Trouble in the Jungle

[H3xle]

"But above all I'm just happy you're ok. Don't do this to me again, you hear me?! You better make it up me."

Taryc nodded, her throat too constricted to speak just now. She knew she was getting off far easier than she deserved. After a moment, she took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

"This is Maiev. She's a very good friend,"

Taryc turned to the witch and smiled. Her eyes appraised her with a glance, and she knew that Elpsis picked them well. She had to think so, for Elpsis had picked her.

"Hi, Maiev. I believe I owe you pretty big for joining Elpsis in saving my butt from my own bad decisions..." She couldn't keep from smiling at the new woman, she certainly was cute. Her smile didn't likely do much, as she had mud and blood smeared across it. "If there is anything I can personally do for you, let me know..."

She looked back at Elpsis and nodded.

"It's a lovely planet, really. Some of the natives could use a little...reconditioning, but it's really a lovely world."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"] | [member="Maiev"]

 

[Maiev]

She had made sure her bonds were secure around the Sith's legs, her lack of hands made it difficult to restrain them, but the absence made any potential retaliation a less likely chance. Although Maiev never underestimated a Sith's tenacity.

Especially when surrounding by those that wanted them dead.

Maiev looked over as she heard Elpsis speak, introducing her to Taryc. Slowly the witch stood up as the pair walked over, offering a warm smile to the former Inquisitor.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Taryc, Elpsis told me a bit about you." She chuckled lightly, eyes flicking between the two women. "All good, amongst her panicking about your safety."

She caught Taryc's glance at her, and Maiev returned it with her own. Gaze lingering from head to toe, bringing a small smirk to the witch's face. Taryc was certainly attractive, even with all the blood and dirt covering her face.

After living years on Dathomir, you came to appreciate things even amongst being filthy alot of the time.

"And I'll keep that favour in mind, but I have questions for now." Maiev gazed back over at the unconscious Sith, then back to Taryc. "Namely, why are there Sith present on this planet?"

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] | [member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


"You can tell me all about while I patch you up. Wouldn't mind exploring the jungles, when they're not a war zone," Elpsis replied to Taryc. She was happy that Taryc and Maiev seemed to be getting on so far.


It did not escape her attention that the Inquisitor had noticed the witch. "You think she's cute?" she telepathically brushed against her lover's mind. "I agree. Total dom." However, mutual appreciation, oggling and such would have to wait, as Maiev's words showed.


She gave the older witch a nod when she brought up serious business. "Yeah, what Maiev said. I guess this isn't the last we've seen of the Sithies here," she looked thoughtful and her gaze fell upon her captive.


"Maybe she can shed some light on things. If there's more, we gotta put a stop to whatever they have planned. We better get a move on. My ship's close. And for the record I wasn't panicking. I was worried, that's all," she said the last bit quite insistently.

 

[H3xle]

"Dom, eh? Sounds like a lot of fun." She sent back telepathically.

She listened for a moment and nodded.

"The Sith philosophy fits in well with certain interpretations of the local religion. We'll likely have our work cut out for us in hunting all of them down." She replied with a yawn. "Especially since the House of Rahl has no heirs left, a lot of people are vying for power. Power vacuums suck Sithies towards them like a Free Zeltrons sign draws scruffy looking nerf-herders."

"Maybe she can shed some light on things. If there's more, we gotta put a stop to whatever they have planned. We better get a move on. My ship's close. And for the record I wasn't panicking. I was worried, that's all,"

"Lead the way, lovelies." She replied, then stepped in to walk beside them on the way back towards the ship. She was going to welcome a hot shower once they reached one.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"] | [member="Maiev "]

 

[Maiev]

Maiev wondered what the two women were thinking about, she knew Elpsis was capable of telepathy and assumed the pair were having a silent conversation. The fact their eyes occasionally looked her way both worried and excited.

Perhaps this wasn't going to be awkward as hell after all - much to Kalax's disappointment.

For now though, her focus was on their current situation.

"Sounds like they'll be very integrated into the local societies then...our goal should be to try and find the roots and pull them out of the ground."

