CFR's Deadly Dancer
Think you can resist?
I dare you to try.
Posts: 318
(10/21/07 12:38 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Lilith's jewel-blue gaze sparkled with interest as she took in the sight of the lithe red-head now standing in their midst. A pull on the lush darkness of the Force that echoed around her set the chains more tightly on what remained of Serrena, as she struggled a bit with Saede's appearance.
An arched brow was the only outward indication of her mental effort, a soft purr passing her crimson lips. "Ahh, Saede...right on cue. Jillian, sweetie...go ahead and explain what you've done to Alema. Go on...and while you're at it, tell her the plan, lovey." she grinned wickedly, her eyes sliding across to Savin as they flickered to crimson for the briefest moment.
She growled faintly to herself and reasserted her control over Serrena, furious that the girl's awareness still lingered and festered deep in her mind.
Savin Skirata TGU Adept
Brutality made flesh
Mand'alor be te Beskar'Marev
Posts: 263
(10/21/07 11:46 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
A slight twitch in his left eye was the only outward sign of the turmoil brewing deep within the Mandolorian. Slowly but surely, the D'xun-born monsters felt the walls starting to close in on them. Savin found it impossible to have a single thought over which he did -not- superimpose the instincts of his strill partner..was he a partner, now?
Ironiclly enough, it seemed like he was the only one at this point.
~*Savin...I think that we should listen to Alema for now. She knows what she’s doing. I think. Isn’t the crew more important than just yourself, or just Alema. It’s probably more important than just me*~
The girl...
~*....If you think I would give up the crew for any desire of mine to see Alema as the soul-master of her body, then you are mistaken...I...I've done quite a bit of work with the Iron Ferrets....I can be your pilot*~
Inson'ika...
~*Okay, you have my backing, but no tricks, got it?*~
Even Axl. D*mn. The one person here he thought he would count on to do the right thing.
Every instinct that Savin had bred into him as a child growing up on one of the most dangerous jungles in the galaxy and as the bull strill he was infused with led him to the conclusion that he was completely alone in his reasoning. They would all help this body-thief and he would have to face them all to stop her. And there was no telling how many of the crew was effected. Saede may have succumb by now.
:::Maybe even Serr-...::: The D'xun's thoughts hitched at the very notion.
Savin's gaze steeled as the entire throng of "Alema's" protectors and support followed her like the hive queen she was. It was soon more than appearant what the warrior had to do. There was no way he could justify to Alema why he would sacrifice the only way to save the crew -just- for her. She would never have forgiven him for it. He would expect no less for himself.
The Mando's shoulders slumped in resignation as Jillian 'negotiated' with her contemporaries on their fates. The parasite had won. She had his hands bound as there was little chance he had to do this by himself. There was an odd twisting in the Mandolorian's gut at that moment. A tell-tale sign that the universe was not done with him.
<sniff..sniffsniff>
That scent.
~*Ok... did I miss something here?*~
He knew it was her moments before she rounded the corner. A twinge of fear tickled the back of the Mandolorian's mind as he caught a view of the statuesque red-head. A lingering sentiment from his strill passenger's encounter with the First mate. It remembered how it was cowed by this woman and that feeling had a notable effect on the D'xun-born warrior. He found himself slinking even further toward the shadows, shrinking back from her hard, hazel glare.
He remained near the group, but not really in it, as they continued their conversation. This allowed him to be in just the right spot to catch Serrena's glance. Not this 'Lilith' creature. -Serrena-. She was still in there. A small flicker of crimson was as sure a sign as the Mando'ad needed. This newfound focus allowed him to truely notice the force..the assertiveness..of Saede's words. Those where not the words of some doppleganger. That was Saede Mawdammed Taggart talking. She was still free. And, in that, she was hope that he might be able to pull this off. Because she would not be able to live with herself if she let Alema be consumed anymore then he. Now was the time of planning. Soon, there would be a hunt.
But, for now, the warrior continued to remain in the shadowed corner, eixisting somewhere between sulking and cowering. It was impossible to tell which was real...
...Mainly, because they both were...
Edited by: Savin Skirata at: 10/21/07 1:16 pm
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
The possessed twi'lek bristled at the notion of doing anything to Alema. She reached up to point one finger at Serrena as she spoke, but in her anger she could do little more than curl her fingers in rage, as though aching to choke the life out of the woman before her.
