Ask Nar Shaddaa Back to Back

[Ruzaan Kai]

A lonely Togruta was a sad, scared Togruta, and Ruzaan was feeling very lonely indeed. He’d come to Nar Shadda to assist a Knight in busting a humanoid trafficking ring, but he’d no sooner met Master Plarkas when the two Jedi had been set upon by several people infected with the AMS virus. Although the Jedi were vaccinated against the virus, the vaccine predictably did not protect one against being torn to shreds by the rampaging zombies. Shaking his head to banish the mental image of Master Plarkas’ last moments, Ruzaan urged himself to keep going. Maneuverability was one of the only advantages he had over the zombies, and he had to put some distance between himself and his pursuers while they solved the problem of the locked double doors leading to the abandoned warehouse Ruzaan had fled to. Judging by the sound of fists pounding against creaking durasteel, he didn’t have much time.

The warehouse was dark, with only dim light spilling in though partially-broken windows like the one Ruzaan had crawled through to provide any means of making out one’s surroundings. The ceiling was tall, extending at least three stories above the ground level, with a maze of metal catwalks, ladders, and stairs disappearing up into the shadowy corners of the warehouse. On any other day, Ruzaan would’ve happily scaled the skeletal structure and waited until the zombies got bored and left, but he’d not escaped the initial ambush unscathed, either. His breathing was shallow, and his bandaged ribs ached; just his luck that one of the zombies had struck his still-healing injury first suffered on Jakku. A nagging voice in his head told him that he had no business being on this mission in the first place, but with the Jedi Order increasingly hard pressed to serve the galaxy, it was all hands on deck. The Togruta sighed. It was not, he concluded, looking good for the home team. He was dirty, exhausted, wounded…


… and alone.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

The lower levels of Nar Shaddaa. Not a locale for the faint of heart. Or, quite frankly, for anyone with common sense. The planet's lower levels had been overrun by the infected years ago, and since then, they'd been abandoned. Ghost towns that stretched for miles. Homes and businesses that collected dust, awaiting the inevitable—decay and disintegration.

Only two things would ever incite the Tiefling to step foot down here: orders or credits. This time, it was the credits. She'd heard a rumor that Geena Callo was hiding out in a wealthy Hutt's estate—the only safe havens available in the lower levels. It turned out to be a false lead, just like all the other 'tips' she'd picked up since arriving on Nar Shaddaa a few days ago. Geena Callo certainly knew how to cover her tracks, which was unsurprising, considering who her brother was.

Since the Hutts weren't feeling particularly hospitable, the Tiefling had resolved to return to Sith space and forget about this job altogether. She'd figure out some other way to make some credits—one that didn't involve fighting off literal zombies. All she had to do now was get out of here, which was a lot easier said than done.

She'd wandered into an abandoned warehouse, forcing open one of the locked ] side doors and blockading it with two desks stacked on top of one another, just to make sure none of the infected decided to follow her inside. If they did, she'd at least hear them coming. Everything had been quiet up until now, but her luck was bound to run out eventually. Eventually came sooner rather than later. Somewhere in the darkness, glass cracked beneath the weight of a shoe. "Who's there?" she called, hand already reaching for the lightsaber that hung from her belt. 'Who's there?' Really? As if she expected to hold a reasonable conversation with a zombie? @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan was grateful that he'd listened to Elidan's advice and worn boots on this mission. The streets of Nar Shadda were nothing like his homeland of Shili or even Yavin IV, and the interior of the abandoned warehouse was even more treacherous. Bits of metal, rotting wood, and broken glass littered the floor, leaving the Togruta to weigh speed versus caution as he tried to put as much distance between himself and the zombies as possible. Speed would've won but old habits die hard, and Ruzaan found himself doing his best to move stealthily through the warehouse in hopes of not attracting any more unwanted attention.

The Togruta was about to congratulate himself on successfully navigating a particularly difficult section of floor when he heard the crunch of glass underneath his right boot... oops. The ensuing "Who's there?" that echoed out from around a corner did little to calm Ruzaan's frayed nerves until a couple seconds later, when he realized that none of the zombies that had been chasing him had bothered to actually speak.

"Uh, hi" he called out in the direction that he'd heard the voice speak from, holding his hands out in front of himself around the corner so that the person could see that he wasn't threatening them. When no zombies jumped out to attack him, Ruzaan decided that it was probably safe to poke his head around the corner, too.