Her gaze fell back to the restrained Sith. She would be their source of information, whether willing or not.

With a flick of her hand, Maiev whispered an incantation; fingers curling as the Sith slowly floated up into the air and was carried along as the trio made their way to Elpsis' ship.

"Where do you want me to put her?" Maiev asked, stepping onto the ship eyes looking around taking note of the interior.

Taryc Ap'Irae | Elpsis Elaris​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


"Yeeep." As much as Elpsis would have liked to focus on other things, she had to think about their present situation. Instead of plotting a threesome via telepathic phone conversations with her lover!


Luckily, they reached her ship without incident. Taryc probably knew it by now. Suffice to say the tramp freighter looked the same as it had during her last visit. It was still held together by spit, duct tape and glue.


"Uh, there's room in the cargo hold. Tie her one hand to a beam or something. Or put her in a crate...but make sure she doesn't suffocate then. Might as well take the helmet off and bandage the stump while we're at it." The Sith might be one-handed and have bound legs, but they still had to take precautions and the ship didn't have a cell. The cargo hold had once been used to store spice and still smelt like it.


She looked at Taryc. "Off to the medbay with you...and get out of your armour. I gotta look at your wounds." She was actually being serious, rather than seeking an excuse to sate carnal urges. This might not stop either of the two ladies from teasing her though.

 

[H3xle]

Taryc boarded the freighter easily, even in her exhausted state. Had she been blind, as Elpsis was, she could still navigate the ship fairly well. Not fly it, mind you, she was a great deal worse at flying than her blind lover. Put the stick in her hands, and things inevitably went down hill.

"Off to the medbay with you...and get out of your armour. I gotta look at your wounds."

Taryc grew a smirk, then saw and felt the mood her lover was in, and nodded.

"I'll put my armor in the hold, I need to clean it something fierce..." She sniffed her own helmet, and winced. "The far corner of the hold."

She wove her way through the ship to the hold, walked to the far wall, and began the laborious process of removing her armor.

As she progressed through her disarming process, she grew happier that Elpsis hadn't intended anything sexual with her command to disrobe. Days spent in the armor, fighting multiple fights, caused no end of discomfort removing the armor. The bodyglove that fit her like a true glove, was dried to her with old sweat. She truly felt disgusting.

She did take care to piece out her armor to make it easier to go through and clean it later on, and she left her weapons next to the armor for the same service.

Naked, but not feeling any less disgusting, Taryc returned to Elpsis for the check up.

"I really hate to rush you while I'm naked, lover, but I need a shower before I feel sentient again..."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"] | [member="Maiev"]​

 

[Maiev]

The witch nodded as she diverted from the path and headed further into the ship. Maiev hadn't asked specific directions, so it took a bit to find where exactly the cargo hold was on the ship. Even though she had spent time on the vessel already, even getting a little 'tour' from Elpsis - she still got lost a bit.

<And the ship still looks like it's barely hold in, I'm still amazed it doesn't just tear apart when jumping into hyperspace.>

Once she was in the cargo hold, Maiev's eyes lingered around taking in the best option in tending to their little guest. Tying her up to a pipe was out of the question, at least in the witch's mind. It just screamed too many ways to go wrong, all winding up with the SIth managing to get out of her bindings and finding some means to jump them when they returned.

So instead, she walked over and propped the prisoner down onto the ground, head leaning against one of the more sizable crates. Maiev began searching through them, looking for one that was empty and big enough to fit the woman. She did find one that had some medical supplies, and went about tending and bandaging up the stump that was her hand now.

After that, the witch pulled the helmet off revealing something she wasn't expecting. The Sith, was well a Sith, red-skinned, short black hair and bony tendrils for eyebrows. Maiev however, didn't know this.

Kalax, what is she?

<She's a Sith, as in a Pureblood. Remember, I told you about there being an actual Sith species.>

Oh, yeah I remembering that now. But haven't you not seen one-

<In a few eons now? Yeah, being stuck on Dathomir kinda puts a stop to that. Especially given their people tend to hide within their own most of the time.>

And this was Maiev's first time seeing one face-to-face, and promptly locking her into a crate until they were ready to interrogate her for information. Drawing her blade, Maiev stabbed a number of holes into the lid, enough to hopefully give the Sith some air while she was stuffed inside. With that, Maiev hauled the woman up with the Force and placed her into the crate. One last look, and Maiev placed the lid back on, locking it.

