Ask Corellia Initiation

[Talon Caillte]

Initiation

Two years ago...

The pitter patter of boots through shallow puddles reverberated off the tunnel walls around him.

"Get back here you little shit!" called a lank haired human named Buck. The guy was pissed and tearing down the sewer after the little thief that'd stolen his wallet.

Talon didn't waste any time looking over his shoulder, he was in his home turf. The sewers of Coronet city were a labyrinth of twisting and turning tunnels all spiderwebbing out form the center of the city. It'd been days since his last meal and the few mangey credits the dope behind him carried would go a long way toward a hot meal. His mouth started watering despite the stench of sewer wafting up from the putrid water he was ankle deep in.

The little urchin rounded a corner and—WHAM!

"Gah!?" yelped Talon as he bounced backward into the water. He blinked shaking his head then looked up. A menacing Gammorian leered down at him. The pickpocket didn't waste time apologizing he scrambled backward and started to get up when something snatched him up by the collar of his threadbare vest, "Hrrk!?"

"Gotcha ya, ya little bastard!" barked Buck. He drew back to hit Talon, but the little guy whimpered with tears in his eyes and Buck hesitated... just long enough for Talon to draw back and kick Ole' Buck right in the balls. "OYIIIEEEE!" Squeaked Buck before he let go of Talon and dropped to his knees cupping the shattered remains of his family jewels. Talon quickly fished out the credits from the wallet and threw the empty case back to it's owner, before getting the hell out of there...

"Whew... that was a close one..." he muttered to himself as he took the correct turn and disappeared into the bowels of the city. He was late meeting Driggs. That meant a beating, but since he'd earned a few credits to give, maybe it wouldn't be that bad?

———​

Present day...

Talon's arms pumped as sprinted toward the mouth of the sewer.

"C'mon Drayan, we're almost there!" he called over his shoulder. A blaster bolt slammed into the wall beside him striking a light and spraying the two boys in a shower of sparks, "Shit!" hissed Talon, he stumbled, but he didn't quit moving. They were almost there... Almost to the check point!

"This way, they're trying to escape, Ren send Clepp around. We'll cut'em off!" The voice was one Talon and Dreyan knew well. Driggs. The bastard had kept the two under lock and key for nearly two years before they'd managed to escape and join the Rust Worms... In all honesty, it wasn't really that much of a step up, but you had to mess up pretty good to get a beating, so that was a plus.

Another bolt slammed into the wall scoring the duracrete. Talon covered his face with his arm and ducked. "Man, he's pissed!" yelped Talon.

The mouth of the sewer was five meters away. Waning golden light poured though the mouth as if heave was just through that opening. But Talon knew better. He picked up the pace. His adrenaline starting to peak, he looked over at Dreyan and said, "Last one out has to give up morning rations!"

Then he was airborne... the sewer was behind him and below... well below was a river that he hoped was still deep enough to save his ass.

 

[Dreyan]

Two years ago…

The sound of feet hitting the water echoed through the sewers. A solitary form moved in the shadows. It was Dreydan, one of the many orphans that lived in Corellia these days. He needed to reach Driggs before time was out or he would receive a spanking. The boy could still feel the pain from the last one.

He was carrying the spoils of his latest visit to the surface, a fancy collar and a bunch of credits. The first was stolen from a Twi’lek woman that was foolish enough to approach him after the boy had faked being hurt and crying in a corner of the street, when she crouched to see him, the Near-human snatched the jewel out of her neck and ran for it. He ended up being pursued by some guards, but once he jumped inside the first manhole they ended up deciding that it wasn’t worth getting dirty because of it.

The boy didn’t know at the time, but Dreyan would come to love how the Corellian security forces were so disinterested with their jobs.

The second item was stolen more smoothly. He was walking among the crowd, this time in another area of Coronet city. Then he saw the perfect target, a fat human male with a full wallet lying slightly out of his pocket. With fast movements, the boy approached and retrieved it. Once it was at his hands, the boy disappeared in the crowd. The guy didn’t even notice that all his money was gone.

At least that was what Dreyan thought, he didn’t stay around to see the man’s reaction. He wasn’t dumb, not anymore.

While he ran through the sewer, the boy heard some sounds in the distance. He ignored them, more interested in thinking if what he collected would give him a large ration at this day.