"It's just me" he said, squinting as he tried to make out the figure in front of him. As if on cue, the unmistakable sound of the main doors being broken from their hinges and slamming down to the ground with a crash punctuated his statement, echoing through the old warehouse. Ruzaan blinked once. "And some zombies" he added, already taking steps toward the other person and away from where he knew the horde to be approaching from. "Let's keep moving" he suggested, scanning the new room for a place to escape the zombies.

@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

From somewhere in the darkness a voice answered her, faint and unsteady. Decidedly not a zombie. A child, perhaps? But what was a child doing down here? Amira sighed quietly to herself. Great. The kid would probably take one look her in the darkness, see the glint of moonlight against her horns, and scream—alerting all the nearby infected to their presence like a large, flashing neon arrow pointed directly at them that said 'We're right here. Come eat us.'

"I don't know who 'it's just me is,' kid," the Tiefling replied, stepping forward. Around the corner a figure emerged, still mostly obscured by darkness. Moonlight highlighted the child's montrals, long and multi-colored. A Togruta. A crash echoed throughout the warehouse, the building's main door torn from its hinges as it collapsed. The sound of feet followed, dragging across the dust-ridden floor, punctuated every few seconds by a growl or a groan. "Kriff, did you lead them here?" she asked, a little annoyed. Today had been nothing but one setback after another. She never should have come down here.
"Come on." Amira didn't ask for permission as she grabbed ahold of the child's hand, tugging him through the darkness. They wandered blindly for a moment, until yellow eyes began to adjust to the darkness. "There," she said, pointing to a metal ladder that led to one of the catwalks above. When they reached it, Amira let go of the Togruta's hand. "Up you go," she insisted, urging him to go up first. She glanced over her shoulder, the sounds of the undead closing in on them. @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

"Oh..." Ruzaan mentally scolded himself; of course whoever this was wouldn't know his name! "I'm Ruzaan" he answered as the figure stepped forwards out of the shadows. "And I'm not a kid" he added after a second's thought. For a brief moment, he thought this stranger might be another Togruta, but then he realized that she had horns. Ruzaan was still trying to remember the name for that particular species when the young woman grabbed his hand and began pulling him along with her through the darkened warehouse.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, stepping over some debris on the floor as they fled. Few people were bold enough to travel this part of Nar Shadda alone and by choice. The Togruta didn't bother confirming her suspicions that he was the reason that they were both now being chased by zombies; judging by her terse demeanor, he'd be on his own again if he wasn't careful.

After a few more moments, the Tiefling stopped, and indicated a metal ladder. Ruzaan rubbed his hand reflexively after she let go of it- the woman had a strong grip- and then set about his ascent. Whoever this stranger was, they weren't selfish enough to insist on going first. No sooner had Ruzaan managed the short jump up to the bottom run of the old ladder than the sounds of zombies grew louder behind them. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed that five (5) of the AMS infected were now rushing into the room towards them. Quickly scaling the ladder enough that the woman could also fit, Ruzaan called down to her. "Come on!" Hopefully, the creaky metal ladder could support both of their weight.


((OOC: Rolled a 12/20 for scaling the ladder, and 5/6 for initial pursuing zombies))
@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

I'm not a kid. Exactly what Amira would say where she in his shoes. "Same thing you're doing down here I imagine. Up to no good." There were lots of reasons a child might wander into the lower levels of Nar Shaddaa if he was foolish enough, and none of them were good. Extreme hooky. An over the top dare or initiation. Drugs. Trying to impress his sweetheart through some misguided, misplaced display of machoism. The list could go on and on. All that mattered now was getting out of here.
Amira was quick to follow the Togruta up the ladder. She had no intention of becoming the afternoon snack of the undead. She was at least a full course meal. Unfortunately, the Tiefling's string of bad luck continued. No sooner had she grabbed ahold of the bottom rung of the ladder than a hand reached out of the shadows. It coiled around the Tiefling's ankle, decomposing rot where skin once was. Amira shrieked, golden eyes tracing its arm through the darkness to a face—if it could even be called a face. It was long and sallow, with exposed bone where skin and flesh had been torn away. Dull, lifeless eyes bulged and straggly, tangled hair hung down to its shoulders.

