Ask [Rattatak] Torn

[Zactar Hakka]

As his amber eyes left the charred corpse on the ground in front of him, he was relieved to see Celeste fully intact without blaster burns. Zack momentarily thought to apologize for his blunder in the hallway but dismissed it; it was in the past. All they could do was move forward. With the sound of the chains and blaster fire having echoed through the compound, it wasn't long before they could hear a chorus of shouts coming from deeper within, followed shortly thereafter by the stampede of approaching bootfalls.

Celeste's words echoed in his mind after she'd said them. Don't hold ba...hold back...D-Don't hold back. Each repetition of the words increased his heart rate and anger until the point of boil-over, his teeth grit and eyes focused on the doorway in front of them, chest rising and falling in great heaves. The seconds ticked by like days - weeks - as they awaited their prey, the thundering of approaching soldiers echoing louder as the tension thickened in the air.

The first henchman through the door met its end far too quickly as his face was crushed into the door frame via Zactar’s telekinetic grip, his limp body then flung to the side to allow more of the fools to approach. Two more guards pushed in, firing blaster carbines at the two intruders but their shots were immediately deflected back at the doorway with a one-handed swing of Zactar’s modified Makashi/Djem So fighting style.

Dashing to the right to allow greater maneuverability for him and his companion, Zack cut through the two guards with a long horizontal slash before returning to a neutral guard for the next to approach. That was when he heard the repeating beeps of a thermal detonator being tossed through the doorway…

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

They were coming, yet Celeste was pretty sure that they had no idea what exactly coming for them. She quickly glanced upwards to assure herself that there were no surveillance cameras and a smirk crossed her lips as she had that certainty. They might have come into the wolf's den, but they were the predators here and with a nod in his direction she reassured him to go on again.

Her lightsaber was still ready in her right hand, her grasp tightening around the hilt while she moved forward and out of the door again, following closely behind Zack from whom she could literally feel the anger radiate. That was a good thing in this setting as they could both allow themselves to feel all emotions involved without repressing anything. This wasn't about control, no matter how much effort Celeste usually put into maintaining control. The deep running ferocity was unleashed one last time in order to end this and she couldn't wait to exterminate those bastards.

Before Celeste had reached the doorframe, her companion had already efficiently dealt with the first wave of incoming thugs, however as she suddenly perceived a beeping, her eyes widened in horror. How could they be so incredibly stupid and ruthless to throw a thermal detonator in such a confined space?! As always, it seemed like they didn't care who else would die as long as the two of them would be dealt with, but Celeste wouldn't let that happen. She sprang forward, close enough to send a strong Force Push into the direction of the detonator, hurling it right back at the one who threw it and out of the room, but she was well aware of the fact that they would still be affected by the impact and that was why she loudly yelled "Brace yourself!", before she shoved her friend further towards the wall on the right and away from thr doorframe while she dove for the ground on the left.

@Burpee

 

[Zactar Hakka]

Beep... Beep... Beep...

Zack's amber eyes tracked the grenade in terror as it soared into the room, coming towards where Celeste was positioned. Even with the Force fueling his movements, he was too slow - too old - to react in time. Their only hope was Celeste. In the milliseconds in which Zack started to turn his body toward the detonator to face it with his armored side, his friend had already sprung to action. In one swift, decisive move, Celeste had sent the thermal detonator back at the slavers and sent him to the wall (and further out of the blast radius) with a hard shove. He grimaced and covered his head as he slammed into the wall with his unarmored back, the pain further fueling his rage.

BEEEEEEEP.

As his dizzied eyes began to refocus on the room, his vision was quickly consumed by flames rolling in from the doorway before them as the thermal detonator engulfed the area. Zack had two things to thank for his surviving the fiery blast: Celeste's reactions and his own anger. As his flesh sizzled under the intense heat and his hair singed and curled at the edges, he put aside the appreciation he felt for his friend's actions and allowed his anger to consume him. If he was angry enough, he wouldn't feel the pain. But is sh- No. There is only hate. With the explosion concluding, Zack dropped his arms from around his head and rolled onto his hands and knees, standing with several grunts and groans of pain. The plates of his armor had held up fine, but many of the connection points had been burned through; it may not last the rest of this trip.

He was more concerned, however, with the fate of Celeste. She'd become quite a close friend over the course of this visit and he only felt more strongly towards her after she likely saved his life. Coughing and waving the clearing smoke out of the way as he walked forward, he called out to his friend through the eerie silence now in the hallways. "Celeste? Celeste, are you okay?" Another cough halted any further progress he wanted to make on walking or talking, before his attention was pulled back to the doorway at the sound of distant yells and a few bootfalls. There couldn't be more than five coming now, if even that many.

