In a Galaxy far, far away...

[Pam0wl]

The sith was built for stamina, made to last long winded battles whilst still shoving out powerful bouts of the force. It would take some time to wear him down with pure saber technique alone. Vermon had spent years studying under the harsh masters of the Brotherhood. He himself had been moulded into a weapon - an extension of the darkside, just like his saber was an extension of his own arm. But in Vermon's power, so too lied his weakness. The more the sith sought and manifested physical, forceful power, he was also blinded and limited by it. He commanded the force, bent it to his vicious will rather than allow it fluidly guide his movements. That led to frustration and it showed in his bulging amber eyes.

No matter how fast he fast his mountain of muscles to move, he wasn't able to keep up with Al's movements. It was vexing, near infuriating. With every missed slash or jab, the sith sent out an equally devastating blast of the force, hoping to wear the jedi down or take him by surprise. "Stand and fight, you cowardly dog!" He snarled like a savage kath hound, gnashing his teeth in visible irritation. Yet the sith visibly twitched at Al's singular taunt; it appeared the jedi had found the chink in the sith's armour. And it sent him into a near blind rage.

Vermon made an vehement slash at Al's torso with one saber whilst the other aimed to take his legs. "I will kill you, jedi. Slowly. And painfully. When I recapture your little street rat of a student, I will make her listen as you beg for death!"

 

[Alastar-Ro]

Vermon had acted exactly as Al believed he would, rising to the taunt and swinging wholeheartedly at his being. Hed been lashing out with raw force blasts, bit his concentration was shook. Between that, and him holding two sabers, none of his blasts even came close to breaking Al's wall. He took note of Nyx's saber still in his grasp, a fact that bothered him inmensly.
"I will kill you, jedi. Slowly. And painfully. When I recapture your little street rat of a student, I will make her listen as you beg for death!"
Both of this mountains arms swung horizontal at Al, but this was the opportunity he'd been trying to create.
"You'll never touch her again!"
Hi threw his saber high into the air, diving forward into the space between Vermon's blade and Nyx. Reaching out and grabbing hold of Vermon's arm with one hand to balance himself, Al grabbed hold of Nyx's saber with the other, swinging his body around so that he could deliver a powerful kick directly to the Sith's mask, pushing himself off and away from him in the same motion while wrestling free his apprentices saber.
He pulled his own back to his right, and now with both he unleashes a flurry of righteous blows back at his opponent, switching completely to over to offensive forms to press his advantage while he still had it.

 

[Pam0wl]

Vermon mentally assessed his growing disadvantage of the situation. The jedi was proving to be more challenging than he originally thought; had the sith not been choked by his pure distain for Al, he may have even admired him for the cunning of his combat. But instead, Vermon was openly hateful and irritated. More so when Al had managed to disarm him of the blue saber. The Jedi was stronger than he appeared. Never in Vermon's training had a weapon been physically wrestled out from his hands. The mere thought turned the man into a raging beast. The sith let out of a bellow of fury, sending waves of the force crashing out.

His sole focus had become nothing more than the pursuit of complete and total destruction.

The thought of retreat didn't even enter his mind. If he dare to show his face in the light of failure, the consequences would be most unpleasant, even for a warrior of his standing amongst the Brotherhood. He thought it better to perish in a blaze of glory and take his enemy with him. Vermon chuckled, more to himself than anyone. But it was a horrible, disjointed sound, muffled by the confines of his breathing mask. "You think you've won, Jedi? This is only just the beginning. The Brotherhood is infinite. It is eternal. It lurk in the shadows unseen, waiting for the time to strike." The sith held off Al's double saber barrage -barely-, the mountain of a man would not give up an inch of the ground he had gained. But the battle of waning, his victory stolen from him. There was nothing else to do but charge for a final, fatal attack.

The dug a meaty paw into a pocket on his utility belt and with a masked sneered revealed a handful of familiar explosives, the same he had used in the market place. With a flick of the wrist the minitature explosives attached themselves to the surrounding structure, beeping into active mode. They would go off in seconds; Al would be able to see it, the madness in the Sith's eyes. He'd rather die and take Al with him than face his masters in failure. "The girl is a product of the dark side, jedi. It's in her blood. Not even you will be able to save her when the time comes."

