You Got Something I Need (Siobhan)

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth sighed, she'd been awake all night. The dark circles under her eyes proof of such. Something she'd never managed to hide well. Glancing to the clock it read 05:45. A sigh followed. She hated nights like this. Her body bruised still from her training with HK-36. He'd helped her greatly but she still didn't feel even close to adequate. Without the force, Hevana hands down could throw her to the floor in less than two seconds. Even with the force she lasted about a minute before it was over. Still all of this had led her to one conclusion: more training.

Her little body had been pushed to its physical limits in the last few weeks and she still found herself lacking. The other skills she was improving in, albiet slowly. But there was one area that she hadn't had practice in, in a decade. Cory had not squared off with a force user in so long. Something she was glad for, but it left glaring weaknesses in the little redhead. Should her platoon encounter a force user, Coryth was supposed to be the defense, the one who saved the day and right now she was not certain she could do so and come out on top.

It's time ... She told herself as she rose from her bed. Walking to the closet, she dawned her uniform with great care. Not scrubs, she'd already sent a message to her supervisor that she would not be showing in the Infirmary today. That she had to go see one of the higher ups. Colonel Kerrigan. The woman made Coryth nervous, that was for certain. Likely the only person on Fondor that did so. Finally she had the last button in place, her ID badge pinned to her chest and her hair neatly braided behind her.


Taking the transport from the habitation sphere down to the planet below, she like everyone else went through the necessary security checkpoints and headed for the tower turbo-lift. Sliding her badge through a scanner she pressed the button for one of the upper most floors. Silently she stood there alone in the lift, alone with her thoughts for a brief moment before the doors opened. Walking calmly as she could manage, she came to a waiting area in front of Kerrigan's Office. The tiny redhead walked up to the large wooden door and knocked softly. "Colonel Kerrigan, ma'am?" She asked a little bolder, a little louder to make sure she'd been heard.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

It took a short moment before Second Lieutenant Elaris got a response. She might have heard noise coming from the office, a few words in Eldorai and Huttese, mostly creative curses after the sound of something banging against a table, along with some gasps and a few muffled comments.
Finally the door to the Colonel Kerrigan's office was opened and the redhead would find face herself face to face with a well-dressed, tall and long-legged woman, with more curves than a highway, who gave her a smile. "The Colonel will see you now," she looked a bit flushed and surreptitiously straightened her skirt before gesturing her inside.
Siobhan was seated behind her desk, which was stacked with datcards and flimsi folders, though for once she seemed to have tried to put them into a semblance of order, along with a holographic projector. The window was open and she was lighting a cigarette, though one might note that for a change the ashtray was not filled yet.
She gestured to Coryth to take a seat while she took a drag from her cigarette. "Ah, Elaris, take a seat. You asked for an appointment," she frowned slightly at as she beheld the dark circles under her eyes. "You don't look too well. We'll finish the briefing on the Scutarii up later, Mara," she addressed the secretary, winking at her.
"As you wish, ma'am. We were very thorough in going through the agenda. All set for the meeting with the General," at that the secretary gave her a critical look, gazing at the cigarette. "You really should quit, it's terrible for your health. Ask any doctor."
Siobhan just shook her head. "First Sergeant Martin, now you. Insubordinate, my entire command is insubordinately ganging up on me," she said with mock irritation. "Getting stabbed is bad for my health as well. Happens a lot."
"Yes, but I don't think Doctor Osway can give you iron lungs, ma'am," Mara joked. Clearly this sort of banter was usual and thus not something Siobhan minded. "Besides, you having health issues would upset Exarch Alcori. You already promised her not to lose any more limbs."
"Cheap shot, Mara," Siobhan responded. "Anyway, I'm sure Elaris has pressing business. Go get something to eat. You've been working all day straight."
"As you command, Colonel. But I recall just being well-fed," Mara said with a broad smirk, definitely trolling now, Siobhan flushed just a bit before the girl quickly left the office, giving Coryth an encouraging nod. Apparently even the secretaries and 'attendants' trolled Siobhan, but then like slave girls they were at their best when misbehaving.
"So, you wanted to talk, Second Lieutenant. Settling in with the platoon? Working well with Sergeant Martin?" Siobhan asked, turning her gaze back to Coryth now that the trolling secretary was out of the way. Of course, Siobhan was not trolling at all, her queries were purely professional in nature.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

@Siobhan Kerrigan

She gave nod to the quite tall woman towering over her, and slowly entered, taking her seat as Colonel Kerrigan had requested. "I did indeed. And no ma'am ... not exactly well. Sleep, isn't something that comes easily when you dream of the future. Nightmares really." She shrugged it off as nothing. Only rarely did visions come to her in her waking hours, for the most part she had control when she was awake. Sleeping on the other hand.. Not so much.

