Naboo

[Lobo]

Lobo stifled laughter at Trowa's garb, or lack thereof. This whole place, the weird servant, the attempt to seem mysterious, it all told Lobo this guy had an ego almost as big as his own. If that was possible.

 

He might want to rethink the Gungans if he's going for sinister.

 

Lobo wasn't the smartest man around, but as he looked at Trowa he realized he vaguely remembered him.

 

"That's right, I remember you now. You were the one staring at me in the Last Call. Man, your lucky I've feeling generous, because that kind of thing makes me violent."

 

Lobo didn't really feel like starting anything right now. He loved bringing the pain, but he loved money more. Besides, he didn't want to mess up Trowa's home anymore than it already was. So, the bounty hunter didn't hesitate in his answer to Trowa's question,

 

"Of course I can beat a Jedi Master. I can beat anyone. Just tell me who you need rubbed out, and make it quick, little man."

[Aero]

Her eyes turned to the figure standing in the door. The cloak hung over her, making her darker against the shadows. She felt his caution and smirked. He seemed to move and she figured she would start now. Flicking her hand out of the long sleeve, she snickered as the Force brought Toral out of the doorway violently. His body landed in the garbage pile on the other side of the alley.

 

Aero walked towards the creature lying on the ground. She allowed him to stand and she nodded to him. "Rahalin, you landed quite hard. Feeling alright?" The hood slipped off to reveal the young, red-headed woman underneith. She raised an eyebrow to him and allowed him to check that yes, her hand was on the hilt of her lightsaber.

 

She looked over him noting the blood stench and the rich, red liquid that splattered him. She sighed and shook her head. This would be interesting.... Walking around him, she sized him up. He, if trained well, could be a great asset to the Sith. The Sith Lord sent waves over him. Cocky, doesn't fear much.... Has a strong liking to humans. This really could prove interesting.... Aero knew she'd have fun breaking him.

[Bad karma]

It was never a smart thing to bring out the anger in a Master of the Dark Side, nor was any more smart to laugh at one. Trowa turned his head to the side, taking in the mans words as he quickly brought the rage building within him under his thumb. It was time for him to fully test out the gift Nurgle had left him with, this one would suit just fine. He took one step forward, two steps then held out his hand towards the other.

 

"Anyone you say?"

 

Moving his hand to the side, Trowa lifted the bounty hunter through the force and throw him clean across the room and through four different walls before he finally landed outside. Not in any sort of hurry, the young man began to walk through the house towards the large hole that led outside. He had taken on a serious look now, and made sure that no one else would touch the man but himself.

 

He took the final step outside, into the fading sunlight. It had been a long time since he had quenched his thirst for blood and if this man was half as good as he said, this would be a worthy fight. Letting both of his hands drift out to the sides slowly, he called the force and his natural power over shadows to him.

 

Slowly a dark, almost ink like mass began to slide up his body and gather in the palm of his hand. With each passing second the mass grew, until it began to take the form of a large sword. It was of an eloquent design and weighed nothing. Letting out his breath and lifting his head to the sky he began to manipulate the vary air around the blade until fire was spiraling upwards, electricity downwards.

 

A smile crossed his face as a lightsaber from one of the rooms above met his hand. The darkness around them deepened as Trowa brought up even more shadows around the bounty hunter. They began to move over his body slowly, covering him completely if he didn't do something soon. It was with great pleasure that Trowa watched a head begin to form on the others chest, each whisper he muttered under his breath slipping out of the beings mouth.

 

"I'm staring again, come get me."

 

There would be no escaping for this one, and unless he proved himself truly worthy his life would end here and now. A bit of the darkness retreated as Trowa ignited the crimson blade in his left hand, just in case the other tried to fire upon him with a blaster or two.

[Lobo]

Lobo shook his head as he awoke from his temporarily unconscious state. He'd been knocked out from the force of the attack, flying through several walls would do that to you. It took him a few moments to remember who he was and what exactly he was doing outside of this large mansion. He watched the dark figure emerge from the Lobo-shaped whole and it all came back.

 

That Gungan-loving son of a . . .

 

"You're going to regret that cheap shot. When I'm done, you won't have eyes to stare from."

 

Lobo stood as the dark shadows suddenly swarmed over him.

 

"What the hell?"

 

It looked like he was in more trouble than he originally thought. The red lightsaber confirmed that this guy was a Sith. Lobo would have been a little more courteous if he'd known that. But Sith or no Sith, he'd still bring the pain. Lobo was no ordinary bounty hunter, he was a hybrid of many species, mainly wookiee and Corellian human. He was laboratory breed for strength, and agility. It would be interesting which was more powerful, magic or science. Not the Lobo cared about such debates, he was in it for the head-knocking he was going to give Trowa. The bounty hunter slammed his fists together creating a shockwave that knocked the shadows away, and shook the ground beneath them.

 

"Will I get paid for killing you, Troy?"