Saying nothing more, the sith closed his eyes. The bombs detonated. And the building went up in a hellish mass of fire and destruction.

 

[Alastar-Ro]

Beep
He had seconds before he died. Al's mind raced with possibilities, but they all ended with death. He'd no time to run and escape, and even with the force he couldn't shield himself without some sort of cover.
Beep
But there was nothing! Naught but he and the Sith stood in this room, the latter of which was in the middle of saying something that Al didn't hear.
Beep
Think Al, think! Blast, there's no time! That coward of a Sith... ...! The Sith! Truth be told, Al had never seen a bigger man before.
Beep
Al rushed forward as the Sith closed his eyes, slapping his sabers to his belt and leaping forward. He grabbed hold of Vermon with both hands, using all of his strength to throw the Sith on top of him.
"They'll all fail, just like-!" He yelled defiantly, the last word drowned put by a deafening noise.

"Oh hell." Royce said out loud. The entire ship could see the explosion, squads of crew hands scrambled into gear somewhere no doubt to fight the flames before they spread, but Royce cared less about the ship than he did the fate of the Jedi who he knew stayed behind at that very location... for them, to give them a chance. He looked away, turning his gaze upon the young girl who may very well now be without her master.
"He's a Jedi man, they have powers!" Jericho said from backseat, visually bothered by the events.
"Yeah he's a Jedi, but he's also human." They were quiet as they docked, rushing Nyx to the medbay for tteatment. Royce and his crew didn't waste a moment returning to their cruiser, flooring it to the scene of the explosion to help, and possibly discover the fate of their new ally.

------------------------------

Al's eyes opened. Familiar white room, bacta tank. He knew exactly where he was. He didn't know how long his eyes had been closed, but it felt like days to him. He was so tired, his eyes fell shut once more. He might have caught sight of Nyx in the room as well as the blurred vision of others, maybe droids... but he wasn't sure of anything. He wanted to leave, he tried tapping the glass but found he couldn't move his arm. He looked down, discovering the cause of the phenomenon just as he faded to black once more.
Oh. He thought to himself. That's a good reason.
He lay there, passed out once more and naked. All three of his remaining limbs were intact, but they never found his left arm.

 

[Pam0wl]

Nyx had not left her master's side, not since they brought him back from the wreckage. Whilst she was spirited away, Nyx had fought to stay conscious. All she saw was the massive fireball that had engulfed the warehouse and the nearby structures. At first, it looked like there was no possible chance of survival. Fighting against the fatigue and pain that ravaged her body, Nyx wailed out through the force, desperately attempting to reach out to her master, searching the force for his signature. The soldiers accompanying her battled to keep the hysterical girl under control. Their words of comfort and condolence were lost on her. She just kept screaming for Al. Eventually, she felt the sharp pierce of a sedative sting into her neck. Dreamless darkness claimed her.

When she woke up, it was with a start. Before her body even registered the pain of her experience, she had flung herself out of the medical bay and dashed frantically to find Al. She could sense him! He was still alive! And nearby! Against the odds, her master had survived. She beamed at his prowess; she knew no sith was a match for Al. He seemed unbeatable, untouchable, almost inhuman...

Yet the sight of him in the bacta tank halted her. He did not look like a legendary hero Nyx often saw him as. He seemed more like a broken man - his mortality evident by his missing limb. Nyx wailed in despair at the sight of Al's mangled arm - so much so that it had caused the area nearby the tattle and shake through the force. Her hands pressed to the glass of the tank as she fell to her knees. Yet when Al raised the stump of his arm, Nyx recoiled back, as if unable to look at the sight of it. It was an ugly sight, still healing, fighting off infection. Nyx felt an array of emotions hit her all at once - sorrow, horror, anger, hopeless. They worked in such disarray none could fully take dominant hold of her - she simply sat limp next to Al as he floated in the bacta tank, unsure what to do, utterly lost as the day he found her.

