Ask Toxic Draw

[Renfry]

Renfry continued to scroll through the data, downloading it to the datapad and tapping impatiently on the console as she watched the status bar fill up.

---​

The woman watched as he turned toward her.

Yes, it does, she said. She'd press him on the matter again if she didn't receive an answer, though it may not yet be clear why it mattered to her.

It still does. You can sense it, she said. She had no doubt that he could feel it. A darkness that reached beyond the standard holocron.

His spirit is gone, but a piece of him lingers. Calls to you, she said, waiting and watching for his reaction.

---​

Renfry's heart jumped as she saw the status bar finish and unplugged the device, sliding it into one of the pockets of her gear. She turned and headed back toward Emryc only to see the woman at Emryc's side. She paused, holding back and scanning the room in case this deteriorated into a conflict.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

“Emryc,” He said simply, deciding that she would die at some point and it wouldn’t matter. Hearing the way she described the holocron sparked a rage in him, and he had to quell it immediately. His fingers curled to fists and he slowly exhaled, but he knew she would have seen it.

“It does call to me,” He said at last, “I should have been the one to open it,” It was one of the rare times where emotions seeped into his words. He didn’t care that they did, this was something he had wanted for as long as he could remember. He had grown up worshipping Kravos as one of his gods.

“It would appear you have failed to decipher it,” Emryc said curtly after a moment. The emotions had gone back down to a low simmer, and he kept himself in check. He was vaguely aware of Renfry shifting which indicated she was done with her actions.

“If you haven’t figured it out by now, you never will,” It was plain and simple. Kravos was cryptic, but those that truly studied him would understand the hidden meanings.

 

[The Storyteller]

The woman was growing impatient with him and she could tell that he wanted to kill her. And yet, he was still her best chance off this world. She'd spent her entire life here, trained by the Inquisitor before her under the watchful eye of these insufferable fools as they guarded the holocron.

You have a ship. I'll help you get the holocron in exchange for transport off this rock, she said. The offer was simple and straightforward. Whether she was trustworthy or not was another story entirely.

I'm sure you'll have much better luck with him, she said flatly.

Do we have a deal or must I raise the alarm? she asked, equally curtly. She wasn't interested in drawing out this "relationship" any longer than she had to.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc wasn’t the trusting type, and this sounded fishy to him. However, he knew he would rather risk her life than his own for anything related to Kravos. He nodded after a while, knowing fully well that he was needed for the holocron. He had to make sure to remove her from the equation before she got in his way.

“Let’s go,” He said simply to her. He would walk behind her to make their way back through the facility. He took the hazmat suit off on the way back, keeping the trooper armor on. He glanced over to ensure that Renfry didn’t run into any hurdles on the way, wondering what kind of data she had drawn. He didn’t trust anyone, but he had a measure of faith that she would stop the woman’s attempts at doing something during the journey.

“You speak as if you are held here against your will,” Emryc said as he fell into step beside the woman, arriving near the exit of the facility.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was all kinds of uncomfortable with this agreement, but she also recognized that it was likely their best option. She held back as the other two moved forward, happy to be out of the hazmat suit and back into just the trooper armor she could barely see out of.

Her hand brushed imperceptibly across the blaster holster, as they made it out of the experiment rooms, half expecting at any moment to be ambushed and need to gun this woman down.

It didn't happen.

They made their way out of the area and toward the turbolift again, hitting the button and waiting for it to take them down.

The woman looked over to Emryc as he mentioned she had been kept here against her will. You don't know anything about this place, do you? she asked, snickering slightly and shaking her head.

Let's just say I'm not eager to remain here any longer and I don't have a ship, she said.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

They walked out of the facility and beyond the perimeters when Emryc paused and turned to look at the woman.

“You’re right,” He said curtly, “I don’t know about the facility. You are going to tell me all about it right now,” His tone was flat and they were far enough away from the facility to where she couldn’t use that as leverage anymore. He wanted the holocron, but he knew he and Renfry could overpower the woman.

“You and I are both aware of all the unpleasant things we can do to you,” Emryc said, “So tell me now. What is this place? Who are you? How long has it operated? Are you affiliated with the Sith?”

 

[The Storyteller]

The woman was skeptical. She didn't like her odds of simply being killed and dumped somewhere else after this was all done. But they weren't going to kill her yet, at least.

This facility was set up by the Emperor. If you're going to steal from him, you'd better be sure you know who you're pissing off first, she said, now worried that her "partners" were completely incompetent or in the dark. It was clear that any and all information outside this facility either never reached them here or was tightly regulated. It seemed she had no knowledge of the fall of the Empire, the death of her Sith Emperor, or anything that had happened in the intervening period despite it being so long ago.

She frowned and looked at him like he was an idiot when asked if she was affiliated with the Sith. She worked at the facility created by the Sith, even if she, herself, wasn't one.

