Verdant Refuge [Semi-Open roleplay, Revamped]

[Teloch]

1 minute ago, Rakawan said:

He reviews it.

"Thank you." He says. "I'll ask anyone at the digsite if they've seen her. She's probably gushing over artifacts with Hund. She always did love good tech."

 

This time, she simply could not hold herself

"Sure do, Ryoko. From now on, she'll be expecting something that most of our kind wants to have from yours - support, care, and attention - even more than before. But you knew that already, right, Arbiter?" She asked, obviously not expecting the answer.

[LunarFirefly]

3 minutes ago, Rakawan said:

The dagger seems to sense your motion, and the blow is slightly faster than you anticipated. The Loki reacts, but too slow. The hologram fizzles and collapses.

"Excellent." Cass says. "A good strike. Level one should prove no challenge for you."

He motions to the door.

"But first." He says. "I would like to hear more about your story, and your powers. Come, let us have a cup of tea."

Peeling the sash off from around her eyes, she bites down on the dagger to hold it while she ties the sash around her waist beneath the cheongsam styled top, then tucks the dagger into the sash where it'd remain hidden and out of the way.

Following after him, Jez frowns ever so slightly, "Why.. It's just another boring, tragic story."

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, Teloch said:

This time, she simply could not hold herself

"Sure do, Ryoko. From now on, she'll be expecting something that most of our kind wants to have from yours - support, care, and attention - even more than before. But you knew that already, right, Arbiter?" She asked, obviously not expecting the answer.

He smiles.

"I knew that a thousand years ago, when I asked her for her hand, and the world crumbled around us." He says. "I didn't get actually get the chance to give that to her then. I won't make that mistake again."

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, LunarFirefly said:

Peeling the sash off from around her eyes, she bites down on the dagger to hold it while she ties the sash around her waist beneath the cheongsam styled top, then tucks the dagger into the sash where it'd remain hidden and out of the way.

Following after him, Jez frowns ever so slightly, "Why.. It's just another boring, tragic story."

"It's YOUR story." He says. "One of a thousand, but unique. Special. It will help me understand you better. Your goals, motivations. What might hold you back, what might drive you forwards."

 

[Teloch]

3 minutes ago, Rakawan said:

He smiles.

"I knew that a thousand years ago, when I asked her for her hand, and the world crumbled around us." He says. "I didn't get actually get the chance to give that to her then. I won't make that mistake again."

 

"We all lost something back then, and some losses were irrevocable..." She replied wistfully "But, thankfully, you've got another chance and, hopefully, are serious about not wasting it. Anyway, do remind her that I wait for her call"

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, Teloch said:

"We all lost something back then, and some losses were irrevocable..." She replied wistfully "But, thankfully, you've got another chance and, hopefully, are serious about not wasting it. Anyway, do remind her that I wait for her call"

"I will." He says. "Have a good day Major. Oh and if you have some time, you should stop by Seven's new place. The food there is wonderful."

[LunarFirefly]

3 minutes ago, Rakawan said:

"It's YOUR story." He says. "One of a thousand, but unique. Special. It will help me understand you better. Your goals, motivations. What might hold you back, what might drive you forwards."

 

He had a point.. as much as she didn't want to admit it.  Jez would... actually fall quiet until they had retrieved their tea, and seated somewhere hopefully private.  Then, she would speak again with those violet eyes cast down into the surface of the tea.

"Okay.." she says more quietly, feeling tension rise and the faintest tremble touch her form as she recalls the events that started it all.

"I can't remember how old I was.." her tone seems to weaken, like she's struggling with just the thought of it, "But.. I was just a little girl when the Grineer appeared..  They.. did.. whatever they wanted to the people.. Some of them were taken, some were killed.. Some.. " shaking her head, "There was no mercy.. No consideration for what cruelty they inflicted upon those people.. I saw them taking my parents, and I tried to fight them.. Instead, I was taken as well.."

Taking a deep breath, she closes her arms a moment, "When I woke, I found myself in a cell with my Mother across from me.  The Grineer who held her were torturing her while others were barking commands at me.  When I refused to cooperate, they would continue to harm her before they took her away.  I was left to rot in that cell for days before they brought me.. this gray nutritional sludge.. It had no taste, and its texture was slick with a grainy filling making it really difficult to eat.. But they refused to give me anything else.. My hunger got the better of me, so I ate it.. 

