Bespin: (Black Sun's) Cloud City

[Guest]

The communicator attached to Rane Scando's utility belt beeps, so the veteran bounty hunter brings the device to his ear. After listening to the message from the leader of the Black Sun, Scando reattaches his communicator, and turns to the guards who had just brought in their frozen prisoner. With a grunt, Scando orders the guards to release the fiery creature encased in carbonite ”“ a moment later, one of the guards sprays the frozen prisoner with a strange, dark liquid.

 

Scando kneels down, and raises a finger menacingly.

 

"I think I know what you are, and why you are here. Listen to me, I've got a job for you..."

[Darth Searcy]

The fiery being kneels down to Scando as it hears its instructions. It nods in understanding and heads to another ship. It has a guard wrap him in a steel orb, with just enough density to survive going through an atmosphere. The guards loads him on a ship and takes off into space for the destination.

[Kakuto Ryu]

*An encrypted Comm comes in for Rane Scando.*

 

-Comm-

"Rane, I need you to kill someone. Payment will come in the form of BBQ some time later."

-End Comm-

[Bounty Hunter Mike]

Mike saw the fiery being depart from the area, and decided it was also time for him to leave. Now that Daisaku was back in charge of Black Sun, it was an organisation which he respected, and one which he could honestly see himself working with. On a loose alliegence of course.

 

Mike turned to the rest of his Unit.

"I am going to go to the Black Sun Citadel. I am going to see if I can pioneer a new working relationship between our two organisations."

 

He turned on his heel, and strode towards his ship, the Shadow Strike, the ship lifting off the ground within a few minutes of Mike's boarding.

 

The sleek ship angled towards the sky, and once it was clear of the Bespin gravity well, went into hyperspace with a flicker of psuedomotion. Next stop, Coruscant, and the Black Sun Citadel.

[Guest]

Rane Scando turns to the two remaining mercenaries ”“ Tekkan Raas and Ronin Wartide ”“ and smiles. As the veteran bounty hunter slings around his heavy repeater to check the weapon's clip, he begins to tell his two partners about their upcoming mission.

 

"I've been contacted by the Sith about a job. It seems that the Dark Lord of the Sith has an extreme distaste for one Jedi Knight in particular now ”“ one Jedi Knight that has just returned from a hibernation of sorts. We're going to hunt, we're going to kill, and we're going to make money while we do it. The Jedi Knight known as Kyp Durron is our target..."

[Ronin Wartide]

"Right, now let's break."

 

*Ronin ran to his ship, The Grave Breaker, and headed out, Rane Scando heading out just a little behind him in a Hutt Craft.*

[Tekkan Raas]

As Rane and Ronin departed from Cloud City, Tekkan Raas once more began his aimless wandering down corridors of no importance. He knew he should probably follow suit and travel to wherever his comrades were travelling, but his heart just wasn't in it....plus the fact his ship was still on Tatooine. Instead his mind pondered on the mercanaries' latest mission, the annihilation of a Jedi Knight known as Kyp Durron. It seems lately the only thing they went after was Force Users and Black Sun rejects, neither one was too good for you in large doses.

 

In fact, Mike Attard was the only Force user he could stand to be in the same room with, the rest all had a feeling of arrogance around them, things just didn't "feel" right in their presence. At that last thought a shiver ran down his spine as he walked down an isolated catwalk towards the reserved landing pads. Something wasn't right here, something was off about the air...the whole place reeked of filth.

 

"Sith," he muttered to himself.

 

He didn't know how or why, but something about the feeling of the air reminded him of their kind. Indeed their numbers were here not long ago and that meant he wanted to leave as soon as possible; he felt disgusted, they tainted the entire complex. As he passed by the pads reserved for the members of the Elite Mercenary Unit he noticed a shuttle that was prepped for flight, his armor resting neatly on the landing ramp. A small smirk formed on his face as he approached it, apparently Ob was trying to tell him to get the hell off of Bespin and do some work for him.