"Someone didn't eat his breakfast." Neither her voice nor the darkness betrayed the freaked out expression she wore. The Tiefling's skin crawled beneath the infected's cold grip, and she struggled to break free. "Let... go of me!" she shrieked, as if there was any reasoning with a corpse. Both hands clung on to the metal ladder, knuckles turning white as she kicked. Five zombies had gathered around her now, each of their faces visible in the moonlight. When the first's grip failed and Amira's foot slipped free, another reached out to hold it, one of them already tugging her ripe, juicy ankle towards its mouth.

Dice Roll: 7/20 for climbing @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Ruzaan winced as the Tiefling shrieked aloud, the sound crashing painfully over his sensitive montrals. The noise would likely bring more of the infected their direction, but Ruzaan couldn't blame her; if he'd been in her shoes, he'd likely have rivaled her in both volume and pitch. Even if the woman followed it up with an attempt at humor, it was immediately clear that she was in a life-or-death struggle; the Tiefling had more than enough spirit, but was outnumbered five to one. For a moment, Ruzaan thought that she'd kicked free, but just as quickly her leg was grasped again.

"Let... go of me!" The woman's words galvanized Ruzaan into action, reminding him that he didn't need to be a spectator to another person's death at the hands of the zombies. Throwing caution to the wind, Ruzaan backflipped off the ladder and over the Tiefling, landing inside the ring of zombies in a crouch. Gritting his teeth against the jolt of pain from his injured ribs, the Togruta took advantage of the zombies' surprise- apparently, their food didn't often come to them- to stand, ignite his double-bladed lightsaber, and swing it around in a deadly arc. Twin blue blades whirled around in a lightning-fast circle of death, decapitating the zombies in one fell swoop.

As the bodies of the zombies fell to the floor, Ruzaan deactivated his lightsaber and looked up at Amira, whose ankle was still grasped by the severed arm of one of the zombies. "You looked like you needed a hand" he deadpanned, returning his lightsaber to his belt. Already, he could hear the unmistakable sounds of more infected coming their way. "Are you alright? Are you still able to climb?" he asked, hoping that she hadn't suffered a serious injury... and that she was vaccinated. The last thing he wanted to do was to perform a battlefield amputation, and if her mobility was impacted it would make getting out of here alive all that more difficult.


@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

Twin lightsabers ignited, their rhythmic hum unmistakable, casting the warehouse in a hazy hue of blue. Amber eyes bulged, skin tingling, but Amira didn't hesitate to clamber up the remaining rungs, decollated heads the backdrop of her climb. Was he a Jedi? Or had he just stumbled upon that lightsaber? Stolen it off the corpse of a Jedi? None of those seemed likely, not after that exhibition. Instinctually, the Champion's hand reached for her own blade, to defend herself before he could strike a blow against her, but she paused. The Togtruta didn't know she was Sith. Not yet. And the least he deserved was the opportunity to explain himself. After all, he had just saved her life. Or foot. Whatever.

"Not exactly the helping hand I had in mind," she replied in a dry tone, face blanched. Gingerly, dark fingers pried away the cold, crusty grip of the undead that still clung to her ankle. The Tiefling shuddered, hurling it over the metal railing that lined the catwalk. Hopefully it would knock some zombie on the head on the way down. "But I'm fine."
Amira rolled her shoulders, brushing each hand off. She was going to need to take a long, hot shower after this. Or two or three. "Come on." More zombies were hot on their tail, shuffling through the main door. That little shriek of hers hadn't done them any favors. Not her proudest moment. "There's more of them coming." When the Togruta reached the top rungs, Amira would reach a hand out to help him up. "And I'm pretty sure they can climb."

Moonlight spilled through a broken skylight above them—their means of escape, if they could get to it. The rooftop would provide them with a vantage point, where they could catch their breaths and plot their next step. "So you're a Jedi?" she asked after a moment or two, feeling her way through the darkness as they crossed the catwalk. She didn't dare reveal her lightsaber. Not until she knew who he was, knew his intentions. @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Fortunately, the Tiefling didn't seem to be injured by the assault; just shaken. Ruzaan had already had his zombie-induced panic attack earlier, but even then he felt his hand tremble slightly as he reached out for the ladder and began climbing up after the woman. A Jedi's life was sacrifice, even here in the AMS-riddled underworld of Nar Shadda, but he'd taken a huge risk jumping down inside the cluster of the zombies... and perhaps another in pulling out his lightsaber. Nar Shadda was not exactly the kind of place to welcome Jedi with open arms.

