Swamp Fighting

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

Willa stood at the ready, hunting down the elements around the galaxy from the ember was dangerous work for some but the ranger had a surprise for them. They always tried to incinerate her when they saw her and she surprised them when she batted the flame away with her hand. A smooth move or she had found just shooting them from two kilometers away with a high powered slug encased in plasma did the trick. The One Sith had taken her people and corrupted what they had, a need to serve the goddess and find their home was something that had been exploited and most seemed to drink the kool aid on that while she moved. Her armor on display briefly before she was cloaking and hearing the chanting on this world.

Spira a place she had been before and in the galaxy a perfect place to grab tourists and sacrifice them. She treated the ember members here like a plague as they served the one sith and its dark lord over the goddess... but having met the ones who were supposed to be descended from the goddess and revan... she was not impressed with them. Then there had been reports of other rogue vahla moving around the galaxy as the ranger came into a section of the temple chamber perched and watching each of them. Her rifle getting set up while listening before she prepared to fire on them.

One shot with a pop of the magnetic coils and her senses expanded in the force wrapping a fist around the projectile to guide it through ones head and then curve it just a little to impact another and loop around into a third. Force wizardry with her shots to take them down while she was moving. Their set up with the tomes and screens were showing her what they were doing. Instead of honoring the goddess they were using the blood and power from killing them to try and find more throughout the galaxy. SHe didn't know if it could work but it looked like the sith had issued orders to kill members who had left including vahla.

That at least had her interest going forward now while making some notes of into her datapad for the information. One had been seen on Kashyyk but there were no times or dates just 'They were here' and had been searching for something. Now the even vaguer reports and locations in the outer rim world which was not much to go on while she looked at the reports of where these former rogue sith were going to and there were a few worlds there sh knew. Dagobah had ancient temples and could prove a better place to search while she was returning to her ship and setting the course.

[member="Darth Zilti"]

 

[Darth Zilti]

Knowing her first name was better than not, but Maja needed more. Her only true hope of finding her parents was now dead — Silara had passed away as most Sith did — in battle.

So Maja headed to the one place she’d ever learned anything. The Kkowir Forest was home to many dangers, including the Sayormi. Not ghosts as many believe, they’d given her the distinctive tattoo that now adorned her face and told her of her real first name — Pluvia.

Who knows why she didn’t return before, but for now she was prepared to brave the webweavers and so she came in to land just northwest of Kachirho on Kashyyyk. From here she knew she’d have to pass through the gate protected by Dead Guards. Although the forest gate is not hard to get to, what lies beyond the gate is what most people fear — and Maja had first hand knowledge of the terrors.

But her need for answers outweighed her desire for an easy life.

Except…

Except there were no answers. The book the Sith Lord had taken contained all the knowledge she had, and so Maja drew a blank.

So she did what she usually did and slept. For being a Vahla, she was blessed with Farseeing. And a vision came to her in a dream. A planet she recognised, so she set a course immediately. Whatever was calling to her was on Dagobah.

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

The Rac was there, set in one of the open areas that Sasori had secured for research at the old bases crater. It gave the stealth ship a nice place to be while she secured the combat knives in her boot and shoulder sheath. Her lightsaber on her hip dangling off the belt while she secured in the thigh holsters the slivermist smgs. A pistol in a safe place and her rifle before she was checking the gadgets under her leviathan cloak. The beasts thick hide great and with small slips of armor plating to defend. She couldn't protect herself from the force fully but making it hard to be sensed with a taozin nodule... well that was helpful while walking out and checking that she blended in with the swamp.while she was walking out towards one of the larger temples in the area. Her senses in the force laughable compared to her telekinesis and controlling her flames as she only felt something was there.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Her shuttle was approaching the atmosphere of Dagobah.

As she neared the planet, she was able to glimpse a portion of its curved surface through a heavy cover of thick clouds. Much of the planet was uncharted and virtually unknown. Somehow Maja had made her way to one specific spot, though she wasn't certain whether it was her hand alone that had guided her ship into this relatively unexplored sector.

