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Aria didn't like the silence. Not at all. It was too...foreboding. The intermittent sounds of blaster fire as they approached the walkway leading back into more civilised population was all too noticeable. The Champion frowned at the group of thugs, stepping forward in front of Yerbol as the lights all went out, the walkway pitched and rolled violently. Only the safety railing and a firm shove from Taral as she teetered towards him kept Aria from falling over the edge. Blinking, she beckoned the Sith hounds forward with a jerk of her chin towards the group of thugs who still didn't seem to have noticed them. Both were reluctant to leave their stations protecting Yerbol, but with complacent grunt-whines, obeyed as the group moved forward, keeping the shimmering blue outline of Voldon's shield just ahead of them.
The Tuk'ata fell on the thugs in seconds, teeth and claws shredding through any being that got within their range. Any that escaped the flurry from the beasts were swiftly sliced down by Aria's lightsabers. They made it to the other side of the walkway in a matter of minutes, the stunned security officers rising from their cover to give the disheveled Qyaari a respectful salute.
“Much appreciated, ma'am and er…” The middle-aged lieutenant in charge eyed the Tuk'ata with some trepidation, though the beasts paid him no mind and dropped back once more to snuffle at Yerbol in concern.
“Don't worry about them.” Aria reassured him with a tight-lipped smile. “But if it's not too much trouble, could you point us to the nearest medbay? My partner’s hurt.” she didn't have to gesture at Yerbol twice for the man to nod and hastily give them directions.
Next block down and on the right. It seemed so much further and by the time they glimpsed the white washed walls that were common for medcenters all over the galaxy, Aria was concerned that both Voldon and Yerbol might pass out. Yerbol from his injuries and the Elder from the sheer amount of power he expended in order to keep the other Champion on his feet. Gingerly taking hold of him by the wrist, it was difficult to find a way to place her hand that didn't brush over one of the many bruises or open wounds that covered his body, Aria guided Yerbol to lie down on one of the gurneys and tried not to cringe every time he flinched when she touched him. Voldon all but collapsed beside him, Aria turning as she heard Chwuq growl softly.
“Hey! You can't bring those mutts in here!” shouted a man's voice, its owner stepping out of the office the two tomb beasts were facing and striding quickly towards them. Chwuq and Taral snarled again and loped forward to intercept, only to scatter with startled yelps as a second person flew through the office doorway, some kind of staff in hand, and gave both hounds a sharp clout to the muzzle. The stench of singed fur wafted back towards the trio, the hounds whining pitifully as they glared daggers at the woman who had struck them and tried to slink back to join Aria again.
Purple electricity crackled along the length of the staff that she grasped in both hands, bright violet eyes narrowed to slits as she hissed at the dogs:
“You want another?! Any of you run at him again and I'll bash your skulls in!” of course, neither Yerbol nor Voldon were in the position to be making any sort of aggressive advances.
Perhaps what was most disconcerting was that Aria could hardly tell the two newcomers apart. Both had the same chalk white hair and skin, the same violet eyes framed by sharp, angular cheekbones, and they were nearly the same height, maybe five foot five or so....the only difference being that the woman (or so Aria guessed from the tone of her voice) had her hair hanging down around her shoulders and was dressed in silver and white robes, while the man's hair was slicked back from his face in a small, neat ponytail at the back of his head and he was dressed in the classic medic scrubs, a doctor’s symbol above his heart on the pale green jerkin.
Aria almost sighed out loud in relief. A doctor. If only she could persuade them they were friendly….
Dropping her sabers back to her belt, Aria took a step forward and had to leap sideways to dodge the end of the electrostaff that swung right for her head.
“I said stay back, or I promise you I'll knock your bloody block off!”
The Tuk'ata gave angry barks and lunged for the woman, only to be sent flying back into the gurney with another hefty whack from the staff.
“They're not dangerous, and neither are we.”
“THEY WERE GOING TO TEAR HIS THROAT OUT HOW IS THAT NOT BLOODY DANGEROUS?!”
Undeterred, Aria ignored her threats and stepped carefully forward again, hands held outward. She peered past her at the man, who seemed a bit more amicable than his companion.