When medical droids came to escort her away, Nyx crushed them without thought or hesitation. She didn't want to be separated from Al's side ever again, perhaps fearing she'd find him in worst state after. Even when he was finally removed from the take, Nyx was adamant to remain close by, denying any temptations of food or sleep. When another set of droids came to enforce care upon them, Nyx destroyed them as well. As Al had done a couple of months ago with her, Nyx sat by her fallen companion's side, unwilling to move. The stump that was his left arm glared at her in mortifying accusation. The young girl was wrought with pitiful grief. If Al hadn't come to save her, none of this would have happened. What would he think when he woke up? Would he blame her? It wouldn't make much difference...Nyx already blamed herself. Her inner voice was harsh, screaming at herself with hateful barbs. Only her concern for Al managed to keep the darkening thoughts from drowning her into madness. Nyx looked for an outlet, anything, but there was nothing. The female captain had warned her about damaging anymore of her property, seeming completely unsympathetic to Nyx's plight or even Al's disfigurement. The only way she was able to pacify Nyx was through forceful threats - if the young jedi continued her destructive, uncontrolled mourning then the captain -that hateful witch- would withhold addition care from Al until such time Nyx was able to control her. She said how easily the arm could be replaced with top of the range robotic prosthetics - yet it could also be left as it was, useless and without support.

With gritting teeth, Nyx somehow found the will to grudgingly restrain herself. Instead, she laid with her arms and head resting at Al's side, silently crying to herself. It was all her fault; if she had been stronger, she would have been able to defend herself. Al wouldn't have had to get involved. How dare she even be by his side...Nyx wouldn't even be able to look at herself after this. How could she even met Al's gaze? Was this truly what it meant to be a jedi teacher? To sacrifice time and flesh for a student? If that was case...Nyx didn't want to be Al's student anymore. She didn't want to put her friend at risk anymore.

"Al..." she sniffled, her tone woeful and broken, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."

 

[Alastar-Ro]

You almost lost it all.
You don't have to remind me, I was there.
You should have allowed me to help you. You know the power I possess, what we could accomplish together-
I said no. You just want another body to run rampant like before.
My concerns are as they've always been. The safety and longevity of the Ro family.
That's why you took my uncle? How'd that work out for you?
Not as I anticipated, but I learned much in defeat. I see that... I may have been wrong.
... Wrong how?
I believed myself the Shephard of my flock. But... you're not a flock, you're my children. A father protects his children until they can protect themselves. Until their father teaches them to do so. I've failed... and I must rectify that failure.
I don't need help.
You almost lost that young girl.
You sound like you care.
I DO care! Don't you understand at least that about me? That child adores you, admires you. She has a wonderful gift. You cannot allow the Sith to have her.
... I understand less about you everytime we talk, or whatever you call this.
Please Alastar, I beg of you. Let me train you, teach you what I know.
I'm no student of the darkside.
Nor should you, the dark side suits you little. You draw strength from the light, you have a righteousness I haven't witnessed in thousands of years.
What are you proposing exactly?
Overseeing you. I've seen where and how you struggle, I know that I can help. I'm not offering you power Alastar, though you'll likely gain plenty of it... I'm offering you control, knowledge, I'm offering you my loyal fealty. I'm offering you my word. Please... please give me a chance.
... I don't have an answer for you, but I will when next we speak.
Good enough for now, then. Arise, reassure that sweet child of you're health.

Al gasped for breath, opening his eyes and coughing up a phlegm like substance they had coated his throat with, gelled oxygen.
*Gasp*
"Hey..." He huffed, immediately finding Nyx next to him. "You should... you should see the other guy." He tried to smile, but the skin on his face was freshly grafted as burns riddled his body everywhere, every movement was agony. He did however manage to raise what was left of his eyebrows like he was smiling.

 

[Pam0wl]

Nyx, in her dazed, sleep deprived state, started up when Al gasped back to life. She instantly reached for him but seemed to stop herself, again, her eyes falling guiltily on his mangled form. She flinched, her gaze once again unconsciously drifting down to his left arm. Bacta jell would sooth his burns and heal the patchwork of scars, but his arm...