That worry would have to wait, however, as the woman's prediction about the zombies being able to climb was correct. Even worse, they were surprisingly fast- not at all like the undead that he'd seen in popular holos- and Ruzaan could sense them closing in on him as the ladder shuddered under the weight of entirely too many bodies. The ladder held firm, however, and Amira would note that this ladder was particularly well secured.

About halfway to the ceiling, Ruzaan reignited one end of his lightsaber and slashed at the ladder below him, severing neatly through the durasteel and sending the bottom half of the ladder, along with a dozen or so zombies, plummeting back towards the floor. At the top of the ladder he gratefully accepted the proffered hand and knelt on the catwalk, catching his breath amidst the backdrop of a rising chorus of zombie noises below them. A wave of fatigue washed over him, and it occurred to Ruzaan that he'd not truly rested in the last couple hours. He'd broken contact with the zombies several times, but there were enough of the infected roaming the lover levels that he'd inevitably run into more.

His reprieve was broken by a question from the TIefling, and Ruzaan pushed himself wearily to his feet as he followed her along the catwalk. Figuring that there was no sense in pretending that he was not, in fact, a Jedi, the Togruta answered with a simple "Yes."

Eventually, his brain reminded him of something, and after a few seconds' silence he ventured a question of his own. "What is your name?"

@llamallove
((OOC: Rolled a 19/20 for the ladder strength))
(Post #400!)

 

[Amira Din]

The Tiefling paused, one hand still drifting toward the lightsaber at her hip. At the last second, instead of drawing it, she tucked it away, concealing the hilt behind a layer of fabric. What the Jedi didn't know wouldn't hurt him—for now. "The name's Amira. And yours? Or do you Jedi have names? Do you just go by numbers?" Never hurt to play dumb.
Metal creaked with every step they took, the decrepit catwalk leading to a deserted office. Where the manager had probably worked, back when this place was operational and handling large shipments. Moon beams floated through an open window to the left, filling the space with shadows. Torn papers and old ledgers were scattered across the floorboards, ruddled a suspicious scarlet. There were two doors, one at each end of the room, with a glass partition that overlooked the warehouse below. Furniture was strewn about, tables and chairs turned over on their sides. A single incandescent bulb hung from the ceiling. Amira reached out, pulling the beaded chord that dangled from the fixture, but nothing happened. Not even a flicker.

"Looks like we're in the dark for now," she sighed, still not willing to betray herself by pulling out her lightsaber. She moved toward the glass partition, squinting to see clearly through the dust and dirt caked to its pane. "Aaaaaand looks like they found another way up." The Togruta's quick thinking had bought them time, rerouting the undead, but the monsters had found another way to the second floor—a set of stairs. Amira and the Togruta had a minute, at the most, before they'd be overwhelmed by the swarm. Either they could press forward blindly or they could make a stand here and now, barricading themselves in. Amira chose the latter.

"We need to block the doors," she directed, crossing the room. "You take that door, I'll take this one." The Tiefling clutched one of the desks—solid oak—and drug it towards the door. Once they were locked in, they could figure out a way to the roof. Hopefully.

Dice Roll: How well will Amira's barricade hold? 7/20 @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Amira. A pretty name that described a Tiefling whom Ruzaan was finding to be very sharp-witted. That was good; she could keep him on his toes and help distract him from the fact that they were probably about to die. "I'm Ruzaan" he answered her question, figuring that she'd simply forgotten it in the minutes following their initial meeting. Being accosted by a zombie could do that to a person.

Amira's comment about the darkness was fitting, but Ruzaan was unwilling to ignite his lightsaber for a different reason. There was no need to broadcast to the zombies exactly where they were by whipping out a glowing weapon and waving it around, even if its light would've been useful. Fortunately, the catwalks were more or less clear of tripping hazards, and Ruzaan managed to make it to the old office space just a few seconds after Amira did.

By now, the physical toll of the day had begun to settle in; the Force could only do so much, and Ruzaan could tell that he'd pushed his injured body too much. Besides the pain in his side, his abdomen was now protesting; the other severe wound he'd suffered on Jakku. Apparently, his earlier stunt- as cool as it had probably looked- had not been without its consequences. As such, his attempts to build a barricade opposite Amira's by pushing a file cabinet towards the door only resulted in him shakily leaning against it; grateful for something to lean against as he tried to will the pain away.

