Thread: Student of Dune (DarkAngel & Sync)

Talgar saw the pair first. There, he murmured, nodding with his hood-covered head in the direction of the two - an older male and a younger female. But then- Where is he going? Ravis looked in the direction Tal had indicated and saw them, and wondered the same. But he saw something else... He believes they are not alone, the older Fremen replied. They could see that the older man had headed in a different direction, almost along the keep wall, and that he'd almost shoved the female in their direction. He's looking to delay their pursuers. Wait here for the female to get close - she is the one we need to protect. Help her if she looks to be in trouble. Once you have her, head back to the market, then to the 'thopter. Do not wait for me, Tal. But- Do not wait, I said! The older man lightly touched his hand to the younger man's shoulder. Walk in the path of Shai-Hulud, Talgar. With that, Ravis slipped away, hand on his knife, looking for all the world like he meant to do battle. Tal didn't like it at all, but he did as requested. He watched the female make her way towards him...an instinct told him she was being too slow. She didn't fully appreciate the need for haste...maybe she just didn't know how precarious her situation was. She was half-way across the street, moving steadily toward him, when he saw one of her pursuers, and the shimmer of a personal shield. Tal knew he couldn't wait for her to get to him the pursuer was too close to her. Then he saw another pursuer, a couple of steps behind the first. He drew his knife, darted out from the shadows he'd been standing in. Quickly...move! he hissed at the girl as he moved quickly to put himself between her and them. Aiee, they think their stupid shields will help them. The first pursuer was dead before he realised Tal had drawn his knife, the Fremen blade slipping through the shield and slicing deeply into the man's throat. As the first fell gasping and gurgling for a breath that would never reach his lungs, Tal turned to face the second man, who'd at least had a couple of seconds to react...and the second man knew now that any advantage he might have had was long gone. The man and Fremen faced off against each other for only a moment before the man lunged forwards...blades flicked against each other briefly, bodies pressed together equally briefly...and then the Fremen blade disappeared momentarily, reappearing as the second man fell to the ground, a deep wound in his chest where his heart was. It had taken no more than ten seconds for Tal to dispatch both men. Pausing only to wipe his blade on the cloak of the second man, he turned to face the young woman. She looked pretty enough, he supposed, confused and a bit scared, maybe, but... We have no time, he told the girl flatly. Come! He had no time for idle chatter, and he hoped the girl would be smart enough to realise this was not the time for it. He almost unceremoniously pushed her in the direction of the small walkways between the hovel-like homes, then guided her in the direction of the marketplace. She was loud and clumsy in her movements, rushing blindly, not caring that her sound might give her away. Quiet! he hissed. You make more noise than Shai-Hulud dancing in drum-sand. Beyond the rebuke he made no comment or sound as they made their way, quickly and with hurried purpose, to the market that he and Ravis had been at earlier. He did not hear signs of additional pursuit, but that didn't mean they weren't there. He looked over his shoulder and saw nothing as they darted between buildings, but that didn't mean there was no-one there. Finally - it seemed like a very long time - they reached the market...and Tal pulled up quickly, grabbing the girl's shoulder and pulling her to a stop beside him. The market place was empty - not a person in sight. We wait here for a couple of minutes, to see if Ravis and your guide will join us, he whispered. If he was feeling the exertion of his brief fight and rapid movement, his gave no outward sign. I will not wait longer for them, though. Stay in the shadows and make no sound...this is very, very wrong.