Riders on the Sand Storm [SSC Dominion of Tash-Taral]

[Ultimatum]

Post: 4/20
Location: Near Sith ruins
Objective: Continue rescue operation and ensure the safety of both allies
Allies: [member="Lady Kay"] [member="James Justice"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

Ultimatum silently wished his thanks to the quick thinking organic, Kay. That seemed to have snapped James out of his violent stupor. The attack had been useful, having caused quite a bit of fear among the hunters. It would perhaps give his compatriots the chance to be able to push forward against an enemy that feared them. This was a battle of wills just as much as physical. The enemy had to be psychologically attacked and James had accomplished this, if unintentionally.

He looked to James. He could partly empathize with him to a degree. Ultimatum had been created as a monster, made to do what James had just done, except on the galactic scale. He had been programmed and built with the destruction of life in mind. And he had learned that his master's plan had been to never allow Ultimatum to accomplish that objective, to right at the end destroy the droid and put himself in a place of power in the rebuilding of the galaxy. Ultimatum had not wanted to be this destroyer and killer, instead changing his own programming and making his purpose open. Now he had a purpose, a life planned before him. He no longer was a monster, at least he did not want to be one. Now he was free to do what he wanted.

"Are you alright James? It is okay, we all have lapses in judgment, just remember the lesson learned next time." He hoped that he did not sound overly sappy, it was a truth that he had worked on many times.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


Pain, sickness and dizziness spread through her body as she drew upon the Force to drain the spirit. They were locked in a battle of wills as the spirit sought to rob her mind of its power and her body of its strength with its vile dark attacks, while she sought to siphon away the force that gave it form.


Pain, so much pain. Then finally it seemed the spirit was weakening as it suddenly released its sickness-inducing, cruel influence from her and its form began to flicker, indicating that it was having difficulty anchoring itself to the physical realm. The Netherworld, the dimension it had so long eluded, called to her. Then suddenly ripples were felt through the stone and Sumiko was suddenly propelled through the air as an invisible force crashed into her back. The assault had been so unexpected she momentarily lost focus and so she flew. Towards the spectral blade of the spirit as it stabbed through her.


"You never paid attention to your environment." An ice-cold hand was laid upon her shoulder, chilling to the bone, as she hyperventilated. "It's alright. If you don't struggle, it won't hurt. I will preserve a fragment of you," Amara spoke soothingly. Her spectral mouth opened up and her black essence poured out, right into Sumiko's.


Agony, spasms, seemingly futile struggle as the spirit sought to take control, driving her consciousness back further and further into the depths of her mind. Sumiko cutting her hand across her blade went unnoticed as the spirit dove into her. Step by step, layers upon layers were stripped away as if by the slice of a knife. With the aid of Souldrinker she erected her own defences and violently pushed back against the possession, but it seemed she was fighting a losing battle. And so Amara was pulled in deeper and deeper, as she prowled across the mental plane like a hungry lion.


Until she found herself...inside the halls of the Inquisition Citadel on Atrisia. Or at least a projection of it inside Sumiko's mind. To be precise, she would find herself standing on the stone hard ground in an empty plaza surrounded by stone walls. The light had been dimmed and the curtains drawn, though there was a hint of moonlight slipping through them. The source main source of illumination inside the room was provided by candles that stood on a table and by a small fireplace. The small fires cast Amara's features in an eerie light, giving her an otherworldly, almost ethereal appearance. Amara blinked, evidently confused about where she was and how she had got here. "What is this? The Citadel? This is your..."


"Final retreat, yes. I think it's time for a family reunion." Suddenly the hall was filled with beings. Grand Inquisitor [member="Mirien Valdier"], dark, grim and bristling with power, Naamah Aesham, emanating barely contained sadism as she followed her mistress like a guard dog on a leash, Sumiko, cold, vengeful, smug, Somarae, pure Chiss professionalism and duty, and many, many others. All of them wore the leather robes of the Inquisition.