Coryth just shook her head at the banter between them. The cigarettes, the getting stabbed, brought a chuckle from the little redhead. Somehow she got the feeling though that Kerrigan was being partly serious.

She glanced between the pair at the final exchange, catching onto the flushed skin on Siobhan's cheeks. That brought a lofted brow, but Coryth said nothing, it wasn't any of her business.

"Yes, Ma'am. Everything has worked out well so far. A little dull, haven't seen much action yet. Been training, training a lot. But some things have come to my attention, weaknesses still keep appearing. Things I can't get around." She sighed, brushing back a few loose strands of hair from her face. "I've not squared off with any force user, in ... well... to be frank, ma'am... A decade at least. And that's far too long. HK has done well working with me, no doubt but he can't do it all. Can't teach me everything. Not when it comes to the force, it's out of his realm."

She paused for a moment, thinking on. "I'm supposed to be the squads defense in that regard, and I'm not sure ... at all that I am still capable. I don't even think I was ever really capable of it." Doubts always crept into her mind, getting in the way far too often. Another sigh came from the little redhead, "I need help, and I wasn't sure where to go. So I came here, to you." Her hopes pinned on Colonel Kerrigan to aid her in getting where she needed to be. To see if she could even stand toe to toe with a force user at all. So many doubts in Coryth. Far too many, for anyone to hold but with so much time passed and no real practice... She had no idea if she could manage at all.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan nodded, listening as Coryth spoke. It might not be apparent in a professional setting, but Siobhan was often plagued by self-doubts and insecurities herself. Her wife deserved a medal for putting up with them and being supportive. Obviously she would not show that in a professional setting. It would sort of ruin her image.

"The whole burden won't be on you. I know you're a healer - that's a big role. All the force and big guns in the world don't do anyone much good if they're bleeding out. Corporal Kaida Taldir is being assigned to your platoon - space elf, still a kid and a bit overeager, but good in a fight," she spoke as she took a drag.

Of course, the elf was not a great duellist, though she had engagements with force-users under her belt. This might have been the end of the conversation, but Siobhan did not dismiss her. "But you have to be prepared - for anything. We're gonna be finishing off the Bando Gora soon, war with the Sith's just a matter of time," she said thoughtfully. "You haven't fought a forcer for a decade? Well, guess it's important to put you through your paces and see really what your limits are. You don't know what you can do till you've been really put to the test."

Siobhan the battering ram, telekinesis master, never held back. It was entirely contrary to her mentality as a force-based soldier. "Got some paperwork to finish. Meet me in an hour in the training hall. We'll have some fun." she gave Coryth what she thought was an encouraging smile. If the gentle reader believed that Siobhan seemed a bit eager to escape the tedium of bureaucacy, then that would not be far from the truth.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

@Siobhan Kerrigan

Coryth's eyes fell to the floor, maybe her worry had been for nothing. "I suppose that's true. Like Hevana, when I found her. Didn't do her any favors in the end." She knew her role was mostly that of a healer but there were times when she'd need to be more. "I'm glad to know someone else will be joining us, force user wise, we need them. I'm sure she'll be great." She said with a smile, now looking up again finally.

She nodded to her. "I know, that's why I'm trying so hard. Training so hard. Because I don't know what's coming. Even what I do know is coming, is changing. The future is .. fluid." She again looked to the look, a bit ashamed that it had been so long. "Yes, ma'am. I spent so much time in Unknown Space, in a cage mind you. Then when I did finally get free, there were few force users out there aside from me. Something I'm thankful for."

She again, nodded. "One hour, yes ma'am." Coryth managed a bright smile back. A sense of eagerness was in the air but not from her side. Coryth was nervous more than anything. Timid, sometimes, quiet. But push her far enough, hard enough, the right button... Good luck.

With that she rose to her feet. "Thank you, ma'am I appreciate it." With that she gave a quick salute and turned to leave.

She didn't wait really, always getting lost in the towers, she wandered down around for about a half hour before she found the place. With a sigh, she went and changed from her uniform into more suitable clothing. A simple short sleeve shirt, and soft brown pants, her feet bare as they always were. Her scars, for a change she was not hiding. Not in the least. From shoulder down, gruesome deep and dark scars crisscrossed her arms in a veritable cross hatch pattern. They clearly, marks of torture. For all her timidness, she'd been through more stuff in her short life than most could ever dream of in their worst nightmares. The scars, just reminders of days passed, but the time to hide them, was over.