"Al..." Nyx's eyes were already puffy and red, though they seemed to glisten again with unshed tears - as hard as she tried to fight them back. One thing was for sure...Nyx looked as ugly a baby Hutt when she cried. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault." She rubbed her sore eyes harshly, trying to dispel the tears away. "I should have fought against him. I-it's what you train me for. A student should protect their teacher. If I was strong enough...none of this would have happened."

The kiffar hung her head in apparent shame and despair. What does going to happen now? How could Al go on? Nyx would feel utterly hopeless if she was in such a state. Again, she felt guilty. It should be her burdening such wounds, not her master. It was her fault this had happened to him. "I'll make this right, Al. I can call Master Alani, maybe she can help?" She seemed desperate to make the situation better, anything to make it right.

Al could practically feel the self loathing rolling off the girl. She shouldered more of the blame than anyone. Her burns seemed superficial compared to that of the man who laid before her. "I understand if...you don't want me to be your student anymore."

 

[Alastar-Ro]

He winced with pain. Being alive hurt like hell... but he preferred pain to the alternative. Nearly every inch of his body was sore or enflamed. With his right arm he felt his head, relief took hold as he grabbed a full head of hair. Joking aside, he looked down at his arm and froze up some.
That was a costly battle...
Nyx broke down on him, crying her eyes out despite his low attempts to hush her. She looked awful, he could see and smell that she'd hardly if ever left his bedside since he arrived. Al sensed the guilt and self loathing, feelings which ultimately could have woken him from his chemically induced coma.
"Esther Nyx, stop this foolishness. We're at war kid, the Sith will do anything to gain the upper hand." Just that sentence winded him, Al's state of being tried to offset him, though he shook it off.
"That was a-*huff*" He took a few breaths to steady himself. "He was a full fledged Sith, completely outside the realm of what you can handle." He paused, looking regrettably at his figure. "And I was careless. I underestimated him... so please, Nyx. If I'm to bear your feelings in this state, let them be of pride." He didn't want to stop before he finished, but he had to take time to breathe again. His lungs took a beating beneath all of the smoke and ash, and he was sweating bullets at the effort.
"You withstood what most could not, a fact independent of your training. You've got strength, the kind you can't make stronger with exercise... and I am so proud of you."
He raised his right arm and parted her hair from her face, brushing under her eyes with his thumb to take away her tears.
"We're alive and you're safe, and that's all you need be concerned about. I'd gladly give my remaining arm to ensure such an outcome." Though separated from the shoulder, Al still felt the sensation of his lost limb. It was unnerving how he still tried to call upon its use, like the news that it wasn't there had yet to reach his brain.
A med droid approached, but hesitated in an obvious manner at the sight of Nyx. Seeing Al awakened however, it resumed it's operations and began to tap away at the monitor next to his bed, opposite of the girl.
"Captain Cindel has instructed me to oversee your recuperation. If it's all the same to you sir, I'd like to put you under once more. Your lungs still aren't up to working without aid, and it's an uncomfortable process to be awake for."
"In a moment. Where are my belongings? I need something."
"Just a moment sir." The droid walked to a container, pulling out a tray. Al's heart sank when he saw the state of his jacket. His arm wasn't the only thing lost, his left sleeve was completely gone at the shoulder. The droid approached as Al looked over at his things, having to turn his body some to reach with his right arm. Gently he moved the jacket aside, rummaging for what he sought after. He noticed his lightsaber wasn't among his things, another fact that worked hard to depress him. Putting that aside he did find Nyx's saber still attached to his belt. He unclipped it, thanking the droid and sinking back into the bed.
"Here kid, I got this back." He extended his arm, offering her the saber in his grasp.

