The Dras Legacy

[Venn_Dras]

Hey guys, I decided to take a cue from a few of you fantastic writers and create a single thread to post and then archive my stories here on the forum. At the moment its pretty small, but give it time.

 

Venn: Sith Inquisitor

Beautiful Scars

 

Smuggler

Vaccine

Edited January 30, 2017 by Venn_Dras

[Venn_Dras]

Beautiful Scars

 

She's doing it again.

 

Slender fingers trace across old wounds long since healed, but never forgotten. It started off subtle at first. In the middle of a conversation her eyes would lose focus and I just assumed she'd gotten bored in whatever topic we were on. It wouldn't have been the first time. But as time went on and our excursions across the galaxy became more frequent, so did that lost look in her eyes.

 

I'm no lunk headed pirate, although that may be her favorite nickname for me. It wasn't long before I realized what it was that caught her attention.

 

Scars. Those beautiful scars that trace her face so elegantly on skin the color of warm milk. The stark contrast of her eyes, the color of her favorite red wine burn with such passion even in moments like this that it's hard to understand why she thinks otherwise.

 

These thoughts never cross her face in public though. She is Sith after all. One more reason I call those scars beautiful. They're not something to be hidden and ashamed of. They're a testament to her strength. Her determination to prove those naysayers they were wrong. They said she wouldn't survive. Yet here she is. Save for that so called Emperor what's his name, she holds all their lives in the palm of her hand. Ironic, isn't it?

 

But, you've heard me jabber long enough. It's time I broke her out of that train of thought again.

 

*sound of shuffling feet on metal floor*

 

"Hey, Sith. Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

 

 

I got this idea when I decided to roll my sorcerer as a Rattataki with the scars branded down her face. She's not entirely dark side, at least not at this point. I may decide to have her go darker in KOTFE when she loses him after 5 years.

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by Venn_Dras

[Venn_Dras]

Vaccine

 

Disgust. Fear. And worst of all sympathy. It's on the face of everyone we see; at every port we visit. I should be used to it by now. How can I blame them for stopping to look at what is obviously an oddity out of the latest medical journal. After all, its not everyday you see someone that was bitten by a Rakghoul and lived.

 

Living..... For awhile I lost my sense of what that really was. Surviving, yes. But not living.

 

Get up, get dressed, take a walk down to the base clinic and have my blood tested for the umpteenth time to assure them that I won't decide to suddenly start leaning toward cannibalism. It was a monotonous routine that would have probably led me down another kind of madness if not for Viidu.

 

At that point, any kind of employment was out of the question. Not hard to understand why, of course. But to Viidu, as long as you did your job well, you could look as ugly as a Bantha wearing lipstick and he could care less. To say it was awkward that first day when I walked into the warehouse would be an understatement. Turned backs and hushed whispers were a constant for the next few weeks. There was the odd attempt by another work hand or two to start a fight, but when it became clear that I wasn't rising to the bait, things settled down fairly quickly.

 

It could be that they were attempting to test "how far gone" I really was. Perhaps whether or not a Rakghoul was secretly sleeping beneath my consciousness and just needed the right amount of push to bring it out.

 

But it didn't. There isn't a Rakghoul in my head trying to claw it's way out and take over my body to terrorize everyone in my immediate vicinity. I do crave a Nerf burger now and then, but that's far from cannibalistic, right?

 

It took a few months and eventually the hushed whispers and turned backs disappeared. The frowns turned to smiles under my persistent sunny disposition, although that last sliver of fear never left their eyes.

 

That's when I met the Captain.

 

She came in like a whirlwind and turned everything on its head.

She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen; with eyes the color of warm chocolate. Her beauty was the first thing that made me trip. But it was the look in her eyes that made me fall. That mix of dark and light, peace and passion, all wrapped up into one woman who could rule the galaxy if she had a mind to.