Reactivating his crimson saber with a hiss, he spoke again, hoping his friend could still hear him. "They're terrified. That's why they went to such lengths to try to stop us." he smirked and brushed at his breastplate mockingly. "Wait until they find out we're still coming..."

Spoiler: d20 roll

Zactar's reaction: 7

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste was fuming, at their stupidity, at everything they had done and especially at the new warlord that had stepped up. How could they throw a thermal detonator inside the tunnels?! She was lucky to have managed to react that quickly, but they were still in danger. She braced herself for the impact, but was soon engulfed in a massive heat that slightly burner the exposed parts of her skin. She hissed in pain, but since she had at least managed to dive towards the ground she had managed to avoid severe effects, but her wrath was not abating because of that. Instead, her inner flame with fueled and there was no holding back now.

As soon as the heat faded away, she rose back to her feet, teeth gritted and her skin burning, but she threw Zack a short glance, checking whether he was doing okay, but her friend seemed to be consumed by his own wrath. Normally, she would have stopped him and talked him out of it, but this time she didn't mind it. She was still in control of her own emotions, but she would allow herself to turn her rage into power now as well. "I'm okay. Let's show them that this was a huge mistake" she snarled while she quickly rolled her shoulders, readying herself while she tightened the grip around the hilt of her lightsaber before she nodded towards the door. He would notice that her gaze said 'let's go' before she stepped forward confidently. As soon as she rounded the corner her gaze fell upon burned corpses but she could sense that there were still a few around.

@Burpee

 

[Zactar Hakka]

With Celeste on her feet and leading their advance, Zack grinned menacingly at her and followed her through the doorway. The smell of roasted flesh immediately hit his nose which would turn his stomach under normal circumstances, but his fury drove him onward, pushed him further into the compound. As they began to approach a T-intersection, Zack started to look toward Celeste for which direction to head towards, but they were quickly hailed by the raspy voice of a Duros down the left hallway.

"Oy! Drop your weapons or we'll kill every single one of these sorry fuckers!" he wailed, aiming a blaster rifle into a doorway through which cries for help were echoing. There was another doorway behind the Duros and one more on the opposite side of the wall, both of which were also similarly guarded by slavers. They looked nervous, shaking slightly in their positions and looking anxiously between the slaves they held hostage and the former Sith before them.

Zack's rage simmered slightly as he tried to be rational in the face of additional lives that were in danger. He didn't want to threaten the lives of the slaves, but these slavers had to pay. Retreat or capture was not an option. Looking toward Celeste for guidance, Zack disengaged his saber and lowered his arm to his side, saber hilt still firmly in hand. Under his breath, he muttered, "What's our play?", hoping she had some ideas. He idly fingered the dual-phase switch on his saber, considering the possibility of a deception.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste didn't even glance down at the bodies once. Normally, she would have been as merciful as to reward them with a quick death, but she had learned that every one of his followers was full of shit. As they were all sentient beings, they could habe yielded. Celeste would have truly considered mercy then as well, but if they just kept attacking, she wouldn't hesitate to keep unleashing her wrath. She could still sense the anger that was vehemently pulsating from her dear friend, yet she didn't even flinch when they rounded the next corner where new adversaries were awaiting.

Her eyes glistered dangerously as she snarled "Yield, and your lives might be spared". Was it likely they could reason with one another? Probably not, but she could sense their fright. They quickly exchanged an uncertain look before the second one raised his raspy voice: "No you give up!" he tried, his voice half angry half afraid which only mildy amused Celeste. The explosion had somehow soothed her a little. That burning flame of fury was softened, she somehow managed to stay at least somewhat reasonable, but they were starting to piss her off again. "Lower your arms. Last chance" she warned them with a dangerous hint to her voice before she watched him edge closer towards the trigger. "Alright my friend, you know what we have to do" she replied calmly, now directed at Zack before she immediately reached our with her free hand, sending a violent Force Push Wave towards the two Duros to send them flying across the corridor, blasters dropping from their hands. "The pleasure is all yours if you want", she offered with a smirk, nodding in their direction. There was commotion in the background but they had enough time to deal with them and right now Zack needed to unleash his anger more than her.