The shuttle sailed through the twilight halo separating pitch black space from the planet's surface. Maja took a deep breath, then plunged her craft into the white blanket of mists.

She couldn't see a thing. Her vision was entirely obstructed by the dense whiteness pressing against the canopy windows of her ship. Her only choice was to control the shuttle solely by her instincts with the Force as the scopes weren't registering anything, even as she flew ever nearer to the planet.

When an alarm began to buzz, she sighed and closed her eyes, now trusting entirely in the Force as she started the landing cycle.

What followed was the blast of retrorockets and the ship began to drop rapidly. She braced against her pilot's seat, steeling herself for any possible impact. But none came.

When she opened her eyes, she saw mist, the ship’s landing lights not illuminating more than a few feet in front of it. Her eyes gradually began to grow accustomed to the gloom all around her so that she could just barely see the twisted trunks and roots of grotesque-looking trees.

And she lowered the exit ramp and stepped outside. The enormous grey trees had gnarled and intertwining roots that rose far above Maja before they joined to form trunks. She tilted back her head and could see the branches, high above, that seemed to form a canopy with the low-hanging clouds.

Dusk was quickly approaching. Maja shivered in the thickening fog that closed in on her like something alive. Shadows loomed ominously all around her and the distant cries didn't seem quite so far away anymore. She glanced around at the spooky swamp-jungle surrounding her.

Gone were the days when she had only the dirty clothes she stood up in. For a while she’d worn the glistaweb dresses her sister gave her but she’d forsaken them for something far more practical. Her hooded black robe was standard and underneath she wore a tight-fitting one-piece black costume fashioned from Krayt Dragon hide – and around her waist she wore a simple black belt and her died black Sando Aqua Monster hide boots finished the outfit.

So dressed in some ways practically she once more relied on her instincts and the Force and walked east. For that was where she needed to go. Why she knew it, she did not know. But she knew it none the less.

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

The setting sun oer the low trees and canopy was what she could see as her moved. Inky shadows and squelching mud from under her boots before she was getting away fro her ship and the research base. Heading west into the deeper and often unexplored regions but she knew from notes and probes there were ruins there. Ancient ones that weren't marked with her attention on the sensation within the force that was guiding her.. or maybe it was the chili fries in the ship when she stopped at the edge of the swamp looking across at the misty forest that seemed to be getting thicker and thicker with the setting of the sun.

The sensation to call out while she was swimming across the water came to her when the mud below started sinking down and getting more resistant to letting her lift her legs and she didn't want to get stuck in the water. Slowly she moved getting under a thick branch and pulling herself up as it felt like something was pulling at her to keep her down almost. The motion sensor in her helmet was indicating something was coming while she pulled herself up and free onto the shore. A gasp though as whatever was there passed by her feet and she pulled them up out of the water while she rolled to the side and back.

The sounds of the creature were muted under the water as it disappeared and Willa rolled onto her side. Rising up as she was in the thick soupy fog with only a little bit of visibility in front of herself. One hand rising up as she focused and snapped letting the moist air spark and ignite into a small ball of flame in her hand that illuminated a little more. It still wasn't enough and she stopped crouching down to look while her hand was held out a little in front of herself. Give a good view of the area before continuing and stepping onto the rubble of a small ruined bridge leading to section of stone in mud pits.

 

[Darth Zilti]

She moved swiftly through the jungle – with gazellelike grace over the profusion of foliage and tree roots growing throughout the bog.

But Maja was suddenly distracted. She sensed something dangerous, something evil. 'Something's not right,' he said to herself. 'I feel danger... death.'

‘This is Dagobah, what did you expect.’

She ignored the voice and looked around her, trying to see what it was that emitted so powerful an aura. As she turned she saw a small ruined bridge. Not the source of the foreboding, but a way to reach it, she was sure.

‘Yes, yes,’ the voice continued, unimpressed by her lack of response.

'Did you bring me here,' Maja thought at last.

But the voice in her head said nothing.

Maja shivered. 'I feel cold,' she said, still gazing at the bridge.

‘The place you seek is strong with the Dark-side of the Force. You must go there.'