"We can't stay here" he disagreed with Amira, conscious of the incoming zombies. Not only was he unable to construct an effective barricade, his instincts were screaming at him to get up, get out, get away... anything to avoid being backed into a corner. The roof was so close, and yet, so far... there had to be a way to reach it. Seconds ticked by, each feeling like an hour. He didn't want to die now; not here, not in this Force-forsaken level of Nar Shadda where his body would never be found amidst the overwhelming ruin and decay of the planet.

"Up" he finally managed, the barest beginnings of an idea forming in his head. Shakily, he pulled himself up onto the top of the file cabinet, and once again brought out his lightsaber. A couple seconds later, he'd cut a jagged hole in the roof of the small office and gestured for Amira to follow him through it. After the most difficult pull-up of his life, Ruzaan scanned the area; they had just seconds before the zombies arrived. The roof wasn't exactly more defensible than the room; enemies could approach from more directions if the infected could climb walls, but at least he and Amira wouldn't have to also navigate the haphazard office furniture. Maybe this idea meant that they'd just die on top of the roof and not inside the room, but at least he'd be able to see the moonlight in his last moments...


@llamallove

 

[Amira Din]

This Jedi had style—she'd give him that. Maybe the Jedi had a flair for the dramatic after all. Amira called upon the force, allowing its energy to course through her and augment her next maneuver, springing from the filing cabinet to the rooftop. Both feet landed on strips of exposed purlin, the metal that butted up against the saw-edged hole the Jedi had carved with his lightsaber.

One door was completely torn from its hinges, while the door Amira had attempted to barricade had been split in half. Undead flooded the office in swarms, crawling over the oak desk and scrambling up the sides of the filing cabinet. Others tried to jump the distance, hoping to latch on to the rafters and pull themselves up. They were past all feeling, refusing to relinquish their hold as what flesh that remained sizzled and burned against red-hot metal.

"We can't stay here either," the Tiefling declared through gritted teeth, stating the obvious. She dug her foot into the face of one of the zombies scrambling for the rooftop, digging her heel in deep. A series of cracks followed, bones fracturing, but the monster was unfazed, still writhing beneath the boot. It could officially say bye, bye to any future Daubird branding deals.
It was only a matter of time until the undead overwhelmed them, and while a rooftop chase scene might have been exhilarating to watch on the holo, Amira did not particularly want to live through one. One fatal misstep—that was all it took to fall, tumbling through crumbling ruin. This warehouse was far from structurally safe, but perhaps the Tiefling could use that to their advantage. The undead's fate had already been sealed years ago when they'd been bitted. Now it was time to bury them at last.

Amira reached out, the invisible hand of the force enveloping the support beams beneath her, one by one wrenching them free of the joints that held them in place at each end. The Tiefling continued to kick at the oncoming zombies, a red herring to misdirect the Togruta's attention away from her right hand. If this Ruzaan still clung to the will to live, his focus, too, would be on their would-be attackers. Dark fingers pinched toward the palm, and metal snapped in two, and asphalt crumbled.

The roof underneath them started to collapse, burying the undead, but Amira had already leapt to her right. "Better run!" she yelled, calling to the Togruta over the sound of creaking metal and cascading slate. @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

In a perfect galaxy, the zombies would've gotten frustrated and left, deeming their prey too much hassle to chase further; but this was not a perfect galaxy, and the zombies weren't ordinary pursuers. Not only were they tireless, they made up for in numbers and resilience what they lacked in brains. Although their narrow escape to the roof of the office had bought a few seconds, Amira was almost immediately kicking at zombies that were attempting to follow them onto the roof, and Ruzaan found himself similarly on the defensive.

The Force surged in warning and the Togruta whirled around so that he was facing the edge of the office roof, his lightsaber slashing diagonally downward and opening up a wide gash across a zombie's chest. This one had decided to skip entering the office, and had apparently scaled the side of the building by clambering atop other zombies. Perhaps a more astute Jedi would've noticed Amira's use of the Force nearby, but Ruzaan once again found himself fighting for his life. Amira was right; they couldn't stay where they were atop the office. One more slash sent the zombie falling down atop its compatriots, and Ruzaan used the brief reprieve to grab the ascension cable on his belt and aim it towards the skylight. His thumb activated the button and the grappler hook sped off towards the moonlight, and safety.