"Our prison. I will destroy you! I will not be a slave again!" The enraged Amara gathered her power to unleash a massive blast of the Force, but in the same moment the wroth of every single Inquisitor in the room struck her and she fell to the ground. Bones broke, her body shattered and when she tried in vain to crawl away, she found herself bound by invisible chains that tightened with every move and held her in a crushing grip.


"It is time for you to be reeducated. Your will shall be broken, your mind reforged," Sumiko smirked cruelly, before forcing a collar on Amara's neck. Words arcane and dark left her lips, spoken in the Sith tongue, as she began chanting. Every single Inquisitor in the room fell in line and joined her.


Back in the physical realm, Sumiko's body began shaking badly, her heart thumped inside her chest. "This is...mine..," Amara hissed through gritted teeth using Sumiko's mouth. She tried to chant a counterspell, but words failed her, then suddenly the crystal began to glow a dark crimson, as the exorcism spell took effect.


The spirit's essence was spat out of Sumiko's mouth. The obsidian eyes of the Inquisitor shot open and with her mind she gripped the dark essence. She kept on chanting in the Sith language, speaking words of power Souldrinker had taught her. Losing its anchor in the material realm, the spirit's essence was caught between the rapacious hunger of Souldrinker on the one hand and the pull of the Netherworld on the other. Gripped by ethereal tendrils, the spirit was drawn to the smothering aura of the blade and completely devoured as if being swallowed by a rapacious predator. "You...forgot your own lesson."

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


She's not even my mum, Elpsis grumbled to herself, but then she walked over to Tempest. Or rather limped. "Really? But I'm sure you'll put in a good word for me, won't you?" she asked coyly as she sat down on Tempest's lap, then pulled the Dahomian into a deep kiss, running her hand down the woman's beskar-clad back. "Sure I can motivate you." Subtlety, thy name was not Elpsis.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

*

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6zyatbkdTQ

*

The beast stalked the halls, and he heard in the distance the sounds of rapid footfalls. Judging by their decreasing volume, it was a full retreat. The call out of "We ain't karking getting paid enough for this feth!!" kinda clued the beast in to the withdrawing forces. So, lumbering forth, the beast began *calling* out. Low, gravely, *calls* were given, the sound echoing throughout the winding corridors, as the beast lurched along. It felt like an eternity, turning this way, that way, and even up some broken debris that made for a make-shift path to the floor above.

But, eventually, the beast would find them. A combination of hearing their cries in return to his own, and simple back-tracking through the half-buried structure, made the crossing of paths nearly inevitable. When the beast came around the corner, seeing the three of them, was when he finally surfaced. Ryn'Dhal, the terrified padawan, the struggling padawan, the still small voice who'd been fighting for dominance in his own ravaged mind, broke to the surface. A single, pained yowl escaped his maw, as his locked eyes on his best friend. Yes, he knew his pack was there, Kay and Ultimatum, but it was his brother who evoked the strongest reaction. The beast lumbered as fast as his injured and mostly unresponsive right limbs would allow, giving a collective total of zero karks to the pain and potential damage he was doing to himself in the process. The distance between himself, and the man he swore was dead was not diminishing fast enough for the felines liking.

Not slowing down for an instance, Ryn would bowl James over, wrapping at least his powerful, uninjured left paw around James in a hug, that massive head nuzzling as a series of pained, but joyful cries were emitted. Too emotional for coherent words, the feline cried, overjoyed that his best friend lived. After a few moments, he'd back away, letting James breath again, a slightly sheepish look on the felines face, as he glanced between the three of his dear friends. Nodding in greeting, giving a significantly softer, but still deep and strong vocalization of greeting to them each in turn, he'd speak his first actual words to them, to James in particular. "Saw.... Felt.... you die...." His face showed a hint of the pain at the memory.