"You will not poison them against me. You, squatting in a host who is Saede's friend, squatting in a host who has done my Alema nothing but harm, accuse me of anything! I am the only one here who cares for her!"
She took a deep breath. It wasn't necessary to shout. Lilith was a limited creature, incapable of grasping what Gillian was capable of and what she was doing. Lilith, Samael, and the others... all they could do was bully their hosts and hope they never made a concerted effort to resist.
Didn't they realize that if they took care of their hosts and cooperated there would be no resistance? Gillian's host had stopped fighting her ages ago, and it wouldn't be long now before there was no line between the two of them at all.
With a deep breath, she swallowed her anger. She was a goddess and these two were like selfish children. It was beneath her to be so disturbed by their ignorance.
She turned to Saede. "She calls me Gillian because she doesn't know any better. Alema is my name, and I'll be saving your crew today."
Elite Pirate
First Mate of CFR
"Twenty-Four"
Posts: 2255
(10/21/07 10:19 pm) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Saede was silent for a long moment after the speeches. Hazel eyes turned slowly from Serrena to Alema and back again. They flickered to Savin, for a moment making eye contact and sudden, that animosity and distrust that had been there a moment before faded away as a dawning realization overtook her gaze.
She breathed in heavily, one, ragged inhalation before breaking the silence again.
"I am going to kill Marcus when this is all over."
There was no joking in the tone, no confusion, just cold, hard resignation that this really was all his fault. So many, though not all, of the pieces fell into place. From the moment they had started this journey, things had begun to go wrong in an almost holo-drama type way. Why was her life a lightening rod for drama?
"I am making a lot of assumptions right now," she said. Her tone was slow and deliberate, no mistaking that she meant business. "But somehow, I doubt that any of them are wrong. What I understand is that not all of my crew are in complete control of themselves. I understand that you are acting in ways not befitting the crew of a ship this size. We rely on mutual trust and understanding to move through the darkness of space and the darkness of our lives. What I understand is that through all of this, those of you who are not yourselves have broken the most sacred trust that any of us have. That you will not harm a member of this crew. There is one penalty for that."
Slowly, Saede moved over to the bulkhead, hand flicking over the airlock controls.
"You see, you are threatening members of my crew. And I do not appreciate that." Her voice had lowered slightly, almost a growl in the back of her throat. "You have also attempted to subvert authority that is not rightfully yours in this action. That's mutiny, no matter how you cut it. Whether you are Alema, or someone in Alema's body, it doesn't matter."
Hazel eyes flickered to each person in the room, locked for a moment with Serrena, then moved to Jon and finally back to Alema. She mentally listed her suspects.... oh, she knew now just what was happening. At least the gist of it. It all made sense.
"You can either leave, and get the hell off of my ship the way you came. Or, I can remove you my way." Now her eyes flickered to the airlock.
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
This didn't make sense. Alema was so certain that Saede was sane, dependable, reliable. This was risking her entire crew for what? Principle? This would damn them all, all these people she supposedly cared about. This was insane. It was unlike her.
This was a bluff. It had to be.
But, she had to take it seriously in order to gain the trust of the first mate. This would be a huge step toward ensuring her own continued safety. "I am Alema, and I am someone in her body. It's best if you think of us as one person, and I told you I'm here to fix this."
She took a deep breath and flicked a hard gaze to the others, daring them to interrupt her. "If you space me, you'll have to space everyone eventually. But all I want is to get these parasitic wretches out of our crew." Our crew. It was a deliberate word choice. Jill intended to stay. This was her body. Alema's life was her life. Alema's crew was her crew. "I don't want to be here if everyone is insane, but thankfully if you'll help me get down to the surface, I can reverse this. Nobody has to die."Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 10/21/07 10:32 pm
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Samael watched as the First Mate tried to assimilate all the evidence available to her. What she couldn’t tell was the manner of beast she was encountering in Jillian. All things considered, he felt Lillith and his best chance of escaping was to create dissent among those assembled.
“First Mate Taggart, you may wish to reconsider that action. I’m afraid you’ll find yourself spacing the vast majority of your crew and the action will only kill your people. Those that inhabit them have no fear of deep space and will simply drift away, or possibly reenter the Revenge to claim another body; and, you will have absolutely no way to stop them,” Samael offered with a smirk.