Now to see what Elpsis and Taryc were up to.

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] | [member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


Elpsis had to admit that the smell was very vile, though she did not want to upset Taryc more! Besides, she was still just a bit cross about the Paladin charging off and getting herself in danger without telling her.


"Taryc, sweetie, you know, I like to take my time." Not at all innuendo. Not at all. "So lie down, don't fret, and let me patch you up. If it's any consolation, I don't really see all the ickiness clinging to your by the way very sexy body."


So she set to work with her basic first aid course. Desinfect wounds, clean and and bandage them. The energies of the Force flowed through her as she drew upon her gift to mitigate the pain Taryc must be in. She could not get rid of it, but reduce the degree it would bother her. Sensing Maiev approach, she looked up. "Hey, cutie. How's our prisoner?" She also privately wondered what Casper was thinking.

 

[H3xle]

"Taryc, sweetie, you know, I like to take my time." Not at all innuendo. Not at all. "So lie down, don't fret, and let me patch you up. If it's any consolation, I don't really see all the ickiness clinging to your by the way very sexy body."

Taryc couldn't help but smile, despite the aches, pains, and exhaustion.

"Blindness does nothing for the smell, lover." To which she wrinkled her own nose. Then she lay back and let Elpsis administer to her wounds. The world around her became wobbly in the way it often does when one is tired.

"Hey, cutie. How's our prisoner?"

Taryc startled for a moment, having been lulled to sleep by the lack of adrenaline, and the feel of Elpsis's hands on her body. Her eyes went wide for a moment, then settled as she recognized where she was. She felt as if she could have either been asleep for a long time, or for only a moment. Her eyes tracked to Elpsis, then to Maiev. Only then did Taryc understand the question Elpsis had asked, and she smiled. Taryc hadn't been asleep long if Maiev had only just returned from securing the prisoner. She turned her head to take in Maiev, completely uncaring about her nudity.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"] | [member="Maiev"]​

 

[Maiev]

As Maiev stepped into the medbay, it was difficult to not immediately look towards Taryc. The Umbaran just laid out on the bed, bare of any clothing as Elpsis' hands glided across her skin, tending to her wounds and injuries.

The witch's head titled slightly, eyebrow raised and the slightest of smiles on her face as she examined Taryc.

She could certainly see why Elpsis had chosen her. I wonder what the view from behind is like.

And Maiev's mind wandered, remembering her own experiences with the Empaths skilled hands...

Until she felt a sharp sensation in the back of her mind.

Almost as though someone had just slapped her across the back of the head.

Kalax grumbled.

<Force damn it Maiev, focus!>

She blinked, eyes moving over to look at Elpsis.

"Oh, she's still unconscious. And a Sith Pureblood it seems. I sealed her in one of the empty crates." She replied, pausing before she realized. "I made sure to make some air holes for her." All in all, they were going to have a rather grumpy Sith once she woke up.

"So how are things here? Nothing too bad I hope."

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] | [member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


"You woke up Taryc from her beauty sleep," Elpsis said in her tone of wry amusement. She could not directly look into Maiev's mind - nor would she attempt to do that - but she did have a broad idea of where the other witch's thoughts had been. This might turn out to be really fun. "And she's been pressing me to let go have a beauty shower," she presse a kiss on Taryc's forehead. "I can patch you up more thoroughly after you feel sentient again, babe."


Recalling Maiev's earlier words, she furrowed her brow in puzzlement. "I thought the Purebloods were, like, extinct or something. Never mind. History was never by strong point." Clearly Elpsis had never heard of Althiss, a planet populated by Sith Purebloods. Then again, it was supposed to be secret and stuff.

 

[H3xle]

"I don't need sleep to be beautiful, just a gorram shower." She replied with a wicked grin at Elpsis.