In the red glow from the light in Kay's hand, it was impossible to really tell how much Ryn was bleeding, but anyone would know his right side was injured based on his movements. And a quick once-over would show that there was a deep hole in his right shoulder, a slug buried in the meat of his shoulder, caught and stopped by the bone. A dart also still hung from his flank, the paralytic drained into the tissue, causing loss of sensation and exceedingly limited use of the limb. Had he not been so desperate to reach James, after driving back the hunters, Ryn would not have made it more than a few paces before collapsing. In fact, as it were, he slumped slightly, the fatigue of the events finally catching up to him. "Evil.... Sith.... Magics.... Tortured me.... Saw.... Things.... What real...? What fake...?"

After giving a heavy shake of his head, those golden eyes moved between the three of his friends, sorrow rich in those pools. "So.... much.... anger.... Need.... Confinement.... Cage not.... of durasteel.... Energy...? Something I.... cannot bite.... scratch.... break...." The feline pleaded of his friends. He didn't know how long his clarity would last, if it would last, or if it would end. All he knew, was he didn't trust the beast within. The beast that witch made. "For your.... and my.... safety.... Until.... I am......" Ryn'Dhal seemed to struggle a moment for the right word, until he cocked his massive head to one side, that gravely voice continuing, "Okay...? Well...? Normal...?"

[member=James Justice] | [member=Ultimatum] | [member=Lady Kay] | [member=Thurion Heavenshield] | [member=abaigeal e'ron]​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Post: 5/20
Location: Near Sith Ruins
Objective: Save [member="Ryn'Dhal"]
Allies: [member="James Justice"] [member="Ultimatum"]

Kay uncovered her ears and opened her eyes as her little outburst had worked. She nodded a little, accepting James' apology, but knowing that she was partly to blame for that behaviour.

And then Ryn showed up. He was hurt, but at least he was alive. "We'll need to get you out of here. But you're hurt....I can help you now or would you rather we wait until you are secured?" She looked to Ultimatum and then to James. "Do either of you have such a cage for him?"

It would be easier if Ryn was in his smaller form, but maybe that would only worsen his injuries. Cautiously Kay approached the big feline. "I'm just going to remove the dart. I know that it's probably empty, but it's still harmful. So just...take it easy..." With one hand holding the torch, she used her other hand to slowly reach for the dart, giving Ryn the chance to watch her every movement. She wrapped her fingers around it and then pulled it out as gently as she could before throwing the thing away. At least that would help him a little.

 

[James Justice]

Post: 6/20
Objective: KITTY!!!!
Allies: [member="Lady Kay"] [member="Ultimatum"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

James wrapped his hand gently around his little brother's neck and held him close, even for a moment. Ryn was safe, Ryn was alive. They had mauled him, and if the feline hadn't been here and safe, now then James would have--it was a dark path James would have probably never stopped walking if Ryn were not safe. The remnants of rage melted away as he felt the safety of the youngling with him. It didn't matter what was going on, if the hunters got their retribution or even if James made it out of here alive. Ryn was safe, that was all that mattered.

"I ain't dead," he muttered giving his little brother a playful hair-tussle, "I been tortured before, it takes a lot more than a few pokes with sharp things to kill an old dog like me."

James swallowed and forced the memories back down again. Later.

He listened to Ryn and Kay, then nodded, "I got an energy cage to keep ye in, back on the 'Angel," he chuckled, "Never know when ye might need one," but he never believed he would be storing his best friend in one. "I can call the Med Corps up from Justice Shipping and we can evac you to our HQ for ICU, mate, ye just take ye time, don't rush ye self."

 

[Ultimatum]

Post: 5/20
Location: Near Sith ruins
Objective: Extract Ryn and friends
Allies: [member="James Justice"] [member="Lady Kay"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

Ultimatum watched as the two old friends, though he did not know at first, hugged. He had not expected to find Ryn so soon, but James appeared to be a very good attractant. It certainly saved them time. He guessed that the enemies were still retreating. He hoped that they would be able to get out of here before the hunters figured out that their enemies were all in one place. A single consolidated target was more attractive than a spread out one, sometimes.