 

Donning the armor, Tekkan Raas walked to the cockpit of the Llamda Class Shuttle, sat at the controls and ascended into space. With the pull of a lever the craft rocketed into Hyperspace; Destination: Concord Dawn.

[Ob Ordeena]

"Yes! I have found it. Oh yes, a very pretty little thing, a very pretty little thing indeed."

 

Ob Ordeena lets out a twisted cackle, and holds up a small bottle of clear blue liquid up to the light. The Baron Administrator of Cloud City had been frantically searching for this ”˜pretty little thing' for sometime, and had just now found it, hidden within one of the secret compartments built into one of the legs of his oversized desk. While twisting and turning the bottle around with his fingers, Ordeena sighs with pleasure. After several long moments, he forms a tight fist around the bottle, and looks around suspiciously. Eyes narrowed, Ordeena buries the bottle within the folds of his tattered robes, and then leaps from his position behind his desk, just like a crazed animal might. He then crawls over to an ornate shelving unit that stands against one wall, and begins to root around for another ”˜pretty little thing' ”“ he finds the injector after only a few short moments, and then crawls back to his desk. Crouching low behind the desk, Ordeena retrieves the bottle and attaches it to the end of the injector. A moment later, he injects himself in the neck ”“ Ordeena sighs with pleasure as the clear blue liquid flows; the experience was nearly orgasmic.

 

"That was nice, very nice. That was very nice indeed."

 

***

 

Ob Ordeena, his minds now sufficiently messed up, heads, accompanied by a band of guards and a strange, scurrying droid, to the landing pad where Wyhl the Hutt was presently boarding a heavily modified shuttle ”“ Ordeena calls out to the Hutt, and grins. As Ordeena nears his old friend, he bows his head in respect. Without a word, Ordeena waves at the droid that had followed him to the landing pad. The droid scurries closer, and eventually comes to a stop beside the Hutt. Ordeena then smiles, showing off a great display of his pointed teeth.

 

"I do so regret that I cannot accompany you back to Tatooine, my master. But business is business, and much is to be done. This droid here has just been fitted with a new holo-projector; when I am needed, you only need to turn so far."

 

Ordeena pauses, takes a big gulp of air, and then continues.

 

"As I said before, my servant Blasgog has readied the Spice Mines of Kessel for new prisoners. Once we have made a few more attacks, and have rounded up a few more prisoners, our Spice output should soar through the roof. Speaking of attacks, another servant of mine, Shagmog, has made ready small armada for battle, and has made contact with the commander of the main Hutt fleet. Everything in that department is ready; you only need to give the word, my master."

[Guest]

My ship entered into the atmosphere of Bespin, I quickly opened a comm. Spice in cargo, I spoke into the comm.

 

Comm to Ob

Whyl sent my to the Spice Mines of Kessel to pick up a shipment for you. I have that shipment, but you have what he needs. I ask for clearance of trade. Good day, John.

End Comm

 

I sat in my ship, waiting for the beep to enter into my ear.

[Tag Malus]

A cleaning crew finishes cleaning up the last bit of filth Ob Ordeena and the Hutts had left behind...

[Draj Haerin]

Gleaming as he entered the atmosphere, the ship known as The Sixth shot towards the ground. The on-board computer told him exactly where to land. The main thrusters kicked in, and the ship landed with a small jolt. Draj pressed a few keys, and a ramp lowered, with Draj following it. Ships ran in the sky, and people scattered all about on the ground. Re-entering his ship, he programmed three probe droids to find a certain person. The droids flew off, and Draj watched them turn into little black dots before returning to his ship and going to sleep.

 

------------------- A few hours later----------------

 

 

Draj woke up to the sound of buzzing. Quickly sitting up, he unholstered one of his custom blasters and prepared to fire. Then he smiled, holstered his gun, and said "So where is he?" The probe droid answered him with some coordinates, which Draj read, and then transfered onto his datapad, which he stuck into his pockets. He then disabled his droids, stored them away, locked up his ship, and began to walk towards his target, which happened to be cleaning up something. Draj was breathing heavy right about now, and he unholstered both guns. He kept the guns on his target (Tag Malus) and took cover behind some boxes. 1.... 2..... 3..... he counted, and on three, he jumped from the boxes and shot a few rounds at Tag Malus. One hit him in the left arm, but all the others missed. I'll need to work on that, he thought.