"I was.. a project to them.. Not another life, but something they could do whatever they wanted to." tracing her finger along the top of the cup, "They would beat me into unconsciousness if I refused, and if it was something they felt was important, they would bring me pieces of my Mother to make me reconsider disobeying them.  The training.. they taught me to kill.. They taught me to be an assassin, and when I would fight them, they resorted to putting me into the Void.. I lost track of time in there.." Pulling her hand back to brush it against her forehead and the edge of her hair, "The things.. I saw.. experienced in there.. I don't know if any of it was real, but I felt.. sick.. My mind felt attacked.. I started seeing things, and each time they threw me in there, I started to realize I could do things as well.

"I found my foci - paper.. And realized I could turn simple origami into something more dangerous; stuff that was alive.. The first one I ever made.." motioning to the origami crane on her shoulder, "Was made from an event I can't describe.. But they were the result of it.  The crane became sentient, and I found a teacher almost like.. something in there gave it knowledge, or... Maybe I already knew how to use it, and just didn't know consciously how to apply it.. I don't.. really know.."

Sitting back, she folds her arms around her, bringing her legs up against her chest and the table's edge looking uncomfortable and skittish, "The Grineer found out about what had happened, and they made me use my powers with my assassinations.  I could go into human establishments and kill high ranking officials, and no one would know the wiser.  They thought it was Grineer, or Corpus.. Maybe even the Tenno given the lack of evidence."

"Almost two decades.. I know how to torture as I've been tortured, and have done the same on their so called 'Outcasts', or 'Traitors'.. I know the Grineer language fluently.. And I know how to kill effectively." There's a cold detachment in her eyes as she studies the man across from her, "I haven't been away from them long.. And they're looking for me." shifting her eyes away, she smooths her tongue across her lips as if to calm her nerves, "..the first people I killed... outside of other children they threw into the cage with me, were the survivors of my colony.. I was tasked to poison them.. to pave the way for the Grineer.."  Narrowing her eyes, "One escaped.. When I returned after escaping the Grineer, he tried to force me to recolonize and take back our old home.. He tortured me in ways the Grineer hadn't as punishment for what I had done.  Had he more time, I would have probably suffered worse..  But.. the Tenno I had trained with, found us, and stopped him."

"Our colony is gone.. and I'm the last of long standing traditions.  The last to survive.. Why do I do this? I want the Grineer gone." Eyes flash with rage, "Genocide. Every. last . one will suffer.. Every one will be flayed and left hanging as an example.  Ripped apart. Gutted.. I don't care how I have to do it.. I'll take wire and spend hours using it to slice off their limbs.  Whatever it takes to make them experience the horrific emotional and physical pain they put me through.." Leaning forward towards him, her words drip with hatred and venom, "Until my last breath.. or until they're wiped out wholly.. I will not stop.."

[Rakawan]

2 hours ago, LunarFirefly said:

He had a point.. as much as she didn't want to admit it.  Jez would... actually fall quiet until they had retrieved their tea, and seated somewhere hopefully private.  Then, she would speak again with those violet eyes cast down into the surface of the tea.

"Okay.." she says more quietly, feeling tension rise and the faintest tremble touch her form as she recalls the events that started it all.

"I can't remember how old I was.." her tone seems to weaken, like she's struggling with just the thought of it, "But.. I was just a little girl when the Grineer appeared..  They.. did.. whatever they wanted to the people.. Some of them were taken, some were killed.. Some.. " shaking her head, "There was no mercy.. No consideration for what cruelty they inflicted upon those people.. I saw them taking my parents, and I tried to fight them.. Instead, I was taken as well.."

Taking a deep breath, she closes her arms a moment, "When I woke, I found myself in a cell with my Mother across from me.  The Grineer who held her were torturing her while others were barking commands at me.  When I refused to cooperate, they would continue to harm her before they took her away.  I was left to rot in that cell for days before they brought me.. this gray nutritional sludge.. It had no taste, and its texture was slick with a grainy filling making it really difficult to eat.. But they refused to give me anything else.. My hunger got the better of me, so I ate it.. 