I've been trained in his line of Inquisitors, she said, a hint of pride in her voice. The premiere Jedi Hunters of the Empire.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc’s face betrayed genuine surprise after she was done speaking. He couldn’t have heard right. Did she think the Emperor was alive? The Emperor from a hundred years ago? He looked into her eyes, the ones that looked at him as if he were foolish. He knew she wasn’t putting on an act.

He looked at the woman and then he slowly looked at Renfry. Renfry, who had also been oblivious to history and the Sith at first. He began to silently question the choices for the company he kept. Was he slowly getting stupider by constantly rubbing elbows with imbeciles? At least Renfry had become tolerable since. He exhaled slowly before looking at the woman again. He wouldn’t shatter her world just yet, but perhaps when the time was right.

“He has something that does not belong to him,” Emryc said, deciding to play along as he continued to walk.

“Why aren’t you allowed to leave?”

 

[Renfry]

She led the pair along a path outside the facility. A patrol of scouts on bikes passed them along the way, gave them a nod and continued on. The path - or perhaps the better word for it was road - led to another building nearby and smaller than the first and more heavily guarded.

For the fortune of the pair, it seemed that their "companion" was well known and no security clearance was needed for any of them. Despite being unable to leave, she seemed to hold no small amount of respect among the troopers stationed here. Renfry couldn't help but wonder just how long they had all been stationed here without word from the outside. Thinking Palpatine was alive? That was nuts!

Only ships that come here are resupplies, and they don't take passengers, she said. She had butted heads with her superiors many times over that, but the rules had been firm and she'd had no opportunity to defy them.

They passed through the doors to the next facility and Renfry's eyes scanned over it all. The doors were thick and looked to be made of starship-rated materials. Most of the building was built directly into the side of the mountain and looked like it could take an orbital bombardment without shattering.

Once they'd actually made it inside, it was clear that there were far fewer rooms. There was no turbolift or any other floors, but a series of large, vault-like doors.

As soon as we grab this thing, the whole facility will know about it, she warned. There was no way to turn off the alarms once the holocron was taken from the vault.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc eyed the facility, noting the structural integrity. A place like this would serve as an excellent Sith base to preserve the order should war threaten their existence. The only downside was that the people here were entirely too detached from the real world, and he couldn’t imagine the turmoil upon realization.

“Who is the contact from the outside?” He knew fully well it wasn’t Palpatine, but who was the second in command? “Is there a specific person that coordinates the supply runs?” He purposely left the details of the galaxy vague.

As the woman mentioned the potential for alarms to kick off, Emryc couldn’t help but note the discomfort in the woman’s voice. She had been confident up until now and she obviously had a lot of clout here. For her to be nervous gave Emryc pause, though it wasn’t revealed on his face.

“You two will need to cause enough of a diversion for me to make a clean break after we have it,” He said, “We will be overwhelmed if we all walk in and walk out together.”

 

[Renfry]

Admiral Yufren. Never met him, but he coordinated all the supplies in and out of the facility for years, she said.

As Emryc mentioned that they should cause a distraction, Renfry almost objected. It wasn't that she didn't trust Emryc it was just... oh wait, no, that was what it was. He'd already made it very clear on this trip he was no hero and trading her life for the holocron? Oh yes, he would have done that in an instant.

But he probably wouldn't do that. Right? She wasn't so confident, but she also wasn't going to leave herself in a position to be left behind. That was the trick, wasn't it?

I'll make it noisy, she said, glancing back to where they had just come from.

She started walking away and looked back over her shoulder. She almost said something about not leaving her behind, but bit her proverbial tongue.

She headed outside and back along the road toward the other facility, waving down one of the speeder patrols as they passed by. Seemed as good a means of causing a ruckus as any.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc couldn’t fault Renfry for being suspicious. He hadn’t done anything to suggest he wouldn’t abandon her. In fact, she could practically see his blank expression from the trooper helmet even then. It was always 50/50 whether he would ditch anyone or not. Nevertheless, they didn’t really have many options now and they needed to act quick.

He nudged the woman to walk with him as she would be critical in getting him the access needed, “The longer you keep your cover, the better,” Emryc said as he walked, “When the alarms begin, direct the troops elsewhere. They will believe you,” And she would do it if she had any hope of leaving this place.

After her access got him in, Emryc walked deeper into the facility and through the hallway. He could already feel the pulse of something barely alive. It was subtle enough to almost be missed entirely, but he knew it was there. His heart began to beat quickly, and he had to fight to keep his mind from racing.

It was a straight hallway with a door at the end. He exhaled into his helmet, palms almost sweaty from the anticipation. Very few things could make Emryc like this, and this was quite possibly among one of about three things that could.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry approached the troopers, tapping the speech section of her helmet as she drew closer. One climbed off his bike, beginning to complain as she then pointed over her shoulder.

