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| - A person in armor ventures into the billowing winds of Hoth. He looks around curiously, and shivers slightly against the wind. His feet leave slight prints in the snow, which lead back to a nice, warm shuttle. FORCE: You reach out with the Force and feel... That Vengeance's presence in the Force is obscured to you somehow. The wind whips and howls, snow whirling in white clouds that reduce the visibility to nearly nothing. The cold is bitter and inescapable, hanging over the lifeless planet like a shroud over a body. What little light penetrates the overcast skies reflects off the snow, making it unnaturally bright. There is no sound but the wind, no sight but the never ending cyclone of the snow. For a moment, the faint light reflects off something bright, and then is gone. Red Star arrives from Hoth: Northern Atmosphere Airspace. "Turning to the Dark Side will not prevent the darkness that awaits you," the armored man speaks to the wind. He pulls something from his belt and waits, looking to the drifting snow. Looking over his shoulder, he waits. "Nothing will." FORCE: You experience a gloating feeling and receive a vision: An emotionless silver mask, whose lips suddenly curve up into a vile grin, a cackle escaping its immobile maw.. You think of Vengeance ... Something shifts in the swirling snow; there comes no response through the bone-chillingly cold wind, no taunting words. The only answer is a bright flash and the echoing sound of a blaster going off, as a red bolt speeds through the snow towards Haquien. Vengeance slips out of hiding. COMBAT: Vengeance fires his BlasTech GS-X11 Custom Sniper Rifle at Haquien! COMBAT: Vengeance's blaster bolt hits and seriously wounds Haquien. It's entrance almost completely lost in the constant blizzard of snow, a small hauler made its landing. The paint already beginning to tarnish away from strong winds. Jacket pulled strongly around him, Vires exits the ship and looks around desperately. Having sworn he saw someone out of the viewport in his search for... well, that's another story. A streak of red blaster fire confirms his fears. "What's going on!?" He shouts out at the snow, and nothing else really. "Then if you do not care," Haquien notes. But before he can finish, a red bolt slashes into his armor. Stumbling backwards again, he ignites his lightsaber with a flash of green. He breathes heavily, and turns towards Vires. "Stay back!" he yells. "Find some cover!" He focuses forward again. COMBAT: You ignite your green lightsaber. The muzzle of the blaster disappears from sight into a small mound of snow, and there is no movement, a sudden calm sinking in after the blastr shot. The swirling winds throw snow up against the flickering green blade of Haquien's, the flakes melting into puffs of steam. A white-gloved hand flicks from behind the snow. FORCE: Vengeance calls upon the Force. COMBAT: Vengeance hurls a small chunk of ice toward Haquien! COMBAT: Haquien does not move, but Vengeance's flying debris misses him and falls to the ground. There were few times when a Jedi should NOT be heeded. Something told Vires this wasn't one of them. Still, being the fighter he was, his hand reflexively goes to the weapon tucked in his jacket and smoothly draws it out. Then the drunkard retreats to his ships rampway, forcepike in hand like a sword. Spectating unsuredly. COMBAT: Vires wields his Black Force Pike. As the great wind blows towards Haquien he plants his back foot and crosses his arms in front of him. A chunk of ice smashes into his hands, sending him sliding back across the ice, then flips up into the air and lands nearly twenty feet away, causing it to shatter. Raising his free hand, Haquien rasps, "My turn." COMBAT: You hurl a small rock at Vengeance! COMBAT: Vengeance dodges Haquien's flying debris. A rock whistles through the snow towards the white-cloaked figure's outpost, and he rolls out of the way, the rock slashing into the snow by his side. He rises to one knee, red electronic eyes whirring as they focus on Haquien. The muzzle of his rifle pulls free of the sand again, the shape rising to one knee and firing towards the Jedi once more. COMBAT: Vengeance fires his BlasTech GS-X11 Custom Sniper Rifle at Haquien! FORCE: You move with enhanced speed. COMBAT: Haquien tries to parry with his green lightsaber, but Vengeance's blaster bolt hits and moderately wounds him. Vires stands on the ramp of his ship, helplessly watching the epic battle unfold before him. A wince spiderwebs across his face at the sight of the Jedi's