Right away, Ruzaan knew he'd aimed true. The hook sailed cleanly through the broken skylight and found solid purchase somewhere on the roof; and not a moment too soon. Ruzaan felt the roof supports giving way between him, and he nearly lost his balance as the roof began to cave. "Amira! Over here!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him over the snarls of the zombies and the rapidly-collapsing office. His lightsaber was returned swiftly to his belt; he would wait until the last possible moment to activate the ascension cable and pull himself up and away from the collapsed office and towards the skylight, in hopes that Amira would be able to make it to him. The cable could safely bear the weight of two adult humanoids, or so he'd been told...


@llamallove
((OOC: Rolled an 18/20 to shoot the ascension cable))

 

[Amira Din]

The unlikely companions were gliding off of the warehouse's rooftop, toward the balcony of a nearby building. A twelve story apartment house by the looks of it. Abandoned, just like everything else in the lower levels. Its brick walls bore the tell tale signs of decay, indicative of its insufficient upkeep even when there were people dwelling within its walls. They weren't in the best part of town, and not just because there were zombies crawling everywhere. Still, it was a sight for sore eyes. With any luck, they would be able to break into one of the apartments and catch their breaths. Maybe even stumble upon some water.

Behind them, the warehouse's rooftop continued to crumble, toppling like a house of cards. Infected were buried alive—or undead, rather—beneath metal beams, crumbling cement, and broken slate. Even if they somehow managed to survive, it was unlikely they would ever be able to pry themselves free of the rubble. It was a small victory, but the Tiefling was pleased with herself. There were less zombies for them to have to deal with, and the Jedi hadn't even picked up on her use of the force.

Amira held on to the ascension cable for dear life, pressed up next to the young Togruta. "A grappling hook? Really?" she asked, talking over the wind, one of her horns accidentally poking the Jedi in the side of the head. She sounded far less grateful than she actually felt. "What are you? Some kind of superhero—"
The Sith Champion would never finish that sentence, a single zombie vaulting the distance between she and the warehouse. Somehow, it had managed to scramble up the filing cabinet and onto the roof before being buried undead. Its cold, rotting hand seized her foot. The monster wasn't able to hold on, falling the next moment, but its momentum was enough to weaken the Tiefling's grip. The ascension cable was already crowded with two people hanging on, and Amira could feel her herself slipping. Seconds later she was tumbling, plummeting toward the cold, hard durasteel below.

Dice Roll: Can Amira hang on? 2/20 @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

It was all going so well, until it wasn't.

Just as Ruzaan was processing Amira's latest sarcasm and preparing a retort of his own, the line jolted under some added pressure, and the Tiefling was slipping down and away from him. "Amira!" Ruzaan yelled, flailing his limbs in an attempt to catch her, but his efforts were in vain. Ruzaan watched helplessly as Amira plummeted downwards, then felt himself losing his grip on the ascension cable; from fatigue, sweat, or his excess movement, he couldn't tell- all that mattered was that suddenly, he was falling.

Echoing Amira's scream from earlier, the Togruta felt both of his stomachs artfully flip as he fell down, down, down. The ground rushed up to meet him, and only lots of prior practice falling kept him from becoming a just another smear on the ground of Nar Shadda. Calling on the Force to aid him, Ruzaan managed a somewhat-controlled landing that jolted his sore ribs but left him unharmed and on his feet. He was vaguely aware of Amira on the ground nearby, but immediately was forced to defend himself as an opportunistic zombie reared its head. Both blue lightsaber blades ignited with a snap-hiss, warding the zombie back. "Amira!" Ruzaan called again, only slightly calmer this time, hoping that the Tiefling was conscious; without the Force, a fall from that height could have serious consequences.


@llamallove
((OOC: Rolled a 3/20 to catch Amira, and a 12/20 for Ruz's landing))

 

[Amira Din]

Amira suddenly felt lightheaded, as if she was going to pass out while she plummeted toward the sidewalk beneath her. The wind resisted her descent, but the laws of gravity would will out as always. She was vaguely aware of Ruzaan somewhere nearby, screaming and calling out to her like a young child might for his mother. Next thing she knew he would be asking for a bottle of milk, a snack, and a quick lie down.

But the Tiefling couldn't worry about him right now, not when her own life was on the line. With only seconds to spare, she drew upon the force—that live giving energy that flowed in everything around her. The air, the earth, and in her. It wrapped around her, like the comforting arms of an old friend or the warmth of a fire in the midst of a blizzard, cushioning her fall. The distance rapidly closed, and Amira struck the ground, her ankle rolling beneath her weight. She collapsed on her side, surrounded by trash and... were those body parts scattered across the street? Nope. She was only going to focus on one thing at a time. First, her ankle. Then the blood and body parts.

