Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Aphr Ahaya]

"Ow!" Aphr winced, shaken out of the ritual in the most rude way. Well, second most, with the most rude being prevented not that she would ever know that. Getting up slowly and looking around, she frowned.

"Uh...what happened?"

[Galen Panteer]

Galen moved to help Aphr up. "I'm not sure."

- - -
[Day 5 - EA to LA] Nathema, Critical +20: 1d100+20 85
Winded

[Luth Khalan]

Luth stumbled to her feet, staring down at the cave toward Vaylin. "... Kriff." She looked to Aphr, kneeling down to help Galen help her up. "We're being stared down by a ridiculously powerful person. You think you can get through to her again?"

Meanwhile, she glanced around. Was Senya all right?

[Tethys Carrack]

Tethys coughs and pushes herself to her knees, then--wobbling a bit--up to stand on her feet. A glance shows her Luth is already up, helping Galen with Aphr, and relief buoys her.

"Vay--" her first attempt to speak is a hoarse rasp, so she swallows and tries again, "Vaylin! You can stop now. You've had your revenge on the one who hurt you. That's enough!"

[Vaylin]

Vaylin was bleeding from numerous injuries, her normally pristine clothes ripped and torn. Her eyes burned with hatred… with revenge.

She started to approach Senya with a limp, “I have one last thing to do, savage.”

[Senya Tirall]

Senya stood her ground but did not ignite her saber.

[Galen Panteer]

"To be your father's weapon?" Galen asked. "To allow him one final act from beyond?"

[Luth Khalan]

She nodded, agreeing with Galen. "Don't play into his hands. You saw where that road leads already today."

[Aphr Ahaya]

"I can do my best but..." Aphr started, then paused as Tethys shouted. She stood up properly, rubbing her arm where she got kicked, and looked at the situation unfolding.

"Vaylin, I know the sting of betrayal. I was sold into slavery as a child by my parents and abandoned. I hate them for it, and I could never forgive them. But I didn't go seek revenge, as easy as it would be. I created my own life. My own existence. My own meaning. I broke free of the chains of the past and pushed forward, not shaped by what they did but created by my own hand. Don't let your past control your future, don't be what your father tried to make you to be. Create your own path. I believe in you."

[Tethys Carrack]

"Your mother gave you this chance to free yourself from him. We couldn't have come here if not for her," Tethys says, tense and still a bit hoarse but outwardly calm. "She has come back for you. As soon as she could."

She moves to stand between Vaylin and Senya.

[Senya Tirall]

"Your mother gave you this chance to free yourself from him. We wouldn't have come here if not for her," Tethys says, tense and still a bit hoarse but outwardly calm. "She has come back for you. As soon as she could."

She moves to stand between Vaylin and Senya.

Senya put a hand on Tethys' shoulder and then stepped forward.

[Vaylin]

Vaylin raised her weapon with fury in her eyes and then stopped and stared at her mother for long moments before the two embraced.

She was so very tired.

[Luth Khalan]

Luth let out a long sigh of relief, feeling like a thousand years had passed in that one tense moment, and a thousand more trapped within the Emperor's mind. She had no idea what Vaylin was thinking, but somehow managed to feel a similar bone-deep tiredness.

[Tethys Carrack]

Tethys had stiffened as Senya touched her shoulder and stepped around her, readying for some kind of action. Go for her lightsaber, fling herself between Vaylin and her next victim--the possibilities were myriad and many of them were not good.

Instead, quiet falls. Tethys exhales deeply and lets her hands drop loosely to her sides, consciously relaxing away the twin worry lines between her brows.

[Aphr Ahaya]

Aphr braced for the worst, but when she saw that they hugged instead she breathed a sigh of relief. Leaning into Galen for strength.

Thank god...that's one mess averted. Maybe.

[Galen Panteer]

Galen held onto Aphr, supporting her as they moved forward. He was pleased to see things end peacefully, but concerned by what and who Vaylin had to go through to get here.

"We should head back to the base."

[Dapper Dog]

/scene?

[Galen Panteer]

/scene