"The desert is a natural extension of the inner silence of the body"

[VashtiVeridian]

Planet: Tatooine​

Location: Mos Eisley​

Year: 851 ABY​

Objective: Draw out "Old Dust"​

[member="Jakkor Kess']

Santosh gripped onto the small bag of food cubes as hard as he could and took off with the might of a interstellar ship. He ran swiftly through the crowds of Mos Eisley, between the vastly multicultural patrons. Faces of dirt, large eyes of bug-like creatures, happy faces of joy and the withering sad. Santosh didn't care for any of them, he finally got his hands on the sack of sustenance that he had been eyeing all day. And now he was dashing through the streets, trying to shake the pursuit of two security guards.

Santosh dived and whizzed between and under legs. He could feel his feet gripping deeper into the sand with every step, he was gaining traction and distance between him and his followers. "Hey! The street rat slipped into a hole, where is he?!", yelled one of the Guards. Santosh knew this was his chance and if he could blend in, he might be able to escape the two men, or whatever they were. He spun quickly around a corner, keeping his gaze back on the two Guards. He was running as hard and as fast as he could, this was his lucky break.

He saw the two Guards run down an alleyway, opposite of his current course. Santosh smirked the smile of a child who just got away, completely free and pushed his legs harder. As soon as he turned his head, he ran into something, face first. He was knocked onto his back in the dirt, with his ears ringing louder than the time he stood beside that Speeder. Whatever it was that he just ran into was kind of soft, but underneath it felt like pure alloy. The boy struggled to open his eyes, his head was spinning from the impact. At first it was a blur, but it looked like a dog was standing over him. He rubbed his eyes free of deception, and took gaze upon his impact site.

Standing over the child was a figure which seemed more like a machine than a human. When Santosh's eyes focused, he noticed that it was not the outline of a dog. What he was now seeing was the outline in full clarity. A terrifying black and gold mask in the shape of a robotic dog-like creature, staring blankly back at the child. The figure had spouts of clear glass and electricity growing out of it's back and shoulders, with red wires seeing to sprout out from all over it's body. There was a moment of complete silence, even though Santosh knew he was in a huge crowd, he could hear nothing. He suddenly could feel his body constricting tightly, the child wanted to scream but could not. It was as if a handle was holding his mouth shut, invisible to the eye.

The dog-like figure knelled down to the child, and Santosh could feel the constricting becoming more intense, like a wave washing over his body. The figure remained silent and still, it was so un-natural it only added to the sense of dread starting to fill the child. He wanted to cry. Scream. Anything, as the figure raised it's hand slightly over his face. What is happening? The child could not fathom what was about to happen, nor would he in the many years left in his life. The figure clenched their hand very slightly, and Santosh slipped away from the Mos Eisley market and into what it seemed like past memories. They flashed by so quickly, the child couldn't recollect what he had seen. Playing out in the desert, watching the pod races, talking with his friend's father. All in between, faces of everyone he knew flashed before him. This process was speeding up with what seemed like endless acceleration, and before he knew it, Santosh had passed out from the physical exhaustion. Slipping into black, he could see the face of his mother, his father, his brothers and sisters, his uncle, his friends, their family. And then, suddenly, one face stuck out among them all. A Masked face, with two reflective eyes, not eyes; googles. The face of what he could tell was a Tuskan drew closer to Santosh's and he heard the whisper of a woman he didn't recognize, "Kess.."

Santosh awoke in the same spot, but it seemed to be many hours later in the market. One of the Suns of Tatooine had already set, and the second was coming close to resting as well. Santosh sat up with all his might, he could barely move after awakening in a daze. The child wiped his eyes clean of collective dust and slowly rose to his feet, staring out to the setting second sun of Tatooine. Santosh couldn't make heads or tails of what happened, but he felt he had to tell someone, even if it seemed like a nightmare. He started to wander blindly, what is seemed, as it felt like something was guiding him as to where he was supposed to be.

 

[Jakkor Kess]

The Last Jedi of the Old Republic. At least that's what Jakkor would like to think, Nightmares still plagued the Tusken, since his escape from the Sith Empire's holdings. He remembered how foolish he was, when he was driven to madness to the familiar ways of War he had known all his life. As he had helped the Rebellion on Jammiere. He blew up a spaceport, an extreme measure that had gone against the Jedi teachings. Some days he wished to die, and tried asking for it many times during his holding within the Sith prisons. He begged to finally die, to become one with the Force. To end the suffering that life was. As a man who wasn't supposed to exist in this time period. But he had lived in seclusion on Tatooine, despite it belonging to the CIS, as long as he was left alone no one bothered him.