She struggled to sit up, but she spotted the Togruta a few feet away from her, and she could see him clearly for the first time. He was older than he had sounded back in the warehouse—probably sixteen or seventeen by the looks of him. And he was hurt. His shoulders slumped forward, one hand clutching his rib cage while the other held a zombie at bay with swing of his lightsaber. Youthful features were contorted in pain.

"You didn't get bitten, did you?" Amira snapped, golden eyes staring at the wound he concealed. Between one sprained ankle, one Jedi, and a million zombies, she was in a foul mood. From where she was sitting, no blood stained his clothing, but she wasn't going to take any chances. The Tiefling reached down to hold her throbbing ankle, withdrawing her hand seconds later with a sharp intake of breath. It certainly wasn't the worst pain she had ever experienced, but it certainly was inconvenient.
Dice Roll: Amira's injuries from the fall 9/20 @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Each swing of the lightsaber brought fresh protests from his wounded ribs, but as far as he could tell they were no worse for the wear. The pain did not, however, make it easier for the Togruta to control his exasperation. Ruzaan wasn't able to easily determine Amira's current state following a multi-story fall, but clearly her cynicism was alive and well. "Yes, I was bitten!" Ruzaan retorted, brandishing his lightsaber to keep the zombie at bay. "Trying to escape with you came back to bite me in the ass!" It was hardly a fair assessment, and Ruzaan had to concede that he felt better in someone's company as opposed to being alone, but the strain of the day was starting to get to him; especially on the heels of a failed escape attempt.

"What about you?" he said, chancing a look back in the Tiefling's direction. She was sitting up, which was a good sign, but was grimacing in the direction of an ankle, which was a bad sign. He could probably heal it enough to get the Tiefling up and on her feet, but their mobility had just taken a hit. First, however, he needed to deal with the surrounding zombies.

Letting go of his tender ribs in favor of a two-handed grip on his lightsaber, Ruzaan darted forward, slashed at the zombie's ankles, then brought the opposite blade around to decapitate the zombie. Coughing amidst the dust and dirt from the roof's collapse, Ruzaan scanned the area for more threats. The only movement he sensed was on the opposite side of the warehouse as a few zombies had just entered the room. However, the fallen roof had the unintended benefit of providing a perilous and unpredictable obstacle course, as well as completely blocking off the main entrance, near where they'd fallen, that the zombies had been using to enter the warehouse.

"I can try healing your leg, if you like" Ruzaan said, satisfied that they had a couple minutes before any new zombies arrived. He extinguished his lightsaber and made his way over to the Tiefing, ready to call on the Force to try healing her if she let him.

@llamallove
((OOC: Rolled a 14/20 for zombie situation on the ground))

 

[Amira Din]

Of all the lowdown, conceited, krayt spit to spew. Who did he think he was? Had she spoken to her elders with such contempt at his age, her ma would have smacked her upside the head. The Tiefling opened her mouth to retort, 'Who do you think buried all those zombies back there? Your fairy godmother?' but snapped it shut at the last minute. As long as the element of surprise was on her side, she had the upper hand. She wasn't going to just give that away, not when it was her life at stake. Sure, she could take the kid in a fight, but did she want to just yet? No. Whether they liked it or not, they needed each other's help to get out of here.

Still, Amira was not a woman to be trifled with. She would never let a snide comment slip by without at least some level of retaliation, no matter how small. The Tiefling scowled at Ruzaan, lips curling and settling with, "Sorry to be such a skank in the scud pie, Mister Jedi. Don't they teach you younglings any manners at that Jedi school of yours?" She shook her head, loose tufts of hair falling from her braid. "I guess it's true what they say about you Jedi after all— so full of yourselves you can't see past your own noses."
There. Let that be a bee in his bonnet. "Which, by the way, there's something on your nose," she added, low for even her standards. What was a smudge of dirt when they were surrounded by trash and viscera?