He was as happy as everyone else to see that Ryn was alright, but his first concern was getting everyone out. He priority was to be certain that everyone made it out alive, emotions could wait until they were collectively in the safety of hyperspace. Until then he had to be under control of himself. "For now, let's just fall back. Okay? There are probably still enemies out there."

 

[Darth Libertas]

The battle was over. The spirit had been devoured, though Sumiko felt no sense of triumph, though she equally felt no remorse. Naturally the spirit had to make some snide comments. "I almost thought you were finished. It would've been unfortunate if I was stuck here until a random adventurer made their way down!"


"Your concern warms my heart. Did you enjoy your meal?" I'd say rest in peace, sister, but I suppose being eaten by a sentient blade doesn't count as peace. Not that there is such a thing for either of us, she thought grimly, though she kept these thoughts hidden from the sword. Mirien sends you her regards.


"Verily. It has been a long time since I consumed a spirit. Such a lovely combination of self-righteousness and ruthlessness. Pity her power was wasted. You're not going to suddenly have a breakdown about killing family?" The sword was really not in the mood for emo stuff.


"No, our twisted, little family was no stranger to that, and she betrayed us," Sumiko said flatly and left it at that. Getting to her feet she managed to stand, albeit shakily. Dark Repair closed the injury in the palm of her hand, and she called the sword back into her grasp. Despite her injuries, her grip around it was firm. "I am your wielder, you are my weapon. You taste blood at my command."


"Yes, Mistress. For as long as you're alive."


"I plan on living long." Her voice was as cold as a snowstorm on Hoth. With obvious effort she limped over towards the sarcophagus and drew upon her power to tear off the stone cover, revealing the dried husk of a skeleton. She pulled the body out, casting it roughly to the ground. As the skeleton fell, brittle bones shattered and bounced away, leaving a pile of dust. With the body out of the way, the treasure Hikari had stolen from the Inquisition was exposed. Sumiko's eyes fell upon a pyramidal object that radiated dark power, and so she quickly grabbed the holocron and stuffed it into her backpack.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Objective: Dust off

Ryn would keep his visual attention on James, while one massive ear was obviously tracking Kay's movements. He knew what was coming, and even then was unable to stifle the pained pseudo-snarl that escaped involuntarily out of his throat as the dart came free of his flank. A low whimper immediately followed, as he turned that massive head towards Kay, ears folded back in a submissive, apologetic gesture. If she reached a palm towards him, he'd bump his face, or rather, the area just above his nose, between his eyes, into her hand to show he held no ill will over the momentary pain from her removing the dart. Turning as Ultimatum suggested strongly about escaping while the hunters were distracted with their potentially temporary retreat, a cumbersome nod would be offered. "Yes... Out... Off-world... Would be... ideal..." The robust growling voice reverberated inside all of them, due to proximity to the source of the noise, and the sheer level of bass in said noise.

With great effort, Ryn would trudge along. James would have excessive difficulty lending any sort of aid to his friend as far as mobility within the confines of the structure goes, due to a combination of awkward body composition of his friend at the moment, and the fact that his friend was near four times as massive as James. Kay was right out as far as aiding Ryn goes, and Ryn had no idea the physical capabilities of Ultimatum, as far as sheer lifting prowess. So, slow and steady was the route taken, cautiously scaling flights of stairs, and taking momentary breaks to recuperate when needed. Thankfully, there were no signs of pursuit from the hunters, as eventually they broke into the light of day, and vast expanses of desert.

"What... world?" Ryn asked, glancing up at his companions. His memory was hazy at best. All seemed like one near-continuous nightmare. A nightmare Ryn knew was true. He knew because he knew the beast was still lurking, somewhere in the back of his mind. That taint. A blemish in his mind, his soul. Time would tell what would happen to him in the near future. All he did know was it was something he'd need to address eventually. In due time....

