To Build a Fire

[Orion Darkstar]

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The Wave slipped into the unknown system, a string of asteroids quickly presenting themselves. Delicately the frigate maneuvered into the flurry of rocks that made up the Trahentium Saxosam belt. It was the only string of clustered lifeless rocks within the system. The screens lit up on the bridge as a bright yellow alert warned them for impact. The captain of the small ship swiveled in his chair to check the trajectory, but not before carefully observing the small metal pieces of small figurines in his hands. They were insignificant in the face of a potential danger, but the intricate cracks and crevices that ran across his thumb made him focus. It was as if a sudden strike of genius sprung to life in him. The captain leaned forward, the white hairs slipping out from the glare showing his age. The creasing wrinkles making it even more apparent. His lips separated and his arm stretched forward, a shiny name tag engraved with his name; Captain Tanner. His nose slightly shifted to the right in irritation before he threw the order out to his minuscule crew. ​

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"All power to the ion drives, quick." Captain Tanner ordered, saliva finally dripping to the back of his throat. ​

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The ship bucked upward violently as it began to navigate through the wide belt of destructive rocks. Inches from impact, the small vessel snuck through the tight stop of two colliding asteroids seconds later. The tension of the crew released as a deep sigh came from the captain. It wasn't usually safe to pull off such moves with others on board, but preventing the death of his crew made Tanner feel better about it. The whole reason they were even in such a system was because the higher ups told them to find a different way into sith space. It was common for drills to be carried out this time of year. This of course, meant the two acolytes would have to wait to return home. At least for now. Captain Tanner wasn't normally used to being used as a escort ship, but whatever the Ascendancy ordered he followed. Without the funds from the Ascendancy, Tanner would be forced to pay for the medical bills for his very ill daughter. Like most others the sith used such emotional attachments against others, such was the case with Tanner. Regardless, no one would be getting home if they didn't get out of the belt safely. ​

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Orion felt the tug of gravity and lifted to the air, the soft padding of the mattress slamming into his back. It was a shame that such accommodations were made for a servant of Krest. Still, it would suffice; however the piloting would not. His eyes shot open on impact. A groggy grunt escaped his lips as he sat upward. Another sudden shake from the frigate forced a brow upward. He reached for the glass he had left on the nightstand before falling asleep, but nothing greeted his outstretched hand. Finally, sitting up all the way his feet meet the ground, a cold liquid curving around his lengthy, pale toes. Orion's green eyes shifted to the water and grinned. The glass must have broken from the upward maneuver seconds ago. He remembered the whole reason he was on the frigate was because of another failed expedition. Eventually, he would find it, the very answer he sought. Unfortunately, what came with the failure was another ascendant on board. They had plucked him from some nearby world on the way back to sith space. Although Orion wasn't one to care, he was curious about the newcomer and sprung out of bed to change. ​

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As he stretched, his back painted a tale of pain and scars. His skin told a story of soft delicate silk. The tone was normal for a Zelosian, but even now he was unsure if the dark side had begun to taint his soul. Another part of his bare body showed a tone physique, another sign of his training. It wasn't odd to see such fit and scarred individuals among the ranks of sith. In truth, Orion had suffered through some of the most abrasive methods provided by his very own master. Even now, Orion could feel the hate for him. Such hate would allow him to one day surpass him, so ironically Orion also considered his master a gift. A guide to his success. A success that would soon flourish into something far darker than most expected of him, given his calming persona. What lied beyond such false acts to fit in was a beast, that constantly wanted more; much more. ​

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In seconds he squeezed on the last piece of his clothing. A thick cloak covering his undergarments, that were also black. His weapons had already been fastened to his utility belt, hidden from prying eyes. The only peculiar thing that was left to put on was his chrome, self-crafted mask. It stared back at him like a taunting image of what he truly was; a monster. Orion smiled lightly as he admired it before picking it up. He looked into the mirror, his soft complexion showing a young face and long black tendrils for hair. He lifted the mask to his face before fastening it in place. What was once a calm young image of a Zelosian male, became a sinister visage of his inner demons. Orion thought for a moment as he tilted his head in a elegant manner. ​

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Hopefully we get back to Bastion in time. There is much left to do, especially with the stored blood in the labs. I wonder if I'll get the results I need. Hmm. ​

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Without a care for his image he pulled the back of the cloak's hood over his hair, a looming shadow comforting his appearance. He spun around, his hand reaching above as a sudden square pad flew into his hand. Another vibration from the ship almost unbalanced him. The metal walkway that greeted him careened to the right, leading him to the middle of the ship, where he assumed the ascendant that was picked up, would be. Either way, he wasn't one for conversation. He continued along the hallway before turning just before reaching the center of the ship and found himself in the bridge. Orion's presence forced a stiff posture from the normal crew. The only one that seemed to have some sort of lacking respect was the Captain as he spun around to find Orion. ​