When the Togruta offered to heal her leg, Amira hesitated. Was he serious? Staring up at him with a vacant expression on her face, she came to the conclusion that he was. "Sure," she agreed, rather quietly. This was something she had heard about but never witnessed firsthand, and the Champion was curious to witness how it worked. If it worked. She watched the Togruta move closer to her ankle, unable to stop herself from adding, "I hope you know what you're doing." He might not have been a child, but he was still young. @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

You kissed your mother with that mouth? the Togruta wondered, his anger momentarily replaced by shock at the tirade directed at him; but not for long. Frowning, the Togruta ran a corner of his stained robe over his equally dirty face; the ensuing inspection gave no evidence that his attempt to clean his face had been successful. Discontent was plain across his features as the Amira leveled accusations his direction; clearly, they'd left behind banter and had graduated to insults. Ruzaan got the sense that it was futile to argue with Amira- she evidently had an advantage both in experience and vocabulary- so he did his best to swallow his growing anger. If Atris were here, she'd put this brazen Tiefling in her place.

"We'll continue this conversation later" he grumbled, "if we can make it to a safer place." As much as he wanted to stand and argue with the Tiefling, time was one of the many luxuries they did not have at the moment. Still trying to quell the whirling emotions inside of him, Ruzaan knelt near Amira's injured leg. "Shake my shoulder if there's a zombie nearby" he said, knowing that the amount of concentration that Force Healing took would monopolize his focus.

The Togruta closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to breathe out the resentment he was feeling inside. Amira's words cut deeply- they were the latest example of what was proving to be an increasingly uncaring galaxy; all too willing to criticize the Jedi while holding the Order to impossibly high standards. This same galaxy demanded that the Jedi wage war on its behalf, and then publicly denounced them when their desperate efforts failed. The same galaxy took more satisfaction in finding the faults in others than working towards reconciliation and peace. In that moment, Ruzaan contended with one of his deepest fears; Will I ever be good enough?

It was, Ruzaan realized too late, not a good mindset to use the Force in. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, and further unfocused by the maelstrom of emotions welling up inside of him, the Padawan burned quickly through whatever reserves of strength he had left as he tried to connect to the Force in order to begin healing. While no harm would come to Amira's ankle, it also would not be healed as the Togruta swayed side to side and passed out, slumping over next to Amira.

As if one cue, a pair of zombies appeared over the rubble, snarling in victory at their discovery and quickly closing the distance towards Amira and Ruzaan.


@llamallove
((OOC: Rolled a 1/20 for the healing attempt, 2/6 for number of zombies))

 

[Amira Din]

I hope you know what you're doing. Seven ill-fated words, apparently. No sooner had the Togruta reached for her ankle to begin the process of healing than he had keeled over, gray eyes rolling into the back of his head. Suddenly, he had just passed out, with no warning or explanation. Amira had never been more confused in her life. "What the kriff?" she blurted out.
Was this how force healing worked? Jedi just got a distant, far off look in their eyes before passing out over your wound? This was the weirdest use of the force she had ever witnessed, and her master had practiced some weeeeird magick. Her ankle was still throbbing and tender to the touch, so either this Jedi healing was nothing more than a load of crock, it had some kind of bizarre delayed reaction, or Amira was stuck with the biggest lump on a board of a Jedi.

When he showed no signs of stirring, she asked, "Hey? You okay?" Nothing. She nudged him with her good foot, but he still didn't move a muscle. He was out cold. Great. Just great, she thought to herself with a huff. As if the situation couldn't get any worse, between a Sith with a busted ankle and an unconscious Jedi, they weren't alone. Amira's nostrils picked up on the stench first, as if a wharf rat and a scree rat had died and been left out in the sun to rot and decay.

Then she spotted them, two zombies rising over the pile of rubble. They lurched forward as soon as they saw the Togruta and Tiefling, a feverish, rabid look in their eyes. They were expecting an easy meal, but Amira didn't intended to satisfy them. She spared Ruzaan a glance, just to make sure he was still unconscious, before pulling out her lightsaber. The vermillion blade hummed to life, mercifully muffling the sounds of the approaching zombies—slurping and grunting like they hadn't eaten in weeks.

Before they could reach her, she hurled her lightsaber, guiding its motion through the force. She could've struggled to her feet, but frankly, she didn't feel like getting up, and she knew that on her feet, in her current state, she would be at a disadvantage. Scarlet plasma cut through the zombies, lopping their heads off, before returning to Amira and deactivating.

The undead corspses collapsed, one of their heads rolling to a stop beside the unconscious Togruta. That would be a... startling image to wake up to.

Dice Roll: Can Amira deal with the oncoming zombies? 14/20 @SlagathorTheUnknown