Detroit Rock City

[Kori Buor]

"Given what we just encountered, that would make sense," Ahzek said to Maja about the primal presence she was feeling. "Whatever is down here is old... very old. And powerful. Let's try to keep from running into it or pissing it off."

"Well, don't look down," Ahzek replied as he heard the crunch as Maja stepped forward some more. The knight winced a little at the sound. It definitely wasn't a pleasant sound. Sending his own reassuring aura to shroud the Echani Jedi as she began to have a tantrum about the innumerable skeletons she was stepping on, Ahzek had to smirk as he felt a little bad for her. Stepping on dead bodies was never a pleasant notion, even in war.

When Maja returned she pointed to a way out. Looking to where her finger led, Ahzek could see a small light. He would have missed it if Maja hadn't been faced the other direction. "What did you see?" He whispered to her, the sense of frightened revelation permeating her aura. "I take it we're standing on the bodies of those we were sent to find?"

Starting off with her, the two Jedi made their way as quietly as could up the towards the light. Ahzek sincerely hoped that it would be a way out, and that the lizard beast wouldn't awaken and attack them. Given that he had no idea what this cave system was like they could very well be trapped if it attacked them.

 

[Valen Pelora]

Alexia frowned beneath her mask. She could not read her babysitter. General Singh was unlike many of the Jedi Alexia had encountered. The ones she had killed as a Sith had been all fervent devotion to the Light. Warriors emboldened by unwavering purpose. She had believed they were all foolish and misguided. Darth Adava had assumed all Jedi were so mentally defunct. During her time with the Jedi she learned how foolish she had been. There were as many types of Jedi as there were people in the galaxy. Corvo fought for his family. Grand Master Pelora fought for the galaxy. Some were healers, scholars, explorers, and there was General Singh. Alexia could not figure out what the younger woman fought for or what drove her. It was an unsettling feeling. She was trying to be better, to be different, but old habits were hard to break. She felt vulnerable and so she deflected. She grabbed the bag of glow sticks and laughed.

“Oh General, tight spaces have never scared me. I’ve seen more than a few terrifying creatures, the Sith’s obsession with grotesque experimentation would amaze you.” Alexia still struggled with what she had been. She was ashamed of the things she had done, the people she had hurt. Her misguided life had shoved her down an impossible path. She was slowly trying to make up for the pain she caused. She pulled a glow stick from the bag, lit the thing, and walked into the cave. The Darkness was almost welcoming.

The cave stunk of mildew, mold, and rot. That was a bad sign. Discarded bones littered the floor. A worse sign. She turned to look back at the General. “We might need more than glow sticks.” She continued to walk forward. This would turn into a fight, the question was, could she handle it? She honestly did not know. @GABA-wan Kenobi @Kori Buor @Zenya

 

[Zenya]

Lanna nodded her chin up at the woman, acknowledging her mention of the Sith's grotesque experimentation. Disturbing stuff, she was sure.

She spun the glow stick in her hand, letting her breath grow shallow, as the stench of the air floated around them in the cave. The walls and floor had all sorts of unsavory surprises, so the woman quickly figured out how to lift her boots higher when she walked, and steady herself so she wouldn't go tripping over dead things. There was obviously something living inside the cave. Something dangerous. She walked with her left hand holding her light source, and her right hand on her belt, ready to snatch a weapon if she might need it.

"You're right..." She glanced over at her partner, illuminated by a pale blue glow. She seemed as if she were trying to be focused and sharp. She wore an expression of determination that was built up, but could have been damaged if struck correctly. Confliction, perhaps. Lanna moved on, deciding that the woman could sift through her own emotions, and it was best not to interfere.

As they made their way deeper into the cave, there were sounds every so often. Sounds that were probably made by small creatures, but were magnified by the concave walls of the place. The scattered bones and remains of dead visitors began to grow more frequent. Wherever their mystery beast was located, they were gradually getting closer - until a larger, heavier sound began to make its presence known.

Speedily, Lanna dropped her glow stick, and grabbed her saber in one, and blaster in the other.

@Valen Pelora @GABA-wan Kenobi @Kori Buor

 

[GABA]

She nodded her head at Ahzek as he inquired about their missing persons, indicating they were dead.

"The creature, has more..." her voice was low as she spoke against Ahzek's ear, "This is Mama's nest, we need to leave right now." she said, but paused in her step, feeling another life presence near. Unlike the scaled beast, this was more refined, leaving the Jedi to guess they were not a threat. She searched the Force for a moment, reaching out and along with it feelings of caution followed, telling whoever was approaching, it was not a good idea.

