Open Coruscant Stow the Oaths, Away

[K]

Hidden away on a freighter bound for Coruscant, K sat with her legs crossed and back straight, tucked in between two boxes which were secured by carge netting and straps, her presence hidden by a tarp thrown over them. She had been sitting there for some time, waiting patiently for the slow freighter to arrive at its destination, only sneaking out of her hiding place aboard the noisy freighter a handful of times to relieve herself and acquire sustenance. The crew of the freighter remained blessedly unaware of her presence as a stowaway on their ship, which was exactly how she wanted it.

While she lacked any manner of keeping her body stimulated during the trip, her fears and anxieties had her running a marathon in her mind with little else to do but think. She would call it meditating as she came to terms with the consequences of her actions, accepted her choices, and tried to look to the future. Maybe it would work one day.

Her runaway thoughts finally came to a halt as the noisy old freighter seemed to come to a stop, settling. The ever present hum of the engine died, leaving her in blessed silence for a moment before a cacophony of squeals echoed through the cargo bay as its aging bay doors ground open and the ramp hissed before falling to the ground with a thud. Peaking out of the tarp, K winced at the sudden light. Letting her eyes adjust, she scoped out the room and what she could see of the spaceport outside. There wasn't much to go off of with her limited view and she knew she would have to move soon, before the loaders got to her section of the ship.

Slipping out from behind the tarp on cramped legs, K glanced around, counting crew and port officials before darting towards the open bay door when nobody was looking. Dropping off the side of the loading ramp, she ducked underneath it and searched for her next move. She had to get out of the spaceport unnoticed, otherwise she would be in for... well a lot of awkward conversations with the local officials.

 

[Daria Hel]

"For 5 credits, I'll help you out of this port unnoticed." Almost whispering, the young thief slid after the strangely gowned girl under the ramp. The floodlights of the landing platform luckily left large shadows for her to creep through, and as someone who regularly snuck onto the platform, Daria had no problem moving about it. She had found nothing worth the hassle of stealing it among the freight, but when she was just about to leave, she had witnessed the daring dash of the young woman before her, and maybe she could squeeze a few credits out of this.

She mustered the girl, now that her eyes had accustomed to the darkness under the ramp, and could not fail but wonder where she came from. She wore strange robes, almost like a Jedi might, and she seemed poised and ready. It was quite apparent, that she was able to use those swords hanging on her side.


Swallowing, Daria added: "You may fight your way through those few guards up there... but they can call more any time they want. I guess your best shot would be coming with me."

@Arclight

 

[K]

K froze as a voice echoed under the boarding ramp behind her, the only movement the girl displayed being the barely perceivable shift of her sword as she drew it a couple inches out of its scabbard. It was the words that had been spoken that halted her draw, her reaction to the sound playing out partially before her brain could process what was said.

Casting her eyes sideways at the woman who had snuck up behind her, K gave her a small bit of credit as she parsed over the woman's words silently. She had managed to sneak up on the Yovshin, getting within striking distance before making her presence known. Impressive.

"I have no desire for bloodshed. These guards are not my enemy, they are merely an obstacle." She spoke quietly in accented basic, her voice rough as the first words she had spoken since she had stowed away on the freighter passed her lips.

Deciding the woman was not a threat, K nodded and let her blade slide back into its sheathe. She had no desire to kill anyone here if it could be helped. Besides, it was a poor Yovshin who confronted every obstacle with a blade no matter the manner of the obstacle.

K weighed the woman's offer in her mind for a moment longer. She had no credits... but the woman did not know that. She did not lie... but what was one lie after breaking her oath to the Emperor himself. What was the honor of a ronin Yovshin worth, the question lingered in her mind as she made her choice.

"I do not have 5 credits." K admitted, choosing her honor over convenience, at least for this day.

@ThisIsHowLibetyDies

 

[Daria Hel]

The remark of the young lade caused her to nod, at least she wouldn't have to leave this spaceport under tightened security. Yet, the admission that she lacked any funds caused her smile to go slightly awry. Not even mostly because she wouldn't get paid, but because she remembered being in that situation herself quite vividly. Swallowing, she looked out of the ramp, recounting the guards and shipmen out there.

"Well then, you will owe me a favour after this cause I'd rather you don't alarm the guards" Looking back to the girl huddled to the floor beside her, she once again mustered her. "How good are you at climbing? Think you can manage a bit?" She looked fit and not like the type that you'd only find only in a gym. She wondered where the girl came from.

Waiting for the answer, Daria decided she would offer to stay a few nights at her place while she figured out her next steps. She shouldn't have to go through the same shit she had some odd years ago. She could help out at least for a little time. But that could be discussed after they were out of here, and if her mind didn't change on the way there.

@Arclight

 

[K]

K watched the woman's face as her smile faded. She wasn't worried that the woman would retract her help, she would make her way out of this situation help or non. Still, allies were always nice. It seemed that the woman wasn't overly concerned, seemingly willing to settle for a favor.

