Up, Down and Sideways

[Dax Perl]

Dax could feel the Force flow through [member="Sorel Crieff"] as he slowly burned and melted his way through the door, painstakingly dragging the blade in a circle large enough to step through.

Someone was working against them. Who Dax didn't know. But he would find out. And he would eliminate them.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was so deeply in tune with the Force that she paid no conscious heed to what Dax was doing. The Force would warn her if there was anything to worry about, so she trusted in it and allowed her companion to complete his half of the task, as she focused entirely on her part.

Time was irrelevant and Sorel could not count it even if she wished. Seconds could have passed, but so too could hours. But finally the Force metaphorically tapped her on the shoulder and she opened her eyes to see a large, broadly circular hole had been cut into the door by Dax’s blade. Escape was imminent – but the question remained as to where they might be escaping to, or into whose clutches.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

The large slab of durasteel fell back will a loud crash onto the sandstone floor. A careful step and Dax was standing back in the sub level of the palace. He stepped back inside the vault after checking to make sure it was all clear. "We should grab whatever weapons we can and blow the rest." He said as he began to pick up blaster pistols, tucking them into his pockets.

The gears of his mind span as he tried to work out what there play was. They still had a mission. But they couldn't carry it out just as they had planned...there'd be a lot more fighting either way...

 

[Sorel Crieff]

The durasteel made enough noise to wake the dead – and Sorel had dealt with zombies before and hoped there were none in hearing distance.

Dax stepped through the hole and a few moments later, Sorel followed him. The bubble had taken its toll on her and she breathed deeply, feeling physically tired from her exertions with the Force. No sooner had she done so than Dax stepped back into the vault.

Once he’d exited the room again, this time laden down with weapons, she followed suit. Right now she had no desire to be in the same confined space as him at the same time. It was too risky. She too grabbed blaster and stuffed her pockets and bag before tossing a grenade in through the hole and indicating Dax should step aside, so the blast did not affect him.

The vault was solid and it absorbed most of the noise – all except for that which escaped through the open hole. It was annoying but necessary. They needed to be sure the armaments were out of commission.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax watched as the first grenade exploded, detonating its friend, a fireball consuming the armaments and munitions. The gases rushed outwards, spewing fire from the vault as if from a dragon's maw.

Well at least they got phase one done. "Let's go get those slaves." he said, shouldering on of the rifles he'd grabbed.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

As the aftermath of the explosion died down, Sorel meditated for a few moments before clearing her mind and refocusing on the task ahead.

“I think I remember the general direction, but I’d recommend you lead the way. I’ll ensure nothing surprises us from behind.” With that she ensured her hands were free and her cloak tucked back, exposing her sabers. “Ready when you are.”

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax nodded and began to walk towards the exit. Winding his way up the cracked staircase, his boots softly echoed down the staircase. Dax couldn't help but feel wary. Far too much had gone wrong already. No reason it shouldn't get worse.

The two Forcers finally reached the too of the staircase, without any incident to Dax's surprise. The Knight pushed the door open and entered the large main hall on the other side.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel matched Dax stride for stride, as softly as she could. Back up the staircase they went – her senses tingling in part from their misfortune to date and also because the Force was warning her, albeit in its uniquely oblique way.

They entered the main hall without challenge and this almost displeased Sorel. The ambush in the vault was carefully executed and it took their combined efforts to escape. Whoever did that would not be so sloppy as to just presume they died. So they would be waiting for them. And Sorel preferred an encounter out in the open. To see what they faced. Right now, they were opposed by a shadow, an entity without form that could strike from any direction at any time.

This was definitely not to Sorel’s liking.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

"We should go get the sla-" The sound of the Knight's voice was cutoff by several snap hisses as lightsabers were ignited. Six cloaked figures seemed to manifest, stepping from the shadows which encircled the room.

"Welcome Jedi." they said in unison.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel recognised the sound as one by one half a dozen sabers were activated. And simultaneously six dark sided presences manifested themselves on her Force ‘radar.’

She shook her head slightly. Be careful of what you wish for was a well-known phrase and she had just fallen foul of the saying herself.

She readied herself, her cloak dropped from her shoulders and she held a saber hilt in each hand, although she had not yet activated either. “A little overdue, but at least it’s a welcome,” she said softly. “We’ll take this one step at a time.” She stood alongside Dax, facing the cloaked figures.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax dropped the weapons he held, his own saber igniting with a roar, as he turned to stand back to back to the other Jedi. "Sounds good.". The six identical figures began to step forward simultaneously, slowly, forbodingly. Dax's hands gripped his saber tightly.

