When Sparks Start Flying

[Asteria Sigini]

Theme ​

Location: Ord Cantrell, Resort​

It was a protest of some sorts, or at least, that is how Siggy interpreted it. Spread through word of mouth, the growing mass of spectators soon distinguished themselves as attendants. It was a rally against the Imperial Republica, against their uniformed doctrine and reign of terror. On an Imperial world, no one would have got away with such insolence. But that was the joy of Ord Contrell. It was out of reach to the Empire, for now at least. People here voiced their discontent, and now they were encouraging others to do the same.

Siggy was admittedly curious. On Hapes, disobedience such as this would have surely resulted in death. She knew that more than anyone. But she couldn't stay away, not when she might find invaluable information. Even better, possible allies. She had been busy on Ord Cantrell as of late. Though she partied and drank during her early 'exile', she was now putting her time to better use. Making contacts, collecting names, it was all adding up. She just hoped it would be useful.

A speaker took to the floor, berating the Empire on its many, many failings. The forced labour and harsh working conditions were more brutal than ever. Their schemes of indentured servitude were no better than barbaric slavery. And any child unlucky enough to be found as force sensitive was taken for Sith assimilation. All this resonated strongly with the Hapan heiress. She knew the truth all too well. But it took more than words to bring down a monster; people needed to band together, to put up a fight. All it took was spark, something to ignite the fires of rebellion.

Ducking in and out of the crowds, Siggy listened, all whilst glancing about her. Ord Cantrell may be neutral, but she knew how far reach of the Empire could span. Something was about to happen, it was that gut feeling again. The one that told her to run.

@ZtheInquisitor
@Torin Crow

 

[Torin Crow]

As far as Torin knew life under Sith rule was no life at all. He learned that the hard way from the harsh treatment he had lived through on Coruscant, he knew the Sith were nothing but evil. Nothing but a parasite intent on sucking the very life of the galaxy, a recent run in had brought the death of his friends upon him, and ever since then he was running. Not just running but he was searching for something, whispers of the Rebellion. If the Jedi still exist or if they were nothing more than hopeful stories conjured during this dark era to provide some measure of hope to the beaten down people of the galaxy.

Coming to Ord Cantrall, it was a neutral world under threat of being swallowed up by the Sith, the protests while remaining peaceful, but even then as Torin watched the crowd he knew it would turn violent. It was inevitable and he knew it. Either the crowds would tire of having their demands ignored by the monsters, or simply the monsters would retaliate, and then all hell would break loose. Still he had come here just as he had come to almost every system in the galaxy. He had hoped to follow the trail of whispers and rumors in hopes of finding the Jedi if they even existed, or better yet a Resistance movement to take the fight to the Sith.

Watching the crowd underneath his helmet, his blaster rifle and a pistol holstered to his back, and hip respectively, just as he predicted the crowd started to get riled up, going against Sith guards with rocks, homemade melee weapons and whatever else the disgruntled people could find. All the while a feeling was creeping on him, a strange feeling that he couldn't describe it was like a perception of things, or even perhaps instinct he could not know. But he gazed at the riled up crowd wondering what it could possibly be.

He looked to the crowd, trying to shake whatever feeling was in his head. Looking to see a young girl perhaps close to his age. He started to move as she ducked to and away from the crowds. Something telling him to go to her, something almost compelling him as he started to make his way to the crowds. Unknown to him the worst was about to happen.

@Esther Nyx
@Asteria Sigini

 

[Asteria Sigini]

Siggy bristled, having spotted the heightened Imperial presence; despite its neutral status, Ord Cantrell was a hot pot on the boil. It was only a matter of time until things reached fatal escalation. Either protesters would push too far, or local enforcers would lose their patience. Either way, it was time for the heiress to make herself scarce. But the concentration of people proved hard to navigate through; the huddled masses made mobility near impossible. As Siggy pushed through in retreat, more swarmed forward, ready to face off. This demonstration was no longer about peaceful speeches. Angry locals were not openly venting their frustrations, vocalising their feelings of injustice. Siggy could sympathise them, to a certain degree, but now was not the time and this certainly not the way to go about it. Maybe coming was a mistake...Over the hollering and yowling of the people, messages of resistance were all but drowned out. Hostilities were rising, just as light began to fade.

But Siggy paused. She stopped for a moment, growing static and still. Somehow, the noise around her dismissed, so much so it became nearly mute. But a sensation rang out from within her,

garnering her undivided attention. She couldn't explain it, or even begin to comprehend it, but somehow she recognised it. It was a sort of a beacon, an innate instinct that had long been dormant. Now, this feeling was fast becoming familiar to her.

Feeling she was being observed, Siggy nervously glanced around at her surroundings. Numerous faces were scattered about the area. No one immediately stood out. That is, until she saw him.

For a moment, Siggy simply stared at the boy, not quite sure what to make of him. His features were dark, much like a Hapan, but for the most part he appeared like an average human. Yet somehow he was different. Whilst others crowds ranted and raved, he simply stood there, looking straight at her. Crystallisation was imminent. With each passing second, Siggy felt more and more compelled to speak out to him, this stranger. Because that was exactly what he was. A stranger. She didn't know. Didn't recognise him. So why was his stare so intent? His interest so blatant?

A shiver seized the heiress' spine. Darting a glance back towards the heart of conflict, Siggy could see the chaos about to erupt. A blaster shot ran out, and all Hell broke loose.

Siggy made a dash for it, as a quick a Loth cat. People were beginning to scream, the imperial enforcers were resorting to heavy handed tactics. Unwilling to allow herself to be cornered, Siggy ran for the nearest escape route. Still, she couldn't help herself. She glanced back, hoping to see the dark eyed boy making a run for it too. With any luck, they'd both escape unscathed.

@ZtheInquisitor

@Torin Crow​

 

[Torin Crow]

Torin couldn't describe the feeling he felt when he glanced upon the girl. It was a feeling he didn't know what couldn't put his finger on it. It was as if something compelled him to her, wearing his ranger scout armor, he was portrayed as nothing more than perhaps a smuggler or a mercenary. Or at least it was the idea he wanted to give to people while laying low from the Empire.

The crowd got rowdy, and before he knew as the girl's eyes met his chaos erupted. Before he knew it both the crowd erupted into a riot, and the Imperials resorted to brutal tactics, blasters being shot all around the crowd, men, woman, and children being gunned down in the streets as if all the tension had reached a boiling point. Torin of course still had his weapons on him, pulling out the blaster rifle he had ran in the girl's direction.

She met his gaze once more, as he fought of civilians with his rifle, pushing them away as they seemed to either be consumed by anger or thought that he was an Imperial himself. Running into the alley with her, the two kept running neither one spoke, but that soon all changed when they got far away from the Riot. Looking to her he finally said aloud urgently. "Stop! Who are you, why were you there?" He said questions flooding his mind and why was it that he was so drawn to her.

@Esther Nyx

@Asteria Sigini