"And she's been pressing me to let go have a beauty shower," she presse a kiss on Taryc's forehead. "I can patch you up more thoroughly after you feel sentient again, babe."

Taryc nodded and rolled off of the table. She stood for a moment, steadying herself with the table.

"I'll try to be quick, but no promises." She smiled at Elpsis, and winked at Maiev, before walking out of the room and towards the shower. She didn't bother closing the door, or looking at herself in the mirror. She went straight to the shower, selected the hottest water she could stand, and stood under the spray. She dozed in and out while leaning on the wall of the shower, letting the steaming water sluice over her body. After an indeterminate amount of time, she grabbed some soap, and slowly began the process of rubbing her body clean.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"] | [member="Maiev"]​

 

[Maiev]

Maiev smirked in response to Taryc's wink, making no attempt to hide her ogling as she watched the woman turn around and leave the room; eyes trailing after the rear specifically.

She looked over at Elpsis, knowing well enough that the empath would be looking at her at the same time.

The witch grinned. She could most definitely see why the redhead had chosen to be with Taryc.

"From what I know; from what Kalax told me about them. They've always been that race that's either been near extinct or have made it appear like they have." She spoke, getting them back on track rather than being...distracted. "Very much the secretive type, keep to themselves in terms of society so it's fairly strange to see an outlier so far out in the galaxy."

No doubt there would be several questions that would need to be asked once their 'guest' had awoken. Namely, why exactly she was on the planet and where her cohorts were located.

"So, how's Taryc? Did she sustain anything particularly bad?" It wasn't easy to tell from the outset, especially given how much dirt and bloody had coated her body. But at least from the look of her not minutes ago...

Maiev mentally shook her head, trying to clear it of where her mind was going down.

Focus, now is not the time for that.

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] | [member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]


As Taryc stepped out to give herself a not!beauty shower, Elpsis gave her a fond pat on the booty. She gave Maiev a smirk, as if she knew exactly where here eyes had been. In all fairness, it was a lovely, firm view, so she could not fault her for having good taste.


"Her armour did a good job protecting her, but she got hurt quite a bit. Blaster burns, stab wounds. I was able to mitigate the pain though. Taryc will need rest and should take it easy. I guess that will be the biggest challenge. But she'll be ok," Elpsis said softly. Her white eyes drifted to the door the Paladin had just walked through. There was a slightly dreamy look on her face. "She's lovely, isn't she?" she asked rhetorically, then coughed.


"Anyhow, we got a Sithling to play Q&A with. Taryc's good at that sort of thing. I'd like to...avoid hurting our prisoner unless it becomes really necessary," she looked a bit uncomfortable. It was no secret that while Firemane had rules about the humane treatment of POWs, these did not apply to Sith. Or traitors and slavers, for that matter.


Furthermore, the Sith in question had been an active participant in an attempt to hurt someone the empath cared very deeply about. A younger Elpsis would have had no problem with beating answers out of her. That was what Auntie Sio would have done, and she figured [member="Tempest"] would have done the same. She just had a different moral code these days. It was not necessarily better or superior. Indeed, it might be a bit naive, but it was hers.

 

[H3xle]

Once done with her second thorough soap and rinse, she began to feel more like herself. She turned the water colder by stages, waking her up slowly until she felt as alert as was likely to happen without a massive amount of rest and recuperation. Once done, she toweled herself off and grabbed a spare set of Firemane sweats Elpsis kept on hand for just such occasions.

Barefoot, but freshly showered and in clean clothes, Taryc followed her ears to where [member="Elpsis Elaris"] and [member="Maiev"] were talking. She paused at the hatch to the room they were in, and leaned against the rim.

"I needed that, thank you." She said to the room at large. She took a deep breath in as she looked between Maiev and Elpsis. "So...has our visitor woken up yet?" The next part would be familiar to Taryc, and one she would try hard not to enjoy too much.

 

[Maiev]

"Well it's good to hear she didn't get hit by anything lethal." Maiev nodded, then let out a soft chuckle at the notion of a challenge. "I'm sure you'll have your hands full keeping her in bed." There was a playful grin on her face, which grew even more with Elpsis' final words.