In the light, the wounds were now clear as day. On his forelegs, he had new woulds, sutured shut, but still oozing, especially with the excessive activity he'd endured recently. More, fresh gouges littered his body, all similarly stitched and oozing. Signs of infection evident. On his right side, along his ribs, were a trio of plasma scorches, the woulds untended, raw, and showing definite infection. As well as the fresh slug-thrower wound in his right shoulder that was soaked with blood, and the slightly dampened area on his right hindquarter where the dart once resided. "I think.... Medic... attention... be keen...." He'd groan out, his normally near-limitless stamina finally reaching it's limit. Legs trembling dramatically, before giving out. The massive beast, weighing hundreds of kilograms, slammed to the dirt, his fatigue finally winning the day. Eyes drooping, consciousness made a mad dash to leave him behind. "Think.... rest.... now...."

[member=James Justice] | [member=Lady Kay] | [member=Ultimatum] | [member=Thurion Heavenshield] | [member=Abaigeal E'ron]​

 

[Darth Libertas]

Her work here was done. Spirit banished, artefact recovered. The trek back out of the pyramid was an arduous one. Less so because she kept getting assailed by monstrosities, since it seemed they had decided to take a nap, and more because she was bloody exhausted.


Dark side healing and medkits could only do so much against her injuries. She would need far more intensive care once she left this benighted planet. Fortunately the 'bridge' over the massive pit was still intact and she did not let get lost inside the ancient structure. Eventually she finall exited the pyramid and stepped out into the light of the day.


Outside, in the sun, the heat was dry, parching and scalding. A harsh wind blew across the desert. The Atrisian pulled on a cap and tightened the bandanna around her face as protection against the grit. Briefly, she turned slightly and looked upon the pyramid and ruined obelisks.


"'Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair,'" she quoted wryly. "All these great works, and nothing remains except ruins, ash and shades of the past." Then she walked away and limped across the sand dunes. Her tough coat billowed behind her in the wind.


In the far distance, the massive shade of the wrecked Super Star Destroyer turned improvised city called Intimidator rose up before her. As monumental, grand and implacable as a pyramid, and just as much a relic of a bygone age. A temple to sentients' desire to exact their will upon the universe. Time passed, and soon she reached the 'city', paying the merchants of Jakan Market who wanted to regale her with tales of the lovely talismans she really ought to buy no mind. Her ship was docked at what passed for a 'port and had been left unmolested. Once she had boarded it, a droid minion took control and took the vessel off the planet. For her part, Sumiko crashed in the medbay.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Post: 6/20
Location: Outside the Sith Ruins
Objective: Save [member="Ryn'Dhal"]
Allies: [member="James Justice"] [member="Ultimatum"]


Kay was thankful for the reassurance that Ryn gave her after she removed the dart. She stroked that little spot above his nose. Time for hugs later. He was hurt.

When they got outside after that long walk, she finally took a look at her friend. He was hurt bad and those infections needed looking after asap. "James..we need to get him to your ship right away." That was stating the obvious.

But no sooner did she say those words then Ryn collapsed in front of him. Kay looked over to Ultimatum, handing him back his torch. "If James brings his ship here, do you think that you two could carry him inside? I can start to work on his wounds if you have a medic kit." And she'd use the Force a bit too, but at least in a med kit there could be antibiotics.

 

[James Justice]

Post: 7/20
Objective: Scoot booty out of here
Allies: [member="Lady Kay"] [member="Ultimatum"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

James was glad to see the fresh air again, despite his friend's slow going along the path. It was worrisome to him, to say the least. He looked Ryn over in response to Kay's question. James was no light weight but he doubted he could lift his friend in the metamorphosed form. His finger pressed a button on his wrist links; the WC-2's were his life savers, a comm link, datapad, remote control, and interface for his HUD contacts all in one. Without them he would be lost for sure. The button triggered the Lost Angel's homing beacon on his location. A few moments later the ship came over one of the sand dunes, kicking up dust and debris in its way. Had the situation not been so dire, it would have been awe-inspiring, or grand.