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"What brings you to my bridge acolyte? If I disturbed your sleep I apologize, you see-" A loud screech interrupted him, the ship tilting slightly from a minor impact as a large piece of angular rock flew by the secured glass. ​

"A bigger one is coming we won't make the turn Captain!" yelled another crew member. ​

"Crap, do everything you can to delay the impact!" The captain screamed over the blaring sirens that finally went off. "Orion was it!? We need to get you and the other one we picked up a few hours ago out of here and fast!" He turned away from the acolyte as he snatched the metal figurines from the counter, almost taking comfort in them as he blurted out orders one after another. ​

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Orion clenched his fist, his eyes gazing at the side screens as he watched in anticipation. There was no time, the large boulder of a compact ore in the Trahentium Saxosam belt would rip the ship apart. Even if Orion ran to find the other sith on board, it wouldn't matter. Maybe, just maybe if he could get to the escape pods fast enough, the both of them could get out unscathed. Orion smirked, the mask hiding his frustration. Without a second thought he made for the center of the ship, hoping to find a companion. If not he would escape alone. Sith died all the time in training, dying here would be no different.​

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[member="Vereshin"]​

 

[Vereshin]

Violent jolts moved beneath Vereshin's feet with the weight of the doomed ship. Gripping the hem of his robes, he made for the escape pods without a semblance of concern for his fellow Sith. Metallic halls surrounded his scurrying form and the collision of asteroids deafened the incessant drone of space. Sweat gathered on the back of his neck at impending presence of death. The travels of a wayward scholar were seldom expected and he opted for armourweave robes instead of silk. A scarf tucked into his lapel and warmed his face beneath his hood. Various necessities filled a soft bag slung around his shoulder.

The entrance to the escape pod drew near and another violent jolt sent him falling to his side. Clutching the walls, the mask of the second Sith on board met his gaze and he froze in his stance. Backing against the wall, the thought to flee and find the pod as quickly as possible caught his mind. The other Sith looked faster, healthier and Vereshin could rely on his strength if the both of them ended up stranded.

Saying nothing, Vereshin brushed down the front of his robes and turned away. He only expected the other Sith to follow. Machinery and wires passed his sliding movements and revealed the escape pods nestled deep within the hull. An array of buttons met his gaze and Vereshin stopped to think by Force of habit. They looked strange and unfamiliar. He fidgeted with his hands until his fellow strode up next to him and activated the entrance.

"Thank you." The sorcerer managed with a monotonous tone. Watching his taller companion enter the escape pod, he slid in behind him and took his seat. The hiss of the pod leaving the ship filled the small compartment and Vereshin wrapped his gloved hands around his form in a manner of protection. Arching his neck by the window, the sight of space drew his ever curious gaze and he dreamed for the moment while he watched the ship disappear into the stars.

"What is your name?" Vereshin folded his arms and asked. His brilliant green eyes darted above his scarf and he waited anxiously for the pod to land. "I am Vereshin." He distracted from the fact that he almost abandoned his kin to die with pleasantry. "I go by Vi if you like." The escape pod drifted on and the surface of a pale world came into view.

[member="Orion Darkstar"]

 

[Orion Darkstar]

Artist​

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Location: Unknown. ​

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It was tight. The escape pod had been fitted for two at the cost of extra room for personal belongings. It was awkward to be in a scrunched up against the shoulder of another sith that clearly he had never met, let alone cared for. Still, they were on the same side, at least they were supposed to be. The small beeps that continued to in the background began to grow increasingly annoying before he heard the steady voice of another. ​

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"What is your name?"​

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Orion looked at him with a quick glance and lightly sighed. Pleasantries weren't his strong suit, much less talking. Still, he listened as he caught the new acquaintances name. If he was going to be stuck on a planet with [member="Vereshin"] he would have to deal with it. A slight curl of his lips formed an arrogant grin. Extending his arm towards Vereshin he finally broke the silence. ​

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"Glad you could make it, Vi." Orion was lying, nothing about him wanted to deal with another unrelenting fool looking for their next kill. "The name is Orion, Orion Darkstar." He paused before tapping onto the the console in front of them as the pod eased into the atmosphere. A violent shake stirred the two of them into a unrelenting spin before the pod corrected it self and slammed into the surface. A fog blocked their sight, the only thing that greeted them was a dense green. The small glass window showing the two they were no longer close to home. "Great, I hope you can handle yourself Vi. Looks like we might have a long trip on our hands and judging by the thick fog, it's gonna be a hot one."​

