Unexpected Protectorate

[Xeni Kraylu]

Musk filled the air, the surrounding jungle clinging to the humidity as if leeching off it's constant existence. Slender legs were sprawled across and off the cot, sheen with sweat. Striped shorts and a button were almost drenched, sticking to her body uncomfortably. Her hair, sticky and slick, was strewn over the thin, limp pillow. An obvious look of discomfort crossed her visage as she (for the millionth time) rolled over to her right side, facing the wall, as if to escape the torture. Long ago had she forsaken the blanket in hopes that a night breeze would pass her way. She scratched her neck and shoulder, the sweat rolling down her back. She was probably going to die from dehydration than the violent nature of the natives it seems.

It had taken a while to gain the mutual, fragile trust of the villagers. Eventually, they gave in and offered up an empty, run down abode with one condition: You are on your own. Which is something that she was quite used to by now. She had come to this homicidal planet in hopes of gleaning more information out of these reserved beings. Slowly, but surely, she was getting somewhere.

Unbeknownst to the unsightly woman, the sky gradually traded it's dark reign to the oncoming light... and to the scheming beings beyond....

 

[wraithnobility]

@[member="Xeni Kraylu"] Faroq sat in the branches of the tree, watching the village as it began to slowly wake up with the first rays of the sun. Not that they could see those, under the thick Bilo tree leaves. It was a peaceful morning, as he saw a woman wake up her children sleeping in small hammocks in the lower branches. The rain had died down, as wet season was ending. All in all, a good day. Face covered by his mask, as all of the Kaleesh are, Faroq looked to the warrior resting in the branch next to him. "Halamar," he said quietly in a gravelly voice, "give the word. One minute."

The warrior nodded, and ran down the branch, leaping across to the next tree. As he disappeared, Faroq took the time to check his gear. He knew it was in perfect condition already; the rifle was oiled, the blades were sharpened, and he had brought his warriors with him for this. Few tribes remained between him and having the world united. And those would end soon.

Rolling his neck, he took a deep breath. Bringing his rifle to his shoulder, he aimed down the scope at a warrior exiting his house. Now is the time. His shot rang out, and the jungle filled with the warcry of his men seeking blood.

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

Screams shocked Xeni awake, jumping off the bed in frantic concern. Darkness. It took her a quick moment to realize why. Forcing her mind to groggily concentrate, the Force seeped into her 'vision', and filled out the room. No one was there. Another screech from outside captured her attention. What was happening? Whatever it was, it didn't sound pleasant. She slowly creaked open the window of the ancient crumbling shack and peeked outside, risking the chance of being seen. People here and there running everywhere. Some escaping, some pursuing, and from the rapidly dimming of the Force, several beings dying. Horror rocked her stomach and Confusion racked her brain until a realization hit her.

Kalee was full warring tribes! How could she have forgotten of that?! Wasting no time, Xeni whirled around and started rummaging the room for important items. Her MADD bracelet was clumsily clipped onto her wrist as her satchel with the few items she owned slung around her shoulder, resting on her hip. She snatched her blindfold, wrapping it around her face violently. Humidity bogged down her movement, making it more difficult with each moment. Dagger...dagger... Where are you, dagger?... She spun around the room looking for her trusty breadcutter, unable to spot it. Nausea overwhelming her, Xeni decided that anything potential protective item would do. Hair clung to her face and neck as fear induced sweat glued everything to her body, the increasing weight spiking her anxiety. Finally she had stumbled upon a large, strong stick in the corner of the room. Sturdy enough to push someone back for an escape.

A child's scream rang out, ripping her heart in two. Unfortunately, she had agreed to stay by the condition. You're on your own.

Now to escape before the invaders come....
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@[member="wraithnobility"]

 

[wraithnobility]

Faroq dropped from the tree, slinging his rifle across his back and unsheathing two of the daggers strapped to his forearm. His warriors moved swiftly, and the screams of pain and alarm filled the small village. A warrior, half-dressed, his mask barely bound to his head, exited his hut and charged the War Shaman with his Shoni spear. Faroq sidestepped the spear, and used his power to blast forward, the dagger in his right hand leaving a red line across the man's throat. Spinning, the left dagger came through the back of the neck, cleanly slicing the spinal cord. The warrior like a puppet with its strings cut, and Faroq moved on.