 

[Pam0wl]

The blue eyed kiffar's sniffled slowly subsided, though she did not look utterly convinced by his words. But she couldn't help but weakly smile - even in such a dire situation, Al seemed to able to find the silver lining. Silently, Nyx pondered the recent events, trying to make sense of it all. The Sith had said things to her, terrible things - even tortured her as he did so. It unsettled her on a number of different levels; from one perspective, the power of their enemy truly hit home. The sith was capable of great destruction, even going toe to toe with Al and leaving behind a trial of destruction. Another worrying facets were the promises of power the sith had made, the temptation of knowledge and how it was somehow connected to her father. Just rethinking the thoughts gaze Nyx a headache. For now, she pushed the troubles aside, seeing no need to discuss them now. The only thing that matter was Al's recovery. Everytime he wheezed and attempted to speak, Nyx flinched, empathetically sharing in Al's pain. She was partly the relieved when the droid suggested further rest, though she was surprised when Al wanted something from his belongings.

Her saber - she felt almost unworthy of it, especially as it was in the filthy hands of that sith. But, regardless, Nyx took it back when it was offered, reluctant at first. Yet when she held it firmly in her grasp, she tightened her hold on it, seeming afraid to ever let it go again. Absently, she glanced aside, pondering the fate of Al's saber. The cities hired soldiers were still searching the destroyed warehouse; soon they would move onto the sith's impounded ship. Perhaps they'd find something important.

With a gentle goodbye, Nyx waited until Al went back under before she unwilling dragged herself away from his side. No doubt if he was still able to breath comfortably, he'd tell her to get some rest and a much needed shower. But there was something she wanted to check out first - whilst the droid busied itself with monitoring Al's vitals, Nyx flicked through the rest of Al's papers. She even found the preliminary plans for the replacement for Al's lost limb. She trolled through the schematics for the prosthetic arm and she instantly frowned at the designed. They seemed simplistic and basic, the minimal requirements. There were much better options available - Al only deserved the best. And Nyx knew where to find it.

Leaving the medical centre, Nyx negated her way through the hub of the city's main building. She had one destination in mind, one person in mind. The infamous captain. If anyone could help Al, it would be the master of the city.

She entered Captain Cindel's office (word seems to spread amongst the droids - they seem hesitant to stop her). The kiffar probably looking half as hellish as Al. Nevertheless, she marched in undeterred, looking determined and focused -despite the lack of consolidated sleep-. She only waited for a moment, but Captain Cindel seemed more interested in whatever reports she was reading than the dishevelled jedi standing before her. Eventually, Nyx lost her patience, breaking the silence with a singular statement.
"I want to make a deal..."

 

[Alastar-Ro]

How I loathe paperwork.
It had been a full week since the incident, one that shook the foundation of her ship. There had never been an attack aboard her vessel before, none that her men didn't squash before it became out of hand. But this? Whole blocks of businesses shut down from dust alone, hundreds of petitions for a cease on rent until damages are paid. And she'd be damned if someone else weren't going to pay for all this, but who? The Jedi? One was half dead in her medbay, his apprentice next to useless since she woke up. She clenched a fist in frustration, then swiped the pile of petitions away, watching them dance through the air until they reached the ground.
"Droid, pick those up." She said with an air if irritation.
"Yes Captain."
"That blasted Jedi. He couldn't have killed the Sith before they both blew up?"
She needed to regain order, show she were still in control. Stop these blasted rent requests. The droid placed a neat stack on her desk once more, she felt like shooting both the droid and the petitions, then walking out onto the streets and blasting all the owners who thought they could take advantage of the situation.
Nyx strolled in at that moment, though Cindel didn't bother acknowledging her. What more could the girl want? Her Master received care, not free care, but care nonetheless. And she didn't charge the deviant for her destroyed droids. She focused on her paperwork rather than give the brat the satisfaction of attention which she obviously craved.
"I want to make a deal..."
Her pen stopped for a moment, then kept working.
"I require the services of a Jedi, girl. Not whatever you are."
Her tone was harsh, but still... her interest was peaked.

 

[Pam0wl]

Nyx did not flinch under the stern gaze of Captain Cindel - she had dealt with some of the most hardened criminals on Nar Shaddaa - yes, this woman was intimidating (almost as bad as Master Onstella) but right now Nyx was driven by something greater than fear - it was her familial love for Al. She could do little to help him at the moment, but by proxy, she could ensure he received the best treatment and advantages, not just the bare minimal care he had already received. Again, Nyx advanced, reaching out through the force slightly, trying to see what exactly Cindel wanted in exchange.

