked up on something, and quickly checked her surroundings through his scope. His breathing was forced to be steady, but with her down there and the beast charging right for her, there was no clear shot. As amazing as it was to watch her jump over it and land so gracefully, Aiden was terrified at the same time. He knew just how strong she was, but without an understanding of the Force, it looked too close for comfort. Too dangerous.

<On it!> He called out, as he picked up the heavy sniper rifle and repositioned. Once he reached the west end of the cliffs, he flattened himself onto his stomach, put down his weapon on its bipod, and took aim. The Devourer was coming after Briana, but this time, he had the right angle.

Bang.

The shot echoed through the valley, and the heavy bolt struck the beast between the shoulder and its neckless head. It screeched and toppled over under its own momentum, but it wasn't dead and trying to climb up to its feet again. <Now, Briana!> he called out, hoping that she'd be able to finish it off.

But even if she did, the danger was far from over.

Another Devourer slowly climbed down from the rocks behind him, trying to sneak up on the Marine to tear him apart. It was only the shifting of smaller rocks under the beast's weight that alarmed him, just in time to roll away from its claws. <I've got-> He was cut off once again, as the Devourer threw its legs up and launched Aiden into the air and against the rocks. He hit the ground hard, coughed in pain, and drew his combat knife to fight it.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Aiden Rennek

Briana's heart throbbed with adrenaline as she gazed at the wounded Devourer rising to its feet, its eyes ablaze with unbridled rage while its massive jaws of razor-sharp teeth snapped in a menacing snarl. A dark malevolence emanated from the great carnivore, causing shivers to skitter down her spine and writhe over her bones. With each step the creature took towards her, Briana felt the sickening aura of the darkside twisting and tainting every corner of the vicinity in which it profaned.

Standing her ground, Briana unlatched her lightsaber hilt and thumbed the switch, the brilliant blue blade humming to life, drawing on the otherworldly power of the Corusca Gem housed inside its chamber.

Like a crack of lightening she exploded forward, her form a shadowy blur of finesse and expertise, honed through the years of training and combat experience. The Sithspawn met her attack head-on, its tremendous claws slashing through the air.

Innate instinct pushed her back to avoid the beast's strike, but just as she believed herself to have gained the upper hand, her attention was torn away by the sound of Aiden's strained voice crackling over their shared commlink, the din of chaos and commotion sounding in the nearby distance. Dread crept over her like a shadow as her eyes rose, watching in horror as a second Devourer appeared on the hillside, hurtling a vicious attack on Aiden. If her heart could have fallen out of her chest, it would have, instead it sunk to the deepest depths with the knowledge that his life was in peril.

Lost in her concern for Aiden, Briana failed to notice the predator charging her for a second time, slamming the bulk of its weight into her with jarring force. Twisting mid-air, she threw her arms up to shield her exposed face from taking the impact of the rocky terrain, her lightsaber flinging from her hand upon collision, flickering and sputtering as it hit the ground, momentarily extinguished.

Gritting her teeth and drawing a deep breath into her lungs, Briana heaved herself back to her feet, the relentless creature barreling down on her for a third time. With the flick of her wrist she called her weapon back to hand, the blade illuminating the left side of her body in shades of blue.

Fueled with the desire to make it as quickly as she could to Aiden, Briana met the beast head-on, her blade carving a brilliant arc through the air as it met the creature's thick hide and pushed downwards, forcing the blade through its belly.

With a howl of agony from the Sithspawn, Briana finished the job, administering one last, swift stroke to seal the deal.

Blood and entrails spilled onto the rocky ground as the devourer collapsed with a ground shaking 'thud', its lifeless body twitching in its throes of death. For a moment, Briana just stood there, her chest heaving with each mighty inhale and exhale, covered in an equally thick sheen of sweat and blood, her heart pounding in her chest.

With little time to spare for catching her breath, she sprinted in the direction of Aiden's voice with determination in her step.

 

[Aiden Rennek]

​

Aiden waited.

After he had struck the rocky wall, he drew his combat knife into his hand and waited for the Devourer to close the distance. He wasn't as fast or strong as Briana and didn't have those fancy Force-augmented reflexes either. But years of combat experience had taught him to be patient and honed his natural reaction speed to respond to threats much quicker than most people could. So right as the Devourer reached him, Aiden rolled again, dodging the attack and causing the beast to slam itself into the rocks, stunning it momentarily.