—--------------------------------------------------​

Present day

“It’s Dreyan!” the white-haired boy screamed, while he ducked his head to avoid the blaster bolt. By this point the boy didn’t care that Talon said his name wrong, he was already used to it. He only screamed out of habit, because the first time that it happened he was really pissed. However, the Near-human had developed his own way of getting back at the Sephi, by calling him Mr. Pointy Ears.

Driggs voice in the distance made Dreyan run faster. The last time that he heard the man talk this way was when one of his henchmen screwed a business so badly that the boy never saw the Trandoshan again. Only now he understands what could have happened with the guy, and he didn’t want to have the same end.

“Duh, it’s obvious that he is pissed.” Dreyan said, while staying close to Talon. “I picked a farewell gift.” the boy smiled deviously at the other, while removing a small box from his pocket. “No idea what this shit is, though. Didn’t have time to open.” the two would have time to open it later.

If they escaped, of course.

Once they arrived at the mouth of the sewer, the two only had two choices. Jump in the river below, or stay behind and be caught by Driggs. Dreyan obviously chose the first. “Nope. Imma not going to feed you again, Mr. Pointy Ears.” after saying it, the white-haired boy jumped. Like Talon, he hoped that the water would be deep enough to save his life.

If not, he was already going to die anyway.


@Zay

 

[Talon Caillte]

Two years ago…

Talon’s hands shook. He was standing outside of Drigg’s hovel. The Weequay kept a number of orphan’s on his payroll and he ran his little ring of thieves ragged with the promise of a warm meal and a soft bed. His stomach growled and he gripped his vest pulling it over his stomach as if to smother his hunger pangs.

The sound of a sharp smack followed by urgent protestations in a voice as high as Talon’s let the Sephi know the kid before him hadn’t earned enough. Driggs did thing’s fair. Well, as fair as life got for a kid with no advocate on the occupied planet. The game was simple. Bring him something worth two hundred credits, get food. Miss the deadline or come up short, and you get nothing, well that wasn’t true, you got the shit beat out of you.

Talon swallowed. He pulled out the wallet he’d stolen for Buck… it was short six credits. Not much, but not enough. The little urchin suddenly found himself pleading with the gods to let Driggs miscount or give him a pass—

The door creaked open and a kid a few years older, but still shorter, than Talon stepped out. One of his eyes was swollen shut, and his lip was busted. His eyes spit fire in their adolescent anger and Talon looked away.

“Next, and by the GODS you’d better have— AH!” started Driggs, “Well, if it isn’t young Talon…” his voice was like poisoned honey. So sweet yet so dangerous. “I must be mistaken, I was under the impression that your appointment was an hour ago, was it not?”

Talon tried to speak, but The Weequay cut him off, “You are aware of the late fee, are you not?”

The Orphan’s face screwed up incredulously, “The late fee?”

“Yes, it’s a new policy I’m implementing because tardiness isn’t something I can’t bear to tolerate any longer,” a wicked sneer sliced across his lips, “Can you guess what the fee is?”

Talon’s heart sank.

Driggs’s sneer spread into a mirthless smile, “I can see you have a few ideas,” the smile dropped away and quick as a snake The Weequay’s hand snapped out and grabbed Talon by the collar of his shirt. Fear and panic exploded across Talon’s expression. Tears started to well up in the corners of his eyes, as he was thrown into the room. The door slammed behind them and Driggs stalked toward him.

Twenty of the longest minutes of his life later, Talon was released. The money he’d stolen from Buck had been taken and he’d had the shit beat out of him regardless. A hard shove in the back was how he’d reentered his sewers. His weakened body crumpled under the unexpected blow and he landed hard on the duracrete ground. Driggs voice roared, reverberating off the walls, “Get up you worthless piece of trash! If you ever show up here late and without all my money again, I’ll fucking kill you!”

The Weequay slammed the door shut, and Talon curled up into a ball and let out a silent sob. He was cut off when he heard the sound of footsteps drawing near. He sniffed pushing himself up, he’d get that bastard back one day. He swore it.

———​

SPLASH

Talon was underwater. He was disoriented, but the flash of blaster bolts punching into the surface oriented him quickly enough. The current was way stronger than he’d expected and he found himself relenting and following the flow of the river. The threat of impending death kept him underwater until his lungs burned and begged for air.