Idly she took a corner in the room and waited. She watched others in the room run through exercises, group trainings and soon enough most scooted off and out and for a change the room was quiet. It gave her a moment alone with her thoughts and slowly against the wall she dropped down into a meditation to draw strength for herself, knowing she'd need it all for what was coming. She'd heard of Siobhan's tactics and likely was in for an eye opening experience. Coryth, figured that was the kind of thing she needed.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Coryth did not have to wait long before Siobhan appeared. If Coryth did not have her eagerness, then Siobhan had more than enough to make up for the both of them. By the time she came the training room was deserted save for Coryth, though one could occasionally hear the loud thunking of grenades in adjourning hall, where bolters were being tested out.

When Siobhan emerged into the room, giving Coryth a short smile, she had changed as well into attire more appropriate for the ocassion, namely a pair of tight-fitting workout pants and a black tank top, her feet were as usual tucked into heavy combat boots. She beheld the deep, vicious scars that criscrossed Coryth's arms. Siobhan had her share of scars as well, clearly visible now, indeed her facial features had their share of lines as well, the price of being a battering ram. She had been tortured twice, but it was not on the same level as Coryth. Siobhan's torture had been short, she could not shake off the feeling that the suffering Coryth had went through was far deeper.

However, Siobhan's expression showed no sign of disgust, her stance did not change. Someone else might have concluded that because of what she had went through Coryth must forever be timid and that she was something to be protected.

Siobhan thought differently. Partly simply due to her fighter mentality, but if Coryth were meek she would not have risked her life to save two strangers in a combat zone - and almost gotten herself killed in the process. She also would not have joined Omega Pyre as a combat medic - being a resident in a hospital was more comfortable.

And, perhaps most importantly, but then Siobhan had a bit of an ego, she would not be seeking combat training from perhaps the most brutal Force Master in the arsenal of Omega Pyre.

Butcher Kerrigan was many things, but in battle she was not pleasant. Or honourable.

So there was more to Coryth than that and Siobhan would discover it. With her characteristic lack of subtlety.

"There you are. Great, let's get started, shall we?" she said conversationally, taking her own lightsabre and adjusting the setting so that it was set to be as powerful as a training sabre, so it would zap, but not actually hurt. "So before we begin, what powers over than healing are you proficient in? And have you ever trained to use a weapon other than a lightsabre?"

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth's eyes slowly opened as she came in the room. She may not have been waiting long but just enough to relax into her meditation, leaving herself very open within the force. Slowly she rose to her feet. Those who did not know her might have found it odd, but she had a deep rooted reason for why she never wore footwear. Ever. Save for a single time. On Mustafar, the heat prevented her from walking the place barefoot.

Even as she stood, she took the saber from it's resting place along her belt. Fingers gracing the etched words that were her oath on the saber. She gave a nod, her nervous building much to her annoyance. "Of course."

For a moment Coryth paused to think, " Umm, telekinesis, precognition, a little of battle precog, though only been self training that recently. Illusions, depending on my degree of focus. And while extremely taxing, invisibility." She sighed, and looked down, "No, no other weapon training what so ever. Last time I picked up a blaster the person next to me nearly got shot. I have skills for certain, just they are not in combat. My size, stature, makes it harder on me. And given all of that, I don't have the strength to put behind a blade, so I must use the force if I'm ever to have a level playing field. And with the way I handle the force, its easy to exhaust myself to the point I cannot function, or pass out like I did with Hevana and Brigs." A glance to her own saber and she clicked it down to training strength as well. Nothing that would harm beyond a little sting. ­

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan looked at her, sensing the nervousness. The woman appeared timid on the surface and the Colonel did not know her well, but nonetheless she would be tested. Someone who had withstood torture like that and still carried on must have some sort of inner strength driving them, it was the meek lambs who never got out of the hole.

Along with lots of pent-up anger. Besides, she was a redhead. The test would be how she would react when backed into a corner. Regardless now Siobhan spoke up. "Invisiblity, huh? Sounds handy if tactically deployed. I get how taxing that must be...in theory I can mask my presence in the Force but, well, I'm kinda crappy at it. Besides, I prefer hitting things," she chuckled slightly before turning serious.

