STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Initiation

You can pull yourself sideways a little.

You need one success to make it up the spire to the top so you can prepare to jump again. But it looks like Rianna is lacking the strength to do so; she fails the roll. You cling there helplessly.

Vash is getting closer.

Rianna will try again to climb back up; she somehow doubts Vash will help her up if he catches up to her.

She also scared enough right now where it's becoming more tempting to use her emotions...

This time you find the strength to pull yourself up onto the spire.

The next spire is even farther than the last. They continue to spread out before you, becoming fewer and spaced apart the closer you get to the center of the bay.

How far back is Vash now?

She'll make the jump!

This time you get better distance on your jump. It would have sufficed for the last spire. Not for this one. Two successes is not the three needed to make the jump. You smack into the stone side of the pillar and slide down it before catching yourself.

Vash is just behind you. He keeps his distance.

Rianna growls with frustration, this time taking a few moments to rest before she attempts to climb up to the top of this one.

Simply stopping and staying where she is, though, is becoming more and more tempting. She really doesn't think she can do this, at all.

Vash sends a bolt burning across the spire's side, just by your hand. Some fragments of hot rock graze your arm.

"Are you going to make my vengeance a simple thing, then?" Vash asks harshly.

A particularly strong wave manages to splash your boots as it washes across the spire. You then climb up, rolling the success needed to ascend to the top.

The next one is not only farther, but taller.

Rianna flinches and pulls back. "I can't do this! And your vengeance? I saved your life!"

Vash doesn't have anything to say to that. He shoots again, blowing a chunk of your foothold away on your current spire.

Rianna will move around it a bit, trying to find a sturdier foothold before she tries climbing up again.

Just how bad would dropping into the water be?

You aren't sure if you can swim the waves or not.

And sorry, you did actually climb up. I used your mentioned hesitation for dramatic purposes.

Oh! You edited as I was posting. Okay.

This time Rianna is going to spend a Force point on Great Leap, to try and get across safely and give her more space from Vash.

With a mighty effort, you take a running leap (as much as you can run with a couple inches of space) and throw yourself at the next spire! For a moment it looks as though you are going to make it, and your foot plants itself on the top... then gives out from weakness, and you tumble down the side of it.

You manage to catch a handhold and, again, cling desperately to the side of the rock. You have fallen a great distance down and cut your forehead and scraped your hands.

Vash stands over you on the previous spire, watching you with a sneer. His pistol is leveled at you.

"Are you going to shoot me, then? Am I not doing well enough for you" Rianna says, glaring back at Vash. She wearily starts climbing back up to the top.

How far is the next one?

The next one is actually the far side of the bay! You are almost to your destination. But you do not think you will ever make that jump in your current state.

Vash wordlessly fires a shot just above your head, raining sparks and rocks down on you.

Rianna flinches and ducks down as he fires on her. "Just go away and leave me alone!"

"Are you just going to let him torture you?" Rand shouts from somewhere. "Come on, Rianna! You can do this! Just open up to your emotions, let them empower you!"

Vash just puts another shot past your side, blowing a chunk out of the spire and swaying you with the concussion.

"Pull your way to the top!" Rand urges.

"I will NOT give in, Rand" Rianna shouts back. Still, she will try and climb back up to the top.

You struggle with it. You cannot seem to push yourself up with your arms alone; your leg has no strength in it.

"You MUST if you want to survive!" Rand says. "Not just in the Galaxy, but here and now! The waves are not kind to those who drop into them!"

"Hear this, Rand- I don't care!"

And with that, Rianna will live up to her impulsive reputation and let go entirely. If Rand is so determined to keep her, he'll do something, she thinks.