It certainly seemed like the empath was rather smitten with Taryc.

Eventually the woman in question returned from her shower, refreshed and dressed in some clean clothes.

"Unfortunately not, so far she's still be-" As if on queue, the sound of someone hitting something metal echoed throughout Elpsis' ship. No one said anything as it continued to ring out, until Maiev finally broke the silence with a short laugh. "I guess she's awake now?"

The witch led the way, heading towards the cargo hold. It was only when the door opened, that the racket was abruptly stopped.

Maiev looked to Elpsis and Taryc, bringing a finger to her lips in a sign to remain quiet. She gave the latter a small nod, and motioned to follow her towards the crate.

Although instead of simply opening it, Maiev raised her hands and began to levitate it. There was a sharp yelp of surprise from within, especially when the witch turned it on its side. After lifting it a bit higher, Maiev suddenly let it drop.

The metal crate slammed into the floor, the lid popped off and their Sith prisoner came tumbling out.

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] | [member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"], [member="Maiev"]


And so the Sith suddenly tumbled out of the box. Her expression was feral and angry when she beheld her captors. This would have been the perfect moment to say that Elpsis had never seen such a creature before, for she only knew of the Sith species from stories. However, Elpsis could only see her black aura.


Thus she did not see the scarlet skin, short raven hair and the bony tendrils she had instead of eyebrows. The same applied to the feral expression. But she could feel the viciousness that radiated from the Sith, and hear the hiss that escaped her lips. "Rise and shine."


"Witches," the Sith spat. She had the typical sulfuric yellow eyes. No veiny skin though.


"You gotta admit, it's better than Jedi. No conclaves."


"Come here to gloat or extract information, have you? Do your worst." This might take some work.

 

[H3xle]

Taryc padded barefoot after the witch and watched as she spilled Sith all over the floor. As the Sith mouthed off, Taryc knelt down, sitting on her haunches within arms reach of the girl. She sat there, eyes unblinking as Elpsis partook in a little light banter.

"Rise and shine."


"Witches," the Sith spat. She had the typical sulfuric yellow eyes. No veiny skin though.


"You gotta admit, it's better than Jedi. No conclaves."


"Come here to gloat or extract information, have you? Do your worst." This might take some work.

"Why were you on Anderahl?" She asked, her voice deadpan.

The Sith lunged for Taryc, and her face split in a grin as she held up a hand and threw her back to the ground with a thought. The Sith girl rebounded and came at her again, and Taryc shoved her down with the Force again. After two more times, with Taryc not flinching as she knocked the Sith girl down, Taryc grew tired. On the fifth try, Taryc dug deep, despite exhaustion still tickling at the edges of her consciousness, and a soft light erupted into her palm. The Sith girl shrank back as if the light burned, and the room around them grew more comfortable. Taryc held the light there for a few moments, then let it dissipate. The Sith girl seemed abit more cowed, but only a little.

"Now, maybe we can start somewhere else. Something easy. What is your name?" Taryc asked, and let the silence stretch for a while. "I can turn the light back on...I can use it to wipe the room clean of the darkness. What would that leave you with? What is your name?"

[member="Elpsis Elaris"] | [member="Maiev"]​

 

[Maiev]

Maiev had on instinct went to move in, and help Taryc as the Sith went to attack her. But it seemed the woman was more than capable of keeping their prisoner on her leash. Knocking her down with the Force, not even lifting a hand to do so.

Not a particularly difficult feat, but the use of hands usually helped focus the intent - which there was plenty of in Dathomirian Magic.

But it mainly told Maiev just how powerful Taryc was. The witch watched as the Sith was cowed, forced to relent in her lashing out when the Umbaran brought out an orb of light. Like poison to someone immersed in the darkside.

And yet she looked ready to try and attack again, at any moment.

There was fear though, enough that the woman actually spoke more than just spitting venom and threats.

Her eyes searched one, flickering back and forth between the three of them.

"Nyssa."

[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] | [member="Elpsis Elaris"]​