“They're just protecting us!” the Champion placated, dodging another swing. “Please! You're a doctor? We need help, my partner’s very hurt!”
“Grrr.” the Tuk'ata slunk back up beside her, eyeing the pair of newcomers warily as the man stepped forward, placing a firm hand on the woman's shoulder and forcing her to lower her weapon.
“Yes, I can see that.” His voice was far less threatening, she felt a lot more hopeful as he moved carefully closer, his gaze darting to Chwuq and Taral.
“Let him through, guys.” Aria ordered, the beasts complying with confused grunts. The medic moved past them to examine Yerbol, pulling a scanner from the bag at his waist and pointing it at the Champion as he ‘tsk’d softly in concern and shook his head.
“Let me guess, you ran into the Chiss-looking guys down there?”
“Yeah.” Aria croaked, warily keeping watch on the woman from the corner of her eye. She didn't move, watching the medic work in stony silence. “Can you help him?”
“It's bad.” the medic whistled, plucking out a bottle and a syringe with a needle attached as he drew up some fluid, which was then injected into Yerbol's arm (painkiller, he explained when Aria questioned what the liquid was). “All his ribs are cracked and he's got a lot of internal hemorrhaging; hell...I'm surprised you got him all the way over here.”
Voldon snorted, prompting Aria to shoot him a thin, but grateful smile as she proclaimed.
“The Force can be very helpful.”
“Well, a soak in the bacta tank is definitely in order...if you and your Force can get him that far.”
“They might bring them here you know.” the woman spoke up. “The Chiss things. You're going to get us both killed one of these days, helping everybody who looks sad enough the way you do.”
The man rolled his eyes and beckoned for Aria to help Yerbol across the room to the tanks, admonishing his sibling:
“Oh don't be ridiculous! If they wanted to kill us they would have done it already. Don't you see they're all carrying lightsabers?” as Aria gently coaxed her lover back to his feet and supported him on the way to the bacta tank, he added with a reassuring and calm smile:
“The name's Denali, take no notice of my sister Rhine...she's all bark and no bite.”
“Aria. This is Yerbol, and Voldon. And the dogs are Chwuq and Taral.” she introduced their battered party as they helped Yerbol up and into the healing tank between them.
“Well, welcome to the hell formerly known as Coruscant.” Denali chuckled dryly, Rhine adding on as the Tuk'ata warily approached in order to keep close to their pack members.
“Although from the looks of you all, you've been there and back already.”
The Tuk'ata fell on the thugs in seconds, teeth and claws shredding through any being that got within their range. Any that escaped the flurry from the beasts were swiftly sliced down by Aria's lightsabers. They made it to the other side of the walkway in a matter of minutes, the stunned security officers rising from their cover to give the disheveled Qyaari a respectful salute.
“Much appreciated, ma'am and er…” The middle-aged lieutenant in charge eyed the Tuk'ata with some trepidation, though the beasts paid him no mind and dropped back once more to snuffle at Yerbol in concern.
“Don't worry about them.” Aria reassured him with a tight-lipped smile. “But if it's not too much trouble, could you point us to the nearest medbay? My partner’s hurt.” she didn't have to gesture at Yerbol twice for the man to nod and hastily give them directions.
Next block down and on the right. It seemed so much further and by the time they glimpsed the white washed walls that were common for medcenters all over the galaxy, Aria was concerned that both Voldon and Yerbol might pass out. Yerbol from his injuries and the Elder from the sheer amount of power he expended in order to keep the other Champion on his feet. Gingerly taking hold of him by the wrist, it was difficult to find a way to place her hand that didn't brush over one of the many bruises or open wounds that covered his body, Aria guided Yerbol to lie down on one of the gurneys and tried not to cringe every time he flinched when she touched him. Voldon all but collapsed beside him, Aria turning as she heard Chwuq growl softly.
“Hey! You can't bring those mutts in here!” shouted a man's voice, its owner stepping out of the office the two tomb beasts were facing and striding quickly towards them. Chwuq and Taral snarled again and loped forward to intercept, only to scatter with startled yelps as a second person flew through the office doorway, some kind of staff in hand, and gave both hounds a sharp clout to the muzzle. The stench of singed fur wafted back towards the trio, the hounds whining pitifully as they glared daggers at the woman who had struck them and tried to slink back to join Aria again.