"You might not have the stature and the strength, but opponents will underestimate you for it. Precog? Good. Might mix in well with a telekinetic barrage - onslaught to catch an opponent off-guard or at least distract them. Pay attention to your environment, anything that can be raised, ripped out, it's a weapon, something that buys time. Key for you is distraction, you might not be to withstand someone's who a tank. I'm not that great a duellist, I just come out alive because...I give it my all. Can't be any help with illusions, but your opponent's greater strength's gonna be pretty useless if he's busy chasing phantoms. Gives you the right moment to sneak up...or for others in the platoon to engage. Keep in mind...you might be the prime forcer of the platoon. Well, you and Taldir now, but point is you got a whole team to rely on. Sergeant Martin is very skilled in dealing forcers. Hence the missile launcher. Battle's not a one-woman show and you're not supposed to be the unit's battering ram."

This might come across as a bit hypocritical considering Siobhan's tendency to storm off and death charge opponents, but perhaps this was a case of 'do as I say not as I do'. "As for blasters, they're useless anyway, anything smaller than a repeater just bounces off a lightsabre. I'd say get a bolter, but that's bloody heavy and bulky. Your best bet is to get guns training and carry a concealed slugthrower. In the event that you get brought low and your lightsabre's out of your hands, it's just a small chance, but few opponents will expect a well-placed bullet when it looks like you're beaten."

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth nodded, "It is quite handy. Long as I can maintain it. Though, droids, can see through what I can do, organics .. Not so much. It takes everything I have to keep it up for a long period. Did that once, retreating when I needed to leave unseen, as I was far outnumbered." She gave a simple shrug, "Was not an easy skill to learn, too many years chasing for that one." Coryth laughed a little at the prefer hitting things comment. "Stealth has always been my friend."

She listened, intently pondering through everything Siobhan was telling her. She hadn't thought about much of any of it like this. Just never considered it. "A lot of this I haven't thought about, but the environment, that we think alike. I will use anything I can use that isn't bolted down and then some to use against a foe. Illusions, that was always the idea, make them go one way, while I another, making sure they were chasing nothing but ghosts and mirrors. There is a reason I pressed for so much training into illusions." A sigh came, "I'm not used to the idea of a team being behind me. I'm used to doing all of this alone." A dangerous comment when one thought about it. Coryth had a decade of bad habits and her tendency to work alone, do things by herself was mere habit. Never before did she have someone to rely on.


Coryth nodded, "Suppose that is reasonable. Makes sense, just never really looked at it that way." The idea of carrying a slugthrower was not one she liked much. She didn't like the idea of killing if it could ever be avoided. Even harming was questionable. Ethics and morals get in the way oh so often.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

"I can show you how to ionise droids. Disable cameras, give pesky droids a shock" Siobhan suggested when she heard about the limitations of Coryth's illusions against machines. Truth be told illusions and mentalist powers in general were beyond Siobhan's horizon, though she saw how useful they could be. On the flip side this also meant that she would not be very prepared when confronted with them.

"We're gonna have lots of fun, huh?" She grinned when Coryth said she would utilise anything that was not bolted and then more. As different as they no doubt were, Siobhan's standard method was to smash people by throwing things at them because frankly while a good duellist, she was not that strong. Tegaea in her days as a mercenary with an amazonian build could have wiped the floor with her in close quarter combat, provided the Force was not invovled, which was one of the reasons Siobhan had been attracted to her in the first place.

She frowned a bit at Coryth's comment about not being a team person. "Transition's a bit difficult at first. Hell, I didn't have much experience working in large units, let alone leading them, when I joined. Beyond a couple jobs with Tegaea's Dark Stars. But you're in a unit now, you gotta rely on the people with you. They don't have the Force, but they're professionals. Hevana trained 'em after all," at that she smiled slightly. "Going off to play hero sounds romantic, but most of the time you wind up dead."

Siobhan was not the most tactful or perceptive person, but it seemed to her Coryth seemed a bit uncomfortable when she mentioned carrying a gun. Truth be told it was a clash of mentalities, Siobhan did not understand the meaning of holding back. "I'll be blunt, Coryth. Well, I always am. You're a healer, I respect that. Without people like you I'd have no limbs! I'm a soldier, my job's to do anything to win. I figure you heard the stories."

About Kerrigan the Butcher of Roche; Kerrigan, the ruthless slaughterer of Reavers. "I heard about your oath...I'm not expecting you to be something you ain't." Was Siobhan actually trying to be nice? Truly a miracle. "But if you're in battle, hesitation, holding back - all that gets you killed. In the one critical moment where you're forced to fight...you gotta go all the way cause your enemies will as well. You either fight or muck around. If not for yourself, then the people serving with you."

 

[Coryth Elaris]

"That would be quite useful." She said with a smile, so few seemed to have that skill that she had run into. Finally there was someone she could train it with. "It would make things significantly easier to manage. So if you don't mind, that I could really use. I'd be most grateful if you would teach me."