Without wasting a second, Aiden jumped up and latched himself around the beast's head with one arm, while he tried to jab the knife into what he believed to be its throat. But whether it was an unfamiliarity with its biology or the fact that the beast's wild movements threw off his aim, the attack did not kill it.

"Ah chit-"

Once more, Aiden was thrown against the rocks, drawing more blood and bruising his body badly. He knew he was in peril, but even so, his greatest fear was that Briana was down there with one as well. What if she needed his help? With gritted teeth, he had to force that thought aside and focus on his own survival for now, or he'd be guaranteed that he'd never be able to see her again.

"Come on, then!" He called out to taunt it, and with a series of short jumps, Aiden moved between larger rocks with the beast in close pursuit, until he reached the edge. The Devourer charged and slashed at him, and Aiden decided to jump. He wasn't sure just how big the drop was, but as he tried to roll on impact, he could feel something snap in his left foot. A single scream of pain managed to escape, but it was silenced by the beast's roar, as it too fell down the cliff.

Under its much heavier weight, the beast was hurt as well, but just how much?

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Aiden Rennek

Although her triumph over the first Devourer had extracted a heavy toll on her, seeing Aiden’s plummet with the second Devourer down the cliffside had instantly banished every last shred of fatigue that threatened to weigh her down.

Augmenting the Force and pressing it into her weary bones, Briana did not think. She could only feel - act.

The rush of air in her chest as she descended the rugged cliffside, the primal beating of a heart determined to prevail - the electric tremble fluttering over her legs and shoulders as she scaled the precipice, fully prepared to embrace whatever dangers came next.

Her eyes swiftly examined the rapidly nearing ground below until she’d finally located Aiden sprawled mere feet away from the menacing Devourer slowly ambling to its feet. His chest labored with each breath—an undeniable sign of life, then, as if sensing her wavering faith, the Force offered her solace; through their shared connection she could feel his pain and his burning desire for survival, the vital energy coursing within him.

With a final burst of energy drawn from the reserves she had left, Briana pushed off the cliff's wall, augmenting the Force around her as she crashed into the Devourer with a mighty blow that sent it spiraling backwards by several feet.

“You okay?!” She shouted over the sound of the beast's rumbling roar, taking in Aiden’s injuries with a quick but thorough glance, noting the unnatural angle of his foot and the scrapes and bruises covering his body. In the moment, Briana wanted nothing more than to go to him, her instincts urging her to rush to his side and offer comfort and relief from the pain she knew he was in, but the hideous sound of the Sithspawn bearing down on them refocused her to the perilous task still at hand.

In a final, savage attempt to take them down, the Devourer lunged with gruesomely remarkable agility despite its own size and injuries, its massive claws scraping across the ground as it gained traction, extending its neck and opening its maw wide enough to try and swallow her whole.

Briana didn’t budge.

With a quick flick of her wrist, the cerulean hue of her blade ignited, waiting until the last possible moment before jumping high, her blade lifted and slicing down with all of her might and momentum upon its thick neck - severing the Devourer’s head from its shoulders in a single motion.

Silence reigned as blood gushed from the creature’s headless form, which convulsed briefly before falling still. The dark crimson vanished into the parched earth beneath, an unsettling visual testament to their struggle.

Deactivating her blade and steadying herself, Briana clipped it back onto her utility belt and made her way to Aiden. Fear for him battled within her, but she maintained a calm demeanor as she evaluated his injuries. "We need to get you out of here," she said softly, voice steady even as adrenaline coursed through her veins. "I can try to heal the break, but it might be beyond my capabilities…"

Pausing for a breath, her exhaustion evident, Briana continued, "Do you think you can walk?"

 

[Aiden Rennek]

​

Was this it? With adrenaline rushing through his body, Aiden barely felt the pain from his injuries, but perhaps more overwhelming was the fear of dying as the creature began to rise. Its ugly head turned to the Marine, and even without the Force, Aiden could feel lethal intent. A desire to devour the man who had caused it to fall off the edge of the cliff. Aiden closed his eyes in anticipation of what he could only hope to be a swift end...