failed parry. This was clearly a worthy adversary. "Haven't seen anyone fight like this since Corellia." The man remarks outloud, reminiscing the mysterious works of Amalfiel. Though most of his quip is lost in the wind. Haquien grips his shoulder as another red bolt smacks against his armor. He sighs and grits his teeth underneath his helmet, then jumps forward, against the wind, and aims a sweeping stroke towards Vengeance. His feet crash hard against the ice afterwards. COMBAT:: You swing your green lightsaber at Vengeance! COMBAT: Vengeance tries to dodge, but Haquien's green lightsaber strikes and shreds him. Before the shape can get off another shot with his clunky sniper rifle, Haquien is suddenly on him; the rifle is dropped to the snow as the thing plants its foot and tries to pivot out of the way of the hissing blade, but far too slow. The blade flashes through robe and skin like butter, cleaving a sizzling path through his side. The shape stumbles backwards, teeth clenching behind its mask, mechanical eyes betraying no emotion, no pain -- they cannot. A gloved hand disappears in a flash beneath the robes, a red blade flashing out from the closed fist which is immediately brought down towards Haquien, snow being incinerated against its blade. "We have a score to settle, Jedi," the thing says in an oddly calm, grating voice. COMBAT: Vengeance ignites his red lightsaber. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien! COMBAT:: Haquien parries Vengeance's red lightsaber with his green lightsaber. Vires has no witty comment for that, shifting his position into a lazy lean against the support rails of the ship ramp. His forcepike dangles idly in one hand as he continues to watch. Haquien brings his lightsaber up with a flash, surprise etched on his posture as he slides back through the ice. He keeps his blade poised in front of him. The snow whips around it, sizzling if flakes draw too close. There the Jedi stands, perhaps still surprised. "You are beyond redemption," Haquien resolves. His arms raise and the lightsaber descends towards Vengeance. COMBAT: You resolve to pull your punches. Type +LIMIT to clear damage limits. COMBAT: You swing your green lightsaber at Vengeance -- but you try not to hurt Vengeance too badly! COMBAT: Vengeance tries to parry with his red lightsaber, but Haquien's green lightsaber hits and moderately wounds him. "It is you who are misguided," the shape responds calmly, his blade slashing through the air to meet Haquien's but he is too slow to keep it from cutting deeply along his arm, burning and melting its way through the skin, the smell of seared flesh filling the cold air. Still the thing does not react, does not falter. "There is no turning back for either of us, Jedi. You will pay the price for your folly." The blade slashes upwards towards the Knight's legs. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien's legs! COMBAT: Haquien parries Vengeance's red lightsaber with his green lightsaber. "I wonder if it was you on Tatooine," Haquien rasps. His lightsaber descends and parries Vengeance's with a flash. He holds it there, letting the Clone fight for ground, if he wishes. "I wonder if your Master has told you anything about the Force of relevance. Your faith in the Dark Side is obviously misplaced: it did not save you before, and it will not save you now." Without warning his lightsaber reaches up towards Vengeance's arms. COMBAT: You swing your green lightsaber at Vengeance's arms -- but you try not to hurt Vengeance's arms too badly! COMBAT: Haquien's green lightsaber meets Vengeance's red lightsaber with a crackling hiss. The fighters struggle for the upper hand ... COMBAT: Haquien's green lightsaber is struck from his hand and deactivated. Boots scrabble against the ice as the white cloaked man struggles forward against the green blade, red eyes flashing from beneath the mask. "What do you place your faith in?" The blade slips away, taking a step back, dropping into a defensive stance. "Faith comes and goes. There is no certainty in belief, no truth. There is only purpose in devotion, and you, Haquien Maut ... you are not devoted." As the green blade comes towards him, Vengeance's hand lifts, the two blades crashing together and sparks of heat melting the snow surrounding as they struggle. "Faith can be so /very/ fickle," he says quietly, eyes closing for a moment as his wrist flicks and sends Haquien's lightsaber spinning into the snow. Generally, one would demand surrender in such a duel; yet there is no mercy or honor here in the snow, only purpose. The red blade immediately swings violently downwards. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien! COMBAT: By sheer luck, Haquien evades Vengeance's red lightsaber. Haquien parts his legs and leaps backwards, flipping slowly through the air. His hand reaches outwards, and his lightsaber twists upward from the snow and into his grasp, igniting with blaze of light. He lands on one foot and one knee, cracking the ice beneath him with a thud. "My, my. A philosopher?" he asks. "Amalfiel would be proud." He sweeps his lightsaber up and around with a flourish, then adds, "But school is out, /Petrus/." He waits. You pick up a Haquien's Lightsaber. COMBAT: You ignite your green lightsaber. Beneath the mask, lips curve into a fierce little smile, but all that can be seen from outside is a slight movement of the masked head. "I am not here to change your mind. I am here for vengeance." His legs tense underneath him and he leaps from where he stands, landing next to Haquien with a heavy thud as the ice beneath them groans and creaks. Hissing, the blade swings. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien! COMBAT: Haquien parries Vengeance's red lightsaber with his green lightsaber. Haquien raises his saber and lets it smack against Vengeance's, which causes his own to fall backward and jab into the ice. A great crack forms around the duelists. Haquien's attention moves downward. Suddenly a circle of breaks form around them, and without warning the Jedi leaps into the air. The ice shatters beneath them, en masse, and shards fall all around as Haquien lands on one descending platform while it crashes into an abyss. For a moment, Vengeance looks to exploit Haquien's shift of attention; then the ice cracks beneath /his/ feet, and he looks down, mechanical eyes whirring as he leaps from the ice that disintegrates beneath his feet, landing on the same platform as the Jedi but slipping, swiping at the Jedi's legs as he falls. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien's legs! COMBAT: Haquien tries to parry with his green lightsaber, but Vengeance's red lightsaber hits and seriously wounds his leg. Haquien cries out in pain and falls off the hurling bit of ice. He lands with a thud on another, then stands up slowly and waits, breathing slowly. His hand lifts as well, extending upwards, and he jumps to another platform, swinging his saber, as wind and ice threaten to crush him. COMBAT: You swing your green lightsaber at Vengeance -- but you try not to hurt Vengeance too badly! FORCE: You move with enhanced speed. COMBAT: Vengeance tries to parry with his red lightsaber, but Haquien's green lightsaber hits and mildly wounds him. As the green blade swings towards him, Vengeance pushes himself backwards just enough to avoid cleaved in two, the blade flashing along his chest and opening his white robe, searing his skin but doing no deeper damage. He reels, falling from the ice piece and landing with a crash on another. Immediately he rises to his feet, hissing and waiting for a chance to leap across to the Jedi. Mechanical eyes spot his chance and he leaps, tumbling downwards through the snow, whistling wind and razor sharp ice, blade flashing towards Haquien. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien! COMBAT: Haquien parries Vengeance's red lightsaber with his green lightsaber. Haquien swings his lightsaber to bat Vengeance's away, then leaps backward. Pivoting himself against a wall, the jums down into the abyss, towards a massive piece of ice. He lands on its center, then grips the air with both of his hands and shoves his arms towards his opponent's foothold. COMBAT: You hurl a small chunk of ice at Vengeance -- but you try not to hurt Vengeance too badly! COMBAT: Vengeance hacks through Haquien's flying debris with his red lightsaber. Air and ice hurls towards Vengeance; his wrist flicks, red blade slicing through the pieces of ice which scatter harmlessly away into the whistling wind; but the air knocks the shape's feet out from under him, and he falls, tumbling through the air but landing firmly on his feet across from Haquien on the ice. Hissing, he prepares to attack, but out of the corner of his mechanical eyes spots the bottom of the chasm approaching fast; breath quickening, he leaps off the doomed ice and into the air, blade swinging out wildly to latch onto the side of the abyss. Haquien's armored head twists upward after Vengeance leaps, and then downward. He braces himself, then leaps onto another piece of ice, and then another, bits of snow erupting from the shards as he does so. Making his way slowly