Hearing the screaming of a child, Faroq moved swiftly around a hut to see the commotion. One of his warriors stood over the child, his rifle poised to blow. Spinning the dagger swiftly, Faroq launched it through the air, and it thudded into the warrior's back. Looking around angrily, his voice took a commanding tone as it rose above the din, "Children are not to be touched! There is no honor in the death of one who cannot fight back!" Looking around, he saw a couple of his men look at the fallen warrior, but returned to combat without a moment's delay. Moving to the child, he picked her up, and moved to a nearby hut, opening the door to place the child inside. He was not, however, expecting to see the strange alien that stood before him, a large stick in her hand. Another dagger filled the empty hand, as Faroq quickly placed the child on the ground, crouching in a combat stance.
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@[member="Xeni Kraylu"]

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

The creaking door drew attention behind her. There stood a giant Kaleesh, child in tow. She vaguely recognized her from the girl from yesterday, playing among the other children. Sudden movement. The warrior had crouched down, tense. She slowly turned around to face the duo, her pitiful excuse of weapon in front. This..is not one of the villagers. It was not its mask that gave that away, but the presence of such a large Force residing within. She glanced between the child and the invader. The child seemed safe, though incredibly frightened. Obviously, it wasn't going to kill her if it had brought her here. Small pangs of relief spread through her body.

She stabilized her stance as her options ran through her head. She could attempt to distract it by throwing the stick (and perhaps the blanket) at it and escape through the window. But how far would she be able to go? She was nimble and quick, but she had almost no idea about the land around her, which is just as dangerous. Besides, wandering around the jungle in pajamas didn't quite seem like a grand idea. Another glance at the child. Maybe if she tried to be peaceful, they would let her go? Biting her lip, she quickly decided and prayed to who knows who.

Keeping a calm composure and "eye" contact, she slowly lowered herself to floor, gently placing the weapon down first. Her blindfold inched slightly down due to the sloppy put on. Thankfully, it hadn't completely fallen off. Another shallow breath as she kneeled and stilled. Either this was suicide or a wise forefeit. Testing the waters, she also attempted to reach out in hopes of him hearing her... He did use the Force it seems, so maybe by some chance of luck...

'I -I mean no harm. Peace is all I offer, warrior.'

Hopefully, it was the latter.
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]

 

[wraithnobility]

Faroq's eyes widened under the mask when he saw the blindfold tied around the woman's head. Somehow, she still seemed to stare straight at him, and he got a feeling that her eyes were on him somehow. He watched as she kneeled in surrender, the blindfold that looked to be hastily tied slipping slightly, but not enough to reveal the extent of her infirmity. The sounds of battle outside had begun to die down, as Faroq's tactics and superior force had quickly overwhelmed the small village. He began to sheathe his blades, when he heard a voice echoing inside his head, 'I-I mean no harm. Peace is all I offer, warrior.'

His eyes, already wide, widened even further. He somehow... felt that the voice belonged to the woman. Moving quickly to her, he grabbed her by the shoulders and picked her up, bringing his face next to hers, inspecting.

His voice was thick with curiosity, "Your voice, girl. How is it in my head?"

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@[member="Xeni Kraylu"]

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

Whoa there! Going from ground to 6'2" was not in her expected to-do list. Her vision filled with this man's ( if the voice was anything to go by) Force; a shade of lovely indigo. Her body went rigid upon feeling his hands on her. She wasn't really keen forceful grabs to her body due to the incident, and only slight fear kept her from lashing out at the Kaleesh.

"Your voice, girl. How is it in my head?"

Wait. What? Xeni's blindfold fell down as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Usually the air brushing against her exposed eye sockets would have chilled her to the core. But unfortunately, her attention was being occupied by the giant holding her. His question made her wonder. He..didn't know about the Force? That was slightly unusually for a Kaleesh, though it seemed like this one had been born and raised on the planet. She tilted her head, carefully selecting words to 'speak' to him.

'It's...I'm using the Force, or the power of Life to do...it. It's how I speak since I have no real voice.' Finally communicating to him, hopefully not in an offensive way.

She bit her lip and unconsciously squirmed in his hands. It would be simply lovely if the giant thing would put her down, but she certainly wasn't in any position to demand things like personal space at the moment.
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]

 

[wraithnobility]

Faroq watched the brows furrow, and watched the blindfold as it fell. With a grunt of surprise, listened to her reply,
'It's...I'm using the Force, or the power of Life to do...it. It's how I speak since I have no real voice.'
He suddenly seemed to notice her squirming in his hands, and looked down to see he was holding her a foot above the ground. Letting her down, he said,
"The force... I have heard this from others, but rarely towards the powers that nature and our ancestral gods have given me. I too, am deigned to become one, if they will accept. Your eyes, why are there none within their place?"
He brought one of his double thumbed hands up, and ran it with surprising care over the vestigial sockets.
-----------------------@[member="Xeni Kraylu"]

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

She sighed of relief upon feeling the ground beneath her. Sweet, heavenly earth! Due to her constant habit of falling, she had begun to appreciate the earth and its stability. His response captured attention, her face attempting to look toward the voice; her mind was still too groggy to concentrate on a form.

Oh? So he knew at least a little bit of the Force. But what all could he do with it? Did he have to know the nitty gritty details to accurately use it? Her brain was beginning to wander into speculation when he said he was going to become a..god? A look of confusion. How did one become that? Before she had time to satisfy her own curiosity, he satisfied his.