But nothing happened.

His eyes opened just in time to see Briana crashing into the devourer with so much Force that it was knocked back. It left Aiden stunned, even though he had seen how strong the Force could be before. So much so, that it took him a few seconds to process the question she asked.

"I'm..." Before he could finish his sentence, the beast roared and lunged at Briana. The fear of losing his own life was quickly overwhelmed by the fear of losing her, but she didn't budge and confronted the incoming threat calmly. It eased his nerves instantly, and when he watched her blade ignite, he somehow already knew it was over. She was far too calculated for this to go wrong, and too refined with her skills. With a quick and powerful sweep of her weapon, she severed the beast's head from its body, and it immediately collapsed.

The fight was over.

"You really are amazing," he said with a chuckle that finally made him feel the pain in his body. "Chit it hurts..." he grimaced and looked down at his own foot. A bad idea. Seeing it twisted and broken turned his skin pale instantly, and he decided to just look at his girlfriend instead.

"With a little help, I can walk. Are you okay, though?" He asked, now leaning closer to bring his hand to where her body had impacted the cliffs as well. Aiden kept his touch gentle and looked her in the eyes to gauge her reaction. He knew she'd downplay it, but her eyes wouldn't lie to him.

Briana Sal-Soren ​

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location:
Tag: Aiden Rennek

Raw emotion surged within her cerulean eyes, a subtle smile curving on her lips at his words as her heart swelled with a mix of love and disbelief of his faith in her, "It wasn't just me," she whispered, her voice tender as she attempted to downplay the compliment he paid her, "we’re a team, and you were incredible. Most men wouldn’t have made it after that fight with the devourer and the fall, but you survived. You inspire me every day, you know?" It wasn't just empty flattery that she gave, but a genuine expression of her admiration and respect for him.

Every inch of her was throbbing with pain, and she couldn't hide the visible wince when he touched her side. “I’ll be okay,” she tried to reassure, feeling her body protest against the words even as they left her lips, the bruises swiftly forming and the pressing pain making her think there might be other injuries. Taking his hand in hers, Briana squeezed it gently and pressed a tender kiss to the back of his knuckles, unbothered by the blood and grit, “Just bruised is all.” Briana knew he wouldn’t be fooled by her feeble attempt to allay his fears. He knew her too well for that. “I’m more concerned about you.”

Her touch was gentle as she set about to stabilize his break, her fingers deftly wrapping the white bandages around his ankle and foot, listening to him for guidance to ensure they weren’t too tight. When she finally helped him to his feet, Briana looped her arm around his waist to steady him, “We’ll have to take it slow,” she told him, her voice soft and reassuring, “but just lean on me and I’ll support you.” She knew the trek back to the village from where they'd started from was going to be a long and slow one, but they couldn't exactly go back the way they'd come, not with his broken foot and her own injuries to contend with.

As the pair began to make their way through the terrain together, the danger seemingly behind them, Briana couldn’t help but admire their rugged surroundings. It almost felt like a completely different world now. The jagged peaks of the nearby mountains loomed high above them in the distance, their snow-capped peaks shining brilliantly as the afternoon sun spilled over. The air was cool and crisp, and she was certain she caught the faint scent of pine needles and wildflowers permeating the air.

But.

Despite the beauty around them, Briana's thoughts kept drifting, unable to put aside the reality that she could have lost him today, her heart dropping like a weight of solid lead; unsure if that was a result of her own fears regarding past failures of protecting the people close to her, or if it was merely her being rattled by the idea of going through life without him. Perhaps the truth lied somewhere between.

“If you could settle anywhere in the Galaxy,” she asked conversationally, as much for a distraction as it was to satiate her growing curiosity, “where do you think you’d choose to go? Ya know, with the war over, a lot of people are considering retirement... some already have. Have you thought about that at all? The future?” She knew for herself that she wasn't contemplating stopping anytime soon - there was too much left that demanded her attention, too much of a drive that beckoned her forward. But the question lingered all the same: what did the future hold? Did he see one, together? Did she? It wasn’t a topic they’d discussed before, preferring to take things as they came and live in the moment. Would that always be the case? Or would they eventually settle down and build a life together? The way her parents had? Maybe now wasn't the best time to be considering those ideas.