“It’s true, many of your crew were better off without their guests. The one you call Savin is inhabited by nothing more than a mindless beast. Hopefully, he was more useful before his inhabitation. On the other hand, the ones known as Serrena and Jon are now vastly more powerful now than they ever have been. In addition to their guests’ innate skills, they have generations of accumulated knowledge in the use of the force and are what you would call, immensely powerful, sith masters.”
Samael smiled malignly at Saede and continued, “If that scares you, you are showing a great deal of wisdom. However, the greatest threat to you and your crew lies elsewhere. It is the beast that inhabits the blue one here – Jillian. She appears calm and helpful now; but, when the trap that holds us all tied to the planet below is destroyed and she is once again free, her true nature will reassert itself. Poor thing, she just can’t help it. She is a true force of nature and when she decides to resume feeding her insatiable appetite, any soul within her reach will be drawn into her just as surely as the smallest speck of matter that finds itself within the grasp of a black hole. The only thing saving you now is that she needs your help to free herself.”
Samael looked Saede in the eyes with what may have been the slightest amount of pity.
“You have a conundrum, First Mate. To do what you must to free your crew, you will be freeing Jillian. What she can do to your crew then will be straight from your worst nightmares. Choose wisely.”
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Rage built like thunder in the back of Gillian's mind, but her host pleaded with her to be quiet. This wasn't the way. Screaming at Samael wouldn't persuade Saede, however... a balance could be reached. A terrible fusion was occurring between a woman who had the expertise and cunning to twist others around her own will and a creature with the motivation to do it. The combination was pleasing to Gillian, who knew that once she and her host were one, they would be unstoppable.
"How dare you?" she asked Samael quietly. "Your limited nature and lack of understanding I could forgive, but do not attempt to spread your venom here. Danger to the crew?" She stepped closer to him, dragging forth the cool composure her host commanded so well to display her resolve. "Alema was no threat to this crew. Her crew is my crew. But you wouldn't understand that, you who can only drive your host into darkness to get what you want." She turned away with a shrug. "But it's a flaw in your nature. You've never been a half million people, so you can't understand the value of being two. But we are."
Her gaze was hard and disdainful as it raked over Samael and Lilith in their hosts. "And soon we will be one. Alema wants you out of those bodies." She sighed. "And so it must be. Saede..."
She turned to the First Mate, who stood ready to end them all. "I'm not offering to purge this crew just because I dislike these two. If that were the truth I would simply have killed their hosts and left the spirits to drift. I am offering to save your crew because, despite whatever I may find to reproach in them... Alema cares for them. If you ever trusted Alema, trust that she is thriving in me as Serrena and Jon Paolo cannot survive in Lilith and Samael."
TGU Adept
Brutality made flesh
Mand'alor be te Beskar'Marev
Posts: 264
(10/24/07 1:39 pm) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
A twisting, almost grinding sensation built in the pit of the Mando'ad mercenary's gut. He was certain that it was no bluff that Seade would space the lot of them if she felt that the ship was in danger form them or if pressed. But, he was even more certain that if he allowed the chakkar that inhabited Jon to continue to subvert Seade's thoughts against the soul thief who wore his dear friend's skin, it would ruin -everything-.
".....Blue..helps us."
Savin's face contorted in an odd mixture of surprise and horror to hear how meek and pitiful his voice sounded.
"..Blue..is nice...help we..man hurt we...hurt all..hurt mates..man bad..." The odd, broken, basic spilled out of the D'xun's mouth as if it was operating on autopilot. An assumption that would be disturbingly correct. This was not the Mando'ad warrior's strong confidant voice. This was the meek, baying of a beast who was in the presence of his alpha. One does not growl at the alpha unless one is big enough to take the alpha. Seade already proved to the beast within the warrior that she was -far- bigger than he.
"...Red help Blue....? Make all better..? Eat man bad?"
It galled at the warrior to have to present himself in this way, to have to sing praises for an entity that was attempting to murder his friend and replace her. A -thing- that sewed lies and deceit about his dear friend.
But, there was no other way. Allowing the strill to 'do the talking' helped to hide the venom and the growl his words would have carried. he took the time to think, long and hard, about their situation. He had to free the crew. But, he wanted his friend free as well. Would he had no choice but to condemn his cerulean cohort to a spiritual death to save everyone else from such a fate?