But while out for supplies near the settlement of Mos Eisley, the Force was calling to him, something dark. A tortured soul perhaps not far off from his, but that was the least bit of his concerns as he stumbled across a boy away too far off the desert. He didn't speak much, but showed that even a Tusken clad in Jedi Robes didn't mean any harm. Wishing to seek out this disturbance, he carefully led the child back to the settlement, providing him a canteen of water. Was he a Jedi? Was he simply a man gone insane from the ravages of war? What or who was he exactly these days, he couldn't tell. He didn't know.

Leading the boy carefully back into the settlement, a feeling of dread welled inside him. Seeing a figure before him as he turned around. The figure covered in machinery, it almost frightened him to see a Lightsaber as well. It reminded him of Darth Vader. Could this be a Sith? Another Vader perhaps? What he could sense that the Force was strong but felt as if it was a flowing river blocked by a dam. He looked calm and spoke. "What brings you out here friend?" He said not wishing to show the slightest of fear that he had carried, his hands resting on both his sabers.

[member="VashtiVeridian"]

 

[VashtiVeridian]

The ability to conceal her Aura in the Force had served her well, it was one of the few abilities she had retained. Before, when her body was complete, she was a power manipulator of the Force. But after that fateful mission, that unnamed Jedi master had taken everything she had worked for. By feeding a bit of her Aura into the child, Vashti reveled in the fact that bait had worked so flawlessly. Perhaps this Jedi was more distracted than she had calculated.

"What brings you out here friend?", spoke the Tuskan. Vashti found it offsetting, and rather disgusting to hear a creature of the dirt speak language other than the guttural screams of his people. She ignored his verbal confrontation, and lightly waved her hand at her side. Santosh, the boy, immediately falls to Kess' feet. The boy has lost consciousness, and as far as Vashti is concerned, will cause no problems.

Vashti's sensors immediately recognized the pattern of non-confidence in the voice of the Tuskan, former Jedi Master. Back in a time before her's, only hearing of that era's Jedi Order as stories. Told around raiding ships, between worlds. Fables. Yet here he stands, and from what her sensors could tell, he was vibrating ever-so slightly. Could this washed up "legend" actually contain the knowledge necessary for her to gain her former fortitude? She didn't need her sensors to notice Kess' hands resting on the tools of his trade.

A processed and synthetic voice rang through her helmet, although clearly female, "Wisdom of the old and forsaken."

Vashti gripped the Cross-guard saber that lay holstered on her belt in her right hand, leaving it not ignited. Her secondary AI brain had already begun to run subroutines on behaviour analysis and charismatic hoaxing, but Vashti knew she would not be able to talk her way into this one. She didn't like the two-way dance of negotiation, she preferred to take what she wanted. She knew if she made any sudden movements, Kess' reactionary movements would be more unpredictable. She relied more on her cybernetics than her Force abilities, but that was the reason she was here. To rip something from Kess' skull that would push her to the next level.

She crossed her unequipped arm behind her back and leaned back slightly, "You're going to show me.". There was the slight sound of what seemed like two latches disconnecting, it came from behind her. Vashti had engaged her multi-arm, splitting her right appendage down the middle. Effectively creating two arms for one socket, such technology would be familiar to Kess, as it was most commonly seen on the Jedi Killer of that time, General Grevious. Vashti flipped her lightsaber hilt into one of the hands of her multi-arm, as the other multi-hand grabbed the other Cross-guard saber holstered on her back.

She remained silent, and waited for his response. The being in front of her was so old, it was hard to calculate a reaction, as his behaviours don't match beings of current time. She slipped her now free hand onto the blaster handle, holstered in the back. To Kess, it would like like she was crossing her arms behind her back. But any trained solider would instantly spot the deception. Vashti was prepared, as one could be, to face the last step on her journey to revival. Her multi-arm adorned both of her Cross-guards, her left arm primed her reaction servos, as her finger danced on the trigger behind her back.

