Diplomacy Is Overrated On Falleen

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

"Okay so remember now Shoulder Gremlin... we are here on a very important diplomatic mission that could see the Alliance gain a crucial ally in this region of space so..." he glanced at Nikka even as he adjusted his Jedi armor, "Try to act regal and with good standing and graceful and even tempered and... well..."

He smirked behind his mask - something she wouldn't be able to see even if she did have working eyes due to the mask.

"Just follow my lead really, you know?"

Castor had his weapons on him but he wasn't planning on using them today. His shuttle had been directed and they had landed in the royal palace of Falleen. Their host was the ruling Prince of Falleen and they would be meeting him today to discuss the inclusion of the Falleen in the Galactic Alliance alongside the Deucalians.

Well... this was going to be the part where they brought them to the table if all things went well.

Considering how often 'things went well'? Castor took his shoto saber off of his belt and placed it in Nikka's hand. They were still on the shuttle and he was taking no chances.

"I don't know how this will go but even if nothing bad happens, it will look better if they can see that you're a Jedi as well." he suggested, "We've already been exposed to the Galaxy - now is the time to use our status for the betterment of the Alliance. Right... you ready?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

It seemed funny that he had to emphasize it being a mission of diplomacy. If he mentioned Contruum, she might have simply walked back up onto that ship and left him to do the talking. But here she was… in her best clothes, no less. She did not take well to having to dress in something above her standard fare. She still wore the boots, and the belt, and that much she would stick with. Nobody could get her to part from those, no matter who they were seeing. She wasn’t going to pretend to be some great being equivalent to a noblewoman; she was simply Luy’s Padawan. And if the trials were to succeed, she would soon be a Knight. But in the interim, diplomacy and alliance were key in this battle they fought. Against the Sith, and the Imperials that smothered those that lived in their shadows.

“I can be graceful,” she grinned beneath the fall of her veil. She had let it obscure her entire face; the whole length of it barely outlining her facial features, not hinting at the face beneath. “And I’ll have you know, I can be every inch a good little diplomat as you… and not to worry about social grace or nuance. But I’ll let you do the talking this time around.” Her chuckle parted past the veil, as she adjusted the dark green and brown robes that suited her smaller form. In fact, she was even told the colors suited her, whatever that meant. Once more, the shoto saber was clipped to her hip, and her shoulders squared.

She gave him a small nudge, and an unseen smirk. “Always ready, Tall One. Let’s go save the galaxy.”

She wasn't hiding anymore what she was. And with Cas there, there was confidence enough in the Force. So she strode out, head held high, and posture tall. This was where she was needed. And truth be told, she didn't mind in the least.

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Time to get to work.

Nikka had done well to dress for the part and he was glad she was going to be taking this seriously because if it went well then this whole thing was going to be a big win for the Alliance as a whole. It would also be a personal win for him as well but that wasn't really why he was doing it. He was doing it because this planet had a lot to offer the Alliance so he was doing his best to make sure the people joined.

He grinned a little bit behind his mask.

"Alright - here we go."

Opening the ramp to his shuttle, Castor led the way across the royal landing pad. Already the air felt thick and heavy with the natural chemical charm of the native species and none of it was even directed at them so far. Thankfully his mask helped a little bit and his connection to the Force allowed him to remain clear-headed.

Guiding Nikka, Castor approached the royal guards. They didn't say anything but one of them bade for them to follow and they turned and began marching away. Castor fell into step behind them alongside Nikka. He spoke to her quietly as they advanced through the royal palace.

"I think they're expecting us." he joked lightly, eyes narrowing behind his mask, "Something feels off though... the security... the guard feel tense. A lot more tense than they have any right to be - what do you think?"

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

Ah, how good it was to be bathed in the warmth of a planet that wasn't whipped by winds or sandstorms... but there was something to be said about company, as well. Her Sight was awash in the Light of so many living beings; the air was redolent with smells in so many layers, that she didn't even recognize. She had never before met any Falleen; the importance of this mission being a success was enough that it kept her clear-headed. She supposed it was meant to make her feel... something, but there was certainly a bite to the edge of these scents. Like a ring of metal in a bed of roses.

Her Sight broadened at his words. She dared to test the walls, scour the spaces surrounding them. Any lush display of wealth and impression was beyond her; she could only sense the walls that surrounded them, heard the soft sussurance of the guards' attire ahead, and feel the warmth from Cas, close enough that she was aware of space and spatial difference.

So much stimuli all at once. But she took it in, and her own voice tapped lightly against his. Her intuition was restless; there was something perceptibly off here, but even she could not say what.

Be on your guard, came the wordless reply. Even if the words did not filter, the emotion did. Despite the relaxed press of pheromones in the air, perhaps to relax the guests, she was on guard. "I think... you're right," she murmured back, one hand nonchalantly brushing against her thigh as they moved.

"It may be a palace, but something reeks of fear."

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Good to see it wasn't just him.

Bad because if it wasn't just him then that meant that there was actually a rather good chance that something was off and they were going to be caught by it. Hopefully they would not be caught unawares now that they had some idea that something was coming after them.

Something was going to try and kill them.

Because that was what he could feel hanging in the air through the Force - it was killing intent. Someone within this palace was positively dripping with killing intent and it was setting him on edge. Still though, he merely nodded to Nikka even as they approached the throne room itself.

"Something reeks of violence... someone here wants to murder."

Ignoring that for now however, Castor rested a hand on his saber at his waist but otherwise didn't react much as they were brought forward to address the current Prince of the Falleen.

​

The imperious-looking Falleen stared down at the two Jedi from his throne for a long moment and there was a second or two where Castor was worried that they were about to be gunned down or something. Instead, the male Falleen opened his arms wide in greeting and nodded to them.

"Greetings to you, Jedi." he whispered, his voice carrying remarkably well to be audible to the Jedi regardless of the distance, "You have journeyed to visit my Palace and ask me for my assistance. Tell me, my Jedi guests, what is the most treasured part of your Jedi training? You... the woman please."

Throughout his time speaking, the Prince was blatantly beginning to emit pheromones designed to ensnare Nikka's senses. Designed, unless Castor was mistaken, to elicit a lustful response from the young Jedi. Castor clamped down on his own emotions with the Force to resist the effects and he was sure that Nikka would be able to feel what he was doing and, hopefully, she would copy him.

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

She was glad she wasn't the only one. Even though the air was still, it was not with the softness of tranquility, but with that strange, hard edge again. And when Castor confirmed it, she was all the more prepared. With every step they took, her mental walls slid higher and higher, shutting out all the alluring sensations that threatened to distract. It wouldn't be easy walking and concentrating, but she would do it. It was vital that control was her biggest concern... along with making it out alive.

She could sense the change of atmosphere when the throne room opened before them. And ahead, on his translucent dais of stone... sat a world leader. At his greeting, she gave a slight inclined bow of respect, but not once were her senses not engaged, her Sight scouring the room even as he spoke. Despite the softness, the acoustics of the room carried it well enough.

Something alluring drifted over her senses. Something that, had she been untrained, would have brought her to her knees, or have done something equally demeaning. But instead she stood tall. And though it was unseen beneath the veil, she gave a warm smile, echoing the welcome.

"Our thanks, Your Highness."

Her tone and timbre had changed; rather than the swift birdlike accent her tone had been. It almost sounded as if it came from the body of one born a natural leader. it was calm, controlled. She had deliberately stood tall, her shoulders relaxed. Alert.

"The most treasured part of our training, Majesty, was the study of peace and balance. To know when you may pick your battles..." Here, she paused. The head tilted ever so slightly as if to ponder the next words carefully. Her voice was measured, extremely calm. "And when to give mercy to those that would exploit your weaknesses." She spread her hands out slightly as if to address the room. "But as for me... it is the Force."

Her hands drifted to her sides again. Though the pheromones the Prince exuded would keep assaulting, she allowed the flow of the Force to keep her clear-headed, and smiled inwardly when she could almost sense Cas doing the same. Most scoffed at the Force, thinking it a trifling part of an old religion. But did they not see the power of the Sith, or the strength of the Jedi.

But now... he had piqued her curiosity. She had questions to ask, but for now she would keep silent, unless asked to elucidate more on what she meant. She was sure he would ask Castor more; after all, she was simply here as support. And... she had to wait and see if that nameless violence would strike now, or wait for an opportune moment.

Because in either case, she would be prepared. Her palms tingled slightly as they drifted loosely curled by her side, neck straightening. She was careful that every limb, ever movement was of calm confidence, as not once did her chin lower. If she had a gaze, it would have been unyielding. But as it was... this was the best she could do.

"I do not speak for my partner, however. Each experience is differing." She paused, then smiled, bowed, and stepped back next to Castor.

I do not think I should say anything else... I think something watches that doesn't like what we're saying at all.

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Castor really didn't like how the Prince was using his pheromones - it was clear that the man was using his species' natural chemical charms to try and give Nikka a sense of unease. Castor didn't care for it at all but he knew better than to make a big deal out of it. It wasn't effecting Nikka as the Prince had intended because she was using her Jedi training effectively and the Force was her ally in resisting the disgusting advances of the green skinned Falleen.

The green skin meant that the man was still rather relaxed, if what he recalled about the Falleen was true. Apparently their skin tones changed with their emotions.

"An interesting answer." he prince allowed with a nod of his head, "I have heard it said that the Force is a powerful ally for the Jedi. It seems that it can be both sword and shield."

Seemed the Prince was acknowledging that his pheromones weren't having an effect and he seemed to have deduced that it was because of the Force. Turning to Castor upon Nikka's suggestion, he nodded for the male Jedi to speak without verbally requesting as such. Castor thought about it for a moment even as the Force began to warn him that something was coming.

"Control." he declared simply, "I've drank from both cups, as it were, when it comes to the Force. I have been a Sith and now I am a Jedi and shall remain so until I die. The one thing that we learn in both camps, the thing we take to our graves as the most important principle? Control. Of ourselves for Jedi. Of others for Sith."

The Prince chuckled and it was a deep voice.

"I see you did your research Jedi... you know my people prize control above all other virtues."

Castor allowed himself a small smile.

"I would have been a fool not to."

The Prince nodded in agreement and stood from his throne.

"Indeed you would have been." he allowed before continuing, "I'm sure that, as neither of you are fools... you know that something is due to happen today. Don't you? Does your Force tell you? I'm sure it is giving vague hints but I know exactly what will happen today; Today my rivals have dispatched assassins to try and kill me. Exciting is it not?"

Exciting?

The kark was wrong with this guy?

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

"Perhaps there is nothing more exciting than testing your mettle, your... control of survival above your enemies."

She was surprised at how he seemed to almost... relish the thought? Even when she was in the heat of battle, she did not find it exciting, but a perfect balance of control and careful strategy. And the fact he knew might have been alarming for some, but she knew all too well what it meant to be hunted. To have something skulk after you in the shadows, wanting to see you extinguished... even though she could never understand being the leader of a world. It just didn't make sense to be thrilled over anything like it.

"I assume we were summoned here for more than diplomacy," she stated flatly, eyebrows arching. Though none of her expression could be seen, her tone conveyed something a bit less than delight at realizing that their mission was now laced with protecting another life... and getting his very much needed support.

"We could sense something amiss before we even left the shuttle." A half-truth, spoken softly, was better than a lie spoken boldly. Her chin tilted up, as if a blind woman could examine a prince, and the room surrounding.

And that's when she sensed it. The most danger that was being presented behind them... and if her intuition was not incorrect, ahead of them. The Force began to grow in her palms, a quiet current building strength. "Perhaps now is not the time for pleasantries," she said calmly, keeping her body still and open, as if not really noticing much else amiss, and prepared fully for more pretty diplomatic speeches before discussing what they were actually here for. But, she would not initiate much more than necessary. So now, she had to know.

"So, any particular reason why they would seek to kill you, apart from ambition of control and leadership?"

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

It seemed that the time for games was over.

The Prince had come clean and the fears and the warnings that both Castor and Nikka had been feeling since leaving the shuttle were realized - there was a clear and present threat to the life of the Prince. Of course they "just so happened" to be here at the exact moment of the assassination attempt.

Castor looked at the Prince.

"And you knew when the attack would take place - which was why you called for the meeting to be moved to this day." he reasoned, glancing at Nikka, "He rescheduled on me a week ago."

The Prince clapped once.

"A brilliant summation of the obvious but correct."

Castor resisted the urge to give the Prince a comeback, knowing that such a thing was not a good idea at all. Drawing his lightsaber in his right hand, he resisted the urge to ignite it for now and began to build up the Force in his free, left, hand. He took a deep breath before releasing it.

Time to go to work.

"Nikka - you range out and counter-attack when they come." he told her, instructing her strongly before turning to the Prince, "Your Highness, I shall protect you with the aid of your one loyal guard."

There was a pause as the Prince and one of the guards turned to the other - who had drawn a blaster pistol from his armour and pointed it at the Prince. Before he could fire however, Castor banished him into the nearby wall with sickening impact from a Force push, knocking the man out cold. Castor ignited his lightsaber now as the assassins took this as their cue to arrive.

Four of them arrived from a doorway behind the throne, a move that surprised the Prince into turning somewhat yellow actually. He supposed that the back of the throne was an escape route that wasn't supposed to be compromised based on the Prince's information.

Interesting.

Another three assassins arrived at the front to challenge Nikka.

The game was afoot.

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

Ah, now she remembered why she was never nobility.

The sarcasm of this Prince was in fact a perfect example of why she did not socialize quite so much anymore.

"Ahead of you already, Ni'chalto," she chuckled, having strode to the right the moment the poor traitorous guard had chosen to be blasted away. For a split moment, the veil lifted to reveal the curve of a mischievous grin, the sharp angle of jaw and cheekbone.

The tingling in her palms grew. It rushed in her arms, sang in her veins.

She had no care for the Prince, apart from his use in their mission... and in his life. His life held a balance that ruled a world. If he fell, more of the chaos and passion of the Dark Side would linger. And she would never let that happen.

No... it was for her friend. That irritating, son-of-a-Bantha that treated her like someone other than a Padawan, than as a Jedi. This was for her friend. If this was that important to him, she would do her best.
However, she counted three that dared to show up, armed and prepared in her corner.

But then again... so was she.

The power of the Force hummed in her veins, shimmered and built. The same gift that healed was now intending to harm. But in the midst of what should have been chaos, there was calm. When the loyal guard moved to protect his Prince, she had moved to protect her friend.

The push she released from her left palm was done with such force, such focus, that two of the three were suddenly shoved from their post, the third beginning to swing up his rifle to aim at the sudden assault target. He did not know what to expect; the shoto saber hummed to life, her body already in Soresu, the blade activated in her right. He slid his finger towards the trigger, and that was when she would prepare her own second strike.

Check.

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Perhaps it would prove to be folly but Castor trusted Nikka to have his back when it came to this mission despite the fact that her training was not yet complete. She was equipped well and her training and her instincts were good. He fully believed that the assassins coming from that direction would have a very hard time in getting through her - though she be little, she be fierce was probably an apt comment to make regarding her currently.

But this meant that there were four assassins that Castor had almost all to himself - he said almost because the one loyal guard had immediately started a swordfight with one of the assassins, which Castor was more than happy to allow since it meant there was one less assassin coming his way.

Two of the remaining assassins charged in with vibroswords drawn, while the third began to open fire on Castor with his blaster rifle. Grinning a little bit, Castor stepped into the line of fire. For anyone but a Jedi this would be suicide but he was a Jedi - he deflected two of the shots expertly, causing the blasts from the shooter to slam into the upper torso of one of the swordsmen, ending his life almost instantly.

This shook both of the attacking assassins long enough for Castor to use the Force, pulling the shooter within melee distance and forcing him to abandon his blaster for his vibrosword.

The downside was that the two assassins were now charging the short distance between himself and them and both of them were armed with vibroswords and ill-intent... if there were more of them it might have been a challenge! But, seriously, Castor was already rather annoyed that he still had even this many to deal with.

All he'd expected was to deal with a green lizard man being snobby today - why did it have to be today that the assassins decided that they were going to make their attempt?

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

The third guard was startled when she leapt before him all of a sudden. So much so, that when he let loose a shot, it hissed past her shoulder, close enough to feel heat. Close enough to have been a very harmful blow if it had landed. They apparently had anticipated having to shoot from a distance while the ones behind the throne were to cut the prince down in his throne; they must not have anticipated two Jedi instead of one.

The one that aimed at her was turning an awful shade of yellow when she approached, not that she could tell. But the reek of violent anger paired with fear; what did the Falleen know of Jedi? Not that it mattered; the weak-minded were always the first to fall. And these ones, though professional, were mere footsoldiers in comparison to the ones Castor had to face.

The assassin stepped over his unconscious ally when she swirled the saber from a low sweep from the right to the left; the vibrodagger he had withdrawn caught it. She doubled back, stepping, so that he had to compensate by stepping forward. It was his last mistake trying to sweep for her stomach; the saber swept back to disarm. He bellowed in pain, and she rested her palm atop the crown of his head, focusing down. Rest.

Pain clouded the mind, left barriers open and minds raw. When commanded, the weakest minds would crumble, and he collapsed unconscious. She did not enjoy doing this; fighting with bloodshed was not her desired strong suit.

With the three disabled, she turned back to Castor, the power building in her left palm once more as the saber swung to a defensive stance. She would attempt to heal the bleeding disabled Falleen; for now, it was only two more charges that she had left before she would have to rest, and recuperate. But with the Falleen leader close enough to observe, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her lose her strength. But it was a drain; charges were not her strongest suit.

But she would still channel the Force to help Castor protect the Prince; surely the assassins hadn't meant for their rear guard to be so ill-prepared? Unless this meant more bad news.

But, she was here to do what little she could, including protect Castor and the Prince from her distance if need be. An invisible wind seemed to swirl at her robes; there was a hum of the Light as she waited for an opening against the remainder of their opponents. She may not have been as well-trained as Castor, but damned if she wasn't going to help in her own way.

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Two on one were bad odds even if you were fully trained so the first thing that Castor did was ensure that it was no longer two on one.

Flicking out with the Force, he caused one man to stagger, allowing Castor to engage the other first. Catching his vibrosword between the main blade and one of his crossguard blades, Castor twisted the blade out of the assassin's hand even as he grabbed the man by the head with his free hand. It was nasty work but Castor pulled with his free hand and moved his lightsaber blade with his other, pulling the assassin's face and skull against the blade of his lightsaber until he had cut cleanly through almost half of the attacker's skull.

The other assassin had recovered - in time to have his colleague's corpse fly at him and pin him to the ground. Castor knew that in a battle like this there could be no mercy... but he showed it regardless. Reaching down, he pressed his free hand against the struggling assassin's forehead.

"Sleep."

Despite his efforts to resist, the man was no match for the power of the Force and soon began to sleep. Castor stood up to his full height again, pleased to see that the loyal guard had managed to slay the last of the assassins. Even more pleasing was that Nikka was unharmed.

'I am glad you are unharmed.' he sent to her directly through the Force.

Castor didn't extinguish his lightsaber.

"Prince - is there a bunker for you to retreat to? We can escort you there."

The prince looked at him oddly for a moment.

"And why would I retreat when the threat is passed?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the prince, Castor looked around him.

"Because the threat is not passed - this will have been a tentative first attempt. There will be others shortly."

The prince frowned but began to lead the way onwards towards his panic room deeper in the palace than the throne room itself.

"And why do you think that?"

This was the slightly uncomfortable bit...

"Because that's what I'd do if I wanted to arrange an assassination." he let out a small breath, "Because it's the Imperial protocol I learned and it will be the same thing the masterminds behind this learned in the academy."

This was, all his instincts agreed, a Sith assassination plot.

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

By the time he was explaining that more would be attempting this assassination, she had been binding the two other unconscious assassin's wrists and ankles, using lashing torn from their own garments. It was no surprise that this was more than a convenient assassination by rivals. No... perhaps it was anticipated that nobody would be there, and no alliance made. Whomever would be next in line for the throne would perhaps not be as amicable to opening treatise, and that was why she didn't want to be here in the first place.

She was relieved Castor was fine, she nodded once, taking a deep breath, but did not release the Force power that built in her hand. She had a feeling that their host was going to be assaulted by something much more skilled... perhaps someone that was as experienced as they. And same as Castor, the shoto blade was not extinguished, but still held in its' defensive position, prepared to fight and defend if need be. Turning her head slightly to his guard, she nodded.

She kept beside the Prince, allowing her Sight to caress all walls around them. Though it was hard in this hall to sense much else other than her companions, something ahead caused her to suddenly sprint before the Prince, saber up in defensive form. "Castor, guard our backs! You!" She turned her head to the guard. "Protect your monarch. I have a feeling they are more acquainted with your palace than we, highness," and this gave him an unseen annoyed twitch to her lips, "so guide me. How much deeper, and is it typically given any guard?"

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

This whole thing was becoming something of a farce at this stage - the Prince had clearly underestimated the attackers on this occasion and seemed more than happy to let the Jedi cover for him, saving his arse and that of his one loyal guard. Normally this would have annoyed Castor but not today. Thankfully he was able to look at the bigger picture and the bigger picture was rather clear; if they saved the Prince here today then he had absolutely no reason not to come to the table and at least hear the offer of an alliance between the Galactic Alliance and the Falleen.

Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if the man offered the alliance here today unconditionally considering how far off the rails this whole thing seemed to have gone.

Sensing the threat up ahead, Castor cursed a little bit but agreed with Nikka and took up the rear guard position. There were bound to be more coming up behind them as well after all. The Prince himself led Nikka forwards through the narrow corridor towards his personal quarters.

"My personal quarters have only one entrance to my secure room." he assured her, "We just have to go through my study which is right around... here..."

The Prince, his guard and Nikka would turn into a grand study - to find that it was not empty. Indeed, there were three men waiting for them in what was clearly Imperial uniform. The two either side had vibroswords at the ready while the central attacker hefted a large repeater up and opened fire, laying down a heavy stream of fire directly at Nikka.

Castor himself paused before entering the room, cursing suddenly as he felt the Dark Side grab him and toss him violently into a wall. Groaning in pain, he pulled himself up to his hands and knees and grimaced at the sight of a Sith assassin advancing down the corridor at him, red saber ignited in one hand and some lightning crackling in the other. Igniting his own saber, Castor narrowed his eyes before surging up from his kneeling position, charging forwards at the Sith as the assassin charged right back.

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

"GET DOWN!"

Those were her last words before the Imperial guard opened fire.

She shoved the Prince behind her, heedless of if she just committed the worst sin alive to him and his people. She felt herself calm, her form already prepared. The short shoto saber worked to her advantage as she spun it around in an intricate series of defensive maneuvers, her lips twisted into a frown of focused anger. At least they hadn't aimed at the other guard. She continued pacing forward, redirecting the heavy hits, but it was difficult to maintain that and keep her hand charged. So there was only one solution.

She kept stepping right into the fray, the guard right behind her. "Go!" She bellowed at the Prince, feeling the air in her lungs constrict painfully with the Dark tugging soft strands at her senses, followed by a familiar bellow of pain. Castor. Oh kriff. But it wasn't as if she could help him now; when the guard engaged one of the two sword-armed opponents, she engaged the other two.

It was difficult, maintaining this balance. She ducked low, feeling the blaster's heat singe her cheek, then lunged forwards. Letting out a roaring warrior's cry, her opponents would realize one of two things.

The first, she was not afraid to engage them head-on.

The second, that pain would not stop her. She was hit in the unarmed shoulder by one successful bolt, and she let out another roar. And she swung harder, faster. Each redirected hit didn't reach its' target, much to her irritation. But she would keep trying anyhow, meeting hit for hit with the second armed one and ducking, twisting. The shoulder sang, but she kept going. She had to trust that that Ni'chalto had her back, Sith or no.

There is no death. There is the Force. The Imperial armed with the blaster would pace back, looking for an opening to open fire, but she was suddenly relentless. Light, swift, parrying and using her opponents momentum, even as she bled. It started dripping down her arm, onto the floor... But she would not stop now. He kept moving with his partner, waiting for a split second to open fire, even as she kept backing up.

Blood began to trickle to the slick exposed flooring. It wouldn't be much longer, one of them had to slip...

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

It seemed that the frontal attack was brutal as well.

Castor would have thrown himself to the defense of Nikka and the Prince but he was already engaged in a battle of his own. The Sith assassin that had organised attack was no slouch and Castor was already at somewhat of a disadvantage considering the man had managed to get the first hit in while Castor was unaware of his presence. Grimacing in pain from his bruises, Castor clashed with the Sith's blade again, the two of them carving through the stone of the corridor as they moved back and forth, their lightsabers as blurs as they fought tooth and nail against each other.

The fact that the Sith would send concentrated bursts of lightning over their blades was something that Castor hated to no end considering his only option was to duck away from the attack as best as he could. So far it had worked but he knew that it wouldn't work for much longer.

Deciding that he couldn't risk keeping the battle going for longer, Castor gritted his teeth and pushed forwards to lock the Sith's blade with his crossguard. The Sith reached out and began to use Force lightning and unlike before - Castor let him. Rather than release the Sith's blade in order to avoid the lightning, Castor took the attack head on so that he could maintain control of the blade lock. It hurt like hells and he was beginning to literally smoke but he forced the Sith to retreat until his back was against the wall.

Reaching over the blades with his free hand, Castor roared against the pain as he grabbed the Sith by the mask - before slamming his head back against the stone of the wall. The Sith's lightning faltered slightly, giving Castor the opportunity to press his attack. Jamming his thumb into the Sith's eye, the assassin wailed in pain as Castor used his grip to repeatedly slam his opponent's head against the unyielding stone wall.

After the third bash, the lightning stopped but Castor didn't.

He didn't stop until, with an almighty crunch, the back of the Sith's skull caved in against the wall and the enemy's lightsaber extinguished itself automatically. Castor staggered backwards, burns along his chest where he had been shocked directly and still shaking, twitching and smoking from the punishment he had taken. He used his hand to steady himself against the wall.

"Nikka..."

He was literally shaking in pain but Castor pushed himself to keep moving, knowing that Nikka was in trouble.

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

She could hear the crackling of electricity behind her as she continued to lure the other two towards the hallway. Being bottlenecked would surely have been a disadvantage for one larger than her; but while the vibrosword armed assassin was cramped in such tight quarters, she continued, feeling the hum and spark as each hit was landed and blocked, until he made his first mistake.

He slipped on the slowly puddling blood, his two-handed sword swinging as he attempted to gain traction within that split second. The falter was just enough for her to gracefully spin the blade across in his surprise, then risk it all in a plunge.

Straight through his chest.

When she withdrew, the blaster fire resumed. She pushed, and the first tried to weakly reach for his blade at his belt in a last-ditch effort to kill the Jedi scum, body twitching into a death throe when his companion tried to fire at her. But when her damaged arm grasped the blade, she bit back a yell. It burned and stung, just enough.

So she deactivated the shoto saber. When the Prince's one loyal guard slaughtered his opponent with one last graceful sweep, he witnessed something he hadn't anticipated. When he swung up to cut the offending assassin down, the Imperial let out one last round.

And then fell with a vibroblade embedded so deep within his skull, that the sharp point of it poked out from the back of his helmet.

And Nikka?

Though the somewhat upright body of the assassin had been a good guard for the first three blasts, the last one had found its' mark. Piercing her left leg. Scarlet bloomed and matted with the dark brown, and she sank to her knees. Her head began swimming, her Sight dimming as she began to shakingly dig at her belt, until she found it. The compact medi kit. She pressed her one good hand against the wound, and turned her head back. "I'm alive," she rasped, then gave a wet chuckle. "You okay, Ni'chalto uru?"

She did not sense any others. The sense of violent malevolence had gone, died at the source by Castor's hands, but nonetheless she tried scrambling up, only to slide with a groan. Fiery pain streaked up from both her arm and leg, and she could feel the dampness spreading beneath her hand. She needed his help, just to bind the wound. Just long enough until they could get their guaranteed alliance, and then she would rest. But until then, she had to make sure Cas was all right.

Priorities, and adopted family, came first. And the Prince was still alive, in the corridor between them. Even so, she wouldn't let her guard down until she knew for certain he was all right and alive.

@Nefieslab

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Castor patted the shocked Prince once on the shoulder as he passed him - but pass him he did. The most important thing in the room right now wasn't the Prince. Instead, Castor put his lightsaber away and fought against the way his body twitched to walk on over to Nikka's side. Smiling, he knelt down beside her and took the medkit from her. He rested a hand on her forehead as he pushed her back to make her lie down.

"Lay back." he told her quietly, "You did so well Nikka."

He began to apply the kolto and the bandages to her wounds but, using the Force, he began to feed Nikka the energy that he had that she did not. His own abilities with the Force were not suited to healing but he knew that Nikka could do some limited Force healing. So rather than attempt to do the healing himself, Castor instead opened himself up in the Force for Nikka to use him as a battery, powering her so that she could direct it.

While she was able to do that, Castor would apply the medical kit to her wounds directly as well.

The Prince and his final guard stepped into the study and Castor regarded the Falleen for a moment before ignoring him in favor of finishing applying the bandages to Nikka. With his ally taken care of, Castor picked her up gently in a carry and turned to face the Prince. The Falleen royal looked at the two Jedi for a long moment before speaking.

"My people will be in contact with yours." he declared at length, "I will sit down with your leaders and discuss the conditions of an alliance with the Galactic Alliance. Go now... go now with my thanks."

Castor nodded once to the Falleen royal before walking out of the study with Nikka in his arms. As soon as they were a decent enough distance away, Castor groaned in pain.

"... diplomacy sucks."

@Killa Ree

 

[Nikka Toren]

She gritted her teeth in a semblance of a smile when he passed the Prince of the Falleen himself to her side. Idiot, came the amused thought. "I'm fine," she muttered, embarrassed when she obeyed, sinking her head against the wall with more than just a bit of reluctance. She hated being fussed over, and she knew it was some sort of brotherhood on his part, but it still chafed just a bit that she had gotten hit--twice-- anyway. "You weren't so shabby yourself, too bad I couldn't see it."

She grimaced when her leg was touched. The wound on her shoulder wasn't too terrible; that one would heal with minimal scarring. But her leg... Even as she touched over the wound, there would be a defined scar. Some of the fibers knitted back together, and she managed only the most basic of repairs when he opened to her.

But... two could use that gift.

Instead, she pressed her hand against his heartbeat, and gave in return, attempting to soothe some of the pain that the Sith had caused to him. She could only do so much though, and it wasn't long before she felt the strain of it on herself and Cas.

So when the Prince spoke, she twisted her head in his direction. The veil fluttered with the motion, revealing the heavily scarred curve of where eyes should have rested in the sockets, an ugly twisted mass that betrayed just how hard she had fought to keep the balance as one of the Order--and what she was still willing to do to protect it.

"Thank you, Majesty." Her voice was soft, but it carried a hard ring of steel in it. But before they were out of sight...

"May the Force be with you."

Once they were out of ears' and eyes' length, she began to squirm in his grasp, her mind not swimming quite so much. Her leg still throbbed and burned, but it was no longer bleeding..

"I agree. Now put me down before you drop me," she muttered, flashing him a grin. "And Gods, wasn't that corny? I think I deserve a medal for not decking...well, you know. Two medals. And a few days on vacation. Let's go find your friend too." Whether or not he put her down was of little matter, she was just grateful to get the kriff outta there, and away from this system. No more freaky pheromone lizard royalty, no more being shot or stabbed at. She just wanted a hot, sandy beach, a cold drink, and some waves.

Stat.

@Nefieslab

OOC:Exit Thread//