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Samael bowed mockingly to Jillian and said, “Most eloquent, my queen; most eloquent! If I may, however, just a couple of quick questions and then I’ll remain silent.”
Looking Alema in the eyes he asked, “When you entered this host, did she welcome you with open arms? Or did she resist as best one of her kind can a hive queen? I think she resisted you as long as she could but you overwhelmed her like you do all that you possess. So how is that different from my control of Jon? True, he is strong enough to still resist, but, do you think he didn’t enjoy his participation in Lillith’s and my.. reunion? In time he will adapt and become very useful – just as your Alema.”
Turning to Saede with an arched brow, he asked, “Do you really believe a hive queen that is use to having a half million at her beck and call will be content to be a… partner… to one? I’ve had to endure Jillian’s megalomania for a millennia and I’ve never noted anything so charitable in her nature.”
Returning his black gaze to Jillian he spoke to her in an archaic dialect none but the three of them would understand. His voice pitched low, yet filled with malice, he continued, “As usual you remain untouchable to me else I would happily sacrifice myself to see your demise. I promise you this, my queen, should I see my end drawing near, I will strike at the only thing I have available that may annoy you – Jon. I will rend his mind so that he will never be the same man Alema met and you feel your attraction towards. It’s really a shame for them, too. He was quite taken by the twi’lek and could have been a loyal, caring companion for her.”
Anger flared as Jon reacted to Samael’s condescension. How dare he tell things about him as if he were not there – things that should never be spoken; not like this at any rate.
Jon’s eyes flickered green briefly before reverting to their malevolent black state. Briefly, but long enough for Jon to implore, “Kill us ‘Lema.”
Elite Pirate
First Mate of CFR
"Twenty-Four"
Posts: 2255
(10/25/07 10:05 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
This had gotten strange. No, that wasn’t right. It had abandoned the realm of the strange for the hitherto unexplored realm of the really frakin' bizarre. Silence reigned in the First Mate as each of the beings- not her friends, no these were no the people she knew- spoke their pieces. It was Savin’s display however that shook her the most. Internally she had to fight with herself to keep from going over to him. He was so… so what? So animal, but- so frightened. Like a pet, barely restrained by any collar or loyalty, but beaten to keep him in check. This wasn’t right, none of it was. It barely mattered what the others said.
The steely expression in Saede’s gaze hadn’t changed, but now there was a hint of true anger, a heat behind what had previously been untouched ore. Now thrust into the smith’s fired, it smoldered, smoking, the heat only now becoming visible.
“The way I see it, you all have two choices,” she said softly, but there was nothing gentle in her voice. “The way I see it, is these people are my crew. And as long as you are in their bodies, *you* are my crew. You follow my direction, my orders, and you live a productive, pleasant life. Or, you can disobey me, and the best you can hope for is a quick and painless death.”
Only once before had Saede ever put a crew member to death. She had never forgotten that day, or the events leading up to it. But she did not regret it.
“You can either vacate those bodies, and go on your merry way,” she continued, sounding very matter of fact about the whole thing. “Or,” she paused.
Without speaking again, she pulled a small device from her pocket. Earlier… by the maw, it seemed like years ago… when she and Savin had gone through the weapons lockers on her personal ship, there had been items she’d stocked up on without mentioning, only bringing up the ones that she thought he would be interested in. Why had she done that? Friendship. Yes.
“Or I can knock out the lot of you,” she spoke in an almost deathly still, now removing a rebreather from another pouch. “The rest of your kind are already in the brig. It would be nothing to program the ship for a hyperspace jump to a completely empty area of space, hundreds of thousands of parsecs away from any systems, dump every last one of you, and head back home. Somehow, I doubt that will be a pleasant trip for you, abandoned in deep space. You might survive, I don’t know. I don’t, frankly, care. As long as you are in my crew’s bodies, you *are* my crew,” she repeated. “And I don’t take mutiny lightly.”
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)"It’s really a shame for them, too."
Gillian's job had never been to restrain herself. It was not in her nature to do anything but reach, steal, engulf and consume. There was a brief lag as the translation of Samael's words filtered down through Gillian and into Alema, and that brief window left Gillian on her own.
Righteous anger exploded out of her, and in half a breath she flung out one arm, ready to grab her enemy by the throat and thrust him back into the wall. The only reason she didn't drink him out of that body like blood was that she wanted no part of him inside her again! Better that he should die!
Stop! You're too angry!