 

I've seen others of her kind; the Twi'lek. Working next to a space port its just a given. But unlike the stoic, Jedi or the occasional cantina dancer who I usually saw; she was nothing of the kind.. She was by no means a demure damsel. Although we only spoke for a moment or two before taking down the jammers, her demeanor and body language spoke volumes.

 

At first I wasn't sure if she realized I was infected. When we talked, there was no awkward shifting or blatant staring. I kept waiting for her to bring it up in conversation, but it never did. After wracking my brain, I finally decided to set the ultimate test. She was heading into a separatist base alone, and although I was busy with my own mission I couldn't very well let her run in guns blazing without a decent weapon. I knew Flashy and her would make a fine team.

 

When I handed her Flashy, I expected the elephant in the room to finally show itself. Ever since the infection, not a single person accepted anything I'd offered to them without some kind of protective layer: glove, towel, etc. But without a second thought, she reached out and our fingertips brushed as she took Flashy from me. She didn't flinch, she didn't cry out what a monster I was. In fact, she gave a flirty retort and was out the warehouse door without a second look. This captain, the most amazing woman I'd ever met, flirted with me?

 

For a long time I told myself it was a fluke. After we began traveling together and I saw how many times her talents came into play, I began to realize she saw it as a sort of game. To see how far she could push it; how many more credits she could squeeze out of a client with that beautiful smile of hers. Still, no matter how many times I saw it standing at her side; it felt off.

 

Her smile never reached her eyes.

 

I tried bringing it back in any way I could. Stories from Misadventures of My Time as a Farm Boy was a favorite of hers. Her laughter would carry through the ship, and tears rolled down her face before she would dissolve in hiccups and wave the white flag in surrender. It was during those times that the sadness, the tightly woven string she seemed to have placed around herself finally began to loosen.

 

By then I already knew I was in love with her. I'd played the gallant knight for her on so many planets I'd lost count. She'd flirt with me, and I'd stutter back. I took the plunge one night and finally confessed.

 

It was the best decision I've ever made.

 

Surprise, relief, and then what I could only call pure joy washed over her face like a spring shower over a dry field. She stood there for a moment, a slight smile on her face; before her notorious smirk came striding out.

 

"If that means: roses, love letters, sneaking kisses before we're supposed to, I'm all for it."

 

The next thing I knew she was in my arms and I didn't ever want to let her go. When we both came up for air after that kiss, she leaned her forehead against mine.

 

"Took you long enough, farm boy. Vaccinations are supposed to be taken regularly. You know that, right?"

 

 

This story is based on the idea of the Infected Corso customization option. I'm waiting for the next Rakghoul resurgence before I roll my smuggler. Need to collect a couple of Data canisters. XD

 

Edited July 17, 2018 by Venn_Dras

[JennyFlynn]

I'm fairly certain I've read this before, did you change your username?

 

Still, it's as lovely as the first time I read it, nice work.

 

EDIT: Oops was slow responding, this reply applies to the first post Beautiful Scars lol.

Edited December 8, 2016 by JennyFlynn

[Venn_Dras]

I'm fairly certain I've read this before, did you change your username?

 

Still, it's as lovely as the first time I read it, nice work.

 

EDIT: Oops was slow responding, this reply applies to the first post Beautiful Scars lol.

 

Yeah. Switched it to my main character's name and legacy. If you're ever on the Harbringer server, give V'enn a holler and we can run heroics.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Venn_Dras

[JennyFlynn]

Yeah. Switched it to my main character's name and legacy. If you're ever on the Harbringer server, give V'enn a holler and we can run heroics.

 

Hah, I might!

 

Just read the Corso one too, it's cute. He's one of my least favorite companions actually, too sweet and nice and a little clingy but this story was cute and endearing so well done. Are you posting a bunch of shorts and such or will this be one continued story?

[Lunafox]

I really enjoyed the way you captured Andronikos' and Corso's voices. Well done. Especially Andronikos, but that might just be that I've played oodles of inquisitors, and only a couple of smugs. I look forward to see what else you're going to do.

