Tread Lightly (Calo Xenrus)

[Grace Darkson]

Bundled up tight in heavy winter gear, Grace walked slowly towards the ancient ruins. This was the home of the Sith, at least, what wasn't controlled by the Jedi. The sharp wind pushed through her coat, chilling her as she tried her best to get to the entrance. Allegedly, there were powerful Sith artifacts in a tomb ahead. But in order to take them for herself, she needed to get there first. And she still had a ways to go for that.

The tomb loomed ahead of her, massive stone doors sealed shut to keep out intruders. Ancient sigals, now all but illegible, were carved around it, almost as if a spell had been placed around it. Were spells like that even possible? She didn't know. But she did know that in a galaxy this dangerous, anything was helpful. And the things inside could definitely help.

[member="Calo Xenrus"]

 

[Calo Xenrus]

If finding a arfitfact of the ancient Sith was a means of proving himself to his masters, the Calo was more than willing to accept the role of treadure hunter for the sake of recognizition; though he had wished it was for a better place than Ziost. As much as he'd bundled himself for the harsh cold weather Calo still felt the icy wind beat aginst him as he truged onward towards the temple there.

He never liked the cold. Could never stand it as much as others did. He'd lived in the city on Courascant, and it never became too hot or cold there; the mix of the city's length and the natural atompshere of the planet managing to keep it all steady and even wth the temperature. Coming here was like braving the icy planet Hoth without knowing where the nearest settlement would be.

He'd landed with his shuttle provided for him a few miles away from where the actual ruins were, as another means of proving himself as a Sith by enduring the harsh weather. Keeping the wrappings around his face, the hood covering his head, the coat and clock covering his body, the boots keeping his feet warm and the goggles that rpotected his eyes Calo was fighting against the wind as best as possible while proceeding onward. Even with everything he wore he still had to raise his arm up to keep his vision clear as possible while blocking the flakes of snow pownding against his face.

Eventually he'd spotted the ruins only about a yeard away now. As he picked up his pace while fighting with the sinking feeling of the snow Calo began to sense something, another presence nearby. It wasn't until he'd come to the doors to the ruins that he'd spotted who it was. A woman. Hard for him to say if friend or foe, but rather than take the chance Calo found the nearest cover behind a rock formation and hid himself from view.

Once he did he peered around the corner, making sure to duck if she'd turned, while trying to see what this mystery woman was up to.

[member="Grace Darkson"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

She studied the glyphs for a while, seeing if they were similar to anything she knew enough to read. Sadly, she could not. But still, there had to be some way of gaining access, wasn't there? Slowly, carefully, she brushed her hand across the intricately carved stone, brushing off what snow clung to it. While the symbols on it were illegible, Perhaps the thought of them being a spell wasn't too far off. But she had no means of opening it. Something was changing, though. The young Sith could sense another. His force Aura radiating darkness. Without turning to look, she spoke.

"What do you think? Are they sealed for good?" Pressing her head to it, and giving it a few taps with her hand, she frowned. "Probably a meter thick at least." With that, she turned towards [member="Calo Xenrus"].

 

[Calo Xenrus]

He stiffened for a moment at the sound of her voice as she called him out. Calo had thought he hid himself and his darker presence better than that, but obviously he still had a ways of training to accomplish if he hoped to perfect it. With that he stepped out from where he hid before walking twoards the woman while her back was still turned and her attention towards the gates.

Approching he said "Nothing is ever perminant." As he did he drew one lightsaber before pointing it towards her back, once he was close enough, and demanded "Who are you?"

Calo wasn't quick to trust anyone, even if they did happen to have the same sense of the dark side to them. There was no way of knowing what tis woman's plans were, or who she answered to. Even if she was Sith that wasn't to say she was the same sort of Sith as himself. Calo didn't want to take any risks.

[member="Grace Darkson"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

"Now, there's no need to be mean." She replied as the iconic Snap-hiss of a lightsaber behind her. her head turned to face him, watching for an action that would need her movement. She was agile, not durable. If he struck out at her, she needed to know when to dodge. Otherwise, she wanted to get the door open. "Ms. Darkson is all you need to know." she replied, looking at his blue saber blade for a moment. "I take it you're not a Sith yet." Still, perhaps he could help. If the door was too thick for lightsabers, then it would be hard to open with the force alone. If they had a key, a word to open it, then perhaps. But she couldn't move two tons of stone with the Force.

[member="Calo Xenrus"]

 

[Calo Xenrus]

Keeping the saber pointed at her Calo gave an uncertian sneer. She knew he was a Sith, or at least with the Sith, and he could had a stronger sense of the dark side in her. His prediction of her being associated with the Sith in someway comfirmed, Calo was a little less tense but still kept his weapon at the ready. Just because she was didn't mean he trusted her any more than he already did.

"Xenrus." he said, giving his last name. "And no, not an offical knight at least. That's why I'm mean. Partly. What about you? Did your Masters send you on an errand as well, or do you have another reason for wanting to get inside?" he indicated the door with a small nod of his head.

