Star Wars Beyond The Seventh Move...[post-KoD Rancor Pit tournament]

OOC- This RPG is open to participants in the recent KoD tournament duel. If you have completed your seven moves, but wish to branch off into a storyline spinning off the events of the tournament, you are more than welcome to participate here. Any posts made here are not intended to interfere with the judging in any way. This is just for fun for those of us reluctant to conclude a duel in seven moves.
Just remember, the RPG rules of the JCF apply. No god-modding; be respectful of fellow players; character sheets are welcome, but not necessary if you are a participant coming from the KoD tournament in the Rancor Pit.

IC- Grievance Vexx
Dusk in the Rancor Pit, post-tournament

The blackness recedes gradually as Grievance's mind struggles to come back to consciousness. Pain is the first thing he becomes aware of. What remains of his organic body aches with a raw, burning sensation. He can sense the presence of someone else close by his side. Forcing his eyes open, he finds himself staring up at a darkening sky. It takes him a moment to gather his surroundings. Hadn't he blacked out lying facedown?

He is lying on his back now in the dust of the center of the arena where he had fought Reiis Invadator in a duel that had ended for him in a blast of unmitigated electrical Force that had rendered him unconscious for the pain it had caused. It could have been lethal. Turning his throbbing head to the left slowly, he is grateful to find his cybernetic body responding to his will. He sees a shape beside him, emanating soft white light and moving with deliberate precision. His eyes travel to his own body and he realizes that his chest compartment that houses his internal organs is open.

"A4-D?" he asks, his rumbling voice barely a wheezing whisper, "What are you--?"

"Oh, master, you should not be awake right now," the medical droid replies fretfully, pausing and retracting his hands from whatever he was working on beneath Grievance's armor, "This is going to be very uncomfortable for you. I am trying to treat these electrical burns with bacta gel packs, but I'm afraid you may need tank treatment. That Force lightning fried some of your inner parts and it seems your lungs took the worst of it. I will have to turn you over and remove the armor down your spine to check the damage to your spinal cord. Your limbs are unresponsive at the moment."

Grievance takes a staggering breath that triggers a fit of feeble coughing. Turning his head to the right to look at one of his outstretched hands, he focuses on trying to close his fist. Nothing happens. His arm lies unresponsive to his will, defying him. Growling weakly, he tries again, but his attempt is in vain. He is paralyzed.

"Try not to get upset, master. It may be only temporary," A4-D tells him, "You are tired. Go back to sleep and I will finish this up and find out what is going on with your brain-to-body communication."

"Where is Reiis Invadator?" the cyborg wheezes, turning his head back toward his medic.

"Reiis Invadator?" the droid questions, "You mean the little whelp that fried the ever-loving crap out of you? She is over there, either dead or in roughly the same shape you're in. Maybe worse. I hope you killed her. She deserves to die after creating all this work for me to do. On top of that, you are not a very good patient."

The droid subtly prepares to inject a sedative into Grievance's neck, not to render him entirely unconscious, but to put him in a twilight state, docile enough to be cooperative and too groggy to be aware of much of the pain his medic will be causing as he works to repair his master. Grievance only growls in annoyance as the injection is administered, but there is little he can do to fight or resist. He certainly can't strike the droid like he wants to; his limbs won't respond to that. Pushing the aggravation from his mind, he cranes his neck to look toward Reiis.

"You must check and see if she is alive," he coughs, his words slurring slightly as he begins his descent into a semi-conscious state, "I did not mean to hurt her so badly. I don't know what happened out there..."

"Hush now, master. I am programmed to see that you are stabilized first," A4-D replies with mild annoyance, "Just shut your trap and let me fix you up and then I will see to your...enemy."

"Ally!" the cyborg snaps, fighting to stay wakeful, "She is an ally. I only did what I did because if I didn't...there may have been no duel at all. I had to make her fear me enough to do what had to be done."

"Whatever you say, master," the droid groans, "Are you finished now? I can work faster if you just shut up and quit fighting the sedative I gave you."

Grievance growls again, but it is a half-hearted attempt. He knows the droid is right and Reiis surely needs medical attention. Fighting no more, he settles somewhere between waking and sleeping, never really knowing the difference as EV-A4-D continues his work, moving him however he needed to in order to repair the damage. After meddling with his spine and testing his limbs' responses to different stimuli, he is satisfied that the cyborg will be fully functional again in time and leaves him to rest while he moves on to Reiis.

"Hello strange Sith girl my master calls an ally," he says in a sing-song voice, shining light in what he assumes is a face behind the shattered mask. He can hear her damaged respirator hissing strenuously. "My, you are in lousy shape too. Seems you and my master had an even go at each other."

Noting the slash to her side and the burned punctures in her chest, he targets those wounds first, applying bacta packs and other medical supplies to encourage healing. He turns every now and again to look at his master, truly concerned for him as he lies still, truly sleeping now, his breathing deep and slow, yet still strained to a degree.

"If you can hear me, Reiis Invadator," A4-D says softly, but urgently, "You need to respond because my master will have my head if I can't tell him for certain that you are alive."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

The darkness was permeated by a light. A bright light.

A damn annoying bright light at that.