The sudden assertion of her host gave her pause. Restraint was frequently the better part of cunning and where Gillian was doomed to fail, her host was a creature of patience. The anger drained from her expression and posture like water running down her skin, and the twi'lek lowered her arm. "Jon, we didn't bring you here to see you die," she replied gently.
It was... almost Alema. It was very nearly just the twi'lek owner of this body, though things had gone too far now for either of them to speak on her own. "Saede..." she began. "Still in full command of your body and still you have lost your mind."
"This is not a mutiny, this is an attack." The annoyance and frustration that were Jill's hallmark slowly crept back into her voice. "If you would stop fretting over your authority for half a minute and listen to me you would understand that your crew are not traitors they are victims and you would toss them aside for what?" Finally having gained more control of herself, the ruthless and angry spirit took over the tirade in full. "To make a point to the enemy! To prove you're in charge!" she exclaimed.
She slid back one foot into a more balanced stance. She didn't expect this to come to combat or for combat to bring her any closer to a solution. It was intended to do absolutely nothing but demonstrate to Saede that she was the enemy, and not their saviour. "Your plan will kill them all. I intend to free the original crew of this ship if I can, with or without your help. Do not make me protect them from our own First Mate."Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 10/25/07 11:35 am
Elite Pirate
First Mate of CFR
"Twenty-Four"
Posts: 2256
(10/25/07 11:43 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
"It's not about my authority," she said, still softly, but not so angry now.
"It's to make certain that you people, whomever you are, know that I am serious when I say I will not tolerate you in the bodies of my crew against their will."
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
The twi'lek's body remained tensed and she watched Saede carefully and openly. The gesture wasn't totally necessary, but Alema knew that it would be interpreted just the way it was meant.
Wariness. Lack of trust.
"If I were here against her will, we would be fighting each other," she answered carefully. "We don't expect you to understand why, whether you attribute it to my power or her willingness. There are still decisions to be made," she said with a brief glance toward Jon and the spirit behind his eyes. "But when it comes to Alema, we make the decisions. There've been disagreements. Whether to visit Savin. Whether or not to kill Serrena for what she said and what she's done. Whether or not this crew deserves to be saved."
They were unlikely to believe her, simply because they had their own ideas about Alema's motivations and needs. They treasured these notions far more dearly than they did the twi'lek herself, and that was the real tragedy of it. "I'm not surprised you can't tell the difference between decisions that involve her and decisions that don't. She was as much a stranger to you as I am. She deserves a new chance, and so do I. You've all had your chances with her alone. It's not my fault she has no reason to fight me, nothing to fight for."
Alema didn't belong here, and this certainty fell through her mind like rain, running down along the barriers she'd built and the desires she'd walled in. It met no resistance, only the quiet resignation with which Alema met so many impositions. "I can make things right. And she knows it. You either trust her judgment or you don't, but if you trust hers, trust mine."Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 10/25/07 12:37 pm
Samael couldn’t believe his ears. That his host had the ability to speak shocked him enough; that he would seek death at the hands of the enemy – it was totally unacceptable and, to Samael, the last straw. He striped away the protective barriers he had placed around Jon’s mind and began his assault.
Against Samael’s attack, Jon was defenseless. The demon shredded Jon’s mind; finally severing it from it’s attachments to his body. He virtually made Jon a broken spirit without a body – a cruel mockery of the state in which the invaders had lived – until now. He decided not to drive that final essence away completely; he was angry enough to want to punish Jon more at a time when he could enjoy the agony at his leisure.
Outwardly, it appeared as if Jon had tensed and closed his eyes as if expecting a blow. Trembling from the stress of the encounter, he finally slowly exhaled and appeared to relax. As he opened his eyes and glared at Alema, it was obvious Samael was now in total control of what had been Jon. A malevolence miasma seemed to ooze from his every pore and his grin was of pure evil. Despite his hatred, he was curious about his former host as willing self-sacrifice was an alien concept to him.
“Jon, is no longer an issue,” he intoned dryly.
He examined the twi’lek, looking at her curiously. “What was it about you, what power did you possess over him that he was willing to sacrifice himself for you? A pity his valiant efforts were in vain.”
