Hoth: Blood and Ice

After swallowing the last dry bite of her field ration bar and completing her morning ablutions (in this case, alas, limited to a quick stop in the field refresher, teeth cleaning, and a swipe with a chilly damp cloth over her face) Tethys begins to search the common area for a certain veiled civilian woman. She's not too obvious about it; rather, she wanders the space checking in on various members of the Republic contingent until the Force brings her to wherever she needs to be.

"Good morning," she says once she's found the woman. "Can we speak privately?"

She nodded and said, "I think that is best, Master Jedi."

Tethys's brows arch. "That was easy."

She gestures the other woman toward a quiet nook occluded by some crates, adding as they go, "It was obvious you didn't want to discuss your past last night, but I'm sorry to say I can no longer respect your wishes." She sounds genuinely apologetic about that, at least a little.

"I knew this day would come, but I didn't expect it to be a Jedi," she responded once they were alone.

"Really?" Tethys's brows draw together a bit. "What is it you're expecting me to do?"

The woman turned her back to the Jedi and allowed the veil to fall from her face and then threw aside the loose fitting robes and sash revealing white and gold armor underneath. Her hair was short, but the stance was that of a warrior.

A lightsaber came to hand and glowed blue as she looked over her shoulder, “I am expecting you to kill me, but I won’t make it easy.”

OOC: Incidental to draw her weapon. Initiative please, use Cool. She gets 1 success and 2 advantage, she is Adversary 3 with Defense 1.

... what!? Tethys feels her eyes widen. It's clear that she and this woman had radically different expectations for this conversation.

"You're gravely mistaken, then." She tries to keep her voice level as she shifts her body to take up a defensive stance, palming her lightsaber. The blue-green blade crackles awake, but she only holds it in a low guard position.

---
D2 MM--Cool for very confused initiative: 2eA 0 successes, 2 advantage


actually make that Vigilance, Tethys seriously did not sith this coming: 2eA 0 successes, 3 advantage


Haha, I get it, Orokos.

Regardless--
Soak 4
Melee defense 2
Wounds 0/14
Strain 0/18

“I had considered you an honorable woman, but if you are working for her, then I was wrong,” she said starting the standard circling that all great warriors do before the duel begins. She takes stance and grips her lightsaber with both hands, the blue light blade hissing and buzzing.

She said, “Come then, Jedi.”

OOC: She used her action to Activate Sense by committing a Force Die, upgrade the difficulty to the next two attacks on her twice.

Player’s turn.

"You're wrong, just not the way you think." Tethys circles reactively, still on guard without attacking. "I came to warn you someone is looking for you. But I see now that you know that." Both hands bracing her saber, she shrugs one shoulder a little. "Whoever she is, I'm not working for her."

--
Maneuver: Center of Being (attacks against Tethys increase crit rating by 1 until her next turn).

OOC: Social skill roll you think is fitting versus 2 red and a purple (2eC+1eD)

((Alas, Tethys is not that persuasive. 1 strain taken for Congenial, 1/18. Threat for the GM!))

D2 MM--Charm, I guess? Sense Emotions, Influence, 1 Strain for Congenial to downgrade difficulty 1x. Light Destiny flip.: 1eP+1eA+1eB+2eF+1eC+2eD 1 failure, 1 threat, 3 Dark Side

A shuttle started to take off to search for survivors and the woman saw her moment, she rushed towards tit leaping onto a box and then nearly grabbed the ramp instead grabbing a rescue chain. She dangled from the back as it made way out of the base… it was not a stable position.

Maybe she was telling the truth but could she take that chance… not with the stakes so high.

OOC: Failed the roll so she is dangling from the chain for the 2 Advantage.

Roll here. Player turn.

Shaking her head in frustration, Tethys dashes after the woman. "Don't be a fool! She knows you're on Hoth and... I think it's my fault."

She tries to leap to the shuttle ramp as well, but her boot skids on the icy floor and she misses, falling to one knee. "This is about more than just you, isn't it?" she calls as the shuttle continues to rise...

---

D2 MM--jump after Senya? Coordination, Enhance: 2eA+2eF+2eD 1 failure, 1 advantage, 3 Dark Side


Advantage to, um... either impede Senya's escape, touch her with the klutzy sincerity of Tethys's efforts ( ), or notice something helpful?

“It’s about… everything.”

The woman let go and landing weapon still drawn and said, “Tell me why I should believe you.”

"You'll need to trust someone at some point." Galen suggested as he approached. "I'm not sure what all of that was, but jumping around with lightsabers doesn't generally go unnoticed."

Galen Panteer wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 15, 2022 2:08 pm

"You'll need to trust someone at some point." Galen suggested as he approached. "I'm not sure what all of that was, but jumping around with lightsabers doesn't generally go unnoticed."

She was back on guard her steps careful not be flanked by Galen or Tethys.

He stepped back and held up his hands to show they were empty. His own saber clearly still attached to his belt.

"If you'd like, I believe Lana will vouch for me."

Senya wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:28 pm

“It’s about… everything.”

The woman let go and landing weapon still drawn and said, “Tell me why I should believe you.”

With a soft grunt, Tethys brushes ice from her bruised knees and rises back up to her feet. Her lightsaber has been deactivated since she dashed after the woman; now she clips it back onto her belt. She nods gratefully to Galen for his help.

“Because I’m telling the truth. Because I’m trying to help you. And because…” she hesitates a moment. “I can tell you’re strong in the force. So search my mind if you wish. I won’t hide from you.” She extends an open hand. “You might as well. I’m sorry to say your daughter has already tried it.”

- -
Can I like… reverse Sense here? I don’t know if she has the power, but Tethys does, and narratively it seems like she could let Senya in to sense her sincerity?

She reaches out and then said, "Then you are all in danger."

She finally disengages the lightsaber.

"Can we speak somewhere not in the open?" she added.

“That was the idea, originally.” Tethys’s grin is a bit wry, but relief is clear in her voice. “Shall we try it again from the top?”

Tethys Carrack wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 15, 2022 3:02 pm

“That was the idea, originally.” Tethys’s grin is a bit wry, but relief is clear in her voice. “Shall we try it again from the top?”

That elicited genuine laughter from the woman, dark as it was. She nodded and followed.

Gallen followed a few steps behind, watching the area for any other onlookers.

Tethys leads them back to a more private spot, again—it has to be a different one than last time, since they’d knocked over some of the gear stacked around that niche in their abortive duel and scrambling chase. She glances at Galen, unsurprised and unworried if he follows.

“A minor colony on the Outer Rim, hm? Was that true?” she asks lightly. It’s not the real question, of course.

“I must apologize, first. You can see now, I hope, that it’s never been my intention to harm you. But I think it’s my fault this… whoever it is… knows you’re here.” Her brows pinch together in a frustrated frown. “It—she?—reached out last night. A dark disturbance in the Force, and a mind with a strength like I’ve never encountered before. I wasn’t prepared, and I’d been speaking with you two and the others only an hour or two earlier. It was all still very fresh in my memories.” She presses gloved fingers to the bridge of her nose for a moment. “Your music. That mind recognized it instantly.”

She looks up. “What does she want?”

She replaced her clothes of what she could find and said, “Vaylin.”

“She is… my daughter, and she is powerful. And I failed her, it does not matter. Regrets mean nothing if there is no one around to regret everything. I come from a world named Zakuul, and it is not a minor colony. It is the seat of the Eternal Empire ruled by Emperor Valkorian, or it was ruled… it’s been some time since I have been home,” she admitted.

"As for what she wants, revenge, on me, on anyone."

He was listening, but Galen took up a position to watch for anyone approaching and ensure privacy.