Coryth cringed internally at the mention of fun. "Oh, tons!" She said, trying to mask what she was feeling. There was doubt about it, she just knew this was going to be painful. But she asking the human battering ram for help for a reason, or ... maybe she was just a touch masochistic.

She again nodded to her. "Tell me about it. Just so used to going it alone, that it leaves me unsure of how things are supposed to be, supposed to work. I've got to learn to trust them with my life, as much as they trust me with theirs. It seems to come natural to them, for me... its foreign." She managed a smile again, "Gotta love Hevana. Hell of a woman."

Her eyes fell away from Siobhan at the next words. Anytime the words I'll be blunt came out, usually something horrid would follow for the little redhead. With a sigh she forced herself to look back up. "Healing is all I've ever done. I .. I've never been much beyond it. I'm not a fighter. I'm not. Plain and simple. Which is why I'm standing here, in front of you. Cause I know something's got to give. Maybe my morals and ethical bounds have to bend a little. Maybe something else does."

Reaching up she rubbed at her forehead, and shaking her head. "I'm not a fool Ma'am. Truly. I know the time is coming when I have to make that choice, to choose my life over another being's. To choose life over death. I know my hesitation, places me in situations that could and likely would have killed me if I didn't have the skill set I do. If I didn't have the ability to see into the future. To know what comes next. You truly aren't telling me anything I hadn't already come to the conclusion of when I chose to seek you out Colonel."

She now was looking Kerrigan in the eye, her body language bolder, more confident. She knew what she needed, knew why, and knew where to go looking to find it. "I'm here because of the people I stand beside on the field, because my weaknesses like this, can get them killed. Can put them in a situation where I'm hurt and can't help them, or I'm just plain dead, or my inaction gets one of them killed. Things I cannot live with. I cannot live with people dying from my weaknesses, my mistakes. Not especially when they matter so much to me. This platoon with Hevana has become my family. The only one I've ever know. I'm not about to get them killed."

Her eyes flicked about quickly, still nervous, but a lot had melted away simply because she had firmly ingrained and reminded herself why she had come here. Why she had chosen Kerrigan. "Not a fool, by any means."
"Oh, and one more thing," She looked down to her saber, looked to the oath engraved upon it. "That oath was made when I was a young teen. Times have changed. And the time has come for me to change with it."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Oh, yeah. She is, Siobhan thought to herself when Coryth said Hevana was one hell of a woman. Well, it could not be helped, Siobhan was a shipper these days and Hevana and Coryth had become her new victims! Her plan, or rather her lack of it, was perfectly fool proof. She listened as Coryth said her piece, not interrupting. She wondered how many people just looked at Coryth and saw someone beautiful but fragile, feeling compassion for the suffering she had clearly endured but thinking she was someone who had to be protected and shielded.

But if that were the case she would have joined Omega Pyre. More than that, she would not have asked the woman-shaped battering ram to provide her with combat training.

"Wouldn't have ever considered you a fool, hun. Bit crazy maybe, but everyone at the Pyre sorta is," she joked. "Yeah, sometimes we gotta change," she said more to herself, turning her back to Coryth as she seemed to be lost in thought, gazing upon the wall and taking her eyes off the healer.

"Starting right...," at this she suddenly spun around with blinding speed and made an almost casual gesture with her hand, her telekinesis lashing out to summon a strong force push that swept through the room as a wave of telekinetic energy towards Coryth. By Siobhan's standards it was not the strongest, but then her standard method consisted in blasting a force repulse at her opponent. So the fact remained it was meant to sweep Coryth off her feet, perhaps throw her back, a test of her ability to shield herself and ideally push the blast back. "Now. Nice hour's over." Even as the telekinetic blast tore through the room out of the corner of her eye she looked at a training dummy and raised it into the air, hurling it with great speed as an improvised missile.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth stood quietly listening as the woman turned her back to her. A sense of danger came, then a blink, a flash of the future came. An attack. Even before it had happened Coryth knew it was coming. Her saber remained unlit but in hand. For the moment unneeded, it would not help her in the things she saw. With the power behind the wave of the force coming at her, Coryth made a split second decision to merely ride with it. As the wave crashed upon her she only controlled herself within, allowed for her to maintain balance while sailing backwards. She skidded near the far wall, stopping herself just short. Battering ram, total understatement.

Her eyes came up already sensing something coming. She didn't see it per say, no, her mind now in the present. Seeing the training dummy coming, she merely reached out and batted it to the side with a slight motion of her hand. Coryth, on the defense. She wasn't attacking yet. Eyes watched Siobhan, cold, but still gentle. The sweet side of the little Jedi always ever present. A glance away from her opponent, and she took in the scene. A quick survey to see what was useful and laying around that could be thrown. Good thing there was tons! Crates, weapons, training dummies, Weapon racks and so much more! Right now just a mental note, she had no plans to use it.

