Wake Up

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"I see it." Kira had also caught sight of the few plumes of smoke off in the distance. Perhaps there were survivors that they would be able to help in some more. The shuttle set down with little issue, but it hadn't been missed by the man who had heard the whine of the engines and had stepped out of his permacrete stone hutt to observe who had come in.

He held a blaster rifle in his hands, as if expecting trouble. Considering the pirate raid they had barely managed to survive a few days past, a centimeter of caution was well worth a meter in safety. The shuttle wasn't similar to what the pirates had used in the past, but he wasn't about to drop his guard. A small child poked his head out to peer curiously from the door, prompting the man to bark out, "Jediah, get back inside."

The sound of retreating pitter pattering feet told of Jediah's departure. Amos' weathered gaze locked down upon that shuttle. For now he would wait.

Kira's hands went through the powerdown motions, and blue eyes darted over to her husband. "Want to take a look around while i secure this -- I dont want to be caught off guard if any pirates come back around."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

Soliael shook his head, though for the moment he stayed quiet.

There was something...wrong. He had no idea what it was or where the feeling came from, but an odd impression lingered within the pit of his stomach. Such things werent unusual in places of great violence but somehow this was different. His lips thinned for a moment more as he looked out the viewport.

”You should go first.” He said quietly. ”People are much less likely to freak out if they see you.”

That was a simple matter of fact.

Their size difference was often a joke between the two of them, but when it came to meeting strangers Kira was far more likely to seem friendly than the six and a half foot giant that was Soliael. If there were still villagers here, then Kira would make a far better impression.

”Ill come in after.” He smiled at her, though that feeling lingered in his stomach.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"Are you making a joke about my height again?" Kira would quip back, trying to inject a measure of lighthearted attitude to the growing tension. She felt that uneasiness that Soliael was sensing as well. As if something was not quite right. A small light punch to his upper arm broke a little bit of the tension, but it would linger still regardless.

"Okay, try not to startle people so much will you?" Leaning forward, the Jedi Master gave her husband a quick kiss to his bearded cheek.

"I'll be back --- or comm you? Which would you prefer?" Honestly the man was more apt to be avidly watching her every move when she went to approach the locals. If anything went wrong, Devin would be quick to come to her side.

"I'll just introduce myself, get the lay of the land."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

"Just send me a ping." Not a full message but just a short burst.

Soliael was well aware of how he came across to most people. Tall and broad shouldered it didn't help that his glowing orange eyes seemed to accent everything he said and did. Better to just stay behind and fiddle with the Shuttle for a few moments while Kira figured out the lay of the land.

It hadn't been such a big deal before because of the Dug Village's state, but here? Well he didn't want to take any chances that someone was about to get the scare of their live seeing a giant coming towards him. He leaned over and kissed Kira on the cheek before half turning away. "Just tell them we're travelers."

Something along those lines.

No need to lie here.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"Travelers." Kira's lips gave a twitch along the right corner of her mouth. "Well, I can do that." one last kiss to his cheek and the Lorrdian Jedi Master was off.

Okay, just do this calmly and slowly, the blonde told herself, repeating the instruction as she came to the airlock. "Just go out, lift up your hands, say hello, easy walk down..." right, her head gave a nod in self encouragement. Turning towards the left, she pressed the button on the console that would release the airlock and allow her to exit down the ramp. There was a small noise as it extended, a small burst of sand and wind at the sudden exposure to the elements. It was a bit more arid here. More sand and dustdevils that seemed to trace along the landscape.

Okay, adjusting her goggles over her eyes, Kira took careful steps down the ramp. The man eyeballing her never seemed to take his watchful and wary gaze from her. A small rise of her hands and the woman called out, "Hello!" her voice echoed, slightly swallowed up by the wind.

"My husband and I are travelers." well that was true to an extent.

"We heard that this area got hit bad and since we are both able to lend a hand, wanted to see if there was anything we can do to help."

Okay maybe that was TOO honest.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

Soliael might have cringed if he'd heard Kira's introduction, but luckily he had ducked into the small closet aboard the shuttle to fish out the medical supplies that were stashed there.

The symbol for a medic wasn't exactly universal, some planets didn't recognize it, but he figured that if he showed up with some bacta and bandages the symbol would be clear enough. They were here to help, not hurt whomever was left. Of course for him it was rather difficult to get that point across, but he hoped his wife saying hello would lessen the blow of him suddenly appearing.