@Burpee

 

[Zactar Hakka]

Zack stood sentinel as Celeste called back to the slavers, still fiddling with the dual-phase switch on his unignited saber. As it became clearer that the slavers wouldn't lay down their arms, he prepared himself for action, pulling the Force into his muscles to enhance his speed. He needed to be able to cross the corridor before they could take deadly aim on their hostages. He also wasn't surprised when the negotiations soured and the slavers inched closer towards their deaths. As Celeste sent a wave toward the two Duros on the left, he eyed the twi'lek on the right and grinned at Celeste's command.

He didn't need to be told twice.

With the Force hastening his movements, Zack launched down the corridor, practically gliding across the floor between his massive strides, and reached the twi'lek in no time. The horror on the slaver's face explained why he hadn't shot his hostages. A merciless scowl on Zack's face, he thrusted his saber hilt into the twi'lek's throat and ignited the saber, immediately cutting off its air supply with a seared-through hole where its trachea had once run. He pushed the body aside and launched toward the nearest Duros that Celeste had thrown back, who was just getting its bearings. He swiftly closed the distance between them and had the tip of his saber pointed at the Duros's left eye.

Zactar growled at the Duros just long enough to see some form of relief wash over its face, likely thinking it was being spared. Zack's sneer suddenly turned into a wicked grin, as his thumb flicked the dual-phase switch and caused his saber blade to practically double in length, piercing through the Duros's skull. His cold grin then sank into an angry frown as he slowly stalked toward the remaining Duros, letting his ignited saber drift out of his hand in a telekinetic grip, carefully dancing behind him and scorching the walls and floor occasionally where it hit.

"Where is your leader?" Zack growled through gritted teeth.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste had absolutely no doubt about Zack handling the situation, not only because he was extremely capable, but also because it would be a good thing for him to release his inner wrath right away. Celeste's own fury came creeping back in as she could sense more and more of those bastard slavers drawing closer, their dark and somehow dirty presence tainting the Force present all around them.

She slowly but confidently walked through the corridor, slowly but steadily closing the distance between her and the three foes and her companion, even though Zack had quickly dealt with the first two before he started to question the third. The Duros stared at him wide-eyed, but his face was still rather determined even though she could clearly sense his fright. She cooked her head to the side, her light blue eyes pierced right through him as she slowly approached him like a predator its prey. "You want to help us and that's why you spill all the details now" she calmly said to him, but it was obviously a command. Celeste was excellent with all sorts of manipulation and so she easily forced him to tell them all the details with the help of the Force. She wouldn't have wasted her energy if she had assumed he would give away some information deliberately, but the Rattataki were stubborn and proud.

"I...want to help. He...He's in the master's bedroom, busy with a bunch of sla-", Celeste let out a rather desperate sigh as she quickly Force Pulled him forward and then right past Zack, so that the defeated Duros glided through Zack's ignited blade, dissecting him with a hiss."I know exactly where to find him. Follow me", she remarked with a slight smirk before she nodded into the direction of the bed rooms. It sounded like this spontaneous mission would end more satisfying than expected, but she was deeply hoping that they would still get to save the slaves.

@Burpee

 

[Zactar Hakka]

Zack calmed a good deal as Celeste began commanding answers out of the slaver, feeling the weight of her words in the Force like waves crashing through failing mental barriers. She was quite good at that. He never had the inclination to learn mind-altering techniques himself, unless it was through good old-fashioned debate. He more readily learned techniques to enhance his own movements or improve his martial prowess, though his memories of learning Force lightning and tutaminis would be lessons he wouldn't soon forget. Zactar grinned as the slaver spilled the information they were seeking and doubly so when Celeste pulled the Duros through his floating lightsaber and fell to the ground in two pieces.

Their immediate threat neutralized, Zack allowed his floating saber hilt to drift back into his hand and disengaged the blade before turning to his companion. "Excellent. Right behind you," he said with an affirming nod. He followed Celeste through the slight maze of corridors and holding chambers. He would have easily gotten lost in the compound himself, but he knew Celeste had been through these tunnels before in a much worse state. Thankfully, they were here to right those previous wrongs. Which reminded him...

"Oh, wait! The slaves!" He exclaimed as the thought came to mind. He needed to clarify or Celeste might think he's nuts. "Sorry, heh. The slaves that those Duros were holding hostage back there. We probably need to make sure they aren't bound so they can get back to their homes safely. Perhaps we check on the way out? I'd hate to turn back now." He'd follow Celeste's lead either way, whether they pressed on or went back to free the previous slaves now. It would be a moot point once all of the slavers were dealt with anyway, as they wouldn't really be in danger anymore.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She immediately reflected on her former move, contemplating whether her maneuver had been too cruel, but then she thought that even though she had always been a firm believer in mercy, there had been no way to argue with them. They had tk be exterminated as their rebellious tribe was not just cruel, but utterly inhumane and unreasonable. They had had many chances for diplomatic solutions and they had destroyed every last one of them, so why would she keep dwelling on that idea?