Right now she was just playing defensively. No attacks. She slowly moved forward, as she did, her body seemed to divide. Shadows behind her turned into identical copy of herself. While this was draining if she used multiply copies, it had it's uses. Her twin now stood beside her, identical even to the way they felt in the force. Kerrigan would be hard pressed to know which was real and which was not. Coryth and her doppelganger smiled. The both took off in different directions. Coming back around both headed for the Colonel, from the sides, lightsabers ignited, and both swung for her. One to her left forearm, the other, her right leg. Chances were getting so close would be a mistake, but it had been too long since she'd engaged another force user. Mistakes were bound to be made.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Good. She had ridden out the wave. Ideally she would have repulsed it, likewise slammed the training dummy back, but it had not shaken her and she had deflected. Siobhan noted with approval that Coryth took in her environment, making note of anything that could be used as a weapon. Crates, weapons, training dummies, not to mention the beam that hung on the ceiling. What Coryth might not know at this stage that behind doors to her right and left lurked training droids. They would be unleashed soon enough, not just to provide something else to throw around, but to make the training field more chaotic.

But still defence. Now a good defence could tire out an offensive master, that was the principle behind Soresu, after all, but even that required movement before one got beaten into submission. However, then before her eyes Coryth split in two, a copy of her seemingly appearing out of nowhere in the blink of an eye. Siobhan stretched out with her senses but to her they felt completely identical in the Force. As has often been said at some point anyone who sought to achieve greatness in the Force had to make the decision between being able to read the ripples and make waves. Siobhan made waves in the form of mass destruction, someone able to read ripples, see the pebble in the vast stream, might have detected subtle differences provided they had achieved sufficient mastery.

However, far as Siobhan was concerned either could be Coryth and she could not pinpoint which. Certainly not when her mind was focused on battle. But although Siobhan could not find out which was which that did not mean she remained passive as the two Coryths charged her from the sides. This was to be expected, confuse Siobhan and then strike. As fun as melee would be, she had something different in mind for now.

Instead she leapt high - very high, somersaulting backwards through the air above them with a speed powered by the Force and her dazzling blue lightsabre flew into her hand in mid-flight and sprang into existence, the Force Master landing further away, smirking slightly.

"Nice trick. But how long can you maintain it?" she asked. Her lightsabre was angled in a defensive position, then at a slight tilt of her head the barrage began as she sank deeply into the Force and violently pushed it forward so that it swept towards the two Coryths, summoning a Force Repulse, gathering the heavy objects that were engulfed by the wave into a barrage and violently flinging them away at high velocity, crates and training dummies being enveloped by the onslaught and hurled. The barrage might not be the most precise - Siobhan did not do precision - but there was great force and a sizeable number of objects behind it. Siobhan expected Coryth to fight dirty and so she was as well, by way of testing the illusion's strength by simply battering ramming it.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Both Coryth and her doppelganger looked at each other for a second, then back to Siobhan. Hate when people to do that. She glared as the woman rose up. Distracted for a moment, the future did not present itself to Cory. Eyes followed as she hit the floor, some distance away. Expecting an attack, she did not press forward and waited for Siobhan to come to her. But Siobhan didn't. Odd... Sensing the force amassing in the master in front of her, she knew, knew something was going to happen but was not certain of the outcome until it was already upon her.

This time, escape wouldn't be so easy for the little redhead. She wasn't ready, wasn't expecting it. The second the powerful explosion within the force hit her, the second Coryth faded away. That on its own, annoyed her. But only just. In the midst of the wave, by miracle of miracles she had avoided most objects flying with her, and landed clear across the room from Siobhan, on her knees. It had hurt. A lot more than she would have ever admitted to, but was quick to rise to her feet. Little more annoyed at that point. If looks could have killed, it would have all ended there. If only it was so simple.

The cold angry look vanished, and soon after it, Coryth. She with great care melted away, hidden behind a mask of light wrapping it around herself. No easy task, for certain but she was annoyed and that did drive her, slightly. Moving as quick as she could manage, considering all her concentration was elsewhere, she raced to get behind Siobhan. The floor, was a virtual mess already, crate, training weapons and dummies everywhere, but she was oh so careful to avoid them. It was sneaky time, and that required a level of quietness that most could never achieve. Suppose it did help that she was barefoot. No loud clunky shoes to give away her footfalls and being so small, so light, even what noise would have normally been there, barely just if at all with her. She certainly had legitimate reasons for being as eccentric as she was.