The Urchin’s head burst from the water and he sucked in air greedily as he tried to calm his heart rate. His head whipped back to the protruding tunnel he’d just emerged from. It was a good two hundred meters away, and as the current carried him further away Talon couldn’t help but let an excited smile spread across his face.

Well, that is… until he realized he didn’t see his partner in crime anywhere. Talon pushed himself underwater and did his best to peer through the mire of a Coronet City run off. Panic started to set in as his initial fervor began to settle. Talon managed to doggie paddle to the bank on the opposite side of the river and wretched. He didn’t remember swallowing a gut full of water, but as it expelled itself from his body, he knew it to be true.

He rolled over on his back breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to calm down. What was Dreyan saying right before they jumped? Something about a box, right? Talon sat up just in time to spot his buddy wading out of the water.

“Ugh, I thought I was finally free of you…” he pretended. In truth, he considered the other kid to be the closest thing to family he had. Not that he’d ever say it out loud. That’d be lame.

“Let’s see that box. You think the water messed up what’s inside?” he asked, as the other guy made it out of the water.

@LouJoVi

 

[Dreyan]

Two years ago…

By an act of luck, Dreyan was able to arrive some seconds before their time was up. This meant that he wasn’t going to be punished for being late. However, being early there doesn't mean that he could receive a punishment. It could still come if Driggs deemed that his efforts for the day weren’t good enough.

While he waited in the line with the other kids, the white-haired boy moved his weight from one foot to the other. He had seen how some of the children that entered before him returned crying, limping and with obvious bruises in their faces. Dreyan silently prayed that he wasn’t going to end this way.

When his time had come, Dreyan took a deep breath and walked inside Driggs’ room. Inside, the Weequay looked at him with a malicious smile. “Ah, if it wasn’t Dreyan. Finally someone that was right on time.” the sweet tone of his voice made the boy shiver. “I really hope that you were able to bring something good. I’m tired of dealing with incompetence today.”

The Urchin slowly approached the Weequay and deposited the credits and the collar that he had stolen in the table. He nervously played with his shirt while Driggs evaluated the possessions that he had brought. His boss looked at the collar without much interest, before counting the credits.

“Well, you brought me a piece of garbage.” Driggs said, while throwing the collar away. Dreyan flinched. “But the credits are good.” he rose from his seat, before approaching the white-haired boy, who stiffened when the adult tapped his head. “Good job.” he relaxed, but soon regretted it when the Weequay pulled his hair, making the child look at his face.

“Next time that you bring garbage to me, you’ll regret it. I don’t have time to deal with these useless things. Do you understand?” Dreyan nodded, making Driggs smile. “Good, now out here!” the Weequay said, before throwing the boy on the floor. He scurried away from here as fast as he could.

Once outside, Dreyan rushed out of the room. Then, he heard someone crying. The child followed the sound and found another boy curled and crying on the floor. He wasn’t sure what made him approach the other that day, but it would change his life completely. “Do you need help?” he said, while touching the other boy’s shoulder.

—------------------------------------------------​

Present day

Dreyan tried to remain underwater as long as he could. The sound of blasters on the surface was a good incentive to make him stay this way. It was dark, making him incapable of seeing where Talon was and the strong current didn’t allow him to search for his friend. The only thing that he could do was to follow the flow of the river.

When it became impossible for him to stay underwater, with his lungs begging for air, Dreyan came to the surface. He did it right on time to see Talon swimming to a bank of river and he followed the other boy with the same doggie paddle. After all, it was Talon who had taught him how to swim.

“Best luck next time.” Dreyan smirked at Talon, before falling seated next to him. The white-haired boy knew that the other boy wasn’t being serious. They were a family, even if none of them told it to the other. “This one was really close.” he said, while looking in the direction that they came. Driggs was probably furious.

His attention turned to his friend when he mentioned the box. “Ah, yeah.” the white-haired boy removed it from his pocket. The box was a bit larger than his hand. “I don’t know. The locker is so strange, there is no place to put a key.” it was a simple golden circle with some symbols. “I took it because it’s pretty.” he said, showing the red and black patterns that covered it. “What do you think that can be inside?”

@Zay