Vashti could sense the tension growing wildly, and she nodded towards the child, "Pity.". She moved her arms out from behind her back, revealing the freakish multi-arm and her other hand, now occupying a blaster. She shrugged exaggeratedly, without taking her eyes from Kess.

[member='Jakkor Kess']

 

[Jakkor Kess]

Kess waited for an answer but found that the being revealed himself to be a woman. That this cyborg more machine than man, had strength in the Force but it was blocked twisted. Seeing something that had shocked him, as the woman answered with an almost synthetic tone of taking what she wanted from him. The woman simply seemed to underestimate him, but then when she activated her crossguard lightsabers, he started to become shocked. Questions started to flood his mind, if she was a Sith Assassin sent to kill him, and further questions started to emerge as her arms started to split themselves, with a second crossguard saber in her hand. He remembered the blades Ancient Sith weapons to which he had heard saw use during the battle of Malachor.

Seeing the blades spin, in a similar manner to the Cyborg General Grievous. He pulled one of his sabers, activating the green blade and posing in a defensive stance as Jakkor breathed calmly. He had fought in two wars, fought against the Sith. He could survive this untamed monster. The blades began to arc, spinning on the ground as a way to confuse him. Taking a Soresu stance in hopes to defend, and not wishing to attack. Looking at the woman as she started to pull out her blasters with her free arms. He looked to keep his own blade pointed towards the spinning crossguards. "Please, I do not wish to fight, if it's knowledge you seek there are alternatives then trying to fight. Continue and I will have no choice but to hurt you."

The old Jedi Master tried pleading with the Cyborg. He did not seek conflict. He did not want his lightsaber or his secondary for that manner. He held his ground, the desert breeze blowing his cloak back, as he kept his eyes locked on her. Watching the crossguards, and knowing or at least having an idea of what to do if they got close to him.

@VashtiVeridian

 

[VashtiVeridian]

Kess' unrest was apparent in his demeanor and stance, which is exactly where Vashti wanted him. She didn't intend to make a direct confrontation like this, but on a whim analysis, probabilities were high. She knew that if she approached him physically, he would have the advantage. Jakkor had already taken on a defensive stance, and was ready to be assaulted. The frightening presence of a animatronic Force wielder has that effect. It was time to spring the true attack.

Vashti swung her multiple appendages down to her sides, her Cross-Guards humming as they came to a stop, and took on a relaxed stance. Focusing on a deeply on the Tusken's aura, her vision needling down narrowly only to his masked face. She could feel her psionic energy building up as the vignette drew to a close upon him. When the light came back, she was surrounded by conflict of the Clone wars, with a young Jakkor fighting ernestly. Her vision brightly flashed again, revealing Kess' most hated people. Vader, The Emperor and lastly the "Second Sister". Kess' mind had revealed to her truly apt weapons. And with a final flash she was released from his mind.

As she quickly recovered from diving into the Jedi Master's mind, her secondary brain AI began running targeting systems on critical targets. Bright red diamonds starting forming over Jakkor in Vashti's vision, critical areas that would severely hinder or eliminate his defensive. The servos of her left arm began pointing the blaster to the pre-determined coordinates by her secondary brain AI. Vashti let the system perform it's function, she knew to trust the AI as it was interlaced with her through a neural link. It was practically an extension of herself, and could not function without her Valkryi brain and spinal cord.

Within seconds Vashti refocused her concentrations into one of the abilities she still knew best. Force induced horror. It was a tactic she used with much success in her Sith interrogator days. She was known as the Omnicron Fist, as she shattered many Jedi under her weight. Projecting a false reality consumed a lot of her power and will, but it was highly successful. It had been years since she had to induce such a technique, but now was the perfect time to do so.

"I don't seek conflict.", echoed the processed voice.

Vashti pushed her aura out as far as she could and engaged her scene of deception. She began to swing her sabers around in circles, between her multiple arms. One saber swung above to her right and the other mirrored below. Then she drew the psionic curtain over his eyes. Suddenly, if she was seeing it from Jakkor's perspective, Vashti's blades turned from red to one blade blue, the other green. Then suddenly, from what seemed like magic, the two sabers split again into four sabers. All swinging aggressively, like a turbine humming ferociously. Within a blink Vashti's form changed to that of General Grevious, a completely convincing illusion. "Your lightsabers will make a fine addition to my collection.", growled the voice of Grevious.