Purple electricity crackled along the length of the staff that she grasped in both hands, bright violet eyes narrowed to slits as she hissed at the dogs:
“You want another?! Any of you run at him again and I'll bash your skulls in!” of course, neither Yerbol nor Voldon were in the position to be making any sort of aggressive advances.
Perhaps what was most disconcerting was that Aria could hardly tell the two newcomers apart. Both had the same chalk white hair and skin, the same violet eyes framed by sharp, angular cheekbones, and they were nearly the same height, maybe five foot five or so....the only difference being that the woman (or so Aria guessed from the tone of her voice) had her hair hanging down around her shoulders and was dressed in silver and white robes, while the man's hair was slicked back from his face in a small, neat ponytail at the back of his head and he was dressed in the classic medic scrubs, a doctor’s symbol above his heart on the pale green jerkin.
Aria almost sighed out loud in relief. A doctor. If only she could persuade them they were friendly….
Dropping her sabers back to her belt, Aria took a step forward and had to leap sideways to dodge the end of the electrostaff that swung right for her head.
“I said stay back, or I promise you I'll knock your bloody block off!”
The Tuk'ata gave angry barks and lunged for the woman, only to be sent flying back into the gurney with another hefty whack from the staff.
“They're not dangerous, and neither are we.”
“THEY WERE GOING TO TEAR HIS THROAT OUT HOW IS THAT NOT BLOODY DANGEROUS?!”
Undeterred, Aria ignored her threats and stepped carefully forward again, hands held outward. She peered past her at the man, who seemed a bit more amicable than his companion.
“They're just protecting us!” the Champion placated, dodging another swing. “Please! You're a doctor? We need help, my partner’s very hurt!”
“Grrr.” the Tuk'ata slunk back up beside her, eyeing the pair of newcomers warily as the man stepped forward, placing a firm hand on the woman's shoulder and forcing her to lower her weapon.
“Yes, I can see that.” His voice was far less threatening, she felt a lot more hopeful as he moved carefully closer, his gaze darting to Chwuq and Taral.
“Let him through, guys.” Aria ordered, the beasts complying with confused grunts. The medic moved past them to examine Yerbol, pulling a scanner from the bag at his waist and pointing it at the Champion as he ‘tsk’d softly in concern and shook his head.
“Let me guess, you ran into the Chiss-looking guys down there?”
“Yeah.” Aria croaked, warily keeping watch on the woman from the corner of her eye. She didn't move, watching the medic work in stony silence. “Can you help him?”
“It's bad.” the medic whistled, plucking out a bottle and a syringe with a needle attached as he drew up some fluid, which was then injected into Yerbol's arm (painkiller, he explained when Aria questioned what the liquid was). “All his ribs are cracked and he's got a lot of internal hemorrhaging; hell...I'm surprised you got him all the way over here.”
Voldon snorted, prompting Aria to shoot him a thin, but grateful smile as she proclaimed.
“The Force can be very helpful.”
“Well, a soak in the bacta tank is definitely in order...if you and your Force can get him that far.”
“They might bring them here you know.” the woman spoke up. “The Chiss things. You're going to get us both killed one of these days, helping everybody who looks sad enough the way you do.”
The man rolled his eyes and beckoned for Aria to help Yerbol across the room to the tanks, admonishing his sibling:
“Oh don't be ridiculous! If they wanted to kill us they would have done it already. Don't you see they're all carrying lightsabers?” as Aria gently coaxed her lover back to his feet and supported him on the way to the bacta tank, he added with a reassuring and calm smile:
“The name's Denali, take no notice of my sister Rhine...she's all bark and no bite.”
“Aria. This is Yerbol, and Voldon. And the dogs are Chwuq and Taral.” she introduced their battered party as they helped Yerbol up and into the healing tank between them.
“Well, welcome to the hell formerly known as Coruscant.” Denali chuckled dryly, Rhine adding on as the Tuk'ata warily approached in order to keep close to their pack members.
“Although from the looks of you all, you've been there and back already.”