The blaster came free from her holster and she shoved it into the closest troopers gut and pulling the trigger point blank. The other man was caught off guard enough that she managed to get the sights on him and fire before he could reach for the small pistol tucked into his boot. He tumbled backward, off of his speeder, and onto the ground.

Time for some fun. She slipped the blaster away again and climbed onto the speeder, beginning to flip switches as it abruptly tore away. She had to hold on, hands clenched in a death grip as she let out a loud Wooooo!

She turned the speeder around, slowing it as she made sure she knew all the controls and then practically flew back to the other compound.

The light blaster cannon on the underside of the speeder began to open fire on the guards. Shouts, returned blaster fire, and then... a siren. The hunt was afoot and she was the bait. Outstanding.

She continued to zip around, cannons firing, and heart pounding. Her adrenaline was pumping and she couldn't help but feel like she was having the time of her life. If she didn't die. That was important.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc reached the door and opened it. To his surprise it was a very simple room - there was a platform with the holocron on it. He could only stare at it, feeling a chill creep down his spine. This had been a moment that Sith had gone their entire lives without witnessing. He felt completely weak, a lump rising in his throat.

The holocron of Darth Kravos.

He forgot how to breathe for a moment. He was vaguely aware of the woman expressing a sense of urgency and the dire situation they were in. Emryc quickly snapped out of his thoughts, using the Force to call the artifact to his hand. The moment his fingers grasped it, his head was sent spinning.

Emryc dropped to his knees, his mind suddenly flooded with memories. He saw golden eyes, silver eyes, blue eyes. He saw legions before him, he saw abominations and felt the Force in its raw form. He felt agony, despair and was drunk with the dark side of the Force. He felt a deep ache, a need that clawed away at his insides, a need that would never be met.

He saw the eyes of children, one with which he felt a sudden kinship. He saw Andraste as she whispered her dying words. And he continued on. He felt solitude. He saw the rise and fall of kingdoms. He saw time shift, saw a countless sunrises and sunsets. He saw a bloodline continue that he stepped back from. He saw his name erased and re-written time and time again. And that ache grew worse and worse.

He began to see a world that was far away from the civilized corners of the galaxy. He began to see the details. He began to see a lone cabin out in a forest, but he was the only one there. But that’s when Emryc was abruptly shaken out of his mind by the woman. His eyes shot open, and he could see her screaming and yelling, but he could hear nothing.

Whispers of a time long ago trailed off as Emryc returned to the present, only then realizing he had a vice grip on the woman’s wrist. He quickly let go, jumping to his feet. The ear-piercing blaring of alarms erupted around them.

“Can you override the door lockdowns?” He called out as he began to make for the hallway again.

 

[Renfry]

The resistance began to grow thicker as the alarms blared for longer. She hoped Emryc and the woman were going to be finished soon. Blaster fire zapped past her head and the smell of scorched air seeped through her helmet filters.

She swung the bike quickly, zipping off and climbing along one of the less steeply inclined cliffs, taking full advantage of the repulsorlift in the vehicle. She could hear shouting through the canyons below and she clicked her comlink.

They're distracted and real angry. Are you coming? she asked. She didn't yet see any indication that anyone was responding to the holocron alarm, but a shot from someone with a long range rifle slammed into the hill just beyond her, causing her to yelp in surprise.

She gunned the engine back down, tearing over the hills and along another path she hadn't seen before. The cannon blared and tore through two more stormtrooper as she passed to the backside of the facility, considering how best she might be able to get back to the ship and not be cut off.

She wondered if the woman working with Emryc was still alive. Seventy percent chance she was?

 

[Emryc Thorne]

The woman quickly worked to unlock the doors and override the lockdowns with her authority. Emryc ran behind her, skidding to a halt as they arrived near the main entrance and troopers started to come their way. He whipped his head around to look at the woman, seeing if she was going to hold up her end of the bargain. There was just a slight moment of hesitation and Emryc began to consider killing her.

“There has been a breach!” She suddenly cried out towards the troopers, “They went that way!” She pointed vaguely to another direction. The troopers paused for a moment, one of them preparing to ask a question. She snapped at him and they were sent on their way. Emryc heard Renfry buzz him on comms, but he didn’t have a chance to respond just yet.

He darted out and made his way towards where he could hear some commotion outside. Emryc jumped up on some cargo crates and hoisted himself up. He sprang up till he was on the roof of a building. The wall had electric wiring above it and he would have to vault over it without touching it.

Cursing under his breath, he shuffled back and ran forth, using the Force to carry his momentum. He sprang up and tucked his arms in, his body closed in like a bullet to soar a hairline’s breadth over the wire. He arched over the other side, quickly spinning his body to land in a crouch. If the woman hadn't managed to follow, she was on her own.