He waited a minute more, then followed.

Soliael moved slowly, deliberately, and made sure that he hovered behind Kira in a non-threatening manner. The former False god even forced himself to slouch slightly, something that was uncommonly difficult for him since he usually had a rather regal manner. "We brought medical supplies."

He added quietly.

The man in front of them said nothing, an almost glassy look to his eyes, but slowly he nodded and simply turned away, beginning to walk towards the distant smoke.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"I think that worked? You think that worked?" Kira would call back to her husband. Turning towards him, Kira gave a small pause, the worried expression turning into a perplexed frown. Was he slouching?

The corner of her mouth gave a small twitch, but with the man having at least turned to walk towards the distant smoke - and the fact that he did not shoot at them - meant that it was at least somewhat of a good sign.

"Just be careful -- I am sure they are all still a bit wary." there was still some sort of underlying sensation that bothered Kira. Something wrong.

"Let's go." she would encourage her husband.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

"Worked as well as we could have hoped for." Soliael said quietly.

They followed the man after a moment more of hesitation, Soliael holding the small box of medical supplies that he had wanted to take with him. There was no doubt in in his mind that something was wrong now, the feeling in the pit of his stomach was getting worse and worse.

Part of him wondered if this wasn't something...Sith. It didn't quite feel like that, usually the darkside called to him, sang to him like a siren whenever he was near it. This however was just causing a feeling of dread within him. He glanced towards Kira, knowing that she felt the same thing. His lips thinned as they began to move closer towards the wisping smoke in the air, the man leading them turning slightly into what began to be identifiable as the rubble of a village.

"There." Soliael whispered quietly to his wife. "Looks like they burned it all."

Then what was that smoke?

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"Yeah, they did." yet what was wrong? What was that underlying sensation of just wrongness that seemed to permeate around? They continued their walk, with Kira adding just under her breath. "Something don't feel right...."

"Got anyone who needs first aid?" the Jedi Master called out towards Amos, hoping to perhaps stir some more conversation. The man just turned towards her, eying her a bit. Considering what they'd all been through, it was understandable why they were so wary. Thing being that Kira wasn't sure if there was more to Amos and his child than what could be seen.

"Ain't much healing that can be done to fix what has occurred."

Oh as if that was at all NOT clouded in dark forebearing.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

He tensed slightly when the man spoke, his lips thinning.

There was something simply...wrong here. Soliael had no idea what, no idea why. He frowned for a moment more, shooting a glance over towards something in the distance. White sheets covered twelve or so small bumps that stuck out from the ground.

He motioned towards his wife for a moment, then slowly meandered over.

Soliael knew that the man wouldn't have any answers for them, not in the sate he was in. So perhaps...he frowned for a second as he pulled back one of the white sheets. His eyes locked on the form, the body below appearing as though it had been decaying for half a decade. "Kira."

He said quietly, calling over his wife.

"This is the force." He told her in a half whisper, knowing exactly what he was seeing.

The darkside was, in many ways a terrible and horrifying thing, and this was a technique known as force drain. Soliael had seen it half a dozen times before, and even performed it once.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

By then Kira had brought her hand up to cover her mouth. The being - really tha was the only way to describe it - appeared emancipaed, as if the skin had simply pulled back across bone. This was so wrong. It felt wrong. Swallowing hard, the blonde gave a shake of her head in growing disbelief. While the Lorrdian Jedi Master may not be a healer, there was no denying that the Force had something to do with this. Something dark, and twisted by the Force.

"What could it be?' In her lifetime as an Investigator and the Master of Shadows, the Jedi Master had been witness to several dark sided artifacts and creations from Sith or other Dark Side Organizattions. However, she had yet to come face to face with something like this.

Soliael would know more, what with his experience at being Neth the Keeper and his vast mental repository of knowledge.

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

He glanced at her. "It's force drain."

There were dozens of other names for the technique, though Soliael didn't really care to list any of them. He glanced towards the man that had lead them here, though he had wandered off towards the end of the village where the smoke was still rising. The former Sith Lord frowned for a few moments, studying him before he slowly turned his attention back to his wife.

"It takes a lot of effort." He told her quietly. "Knowledge."

He pulled the blanket back over the body. "This isn't just an apprentice...not with this many people dead and not with the effect being this dramatic. Can't be."