Samael turned to Lillith and spoke to her within the private confines of their minds, “My love, it appears this one has a small vessel within this ship’s docking bays. Shall we make our way to it and leave this madness behind?”Edited by: Jon Paolo at: 10/26/07 2:14 pm
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
The blistering outrage that Gillian expected didn't come. She was too stunned by the reaction of her host to properly express offense at Samael's gall, at the crime he had committed against her.
No, something changed. It pulled like a riptide through Gillian's mind and the twi'lek's body smiled as she received a command... not a suggestion, a command from her host's mind.
Quiet and still as the darkest ice, the words came.
...Jill.... ...Punish him.
Eager to have the enthusiastic and willing support behind her that every goddess deserved, Gillian focused her attention on Samael within Jon. No. I told you to punish him, not destroy him. He doesn't care about himself. There's something he cares about more.
There was something to be said for irony, Jill decided. It was also the final proof she needed that she'd chosen her host perfectly. Access to a profound understanding of the people around her, access to the cunning necessary to bend their thoughts and motivations to match her own... these were the tools she had needed to craft her dominion.
"Samael, you idiot," she said, her voice cool and smooth. "You just relinquished your hostage." She turned her palms outward and the force of her greed and oppressive will charged around her body, spiked into a fever pitch, and came crashing down into Samael's chosen mate, Lilith. She gleefully speared the other ghost, dragging her slowly out of Serrena and into herself to be chewed and splintered under the overwhelming power of the goddess combined with her host.
Alema's judgment. Gillian's power. There was nothing the two of them could not take for themselves, and they would start by separating Alema's friend from Gillian's prey.
Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 10/26/07 1:07 pm
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Kady watched from the outside of the little crowd in the corridor. Once again, people had shown the tendency to ignore her if she was quiet. She could do what she wanted until she was needed. Not being noticed seemed to be a good thing at the moment- she’d escaped the wrath of Saede and Alema. She decided that she would continue to watch unless someone decided to pull her forward- Kady liked to escape pain and embarrassment where she could.
CFR's Deadly Dancer
Think you can resist?
I dare you to try.
Posts: 329
(11/1/07 2:39 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Slender fingers grasped tightly at Samael's arm, the darkness deep in her soul rippling with warning. With a host so untalented and unable to channel the Force, Lilith scrambled after every available ounce of power she could pluck from her host's body.
Heedless of her well-being and with a frantic outpouring of energy, she managed to hold off Gillian's attack for the briefest moment. Her nails dug in tightly to Samael's arm, her mind reaching towards his in a doomed gesture, as the other woman's attack succeeded just as she felt his mind against her own one last time.
A terrible, high-pitched howl emanated from Serrena's throat, the unearthly sound echoing as if it were ripping itself apart. In truth, it was. For every second the ear-splitting shriek endured, a bit more of Lilith's essence was drawn out of Serrena's body and destroyed - devoured by the unique power that Gillian, and by default Alema, now posessed.
What felt like an eternity later, Lilith was gone - no more than a memory and a bit of lingering essence to those with the ability to sense it deep within Serrena's mind. Blood trickled steadily from her nostrils and her ears, and even from the corners of her once-again crimson eyes.
Blinking and dazed, the dancer stared at those assembled around her, her mind refusing to cooperate. Her body shivered uncontrollably, her muscles and tendons spasming wildly as she regained control of herself.
Serrena managed to take a half step towards Savin, before glancing back to Jon. A strange, glassy expression flickered through her crimson gaze before she crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
TGU Adept
Brutality made flesh
Mand'alor be te Beskar'Marev
Posts: 264
(11/1/07 5:34 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Lilith's bloodcurdling howl was was accompanied by an umbral din that emanated from deep within the D'uxn-born beast's throat.
Within the massive frame that the two animals shared, Savin raged at the occupant of Alema's body. The Mando's fury would claw at the very edges of the force for all how are so inclined to experience with a violence that was, in a word, staggering.
It mattered not to him that it was the parasite and not the dancer that she attacked. All Savin saw was his fears and suspicions being played out before him. It was ironic that it was the strill's influance in him that gave him pause and pushed his attention back to...
:::Mate!! Mate hurt! Go to! Help mate! Now!!:::
It was jarring how much sence the animal was making in his own head. So jarring that it gave the D'xun warrior a moment of clarity to realize a few things. When did this beast become so smart? And, -far- more disturbingly...
..when did it start talking to him?
It was already well known that Savin's large form possessed a speed and quickness that most would never attribute to a man of his build. But, the movement that carried him to Serrena's side to catch her, moments before she hit the ground could only be described as preternatural.