"Your eyes, why are there none within their place?"

Scaly, rough hands gently brushed over her eye sockets, freezing her to spot. Fear, confusion, vulnerability, and rage clashed. That touch was an ultimate NO among her kind, unless the two beings were intimate; even then in private. Just shy from smacking the ignorant git into the next century, Xeni breathed in deep and sternly grabbed the wrists of the Kaleesh ,taking the risk of being attacked in response, and slowly pushed his hands away from her face. It took strength and reason to simmer down her peaking anger. Touching there without consent was intolerable, but because of his lack of knowledge she would forgo giving out physical criticism. But only this once.

Once she had pushed his hand at good distance away, she took a small step backwards, bending down to retrieve her blindfold.

'I'm a Miraluka, Kaleesh. We are naturally blind Near Humans; thus, we wear head gear as to not surprise beings with our lack of eyes. I just happen to also be mute,' She responded, tying the blindfold carefully and tightly this time. 'A word of wisdom: Do not touch what you do not understand. You'll get in trouble that way.'
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]

 

[wraithnobility]

Feeling her hands grip his wrist and attempt to push his hands away, Faroq smiled under his mask. Entertaining her, he moved his hands away from her face as she tied her blindfold.

'I'm a Miraluka, Kaleesh. We are naturally blind Near Humans; thus, we wear head gear as to not surprise beings with our lack of eyes. I just happen to also be mute,' She responded, tying the blindfold carefully and tightly this time.'A word of wisdom: Do not touch what you do not understand. You'll get in trouble that way.' He gave a nod as he stepped back, realizing that he had violated the alien's personal space. She was a strange one. No eyes, but had sight. No speech, but a voice. His curiosity was definitely engaged.

"I am Faroq Kela'ahim, the War Shaman of the Ahim tribe, and all who are subject to them. What is your name, Miraluka?"

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

She raised an eyebrow as he stepped back. At least he got social hints. The smell of blood drifted into the room, and a small whimper from the corner hit her back into reality. A massacre had just happened and here she is trying to make small talk over coffee with a Kaleesh warrior. Sidestepping the giant, she gently reached out to the child, and gently picked her up, rocking the quietly sobbing child. She attempted to hum, but it was barely audible. The price of being mute she guessed, but hopefully it helps soothes the child. Then again, having your family murdered in front of your eyes isn't exactly easy to forget.

"I am Faroq Kela'ahim, the War Shaman of the Ahim tribe, and all who are subject to them. What is your name, Miraluka?"

Her temper flared. He had just decimated this child's village and life, along with several other younglings, and acts as if there's to worry about. She may not know how this planet and its societies work but surely these beings have some consideration. She huffed out a breath angrily as she faced him, the child resting on her shoulder as Xeni tries to lull her to sleep with back rubs.

'. . . Xeni,' she coldly snapped back. As much as she wanted to yell and berate this man, she honestly had no right and therefore continued to comfort the child, failing to push the smell of blood and gunpowder from her mind.
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]

 

[wraithnobility]

He watched as the girl named Xeni comforted the child. He was confused to the sudden attitude she displayed. War was second nature to the Kaleesh, and to feed into the child's fears was to promote weakness. And weakness did not survive on Kaleesh. Ignoring her for now, he exited the hut. The survivors of the village were gathered in the village proper, the bodies already being respectfully carried away. Hundreds of his warriors moved through the village, and they all let loose a victory cry when he emerged. Halamar approached him, "Shaman, we took the village with only minor resistance. Many of the Mu'rakel have earned their place with the gods today, though, as did a few of our own warriors."

"Thank you, Halamar." He approached the growing crowd, and stood before the defeated Mu'rakel. His voice was calm, but strong as Mandalorian Iron, "My name is Faroq Kela'ahim. I give you an opportunity this day, people of the Mu'rakel tribe. Live, and join us on our conquest. Honor the gods with our victories. We will make the stars tremble at the mention of our name!" He reached to the sky, and brought his hands down to signify the warriors before him, "our people have a destiny. One I will fulfill. I give you this choice: Honor, through fighting for all Kaleesh. Or honor, through single combat against the warrior of your choice. You will be given weapons. If you win, you will choose another warrior. And another. We will insure that you will earn your honor this day. If that is your wish, stand, and step forward
Nine of the Kaleesh stood, and stepped forward. Nodding, Faroq accepted, "What warrior is it that you wish to fight?"
In unison, they pointed to him.