Maja started towards the possible exit, but as she quietly neared, she realized how much of a climb it was going to be to get to the mouth of the opening. She didn't doubt her own climbing skills, but she wasn't so sure about Ahzek, she hoped he was a quick learner. Reaching down between the rock and bones, she found a handful of ash and rubbed it between her hands as she started ascending upwards with ease. Half way up, she looked back over her shoulder, back to the glowing pit where the beast and her eggs were resting as a thought hit her. She was no xenozoologist, but she was certain most species needed two to reproduce and she only counted one.

The Echani's eyes narrowed and she started climbing faster, a sense of urgency pushing her until she reached the mouth of their possible exit. She reached over the edge and held out her hand to help Ahzek the rest of the way up, pulling him up and over the ledge, feeling a lightsided presence just behind them. "I think we have guests coming to look also." she told Ahzek knowing he would feel it too. She looked into the mouth of the cave, but was startled by a loud shrieking roar that shook the entire cave.

Descending from the top of the cave was the creature from earlier, its large wings flapped, causing the Jedi's robes to flutter around them. Maja felt her jaw drop as she grabbed Ahzek's arm and pulled him into the cave with her. The beast roared and screeched again, seeing the two and released a mouthful of fire where they first stood.

@Kori Buor

 

[Valen Pelora]

The stench grew as the Jedi walked deeper into the cave. A fetid rank odor hung heavily. Whatever creature called this lair home was a hulking beast. Alexia fought to keep her mind calm. She could feel the adrenaline racing through her body. The familiar call of battle pounded in her chest. Her breathing was rapid, shallow. She wanted to fight. She needed to fight. It had been so long since the thrill of war sang through her soul. Alexia knew it would be different. She would be fighting against herself just as much as she fought against whatever creature they found. It would be the ultimate test. Alexia had to know. If she could not handle fighting a mindless beast, how could she ever stand against the Empire. She was abruptly shaken from her revere.

Suddenly, Lanna’s glow stick was on the ground. Her Lightsaber hilt in one hand, a blaster in another. A roar echoed in the cave. They were close. She felt a spike of emotion in the Force. The other Jedi. Alexia mirrored Lanna. Her glow stick hit the ground, and two Lightsaber hilts sprung into her hand. She reached for the Force. The unfamiliar embrace of the Light wrapped around the former Sith. Indigo blades sprung to life in her hands. Alexia turned to General Singh.

“If I lose control. Kill me.” She prayed she would find the strength to hold on. She was running in the cave system, skidding to a halt at the lip of an overhang. She looked up to see the great scaly beast headed down cave wall. Her eyes shifted down. The other Jedi were sitting in the bottom of the cave, the beast headed for them. Alexia jumped. She landed with a thud in the bottom of the cave. Not her smartest move. The creature advanced. @GABA-wan Kenobi @Zenya

 

[Zenya]

Lanna raised an eyebrow, and shrugged her shoulders up at the woman's comment. "Okay." Then she relaxed, and watched Alexia Morr jump down an overhang of the cave wall. Her focus had sharpened, and as Miss Alexia hit the bottom, she immediately sensed two other force wielding Jed. She trudged over to the ledge, and peered over. There was the scaly beast, descending towards her companions in the force.

She could jump down there with them, and subject herself to the attacks of the creature, or she could stay put, and launch grenades and such. Seeing as it could fly, she figured standing alone on the edge of a ravine was not such a good idea. The internal battle lasted only a few short seconds, as she flung herself off the side of the cave, taking care to hold tight to the side of the wall so that she did not go dropping down. The hem of her robe swayed beneath her, and she could feel sweat developing on her hairline, as the stress of being up so high began to settle in. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed a grappling hook, and secured it into some plants and stone at the edge of the cave wall. Then, Lanna slid down quite fast, landing a few meters away from the draconic-like creature, weapons in hand once more.

A bit too close for comfort. She stumbled back, her companions now around her.

Her eyes widened as it opened it's mouth to release a scorching burst of flames. The woman's arms went up, and she created a force shield for herself, saber pointing backwards from her grip. Her boots where planted in the ground, but the force of the attack made her skid back a ways. Now she really had something to sweat over.

@Valen Pelora @GABA-wan Kenobi @Kori Buor

 

[Kori Buor]

Hearing that the beast they had encountered was a mother with a brood of its own was not exactly what Ahzek had wanted to hear. Shaking his head, he sighed, "Great, just what we needed. At the very least we can mark the territory down so no one else comes around here." As much as he was afraid of this monster, it was a living thing, and did not deserve to die for doing what its nature demanded. It was not a Jedi's job to hunt down and kill a thing of nature for being itself, with the exception of it becoming a hazard to the public at large or the greater galaxy, but they had stumbled into this thing's layer. They had no right to slay it except in self-defense.