In this, there was a silent, subconscious collaboration that occurred. He cradled the dancer's placid form in his comparatively massive arms, leaning his head down to gently nudge and caress Serrena's cheek, affectionately, with his nose, a warbling coo emanating from deep in the Mando strill's throat as he did so. That would be when he would look to the possessed gentleman pirate with a ferocious glare followed by a hissing growl as he pulled the dancer's prone for further away from the sith in his meat shell. The intent of the gesture was clear...
Elite Pirate
First Mate of CFR
"Twenty-Four"
Posts: 2260
(11/1/07 2:00 pm) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
It all happened too fast for Saede to react, but it froze in her mind as though gelled into a single, solid state, a thick jelly of time sliding past but too far away to touch. Each second ticked by and she couldn't act. One, two, three... was that all? It had all taken so little time, but the helplessness the First Mate knew coursed through her made each moment, each heartbeat, seem like an eternity.
This is what hell feels like.
Time held her captive as she watched, and each action of those around her hammered into her each action of her own that had been a mistake up until now, though it offered no epiphany of how to avoid more mistakes. How to avoid more of her crew falling to the ground, more of them destroyed within there own minds, more of them facing down a blaster pistol that was now aimed squarely at Alema's face.
"I don't know what the hell you just did," she growled. Though there was no one within her own mind but Saede, the growling voice was as feral as a human within their own mind could get. "But you stay the hell still."
Savin's swift movement hadn't been missed, and she silently thanked him. Serrena was the closest person to a friend Saede had... perhaps had ever had. And though the pirate seldom spoke of her own private life with the dancer, she knew that if she ever wanted to, she *could*. That counted.
Didn't it?
She moved back, keeping the pistol in one hand, but forcing herself to lower it for the moment. She'd drawn it without even thinking, without even telling her hand to do it. It was still a threat, but now no longer focused on the woman who she'd known as Alema. Pausing, she took a step toward Savin and Serrena.
Like a dog, she could almost see the hackles raise on the back of his neck when she made that simple movement. A growl echoed from his throat, so much more animal than hers had been. Something clenched in her stomache. Savin, another friend... reduced to... to what? She'd entertained a thought once.... but no. It was too clear, even without the events of earlier.... no. There had been no chance there.
Her thoughts were jumbled, and she shook her head, violently, as though to clear it, shaking mental water weight from her hair. Savin's eyes flicked between her and the gun in her hand, so Saede slowly put that away as well. She just needed to know that Serrena was alright. Slowly, she moved foreward, one hand out like-
TGU Adept
Brutality made flesh
Mand'alor be te Beskar'Marev
Posts: 265
(11/1/07 2:34 pm) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Savin's head lowered as Seade came near, steel-grey eyes peering up to her with dangerous intent. She was the alpha. But, he was more than willing to fight if she intended on harming the dancer any further. But there was something in her scent, in her manner as she approached the Mando'ad, that gave the both of them reason to calm.
The D'xun beasts leaned their head out toward her outstretched hand, sniffing at the offering and nuzzling his head into it as a sign of acceptance. No words escaped his mouth as he backed away from 'Jon' toward Seade..and Alema.
Elite Pirate
First Mate of CFR
"Twenty-Four"
Posts: 2261
(11/1/07 2:39 pm) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
"Geezus Savin, what's happened to you?" She murmured softly, sadly. She withdrew her hand slowly from Savin, reaching down to check Serrena's pulse. It was weak, but steady. She sighed softly, nodding to herself. She didn't need immediate medical attention, that was good. It it had been thready, or unsteady... but no, it wasn't.
Saede stood up straight again, completely at a loss.
"Someone want to explain what the hell just happened here?" Her voice was steel, cold and unbending, even if she spoke softly.
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Gillian waited patiently until people were done threatening her with weapons. Time was, as usual, on her side. Patience alone was all she needed, because eventually they would understand fully what was going on. She didn't need to fight right now. Only wait for the others to come around.
After all, whereas the other ghosts were bullies, dependent on coercion... this new creature in Alema's body was a master of convincing: convincing her host there was nothing to fight for, convincing Alema's friends to fight at her side. This was the key. Gillian saw that while there was a will to fight, while there was discord, there would be struggle. So much easier to secure the cooperation of a crew dependent on her for the power she wielded. It took longer, but the victory was far more complete. Something Samael could never have understood.