"I am a jedi, just like my father before me." The determination of her tone seemed more convincing than her appearance. Absently, her hand touched her saber in silent relief for its return "But if that means as a little to you and I think it does, then allow me to put it into a bit of perspective. I am the closest thing you have to a jedi at the moment and I know for a fact that no other jedi, apart from Al who is currently indisposed, would do any business with you."

Nyx knew how to bargain and deal - it was just like making a trade, a service for a service. "What sort of 'services' do you require?" The blue eyed girl racked her brain for scattered thoughts, "But, in exchange, there is something I want. The prosthetics for Al's arm. I want him to get the best you can offer, not some piece of junk put together by blind jawas." The girl continued to approach, her eyes glancing over the pile of papers stacked on Captain Cindel's desk. Removing her glove, Nyx ran a finger near the pile, before selecting a few pieces seemingly at random. But it wasn't random to her - she sensed devious, greedy intentions attached to those few petitions.

"I'm a kiffa-" She tapped at the markings on cheek "-I'm not sure if you know what that implies, but through the forceI can see the past and, at times, the future. These petitions are fraudulent. The ones who wrote them out damaged their own properties after the explosion in order to cash in. There's also a couple of more in that pile, so I wouldn't be very hasty signing them. It will only further damage your reputation of this vessel if people learnt how easy it is to trick you. I can point out the rest of the fraudsters now - as a sign of good will.

The cheeky teenager only let a slither of her smug smile shine through. She was demonstrating her abilities, though somewhat exaggerating them, all in the hopes of winning the Captain's favour. She had nothing else to bargain with - she just had to hope it would be enough to convince the steely Captain of her worth. "I'll ask again. What services do you require of a jedi?"

 

[Alastar-Ro]

Well, the girl certainly could toss words around that's for sure. The Captain feigned disinterest, waiting for Nyx to either give up something worth her time, or leave. She laughed quietly to herself as Nyx gave her terms without even a bargaining chip!
And why would I waste the resources on your Master? Little bird, this had best lead to something worth my while... She grew impatient of talk. Cindel had made it clear that she required a Jedi, what could this girl offer her?
"I'm Kiffa-" Cindel stopped, edging her eyes upward. She knew of her people, though the exact details of their powers eluded her. As Nyx continued however, she visibly grew more and more intrigued.
"I can point out the rest of the fraudsters now - as a sign if goodwill."
Her brain worked quickly, considering her options and weighing alternatives, grinding out the details in a manner truly befitting a professional.
"You, little bird, are no Jedi. Not yet. You know it as well as I, but..." She stood up and began a slow step, pacing around Nyx with the eyes of a serpent.
"Those who defy me, they know not the difference. You will go, show them Cindel has a Jedi in her employ. They think their livelihood gone now? Make an example of them, destroy them! Ruin them! Call upon your magics and rip their goods apart!"
She grazed Nyx shoulder to shoulder with one of her long nails, a twisted smile played out on her face. Then she sat back in her chair, tapping her nails on the desk.
"Do this, and I will make arrangements for your master."
-----------------------
Al rested seemingly easy in the medbay, body unmoving, oxygen supplied through the gel in his throat. Indeed he didn't stir, but for his mind there was no rest.
Are you prepared, young Alastar?
Yes, so long as you recall my terms.
They're not an issue. I told you, I've no interest in tempting you to the darkside.
Then let's begin.

 

[Pam0wl]

Nyx visibly shuddered at Cindel's words - it had then dawned on her that perhaps she had overplayed her hand with this deadly gamble. What Captain Cindel asked of her...it was not the jedi way. It went against everything Al had taught her; the force was not used to harm others, to 'destroy' and 'ruin'. But she couldn't get the image of Al's mangle arm out of her mind. The mere thought of it caused her to grind her teeth in sheer anger. Because of her, because of the sith, her mentor and brother-like figure laid nearly crippled on a medical bed awaiting treatment. The very least Nyx could do was ensure he received the best care - she had met many with artificial replacement limbs. Some adapted to the transition well, others did not. Deep down, Nyx hoped Al would take the change well; but it was a long and arduous process to endure. She had to be there for him, but also ensure he had the best possible chances.