This was right as Renfry came around on the bike. He stepped aside and grabbed a hold of it as she was passing, flipping himself onto the vehicle, “Back to the ship.”

 

[Renfry]

Renfry continued along the path, cannon blazing although few of the shots seemed to hit at the speed she was going. That was fine, she was here to cause trouble not actually kill people.

She pulled up, sensing Emryc much closer now and slowing the bike only enough for him to jump on as she zipped by, still moving at high speed. She swung the bike around, not even slowing as she asked her next question.

We leaving "peaches" behind? she asked. She didn't seem to have any concern with doing so and wasn't slowing or going back as the speeder tore back toward the ship.

Emryc would quickly discover that she apparently enjoyed moving at borderline suicidal speeds, and for anyone other than a Force-user it probably would have spelled certain death. That was what she was hoping for as well, and behind her one of the scout troopers behind her lose control and slam into a boulder.

She didn't need to ask him if he'd gotten it. She knew they wouldn't be leaving if he didn't have Kravos's holocron in his possession.

Hold on! she shouted, slowing only slightly as she slammed a switch on the speeder and drove it off a twenty foot drop. The switch had activated a larger area of effect on the repulsor, to prevent them from slamming into the ground.

At this speed, they were back to the ship in record time. She slammed the speeder into a not-so-gentle stop at the ship.

Let's go! I'll grab the guns! she said, swinging her leg off the speeder and scrambling inside to the turrets. He was the much better pilot and while she didn't think they'd have fighters, you never knew. Plus it could be used to fire on the ground crews if there was pursuit. Either way, they'd need to get in the air and out of atmosphere in short order.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc shrugged as Renfry asked about the woman. If she couldn’t keep up, that was her problem. Emryc had made it clear to anyone that met him that he wasn’t a hero, “What’s she going to do, send Palpatine after us?” He scoffed as Renfry drove around like a psycho. He wasn’t outwardly phased as he had pulled off some insane piloting maneuvers, but even he was more than a little uncomfortable.

They managed to make it back to the ship in no time, “Up the ramp, I want to keep this thing,” He yelled at Renfry to motion for her to drive right into the cargo hold. Emryc hopped off the speeder and turned to face their pursuers. He drew from the Force and blasted them back with a giant concussive push. It would only be enough to scatter them for a moment for him to rush to the cockpit.

He made his way in, slamming on buttons to close all the ramp doors and powering up the engines. Within moments they were lifting up into the air and had bolts coming their way. It had been precarious to park the ship and he had to focus on getting them out, relying almost entirely on Renfry to keep them from getting attacked.

“Need about thirty more seconds!” He called out, carefully maneuvering them out of the canyon.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was already halfway off the bike when he told her to pull it inside. Made sense: waste not, want not. She moved it into the ship quickly, but certainly at a much slower speed than she had made getting here. She could hear the ship's ramp sealing behind her as she slammed the parking brake into place and ran to the gunbay.

She grabbed the ladder and slid down, blood pumping from the thrill of the chase and the action. She threw a few switches and the ship's guns started to whine as they powered up. She slipped into the gunner seat, tossed the helmet at her feet, and swung the turret around.

A target-rich environment! she exclaimed to herself as she began to open fire without hesitation.

Copy! she replied over the comm as he mentioned he needed thirty more seconds. The cannon spat fire out that slammed into the ground, the cliffs, and everything in between. Several of the troopers in the front turned to a nasty red mist as she swiveled the guns, sending explosions into the side of the mountain and beginning to collapse the small part of the pass.

A beeping on her console caught her attention and she flipped another switch to toggle between displays.

She cursed loudly and triggered the comlink.

They're maneuvering a mini tractor beam into position, she said. I've got no shot from here, can you take me due east... 85 degrees, she said, trying to maneuver the turret to get a shot before the vehicle-bound tractor beam got in range. Where did they even get that thing?! She was beginning to wonder if this was a much bigger hornet's nest than they had first anticipated.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was already struggling to get them out of the valley, his face focused and concentrated as he moved them up. He could feel his palms beginning to get sweaty, the sounds of the mountains collapsing reverberating throughout the valley. He heard Renfry and gritted his teeth, “Yes I’ll get right on that since we’re just casually coasting through open space right now,” He winced as the right wing was scuffed up from grazing along the side of the canyon.

“Here goes!” He warned as he abruptly shifted to the angle she requested, though he couldn’t tell if it was enough to avoid the beam. He cursed himself for ever parking the ship here and instead not opting to do a long hike. He would have to explain to his superiors why the ship was banged up.

If everything went well, they would barely scrape out of the canyon, the ship having sustained some damage. Emryc was trembling from the experience, the ship one of the few things he genuinely cared about.

“We never should have parked there,” He growled aloud.