Reiis's eyelids flickered open, but fell closed again from exhaustion, pain, and the intensity of the light. She heard a voice -- a droid's voice -- but could not understand what he was saying. Nor did she try. Her main concernwas her respirator, which had miraculously restarted itself in an attempt to keep her alive. Probably a back-up system. The thought floated into Reiis's mind as if being offered by an outside source. Was that was the droid has said? Was she dreaming?

Heck...was she dead?

But these thoughts didn't enter her mind as she drifted on the delicate balance between life and death, her body pulling itself closer and closer towards the latter as the droid medic pulled towards the former. Her body didn't want to live at this point, and it wasn't going to if the droid didn't convince it. Reiis felt the pains more acutely now in her wounds as the droid applied bacta packs. Slowly.....very very slowly....the droid coaxed her back into the realm of the living. The pain in her entire body began to awaken, especially as her respirator was still struggling to supply her with enough oxygen.

More awake but still barely alive, Reiis opened her mouth to speak. Blood drained lazily from her mouth due to the wounds in her chest, but she hardly noticed. Without warning, her respirator seized, choked, and more blood sputtered out in a weak, labored cough. Grievance Vexx as close and injured, but alive. She opened her eyes and watched the droid for a moment before speaking, her voice broken and weak.

Her real voice.

"Grievance?" She didn't have the energy for more, but she wanted to know what had happened and how badly he had been injured. It had all gone too far. She'd never meant to hurt him, much less kill him. True, they had both taken the duel seriously, but Reiis never meant malice towards him since they agreed to be allies. But then again...were they allies? Reiis thought back to what Grievance had said about there never being allies, and she wondered if he was right.

She'd have to find out.

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg
OOC:

 

"Oh, you'd better live, darn you," EV-A4-D mutters as he goes about trying to stop bleeding here and alleviate pain there, "Count yourself lucky, kiddo. Grievance Vexx is rarely keen on letting an opponent live--especially when the opponent has dealt him an impressive amount of damage. I kind of want you to live so I can slap you. You have made a horrible amount of labor for me. Do you have any idea how stressful it is getting someone as ill-tempered as a Kaleesh who is little more than a brain and a spinal cord into a bacta tank? It's not pretty. You think you are unsightly without your mask? Grievance was ugly before the transformation."

Never the silent type, A4-D continues in his condescending banter as he does his job, not really understanding why Grievance has placed some sort of value on the other cyborg's life. He pauses momentarily as Reiis' respirator kicks on what appears to be a backup source when it is needed. "Hmm...I'll bet that runs for a limited amount of time," he mutters, turning his attention from the wounds to the mechanics of this girl now. "We need to get your main breathing aid functioning again before that one goes on you too. I am thinking you will need tank treatment as well. You cyborgs are never easy ones to treat. At least you have more organic components to you though. That is in your favor." He pauses, catching that Reiis is semi-conscious and has spoken his master's name. "He is fine. Well...stable anyway. Time and his temper will tell whether he is truly fine or not."

As the minutes turn to hours and his medical droid works on Reiis, Grievance slowly starts to come out of his sedated state. He groans in lingering pain as he struggles to bring himself back to wakefulness, that horrid cough seizing him up again, provoking a frustrated growl. EV-A4-D pauses to glance back at his master, wondering if he will have the gumption to try to move. His body had responded to stimuli, but it remained to be seen if it would respond to the conscious will of the being imprisoned inside it.

Grievance has not yet found it within himself to try to move. He is in a great deal of pain and very tired, yet his mind is active, already thinking that he must try to rise. It's just not that simple--not after a showdown like the one he's just had. He has not been electrified like this since he had been captured and transformed. Of course, at that time, he had been rendered completely defenseless for the shocking. At least this had occurred in a fair duel, allowing him to maintain some form of dignity.

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

Reiis drifted in and out of consciousness as the droid worked on her respirator. She didn't know exactly what he was doing, but it probably involved connecting the various wires that had been cut and patching what had been impaled. Her mind instead was focused on what the droid had mentioned during its ranting: Grievance Vexx is rarely keen on letting an opponent live.

So...he had let her live? Told the droid to help her? That certainly didn't fit the Grievance Vexx that had tried to kill her just hours earlier, but it very much reminded her of the Sith apprentice she considered and ally...even a friend. Reiis mused on this as the droid continued to repair her respirator. If he could get it working, it would keep her alive even with the gaping hole in her mask losing the pressure it was frantically trying to generate.

Reiis had faded back into unconsciousness when a deep groan awakes her again. Carefully so as to not do any damage, Reiis turned her head to watch him, one eye covered by the shattered mask, the other free. He too, coughs, and Reiis hopes she hasn't done any permanent damage. She almost reached out with the Force to touch his mind, but she was too exhausted and still too afraid.

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

EV-A4-D continues in his delicate duty of restoring Reiis to full functionality as though it is no worry to him at all. He can be heard humming some random tune as he snips one tube and splices another, not even reacting with a terrible amount of concern as he snips another tube and a small fountain of blood spurts straight up in the air.

"Oops. No harm done," he shrugs, using a hemostat to clamp off the bleeder, "You didn't really need that anyway. Now...just piece these two hoses together and you should be at least a little less noisy and obnoxious when you're breathing because you will be getting more oxygen."