With a laboured pause, Nyx finally ceded to Cindel's terms. "Deal..." But the kiffar leaned forward, eyeing the serpent Cindel like a hissing Nexu, "But Al never hears of this...And he had better have a new arm by the time I get back." She let the unspoken threat in her tone linger.

This woman had already proved to be vicious and perhaps even treacherous; if betrayed in anyway, Nyx would not hesitate to unleash all her fury on the space station - until everything was destroyed and ruined. The dangerous glint in her eye would tell the Captain that much.

Without another word, Nyx left the Captain's office. With a silent glance at Al as she passed by the medical centre, she went out into the galactic travelling city, like a predator hunting down prey that were the scoundrels trying to trick the fearsome Captain Cindel. It did not take the kiffar long to track them down - growing tension and unrequited anger seemed to heightened her focus. Lurking near the original site of the explosion, the blue eyed deviant unleashed chaos and retribution, dulling out destructive punishment to those the Captain had deemed guilty. Their stocks were destroyed with mighty, explosive shoves from the force, temporary stalls were torn to sunder and the devious merchants themselves were sent fleeing like rodents fleeing a blazing inferno. Their cries fell on deaf ears - Nyx was utterly focused on her task. Though she initially hesitated at first, the reluctance slowly bled away. Perhaps she venting all the negative emotions that threatened to drown her; her frustrations, her anger and her grief morphed into grotesque bouts of destruction. She could hear the sith's diabolical laughter tickle at the back of her mind - blindly her eyes searched for him, eager for another confrontation, hoping perhaps this time would see her as the victor, not just some helpless youngling.

But there was no true enemy. The sith was defeated already -at Al's sacrifice-. The treacherous vendors punished. There was just Nyx left standing amongst the ruins and flames. Perhaps the only thing keeping her from succumbing to the darkness within was the thought of Al - How disappointed he would be if he learnt of her actions, as misplaced as her intentions were.

Perhaps that's why she didn't visit his side again after her return in the early hours of the next morning. She simply searched for somewhere secluded, away from the overwhelming presence of the grand starship city. Everything just seemed so suffocating now, a heavy weight crashing down on her. So she did what she always did when she felt the burden growing too great - secreting a hit of powdered spice from her stash. Just a dab on the tongue. It drowned out the outside world, even dampening her connection with the force, numbing her to all the experiences that had recently transpired. As her eyes slowly closed, sleep finally ensnaring her, she hoped that by the next morning, everything would just be a bad dream.

Al...I'm sorry...
@Alastar-Ro

 

[Alastar-Ro]