upward, the Jedi nears Vengeance's position and sweeps his blade towards him once more. COMBAT: You swing your green lightsaber at Vengeance -- but you try not to hurt Vengeance too badly! FORCE: You move with enhanced speed. COMBAT: Vengeance parries Haquien's green lightsaber with his red lightsaber. Vengeance hisses, blade flashing against the ice; his left hand flexes and black claws rip through his gloves, screeching along the ice as his body contorts in pain from holding his body weight by the ends of his fingertips, yet there he remains, not tumbling down. Teeth clenched and a trickle of blood running down his fingers from the wrenched claws, his blade swings wildly to meet Haquien's, but he is in no position to retaliate. Stiffening, Vengeance pulls himself close and hugs the wall, then pushes himself off it, floating through the air in a flip as his saber swings downwards at Haquien's head. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien's head! COMBAT: Haquien parries Vengeance's red lightsaber with his green lightsaber. Haquien ducks his head back as two lightsabers brush against his helm, scarring the helmet's brow. Falling again, this time Haquien crashes into the icey bottom. His grieves smash large pieces of broken ice, though he does not appear to be harmed. "This will be your tomb," he yells, towards Vengeance, as his hands extend upward. He pulls his helmet free, letting it smack against the ice, then kneels, arms still extended. The ice beneath him quivers until, like a post being pulled from the earth, Haquien ascends upwards atop a small chunk of ice. Kneeling still, cold air rushes up to meet him, reddening his skin, while he escapes the cavern. The fall is not far; Vengeance lands on his feet and crumples into the ice, lying still for a moment with the only sign of his survival his cool misting breath. The blood that drips over his fingers and out of his burnt wounds begins to freeze on his tattered robes and glove. Hissing, he rises slowly to his feet, red eyes watching impassively for a moment; then his lightsaber activates again and he hurls it towards the ice, seeking to shatter the platform beneath his feet. COMBAT: Vengeance throws his lightsaber at Haquien! COMBAT: Haquien raises his hand. Vengeance's flying red lightsaber spins back to Vengeance. As Haquien nears the top he begins to struggle, his wounds coated with small amounts of a golden philm that keep him from bleeding. His eyes wince and close while his jaw shakes under the strain. The crimson blade slashes into the ice beneath Haquien, but before it can dismantle his lift completely it slices away, horizontally, and falls back towards Vengeance. Moments later, the Jedi springs from his platform and lands on the edge of the ice, elbows pinned downward. With a heave he slips his good leg up, and then the other, and rolls onto his back. He lays there, exhausted, as snow blots his face and the cold turns his cheeks blue. The golden blood that runs from Vengeance's fingers freezes before it hits the ground, a little crystal drop of gold that crumples in the ice. A gloved hand snakes out and snares his lightsaber as it falls back to the ground, and then it is tucked into his robes. Grimacing, the clone leaps up the face of the snow, his leap taking him perhaps a fourth of the way up before his claws sink into the rock and a grunt escapes him. His muscles bunch again and again he leaps, slowly beginning to jump up the face of the ice. COMBAT: Vengeance puts away his red lightsaber. COMBAT: Vengeance wields his Retractile Claws. "Hey pal. ...You alright?" A rough voice is heard, the kind that comes attached to scoundrels. A moment later the face to match it hovers above Haquien curiously. Vires had moved away from the ship once they had fallen into the ice. Earnest brown eyes, and a mop of hair that screamed hangover. Oh, yes. This was a fitting saviour. "That's my ship over there you know. It isn't safe to stay out here too long." His conversation is uncertain, like talking down a wild dog. Not to mention his taped right hand still clenched onto the forcepike at his side. Haquien turns his head and winces when he sees Vires. He leans over on his side, taking up his lightsaber, and pushes himself up. Limping slightly, he makes his way towards the man. "Get me to Coruscant and I'll pay you five hundred credits," he rasps, when he's close enough. "Fifteen hundred if we can just go, no questions asked." For a few moments, all is silent in the cavern except the high-pitched scream of claws on ice. Suddenly, a roar pierces the air as Vengeance