The Cult in the Caves: Lords of the Fringe Dominion of Phu

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer had remained quiet, which like her daughter was always a feat. Finally she found an opening to make her presence known, which was visually and through the Force. The woman always had a knack for making herself known especially within the Force. She had mastered it, controlled it and most times depended way too much on it. Time had passed and she like her beliefs had learned to find the middle, a balance. Ashin continued to speak warning the others about invisibility. It was a curious skill, but they were fully equipped to handle it. A mentalist specialist, especially with Sense should be able to pick out the number and general location of these invisibles.

Light taps of a low heeled boot, Spencer moved closer to the group. She had continued to forgo the traditional robes of a Force wielder, she clung tightly to what was familiar and well comfortable. Who would pass up loose fitting spacer pants, a cool looking belt with pouches for numerous amounts of treats, and a comfy cotton shirt with matching vest? Not to mention, the really sexy knee high leather boots with just the right amount of heel. Pulling her long blonde hair from her face, she tied it back into a ponytail, things were going to get messy, but when did things ever remain clean with the Fringe about?

“Invisible shouldn’t be too much of a threat. I can keep sensing for them, I’ll just need someone to cover my back while I do so.” Glancing towards Ibaris, she smiled softly to the girl. “Ibaris should be able to help with sensing as well.” The girl had grown right before her eyes. It seemed like it was yesterday she was cleaning up Barkspawn poop off the carpet and wiping whipped cream from the girl’s face. Was this the feeling her mother felt when she saw her? Proud and scared, two opposite feelings, but they seemed to always fill her chest when she saw Ibaris. Reaching out, she rested a hand on the girl’s shoulder and then like the others moved to follow Ashin.

Like sonar, Spencer put herself out through the Force hoping to catch something early.

Spoiler

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Lord Daemos"] [member="Tal"] [member="Dûvain"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Hannibal Oryen"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Coren Starchaser"]

Sorry for the randomishness of the post just trying to jump in ^_^;

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

A look of considerable pause was floated over to mama when she spoke up about being able to sense for things. More or less that hadn't been the case for her. Sometimes it worked, but most of the time it didn't, and what should have been the simplest of transmutive tasks for her this morning had ended up alchemizing half the kitchen in an instant when all she'd been trying to do was work it on a fork (so, she hoped to whatever gods there were that her parents hadn't seen the kitchen yet today), which was way beyond what she'd yet been able to accomplish with six years of a little bit here, a little bit there. And yet, sensing someone even so constant as Adas was a challenge. Then mama mentioned that she should be able to help with that. Her eyes widened the tiniest bit.

"Yep."

And even though what had happened to her connection to the Force was quickly known to have happened to everyone, it was still hard to admit... and she was still going to try, and the reassuring hand from mama helped with that confidence. Joining her mother, Ibaris tried stretching out those feelers, and was at first given something akin to a fizzle. Her nose wrinkled, she sniffled quietly, and tried again, and what she was granted with was far more than she was used to. It was disorienting, and some of it was... oh, she was trying not to look mortified, or laugh, or anything. Or seem too worried. There were a lot of things bouncing around in her head, now. She blinked rapidly, drew in a breath, and slowly turned her head to the other blonde as they moved forward.

"Uh, wow," she coughed delicately, "did you see... hear... feel that?"

​

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Tal"] | [member="Lord Daemos"] | [member="Nui Akona"]​

 

[Coren Starchaser]

So, here he was, with some of the people he'd grown to know, and they were out on... what, saving the galaxy? Protecting those that are still here? What was it? He figured it was going to be time to get to know the world. He reached out to the planet and could feel the power. He could sense it, so much so that he could taste it. Fresh cut grass and that burning smell of overcooked meat. That was... well, he couldn't say either were bad, and he'd definitely never call both good.

This was his element. He was starting to piece together his old life, and the datacrons he read taught him that. He was going to have to traverse the gap between the dark and the light, and this was just what he needed, to ensure he could do such. He wasn't sure if the Force was just acting up, or if it was him, or if it was this world. One of the three, he surmised.