"Very well," He said, a smile on his voice as his plan fell into place, "I will give you all honor. And I will give you all honor at once, in the same fight."
======
@[member="Xeni Kraylu"]

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

Xeni tried to stare daggers into Faroq's back as the brute made his way out the hut. Unfortunately, her willpower wasn't strong enough. Good riddance. She could hear the man's voice booming from the center of the village. That usually meant there was a good amount of people. Maybe... perhaps.. If she went a back way, she could run far away enough. Eventually the young Kaleesh had stopped crying and had begun to stare at her. Xeni placed the child on the ground gently, gesturing outside. It was probably safe enough for the child to go on her own way.

After a moment of silence and staring, the youngling exited the building. A small, sad smile graced her lips before she stood up again. Okay. Time to skedaddle. Doing a quick run through of the tiny place, Xeni concluded that she had everything and peeked outside the door. The group was facing away from her aside from a few who were looking around. Hmm.. tricky, tricky.. Climbing through the back window just might do it if she's quiet enough. Taking one last deep breath, Xeni began her escape route. She had made it through the window and to the edge of the jungle when, lo and behold, she steps on an especially crunchy stick. A quick glance towards the group. She was hoping that Lady Luck was on her side today once again.

And like the wind, Xeni bolted, dodging branches, roots, boulders, and the occasional critter. This was gonna be a work out.
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]

 

[wraithnobility]

A cry broke out as the snapping branch sounded. Faroq spun to look, but he already knew who it was. Pointing to Halamar, he ordered, "Keep these men here. I will be back. I have a quarry to attain. Hand me your rope." Halamar nodded, and handed over the finely braided length of cord to the War Shaman. And then he turned to the crowd, "I will attend to our battle, but my... guest seems to have asked for my attention. Keep the village locked down!" Waving at a group of five trackers to follow him, he took off towards the forest, the path she took through the forest obvious, as she had chosen speed over stealth. The five hunters spread out, and he shouted, "She is to be captured alive. Try to keep her in one piece!" He sped ahead, powered by the force, as he moved effortlessly through the trees. Keeping an eye to the ground, he finally saw her moving quickly through the underbrush, and he prepped the rope. Giving a couple of spins, he threw the weighted end, in an attempt to entangle the girl.

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@[member="Xeni Kraylu"]

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

" She is to be captured alive. Try to keep her in one piece!" Try?! She better stay in one piece!

Xeni glanced over her right shoulder in time to see something rush towards her. Hmph. Child's Play! Just what do you think I deal with everyday, punk? She sidestepped the weight, and continued her route. A few of the other warriors followed in action, several trap thrown her way. A duck here, a close call there, several skilled dodges. For once, Xeni's acrobatic skills were useful! Now to lose these guys! Her ship wasn't too far away, and if she could power it up now, she could lift off quickly. Maintaining her awareness, Xeni mentally reached out to her MADD. "Command?" Another hop over someone's rope. Power up the ship for immediate lift off! She ducked, missing a tree branch and a weight. "Powering ship."

​Another trap grabbed her attention as she somersaulted over it. Upon landing on her hands, Xeni pressed down and pushed off, flying into the air. Which ,in circumspection, probably wasn't the best idea in the book.
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]

 

[wraithnobility]

Faroq watched with measured surprise as the woman lept and spun her way out of the bojo ropes. She moved extremely gracefully with one without eyes. As she ran, she looked at her bracelet, and then flipped into a somersault, propelling off of her hands into the air... right below him.

Dropping from the branches with his arms spread wide, Faroq closed them like a vice grip as she flew up into them, spinning to take the brunt of the fall as they hit the ground. His warriors surrounded him, spears and rifles pointed dangerously close to the girl, as two others approached to bind her hands and feet. Letting go and backing away, Faroq watched her closely, wise enough not to let her escape again. "You have much to teach me, child. Do not think I would let my lessons leave so easily."
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@[member="Xeni Kraylu"]

 

[Xeni Kraylu]

Tree branches. That's what she had wanted. Not arms as thick as tree branches. Not quite the same. Flailing for release, She elbowed the being holding her and unconsciously yelling at them. Or, at least trying to. Her yelling was really only blood and and weird gurglings. She continued to do so until she felt the harsh thud of hitting the ground. By then, she had let her vision slip from her. Darkness surrounded as her strength slowly faded.

Well, that went fantastically miserably. She let her body go limp against her captor, deciding that she would have to wait for another escape...hopefully. Shivers crawled up her as the other beings approached. Despite the lack of vision, her awareness was quite keen. The cold tip of steel grazed her shoulder as the being stood up and backed away from her. Twine cut into her wrists and ankles as other individuals hogtied her. No wonder the hogs are dead when this is done. It's so uncomfortable.

"You have much to teach me, child. Do not think I would let my lessons leave so easily." Xeni moved her head in the direction of sound, too drained to turn on her vision. Blood trickled from her mouth from 'yelling' and a cut on cheek from a previous close call from the traps. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly in anger, not willing to answer the man at all.
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@[member="Faroq Kela'ahim"]