[Draj Haerin]

((OOC: TOTALLY SORRY FOR THE DOUBLE POST!!!))

 

Draj peeked up again from the boxes. His target was not there, but there were blaster shots on the wall. He smiled, and realized his opponent was a hologram, just running his rounds. Draj was relieved, yet felt foolish at the same time. He smiled, returned his blasters, and headed back for his ship.

A few minutes later, he was there. Disabling the security on it, he entered the ramp and took of for space.

 

((Like I said, sorry for the double post. There is no way I am waiting thirty five days for you to respond. Maybe I'll kill yeh another day )

[Rayns Orelous]

In and out of Hyperspace took longer than I expected. Bespin was in the outer rim, well past the limits of the space I knew. From the outside, the biosphere seemed made out of white clouds and orange canyons. Unfortunatly, it wasn't. Well I was right about the clouds, at least, because that's all there was to it. The close we got, the more I wondered where was the ground. I quickly understood that there was no ground. The planet was one gigantic bubble: a planet made out of gas. The beauty of such a scape was undeniable. The sun just seemed to go round and round across the sky changing from one color to the other depending on the path the rays would take through the atmosphere to our eyes.

 

I kept looking for somekind of platform for us to dock on but, even though Andon was in trying to get a landing permission. We pierced a dozen clouds like a red arrow, in a targetless flight. On and on we kept on advancing until, emerging from a blinding fog, it appeared to us, a city in the sky.

 

The E-Wing spiralled down to a platorm on the edge of the station. We came out of it, tired of a long and silent journey.

[Andon]

Emerging from the cockpit of his starfighter, the renegade Jedi was silent, his features solemn and detached, his hazel eyes locked in a steel gaze. He walked a little ways away from the ship, his black cloak skimming above the steel walkway with each step; his arms crossed in front of him, right hand resting in the left sleeve and left hand resting in the right sleeve.

 

Of all places he wanted to go to Bespin...my young apprentice has heart, not a lot of brains, but it's a start.

 

He chuckled lightly at his own thoughts, there was indeed something unique about the one he had met at the Last Call, the name "Daz-Ex Ether" clearly echoing in his thoughts on the journey here. There was something more, the face he showed the world was different from the reflection his soul cast, indeed the youth had much potential. He was only a student...Colos was merely a teacher, the boy's fate was his own, though which path he would choose intrigued the Jedi Knight.

 

There was revolution coming to the known galaxy, the rising sun of the Jedi and Sith was beginning to set...their time had passed. It was more then a notion, it was soon to be a reality; their fall is what plagued his dreams now.

 

Titans can only stand for so long, eventually the ravages of time contort what they believe. Those who forget their heritage lose the meaning of their name and lose themselves.

 

The wind picked up, causing the clouds to swirl in intricate patterns above them and equally tossing his black cloak about, causing the fabric to flow sofly behind him; giving the Knight an other worldly presence as the clouds covered the sun and cast shadows where light once was. Turning to his apprentice, Andon Colos spoke in a strong and even tone.

 

"Tell me, Daz-Ex, what do you know of the Force?"

[Rayns Orelous]

I frowned, looked at the ground, looked at the ground.

 

”œA lot of people talk about this force, they always say the same words. I beleive their definition isn't right though. I believe the force is what links us altogether and makes us a whole. I believe it is what gives us strength when we most need it. I believe it is part of our conscience, in some way it is what makes us hope for a better future.”

[Darth Havoc]

An Imperial transport cuts through the dense clouds, drawing ever closer to that floating metropolis known as Cloud City. No orange twin-pod Cloud Cars rise to meet the Imperial vessel - no resistance at all. The Imperial transport lands, and is immediately emptied - one hundred heavily armed and armored Imperial troopers emerge, weapons at the ready...