[Venn_Dras]

Hah, I might!

 

Just read the Corso one too, it's cute. He's one of my least favorite companions actually, too sweet and nice and a little clingy but this story was cute and endearing so well done. Are you posting a bunch of shorts and such or will this be one continued story

 

I tend to write on spur of the moment, so they will probably short and sporatic. You're right about Corso. I grew up a cowgirl and even I think he comes off a little much too sometimes. Personally my favorite story on Pub side is the Trooper's. We'll..... That and Aric is my favorite comp on that side too. XD

 

I really enjoyed the way you captured Andronikos' and Corso's voices. Well done. Especially Andronikos, but that might just be that I've played oodles of inquisitors, and only a couple of smugs. I look forward to see what else you're going to do.

 

Yep. That lunk headed pirate is not only my favorite comp Imp side, but also overall. The Rattataki Sorcer in this story is my main on the server and I just have a blast running her around shooting lightning with Andronikos trying to keep up.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Venn_Dras

[Venn_Dras]

The Greatest Man He Never Knew

 

He wonders why I stay. Its become a fixture in eyes that were once like warm chocolate; but now glow like the a full moon on a starless night.

 

I could. That's part of the life of being a smuggler after all. No attachments. That's rule #1. I should be able to leave him behind; to continue my adventures gallivanting across the galaxy without a care in the world.

 

But I won't. I can't. And all because of the greatest man he never knew.

 

He found me on the streets of Nar Shadaa, I remember that much. I had tried to pick his pocket.

 

It ended up being the best mistake I ever made.

 

He could have turned me over to one of the dozens of so called "security patrols" running around the planet . I would have ended up either tortured for the fun of some indulgent Hutt or in some **** hole of a holding cell never to see the light of day again. Instead I found myself indentured to a smart *** smuggler who had a weird addiction to bantha milk. Yes, bantha milk. Whisky, scotch I could understand; but bantha milk? He made sure to have at least a case or two of the stuff on ice at all times. But, I'm getting off topic now aren't I?

 

He said I was to become a sort of space ship cabin boy. Do all the things he didn't feel like doing. Clean the ship, wash dishes and what not. At first he had me cook, but after the first meal, I was officially banned from even touching any cooling utensils. Of course the fact that I tried to warn him, made no never mind to him.

 

In the beginning I did everything with the attitude of a petulant child. Trying to see how far I could push his buttons became a hobby to stem the boredom of continuous ship cleaning. But as days turned to weeks things took a subtle change. In the middle of dish washing, he'd call me over to help him repair a panel that had come loose or ask me to look up a map from the the ship's computer so he could plan the fastest route to our next destination. Things only got stranger from there. It got to a point where he began taking him with him on his deals and I began to realize what a genius he actually was.

 

A quick turn of phrase, a quick nudge here or there and he had them eating out of his hand.

 

For the most part.

 

There were times where a quick exit was on that days unexpected agenda. But for all the bad that happened with the good, that smile on his face never wavered.

 

Even after Taris.

 

It was my fault. The guilt still gnaws at me even after all these years. Every now and then the nightmare of that day fills me with such terror that I find myself waking up in a cold sweat. Let me tell you, sweaty fur is not comfortable. One of the main reasons I prefer to wear less restrictive clothing. Well, that and the fact it gives me an edge during negotiations.

 

It was a typical stop and drop delivery, or so we thought. With the recent surge in Empire activity the Republic base we were to deliver to had been moved to a less developed region of the planet. And, of course that meant that landing a ship near said base would be impossible. The only option to deliver said goods was by speeder sans cart.

 

It was during that trek where everything changed.

 

We had stopped to make camp. Since I was barred from cooking, I was regulated to checking on the cargo. Unfortunately I was so focused on checking the ropes and securing any stragglers that I didn't hear them coming at first.

 

By then it was too late.

 

They came out of the shadows , charging through the brush, snarling like rabid dogs. I managed to hit the ground, and duck the first one. Shooting a second with the blaster at my hip. I managed to climb on to the supplies crates behind me before shooting another who was attempting the same thing. From my vantage point, there were four in total. Two of which that smart *** smuggler was taking on. He had blindsided one with the frying pan he was cooking with and was now holding off the other withe his trusty shotgun. Pushing the beast back with a dirty kick, he quickly finished it off with a bullet spray to the chest. I dropped down from the crates , a smart assed remark about his unorthodox use of a frying pan on my lips. He turned to me, a grin of his own on his face.

 

Which quickly disappeared.

 

Next thing I knew I was on the ground, the smuggler on top of me. A loud gun shot next to my head leaving my ears ringing. It took a minute to realize what had happened.

 

I'd missed one. So busy was I watching his take down of the two others, that I failed to noticed one more behind me. Pushing myself out from underneath, although I got off lucky, he didn't. A large bite mark covered his forearm, already giving off the horrible smell of infection and oozing what I could only describe as a toxic residue. Even I knew what a bite like that foretold.

 

Death.

 

I'd seen too many holo recording, heard to many stories of what happened to people who'd been bitten by rakgouls. Even if we made it to the base, they wouldn't let us in. There was no cure. They weren't even close to one.

He told me to go on without him, that he wouldn't have decided any differently had he known this would happen. Taking me in was the best decision he's ever made and for all the years we spent together, he wouldn't trade a minute of it for all the credits of the galaxy.

 

But I refused. I couldn't leave him. So, eventually he gave up. We sat there for hours as he told me stories of before we'd met. Some of the best deals he'd made, his greatest escapes, and best of all; the most amazing things he's seen while traveling through the galaxy.

 

And his smile never wavered.

 

Even as I could tell that the change was growing ever closer, that he was beginning to lose parts of himself within the beast. He and I both knew that the end was coming. Eventually he told me that I needed to go, using the excuse that I couldn't leave our job unfinished. It would ruin the reputation he had so painstakingly built.

 

That's the last time I ever cried.

 

He joked that he never thought I'd be so sentimental. That it ruined my snarky, smart assed reputation. But his calloused hands still wiped those tears away with a gentle touch and a grin that still lit up his face; despite the excruciating pain he must have been in.

 

That's an image I'll hold with me til the day my own journey ends.

 

I love Corso, I'll probably never say it, but I do. I've never met anyone more stubbornly set in their convictions about black and white, right and wrong. His innocence and honesty in matters of the heart is both sweet and frustrating to say the least. Some how without my noticing it, he whittled a hole into my heart and just as easily sealed it up behind him.

 

That's why I will stay by his side through all the the whispers, the looks, the pain and the nightmares. He once asked me why I never thought about settling down, and I told him the truth that day. From the day that smuggler died, I relied on myself and me alone. My ship was my home and a part of it always will be, though he's now taken that place for his own.

 

Smuggler would approve of him. He's also probably laughing up a storm on the other side right now. Me all lovey dovey over a man, who'd a have thought? I certainly didn't see it coming.

 

He wonders why I stay. And maybe someday I'll tell him, about the greatest man he never knew.

 

Notes:

 

This is another take on the if the player used the Infected customization. In this case the infection happens during the Smuggler's class story. Think Rakgoul resurgence event.

 

Edited January 30, 2017 by Venn_Dras

[Lunafox]

You did a lovely job conveying the depth of the smuggler's relationship with Corso. It's nice to see you posting again, I look forward to more.

 

Also one little thing, I see that the 'asterisk patrol' picked up a couple of your words and asterisked them...usually to counter that some of us insert a period in the middle of the word, so that it doesn't get censored, which tends to interupt the flow of the story.

 

So...to use an example, you could do this: as.shole sh.ithole

 

That should help the more colourful language stay visible.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Lunafox

[Venn_Dras]

You did a lovely job conveying the depth of the smuggler's relationship with Corso. It's nice to see you posting again, I look forward to more.