You seem troubled. The voice of his ancestor was ever present in his sleep, his only company during the untrackable hours of his coma. Focus on the task at hand, I sense you'll soon be reacquainted with the world of the awake.
I thought I'd sensed something, but... nevermind. I can't tell what's going on out there with my body sedated like this.
You've learned much in your time here young Alastar, it is my hope that you'll seek me out once more when awakened. I still have much knowledge to bestow upon you.
You've been helpful... but-
You still do not trust me?
And how exactly could I? You've tempted members of our line to power more times than I've swung a lightsaber, a few hours of polite conversation doesn't-
Hours? It's been over a week young Ro. We've been practicing here together in your mind for nine days.
That can't be... or perhaps my time here has skewed my perception.
Our time is up. Remember young Ro, practice what you've learned. You are the last of our line, don't let us fall so easily.
Al's thoughts drifted for a moment before he realized he were transitioning from his meditated state to an uncomfortable awakening. Violently he coughed out the gel that filled his throat, opening his eyes to a blinding light and turning over in his bed. His eyes teared up as recycled air grazed through his raw throat like razor blades, he'd have thrown up if there were anything solid inside of him. Then he noticed the hand that grabbed the rail of the bed he were on, not his own but working as his regardless.
"What the hell did you do to me?" He asked nobody in particular.
Looking around for the first time he found a medical droid, two armed security, and Captain Cindel present. Nyx was nowhere to be seen.
"What is... no. I remember, I remember the battle. Where is my apprentice, where's Nyx?"
"Easy, you've had a rougher go of it than most. She's fine, she's around somewhere. Now listen to me, take this advice from someone who's lost their limbs before." She motioned to her own cybernetics, then to Al. He looked down at his arm. "That piece right there is state of the art cybernetics, but even so, there will be a torturous adjustment period for you. Don't reject it, accept it, accept that it's there as a replacement for what you've lost, even if it'll never replace the original."
Al's teeth clenched as he felt a wave of nausea come over him.
"Thank you for what you've done. I owe you a favor, though you may wish to wait a while before-"
"We're squared up for the arm Al, though for the Sith attack? Not so much. I'll call on you someday for that, but you won't have to worry for a while yet." She smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking him over with curiosity, then turned with her escort to leave him there.
He struggled to get up out of the bed but found that at least his legs were in working order. He moved the arm. A thin, smooth black metal plated the outside in grooves shaped as the muscle structure that once was there, protecting the cybernetics inside. It was plated, so that the metal in the shoulder overlapped the triceps as he raised it, then seamlessly slipped out as he lowered. There was complete freedom of motion, full flexibility, and he realized that upon contact it sent feedback not unlike the actual sensation of touch, enough at least that he could feel things in his hand. This arm cost a fortune, the concept of Cindel giving it to him for free was one he couldn't form, which left him worried as to how exactly it came to be attached to his shoulder. Pushing that aside for the moment, Al forced himself down the corridors searching for Nyx, hoping she were somewhere close so that he could reaquire his belongings, her, and leave this awful city.

 

[Pam0wl]

Nyx had huddled herself away in a service corridor, more frequented by droids than actual humans. It was dark and secluded - yet Nyx had found it somewhat comforting whilst she shifted through her muddled, drugged thoughts. She had been there for hours, but to her, it felt like days. The spice had only been a small hit, enough to take the edge off. She felt as if she was floating, numb to the rest of the world and to the force. Her eyes glassy and unfocused. Memories faded and sprouted, imagination leaking in warping certain thoughts. It had been at least a month since her last fix - the gaps between dosages were slowly becoming more closely intertwined. As concerning as it was, she simply didn't care. That was the pleasure of spice, it simply made all the horrible thoughts and emotions bleed away, leaving behind only artificial contention. It gave her some peace, even if it was only for a couple of hours. Spice was fast becoming a crutch for Nyx; though she had yet to tell Al, her visions were becoming more erratic. She hungered for knowledge but lacked the discipline to moderate it. With each touch, she was looking into unseen worlds, lost times; and in the back of her mind, the Sith's words lingered, taunting her. Tormenting her. Tempting her. Yet more shame she didn't want to face.

When the door snapped opened, Nyx swiftly shielded her sensitive eyes from the blinding light that came flooding in. She groaned, the brightness of the lighting seared her vision. Grimacing, she slowly peeked at the one who had disturbed her.

"Al?" She mumbled, shaking off the lingering effects of the spice. By now its immediate effects had subsided. To anyone else, Nyx would just appear somewhat tired and fatigued.

Slowly, she rose, though this was laboured due to prolonged lack of mobility. She was unsteady for a moment before righting herself. She held her head as if in pain for a moment before finally looking at Al...or rather, his arm. Her empty blue eyes wandered down to Al's new cybernetic arm. Though some may think she was staring in awkwardness of it, Nyx was instead intently detailing the limb, assessing it. She gave a subtle nod, as if she approved, before quickly riveting back to reality and focusing on Al's face. A smile tried to form, though it soon died. She couldn't face him, couldn't even look him in the eye, not after what she had done. Instead, she hid her hesitation with a theatrical yawn, keeping her gaze low and unfocused. She had so many things to say but where to begin? In the end, she cowed and instead simply asked, "Can we go now?"

She wanted to leave the city just as quickly as he did. The sooner they left the floating space station, the better.

@Alastar-Ro