There was a slight nauseous wrenching inside the hive queen as she sensed the tattered remnants of Serrena's former occupant beginning to reconstitute herself. It was a side-effect that Gillian would have to deal with, and she hoped that the combined might of her host's will and her own could keep the other ghost subdued. She did not want to share her mind with Lilith ever again, even as a subordinate.
Keep her down, Alema. I'll handle the others. And don't worry. I won't let anything happen to your treacherous little toy.
"Savin's not himself. I suggest you not judge him by anything he does in this state," Alema clarified. To Saede this would perhaps mean disregarding his erratic and hostile behavior earlier and ignoring the instincts running out of control in the Mandalorian. However, it was also a private reminder to Jill herself and to her host that this cooperative and protective Savin was not the real one, and would not be here long. Soon things would go back to normal and the twi'lek would have to make her choice.
Did she really want to stay on this ship? Would she really force Jill to tolerate these people?
"As for Serrena... wait until she wakes. But give her time. There is no one but Serrena in that body now. Whether she stays that way is her business and not mine, but now she has a chance at least."
With Alema distracted, the spirit who shared none of Alema's affection for Serrena and all of her bitterness was left alone to lace her words with venom. She couldn't stop her lip from curling in disgust as she added dismissively. "Perhaps she should consider it a gift from one consuming monster to another." A self-satisfied little chuckle was the only proper compliment to her words. "Though I'll understand if Samael is less than pleased with me."Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 11/1/07 3:08 pm
Elite Pirate
First Mate of CFR
"Twenty-Four"
Posts: 2273
(11/2/07 9:07 am) Reply
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
"I hope you understand that while I am less than pleased with you, I have a feeling I'm not half as pissed as he's going to be," Saede said without looking back at Alema/Gillian. Reach reached out, gently shifting Serrena's dark hair from her eyes, a surprisingly tender motion from the usually tough as nails first mate.
Slowly she stood, presenting her back only to Savin and the unconscious Serrena. No.... Kady was back there as well, though she had made no target of herself, made no effort to be noticed. In fact, quite the opposite. So Saede would not draw attention to the other woman. She was acting as the First Mate would expect... she could only hope that perhaps Kady also was not posessed. Perhaps she wasn't the only one left on the ship beside the unconscious Serrena. Somewhere, Saede had not only already forgiven Savin for earlier (or perhaps, she simply understood better), but also knew exactly where she stood within the hulking beast's mindset. She was the pack leader, and they both knew it. That much had passed between them in that momentary show down as she'd tried to get closer to Serrena. That was enough. Though he was not himself, he was unlikely to attack her.
Sharp hazel eyes flicked to Jon/Samuel first, then back to Alema. So they could be forced out. Saede's mind whirred a parsec a heartbeat, the stirrings of a plan already forming. Could she do that? Yes. Yes she could.
"Can you do that to all of them?" She asked Alema evenly.
Re: On the Fringes...(CFR Only)
Samael clutched in vain at Lilith as she was sucked into the beast that was Gillian. He frantically searched for any sign of her, but, what small residual of her presence as could be found was deeply buried within Alema/Gillian.
Samael knew the futility of fighting Gillian. He could only try to fight pain with pain.
With some of his darkest sith sorcery he formed a specialized kinetite, a fist size ball of kinetic energy. This one, rather than being used as a weapon, was designed to be a prison for a captured soul as the swirling energies formed an inescapable barrier.
Into this sphere he placed the haggard remains of Jon and held it out before him, displaying it to Alema.
“Did you really think I would kill the spirit that keeps this body alive? Now, I have no need for this particular shell any longer. Now, Jon is totally expendable. Your impulsiveness has doomed him just as surely as if you did this… yourself.”
With that he imploded the kinetite, causing the spheres energy to surge inward and destroy itself and anything inside it.
Samael flicked the residual energy from his hand at Alema as if shaking water from it.
He quickly projected multiple images of himself into the minds of those present while pulling a cloak of darkness over himself. Each image ran away in a different direction, giving him the barest moment of misdirection necessary to slip away. He was heading for Jon’s small spacecraft in the hanger. He knew he didn’t have long as he couldn’t maintain the body indefinitely without the host controlling its life functions. He had to hurry before he would be bodiless again.
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