[Andon]

The smallest of smiles broke across the face of Andon Colos, his apprentice was indeed strong in the Force; such perception was not a talent to be idly wasted.

 

"The Force has many aspects, but no true definition. No one can truly explain to you what it is, to know the Force is to know yourself first, a task that could take an entire lifetime to master."

 

He turned his head away from his apprentice, a strong notion overcoming him to flee. He closed his eyes and concentrated, the tendrils of his mind reaching outward and touching the minds of those in the near to moderate vicinity of them.

 

Hostility ignites the air around us, but strangely it is not focused directly towards our presence. Strange indeed...

 

Breaking away from his gaze at the sky, he turned his head back towards Daz-Ex and slowly began walking towards him. It was time for the first lesson...

 

"You said that a series of unexplainible events surround your life, but you never specified. Tell me, has there ever been a time where your skin crawled for no apparent reason, where everything around you was normal and well...yet the hair on the back of your neck stood on end? "

 

As Andon Colos spoke the symptoms he described were overcoming him; something was definately wrong here.

 

"Clear your mind, my apprentice. All the anxiety, all the fear, all the doubt, all your questions...let them go. Ease your conscious thought, lose yourself in the fact that you know nothing. Lose yourself in the embrace of the Force, detach your mind from the physical plane...focus...forget the past and what future lies before you. Focus on the here and the now, accept that you are but one grain of sand in the vastness of a never-ending beach."

 

He could feel his young apprentice reaching out to the Force around him, it was only a matter of time before he felt the same notion to flee far from this planet.

 

"The air, the facility, the people, the starships, the stars...you are them and equally they are you. Don't think...feel. Tell me, what do you feel?"

 

As Dax-Ex Ether cocentrated his mind on the astral plane, the Jedi Knight turned his attention to the Imperial Transport that had just pierced the cloudline, its trajectory path leading it to a landing pad a ways away from them. Colos could just barely see the edges of the lowering landing ramp, his mind letting out a silent scream for each new aura he felt pouring out of the ship. With one last smirk, his face returned to its stone cold solmenity.

 

"Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life..."

[Rayns Orelous]

There were far too few words created to describe feelings. My eyes were wide shut, my mind wide open. I could feel the blood travel through my vessels, the air graze my skin and the heart of Andon beating, accelerating. I felt like light and ashes, yet I could see there was more to me than flesh, more to Andon than words. I could hear a thousand murmuring voices carried by the breeze of destiny, it was the sound of souls. I could see beyond the light and the sound.

 

I could seen so much, so many things I could not understand, explain or describe, some things that have haunted me all my life flashed behind my eyes. All my life's secrets, were not in the world around me, but within my mind, they were in my essence.

 

Threats were screamed and vultures felt threatened while innocents were pained. The clouds were reddening, and the structure was trembling.

 

I opened my eyes, and everything went back to normal.

[Darth Havoc]

The Imperial troopers storm Cloud City, destroying any resistance that presents itself. After a few hours pass, a few of the troopers, including one with a black shoulder-pad, storm the Baron Administrator's tower - they find Cloud City's leader cowering under his desk. An execution quickly takes place.

 

"This is Imperial Commander Evalus, Cloud City's new supervisor..."

Over Cloud City's loud systems, Evalus order all citizens to surrender their weapons to the Imperial troopers. As Evalus finishes up, a trio of heavily armed and armored troopers approach the two Jedi...

[Andon]

As he watched Daz-Ex make his first connection with the Force, Andon Colos was overcome by a feeling of pride for his new apprentice. When the youth finally opened his eyes, the Master gave him a simple nod and the slightest of smiles. It was funny, when he was but an apprentice and learning from the Jedi Master Hale Akturus, Colos always wondered why his Master showed such little emotion. Now he knew why, when a student of yours achieves something, no matter how big or how little, in the moment all you can do is nod and smile.