"I was.. a project to them.. Not another life, but something they could do whatever they wanted to." tracing her finger along the top of the cup, "They would beat me into unconsciousness if I refused, and if it was something they felt was important, they would bring me pieces of my Mother to make me reconsider disobeying them.  The training.. they taught me to kill.. They taught me to be an assassin, and when I would fight them, they resorted to putting me into the Void.. I lost track of time in there.." Pulling her hand back to brush it against her forehead and the edge of her hair, "The things.. I saw.. experienced in there.. I don't know if any of it was real, but I felt.. sick.. My mind felt attacked.. I started seeing things, and each time they threw me in there, I started to realize I could do things as well.

"I found my foci - paper.. And realized I could turn simple origami into something more dangerous; stuff that was alive.. The first one I ever made.." motioning to the origami crane on her shoulder, "Was made from an event I can't describe.. But they were the result of it.  The crane became sentient, and I found a teacher almost like.. something in there gave it knowledge, or... Maybe I already knew how to use it, and just didn't know consciously how to apply it.. I don't.. really know.."

Sitting back, she folds her arms around her, bringing her legs up against her chest and the table's edge looking uncomfortable and skittish, "The Grineer found out about what had happened, and they made me use my powers with my assassinations.  I could go into human establishments and kill high ranking officials, and no one would know the wiser.  They thought it was Grineer, or Corpus.. Maybe even the Tenno given the lack of evidence."

"Almost two decades.. I know how to torture as I've been tortured, and have done the same on their so called 'Outcasts', or 'Traitors'.. I know the Grineer language fluently.. And I know how to kill effectively." There's a cold detachment in her eyes as she studies the man across from her, "I haven't been away from them long.. And they're looking for me." shifting her eyes away, she smooths her tongue across her lips as if to calm her nerves, "..the first people I killed... outside of other children they threw into the cage with me, were the survivors of my colony.. I was tasked to poison them.. to pave the way for the Grineer.."  Narrowing her eyes, "One escaped.. When I returned after escaping the Grineer, he tried to force me to recolonize and take back our old home.. He tortured me in ways the Grineer hadn't as punishment for what I had done.  Had he more time, I would have probably suffered worse..  But.. the Tenno I had trained with, found us, and stopped him."

"Our colony is gone.. and I'm the last of long standing traditions.  The last to survive.. Why do I do this? I want the Grineer gone." Eyes flash with rage, "Genocide. Every. last . one will suffer.. Every one will be flayed and left hanging as an example.  Ripped apart. Gutted.. I don't care how I have to do it.. I'll take wire and spend hours using it to slice off their limbs.  Whatever it takes to make them experience the horrific emotional and physical pain they put me through.." Leaning forward towards him, her words drip with hatred and venom, "Until my last breath.. or until they're wiped out wholly.. I will not stop.."

There is a softness to Cass' eyes.

"What would you do..." He asks. "If you woke up one morning and someone beat you to it? Woke up and all the Grineer were dead?"

[LunarFirefly]

5 minutes ago, Rakawan said:

There is a softness to Cass' eyes.

"What would you do..." He asks. "If you woke up one morning and someone beat you to it? Woke up and all the Grineer were dead?"

Jez gives him a suspicious eye, "That won't happen."

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, LunarFirefly said:

Jez gives him a suspicious eye, "That won't happen."

"It happened to us." Cass says. "When we woke from cryo we found the Orokin where dead to the last. All the members of their empire dead and buried."

He sips his tea.

"Vengeance is not an end goal." He says. "Unless one plans to die achieving it. So tell me, what do you plan to do when the Grineer are dead."

[LunarFirefly]

Just now, Rakawan said:

"It happened to us." Cass says. "When we woke from cryo we found the Orokin where dead to the last. All the members of their empire dead and buried."

He sips his tea.

"Vengeance is not an end goal." He says. "Unless one plans to die achieving it. So tell me, what do you plan to do when the Grineer are dead."

"Nothing." she says plainly seeming to have lost interest in her tea entirely. "You were in cryostasis.. I won't be.  The end of the Grineer may not even happen before I die, but I'll ensure they feel the impact of what they did to me."