Together the six figures raised their weapons, the glowing crimson blades filling the room with a scarlet light, as if the air itself thirsted for Force-imbued blood. The six sabers fell, and Dax brought his own orange saber to block, a clash filling his ears.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

There was a time for talking and a time for fighting. Even an activated saber was not necessarily a reason to draw your own. But one that was currently swinging towards your head? Or worse still three? That required some intervention.

So Sorel’s two sabers activated with a golden hue as she deflected as opposed to block the energy weapons. She chose not to counter, instead returning to a defensive stance waiting to see if the six would consider talking as opposed to fighting.

“Who are you?” she asked, hoping to start some dialogue.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax pushed away the assaulters and brought his blade across the stomach of the nearest. It passed through the body effortlessly, the physical being appearing to become smoke for but a moment before coalescing once more.

No response came from the ghostly figures. Nothing but the humming of sabers and the increasing presence of cold, uncaring malice. All at once they attacked again, towards their legs and their bodies.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was not entirely surprised at the lack of banter but the fact the beings were corporeal one moment and some form of spectre the next was. At least it explained the presence and then lack of physical manifestation in the armoury.

“OK,” Sorel said, wondering how best to deal with a foe that could strike with a saber but not be hurt by one. In truth she was struggling. Force Light might have been an option, but she’d not learned the ability. She also wondered if Tutaminis was an option – given the spirits might be a form of energy and could therefore be dissipated in some way. But she held back for now, wonderin if Dax had a more likely solution to offer.

Meanwhile, she defended gallantly as they pursued their attack.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax was becoming frustrated. Each of his strikes passed through their phantom-like assailants, no harm coming to them. Another downward strike, aimed at his head. Dax's blade came up and deflected it to the side, an opening created. His freehand thrust out, a kinetic blast emanating from it, pushing the phantom back against the wall where it disappeared into smoke.

"They're vulnerable to the Force!" Dax informed his partner. Deflecting another strike he sent a stream of lightning through its body, his target dissolving into vapors.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel kept the flashing sabers at bay, wondering what – if any – weakness the spectres had. She was sure she would find one, or rather that Dax would. The only question was if they found the solution before one of them died.

Being vulnerable to the Force was a helpful weakness in your opponent, if you were able to generate some form of Force power. Which fortunately Sorel was. She’d been studying Tutaminis ever since she acquired Master Shan’s Holocron. She was not yet able to destroy a blast door with a single gesture – but she was able to generate energy.

She dropped one of her sabers and reached out the free hand. Pooling the Force in her palm, she pushed it through her fingers and a bolt of Force energy hit one of the ghosts squarely in the chest and it immediately evaporated.

“Thanks for the advice,” she said, wondering if spectres knew fear – for they were about to be dispatched from this mortal plane.

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

The Knight parried another blow and unleashed another kinetic blast, sending the phantom crashing into a table wear it dissolved. Sorel had two left now. The man turned and deflected a blow and ducked beneath its arms turning so that he faced the phantkms back. Lightning shot from his fingers and the next evaporated.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel made quick work of the remaining two – given she’d learned how to defeat them. Well, she knew how to make them go away. There was no telling if their efforts were permanent or just temporary – or even if there were more down here. But for now they’d survived the challenge and had a solution to the spectres.

“Quick,” she said as the last one evaporated. “Let’s go before they decide to come back, or their friends come looking for them.”

[member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Dax Perl]

Dax nodded and picked up the rifles once more, and began to move theough the compound. As they approached the door leading outside an intense howling could be heard through the crack, the wind outside blowing harshly. "Masks up. Sounds like a sandstorm out there." the Rogue said as he lifted the shemagh over his nose and mouth once more. He then retrieved his goggles from their pouch and placed them over his eyes.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel followed her fellow Jedi, readjusting the weight of the weapons she was carrying. The sound outside was so loud it was audible long before they reached the door. Sorel’s hand went to her bag and she pulled out her goggles and braced herself for the wind and more importantly the sand – which could really hurt if you remained outside for too long – even stripping skin if skin was too exposed.

“Let’s hurry,” she offered, not that she expected Dax to dawdle under the circumstances.

[member="Dax Fyre"]