 

This place was no sanctuary of the Force...it was far from it. All around the pair death encompassed them; Imperial soldiers sparing none and efficiently killing all those that stood in their way. Any normal person would have fled far from this place...any normal person would have drawn their weapon in defense. Andon Colos was far too crazed to be a normal person, and the worst part about it is he's not even Corellian.

 

"This is but an aspect of your life now, danger will always present itself to you. In adversary you must stand strong..."

 

He stopped mid-sentence, sensing a trio of soldiers approaching them. Acting as if without a care in the world he made a mental link with his apprentice and calmly smiled at him as the squad of Imperials rounded the corner.

 

...but if worse comes to worse, there's no shame in running like hell and living to fight another day.

 

He casually turned towards the soldiers, nonchalantly taking a step to his left to greet them and subtely putting himself between the Imperials and his apprentice. His hazel eyes appeared gentle, but beneath the surface his mind was rampant as he focused on the weapons they carried, both the ones aimed at their heads and the ones hanging idly on their belts.

 

"Gentlemen, is there anything that we can do for you?"

 

His mind focused further, the tendrils of his aura reaching outward and surrounding the energy sources of the weapons; the Force bending to his will and disabling them. He couldn't maintain his hold forever, but should any of them fall prey to their "itchy" trigger fingers the carbine would do nothing and grant Daz-Ex and himself a chance to escape without bloodshed on either side.

 

As he waited for a response he wondered if any of them were wise to his trick, the read-outs on their armament were still showing full power and more then likely wouldn't know of the malfuncation until the Master and Apprentice were already long gone. Then again, it woud be unwise to doubt an Imperial, so while keeping his look of detached concern the Jedi Knight's sensory observation was waiting for any change that would signal a far greater danger.

[Darth Havoc]

The Imperials troopers level their weapons.

 

"Drop your weapons immediately, and submit your identification papers."

[BLCKCLONE]

-comm to Havoc-

 

We have much to discuss onld friend. Evil not like anything before is rising and we must harness it! I am at the Mos Eisley Cantina... You know what to do.

[Darth Havoc]

Imperial Commander Evalus receives the message and re-transmits it to Darth Havoc on Foy. The message is heavily encrypted, and is goes through several relay stations.

[Rayns Orelous]

The hostile tone voiced by the imperial trio was both a trap and a give away, telling us how to find their tolerance and avoid the confrontation. I could sense the tension of Andon, he would not be welcomed by the soldiers if they knew his identity. I was pretty sure he had the most brillant plan but I had grown up to rely only on my own abilities. On my part I knew my ID's would not cause us any trouble. My confidence was rock solid, eventhough my ignorance was probably much greater, so without much hesitation, I let the will of adrenaline drive me.

 

”œWe have no need for weapons hence why we carry none.”

[Darth Havoc]

"You are not a citizen of Cloud City - put your hands up!"

 

The lead trooper considers pulling the trigger of his high-powered blaster rifle, but decides against it - no need to kill these two just yet, anyway.

 

"On your knees, hands up!"

[Andon]

He thinks fast on his feet, perhaps today is the day that brains truly prove to be superior to brawn.

 

Doing as his ”œbrother”

[Mira Jesra]

The hospital was in organized chaos, people here were racing around trying to get patients seen to that had been in a recent accident. A transport had run into difficulties and crashed into a an apartment block during peek hour traffic. Well at least it had been busier than usual on the Bespin streets. A figure of woman emerged from the shadows, a face that no-one would recognize if they looked twice at her, but they would have thought they had seen her before, somewhere else, but not where.

 

She looked on, staying out of the way, as the various Doctors and nurses went about the work with quiet precision. That some of them had been on double shifts didn't seem to matter, they soldiered on, seeing that the patients were kept as comfortable as possible until each and every one of them had been seen to. No matter how hard the work, there were no complaints, the nurses so intent on the comfort and care of their patients and all with a cheery demeanor.