leaps out of the ice hole and lands in the snow, red blade bursting back into life as he bears down on Haquien. "It will cost more than petty credits to be free of me, Haquien Maut. I will have my vengeance." His hand lifts, targetting not Haquien, but the one who would seek to help him ... COMBAT: Vengeance ignites his red lightsaber. FORCE: Vengeance calls upon the Force. COMBAT: Vengeance begins to choke Vires. COMBAT: Vires chokes. Asphyxiating spasms lightly wounds him. Vires felt very strange, usually he didn't get this feeling in the afternoon. And he hadn't been drinking, but suddenly this uncontrollable pressure in his throat causes him to cough and tense up. Some groaning sounds come out of him. There was no oxygen! In a fit of realization and anger he neatly swings out with his forcepike at the oppressing force, his warcry stifled by powers unseen. COMBAT: Vires attacks Vengeance with his Black Force Pike! COMBAT: Vengeance parries with his red lightsaber. Vengeance ripostes and grievously wounds Vires. Haquien turns and grips his lightsaber tighter as Vires' attacks. With a rush of wind he presses an attack against Vengeance, shouting, "Get back!" His lightsaber lashes upward on a precise motion. COMBAT: You swing your green lightsaber at Vengeance! FORCE: You move with enhanced speed. COMBAT: Vengeance parries Haquien's green lightsaber with his red lightsaber. Vengeance side-steps Vires' attack, green blade meeting the black force pike and swiftly slashing down in retaliation. Then the Jedi is on him, and the white-robed man whirls, green blade crackling against the red, muscles twitching in effort. Then he steps forward, slashing down at the Knight as he pulls away from the two clashing blades. COMBAT: Vengeance swings his red lightsaber at Haquien! FORCE: You move with enhanced speed. COMBAT: Vengeance's red lightsaber meets Haquien's green lightsaber with a crackling hiss. The fighters struggle for the upper hand ... COMBAT: Haquien's green lightsaber is struck from his hand and deactivated. Vrhhhhh! Bzzt. Vires was familiar with the sound, and the wound through his jacket was no joke. It was burning and you can bet that it hurt, too bad his scream was lost in all the retalliation. That's okay, he had a few more just incase everyone didn't hear the first ones. This wasn't his first time fighting these weapons though, and call the man brave, instead of getting back once he sees the jedi disarmed he rushes forward to distract his opponent. "Raahhhhhh!" He shouts in the creatures face and takes a deft swing at him. The man was clearly insane. COMBAT: Vires attacks Vengeance's head with his Black Force Pike! COMBAT: Vengeance tries to parry with his red lightsaber, but Vires's Black Force Pike shreds his head. Vengeance collapses, critically injured. Haquien grits his teeth while the two sabers clash against one another, but when his is knocked aside he stumbles backwards. Thankfully, though, Vires is there to preoccupy Vengeance: his hand extends outward, reaching for his saber, and it springs into his hand with a jerk. Green light erupts from the tip while the Jedi retreats for Vires' ship, shouting, "It's time to go!" Just as Vengeance's hand extends to bring down the final blow on the disarmed Jedi, he hears the man's scream behind him. He jerks, turning, red blade moving but too slowly -- the force pike crashes against his face, splitting his mask down the middle and crashing against his face. The man is knocked backwards and over the edge of the abyss, falling towards the bottom... But it is not over. FORCE: Vengeance unrepentantly calls upon the Dark Side of the Force. You pick up a Haquien's Lightsaber. COMBAT:: You ignite your green lightsaber. Vires stares stupidly as the creature tumbles back into the ice pit. There is a long moment where he waits to feel his own death blow. Usually these things take a minute. ...No? ..Oh. He won. ..Well then. "Aghhhhhhhhhhh!" He screams after his opponent with another warcry and then stares stupidly into the abyss again. What? Oh, Running. He turns abruptly and starts sprinting full speed to his ship. Yeah it was time to go before the royally pissed off anti-jedi wakes up again. Haquien disengages his saber and follows Vires, his limp taking over again, to his ship. "Hurry and get us off this planet before he decides to start throwing thermal detonators," he comments. "I hope the circuits haven't frozen.." he adds, as an afterthought. You begin following Vires. Vires boards Red Star. Vires has left. You board Red Star.
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