Grievance, unaware that he is being watched with concern, closes his eyes and inhales deeply, as though summoning the energy to try to rise or at the very least move. In a facedown position again from the way his medic had left him purposely to make it easier for him to get up, he slowly manages to draw his arms up under himself. It becomes apparent that movement instigates pain as his claws drag scores in the dust.

Finally, he manages to rise up on his arms and lock them, pausing as his breathing comes in a labored way, interrupted by more coughing. His tired eyes remain fixed on the ground beneath him, as though focusing on something stable will help him stabilize himself. A soft frustrated growl and he moves to draw his legs up under his body as well until his is in a crouched quadruped position, again pausing to catch his breath.

"Oh, good! The recalibration worked," A4-D exclaims with relief as Grievance's growl catches his attention, "I was worried there may have been more serious issues with the brain-to-body communication. Seems your mechanics just needed some recalibrating. How are you feeling, Master?"

"Like you talk too much," Grievance growls in annoyance, swaying slightly with a sudden loss of balance. His sallow eyes shift briefly to Reiis, but he looks away as a coughing fit seizes him up again. "Is she all right?"

"She should be once I am finished," the droid replies with confidence as he returns to finishing the last of the repairs to Reiis' respirator, "Master, don't go doing anything stupid. You need your rest. Now that I know your cybernetics work, it wouldn't bother me in the least if you slipped into a coma for a week or two. I even have some meds on hand to help you with that..."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

Reiis quietly watched the cyborg as he rose, unsteady and coughing. He glanced at her before another coughing fit overtook him, and Reiis is quite frankly surprised when he inquires into her condition. Perhaps he had ordered the droid to help her...

Two sharp beeps, a pop, and a loud whirring signaled the reboot of her respirator. Suddenly...finally....Reiis could breathe. Not perfectly of course, as her mask still had a gaping hole in it, but at least she wasn't hurting for breath. She could heard the system whirring at a faster than normal pace as it tried to keep up normal pressure while coping with the debilitated equipment.

She paused, lying still as she waited for the respirator to catch up, which took a few minutes. Rolling onto her side, Reiis gingerly picked herself off the ground. She lost her balance for a moment, due to the decreased pressure in her suit, but she didn't fall over. The cut in her side ached, but she wasn't thinking about it at the moment. More pressing matters were at hand, which Reiis would have to contend with before she was abruptly murdered by a temperamental cyborg.

Turning towards Grievance, she inclined her head towards him. "Thank you." She waited for his reaction, wondering what he was thinking at the moment, and wondering what he was going to do, or if he'd noticed the hole in her mask and the scars behind it. They were both injured, but as a larger, heavier cyborg, Grievance had the upper hand.

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

Grievance growls irritably as EV-A4-D implies that he has the means to cause him to slip into a medically-induced coma. If the droid is joking, he certainly does not find it funny. If he is serious, he still doesn't think it's funny. He had gotten a gut-full of being forced into things against his will long ago and he's not about to allow it now. He turns piercing eyes to his medic fit to incinerate him where he stands.

"Every day I ask myself why I have not scrapped you," he mutters, "You are very annoying and your bedside manner leaves much to be desired."

"You don't scrap me because you need me and you know it," the droid replies with more than a trace of smugness in his tone, "Where would you be now if I hadn't tracked you down? Probably expired and scrapped yourself. Besides, I said this to your father and I will say it to you: if you were a better fighter, we would not be having this conversation."

Another growl, this one sounding a bit stronger and more aggravated. Grievance doesn't exactly pick up on it, but others may realize the droid has a tendency to do this sort of thing to him for a reason. Irritating Grievance subtly motivates his fighting spirit; this was, in part, how A4-D had managed to call the cyborg back from the brink of death when he had first been transformed and lost the will to live.

He shifts his attention from his medic to Reiis as she speaks to him. Still crouched low, his stature is less than hers and should therefor make him seem less threatening, but Reiis is wise to be cautious. After their near-deadly duel, his nerves are still on edge despite his exhaustion. However, his body language bears little hostility, if any at all. He inclines his head to her in return, but another cough strangles any verbal response to her thanks.

"You are thanking him?" EV-A4-D harrumphs, "What am I, chopped gungan? You should be thanking me. I did all the work."

Grievance rolls his eyes in annoyance, lifting his head to better look at Reiis as he notices her mask is all but completely gone. Emotion is hard to read in those reptilian eyes of his, but there is clearly a look of shock to them as he looks upon a face he does not recognize from the first duel they had engaged. The expression quickly turns to one of questioning though as he does not look away and instead gazes upon her with the slightest trace of sympathy. So she isn't just wearing a unique suit of armor; she is a cyborg now too. He instinctively knows it could not have been by choice. Something unspeakable had happened to her. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable by accidentally staring, he averts his gaze and gives in to another bout of coughing.

"I am glad to know you are all right," he replies quietly, "And I apologize for the damage I have done."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

His presence is calm, and Reiis relaxed a little as she became aware that she was in no danger from him. Thank the Force, because she was in no condition to fight just yet. She turned to respond to the droid who was complaining about not getting enough credit. "Thank you, too," she said quietly. "I would be dead had you not helped."