"I can manage." She whispered, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. The ronin Yovshin was no stranger to climbing. Debating the payment, K weighed whether she wanted to owe a favor to this stranger who seemed willing to aid her. In the end it wasn't much of a question, her gut didn't give her any bad vibes and she probably did need the woman's help.

"I will accept your aid." She sealed the deal with her words, needing nothing more to formalize it. Her word was her honor and she would keep it. Peeking out from behind the loading ramp once more to watch the guards, she glanced back at the woman. "Lead the way."

@ThisIsHowLibetyDies

 

[Daria Hel]

Mustering the girl one more time, Daria nodded in agreement. Somehow she had a feeling that the young woman would be capable of quite more than simply climbing, and it wasn't that far anyway. She opened her mouth to describe the way, when the woman spoke once more, bringing a smile to Daria's face. The young one had truly contemplated following her or not. At least she wasn't too easily goaded into things.

"Well, then we better get going." Sincerity was back on her face, and in her voice. With her fingers, she gestured to some old crates on the edge of the platform. "Over there, directly below the boxes is a support pillar. It's formed somewhat like a curve. It's so dented and full of rost that you can easily hold onto it to get on the inner side. Then we can walk down the curve." She looked back to the young swordswoman, trying to smile confidently. "If you don't slip on the first few holes, you'll be fine. I'll wait for you."

With that, she checked for the last time if no one was watching their way, before lurching forward and dashing to the mentioned point. Holding herself on the corner of the platform, she did her best not to look down as she climbed down on the incrementally bent support beam. Now she could only hope the girl truly could climb, the holds on the beam were aiding greatly, but one shouldn't attempt this completely lacking experience.
@Arclight

 

[K]

Deciding to trust the girl, K listened to direction intently, following where she pointed and eyeing the way. She nodded and watched her dash out into the open. K glanced back and forth, judged the crossing safe, and followed. Reaching the box, K followed her companion over the edge.

Her heart began to race as she looked down after climbing down the support beam. Open sky lay below, and it was certainly a long long way down from the open spaceport. Swallowing, K breathed and stilled her heart. She could do this. She climbed the rest of the way down after her guide, one careful cling at a time.

Taking a deep breath when she reached the bottom, K looked out over the curve they were to walk. She didn't dare look down again, she was too committed to this action now to consider the possibilities. Looking at her guide, she gave the woman a nod to signal that she was ready to make the crossing.

@ThisIsHowLibertyDies

 

[Daria Hel]

Daria watched with concern, as the young woman climbed down the beam. It was clear that she had not anticipated the height, but else she did very well. After the first shock, she seemed even more confident than Daria had been herself and contrary to the girl this was not her first time doing this.
As the dual-wielding warrioress arrived behind her, Daria acknowledged her feat with a nod and a friendly, smile, with one hand gesturing down the slope they now would follow to get further down. She decided it would not be wise to tell the girl how far they would have to go down, given that she lived in an even lower level. She might do well getting the girl into an elevator as fast as possible.

"Welcome on the low end of the platform. I think we can speak now, just warn me if you see any drone or speeder that could wonder what two teens could have lost on the supports here. They sometimes still do that around these parts." Starting her descent, she casually looked over her shoulder, mustering the strange girl further now that they couldn't literally be discovered any second. "I'm Daria by the way, and you?"

@Arclight

 

[K]

It took K a moment to muster up the courage to step out onto the catwalk. And when she did, it took her even longer to muster up the courage to speak as they climbed. She felt precarious here, dangling off the edge of the world where a stray breeze could send her tumbling into the bottomless nothingness below.

"I'm K." She finally replied, not sure how the girl ahead of her had the nerves to turn and look over her shoulder when each step could mean life or death. Perhaps it was just familiarity, one could become comfortable with many discomforting things, given time to acclimate. Besides that response, K deigned to remain silent until they were on solid ground as she put her entire focus on not falling... and not looking down.

@ThisIsHowLibertyDies

 

[Daria Hel]

By now, Daria was almost certain that the swordswoman was afraid of heights. The way she placed each step carefully avoiding to lowe her gaze, she just did not think that she would fear Daria, and there was little else that could frighten her up here. Anyways, Daria would respect her wish for silence and so the two would move forward with little words exchanged.

When the steepness rose for the last time, the bottom already insight she looked back with a grin, trying to comfort the girl a little before the last steps. "Hey there, we almost did it. Once we are down there it's just a few paces to the next turbo lift." It would be more than bitter for her to have made it all this way and then fall on the last steps. She needed the woman to focus the last slope.

She turned around fully facing the woman now and placed her hands on the edges of the beam, gripping tight so she could aid her to descend. With all fours on the beam she started. "Wait till I am down, I'll expect you with some solid ground under our feet." With that remark, she began to slide down the beam. Once they were able to walk in less peril, she planned on talking more to the little enigma she had picked up on her unsuccessful salvage tour.