[member="Grace Darkson"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

"Masters?" A smile crossed her face. "As in more than one?" She shook her head. "No, I'm here on my own agenda." She turned back to the wall, running a hand over the symbols once again. "I take it you're acting as an errand boy, then?" Her tone was joking, but she wasn't sure how [member="Calo Xenrus"] would take it. He had drawn on her, after all. Remember your training. He can't hurt what he can't touch. Her arms dropped to her sides, covering the saber and blaster pistol that hung there.

 

[Calo Xenrus]

Hearing her remark about masters made Calo realize, just as she'd said it, that she was a freelance Sith; not devoted to any one of the waring factions throughout the galaxy. He'd half expected that she was a minion of the Lords of the Fringe, or even a hired hand of the Black Suns, but now knowing that she worked alone made him question more why she was really interested in the ruins.

When she joked about him being an errand boy he tensed with anger before saying "Careful with your words, girl." He took a more coy tone before saying "Or else I won't tell you how to open that door."

It was ture that Calo had been given the secret of opening the ruins with an old Sith cantation. It was easy enough for any Sith to learn as it required no great will of the force, only a deeper connection with the dark side. He figured if she'd had know then the doors would've already been open, but the obvious situation had proven otherwise.

[member="Grace Darkson"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

"So, you do know?" she said, turning to face him. "And I assume, sense you want inside, You will open the door for me?" She had thought of trying to power her voice, but she wasn't sure how well it would work.She wasn't about to risk him going off at her. After all, she didn't need to fight her. Switching her tone to a more playful one, she continued. "You wouldn't want to leave a poor little girl out in the cold, would you?" She smiled. "Especially with all that we could be doing inside."

[member="Calo Xenrus"]

 

[Calo Xenrus]

He coy tone and words didn't do anything except to tease and annoy Calo. Even as she tried to put more command in her voice he wasn't impressed. He'd known true power in a voice from the Sith masters he'd trained under, and even felt that very same power when they exhibited it through the force. But, as much as he hated to say, he did still need to open the door and this girl would be helpful in deal with the traps that likey lied within. What would happen to her after that, however, was something he could decide on later.

"I'd prefer to leave you on another planet." he said when she made her girlish comment while withdrawing his lightsaber. "But since we're both intent on getting inside, no point in wasting time. But don't expect this to be any sort of partnership. We get in, get whatever we came for, and leave. Understood?"

The way Calo had spoke had put a little more command and demand in the tone, something he learned off of listening to the sith knights and lords. After that he went past her to the door before examining it. Placing his hand on it he felt around the markings before finding the spot where an old Sith symbol was carved. He placed his right hand over it and began to murmur something under his breath, too low for [member="Grace Darkson"] to hear.

After a moment something clicked and Calo stood back, watching as a fient red energy that he'd summoned from his own force enter the door. It began to follo through a stream up and around all across the other markings on the door, eventually lighting it up like an old machine reciving power. With a heavy groan the stone doors slowly slid open, revealing the darkened path that lay ahead.

Looking to Grace he gestured "Ladies first."

 

[Grace Darkson]

OOC: I specifically said I didn't use telepathy in my post.

Giving him a pouting face at the mention of leaving her on another planet, she watched intently as he opened the door. After all, she was still standing next to it. Although the words he said were lost to the winds, it wasn't hard to tell that he was talking in a language Grace had never heard before. She dared not ask what it was. [member="Calo Xenrus"] seemed a volatile character already, and there was no need for her to provoke him further.

At least, not yet.

As he ushered her inside, she hesitated. Trust was not something she did well. Most temples and tombs were swept clean. This one had been unopened. Still, she wasn't sure which was worse, the traps ahead, or the Sith behind. Quietly, she tried her best to read his mind, to sense if he had any plans to attack her. Unless he knew enough on telepathy, he probably wouldn't know how to defend himself. And if she was lucky, and he had no training in telepathy, he wouldn't even notice she did as the Sith walked down the hall.

 

[Calo Xenrus]

(What do you mean? I never said anything about telepathy)

After waiting until she entered, seeing there were no traps as of yet, Calo slowly followed behind before walking good ten feet from the door. Once he realized things were safe for now he called for her to wait while he removed most of his gear. It was warmer inside the ruins than outside in the cold, and Calo wanted to be as ready and aglie as possible should any suprises lay awaiting them inside.

He rmeoved his goggled and pulled down the hood of his bundled robes before pulling down the wrappings around his face, now fully revealing it to Grace for the first time. He looked to her and waited to hear any reaction or comment from her about the temple before dropping some of his undeeded clothing near the door.

"Let's move." he stated in a commnding tone again. "The sooner we find what we're looking for, the sooner we can be done here."

[member="Grace Darkson"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

Grace paused as he ordered. Survival and guile. I may not be the most powerful, not yet, but perhaps if I can play along for long enough..... Turning back to look at him, she flashed him a smile. "You're kinda cute" Maybe it wasn't the best idea. But even so, she enjoyed it. He had shown it affected him. And she had a sort of power over him with it. Perhaps she may want to keep tabs on @[member="Calo Xenrus"].

"So, what? Do you know an incantation or ritual to disarm the traps?" she asked, almost expecting him to. It seemed like this guy knew anything he needed for this mission.