 

Lobo ran forward with animal-like speed, pulling the large hammer from across his back. He didn't like the looks of that sword, and chose to duck swiftly as Trowa swept it toward his head. It clipped a few hairs off Lobo's black mane. It seemed Trowa was slightly faster, and Lobo picked up on that fact quickly. He was not able to dodge as the saber moved to bury itself in his chest . . . but he didn't need to, because the blade shorted out on his cortosis coated chest plate. Lobo took the opportunity, and swung his hammer upward into Trowa's chin sending the man airborn at least forty yards away from house. Lobo hooded his eyes watching how fair he shot the Sith.

 

"Not bad, but I've done better."

 

He pressed a button on his wristlink as he watched Trowa sail. He had a little surpise for this vampire wannabe.

[Rahalin Toral II]

Rahalin watched the hood fall and the humans bright red hair emerge into the open air. His eyes roamed over her, seeing the lightsaber and detecting the hauty way she appraised him. He decided that the look was warranted considering the considerable air of menace she projected into the night air about her.

 

At the same time, he felt something gently ticking his senses, as if teasing him with its presence but unwilling to share more. He forgot whom was looking him over and growled, low and menacing into the still night air. Whatever this other presence was, it spoke of the promise of power if he could but seize it. He knew it to be the voice that had once whispered in his ears as he lay among the dust, but he could not hear it clearly enough. Rage flooded through him as he once again felt helpless to grab what had been promised him. He eyes burned a brighter red in the darkness.

 

Eyes, which despite the brief moment of distraction, had never left the Sith lord pacing around him. His thoughts quickly centered on her.

 

"You will bring me pain, the better to mold me into a shape that is usefull to the Sith. Good, pain is the sound of weakness screaming as it leaves ones body, even as the body heaves to throw off the shackles that binds it in hopeless misery."

 

A cold, ruthless smile touched his lips as he anticipated the pain that was to come. He would thoroughly enjoy it.

[Bad karma]

((Lets make this good, Three posts...I will let you decide if you want a death in the end of it, if so I am sure we can decided who will come out on top in the end. Sound good? Oh, and good luck...you'll need it.))

 

Trowa was thrown slightly off guard by the mans speed. It was obvious he was more then he seemed, but then again so was Trowa. The blow to his gut had stolen the breath from his lungs and perhaps even broken a rib or two, but pain was a very powerful fuel for the force. With a few very simple manipulations of the force he was able to land on his feet perfectly. Tossing down the saber he stood up to his full height and stared the man before him down even though they were a good fifty yards away from each other.

 

Turning his emerald eyes upon the shadow and elemental power that was massing on his arm, he flexed his muscles watching as it began to slip up his forearm...practicly consuming it. Trowa reveled in the sheer power he possessed, loving every second of it and remembering why he had loved being a Sith so much. A silent breeze caught his hair, carrying it out of his hairs for a few seconds before dropping it back in place. With but a thought he sent a message to Shy-Ree...

 

"Take the Kids, a guard will lead you to my ship...I want you to get in there quickly and allow him to pilot you out of here."

 

Almost without a care in the world Trowa lifted his left hand to his mouth and touched his tongue to one of his fingers and then ran the finger over his durasteel fangs. The bounty hunter would be an interesting fight, but first he would have to tilt the odds even more in his favor. This would certainly bring out the blood lust he so loved within himself...

 

Being a master of form Iv had its benefits, in a duel he was little more then a blur to the normal eye. Even with as fast as this one moved, he surely couldn't compete with Trowa. Commanding the force to bend to his will, Trowa shot towards Lobo. When he was only ten yards away from the bounty hunter he sprang into the air. Little did the other know that while he was standing across the battle field Trowa had been manipulating the shadows to raise up at the base of Lobo's feet.

 

They wrapped around his ankles preventing him from turning around as Trowa landed behind him. Bringing the shadow blade and all its glory around he cut a deep gash into the others lower back. He let the shadows around Lobo dissipate so that when the thing turned to face him the last thing he would see was the face of a crazed lunitic as he bit deeply into Lobo, injecting him enough tranquilizer to bring down some of the most potent of humans. He wasn't stupid though, he knew this would only to serve to slow his foe rather then knock him out completely.

 

With that Trowa sprang backwards onto the roof of the two story mansion, pulling a portion of the bounty hunters neck with him. Turning his neck to the side he looked down into the eyes of Lobo and spat the chunk of his neck down at him, swallowing the blood and savoring the copper like taste as it dripped down his throat.

 

"I'm still staring, and I suppose if you do manage to beat me I could pay you. Of course, if I die...then I fail to see how you would get me to pay you...By the way...is that wookiee I taste in your blood?"

 

Trowa shook his head in a manner as to mock the bounty hunter. He was a fool if he thought he could beat Trowa Barton. He would be lucky to escape the true depths of Trowa's rage, or to even escape with his life.

[Aero]

The Sith returned his grin with a cold smile. She felt his lust for power. She felt the rage and it pleased her. