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[Thalia Windraider]

Taris

She heard there was a buyer for her trinket; no shops would take it, telling her it gave them bad vibes and assumed she had stolen it. That of course, was not true, its owner had long since died and this brooch was just laying in dust and bone. It deserved a new owner and she would have kept it, but the credits it could bring her if she managed to sell it would be enough to refuel and get off this planet. Thalia ran her thumb over the smooth stone of the trinket, her thoughts settling as she tried to figure out what made others think it was so ominous. Her instinct told her they were being cheap and it probably was just not the right place to sell it. However, she felt good about this one, but couldn't distinguished if she was just being optimistically hopeful.

Waiting across the street of the meeting point, she kept alert. The area was busy, normal amounts of traffic both on the ground and in the air of the Tarisian streets, reminding the fair headed teen of the mining colony she grew up in. Taking one more look of her item, she quickly pocketed it to avoid someone snatching it in passing; even the thought of such an idea made her stomach turn with annoyance. Checking her chrono, it would only be a few more minutes until they would arrive and Thalia decided to move. She was more than certain they would already be present, possibly even locating her before she saw them, but that idea did not seem to bother her too much as she seemed to narrow in on the credits.

Crossing the street, she entered pub, a typical business exchanging location, it has yet to fail on her. Entering, she glanced around, waiting a moment at the bar counter before occupying a recently emptied table.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Taris... another massive world. Talak had only just recently been to another mega-city-planet, and now he found himself on the "Coruscant of the Outer Rim" as it was sometimes called. Or at least, it had been called that once upon a time.

Talak found this world almost equally as disorienting, but at least it wasn't the first time he'd been to a megacity. Even for a "second rodeo" it was way too much to assume he knew how to handle himself in an environment like this was overestimating things.

It was these huge, overpopulated planets that were, of course, potential targets for the Sith Eternal to make their strikes. But the young Legionnaire was curious - perhaps more so than he should have been - and wanted to experience this world firsthand. As he reached out with his senses, he was overwhelmed by what he felt. There was so much life here, but it wasn't like the life you'd find in a forest. Each of these minds was streaked with emotions that seemed almost enough to suffocate the unsuspecting.

The initial shock this was enough time for someone in the Lower City to capitalize. Filled with those "lower class" individuals, there was one thing that couldn't be denied: it wasn't safe down here.

The instant he seemed to not be paying attention (because really he wasn't) a teenager snatched the small pair of macrobinoculars from his utility belt and began running.

Kriff, he spat, and set off on the chase through the crowds.

He didn't want to risk any blatant use of the Force or a lightsaber here, but he also didn't want to use the rather-costly device. As he tore through the crowd, pushing this way and that, he reached out with the Force and just lightly tugged the feet of the young kid.

Down in a heap he went. And straight into Thalia before she ever managed to make it indoors. They would both go crashing down in a jumble, and, seizing the opportunity, the kid promptly grabbed the stone as well and continued running.

I'm gonna kill him, he thought to himself, angry that he'd been blocked from making the interception by a passing speeder that had nearly run the young darksider over. @GABA

 

[Thalia Windraider]

It was an unfamiliar feeling, but the speed in which it occurred took Thalia a moment longer than usual to figure out what had happened. Stars blinked in front of her eyes and she had decided she was looking at the city in the wrong direction. Her brain questioned why she was looking up and as she felt something press into her belly did she realize what had happened. The kid who had ran into her was quickly scrambling to his feet and Thalia yelled at him, the little voice in her head at the same time told her something was wrong, something felt lighter and as she dipped her hand into her pocket.

It was empty.

She immediately shoved both hands into both pockets, unable to fully comprehend this revelation that he had stolen the trinket from her until both hands appeared empty. Thalia looked to see him disappear in the crowd that was now filling back up the space they had created only seconds earlier with their rude encounter. The girl cursed under her breath and pulled her blaster as anger, annoyance and insult gave her a rush of energy. She was ready to get back what belonged to her, she needed the credits and now regretted not taking the very little some buyers had to offer.

I'm gonna kill him-
Someone shoved her out of the path of the bar, interrupting her thoughts and she shoved back, looking to catch up with the petty thief.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

It wasn't Talak's day, apparently. By the time he'd cleared out of the way of the speeder, the thief was already back up and running again, and a woman was now chasing him as well. The kid cut around the corner and out of sight of Talak, who was in hot pursuit, but when he rounded the corner, the kid was gone.

You've gotta be kidding me, he all but growled as he searched the alleyway for a hidden door. There wasn't any sign of the kid or where he'd gone, and Talak was no bounty hunter. There had to be some way through here to figure out where the thief went, but there didn't appear to be any sign of it. @GABA

 

[Thalia Windraider]

Thalia was certainly not as fast as this kid, he clearly had been doing this game for most, if not all his life. She was not going to lose him, she needed those credits, however, the longer she seemed to be chasing him, a little voice in her mind hinted that she was not going to see those credits. The buyer probably already came and left due to her absence and she felt her own pace slow as she watched him round a corner. Deciding to try to cut him off, Thalia went down a parallel alleyway, but when she exited, there was no one.

Her breath burned in her lungs and she felt the familiar feelings of hurt prickle in her chest. She let herself flop back against a stone wall, resisting the urge to additionally hit it with her fist. Taking in deep breaths, she pushed herself from the wall and quickly stepped to the neighboring alley, but instead of seeing her thief, in place was a dark-haired man. She went to raise her blaster, but paused, lowering her hand as he walked to the opposite end from her. Was that the thief?

Her thoughts quickly tried to place him, but he didn't fit the slender figure she was chasing.

"Hey!" She shouted out before needing to take another deep breath, "Hey, you seen some kid run through here?" she asked feeling stupid for even having to ask some stranger, "He has something important..." she said reaching into a pouch on her belt, ready to feed the stranger a credit for information.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak was fuming by this point at the fact that he'd been given the slip, and he wanted his gear back. He wasn't here to have some little punk steal from him. He'd give the kid a proper thrashing if he got his hands on him.

Join the club, he spat angrily, continuing to look around the alley before he found something. He began pushing aside the remnants of an old speeder, flipping the door to it wide and revealing a small hole through which one could climb.

There you went, he said, all but ignoring the woman who had shown up. He didn't know what she was after, but if she was anywhere near as serious as he was, she would be sliding in the hole after him. @GABA

 

[Thalia Windraider]

Thalia removed her hand from her credit pouch.

Join the club?
What the kriff did that mean?

Thalia's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched the man seemingly move from wall to wall, feeling and looking for something. He was angry, the growl in his voice told her as much. He reminded her of a predator who is unable to reach their prey and she felt herself gripping her blaster tighter, raising it to her hip as she watched him carefully, uncertain if it were wise to turn her back and leave. So instead, she quietly watched him and waited as he dug around in an old speeder, mumbling something and disappeared into a opening. The girl shook her head and hurried to the speeder, seeing the opening for herself. There had to have been a story growing up about going down dark holes where you didn't know where they go...more so following others into strange holes.

Though now the more she thought about it, that story had been about a girl following a kushiban... and this guy was definitely not as cute or fluffy, but she also wanted her trinket back.

She would probably regret this later, but Thalia holstered her blaster anyways and climbed into the opening. Inhaling deeply, she immediately regret her action as the putrid air stung her nose and throat. Down she went though, the ramp was damp and unpleasant as she came to the bottom, her eyes working to adjust to the dim illuminators that sparsely lined the tunnel.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak was inside and down the ramp in short order, scowling at the rancid smell down here. He was beginning to seriously wonder if his macros were even worth this effort. But then he was already down here.

What'd he take from you? he asked, continuing through the darkness. Hopefully it was more valuable than his pair of macrobinoculars if she'd decided to come down here after it.

He pulled out the small flashlight from his belt and shined it around looking for any sign of the kid that might be illuminated better. The lights down here were crappy, but he had a feeling these tunnels were meant for people who already knew where they were going, not outsiders.

 

[Thalia Windraider]

Thalia walked ahead of the man, feeling quite uneasy about being in such spaces. The smells and the dim lights reminded her of the mines that threatened to enslave her if she did not pay her parents debt as she did. She, of course, was free now and tried to remind herself of that fact while keeping focus on her stolen brooch. The man asked her what the kid had taken from her and she glanced over her shoulder as he pulled out a flashlight. It gave them some leverage in the dark, but not too much.

"A trinket." she stated, the obvious pause was there though as she tried to decide to reveal anything else to the man, "If I don't get it back-" she stopped, there was splashing and the sound of metal grinding as though someone was trying to shut something. Thalia ran ahead and pulled her blaster, her gaze scanning the ground to find the water source until she stopped at a divide. She looked up and down each end until she spotted a puddle and slowed her pace as she continued onward.

Her stomach turned with unease, a feeling or a sense of instinct twisted in her core as she neared a salvaged metal door. Stopping entirely she took a deep breath as though she expected something. "Do you feel that?" she repeated in a whisper the words that floated in her mind, they did not feel as though they were of her own, but she answered her own question with a nod. If Talak had caught up, she would have given him a look, one that showed worry and caution as she nodded to the door.

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak kept walking through the darkness, noting how she pulled free a blaster pistol. That only made him nervous, but it wasn't irrational on her part. He decided to keep his eye on her all the same. He wanted to reach for his lightsaber, but that was far too obvious. He really needed to start carrying at least a vibroblade or something.

Mental note made, he told himself.

He noted how vague her answer was, and for some reason he didn't like it. There was something about the way she said it that told him it was... criminal or secret or something equally unsavory. He made a note to come back to that topic later... potentially more aggressively.

Before he could pursue the topic again, he felt something out of place. It was that feeling of being stalked, and he didn't like it. It was a deeply unsettling feeling, and one that he was familiar with.

Doesn't this world have a history of... diseased creatures, he thought aloud. He thought he'd read something to that effect before, and whatever he sensed felt... animal.

We need to get out of here. Your trinket isn't worth dying for, he said. It was clear that whatever was down here with them had ill intent. Even a big city like Taris had bad things if you went to the wrong places.

 

[Thalia Windraider]

When Talak spoke, she paused as she recalled also the stories she and the other children would tell one another about the monsters that lived underneath the towers of Taris. She never found any truth with them as they would just repeat what they had heard and add their own detail to one up the previous storyteller. However, those stories had to start somewhere and when the man suggested they leave and forget about her trinket, she wanted to protest, but she could not shake the feeling that twisted tighter in her core.

Thalia opened her mouth to speak, realizing she had be holding her breath and breathed in deeply as she agreed with him, "Yeah...let's get out..." she nodded now stepping backwards, still not taking her eyes off the door. However, the door would be a ruse, a offer of hope of a quick exit to the unsuspecting prey and as Thalia finally turned her back to the door to begin their way back to their entrance, something caught the corner of her eye. What was failed to be see was the shadows created by the illuminators created a hiding spot: a tunnel leading upward, crisscrossed with web and distorted bulges connected to the sides of the walls that Thalia could only assume were victims.

The girl started to think this trinket was just bad luck.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak was already heading back toward the door, fully intending to leave whether the woman came along or not. Luckily, she did, which meant that she likely wouldn't be turned into food for... whatever was living down here.

It was only as they made their way back to the exit that the glowrod cast a light onto what had been hiding in the clefts. Humanoids of all different shapes were stuck to the walls. Their faces were twisted into frozen expressions of horror, and he could see claw marks raking the entirety of their bodies that were now stained with crusted blood. No doubt they were one of the contributors - or maybe even the contributor - to the smell down here.

Unfortunately, the two of them had alerted whatever was down here with their presence. Three humanoid-like creatures with boil-like protrusions all over their bodies emerged from the shadows. They seemed to lack any kind of a conventional face, and long claws tipped each and every finger.

 

[Thalia Windraider]

Fear could be paralyzing, but fear could also be motivating as Thalia quickened her pace to catch up with Talak. She wanted to run ahead of him to get to the exit first to find the safety that was offered outside the underworld of Taris, but something deep inside told her to keep to his pace. Though she wanted to protest her own instinct, she stayed by his side, glancing over her shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed. However, as they approached their exit she saw the creatures emerge from the shadows.

She almost did not believe what her eyes were observing, they seemed so nightmarish that they could not be reality. Question of if she were drugged somehow or if she were in a vivid dream crossed her thoughts, but it was clear it was her reality. Thalia raised her blaster wishing she had something more powerful...like fire and lots of it, enough to burn Taris to ash to make sure nothing like this existed elsewhere.

Thalia fired several consecutive shots at the left-most creature causing it scream out in pain, but it did not seem to phase the creature, in fact, the blaster fire made it irate and its pack retaliated lunging at their two newest (possibly freshest) prey.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

The woman opened fire on one of the creatures and it struck its target. The smell of charred flesh mixed with all the other horrid smells of this abominable place. Even with the gunshots it didn't seem the creature had been slowed much. That was just great...

One of the other two creatures lunged toward him and he leapt back, narrowly avoiding the claws of the hand. He wanted to pull out his lightsaber, but he also didn't want to expose himself. Why had he come down here in the first place!? He should have just moved on...

He let the Force flow through his body, strengthening his limbs and swung his fist hard into the creature's now-exposed kidney area. It struck, and his fist... plunged through. It was almost as if the creature's flesh was rotting away, and his hand was now covered in the grime and sludge that was it's body. It was nearly enough to make him vomit.

 

[Thalia Windraider]

Thalia kept firing her blaster at the creature, each bolt tore through flesh and with enough shots, she had managed to burn a hole until she was able to see bone. The creature though was relentless and while the other two took on her partnered stranger in this endeavor this one seemed to know it had the upper hand on Thalia. Every step it was taking, Thalia took a step backwards, firing her blaster until it ran out of shots and the girl resorted to throwing it at the creature instead while she pulled out her vibroblade.

It jumped at her, its speed seemingly unnatural as Thalia ducked out of the way, her vibroblade kept pointed at the beast as it came at her again, using its large claws to swipe across her midsection, but she came up with the weapon, slicing through its claws. It let out a long screech, echoing through the tunnels and it was met with an echo back of a similar screech. "Kriff...we're gonna die here..." but paused as the creature had snapped its head forward and released a fibrous semi-liquid from its mouth and splashed against her weapon arm.

Thalia stumbled back in shock and utter disgust until she could no longer feel her arm. In place there pins and needles one would feel when it fell asleep. With no feeling or control, the weapon dropped from her palm, however, something deep inside gave its command, it promised her safety and protection. The creature lunged at Thalia and she gritted her teeth and threw out her palm, the energies of an invisible power erupted from her fingertips, slamming the monster into the opposite wall of the tunnel.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak had no interest in remaining down here any longer. This place was filled with monsters and would certainly be the death of them both if they stayed here. He had always known there was a possibility he would die in combat, but this!? In a malodorous tunnel fighting some unknown monsters over a pair of macrobinoculars?! It would have made his entire life a waste, and the thought made his blood boil.

He leapt out of the way of another attack, no longer trying to attack the creatures. His mind turned now only to escape and what he would have to do to get out. Another attack dodged deftly, but he was running out of room.

That was when he felt a flux in the Force and the woman sent a burst out at the nearest creature. Who was she?! Was she a Jedi? A threat? It wasn't a coincidence that she was here. It couldn't be, and that made her a potential threat.

But he couldn't deal with that now. For now, he had to avoid being eaten or whatever these things wanted to do.