Within a blink before Kess stood some of his rivals of old; Vader, the Emperor and the "Second Sister". All with their weapons drawn, advancing towards him. Vashti had one last trick, she focused her last bit of energy on his tools. She focused on the saber he was gripping, and transformed it into a forced grip restraint. The very same they use in Sith torture facilities and imprison camps. Vashti retained her form as Grevious, spinning away four sabers mixing blue and green.

Now, it was time. The Jedi was distracted. In reality, Vashti's second brain AI completed it's target analysis. Her finger twitched before she even recognized it happen, but it was the right move. The trigger was pulled, the bolt was now on it's way to the target. The Jedi was distracted, and her blaster was aimed at the unconscious boy beside Kess.

Surely, this will send him into the fit of rage she needed to see.
Old Jedi Master or not, he had scummed to his hate before. Vashti was doing her best to make that beast rear it's ugly head again.

 

[VashtiVeridian]

[member="Jakkor Kess"] (OOC: forgot the tag)

 

[Jakkor Kess]

Jakkor couldn't believe what he was seeing, the woman, the cyborg had managed to conjure up images from his past. It was as if she scanned his memories. Vader, Sidious, General Grevious, The Second Sister. The last one he was outraged at as she took the form of his best friend, that made him almost lose his composure, he silently recited the Jedi Code to himself. How dare she even violate his mind in such a way, how dare she sully his friend's memory. Yet as a Jedi he couldn't allow her to win, giving into anger, yet he stood his ground, even as the woman took on many forms as if she had some type of programming.

She even tried to give him the illusion, that his saber was not the saber within his hand. It felt like being restrained, as if he was freaking out. He took a moment to calm himself. Breathing deep breaths as he softly spoke. "Your illusions are not real. They are nothing more then ghosts of the past... You will not have that effect on me woman." He said as though he was determined not to lose his composure. Keeping his blade raised, as he was prepared to strike if need be.

Yet something happened, something he didn't expect as one of the arms wielded a blaster, shooting the kid in front of him, he had little time to react, and couldn't save him in time. Looking at the corpse in front of him, he gave the woman a hardened stare. Pointing his blade at the woman remaining his defensive posture. "That was a mistake." He said grimly a new fire taking a hold of him, as he prepared to strike, his peace disturbed but not ready to break by this woman. Not yet.

@VashtiVeridian

 

[VashtiVeridian]

Jakkor couldn't see the excitement building in Vashti's face; her FOX helmet kept the calm composure for her. This was the only time she felt any hint of emotion, but in situations like this, it was pure glee. She watched the blaster bolt strike the silent child, who now would never make any noise again, besides the air escaping his lungs. Perhaps his skin would sizzle.

Yes, sizzle.

"That was a mistake.", croaked the Jedi Master.

A robotic laugh, which was not Vashti's, but rather a playback recording roared through the air. It was eminating from the speakers on her helmet. The voice was synthetic, which gave it an even more inhuman tone as it reverberated. Vashti was so amused with her execution, both the of the child and of her meticulous plan. She flicked her thumb over the fire-mode toggle on her blaster, from Semi to Auto and aimed the sights at the corpse of the child.

The laughter stopped, and there was a shrill silence that rang between them. The visions of past figures faded away from Jakkor's vision, returning him to the complete reality of the situation. They both stood for many moments, in a still silence. If there were an onlooker, it would of felt like an eternity. With her synthetic arm lined up back on the corpse of the child, she squeezed the trigger again. To add penance to pain, she unleashed countless bolts upon the child's corpse. The corpse was now mostly charred and tossed several feet from Kess, visibly on fire. She was never given such mercy as a child. The lifeless parasite should be grateful to her for saving him many years of remorse and grief. At least, that was the future she was never given, and she resented that. It was best reflected in this action, "You don't understand what a mistake truly is.".

Vashti mounted her blaster to her back and disengaged her multi-arms back into regular appendages. Gripping her two Cross-guard lightsabers, still fully ignited. She gave a mighty flick of her wrists, sending the blades in a dramatic whirl around her. She dug into a leaned forward, offensive stance. One saber held out before her, one behind her in parallel. Vashti could tell Jakkor was more than losing his collection, and was struggling to keep it together. Everything was moving as planned, and now was the moment of unpredictability.

[member="Jakkor Kess"]