She turned back towards Grievance, who she could now tell was looking at her face behind the mask. Although unable to read his expression through his eyes, she could sense the shock and wonder. Clearly, he had not heard of the incident. She looked away for a moment, not wanting to acknowledge he saw at first, but then looked back to offer an explanation.

"The Night Herald is not....forgiving...of failure." She left it at that -- he would get it.

Reiis listened as he apologized. "My apologies, also." She paused. "I reacted without thinking, and I never meant to hurt you." With the Force, Reiis reached out to the cyborg, sending calm and healing to him. It had never been her strong point, but she hated seeing him so damaged, especially since she caused it.

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

Eyes shifting again to the droid momentarily, Grievance entertains the thought of kicking him across the arena. Pity he isn't in better condition for the thought to be carried out. He does appreciate the droid's assistance, but there are many times when he understands why his father had possessed a bad habit of decimating his own battle droids. At least he only has one to deal with as opposed to an entire army.

"And don't you forget it, missy," A4-D remarks with a wag of his mechanical finger as he turns to further irritate his master by checking his vitals. Grievance is somewhat distracted though, more intent on learning what had happened to disfigure the face behind the mask of Reiis Invadator.

It was punishment, he realizes with understanding, Curse those who commit such torture straight to hell! Failure by what standards?

The injustice of it all infuriates him as it reminds him of the man who had stripped him of his own identity. His mind backpedals out of that thought though. That is where his mind had gone when he had delivered such unabated devastating blows to the one who stands before him now. The Night Herald. Grievance has heard of him before, but never laid eyes on him. He questions no further; it doesn't matter what had been done to "justify" the disfigurement. As far as he is concerned, there is no justification for it.

"I am finding that forgiveness is not something easily attained in this culture," his voice rumbles softly, "Which is why all is forgiven between us. Not expected to be forgotten by either, but forgiven nonetheless. You fought well--the best I have seen from you yet. Truly the Night Herald was unable to strip you of your skill. He may regret that one day."

His dark chuckle at his own cryptic remark dies suddenly when he flinches as his medical droid uses a soldering torch to secure the armored plating that runs down his back, protecting his spinal cord, seeing no reason to leave the panels open now that his limbs appear to be responding to his will. He glances over Reiis' limbs, wondering if the disfigurement was only limited to her face. Somehow, he knows it was not. His sensitive hearing can detect the subtle whirring of gears and the quiet hiss of hydraulics.

"All of your limbs are cybernetic now...aren't they?" he asks quietly, familiar with the sense of loss such alterations bring, "You have adjusted well. I never would have known during our duel."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator
Reiis can feel the anger building within the Kaleesh, and she instinctively takes a step back away from him. But as soon as it starts, he dissipates it, perhaps not wanting what happened before to happen again or perhaps thinking of a new thought. Either way, Reiis isn't complaining.

His observation about forgiveness in Sith culture is spot-on, and Reiis nods in acknowledgement as he continues. "Yes..." she mused, mulling over the idea. "All is forgiven. I hold no grudges. We both acted out of character." Her voice is resolute -- determined. "And thank you. You fought valiantly as well, and it is an honor to fight such a skilled opponent." A small smile crosses her face as she remembered their past duels. They had been so much fun, even if Reiis had gotten banged up a little. "As for the Night Herald," she continued, solemn now. "I live to see him regret it."

She said nothing more as she watched Grievance. She could tell he was curious about her disfigurement, but was being too polite to ask all the questions he probably had. She felt she owed him, in a way, and it didn't hurt her to tell me what had happened. She looked away, unable to maintain eye contact due to the shame of what had happened. "I misinterpreted his instructions," she began, trying to keep her voice from wavering at the memory. "I almost killed the person we had gone to save, and he...." Reiis's jaw clenched, trying to keep the anger -- but mainly the pain -- at bay. "He whipped me. In front of the ship's crew and my Master -- he made her watch." Her voice trembled, her fists clenched as she fought back the emotions. Sith did not thrive on weakness, and Reiis was showing what hurt her most. She glanced back and Grievance, but looked away again. "He took everything except my left arm. And....he burned me." She closed her eyes, pushing back memories that came anyway. "I wanted to die. I didn't want to live, but he told them to keep me alive." For several long moments, Reiis stared into the distant skyline. She turned, looking back at Grievance with sadness, but determination. "So...here I am."

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

Though unaware of it before due to his medical droid aggravating him, as Grievance gathers himself to attempt rising to his full height, he realizes that the near-unbearable pain his organic body had been wracked with before has now eased up. As the realization strikes him, he knows it is nothing A4-D has done; it has to be Reiis putting out some strange healing technique through the Force. Why had he not noticed when she did it? No matter. He is grateful for the act of kindness and it causes him to pause and consider; perhaps the Force isn't entirely useless after all.

"You did that, didn't you?" he asks, rising to his full intimidating height and towering over Reiis, definitely giving off the impression that she has possibly angered him, but this is not true. He really can't help it that his height dwarfs the average human and the mask hiding his face is shaped into a perpetual scowl. "My thanks to you. I did not know the Force could be used that way, but do not waste your energy. You have more organic matter to worry about than I."

