There's a Fly in my Soup! [Elpsis]

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

The bar erupted into chaos, the general rule of things in galaxy let alone Hutt space. Elpsis only had time enough to gather herself before the members of the card game decided the two girls had done enough to earn their wrath. Not only that, the guy Abaigeal had 'disposed of', had regained his feet and wanted to get revenge for the indignation caused to him.

He ran at Abaigeal knocking her to the floor, but the impact had caused them both to slide along the floor before they hit the side of the dancers platform. Abaigeal immediately jumped to her feet, the area to close to ignite her saber or to be effective, but she had more weapons in the force. The guy to a swing at her which she ducked and as his fist passed over her head, Abaigeal sent a powerful force push toward his abdomen which would send him fly to the wall with a hard thud.

His flight however, had knocked over some more of the patrons who looked around for the person responsible finding none they decided she would do well enough to their reprisal. A punch to the face of a older man made Abaigeal's hand pain as she struck his face on the jaw, a kick to the crouch saw the end of him however. Now she could find her way back to Elpsis and seeing she was still in one piece it was time they both left.

"Lets get out of here", she agreed with Elpsis. "And we better do it fast", she added in a softer tone.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


"Yeah, let's go," Elpsis said somewhat unnecessarily. Within a few moments the bar had erupted in chaos and it seemed most patrons decided that the best way to spend their time would be to take out their wrath on the girls. The Twi'lek from earlier had apparently still not had enough and took a swing at Elpsis. The punch made her reel as she seemed to tumble, then Elpsis retaliated by unleashing flames that set the alien's lekku on fire. As the thug screamed in pain and anger Elpsis gave her a kick in the kidney to remove her from the game for now.


Quickly she hastened out of the bar towards the exit, ducking and hitting the ground when slug rounds began flying and a chair was tossed her way. Said chair was grabbed with telekinesis and then sent crashing into a group of angry patrons. After being ignited by her flames. It was quite satisfying to see a thug get set on fire when the chair smashed into his chest and its legs impaled him. She would have loved to set the whole bar on fire, but unfortunately she did not have the power for that.


The exit was close and she ran towards it, presumably with Abaigeal in tow. Behind her pandaemonium raged inside the bar. As was often in such seedy establishments, once a small fight broke out it rapidly escalated to a point where everyone was fighting each other. Outside Elpsis could breathe freely. Well, as freely as you could given the fact that the air was terribly polluted and filled with smog. On reflex she checked the pocket in her leather jacket, finding that they still had the credits. Looking back at the bar she could not help laughing. "That was close...and kind of fun. Nice work back there," she said genuinely, before pulling Abi away into one of the random alleys.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

Abaigael wasted no time in following Elpsis through the chaos, her arms at times shooting up over her head to shield her head from flying glass and other debris. The bolts from blasters not necessarily aimed at them, flew dangerously passed the two girls causing them both to hit the floor. Immediately Abaigeal scrambled to all fours and crawled part way before getting to her feet.

She did so just in time to see Elpsis set fire to more stuff, she had seen this talent once before in a bar on Tatooine, [member="Thyrian Ashborn"] may have used the force differently but had flames issuing from his body. However, at this point Abaigeal had no time to ask about it, but ran for the exit.

Once in the street, she cough hard, her lungs sucking in air, if you could call it that, until she recovered somewhat from the fight. She began to laugh which made her lungs pain more, but could not stop, "That was.. fun", she managed to splutter out and agree and tugged toward an alley she did not protest. They had to get off the street or at least out of view.

In the alley, Abaigeal looked Elpsis over to see if she was alright, apart from some scratches and a growing bruise on her neck from the Garhoon, she seemed fine. "You ok?, .. how do you do that? that thing with the fire".

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


"I get pissed and there's fireballs shooting from my hands. Jedi instructor prattled something about rubbing and heating air molecules together to generate fire. It's handy. Burn people by touch sometimes when I'm too angry. That's annoying sometimes," Elpsis responded.