As they reached the rock wall, Ahzek looked up and sighed. Guess they would have to climb. Seeing Maja bend down to grab some ash as chalk to help with her grip, he did the same. It was a decent idea. Reaching down the Jedi Knight managed to sense other life presences nearby, not the great fire-breathing lizard, but something else. He felt a Force presence. No. Two. Odd. Maja mentioned it and he nodded, "I do too-" He started to say as a loud shriek filled the air. Looking up, Ahzek saw the beast from earlier swooping down towards them.

Feeling Maja grab ahold of him and pull him to the side, he did not even try to resist as he saw a column of fire appear where they had been standing mere moments before. "By the Force!" He shouted as they crashed to the side. "What the hell are we going to do about that?" He wondered as he looked to where the lizard had gone.

Suddenly, two forms landed on the ground next to them. Both were carrying lightsabers, and Ahzek could feel their light presence in the Force, though one of their aura's was slightly odd, it reminded him of Shae's, and the other was familiar as he realized it was Lanna. Standing to his feet, Ahzek began concentrating on the Force around him, marshaling the swirling currents into something usable.

"Nice of you two to join us," he'd say just as the beast unleashed a torrent of fire at Lanna which she managed to deflect with the Force. Bringing his lightsaber out again he looked at the other woman. "I hadn't realized we were running so far behind with our check in!" He shouted over the din of the fire. "But I don't think this is a battle we are going to want to fight! Especially now that momma is awake, too!"

Towards the rear of the chamber a growl that echoed off the stone walls. The second great creature stirred and unwound as it moved towards them. Glancing at Maja, he asked, "So, uh, any bright ideas on how to get out of here before we get roasted like a nerf?"

@GABA-wan Kenobi @Valen Pelora @Zenya

 

[Valen Pelora]

Alexia grimaced as the heat of the fire brushed her face. Lanna deftly created a Force shield to defend against the intense heat. Thankfully, the beast seemed more interested in the newest arrival. It was not focused on roasting them all alive. Not yet. She guessed it would be very unpleasant to be cooked in her armor. Alexia’s attention was drawn as she heard a clattering from her left. Her eyes locked onto a second scaly beast slowly uncoiling. A hungry look in its eyes. She frowned. This had been poorly thought out. They had stumbled into the heart of the lair, it was more than the mother they had to worry about. The cave system was fit to become a giant oven designed to cook 4 Jedi. Alexia had little interest in learning the creature’s recipe. She looked at her Lightside companions.

“Now that we know you’re not dead, and that the Sullustans should stay far away from these caves, I think it is time we left.” Her eyes shifted when she heard another scrap. Far above the mother another smaller creature was stirring. “I’m sure I would taste terrible but I doubt our new friends would believe me.” Alexia heard a sudden intake of breath. She spun just as flames were gathering in a smaller beast’s mouth. She hastily erected a Force shield.

The flames hammered against her defenses. “Now would be the time for a brilliant idea.” Adrenaline pumped through his veins. She could feel the thrill of battle, a hint of fear mixed in. She breathed only the Force. Only the Lightside. The Darkness was calling to her in the back of her mind. Begging her to just reach out and command the flames, an old Inquisitor’s trick. She would not give in to the call. She would rather be Jedi barbeque than fall. @Kori Buor @GABA-wan Kenobi @Zenya

 

[Valen Pelora]

Sadly, none of the merry little Jedi spouted a genius idea. The beasts looked like something out of a fairytale, mystical creatures of blood and fire. Alexia frowned. They were all going to die. She had not dragged herself from the pit of darkness just to die in a cave. She couldn’t kill the creatures alone. Her fellow Jedi were not springing into action. She was afraid. She was afraid of herself. She sighed heavily, there was nothing else to be done. Alexia gathered the Force around her body and shoved.

She didn’t shove the dragons. The Force gently shoved into her allies. They were pushed into the catacombs of the cave. The Force spoke to her again. She yanked on roof of the catacombs. She simply nodded to her fellow Jedi. The entrance to the catacombs caved in, blocking the other Jedi from the beasts. She was alone with the creatures. Roars rang in the cave. Heat was blistering her face. She breathed easily, the Force washing through her body. The creatures attacked. Alexia dropped two thermal detonators as she jumped.

Massive jaws snapped shut on air. She was flying through the air, headed towards the opening she had jumped from. The blast from the thermal detonators followed her. She could feel the heat. She landed with a thud on the cliff edge. She dove forward, ripping at the entrance with the Force. Rocks fell to cover her escape. Alexia was panting, covered in sweat and smoke. She dragged herself from the cave. She burst into the fresh air to find a handful of guards staring at her. “Seal the cave system.” She got dumb looks in return. “Do it!” The guards started to quickly move. Thankfully, the beasts would hopefully be contained and the area would be evacuated. Not the perfect ending but good enough.

OOC: Misson End