"Hey! Where is the Kaleesh gratitude for my hard work, hmm?" A4-D demands rudely, "I toiled and slaved to bring your miserable carcass back from death's doorstep, you know."

"I will show you Kaleesh gratitude, you little nuisance," the cyborg growls, drawing back his fist. Of course, he doesn't strike the droid and obviously, A4-D knows he is not in any real danger as he doesn't even flinch in the face of his master's anger. Thus, Grievance's temper quells and he turns his full attention to his former opponent, now an ally once again, standing in mutual forgiveness.

He listens quietly as Reiis relives the tragedy of a very personal loss; a loss of identity, a loss of self-worth, a loss of control, a loss of confidence, a loss of dignity. Many deaths, all for which individual grief is experienced; all of which he has suffered the loss as well. Such a horrid violation of the entire identity as a whole. He would never have wished it on his worst enemy, much less one he would almost dare to admit is an unlikely friend.

Force or not, he can sense the dam of emotions threatening to spill out of Reiis. For a moment, he can feel it so fiercely that it spooks him slightly and he takes a single unsteady step back. As he listens to the torture she had endured, his own anger burns like bile in his gut. He has not suffered the lash of a whip since he had been taken into slavery as a youngling, but he remembers it well; the humiliation as well as the agony. As for the rest, the Sith who had rendered him an amputee had his own methods of torture that were different from what the Night Herald had done to Reiis. And yet they bore many similarities.

"I am truly sorry for the tragedy you have endured," he says softly, lowering his head and clasping his hands behind his back, "I can relate. On many levels, actually." He lifts his head; looks her square in the eye. "Do not let the grief of your loss consume you. It was not a failure, but a test. Your tormentor will pay one day...as will mine."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

"The Force can be used in many wonderful ways," she replied, smiling slightly in response to his question. "And it is of little inconvenience to me, seeing as you spared my life. It is the least I can do to alleviate the pain."

Reiis is grateful that the cyborg doesn't condemn or dismiss her when she tells him the story of the incident with the Night Herald. In many ways, Grievance is far removed from Sith culture, and that's not such a bad thing. Reiis is far from turning away from the Sith, but she has become somewhat disenchanted with their attitude and philosophy. Still though....far better than the Jedi.

Grievance broke the silence. "I am truly sorry for the tragedy you have endured. I can relate. On many levels, actually. Do not let the grief of your loss consume you. It was not a failure, but a test. Your tormentor will pay one day...as will mine."


Her loss...grief.

Yes, he was right. Reiis hadn't fully realized it, but she was grieving. Looking back at him, a fiery red and yellow eye watching him closely, Reiis paused before answering. "Yes," she said. "He will pay."

So, the Kaleesh had a tormentor as well? She hadn't thought much about what caused him to exist in his current state, but it made sense that it would be inflicted rather than the product of a choice. No one in their right mind would give up their natural body for that of a machine.

She was certainly curious about him, though, and what his story was. Perhaps she could simply....ask him.

"And you?"

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

A solemn nod of understanding is the cyborg's response to Reiis' explanation of the Force being used for more than just a weapon of offense or defense. He isn't exactly sure how to respond to her act of kindness for two reasons: one, he simply isn't familiar with kindness--especially from a Sith--and two, being freely given something from someone else just isn't easy for him. Everything he calls his own has been earned either through hard labor, rigorous training, or ruthless war. It is nothing short of awkward for him to be on the receiving end of something freely given.

"Well...I no longer feel like I've been on the wrong end of a Kaleesh barbecue," he chuckles slightly, cut off by a brief bit of coughing, "Not quite as bad anyway."

Still mulling over this recent information concerning dramatic changes in Reiis' life since they had last seen each other, Grievance narrows his eyes, his gaze distant; pensive; a look often termed as a look of eagles as he stares beyond the high walls of the arena into the darkening horizon. Seeing beyond what is seen; not foresight, but simply depth of thought. His spiritual culture has always driven him to function this way. Analyze; seek rhyme and reason for heartache and tragedy. There had to be reason; there had to be retribution.

He blinks as though broken from a trance when Reiis expresses her own curiosity in regards to how he had become the monster he is today. Not that she had called him a monster or even hinted at it. She had, in just two words, asked the same thing he had wondered about her: what happened?

"It is a long story," he sighs, his apprehension evident in his voice, "But for the sake of being fair, I will do my best to summarize. I have been like this for nearly fifteen years. It happened when I had an aggressive encounter with a powerful Sith lord whose identity I have yet to learn."

He pauses, drawing a deep breath as though he is about to plunge into freezing water. Clearly, his story is no less difficult to talk about than Reiis', despite the fact that his is several years in the past now. EV-A4-D is uncharacteristically silent, standing in the background. This is one subject the droid does not poke at with his sarcasm.

"This cybernetic body was my father's," Grievance continues, lightly reaching up to touch the scowling mask hiding his face, "General Grievous. Perhaps you've heard of him. He was killed by a Jedi general on Utapau and all I wanted to do was bring what was left of him back to Kalee for a proper burial to honor him among our people. After I located his remains, I encountered the Sith lord and fought with him because he had other plans for my father's armor. It had already been resurrected once as a droid and I did not want to see such dishonor happen again. Anyway...I was not strong enough. The Sith overpowered me and delivered an ultimatum: surrender to the Sith and I could claim the remains of the General of the droid army; continue to fight, and he would destroy the remains. I surrendered, not knowing I would be claiming my father's dead body as my own. It makes me ill when I allow myself to think on it."