To the tunnel, he said, not sure if it was actually wise to warn her. He made a run back toward the tunnel they had come from, capitalizing on the hole in the creatures' formation that had been created by the Force push. @GABA

 

[Thalia Windraider]

It still left her in awe even though it was not the first time she has done such a feat. She glanced at her hand as though checking to see if there was something there but her attention shifted as the man called for them head back into the tunnel. Thalia did not argue, she wanted to get out and suddenly realized this was probably worse than the mines, not by much, but still was enough to prefer the familiarity and danger of ore compared to wart monsters.

The creatures were quick to catch on though, realizing their prey were escaping they began to regroup. Thalia regretted following this guy down here, a rabbit hole of nothing good, but that seemed to be the lesson of most these stories. Though it was her own fault and that was something she kicked herself repeatedly as she ran. Her lungs burned with every breath she was taking and the rush of adrenaline drove her closer to the exit.

Though the creatures were not too far behind, they seemed to be catching up but speed was not their strength. They cried out and spat at the two. Thalia saw the webbing fly overhead, she could feel wet spots on her back, but she was driven not by her own determination, but something else that pushed her, it continued to promise protection and she listened, feeling renewed strength as she could see where they hand entered.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak didn't wait for the woman that he had now decided was as likely as not to be an attempted assassin. Boy steals item, "runs into" woman who follows him into a drainage system filled with monsters. Of course, his theory would fit slightly better if she weren't on the verge of dying as well and had tried to kill him, but in the heat of the moment, he didn't have time to think about that.

He made his way to the exit, busting out the exit and leaving Thalia to the monsters if she couldn't get around them in time. The webbing only narrowly missed him as he dodged to the side of an unseen attack thanks only to the Force.

He had never been so happy to see the sun before, and as soon as he could, he slammed the exit closed again, sealing inside whatever was in there.

Who are you!? he immediately demanded of Thalia. Perhaps some of his anger was misplaced, but he was extremely suspicious of her, and he was going to get his answers.

 

[Thalia Windraider]

Thalia was right behind Talak, the creatures screams grew louder. She wasn't about to be left for fodder as she climbed up the incline and through the tunnel entrance as the man immediately closed the door, never bothering to make sure she had cleared it before it was slammed shut. However, Thalia did not care, she was never so pleased to be laying on the grimy streets of Taris as she tried to catch a full breath. Her arm was still numb, but she could feel some feeling return to her finger tips as she pushed herself upward only to be met by the stranger she followed and escaped with, yelling in demand for who she was.

The girl immediately fell into caution and vigilance, a new sense of danger grew in her gut and she pointed her vibroblade at him, keeping some space between the two. She was expecting him to bugger off after that ordeal, but instead his interest turned to her and she was confused, albeit annoyed at the confrontation.

"Why does it matter to you?" she snapped back, slowly rising to her feet. "Maybe I should ask who are you?" However, her thoughts went back to the tunnel and she remembered the magic she conjured against the creature. Her grip on the vibroblade tightened, she feared what he would do with that information and wondered if somehow the creatures in the tunnels were of her fault.

@Phoenix

 

[Talak Rand]

Talak wasn't amused. In fact, after that whole ordeal and with his hand still covered in guts, he was fully prepared to take it out on someone, and with his suspicions that she was either an assassin or some Jedi sent to investigate him, he was fully prepared to take it out on her.

Adding all of that to the fact that she was pointing a vibroblade at him, and he was livid.

Don't screw with me, he all but growled at her. I'm not the one who followed you down an alley or down into that place, he said. Should he just turn and walk away? That was actually probably his best choice if he were being honest, but if she were an assassin, that would just lend itself to more problems down the road, wouldn't it?

Kriff it, he thought. He could lose her, and if she wasn't actually anyone... well, then it would be a nonissue, wouldn't it. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you, he said, pointing a finger at her. She had the vibroblade, but in order to use it she'd have to close with him. If she had a second pistol she'd have used it down below most likely. Even so, he was careful as he began to walk away, likely leaving someone behind who was very, very puzzled by the actions of a bizarre stranger after a near death experience.