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Orion shook his head checking the console for any warning signs in the air. The levels of oxygen and temperature were close to Lahn. Orion shook the thought of Master Ravac from his mind, it had been a while since he fought a Jedi with such experience. Hopefully, for the both of them they weren't in Jedi space. Orion pulled on the lever, the latch from the door hissing as it began to lower. The sudden swath of humid air rushed into the pod as Orion looked over to his new companion. ​

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"After you, I insist."​

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Orion slouched, his laggard expression showing an almost unfruitful exaggeration as his hand waved forward showing Vereshin the way out. There was nothing worse than having to deal with humid weather in the jungle. Especially in heavy cloth like that of Orion's own. The mere thought of trudging through it made him sick. Although the two would need one another for survival it seemed they had a far way to go to trust one another. In a galaxy full of deception and danger, Orion wasn't quick to accept anyone's help. He waited patiently, the sinister mask tilted toward Vi, waiting for him to make the first steps onto Pearl VII. ​

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A world of mystery and wonder. ​

 

[Vereshin]

A humid fog greeted the faces of the two Acolytes as they stepped out of the escape pod. Suddenly feeling a rising anxiety, Vereshin regretted his Sith robes. They hauled their luggage down the extending ramp and stepped onto damp moss. Pushing back his hood, he ran a hand through his feathery hair which he had not had the time to slick back like usual. Carrying only necessities and a set of every day clothes, he did not pack much as he expected to return home to his apartment promptly. Cursing under his breath, the risks of travel aggravated him more than the heat.

"We look too conspicuous!" Vereshin turned his head around rapidly as his eyes darted from one angle from one angle of the jungle to the next. Paranoia crept into his mind as he looked around desperately for a place to hide. He grabbed the fabric of his garments in panic and stood frozen, to nervous to move. Biting his finger in thought, he watched Orion trudge away and eventually found his feet. He took to the ground in a brief pace and followed the other Sith.

"First we need to find shelter and clean water." The Sith walked on through the undergrowth. Drums echoed through the jungle and signs of civilization began to appear. Houses built into cliff faces emerged as the land gave away to reveal soaring precipices. Aliens with skin of indigo, onyx and blue slunk around houses and beckoned their children away at the sight of the two hooded figure. Stalls selling fruit and nuts stood outside of houses. The path lead on to a clearing of clouds and the trees parted to reveal an enormous crater filled with clouds above an endless drop into the core of the planet.

Vereshin's eyes grew large and his mouth parted in awe. He looked around at the signs and saw none written in basic. The locals eyed the Sith on disdain and they walked past store fronts and houses in search of a place to stay. An inn baring a sign with a bed stood above the cliff edge and looked over the crater. Sighing with some semblance of relief, he walked up to the keeper at the front door. A violet skinned woman with her hair wrapped in a scarf, bronze jewelry hung from her ears above a leather strap covering her chest. Vereshin smiled at her and she swung a hand through the air and struck him veritably across the face.

"That's for blitzing Telos, bastards!" The woman crossed her arms and stared Vi and Orion down with utter distaste. Pain coursed through Vereshin's cheek as he gripped his face and glared scornfully. Brushing down the front of his robes, he decided to play the gentleman and pay no heed to her rudeness.

"Ahh thank goodness! You speak basic!" He smiled amiably and nodded.

"Shut up." The innkeeper kept her arms crossed and glared.

"How much for a room? We have Imperial credits." Vereshin offered.

"Credits won't get you sh#t here, Sith. You want a room, you have to trade for it." There seemed to be no structured economy on the world, which relied on trade and an exchange of work to thrive.

"I see, does that include certain skillsets?" A pause held between them. The innkeeper apparently assumed that neither were powerful or particularly threatening and expressed a certain maternal concern for their plight. They were lost and alone and it was deathly apparent.

"We'll see about that, your friend is handsome and Force users are seldom seen here. You get a room if you pay for it in work." Begrudgingly, she stepped aside and allowed Vi to enter the inn, while stroking a hand across Orion's cheek with a sly wink. Gas lamps served as the only lighting and there were very few rooms. She gave them one pass key to a room Vereshin assumed the two of them had to share and did not bother expressing his displeasure at the thought. They entered a room with two beds and a large window overlooking the massive drop of the crater. Throwing down his things, Vereshin took a moment to stare out at the plunging waterfalls and drainage systems flowing over the sides.

"Things could be worse!" At least they were not surrounded by Jedi. To Vereshin's delight, the room housed a desk in front of the window. A bathroom, or whatever one could call it, consisted of a tiled portion of the room covered by a curtain. The sorcerer breathed deeply in discomfort and aggravation. They would have to take turns working for the innkeeper and for privacy. In an instant, he tore his books and writing material from his bag and plonked them on the desk. "Dibs! Now hurry up and sleep with the innkeeper so she can get us a shuttle out of here."