 

The woman observed various patients as the nurses saw to them, bring smiles and relief to their faces with soothing words and gentle touch. She was learning that there were more ways to show compassion than she had originally thought, this only being another example. Compassion, generosity of time and skill, even love. She glanced out over the streets of the city in the clouds, taking in the beauty and serenity before stepping back, into the shadows, disappearing from view and location”¦

[Ravyn]

The sun began to fade as a small ARC-170 starfighter lands on a platform on Cloud City. Hazel eyes watched as the floating city slowly moved across his viewport. Cloud City's large engines had been activated and were pushing the beautiful city toward him. As Draco lands his ship on a small landing platform, he pushes forward on the glass shield and it slides forward, allowing him to breath in the air. Slowly amking his way toward the doorway leading inside, he stopsd to look around. This was the first time since his ascension to Captain he had actually stopped to look at the beautiful scenery Cloud City offered.

 

Before he could reach the door, it burst open and the 12 other members of the Dragons stormed him, offering him drinks and congratul;ations. He could see in their eyes, the joy they felt at having completed another mission."So Cap, did they try and mess with your tattool ike the last ones?"

 

"No, but who is to say they would not have tried if you wonderful hooligans had not showed up."

 

"So where did you go after we freed oyour sorry butt."

 

"I went to Naboo, as usual. To appreciate the beauty there once more. And then I sent her a message."

 

"O."

 

All the men slowly began to drift, knowing who he meant. They knew he meant Rajah, the one true love in his life. It was because of her he had become the stone-cold killer he was. He felt no emotion for the dead, because his spirit was there with them. When she had walked out on him, his soul had died. But it was in no small part thanks to him, she walked out.

 

The former Captain had died on a mission, and a series of tests were being administered to find his replacement. In the end only two had remained, the lovers Han and Rajah. Han truly loved Rajah and wanted nothing more than to be with her forever. But he knew in order to keep her alive, he needed to control where she went witht he Dragons. And the only way to do that, was to become Captain. So the night before the final sim, he had rigged her simulator, to reduce her kills by half. After being named Captain, Han revealed this to Rajah, and she had walked out. Never speaking to him since.

 

when he was the last outside the base, he sat down on a crate and looked out into the red-gold sky. In his mind he began to replay all the times he had Rajah had spent together. But that was in the past. He had hardened his emotions to the point where the only feelings he had were for death. He almost yearned for it. Sitting amongst the falling sky, he waited for her return.

[Slicer]

Slicer brough his ship in for a landing. Swiveling around in his seat he looked at his guest.

 

"Ah yes I promised you a millioin right. Well you will find a million credits in your account now. It wasn't easy since you are well you but there you have it."

 

He then opened up his ship to let her out. Watching her leave he tossed her a datapad.

 

"Perhaps we shall cross paths someday. By the way don't use that datapad unless you really need to contact me. It has one of my contact numbers on it. See ya around."

 

With that he lifted off of Bespin androse into the atmospher soon he was nothing more then a flash of light.

[Rajah]

Rajah watched the ship fade into the sky. "Thanks. And take care." she muttered with a smile before turning towards the city. She turned the data pad over in her hands, giving it a suspicious once over before slipping it into the safety of an inner pocket of her jacket. She wasn't sure whether to believe him about the million thing. 'If it's true...it's true. If not...Oh well.' she thought light heartedly. She hoped she'd run into Slicer again. It'd be interesting to find out what investments he'd pour his jackpot into.

 

She stood and took in the scenery. Sunset on Bespin was simply...astounding. Even though the brilliance stung at her light sensitive eyes, Rajah endured the discomfort. Being from a claustophobia causing place like Coruscant allowed her to wholly appreciate the scenery. A wind swirled up and whipped her hair into her face. She reached up, and with a hand on each side of her head, raked her wiley tressed back. She looked as if she were about to rip her own hair out.

 

Rajah Lothay combed her fingers through her hair then adjusted her jacket. She started towards the city interior, her mind now bent on finding the reason she was on Bespin to begin with. She knew 'it' was there somewhere. She could 'feel' it.