He pauses, taking another deep breath as though he really is fighting nausea. Getting beyond the hardest emotional and psychological aspect of his story, he lifts his head and adopts that distant gaze again, his eyes hard with anger and hatred. He is about to delve into the torture he had endured.

"I was rendered unconscious immediately after surrendering and relocated to a secluded place," he goes on, his resolve as solid as stone and his voice lacking emotion, "I was Force-drained to the brink of death and slowly, my flesh was burned away by white phosphorus. I was too weak to do anything but cry out in unending pain. I know what it is like to pray for the mercy of death. If you are unfamiliar with the substance, white phosphorus is a chemical used in war. It melts your skin off your body, burning all the way down to the bone. It continues to burn even if you submerge it in water. The only way to stop it is to completely deprive it of oxygen. He mutilated my body with a chemical inferno, then amputated what was left and encased me in this."

He gestures violently to his cybernetic body, anger reaching its crescendo as he reflects on his own memories, but it is not directed at Reiis. It is all hatred for the one who had tormented him. He emits a low growl and turns away to pace. His long-striding steps are unsteady, but determined as he continues to pace to and fro like a caged beast, trying to calm his own emotions.

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

​

If any emotion can be seen in Reiis disfigured face, it is that of horrified shock and pity. She listened as Grievance detailed the horrors of his torture and imprisonment, which had been far worse than her ordeal. Stunning into silence for a few minutes, Reiis finally managed a response.
"I'm...I'm so sorry. That's unimaginable." She looked up at him, trying to find some way to make something better. She didn't have much.
"I've heard of General Grievous. He was a fearsome warrior....he....would have been proud of you."
Reiis frowned, putting her head down solemnly.

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

The enraged pacing continues for a time, the cyborg that can seem almost human in one breath becoming frightfully beast-like in the next. Nothing seems to calm him and he is only vaguely aware of the words Reiis is speaking to him; something about being apologetic for his suffering. Why should she care?

"There is nothing to be sorry for," he growls, "It happened nearly fifteen years ago; I should be over it, right?"

He whips around with a savage snarl, kicking a pile of dry bones and sending them clattering through the dust. His medical droid scuttles back a few paces, trying to stay out of range should Grievance decide to throw a tantrum even further. It isn't until Reiis mentions the long-dead General Grievous that the Kaleesh cyborg comes to a sudden standstill, his back turned to her. Slowly, he turns his head to look back over his shoulder.

"You really believe that?" he asks, his once angry growling voice now a calm rumble, "That he would have taken pride in me as I am now?"

Turning fully around to face her, Grievance tilts his head quizzically at her expression of grief. Is it lingering sorrow over her own tragedy, clinging in spite of her stoic resolve? No. It would seem not. It seems more that she is now grieved by the loss he had suffered so long ago. If she is troubled by this, it is perhaps a good thing there are certain details he withholds. Recovering from the debilitating trauma had been just as bad--if not worse--than the torture itself.

"You needn't be grieved over my history," he tells her, "I do not seek pity in sharing this. I seek retribution and that is all I am after. I will find that miserable creature who calls himself Sith and I will awaken him to the destruction he brought on my life. So help me, it shall be done...or I will give my last breath for the cause."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

Grievance's presence in the Force darkened as anger rose once again in his mind. He was clearly still tormented, despite it being so long ago. Should he get over it? Reiis thought not. Even she, ever rebounding from misfortune and punishment, wasn't over what had happened to her, and Grievance had been through much worse. Perhaps.....there were some things not meant to be forgotten, and perhaps these were the types of events that made a warrior. Perhaps that is why the Night Herald said she'd thank him....

She was interrupted from her musings when he questioned her sincerity. She didn't take offense, of course, and it dawned upon her that perhaps the Kaleesh doubted himself as much as she doubted her own abilities...

"Of course," she replied, gazing at him calmly. "You're a warrior...a survivor. You carry on his legacy, and you do it honorably. In time...I imagine you'll become even more formidable and infamous than even he was."

A Sith. That's what Grievance was training to be. He may not realize it at the moment, but the potential was enormous. Someone of his physical prowess a Force wielder!? He would be formidable...unstoppable. Reiis almost envied him.

She couldn't help but smile as he proclaimed his intent to destroy the Sith that had tortured him. Not laughing...more of a knowing smile. "Grievance Vexx, I have no doubt you will avenge the Sith for what he did to you." She paused, her facial expression hardened as if to emphasize a point. "I know you do not seek pity; you are a warrior, and you're going to be a Sith one of these days, and no one's going to be able to stop you." Reiis's gaze changed to one of knowing approval. He was a capable warrior, and had more than proved himself in combat, but she still saw him as a young Sith underling.

"I have faith in you."