Now behind the Master, though she knew she could not stay unseen forever, she dropped her cloak of light and hurled a set of crates at the woman's back with a simply wave of her free hand. Fight dirty? It not exactly nice, but not entirely dirty either. Whatever Siobhan's plan was, she'd have to be careful. Annoyed Coryth led to upset Coryth, upset to angry and angry Coryth, well ... Let's just say someone would be dead or wounded by that point and it wouldn't be her.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

If this were a takeover Siobhan would have naturally seen the crates coming, spun around at top speed and either waved them all away with a casual gesture or summoned an impregnable force shield. All in a tremendously short time span. However, this is not a takeover and so taking a hit is not considered bad form. So Siobhan took a hit.

Siobhan had many skills, but she was not adept at dealing with illusions and force cloaks. She had been stretching out with her senses, trying to pinpoint Coryth, even raising several heavy objects and tossing them around, but the healer's steps were feather light and so she was caught off guard when the crates were hurled towards her back.

She felt a warning through the Force and moved to turn and dodge but it came too late and so as a crate slammed into her hard, she stumbled and was knocked back by the volley, her lightsabre falling out of her hand and cluttering to the ground as another came crashing into her, making her fall but the last one never reached her and was slammed into the wall as she regained some balance and waved her hand.

"Not bad, girl! But is that all you got? Either fight or muck around. There is no try," Siobhan declared as she jumped to her feet. If Coryth was getting annoyed, then the Colonel was enjoying this perhaps a bit too much. Her lightsabre flew back into her hand and Siobhan sized up the environment, senses stretching out as she took what lay before when it came to possible volleys, crates, weapons etc. By now the training room was in quite a mess considering the sheer number of objects the two had thrown around. One imagined the clean-up would have quite a bit of work ahead of it.

Indeed several crates rose, seemingly speeding towards Coryth, but then suddenly Siobhan charged and shot off towards the healer, using the Force to increase her speed and musculature, moving almost in a blur, the crates all just hitting walls or being scattered to the winds. Physically Siobhan was not the strongest fighter, but the Force amplified her strength and drove it to greater heights.
To put it bluntly Siobhan's method was to corner Coryth and battering ram her, ideally move at such speed she would not have time to respond by anticipating her movements. As she crossed the distance, lightsabre held in a strong grip, she swung her blade fiercely at Coryth in a sai tok manoeuvre that would have been aimed to cleave her in half by bisecting her horizontally from the waist.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth seemed a little shocked by actually landing any type of hit on Siobhan and she cringed slightly feeling bad for it. But that was her nature, she injured someone she was going to want to help. But before the thought gained true traction, she could already sense danger coming.

The crates she saw first reached to deflect but was surprised by Siobhan's speed as she raced to meet her. Coryth had little physical strength, especially given her stature. Saber combat was never her forte. Ever.

Coryth only barely managed to get her saber up, but the sheer strength of the Colonel's blow only pressed her saber into her, drawing a hiss from the little redhead as the jolt raced through her. Even with the fact that the sabers both had been turned down to training level, the wind had been pushed from her. It seemed her inexperience and lack of opponents had finally caught up with her.

Instinctively and only so she reacted hard in the force a small wave of the force exploding around her to try and force Siobhan back from her. Anger was starting to rise in the petite woman, glaring coldly at Kerrigan. Upset Coryth was shaking off the shell of annoyed Cory and getting ready to play.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Incidentally Siobhan would later unleash a force explosion against the Whiphid Sith Master Velok. While being blasted with force lightning. It had been rather painful, but also worked.

Regardless Siobhan was quite happy that she was bringing Coryth's aggression out. Of course Siobhan might be sort of insane for pissing off a redhead, but she was a bit of an adrenaline junkie and thus liked to live dangerously. Hence why had battering rammed Sith tanks and a Sith Lord.

The shockwave created by the force explosion swept across the room and painfully slammed into her. Siobhan reeled, staggering. She could in theory have thrown up a force shield to blot out the worst of it, but she defensive powers were not her forte. Similarly evasion might have worked or trying to ride out the wave.