Laughing was just making her lungs hurt, but at this stage she neither cared nor could she stopped. Yes, this was the sort of thing Elpsis presently regarded as fun. Maybe she needed to find less hazardous hobbies that did not involve the need to set ruffians on fire. Of course, you could perhaps count that part as community service.


"We make a good team. Nice work back there," she gave Abi a slap on the shoulder. Fortunately by now Elpsis had gotten her pyromania under control, and so the Black Orchid would not be at risk of getting burnt. Presumably such an experience would have made things a bit awkward between them. 'Team', it was an unfamiliar word to her that she still had to wrap her mind around. She certainly did not count the smugglers and ruffians she here and there did jobs with as such, even those she trusted not to shoot her in the back as soon as she turned around.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

"Remind me never to piss you off", she jested but also would remember not to do so. She wondered if the same went for the Ashborn, she suspected such along with so much more that he carried within his soul. Her mind wandered for a moment wondering what he was doing or where he is was now. An intriguing man but yet so distant and cold, but than so is Abaigeal.

However, she returned to what Elpsis had said, her mind taking in the method of creating the fire and one day she will try it and see if she had the talent to do it, it would be handy indeed. But for now they needed to find some form of safety.

A team? she had never considered teaming up with another, but Abaigeal liked Elpsis and the thought appealed to her. Yes they did do good together. "Oh you did most of the work, besides I was not quick enough, I should have got to the Garhoon before he got to you. I need to hone my senses more".

"We do make a good team", she added with sincerity. "We need to get off the streets", maybe some low end accommodation some where would do the trick or simply get off planet.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


This one wonders how things would play out if Elpsis were some day to run into Mr [member="Thyrian Ashborn"]! Perhaps something to look into in the future.


At Abi's words Elpsis shrugged. "Between you and me, I ain't that keen on usin' the Force most of the time. Try not to be reliant on it," she said. Well, that was a bit of an understatement, but a dark alley on a planet infested with legions of criminals, ruffians and rapists was not the place to talk about their parental issues.


However, she gave Abi a nod at her following words. "Let's go. I know a motel close by. Creds are enough for a night." Of course, it would probably be the smartest thing to get off the planet right now but, hey, that would mean their adventure would be over quite soon! The motel in question was a rather rundown, low end place that for some bizarre reason was called the Four Seasons Hotel. However, on the bright side the drinks were less crappy than at the bar.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

[SIZE=12pt]The two girls found their way to the Four Seasons Hotel, mostly unimpeded save for a few men ‘asking for a price’. They checked in a room that the credits would afford and some left over for something to eat and drink. Abaigeal felt more at ease now off the streets and away from people that now had an interest in them, for reason not benevolent toward them. And the hotel bar was quieter with only the patrons of the hotel allowed, but still one would need to the cautious, she learned that lesson very well on Lianna, as she had dinned in an up market restaurant and was kidnapped by Kaine. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]However, Abaigeal allowed herself to relax with a cheap ale in front of her, Elpsis had her’s and now the girls could talk. “Why don’t you like to use the force? I mean it would be more beneficial to you and your work, I mean you kinda already do, you know with what you did back there at the table”. Abaigeal pattered her jacket pockets and found a pack of cigarettes she had purchased and offered Elpsis one before lighting up herself. The quick hit felt good as she exhaled the smoke through her red lips.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Abaigeal took a long drink of the ale, the cool liquid felt good on her dry throat, and later she would look forward to a warm bath to rid herself of the grim and debris of the Blue Bantha. [/SIZE]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


"Yeah, precog. It's handy," Elpsis admitted a bit reluctantly before lighting up a cigarette for herself, saying her thanks to Abi. She took a deep drag, savouring the nicotine before she exhaled, a stream of smoke escaping through her red lips into the air towards the roof.