'What's in there?'

'There is only one way to find out,' the voice said cryptically.

Taking a deep breath, Maja cautiously stepped forwards, towards the bridge.

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

The fog was still thick as she walked and something was there now. On the far edge in the distance she thought there was something moving against the soupy shadows while the sun continued to set. One hand going to Nightwish on her hip while she gripped the biometric hilt hearing the jolt trap stud deactivate while she kept moving forward. "Someone there." She said it carefully while moving forward and looking out from under the hood of the cloak while the ruined bridge creaked under her boots where she was working to carefully step. The sun was gone from the sky and night settling in while in the distance the sounds of creatures came to her ears.

 

[Darth Zilti]

As Maja moved forward – more cautious now – she sensed another. In truth, the Dark-side aura of the area was so strong that it was hard to be entirely sure, but she was confident there was something or someone.

Then she heard a voice, and was pleased that her senses were correct. It was a woman’s voice and was almost drowned out by the sound of creaking as the bridge was clearly being walked upon. But the heavy mist made discerning more than a vague shape impossible.

And the Dark-side of the Force also acted as a dampener on sounds. As the figure walked away from Maja, their footsteps become muffled, to the point that the only things she could hear was the local wildlife. As day turned to night, one set of predators rested whilst another took watch.

She shivered again. Whoever was ahead was invariably less of a threat than the combined ecosystem of Dagobah.

Probably.

So she pressed forward, although she chose not to call out. Not yet.

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

The sounds were there and as she felt and saw something Willa paused. Freezing in place on the bridge when the women coming into view on the other side was visible. She moved forward to look while extinguishing the flame in her hand and waiting now. THe force guiding her as she fought against the darkside on the planet as she was feeling it like a great sea wanting to swallow her up. Her senses expanding outwards to try and feel the woman in front of her now while she moved a little closer but not rushing towards her. It wasn't often she found people out in the swamp... in the dark alone. There was something in her gut telling her this might be a dangerous time before she stopped standing at her full height in the armor. "And who are you?"

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja continued to walk forwards. Once upon a time her looks greatly outweighed her abilities. She always looked the part of a bad-ass Sith, but until her two apprenticeships – one with Kaine and one with Matsu – she’d not had a fraction of the power of her older sister.

But that training, plus her saber and rather useful notebook and she feared nothing but fear itself. It was a healthy respect of the unknown, but here and now she was confident. Never cocky, but not nervous either.

“I am known by many names,” she said, “The two most common are not actually mine. Friends call me Maja and everyone else calls me Darth Zilti. Take your pick – but choose wisely.”

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

She was looking at her, not keeping her saber raised but at her side and ready to defend herself as needed. Then she heard the second name and felt her body prepare for something, anything really before she brought one hand up. "Shouldn't you sith be in pairs?" It was more a question and a bad joke but he situation was going from mysterious stranger to sworn enemy the Republic wanted killed, the sanctum seemed to ignore and the Alliance she wasn't certain but here and now there was likely something a sith had done she could find cause to arrest her for. The force resisting cuffs from Rave would work in restraining her if it was needed. "So what brings a sith here?"

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja looked at her quizzically. “Pairs?” she asked, slightly confused. “Why?” But she ignored her own question, it was of little consequence.

Maja was initially unsure why she was doing all the answering, but for now she was accepting of the role of provider of the information. For people revealed much in the questions they asked, and the ones they didn’t too. And their reactions to answers spoke volumes too.

So she played along…

“The Force brought me here.” She answered truthfully as always – albeit the truth was only as revealing as what was actually shared. “The why I do not know, but when I receive a vision, I act upon it. The goddess blessed me with a gift for a reason – so I use it. And wisely.”

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

Willa was looking at her and wondering as she listened, the mention of the goddess had her looking at her squarely now. If her helmet had been open and enough light it might have been the first warning to be careful while her hand gripped the saber more. The nightwish with its sonic blaster prepped to fire and activate before she spoke. "The sith have corrupted the goddess with their dark lords supposed vision, my people have been led on a false path." She brought her hand up with the saber and it activated, the calming aura of the pontite crystal and the fiery gold blade pulsing as the unstable crystal broke containment for a moment with plasma arcing out like a hungry flame.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja was about to reply with the wisdom she’d pieced together when she was being threatened.