Regardless of what was going on, he had his pistol in hand, and was ready to shoot just about anything. The only thing that could make this better was if he had a combat airspeeder. Coren was meant to be flying.

 

[Arage Bao]

'Nope.' I answered the kid. Never had been much of a sense guy, not my forte. When I had been younger I simply found it boring. Why train yourself in sensing, when you could make yourself stronger? When you could run like the wind and jump farther then ever before? Reasonable question, no?

Anyway. I didn't feel anything outta the ordinary which didn't really mean much. At least not with the breath hiding from me, it was more difficult to grab a hold of it these days.

Perhaps something to do with the entire thing, who knew?

Took her words at face-value though, couldn't ever be too careful. I sticked close to [member="Tal"] and the Atrisian girl. First one, cause I had a soft spot for the droid, second one. Well. She had a nice ass and apparently could deal a punch too, rare shet that.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Lord Daemos"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Lord Daemos"]

"Stick with me, Daemos. The Frangawl are competent at picking off stragglers. Separate targets are their preferred targets."

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Tal"] [member="Coren Starchaser"]

An immense stone slab began to slide across a doorway as they passed through; it was the kind of trap designed to split the party and let the Frangawl cultists pick them off. Or designed just to squash them.

All right.

Ashin took a long step into the aperture and stretched out her arms to the sides, palms out. One met the slab, one met the stone doorframe, and she poured the Force into the indefatigable shield that swelled out from her skin. The sliding door halted with a grating shudder. The counterweight pushing it had to weigh tons.

Her voice came out tight as she held the slabs apart. "Everyone through the door now."

 

[Quietus]

Ashin took a long step into the aperture and stretched out her arms to the sides, palms out. One met the slab, one met the stone doorframe, and she poured the Force into the indefatigable shield that swelled out from her skin. The sliding door halted with a grating shudder. The counterweight pushing it had to weigh tons.

Not even the former Dark Empress was free from the strange fluctuations in the Force and their side-effects.

Ashin's strength holds while bolstered by use of the Force, until suddenly her arms and hands go completely numb and limp, as if they had fallen asleep on her.

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

[member="Dûvain"]

"Hold 'at thought f' me, will ya?"

Honestly, the manager was only there as a spotter for funsies. Hannibal didn't need any mook to pick out targets over a parking lot for him. The looter anxiously grabbed a shopping cart, pushing it towards the department store with clear intent to fill it with things that weren't paid for. Typical, typical mook behavior. The Fondorian took careful aim through the scope before squeezing the trigger. The crack of the sniper rifle sounded through the immediate area, the bullet soaring through the air and flooring the looter after it passed through his shoulder.

The screaming was pretty immediate.

"AAAAIIIE! AUAAAAUGH! OH, GOD, OH GOD, WHAT THE HELL! AAAAAAAAAUGH!"

Hannibal indulged himself by screaming back. "Hey, get th' kark outta 'ere, ya fethin' mook!"

"YOU SHOT ME! OH GOD, AAAAAAAAUGH!"

"Blow me, ya nerf herder!" Hannibal retorted.

The looter started to drag himself away, trying to stand up and scramble out of the parking lot. Blood loss made that difficult. Constant screaming wasn't helping. The looter was a Trandoshan, though. He'd probably be okay if he got to a hospital or whatever. Not Hannibal's problem. Although, speaking of problem, Mr. Magic behind him had asked him something, although Hannibal couldn't recall what it was now. Must not have been terribly important or really all that interesting.

Hannibal looked back at Duvain over his shoulder. "You say somethin'?"

 

[Sal Katarn]

Dûvain's lip curled back in a slightly feral sneer. Indifference was a double-edged blade. If the Fondorian thought the white-haired humanoid civilized merely because of his manner of speech, he would find himself sorely mistaken. Dûvain's eyes glowed twin volcanic pits.

Incessant screaming came from below. He found them.... grating.