Tag: @Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

Yellow eyes lock unblinking and unwavering on Reiis as she confirms her belief that Qymaen Jai Sheelal, General Grievous, would have been proud of his firstborn. Truly what has driven him in all of his quests has been to restore and maintain honor to the Sheelal name, though he is no longer recognized as a Sheelal himself, thanks to the disintegration of his birth identity. These words spoken by one who had witnessed his determination and his integrity mean more to him than Reiis will even know. He has come to respect the young girl who had challenged him to a duel to the death not so long ago, for she is not phony and doesn't seem to possess the ability to be so. She speaks her mind regardless of the consequences and that leads him to believe she means every word she has said.

"I do not know if this is permitted within the culture here, nor do I care," he states tactlessly, "No longer do I consider you an ally, for allies merely reinforce the frontline and generally only remain allies if certain conditions are met. You have shown yourself to be a friend, Reiis Invadator. If ever you find yourself in need, be it in battle or otherwise, I will do my best to be there to help you."

It is absolutely true that Grievance is ignorant of his potential as a Sith. He rarely considers his future in the Empire, much less the power he could wield if he were to embrace the Force, his focus mostly moving only from one day to the next. Apart from strategizing war, he seldom makes plans due to the ever-changing path wars tend to take, only rolling with the punches and adjusting accordingly. The only thing that remains solidly fixed in his future plans is his hopeful return to Kalee.

"Likewise," he replies to her claim of good faith, "Not to be disrespectful, but as a female, surviving what you have survived and becoming stronger for it is most admirable. Your foes will fall at your feet, either dead or begging for mercy, I'm sure."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

Reiis paused. And blinked.

Friends?!

It wasn't so much the idea as it was that the words actually came out of the cyborg's mouth. It certainly sounded funny coming from him, and Reiis couldn't help but grin. She bowed to him as a gesture of respect and friendship. "I extend the same to you, my friend. If you are ever in need, count me on your side."

Reiis's smile faded slightly into a thinner one as he continued speaking, praising her survival. "Thank you," she said quietly. She paused, watching him closely. "The same for you, my friend. Your enemies will crumble as well."

Tag: Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

Yes, Reiis has heard correctly. Her insufferable persistence has finally paid off in gaining the cyborg's trust--an extremely rare gem to mine out of his battle-hardened soul. Not only the trust, but she has gained his loyalty as a friend as well and Kaleesh loyalty, once obtained, generally does not die until the Kaleesh himself dies. Grievance takes a breath as though to say something, when his medical droid rushes to the forefront once again.

"Aww, isn't that heart-warming, master?" he gushes, though Grievance is keenly aware of the sarcastic ribbing, "You haven't had a friend since--well...you've never had any friends. Not since I've been around anyway."

"How can I have friends with a nuisance like you driving everyone away?" the cyborg grumbles crossly, "Annoying bucket of bolts."

"I drive everyone away? Reek excrement!" EV-A4-D scoffs, "You scare everyone with your immense size and your antisocial behavior, master. You don't need any help repelling others. You've got that well in hand."

Grievance growls in annoyance, though he knows the droid is right. He purposely avoids letting others get too close. There is too much risk involved in trust, but for some reason, he is willing to invest this in the younger cyborg who has seen and felt as much pain and loss as he has.

Meanwhile, A4-D totters off to Grievance's star fighter parked at the top of the arena walls where he rummages through the cramped cockpit for some supplies. He returns with a well-padded wrapped package. Grievance's head turns as his eyes follow the droid's return as he bypasses his master and approaches Reiis.

"As it turns out, you got lucky again, Reiis Invadator," he states, unwrapping the bundle he carries, "Because my master does not require pressurized glass to protect his hideous face, I have this piece I hung onto and I think it will be enough to repair the damage to your mask."

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

She wouldn't tell Grievance in a million years, but Reiis found his banter with the medical droid beyond funny. Despite their tensions, it was clear the two needed each other. Reiis suppressed a smile as she watched EV-A4-D putter to his ship which was...

parked on the arena's walls.....

Okay, well, that was unorthodox.

The droid came back bearing a small bundle. He handed it to Reiis as she accepted it carefully. "Because my master does not require pressurized glass to protect his hideous face, I have this piece I hung onto and I think it will be enough to repair the damage to your mask." Reiis smiled, and thanked the droid. "Thank you. That's very generous of you." Now for the uncomfortable part.

Reiis set the bundle by her feet for a moment before she reached up to what was left of her mask. A small click was heard as she detached it and set it down on the ground. Her eyes quickly darted to Grievance in embarrassment. Even if he did know she'd been disfigured, it was hard to show her face completely. In less than three minutes, Reiis cut the glass to fit around what was left of the original, welding the two together with the heat of her Darksaber. She picked up the result -- not perfect, but more than sufficient. A hiss and click of the hermetic seal notified her that it fit correctly. Her breathing returned to its soft monotony; her voice regained its metallic hum.

"I believe..." she began, grinning. "...we were in a duel."


Tag: Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

And when has Grievance, or anything associated with him, adhered to orthodoxy? EV-A4-D may razz him about being uncivilized, but the droid isn't much better. He is crude, tactless, and his bedside manner as a medic leaves much to be desired, but it is true. The droid probably does need Grievance as much as the cyborg needs him.