Remember, kiddies, smoking is bad! It will be hazardous for your health and mess up your lungs. Just because all the cool kids in stories keep having a smoke, does not mean you should imitate it! "Just don't like using the Force more than needed. It's useful, but it seems like a curse to me sometimes. Most who wind up dependent just become power-crazed arseholes. Besides, I already got enough attention from Forcers." she shrugged at that. "Personal stuff. It's not important." Well, actually it sort of was.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

"It does make you a target, the force, that is true. Boy do I know that", she added agreeing with Elpsis for the most part. "So a curse in that sense I guess. But the force as a tool? I use it that way rather then a way of life, like the Sith or Jedi". At least for now that is her philosophy.

Abaigeal has her own personal hung ups, mostly different from Elpsis she would assume but still the two of them had issues. She wondered how life would play out for them both. She liked the idea of a team, but she liked her independence as well, and she knew Elpsis would be the same. But that did not mean they could not work together in the future and form a bonding friendship.

"I have loads of .. personal too. A long and boring story", she added in her attempt to brush it off. But in a strange way, Abaigeal was happy she was not alone in this.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


"That about sums it up for me," Elpsis agreed when Abi neatly summarised what passed for her ideas on philosophy. Force as a tool was something she could get behind. Galaxy would be better off if Jedi and Sith both got teleported into a black hole or something. Or some lifeless rock in a parallel universe where they could fight their silly holy war without anyone else getting caught in the crossfire.


She raised eyebrow when Abi said she had 'loads of personal too!. "Welcome to the club," she said jovially and clinked their glasses together before taking a deep gulp from her ale. Undoubtedly in the morning there would be one hell of a hangover, but at the moment she did not care. "Well, I ain't gonna pry. Always hate it when people do it to me. Look, I'm used to doing my own thing and being reliant on myself, but I like having you around. So if you want to stick around, that's fine with me and we can do jobs together. No hard feelings if either of us quites."

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

Abaigeal smiled and raised her glass. "To no hard feelings", she said by way of toast. "As regards the personal stuff, .. same, no prying. If we talk, we talk", Abaigeal had no mood for that conversation and doubt Elpsis did as well. Things are still to raw and she did not wish to become a gibbering wrecking on the floor in front of her friend.

"I will be good to get some credits under my belt, I have some, elsewhere but I can't access them at this point", she refers to some money left to her by her mother but Abaigeal can't bring herself to use them, not yet.

"So what is our plan? We rest for the night and then?", she wondered if Elpsis still had business around Nat Hutta to complete, as for her, she could take it or leave this place.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Elpsis shrugged. "Got a job lined up with the Blue Suns. They need some folks to smuggle spice and stuff for them. I know the gang. Arseholes, but they've played me straight. Only had to bash heads once or twice," she said as she sipped her drink.


Of course, this sort of depended on lots of thugs not suddenly deciding that it would be cool to try and capture them because the girls were too cool for the planet. Well, that and it stood to reason that two force-users would be prize items on the slave market. Presumably they had not seen the last of the woman who had earlier sent the two thugs after them. Especially not after their little display in the seedy bar earlier, since word travelled fast.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

"Well if you want someone to watch your back... ", she said by way of offering her help, but Abaigeal would do more then simply that. She would be happy to help Elpsis with her lined up job in any way she can. The booze is good, much better than the Bantha for sure and she began to feel the effect of it. She, young of body and in some cases, of mind, only ten years in the galaxy but living in the body of a fully blossomed woman. Sometimes Abaigeal shows her innocence, but she is not childlike.

But their repose in the bar would be interrupted once more. The woman from the alley, escorted by four new thugs stood in the threshold of the hotel bar. "There they are!", she yelled not caring who was about. She woman's face etched in anger and livid that these two runts of girls had bested her men. Well more then bested really, killed them.

"I want them alive!", she bellowed further. "So I can make them pay".

Abaigeal's head snapped around, "Oh not again", she said as her shoulders slumped. "I was so looking forward to a bath". Now her saber jumped to her hand, no mucking around this time.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Elpsis was pissed off. Very much so. And she had long past the stage where she paid attention to Jedi preaching about how anger led to the dark side. Well, she had been a terrible student anyway. But she was still hurting from the last bar fight, terribly frustrated and had been looking forward to a relaxing bath and a good sleep.