The Arkanian hybrid lifted clawed fingers toward the reptile hauling itself across the lot. An orb of pure hatred coalesced in his hand and he flung it at the Trandoshan. The luminescent globe struck the looter in the small of the spine. He arched his back and released a shrill, but fading scream as his body was atomized, literally disintegrating into.... glitter?

The Terror of Alzoc lofted a brow as the winds swept away the reptile's sparkling remains.

"How peculiar."

He turned back to regard the mercenary.

"What was I... ah yes. What price would induce you to end this manager's miserable existence, [member="Hannibal Oryen"]?"

The fat-fingered man was already running.

 

[Onith Trill]

[member="Nui Akona"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Lord Daemos"]

I continue to march with the group as we go deeper and deeper into the cavern, with the young organic asking if anyone felt anything. I activate my Enhancescan General Scanner's life sign detector.

"There is a large amount of life forms on the other side of the door." I respond. "My sensors are not precise enough to detect what they are, but initial calculations show a sixty-five-point-eight-three chance of hostiles." I continue, trying to help as much as we can. Rather than split up the Grand Admiral decides that she's going to push the door open. All calculations say she has no chance, but the door moves all the same. I make a note to petition Hegemonic for a software update detailing the powerscales and tendencies of Force Users. If I can get enough data of them perhaps I can help out with that.

But something's wrong. I being to see a tremor in her arms.

"Nui, help me out here." I say, and run up to the door and put myself at the Grand Admiral's side, pressing my mechanical hands against the door. My servos are stronger than most organics my size, and they're only aided by my gyroscopic stabilizer, but diagnostics still show I only have an eight-point-four-six percent chance of being able to push open the door. But I have an eighty-eight-point-five-six percent chance of making sure the Grand Admiral doesn't sustain any damage along the way.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Coren had his eyes open and ready, he was... nervous about approaching the Force. It wasn't the same since he was awakened, and even five years later, things were... odd. He wasn't sure what to feel. He could sense the world, he could find what he was looking for, but to affect the world? He was really hardly one to do that anyhow. And Corellia knew he would not reach out to drain anything right now.

Not like this.

And that was when he felt the shift. Not so much felt it, maybe, but saw it. In Ashin. Moving forward, and holstering his pistol in a swift motion, the son of an ExplorCorps Jedi moved to the Grand Admiral.

He wasn't going to move to assist Ashin until she was giving up and needing the help. He was a Starchaser, and he treated everyone as such. People who knew what they needed in life, where to find it and that they had the strength to get what they need, or ask for the assistance they require. Noticing the droid step forward, Coren nodded. Looking around, he figured he might be able to cobble something together. Keep the door from slamming shut again.

@Tal @Dûvain @Hannibal Oryen [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Though the Force wasn’t there for her in the way she usually felt it, she at least noticed someone’s mildly distracted thoughts and could pinpoint them to the man standing off to her side. Turning her head to look at the man who’d introduced himself as Nui, she raised an eyebrow as she spoke: “Can I help you with something?” She would have loved to hear what decidedly un-Jedi thoughts the ex-Republic member was thinking but Ashin’s voice cut through her curiosity.

When the General said ‘now’ it was probably risking death not to do whatever it was anytime but NOW so Matsu moved without thought, her proximity to the door and her petite size the only things that got her through the entrance before the Force seemed to give out on the General. The grinding sound of the counterweight attempting to crush those holding the door open was deafening inside the relative darkness of the tunnel system.

Give me a second…give me a second…

Matsu looked around, searching for something she could put between the door and the wall to allow the rest of the group to squeeze through but the problem with that was anything big enough would also probably be too heavy for her to lift or push with any sort of speed. And she kind of needed to be fast if she wanted to avoid a Varanin Pancake. At that moment her gaze landed on what seemed to be a mechanism for the door.

Oh. That’s easier.

The lever was hard to pull and Matsu had to put all her weight in to it, one foot on the base and pulling, her back to the hallway that led deeper in to the system – the same hallway she didn’t need the Force to know was populated by something angry, something coming to stop her. She managed to pull the lever far back enough to leave two feet of space for the group to come in through before the lever got stuck, locking in place.