Instead, in the splitsecond that remained her, Siobhan decided to do the exact opposite of the smart thing, but it was perhaps more interesting. As the shockwave pushed into her she pushed back hard, drawing on her powers and using the momentum of the wave to send forth her own shockwave so that it might slam into Coryth. The resulting chain reaction meant that the small wave conjured up by Coryth was intensified, engulfing the entire room in what could be considered a big bang. Needless to say Siobhan was caught in the wave and painfully thrown back far across the room, landing hard on the ground with a loud thud and a crunch that signified something might have been broken, perhaps a few ribs, but then who needed them anyway. Most of the objects that had been thrown around by the combined telekinetic prowess of Coryth and Siobhan were swept across the room, sometimes with such force that they were smashed and the wreckage of a crate fell on her. The room was shaken by hard tremors, the force blast even created a dent in the wall.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth struggled a moment for air as Siobhan was forced back away from her. Desperately she had wanted space and got it. Needed it badly. She needed a moment to breathe but alas it would not come for her. Already Kerrigan was using her own force explosion against her. She could feel the sheer power and now was more than a little concerned by the sheer tidal wave of things she could see being lifted from the floor.


There wasn't time to block, wasn't time to throw up much protection. All Coryth could do was ride the wave out as it slammed into her throwing her backwards some distance away, slammed into the wall hard. Now she really was struggling for air. There was nothing left in her lungs and she was fiercely angry. The beam in the ceiling her target this time. Reaching out with both hands she tore the thing from the ceiling and with great untold power hidden by her usual sweetness and gentle nature, she hurled it forward with all her might. If anyone had doubts as to why you never upset Coryth by the time this story ran around the Protectorate, people would leave her the hell alone.


But she did not stop there. She was fast behind the beam racing to nail Siobhan while she was still down. Her saber in hand and a fierce rage still rising within her. This was getting dangerous even for Coryth. Too angry for too long, or the right words said and she'd slip from the edge of the very sharp blade that she walked between light and dark. She was halfway there was it was. Approaching her, she lifted more objects from the floor and threw them, not even paying mind to what they were as she moved.


All of Coryth actions had been to get her across the floor and back to her opponent. Focusing again, disappeared from sight, wanting to get in close again and strike. Happy fun time Coryth was out the window, this was the all business side of Coryth that if people were smart would never force out of her again. But since when were people smart.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Siobhan was certainly succeeding at bringing Coryth's anger out. Of course, one might argue that Siobhan did not have much of a plan of how to proceed once the steel vault had been blown up. Siobhan had been lying on the floor, then swiftly jumped to her feet and rolled to the side as the beam was propelled towards. She was panting heavily, by now she was bruised and in pain, though her adrenaline was going into overdrive. Frankly Siobhan was enjoying this a bit too much - the carnage she wrought, the sheer rush she felt any time she was in combat and there was also a certain degree of pride and accomplishment at getting Coryth to let loose. Perhaps that pride was misplaced, but nonetheless.

The beam was caught in a telekinetic grip as it came racing through the air and thrown with such force it crashed into a door, smashing it. Alarm sirens howled and blared at the onslaught, but Siobhan was too busy dealing with the volley Coryth was hurling at her. A crate slammed into her hard, knocking her down, guns came flying and fell upon her and she bit down her tongue to stifle a cry of pain. A light repeater slammed into her left arm and she felt it go numb on her. A force whirlwind was conjured up by her powers and spun a large number of objects through the air, with Siobhan not particularly caring where they hit.

Her lightsabre flew into her hand and Siobhan stretched out with her senses, but she could not pinpoint Coryth, who had seemingly vanished once again into the shadows. But she was somewhere out there, lurking, on instinct Siobhan wrapped herself in a force shield, though defensive powers were not her forte. Annoyed at being unable to detect her, she waved her hand to rip out a large chunk of the already damaged door, but instead of hurling it somewhere spun it around like a buzzsaw in a wide circle around her, so that it spun at an alarmingly fast rate in an attempt to hit something.

In the same moment chaos broke out. Admittedly there was already a great deal of chaos, but it intensified now. As has been said, a few combat droids had been prepared for training purposes, namely in the adjacent chambers. The beam smashing into an alarm set them off and now they came racing into the chamber. Four droidekas, four armoured battle droids, all of them armed with automatic blasters, albeit set on stun, which coincidentally meant that for some reason they were more difficult to block than conventional blaster bolts.

Siobhan felt a prickling within the Force and spun to dodge, but nonetheless a stun bolt hit her in the leg and forced her down, with the telekinetically powered door still wildly spinning. She sank into the Force to counteract the effects of the round, a wave of her hand knocking the door towards them, and as the droids unleashed a hailstorm of blaster fire that targeted both her and Coryth, her hand rose, palm outstretched, and a purple ionised current of energy shooting out from her fingertips towards the machines, targeting the droidekas and striking their shields, the strong current of energy frying one so that the air was filled with the smell of burnt circuits and electronics, then springing to two more.