[member="Orion Darkstar"]

 

[Orion Darkstar]

Everlasting green was all that greeted the two as they continued to walk through the stretch of hanging canopies and vines. The landscape was filled with brush and muddy dips. Everything about the pathway was uneven, clearly unkempt and to Orion's own bewilderment filled with thorns. His agitation only grew as the two slipped through the encompassing thorn filled arch, that blocked their way to the incline ahead of them. The ground slowly began to turn from a wet muddy expedition to a hardened, rock-like ground. The vivid brown slowly formed into a lighter orange hue, almost that of a clay based element. Orion grinned as he approached the entangled mess of barbed thorns blocking their way. They were surprisingly thick and growing from the hard ground below. The barbed obstacle was a pale gray, allowing Orion to immediately process his thought. The very thing that prevented them to the top of the incline was already dead, petrified and hardened like stone the thorns remained. ​

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"Petrification. A fascinating process, I'd love to take a sample of the deposits before continuing forward." Orion said, his hand slipping into his blackened cloak.​

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Orion placed his free hand along the smooth surface of the briar, it was cold compared to the humid heat in the air. What emerged from his inner cloak was a tiny vial. Empty and ready to be used for new experiments in the near future. Orion observed the glass cylinder before kneeling to a lower portion of the tangled briar. Soon after Orion held the vial just beneath the side of the thorns and smiled, his chrome mask hiding the pleasure he felt at such a discovery, even more so being able to grab a sample. As his hand left the top branch of the petrified vine he extended his fingers just above the vial, a tiny spark of purple releasing from his finger. It etched out flake after flake of delicate stone releasing an earthy smell. Finishing, Orion stood and placed the vial back into the hidden compartments of his cloak. Then like magic he released a powerful blow of energy from his hand as the briar batch shattered clearing the way for them both. ​

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The hill had opened up to them and just as the last stone like shard hit the ground a faint sound of drums came to their ears. Orion looked to Vereshin, his comment about shelter and water was accurate, but not until the two proceeded further up the hill. As they slipped under the archway and made it to the top of the rocky landscape a new world presented itself. Structures built in a capacity of height and width within cliffs that separated a vast city, left them in awe. Orion's eyes widened at the sight as he overlooked the monumental size of it all. Sentient beings crowded the inner pathways throughout the city in a normalized manner. Stepping onto the narrow street, Orion received puzzling looks from the moderately dark skinned individuals that clearly cared little for Vereshin or his own arrival. They stuck out like sore thumbs, perhaps far too much compared to the indigenous people of such a place. Even the style of clothing was different, vibrant colors and almost all made from leather and cloth. Technology seemed lost to such a world, but even so the majestic city greeted them with amazement. ​

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Stand after stand held lines, bargaining a continuous exchange of yelling and disappointment, on both sides. It was interesting to see such a simplistic economy in motion. Vereshin seemed to have his eye on the proverbial ball, by walking passed him and finding shelter. Orion followed in suit as he entered the inn. He watched closely as Vereshin exchanged words with the purple haired lady before she brushed her hand against his cheek and winked. Orion's eyes glanced downward as she walked away. He shook his head and followed his partner to the room. ​

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"Things could be worse!" Vereshin said. ​

"You are already assuming that we don't have potential enemies here already..." Orion paused. "There could be hundreds of threats all around us at once. Don't let the comfort of an inn give you any sort of false comfort, be on your guard and try not to do anything that will get us killed." Orion's voice became like steel, solid and sly. ​

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Vereshin proceeded to grab his notebooks and study material, which Orion was pleased to see, until an unruly comment cut at the tension between the two aggravated sith. ​

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"Now hurry up and sleep with the innkeeper so she can get us a shuttle out of here." ​

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Orion clenched his teeth at the remark, if it wasn't for Vereshin's consistent need to study he may have killed him. However, potential couldn't be wasted. He looked to the tiny desk that Vereshin had claimed and grinned. Reaching out for the force he tugged the desk toward him, sliding it away from the studious acolyte and lightly chuckled. ​

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"Shut up, I may be an animal, but I'm not primitive either. These people could be terribly dirty, who knows what they clean with, let alone how they interact sexually. The last thing I need is a disease. Plus sleeping with her isn't going to magically spawn a spaceship off this planet. I don't know if you've been paying attention...but these people are using gas lamps for lights. I don't even think these people are aware of electricity."​

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Orion sighed, being stranded sucked. Being stranded with someone that clearly had no good ideas​

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Was Worse...​

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[member="Vereshin"]​

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