"No, thank you," Grievance rumbles, "I have been trying to cut down on the amount of junk he keeps storing on my ship."

"Master, as accident-prone as you are, you need an ever-growing first aid kit," A4-D replies condescendingly, "Better to be safe than sorry, you know."

Grievance scowls at the droid and draws back his fist, clearly wanting to knock some manners into his robotic doctor, but he doesn't let his temper get the better of him. He knows better and if his father, who was full of enhanced rage, never beat the daylights out of the droid, he certainly can hold back. He glances at Reiis as she refers to their duel and his expression is one of slight surprise.

"Oh-ho, no!" A4-D speaks up holding his hands up, "You two don't need to fight anymore. I have had enough work for one day between the two of you."

Ignoring the droid completely, Grievance is all too willing to defy him and he takes hold of his lightsaber hilt. Always ready to fight and even more so since his medical droid is against it, he stands at the ready for Reiis to put her credits where her mouth is.

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IIC: Reiis Invadator

Reiis summoned her Darksaber to her hand, igniting it with a snap-hiss as it landed obediently in her palm, black blade humming a deep monotone. She flashed a wicked, hyped grin behind the improvised mask as she brought the saber directly in front of her, blade pointing towards the sky. Boy, did she love a good duel. It had been the cause of many many injuries, but she couldn't resist the adrenaline rush of a new duel. And that's not to say she didn't enjoy them once their "newness" wore off -- it was exhilarating throughout the entire experience, and Reiis was drawn to them like a mynock to a ship.

With a quick flick of her wrist and arm, Reiis spun the Darksaber in a neat figure eight around her torso before pointing it directly at the cyborg. Reiis was a "to-the-point" kind, but she didn't always mind the flashy rituals that began a saber duel. Slowly, like a predator waiting to leap, Reiis crouched and circled her opponent.

It was different, truly, and Reiis hadn't expected it. It had been different when she had transitioned from fighting an enemy to fighting an opponent, and different still when they became allies. It was even more distinct fighting a friend, and it was a good thing. Not worried about getting a limb sliced off allowed time and thought for the....nicer...things of dueling, like..spinning your lightsaber around your torso before pointing it at your opponent. Reiis didn't care. She was having fun.

TAG: Kaleesh-Cyborg

 

As Reiis activates her weapon, ignoring the pleas of the medical droid as well, Grievance chuckles darkly. Yet another thing they share in common: doctor's orders are not important enough to be heeded. Of course, A4-D is not about to sit by and let the two cyborgs create more work for him without protesting.

"Grievance Vexx, do not defy me!" he shouts, grabbing his master's arm, "You have just undergone a serious trauma and repair and the only thing you should be doing right now is getting your rest! That goes for you too, Invadator!"

Hardly paying A4-D any mind at all, Grievance calmly lifts a taloned foot and pushes the droid away, never taking his eyes off the one who has challenged him yet again. As she begins to circle, he activates his own lightsaber and follows suit, stalking in a wide arc and returning to his usual battle strategy: waiting for his opponent to strike first.

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker

 

IC: Reiis Invadator

Reiis's grin widened as the cyborg pushed the droid mid-rant. They were both in very bad condition to fight, but neither seemed to care. The thrill of dueling called to them more than did their physical ailments. Besides...they were standing, weren't they? Good enough for Reiis.

As usual, Grievance would force her to strike first. They'd probably stand there forever if Reiis tried to out wait him, and even if she did succeed, she'd be too exhausted to fight well. So, her move it would have to be.

Reiis began the rapid spinning of her Darksaber that she'd grown to use so much now, stepping towards the cyborg -- ready for an attempt at being grabbed and flung into the far wall. No way she was letting that happen again. When she was just feet from where the Kaleesh stood, Reiis let the weapon's course break the cyclical pattern, bringing the saber down forcefully.

TAG: Kaleesh-Cyborg
OOC: See ya tomorrow.

 

Indeed, fighting holds far more appeal than rest right now, regardless of what his medical droid says. Honestly, he doesn't really care if he sustains further injury. He is always under the idea that it can be dealt with later when there aren't so many important things at stake--like dueling.

"Ooooh! Master, you make me so angry, sometimes I'm tempted to sabotage your body so you are forced to obey me!" A4-D moans, "I told you earlier that you need tank treatment and so you turn around and do this?! Fine. I will be on standby for another resuscitation and repair and this time, I will be sure to make it hurt!"

For all his ranting, Grievance remains unconcerned. Pain or fear of it is not much of a motivator to him anyway. A4-D will have to come up with something better than that to get the cyborg to reconsider his actions. For now, he continues his stalking circle, awaiting that moment when his opponent will crave action more than he does and make the first move.

It comes, as it usually does when his patience exceeds that of his challenger. It is true that if Reiis were to try and wait him out, Grievance would remain fixed in stubborn defiance and likely break down her patience first. He is a firm believer that patience does pay off and, sometimes, stubbornness does too. As Reiis advances and brings down her first strike, Grievance sidesteps he blow and bats it away, arming himself with another lightsaber in the process and taking his own strike at Reiis' exposed side. All the while, A4-D is still bemoaning the foolishness of the two cyborgs that just can't seem to stop harassing each other.

Tag: Anakin.Skywalker