 

Also one little thing, I see that the 'asterisk patrol' picked up a couple of your words and asterisked them...usually to counter that some of us insert a period in the middle of the word, so that it doesn't get censored, which tends to interupt the flow of the story.

 

So...to use an example, you could do this: as.shole sh.ithole

 

That should help the more colourful language stay visible.

 

Gotcha. I'll edit those in.

[Venn_Dras]

Whispers of the Stars

 

It started as whispers in the night. The half forgotten dreams of a child too young to understand what they really meant.

 

At first I thought I'd gone mad. After all, anyone who could hear voices in their head or see things that weren't there couldn't be sane. Terrified that I would be found out, I kept the visions and whispering to myself; trying to ignore them as best I could. But then days turned to weeks and weeks into months and nothing happened. I didn't go mad. I wasn't shuttled off to a hospital to be poked and prodded until who knew when.

 

It was then that I started to listen. Really listen to the voices inside of my head. The first thing I realized was that it wasn't many, but one. He, and I could only assume it was a he in the beginning, was completely lost. That was the only way my 4 year old mind could describe it. And he didn't know the way back home. Now in childhood naivety I just assumed that if I asked him if he needed help finding his mama, I could help him. That didn't go well. First there was a feeling of shock as he realized that his thoughts were being heard by someone other than himself. The second was anger that this "other voice" thought he needed help; especially finding his mama.

 

Then nothing. It was as if a void had opened up inside my head where his constant presence had been. I cried that night, and several nights after; believing I had done something unforgivable, even if I didn't understand what.

 

It wasn't long after that I was taken in by the Jedi Order. Throughout my studies of the Force over the years I learned that my case as child wasn't all that uncommon. Of course it usually occurred with someone twice my age and they talked with someone they already knew, but that was beside the point. Every now and then I thought I felt a tickle in the back of my head, but when I tried to focus on it it disappeared as fast as it came. It wasn't until I became a padawan that I got up the self confidence to actively search for that lost boy from so long ago. I was calmer now, the teachings of the Order influencing me more than most. Perhaps in no small part because of my desire to help him.

 

It took years of meditation before I finally found him. He was just as lost as I remembered. From what wisps of thoughts I could grasp, I could tell that the years since his departure had not been kind. These last few most of all. Anger, guilt and grief permeated every fiber of his being. But like Pandora's box, in the smallest corner hidden in the darkness like a dying star glimmered a shard of hope. I tried so many times to reach across the divide, but even my powers were at their limit. Between my duties as the Barsen'thor and the distance between us it was becoming impossible with each passing day to reach his mind at all. Any hope I had of saving him were dashed as the the return of the Emperor ensured all resources, Jedi and otherwise; were focused on eliminating his threat for good.

 

"Trust in the Force"

 

One of the core beliefs of the Jedi Order. For so long I'd held true to the code, followed its teachings to the letter. Until that fateful day I cut off all contact and that void returned to haunt my mind once again. I lost my faith in the Order that day. I went to the diplomatic meetings and defeated foes as I did before, but what did it matter? After everything I'd done, I still couldn't save one single person. This person who set me on this path in the first place.

 

Enter the Eternal Empire.

 

I didn't recognize him at first. His mind was a shadow of a shadow from the last time I'd seen it. I flinched when he leaned in closer, the pain radiating off him almost too much to bear. He must have misunderstood my movement for disgust, because anger laced with resentment rolled over me before he turned away; distracted by someone coming down a hallway. It was in that moment that I made myself a single promise. The Force may have set things in motion, but everything I'd done had led me here. I wasn't going to let this chance slip by.

 

I would hear the whispers of the stars again. But this time I would save him.

 

 

Yes, everyone and their mother is anticipating an Arcann romance addition and I am no different.

Personally I hate the option they give for the Consulars, so sue me!

 

Edited November 12, 2017 by Venn_Dras