Whatever was behind her was getting closer.

“That ‘get inside now!’ still applies!”

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Nui Akona"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Tal"] | [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] | [member="Dûvain"] | [member="Hannibal Oryen"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"]​

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

When Papa said now, she honestly did start to move, but then something seemed to happen to that parent of hers, which made the girl hesitate. That door looked awfully heavy and she wasn't sure what she could do to help, but after a few moments worrying herself over it, the droid pitched in, and then Matsu went on through anyways. She glanced around at the others, at Mama, then back at the door. Then Matsu popped back out again, and lo and behold, the door seemed to have gotten stuck in place, and the pretty, dark-haired Sith Lord was reiterating the urging 'now'. Well, she could join in on that!

"Come on, you guys heard them! Move your butts!"

And, well, that put a fire under her butt! Ibaris wasted no time getting in gear and slipping through the space, joining Matsu in the dark of the crypt.

"That could have been worse..." she quipped, but her eyes widened: whatever she had gained from her unusually strong sensory exploration of the area was alive and well and moving. Moving closer. Her eyes tracked back through the darkness over to Matsu, "...or it could still get worse."

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Nui Akona"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Tal"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Dûvain"]| [member="Hannibal Oryen"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"]​

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tal"]'s probability calculations, for the function wherein Ashin was able to escape due to the droid's intervention, should perhaps have been slid to compensate for the supposition that Ashin wasn't in the habit of moving -- his priors were off. She'd also have noted that the relevant Bayesian calculation required more information than solely the two probabilities he'd come up with. The probability of preventing her damage given successful assistance-

Well, who wants to read about Bayes? But then there was the indisputable fact, represented by that Bayesian slide, that what made Ashin Ashin had nothing to do with how strong in the Force she was. Her nerveless arms fell to her sides, the slab grated toward her against the pull of the droid's arms, she was bleeding time-

Her numb fingers found the clip of her long-handled lightsabre, she turned sideways-

Her lightsabre, unlit, rang against the floor. She flicked her foot just so, trapping the weapon between her feet, no Force involved, just a good clear visualization and well-trained muscles-

And the slab crashed into the blade emitter, driving the powerpack against the frame. The stone, and Tal's hand, shuddered to a stop in front of her eyes, leaving a permanent thirty-three centimetre gap. More than enough for her, and anyone else on the outside, to get through. Her lightsabre sparked and died between her feet. "Thank you for your assistance," she said, as her heart began to slow. "My arms are numb; if someone could give me cover until I'm combat capable, I'd appreciate it."

Then Frangawl kidnap-dust washed over her in a spray of blue light, and she vanished utterly.

[member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Velok the Younger]

Seren Ordavo was not on Phu; he wasn't even alive, in the technical sense. Off in the Netherworld, he was happily cavorting through Whisperstorms and shoving people into the Field of Blades when they whined about how they didn't want to be here they just wanted to go home to Rendili-

His existence was remembered, however, by the Frangawl cultists, the older ones. About twenty years back, they'd acquired experientially sound dicta against messing with tall, bald humans and wrist-mounted lanvaroks. Their empirical evidence had been undeniable, irrevocable, and repeatable. Repetition of the experiment had verified Seren's reality and the absolutely imperative nature of said dicta.

Gone, as the saying went, but not forgotten.

 

[Arage Bao]

'I will tell ya if we survive this.' told the girl, so mentalist probably. Too many of those bastards around, Always scheming, always reading dem minds. Should be holy, ya know? Just your own sanctuary, because this world didn't have enough of those, if only I still had my sigil of hope. Some bastard stole that tho, smugly Sith Lord slash Voice of the Dark Lord. Probably would have to go and kill him at some point, can't allow people to take your stuff without dealing with it in kind, no? Anyway. I was about to step in and help in this mess, something with Varanin losing her strength, situation only enforced my belief that using the breath wouldn't be all too smart right about now.