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, LunarFirefly said:

"Nothing." she says plainly seeming to have lost interest in her tea entirely. "You were in cryostasis.. I won't be.  The end of the Grineer may not even happen before I die, but I'll ensure they feel the impact of what they did to me."

"Then we have nothing to discuss." He says. "I will not train someone who can see no future besides vengeance."

He closes his hands around his mug.

"The last time I did that he slaughtered several of my other students." He says. "I will not enable that sort of bloodshed again."

 

Edited October 17, 2016 by Rakawan

[LunarFirefly]

14 minutes ago, Rakawan said:

"Then we have nothing to discuss." He says. "I will not train someone who can see no future besides vengeance."

He closes his hands around his mug.

"The last time I did that he slaughtered several of my other students." He says. "I will not enable that sort of bloodshed again."

 

Pushing the tea away, she stands quietly, "There is no future for someone like me." stepping around behind the chair to push it in against the table, "Nor under a man so quick to assume I'm a monster."  Stepping away, she turns to leave only to pause before -- sliding the dagger out, and setting it down beside the tea, "I'll find my way back to the Origin system."

With that, she starts off.

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, LunarFirefly said:

Pushing the tea away, she stands quietly, "There is no future for someone like me." stepping around behind the chair to push it in against the table, "Nor under a man so quick to assume I'm a monster."  Stepping away, she turns to leave only to pause before -- sliding the dagger out, and setting it down beside the tea, "I'll find my way back to the Origin system."

With that, she starts off.

"No there is not." Cass says sadly. "You've seen to that all by yourself."

He withdraws a large book from his robe and sets it on the table, drawing another notebook and comparing the two. 

[LunarFirefly]

Jez was... numb... to what happened.  Her thoughts rest quietly on what had transpired, but no real conclusion comes of her uncertainty.  Knowing she would have to wait to get a lift back into the Origins system, she heads to the town square to pick up some supplies, considering where it was she ought to go next once she left this planet.

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, LunarFirefly said:

Jez was... numb... to what happened.  Her thoughts rest quietly on what had transpired, but no real conclusion comes of her uncertainty.  Knowing she would have to wait to get a lift back into the Origins system, she heads to the town square to pick up some supplies, considering where it was she ought to go next once she left this planet.

You see several individuals. A child with a lollipop walks around the street square, heading towards an alley. Your eyes pick out several shapes in the alley, they look like other children. They pull back as the child the the lollipop draws closer.

[LunarFirefly]

1 minute ago, Rakawan said:

You see several individuals. A child with a lollipop walks around the street square, heading towards an alley. Your eyes pick out several shapes in the alley, they look like other children. They pull back as the child the the lollipop draws closer.

Jez stops when she spots the rather ominous events within the alleyway with violet eyes narrowing slightly.  She moves closer but in a way that would allow her to stay out of sight of the people within, trying to get a better idea of what might be going on.

[Rakawan]

18 hours ago, LunarFirefly said:

Jez stops when she spots the rather ominous events within the alleyway with violet eyes narrowing slightly.  She moves closer but in a way that would allow her to stay out of sight of the people within, trying to get a better idea of what might be going on.

The child, a young boy, hesitates outside the alley. He looks around and then steps into it.

A hand grabs the lollipop and another shoves him onot his back.

"Well well well." A young taunting voice says. "If it isn't the tubeboy."

"Don't call me that." The child says. "I'm not half-grineer. Not anymore."

"Once a tubeman always a tubeman." The other child says. "Why don't you go back to the Kweens, clonespawn."

[Aukog]

A ship, looking like a cobbled together mess of junk, comes out of punch.

"Theylin!" A loud and boisterous voice booms over several channels. "You old war hound. So this is where you've been hiding!"

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, Aukog said:

A ship, looking like a cobbled together mess of junk, comes out of punch.

"Theylin!" A loud and boisterous voice booms over several channels. "You old war hound. So this is where you've been hiding!"

"Nikolai?" Theylin asks incredulous. "I heard you were rotting away in a Grineer Gulag. Or dead. Come to think of it I've heard lots of rumors. What are you doing here?"

