Devia supervises the movers as she settles her bunker in the new town of New Libertas, Naboo. Derek had asked her to help him establish his new city and set up a home there. She was more than happy to help, as Naboo had always been her favorite planet, and it wasn't that far from the cabin that she and Noel had set up in the Mountains, but rarely visited. She hoped that this might give them an excuse to visit more often...
"Ah Derek... so glad to see you working with Parn and Joras again to create a place where people can feel safe." Devia thinks to herself. "I'm only too happy to help you out my friend. Especially after you taking Akilo into Eris and making her feel welcome and needed once again."
Devia sighs softly as she sinks into one of the oversized chairs in her bedroom and closes her eyes, her mind drifts back to the first town that Derek asked her to join, Wildfire Plains, on Dantooine. Her face frowns as she also remembers it's fall... and how she failed to be there for Akilo, when she needed her most...
Her mind drifts back...
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With a heavy sigh and very evident weariness, Devia steps off the shuttle ramp, her Gurrek Katana at her customary position, following closely on her right. Taking a deep breath of unfiltered air for the first time in a very long time, she strides into the market area of her beloved home of Wildfire Plains, Dantooine.
She had been away for a few months, while trying to hone her pilot skills, as well as try to deal with recent ... changes ... in her life. Determined to not let her personal problems affect any of those around her, she chose to exile herself in order to sort things out, trusting that her chosen family, her guildmates, would be able to keep Akilo safe from harm while she was gone.
"Where in the hell is everyone?", she thought to herself. "The City's always been quiet, but I've seen graveyards that were livelier." Her eyes scanned over the familiar lanscape. Everything seemed to be in place, that was, until her eyes fell on the tent that had been Akilo's Mercantile, and widened in horror at the image it presented.
It was ripped to shreds, burned and in complete shambles. Devia walks somewhat shakily to the tent, and walks inside. Inside the tent, complete destruction, nothing left unbroken, anything of value removed. Shaking, she says out loud to nobody in particluar, "Oh by the gods, no."
Savagely repressing the emotions that wanted to overwhelm her and anyone that would happen to be near her, Devia scans the area for possible threat, signalling Katana with a thought as she pulls out her Vibro Knuckler, deftly switching it on. Katana immediately takes up a protective and agressive stance, ready for anything. "Let's take a look around, girl." she says quietly, without a hint emotion.
She sets out twords the Angry Jawa, thinking that there might be people there. As she approaches the building, her lips thin out into a grim line at the sight. In front of her, was what was left of the Jawa. "Oh my god", she whispers into the silence of the town. Turning, she sprints twords City Hall, and twords the WPM Guildhall. As she approaches, her mind goes numb at the sight. A smoking hole where the Guildhall once stood. Devia allows a single tear to roll down her cheek.
Almost afraid to look, she turns her head to the left where her and Akilo's houses lie. Devia's own house is still in tact, as is the factory and Lab behind it. As her eyes keep scanning left, they reach Akilo's home. An involuentary cry escapes her lips as she looks upon the wreckage. Tears filling her eyes, Devia runs twords the destroyed house, unwilling to believe what her eyes were telling her.
Refusing to admit to herself what she is likely to find, but forcing herself to look throught the house, she walks into the back room. Staring in disbelief, she sees Akilo's lifeless, broken body. It is almost unrecognizable, except for the clothing, and a strand of hair with one of the metal discs that she wore in her hair attached to it. Stunned, she falls to her knees, her mouth whispering a silent, morbid litany over and over again... "No.. oh no.. please... no.."
Taking one of Akilo's ruined hands in hers, tears running unchecked now, Devia brings it to her cheek. "I am so sorry, I promised you I would keep you safe from harm. I promised you nothing would ever happen to you. I promised you that I would die to protect you, no matter what. I failed you. Oh my god, how I failed you.." Unable to keep her emotions supressed any longer, a howl escapes Devia's lips. It was the sound of a dying thing... great racking, heaving sobs that threatened to turn her inside out. If anyone had been in range, Devia's gift of empathy, now completely out of control, would have sent them to their knees, experiencing her grief and dispar as she didn't even try to shield herself. Her grief was all-consuming. Katana's howl joins Devia's as the poor beast is caught in the emotional backwash of her master.
After about an hour, Devia forces herself back to her feet, body moving stiffly, mind numb, face unreadable, emotionally exhausted. She jumps a bit as Katana's cold nose presses into the palm of her hand, an almost inaudible, but undoubtedly concerned whine escaping the great beast's throat. Petting the gurrek on the top of her head, she wanders out of the destruction and up to the front porch of her house. The door slides open at the approach, her body on auto pilot, walking her into the safety of her house, absentmindedly locking the door as she enters.
Devia signals Katana to keep close, partially for protection, but mostly for support, tears rolling down her cheek. Katana, sensing her handler's mood, gently licks Devia's face with her raspy tounge. Devia presses her forhead against Katana's, her hands roughing up her beloved gurrek's cheeks, trying to draw comfort.
Devia slowly lets Katana go, sitting mutely and exhaustedly in the middle of the floor of her now cold and quiet home. Nodding to herself, she comes to a decision of what to do next... She gets back up, walks over to the weapons closet in the back room and hangs up her trusty VK, picking up an FWG5 from it's holder. Holding it clumsily in her hands, the weight toally unfamiliar because it's been so long since she used one, she stows it inside her cloak and walks out into the night, heading back for the shuttle port.
Landing at the Mining Outpost, she tells the shipdock support crew to ready her Ixyian fighter once again. Climbing into the cockpit, she sets the auto pilot for Lok. She seems to remeber placing a house in the town of Smuggler's Luck..
Her hand hesitates over the navigation panel.. "where do I start? How do I find them.. "
... And the ice creeps into her soul...
Setting up a new house in New Libertas, Naboo - Part 1
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
posted by Devia at 9:39 AM
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