Still, I was strong, vongshaping and cybernetics does that to a person. But the situation moved fast, first Tal stepped in, then the atrisian decided to pitch in herself and finally Varanin proved herself to be pretty fething resourceful. Was stepping through behind her, was gonna tell her I'd watch her back - but then she disappeared.

What the hell.

I looked around, suddenly very, very aware on how exposed we currently where.

Didn't talk, no need. Instead I simply listened and smelled, hoping to get some vague sense of where these bastards were.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Tal"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

DEEP IN THE FRANGAWL CRYPTS,
SOME DISTANCE FROM THE FRINGE PERSONS,
A nice girl crouched among masked Bardottan cultists and evaluated a machine made of stone.

"So the subjects slide down the chute, and the jaws grab them with telekinesis, and their life force is extracted over a matter of seconds and placed in a spherical glass shell that then glows green?"

"Yes."

"That's about the size of it?"

"Yes, Velok."

"Like feth am I fixing this for you. At least not today. Look, it's a fascinating machine, and I'd love to play around with it, but do you have any idea how much energy we're talking about? The Force is erratic. Maybe you've noticed your dust not working as consistently as expected? Maybe you've just noticed your machine not working as expected? What happens if I shove you into this, it eats your soul, and all that energy decides to go elsewhere? The immediate Force doesn't respect conservation of energy. Sometimes it just functions like activation thresholds in chemistry or like a little drill making a little hole in a dam, a hole that gets bigger...ah, forget it. Just don't use this fething machine until the dust works normally, alright?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Right, moving... when the door stayed open, Coren moved. When Ashin called for cover, the Corellian's slug thrower was in his hand. "I'll keep an eye open." He looked to the rest of the crew. This place... was different. He wasn't about to go charging in. Nope, Coren let the younger and stronger lead. He was a support member of the team.

And that was when the leader of this expedition vanished. Quirking up an eyebrow, Coren looked at [member="Nui Akona"].

"The hell?"

Was not good, obviously.

 

[Onith Trill]

While I knew the name "Ashin Varanin" and had limited to access to her file, specifically all of the parts that weren't classified, which could be summarized as "Don't feth with this woman." none of the information I had made me think she'd be that stubborn. That business with the lightsaber though, very efficient.

"Of course Grand Admiral." My mechanical voice roars from my vocabulator, but Ashin Varanin is gone.

"Kark." I reply, but by that time my scanners and sensors are already working. Heat detection, motion detection, life form detectors, motion sensors. It takes a short moment to filter out all the data that I already had and figure out where Ashin Varanin was most likely to be going, but I figure out a possible trail. Thirty-seven-point-one-four probability with the variables that I can account for. It's not good, but I'm not sitting around when my Grand Admiral just got kidnapped.

"I'm coming Grand Admiral." I scream, perhaps stupidly so, and charge in the direction I believe Ashin Varanin was being taken at 40.23 kilometers per hour.

Somebody was about to get shot.


[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

And she was right. Papa just went... poof, in the blink of an eye. If there was one thing that was certain, [member="Ashin Varanin"] was not one of the people she knew that was given to going quite literally invisible of her own volition. Her eyes went wide.

"See? Worse."

Then those eyes rolled, and everyone stared at the space her Papa had occupied until a moment ago. Except for the droid, it seemed, who was off an instant later, barrelling down the corridor. She blinked, she stared, wheels turned until something clicked, and then she turned to all of them, a distinct glare etched into her young face.

"Well, don't just stand there, people!"

One hand thrust back down the corridor, a finger piercing the air in the direction of the quickly advancing [member="Tal"].

"FOLLOW THAT DROID!"

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Nui Akona"]​

 

[Ashin Varanin]

The Force gave her conflicting readings.

She became aware, groggily, that the Frangawl kidnap-dust, the blue Force-empowered stuff they blew on people, was not working as anticipated. Her kidnap had not gone according to plan. Oh, she was invisible as they'd anticipated, and she was paralyzed as they'd anticipated, but she was awake.

She couldn't use the Force again without unpredictable side effects. Abruptly, something clicked in the back of her mind -- it was like being on Nam Chorios-

She would have one chance.