The blade was clearly volatile but Maja held her ground and did her best not to react physically.

“Which goddess are we speaking of? And do not confuse the notion of Sith with their various forms of government or even philosophies. I serve the goddess and none other. No Dark Lord, that would be blasphemy. But my goddess is Vahl. Who are your people?”

Of course, the name of Vahl might make things worse, but she needed to know at least.

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

Willa was keeping her attention on the woman and moving a little, the mention of the goddess had her eyes burning with golden fire as she let some of the plasma and flame arc off. "My people are the vahla and I am one of the last of the ember who didn't simply follow Isolda to serve the dark lord." But she was looking at this one nd could feel it, she didn't seem Vahla.. she was more studry compared to the boneless people as Willa side stepped keeping her eyes locked on her. "I have made it a habit to hunt the ones I can to restore some honor to my people, we aren't just servants to falsehoods."

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja was wary. She’d been threatened by Darth Isolda and for all she knew this was a trap. So she kept on her metaphorical toes, but remained still.

“I am Vahla.” She said it with pride. “Not one of the One Sith’s Ember. And not for want of trying to join, but my efforts were blatantly ignored. I had a sister. She told me first I was Vahla. She was in that Ember and instructed me to fulfil my destiny.” Maja toyed with her hair, the reference unspoken.

“It was her wedding day and I vowed to do as she wished. So I have spent time travelling the galaxy, finding out all I can. And yes, I was once One Sith, but I cannot serve the Dark Lord and the goddess. So here I am.”

“So…the hunt is over, what did you have in mind for me?” It wasn’t issued as a threat, or even an ultimatum. Rather, it was simply a question…

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

Willa was watching her now as she stopped side stepping and held the blade at the ready between them. "If that is true then you are an allie against them, the ember who follows the one sith and you might be able to provide information." Willa wasn't going to say much more but she wasn't going to turn down seeing another who had turned away from them even if it was later and finally she took her hand off the stud. THe blade deactivating while she secured it on her hip standing tall and at the ready while she was wondering about a few more of the things. "I do not know what will happen next but I am Willa one of the few who go against the One sith." She offered her hand looking at the woman and seeing the facial tattoo.

 

[Darth Zilti]

Maja was a little wary. The one who led the One Sith’s Ember had made her threats very clear and for all Maja knew, this was still a trap.

Except the Force and her Farseeing had brought her here, not some anonymous tip-off from planted information.

So she offered her own hand.

“Maja works best under the circumstances. And against them? They may be blasphemers, but they are many. I’m not convinced the goddess had suicide at the top of her list of ways to prove allegiance. Do you?”

She looked the woman up and down. “But I accept that as one who follows the goddess without any thought to another claiming to be her equal or superior, I find their approach nauseating. But what can we do?”

[member="Willa Isard"]

 

[Willa Isard]

[member="Darth Zilti"]

Willa looked at her and listening it was much of the same problem she had seen. Something calling itself equal to the goddess and demanding the loyalty. She moved her hand to touch the others for a moment before pulling her hand back watching her looking for a trap. "It might be something helpful that there is another. The only other vahla I have found not of the one sith are delusional believing himself and his family the reincarnation of the goddess." She was looking at her and the sins were an afront just like those who she fought before she relaxed a little with her eyes going towards the bridge. "We should maybe get off of here before it falls down and we're in the mud."

 

[Darth Zilti]

This was a tense moment and if this woman had meant it or not, she had broken the ice impeccably.

Maja laughed long and loud. Two young women ending up in a sloppy mud-pit might be every adolescent teenager’s dream, but it was entirely impractical.

“Agreed, let’s find somewhere a little more stable to talk.” She decided to trust the woman. Why not? If she was worthy, she would survive the encounter. If it was a trap and she died, the goddess clearly did not bless her.

[member="Willa Isard"]