[LunarFirefly]

8 minutes ago, Rakawan said:

The child, a young boy, hesitates outside the alley. He looks around and then steps into it.

A hand grabs the lollipop and another shoves him onot his back.

"Well well well." A young taunting voice says. "If it isn't the tubeboy."

"Don't call me that." The child says. "I'm not half-grineer. Not anymore."

"Once a tubeman always a tubeman." The other child says. "Why don't you go back to the Kweens, clonespawn."

Jez crept up along the side of the building just outside the mouth of the alleyway with a growing frown setting on her lips.  Tube boy?  Half Grineer?  He was a child.. He was just a child.. Likely no different than any other.  Well, as dramatic of an entrance as it may be --

The petite assassin draws an origami from within the folds of her clothing, and throws it.  Mid-toss, the paper would burn away as it often does like hot coal to paper without a flame, however this time what expands from it was nothing small or simple.  Landing between the bullying boys and the half Grineer, a large, realistic looking tiger would growl violently with its back to the boy on his back, and his jaws opened slightly towards the boys to force them back.

Jez waits only a couple of seconds after the tiger would land before stepping into view to approach the half-Grineer boy.

"Bullying someone because of their heritage.." her tone is chilling as she crouches, offering the boy help up to his feet.  "One does not choose who brings them into this world.  And only cowards would attack a single person as a group."

Whether the boy accepts her help or not, she stands fully and turns to the other kids, "Leave before I feed my tiger." The look in those violet eyes was undeniable -- death stared them down.  Even if she had no intention of harming them, she wanted to make sure she got her point across.

[Aukog]

1 hour ago, Rakawan said:

"Nikolai?" Theylin asks incredulous. "I heard you were rotting away in a Grineer Gulag. Or dead. Come to think of it I've heard lots of rumors. What are you doing here?"

"I was on Sedna." He says. "Teaching those executioners a thing or two. But the boys wanted to have some fun. So we came here. Heard you had land for sale, though we'd start up the old club."

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, LunarFirefly said:

Jez crept up along the side of the building just outside the mouth of the alleyway with a growing frown setting on her lips.  Tube boy?  Half Grineer?  He was a child.. He was just a child.. Likely no different than any other.  Well, as dramatic of an entrance as it may be --

The petite assassin draws an origami from within the folds of her clothing, and throws it.  Mid-toss, the paper would burn away as it often does like hot coal to paper without a flame, however this time what expands from it was nothing small or simple.  Landing between the bullying boys and the half Grineer, a large, realistic looking tiger would growl violently with its back to the boy on his back, and his jaws opened slightly towards the boys to force them back.

Jez waits only a couple of seconds after the tiger would land before stepping into view to approach the half-Grineer boy.

"Bullying someone because of their heritage.." her tone is chilling as she crouches, offering the boy help up to his feet.  "One does not choose who brings them into this world.  And only cowards would attack a single person as a group."

Whether the boy accepts her help or not, she stands fully and turns to the other kids, "Leave before I feed my tiger." The look in those violet eyes was undeniable -- death stared them down.  Even if she had no intention of harming them, she wanted to make sure she got her point across.

The children, having never seen a tiger before, much less and angry one, scatter.

"Thanks." The boy says, accepting your help and getting back on his feet. "I wish my ma was here. She'd sort them out."

He looks at the tiger.

"Is it real?" He asks, poking it.

[Rakawan]

1 hour ago, Aukog said:

"I was on Sedna." He says. "Teaching those executioners a thing or two. But the boys wanted to have some fun. So we came here. Heard you had land for sale, though we'd start up the old club."

"You'll need to talk to Alan about that." Theylin says. "I'm sure I can get him on the line."

[Aukog]

1 hour ago, Rakawan said:

"You'll need to talk to Alan about that." Theylin says. "I'm sure I can get him on the line."

"About that." Nikolai says. "I don't think this hunk of junk is going to hold much...."

A piece of the ship floats free.

"Longer." He finishes. "All hands abandon ship, computer plot a course for the nearest empty field."

The ship plummets towards the ground as several landing craft separate from it.

Edited October 17, 2016 by Aukog