Well, that was blown now. Elpsis getting very angry meant that her aversion to using the Force simply went out of the window. Unleashing her power, she manifested intense, burning light inside the palm of her hand and let it shoot towards the first thug who came for her. The thug cried out as sight was taken from him, firing blindly with his stun blaster, then Elpsis brought him down with a kick to the knee and punch to the throat. In a flash her lightsabre had leapt into the grasp of her hand and ignited with a snap-hiss, revealing a crimson blade that seemed to hum for blood.


It had been a long time since she actually used a lightsabre and it showed as she tried to slash stun bolts and slugs out of the air, but then again she was facing thugs and not trained soldiers. Simply having a sabre and using it half-way competently could be intimidating enough. One of the thugs came at her with a vibrosword, moving like a bull. The sheer physical strength of the burly man drove her back and then he sliced her across the upper arm, drawing blood as he cut through her leather jacket. Elpsis ducked under a powerful blow that was coming for her head, then grabbed his wrist, pulling it at an unnatural angle before her blade cleaved him from shoulder to belly.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

Her saber hummed to life, the blue blade swirling around her deflecting bolts from the blaster. As Abaigeal has been trained from a very young age with the Silver Jedi, her ability was a little more refined and structured. Still with much to learn with technique but more than enough to deal with these thugs. One of the bolts deflected back to the origin and hit the man in the chest dropping him on the spot.

Elpsis, anger once more, she could feel it through the force, well one only had to look at her face really to tell. "Oh that is a mistake", she grinned, "Never a good idea to piss my friend off". And as the words finished from her mouth another thug ended. Elpsis deadly quiet.

However Abaigeal approached the woman, ceasing her by the neck through a strong force grip. The woman's face went white with both fear and lack of oxygen and she grasped. "Call them off or I snap your pretty neck". The woman was not particularly pretty it just sounded good and menacing. Dragging her over to the side, Abaigeal lifted her saber to under her chin and released the grip. "Now .. we shall talk", she said softly.

"I don't like you, you seem to not like us, I think you had better tell us why or else my friend will fry you".

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Well, this was a nice way to establish boundaries! She certainly liked the way Abaigeal was handling the annoying woman who for this or that reason had been sending thugs after them. Said thugs were now quite dead. For the moment at least it seemed that the two girls had the undivided attention of the patrons of the bar. Maybe they were looking for a good show. Or considering whether it was worth the risk to jump in as well.


"Look...we can talk reasonably...I just need the money...," the woman begged pathetically, her voice was practically dripping with fear, likewise beads of sweat dripped down her face and accumulated on her hands. For her part Elpsis was just disgusted and getting impatient.


"Speak a bit louder. I can't hear you. Who do you need money from?" she snapped angrily. Redhead rage was not a pleasant sight and she had never been good at controlling her temper. As she stood there a Weequay thug had abandoned his chair and was slowly sneaking up towards her.


"Put that lightsabre away and we can talk. You got no idea how many people are gonna come after you. Two forcers. That's gonna be a prize...," the woman gave them a wink. No, not them, the others in the bar. Begging them to help with promises of credits. Immediately Elpsis spun around and tossed her lightsabre through the air, sending it flying to embed itself in the Weequay's forehead with a thud. The alien fell to the ground and in a flash the weapon was back in her grasp.


"Anyone else?" she asked rhetorically. "No? Good!" Then with her free hand she grabbed one of the woman's hands and focused. Suddenly the woman yelled and her hand began to sizzle. As Elpsis concentrated her fiery power, a burn spread on the woman's hand, making her gasp in intense pain.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

With the thud of the Weequay hitting the floor, most in the bar retreated or hide under tables. The bar tender slowly disappeared behind the counter and pressed the security button to alert the local authorities. It would be clear that Elpsis and Abaigeal had out stayed their welcome.


"I told you it is a mistake to annoy my friend", she said to the woman with dangerously soft words and as she screamed with the pain of the fire from Elpsis's hand. "I don't care if you need the credits or why, you had better come up with a better explanation ... or your life ends now". Abaigeal's saber remained at her throat.


