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mysterious-cuchulainn-x · 2 years

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A Voice in the Wilderness

At first, Talryn thought she must have been seeing an illusion, a mirage of the desert if not an outright fabrication of her brain. But there was nothing illusory in the darkness that roiled around the tall, lean, dark-robed figure trudging slowly across the burning sands.

"Be ready," she warned her companions, quietly, though she did not yet draw her saber; whatever the odds against it, she hoped this encounter would not come to a fight. Cedrax was already struggling with the heat and the suns (and whatever he needed,it was neither heat stroke nor moral wounding), and as strong as Qyzen was, she did not want him tested against the dark behemoth that shadowed the encroaching Sith.

"Jedi," the interloper announced, his tone peremptory but lacking the condescension it sounded like it should have held, "I take it you're hunting the source of this... insane technology as well?"

Despite the grating quality of his voice, beneath the surface he seemed oddly calm, almost friendly; something in the details of his masked visage and open approach reminded her of Rajivari's echo, at the end, and she nearly—nearly—dropped her guard. Did not, because Vivicar, too, had proven himself a master of deception, and Master Yuon and the others could not afford for her to fail or falter now.

"We received word from a Czerka defector of dangerous artifacts," she admitted warily, uncertain what the Sith might know and what she might use to stave off violence, if only for a time. "The corporation has... reacted poorly to our containment efforts."

"Unfortunate," the Sith murmured, and Talryn tensed, but he continued, "the Reclamation Service found samples, as well. One escaped containment and nearly destroyed this entire planet—perhaps more. I doubt Czerka will be more cautious. We should join forces."

There was something odd, almost anticipatory, in the suggestion, and Talryn nearly rejected the proposal out of hand. But if the 'Rakatan' technology was as dangerous as it appeared, they did not have the time to argue.

Time for caution, however, was another matter.

"How do I know," she frowned, " that you won't simply use my aid to seize these artifacts for yourself?"

She expected him to react poorly, but although she sensed some trace of discontent—he was, on the whole, remarkably stoic, considering the nature of his power—his only outward response was calm and matter-of-fact.

"You will have to trust me, I imagine, as I will have to trust you. Though if my masters were the liars I took them for," he added, an odd humor creeping into his voice, "I suppose that will be far easier for me than you. Still, I promise this: I have no interest in claiming any weapon for the Empire. And this... no one can claim this technology. It must be destroyed, and swiftly."

Talryn felt herself taken aback by his sincerity, plain and sudden as it was—enough to remain suspicious, even as she admitted that he had a point. Akhaira, alas, had already left for Alderaan, and so Talryn made the only choice she could.

"Very well. I am Talryn Starlighter," she bowed shallowly, keeping well out of arm's reach. "These are my allies, Doctor Tharan Cedrax and Qyzen Fess."

"Miraathis Kallig," the Sith returned, although he did not bow. "My dashade, Khem Val, and my... associate, Andronikos Revel. Shall we?"

Talryn nodded, gesturing for Tharan to approach the half-buried spire as she kept a watchful eye on their new comrades. The word the Sith—Kallig—had used for his behemoth flickered warningly at the edge of her mind, but Kallig himself gave no sign of irritation at her caution. Perhaps, she dared to hope, perhaps this brief alliance might work out after all.

#swtor #fic #my fic #oc: talryn starlighter #oc: miraathis riiskav kallig #czerka being czerka #gayem leksende is in for a very bad day

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