It had to be someone trained, or someone naturally powerful. Neither was something that he really thought they'd encounter out here. Force Drain was a sinister technique, not only deadly but brutal, making the user more powerful each time he took a life.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

Force drain? Soliael would catch the increasingly troubled expression that would contort his wife's visage. That wasn't the sort of power one merely plucked out of now where. Even Kira knew that much.

Effort. Knowledge. Power.

"We aren't just dealing with pirates... are we?" the Lorrdian Jedi Master murmured, not much of a question as much as a statement. This would most definitely drag them deeper into the abyss on just what troubled Rishi Maze.

"Someone with power. With strength -- and the ability to utilize it en masse."

Biting her lip, the woman gave a sweep of her gaze towards the rest of the injured. What were they going to do?

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

He nodded. "Just one."

That was really the important thing to note. They very well might be dealing with Pirates, but one of those pirates was powerful in the darkside. The idea didn't really enthuse him, but at the very least he now had a better way of knowing what exactly they were dealing with. His gaze drifted to the concealed corpses for a moment, his eyes wandering until eventually they returned to Kira.

"They're Sith." He said plainly. "Plain and simple."

It was partially a good thing. "That means they're predictable."

It might have sounded silly, but Soliael knew Sith. He had once been one, and he knew how they thought. Slowly he backed up, his hand wrapping around Kira's. The Sith, whoever it was, would want a center of power. That was what they needed to find.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"Well, how does this work?" that was the important part. Finding out how this actually afflicted the locals and if there was any way to stop it. Was it a trick that would be done quick and the Sith could come and leave or did it require concentration and close proximity?

"Could they still be here?" depending on that answer, Soliael could easily see where this was going. The little stubborn flex along the jawline of his wife said she was quite willing to go hunting down for whatever Sith this may be. First, it was pirates. Now it was a Sith.

It was really a working vacation for them both, wasn't it?

"And how do we stop it?"

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

"Cant really" That likely wasnt what Kira wanted to hear, but it was the truth.

Force Drain was such a horrific technique because in theory one couldnt stop it without stopping the source. You had to kill the user, and you had to do it in such a way that they couldnt force drain life back into themselves. It was that easy, that simple. Of course it easier said than done in the long run.

"The Sith using this basically becomes a leech. Takes life from other to make himself more powerful." He explained. "There is a cost though. Doing this can be...addictive."

He frowned. "We have to find whose doing this."

It was the only way to stop it.

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"Let's see what we can find. What clues." Kira replied. The Jedi Master had been an Jedi Investigator for quite some time. She could help in that. The only problem being was trying to help those afflicted the most.

"Do you think you can try and figure out how long this started? When it began?" turning to the patients, Kira bit her lower lip.

"I'm no healer, but I want to try to at least help those worst off. See what I can do while we figure out who is behind all of this."

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

"There's no way to tell." He said frowning. "Not without the Sith himself."

His head shook.

"He had to be here to do it, so we can ask the villagers." That was really the only way, to determine it. He doubted that the Sith was powerful enough to feed off the entire planet, no, this man had to get up close. It was a small relief really. "Bandage who we can, fix what we can."

He frowned. "Ask questions."

Thats what they needed most now

 

[Kira Talith]

[member="Soliael Devin Talith"]

"No way to track him through the Force perhaps?" the Lorrdian Jedi Master would counter, trying to come up with ideas. Draith, their son, had an affinity with Force Track. He was able to discern the use of the Force, even be able to track items and people across great distances. Just one of the many skills had.

"If this goes one way, can't it be used to follow where it came from?" Kira was pushing the envelope on options, but Devin was the most knowledgeable out of the two. He had more information in his head about fringe Force groups and powers.

"I can ask questions... but just trying to consider what other options we have. "

 

[Soliath Devin Talith]

[member="Kira Talith"]

"Not off-world." He told her.

"It's..." Soliael frowned. The force was difficult to explain at the best of times, and Force Drain was a Technique that was almost impossible to describe. Perhaps if the effect had been more prominent Soliael could have done it, but just a few people in a tiny village? No there was almost no chance it would work. He frowned for a moment in thought, and then shook his head. "Not on the scale it was used here."

He said finally. "There was a Sith Lord a long time ago that used this technique to consume entire worlds, that I could track, but not with something so...small."

Soliael didn't like describing this as 'small', but it was true.

"When he's near me I'll know, but I cant track him down." That at least was something. The Sith wouldn't be able to hide from him. The smell of death and tortures souls would cling to him.