Abaigeal could sense the fear in the room from everyone, none would trouble them but with the imminent arrival of the cops that would intensify. The cops on Nal Hutta are shoot first kinda guys and gals and corrupt as the darkside and on the pay roll of the Hutt the woman works for.

"Ok ok, I work for Boota, I owe him credits .. alright?!", she finally spat out as she eyes keep a keen look on the saber.

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Two bar fights in one night! Maybe there was a lesson involved in this, though right now Elpsis was not in the mood to philosophise beyond having come to the conclusion that at present Nal Hutta sort of pissed her off. The cops had not arrived yet, but soon the two would be able to hear the howl of sirens that heralded their coming.


She did not need precognition to tell her that it was time to get the hell out of dodge. As for the woman who had just spilled her metaphorical guts, Elpsis' gaze upon her revealed only contempt. "You know, I'd just break a few ribs and let you run. But something tells me you also sent thugs against us before. Call it a sixth sense. So I'm a tad too pissed," she spat.


"No...no..Look, we...," the woman's pleading was ended when Elpsis sliced across her throat with her lightsabre. Flesh sizzled as the energy blade cut right through it, cauterising it even as it ended the life of their would-be kidnapper. "We're leaving. Who wants to stop us?" she challenged the patrons who had apparently focused all eyes on them, holding the crimson blade up. None of them made a move to challenge them, but then the sound of sirens broke the silence. Cops were on the way.


Without hesitation Elpsis grabbed Abaigeal by the shoulder and quickly headed out, breaking into a sprint. "Let's take the back exit," she said quietly, something like anxiety evident in her voice. Both might have the Force, but they could not fight a horde of crooked cops.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Elpsis Kallikora"]

And no one did try and stop them. Abaigeal did not need to be asked twice, as soon as the suggestion was made and the sound of the sirens began to fill the room, Abaigeal legged it for the back exit.

Bursting through two swinging door which lead to the kitchen, she knocked over a chef and the food he carried and both went flying through the air. "Sorry .. sorry", however she only had eyes for the back door. She sensed Eplsis close behind her and turned her head to make sure. The staff of the kitchen back out of the way to let the rampaging duo through.

Finally, the exit and Abaigeal pulled on the door which opened without protest and she ran into the dark alley way. Her foot however, found the rotting remains of last nights cuisine, and she fell flat on her arse. Around the exit is piles of discarded food infested with alley vermin which squeaked and hissed at her for ruining their fare. Abaigeal let out a cry of pain as her tail bone now bruised did not like the treatment. However, with no time to wait or pout, she scrambled to her feet and began running again but the question was to where?

The main street would be crawling with cops and they would fan out to the back, knowing the who ever they needed to arrest would probably do so. The only way was up. Get to the roof tops and escape from there. "There Elpsis, the fire escape, we need to get out of the streets". Abaigeal pulled down the ladder and began a climb to the roof.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Piles of discarded food and alley vermin littering the streets, with the occasionally dead body that had been carelessly dumped into the alley. Further ahead the sounds of a prostitute going about her craft with a client, whose pleasured grunts echoed. This was soon drowned out by the howl of sirens as police speeders closed in and cops began fanning out.


Abaigeal was climbing up the roof and Elpsis quickly followed her. Her tired muscles protested at the haste at which she was moving, but she was pumped full with adrenaline and this kept her going. She knew all too well how dirty Nal Hutta cops were and had little desire to fall into their clutches. Then she might as well sign her life over to a Hutt's gang and be done with it, since it would amount to the same thing. And so she quickly climbed up after Abaigeal, while the 'police' came closer and closer.


Speeders were swooping down from the sky as she finally reached the roof, with the smog-filled night sky being illuminated by searchlights that passed over rooftops and the alleyways. The coppers would undoubtedly soon be joined by 'volunteers' from the motel, in other words thugs who hoped to make easy credit by helping the police apprehend the girls. And presumably have their fun with them before handing them over to the corrupt constabulary.