With delicateness, it touched down right before the spacer and extended its welcoming loading platform. James tapped another set of buttons, this time on his right WC-2. A pair of multi-purpose droids appeared in the entrance. Their skills ranged from blasting with percision, to James' accounting needs to even mundain repairs and loading. They too, were essential to the spacer getting all he needed done within 24 hours. When did he become so reliant on his gadgets, he wondered for a moment.

James leaned down and patted Ryn's head gently, "It'll be alright, mate, ye are almost there. Dream of Mystique. All will be well again."

"Can ye carry him up alone?" James asked as he rose, looking at his mechanical friend, "If not these two will assist ye."

He was unsure what his massive friend's lifting capabilities were, but he was confident it doubled if not quadrupled his own. Either way he walked up and prepared the requested electronic cage. When set off, it would emit an electronic field within a 2 meter radius that few beings could manage to muscle through. He hated putting Ryn in this, but if he had to, he would. The spacer consoled himself in its brevity, that it wouldn't be too long.

Reed, the yellow battered, and sassy Astromech copilot to James trundled out, beeping inquisitively.

"When ye need to know, I will tell ye, now go get us off the ground," James ordered.

The droid gave a sour reply and James shot him a look, "Not. Now. Set the course to HQ, you know where it is. Roche."

When everyone was loaded onboard the battered yellow droid would obey and lift off. Normally James wouldn't have taken others to the secret headquarters, but Ryn need medical treatment and LC had the best that money could buy. He tapped an encrypted comm on his wrist, telling them to get ready for him; bacta, OR, EOR, surgical droids, the works. James was a businessman damn it, and this was why he had become one: To take care of those he cared the most about.

 

[Ultimatum]

Post: 6/20
Location: Outside Sith Ruins
Objective: Carry a heavy load
Allies: [member="James Justice"] [member="Lady Kay"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"]

Ultimatum looked at the size of the beastly form of Ryn. They wanted him to carry that? Well that was one way of testing his component's stress limits. The hardest thing he had ever had to move had been forcing open a ship's airlock door when it had been sealed. While that had been interesting, it had not caused his body to reach maximum output. This would most certainly do that. He wondered how heavy he was. That made him wonder how painful it must be to transform, what with bones and organs changing shape and size for the body.

If he were an organic, he would have cracked his knuckles, but as it was, he shrugged before looking to Kay. "I think I will need some help. Let's see what we can do."

With that he moved towards the apparently unconscious friend. To bad he didn't shrink when he was unconscious. Ultimatum first moved one of the legs so that he had better access to front of chest area, which would be where he planned on lifting him. It would be the area with perhaps the most weight based on normal anatomy, which he expected that still fit to come degree to this organic. He hoped so, he wanted to carry the brunt of the weight.

He took a moment, partly lifting the body, signals had to be sent to every part of his body to command it to continue. Beside that, the sheer weight would probably cause some damage to something and that would set of some alarm in his mind which would then distract him. He had to temporarily deactivate them all. Then he was ready. "Three, Two, One. Now." He lifted with all his might. The body began lifting, the front end at least. Kay would have to help carry further back to help keep him from dragging.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

It took some effort, be through tenacity, and the driving power of compassion pushing his friends forwards, Ryn'Dhal would eventually be deposited in the Force Cage. Massive head placed upon comparable paws, the feline heaved a low sigh of exhaustion, his eyes mostly closed. "Rest...... Now..... Wake..... Later....." He was so weak. He needed to rest, and to recover. It would take time, but the sooner they made it back to James' Medical fleet and crew, the sooner the feline would be on the rebound.

And with that thought, consciousness fled the feline, leaving him in the blissful arms of slumber, but the rare lucid kind, where there was only darkness, and the perceived jump of time, where he'd eventually wake in the capable hands of Justice Shipping's doctors.

~Exit~

[member=James Justice] | [member=Lady Kay] | [member=Ultimatum]​