The blonde senator still let out a sigh before she pressed on, her rage now a low burning flame again as thinking about the slaves had brought back a few unpleasant memories, but then she reminded herself of how her anger could potentially help. Initially, it had been her plan to use this inner wrath against them and she wanted to unleash this rage so badly, yet the painful memory of her own captivity was creating images in her head. She kept reminding herself of using them against the enemy instead of letting herself be distracted of the pain they caused her, but it was only mildly successful.

However as they rounded the next corner, she somehow managed to regain composure by focusing on the thoughts she needed. "The slaves, yes. We will set them all free. This is just another reason why I came here. This needs to end here and now" she softly reassured her friend, almost uncannily calm now that they were getting closer. She reignited her lightsaber that immediately hissed back to life, carefully slowing down as they were getting closer. She concentrated as she reached out with the Force, sensing the still not fully alerted enemies who were apparently trying to find out who was attacking and where. She came to a halt as she could sense two more approaching enemies, even sending the pulsating energy from their vibroblades as they were drawing closer. She motioned for Zack to stop as she hold her breath, gesturing that two more foes were on their way.

@Burpee

 

[Zactar Hakka]

Zactar grew slightly concerned as he sensed some form of discontent in his companion, beyond her anger. He thought to ask about it - to see if there was anything he could do - but he pressed on behind her. She was strong enough to work through this, and she would let him know if there was anything to do. Rounding a corner, Zack nodded in agreement with his friend. "I agree. Slavery is unforgivable. If anything, their deaths at our hands are a mercy compared to what the Rattataki people would unleash on them, I'm sure." he added, musing on how tribal law might deal with a tyrant's punishment. He imagined something like a pack of rabid dogs, tearing at different parts of the same shrieking prey.

With Celeste advancing, lightsaber thrumming in her hand, Zack ignited his own red saber with an undulating hiss and followed a few feet behind her, reaching out through the Force to sense nearby lifeforms occasionally. He could feel the general confusion coming from the larger group of slavers nearby, as well as the cautious approach of the two enemies. Following his friend's lead, he stopped suddenly and held his saber down to his side in a weak effort to obscure it from their enemies. He then turned his attention to Celeste and whispered: "What do you think? I take one, you take the other?" he inquired.

While he didn't notice it sooner, the growing mechanical hum of vibroblades became evident with their enemies' approach. This might be fun. It was rare these days to fight someone without a blaster, and Zack was a fairly adept melee duelist. He didn't get enough opportunities to exercise the skills. He readied himself mentally for the incoming fight, his own mind calming through the earlier anger.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

To maybe claim that Celeste was angry was a shameless understatement. Behind that composed, professional fassade the fire began to burn. She wasn't quite sure why, but perhaps it was just the habit of keeping it professional, she couldn't quite let go. She was always convinced that giving in to her anger was wrong, even though she knew how powerful emotions were. Unleashing her fury might have helped...and perhaps it was foolish not to, but it was as if the deep rooted trauma prevented her from giving in. She had made huge progresses in dealing with those memories, yet she couldn't quite let go and this inhibited her just enough to hold her back from loosing her temper and letting herself get consumed by that rage.

There were slaves they had to save if possible and Zack was right about how hideous those atrocities were, so Celeste knew that the bastards didn't deserve any hints of mercy. And yet she was still too calm, too composed and it started to bug her. She nodded affirmatively, signaling that she was fully agreeing with her friend, but the thoughts kept racing. Where did the excitement go? Celeste had always been capable of being feisty, yet now it felt more like a chore than like fun. Wasn't the prospect of dissecting those pigs exciting?

Zack's voice pulled her out of her drifting thoughts and she faced her friend for a second. "Yes. And let's make it painful...and slow" she replied, forcing herself to smirk, but the moment the words had left her mouth she realized that this wasn't her. Her shiver immediately went down her spine. She wasn't this bloodthirsty and she couldn't even make them suffer, even if she wanted to. "Or let's just get this over with" she added with an almost sheepish smile before she got into a balanced fighting stance. She wanted to let them approach the readied duo and so she stopped, humming vibroblades growing closer. Perhaps a good duel was all she needed...perhaps this would clear her mind. The Force surrounding them told her that there weren't too many of those filthy scumbags, but she looked forward to meeting the new boss as he was the one who had broken Null and this was surely something that still made her completely furious.

@Burpee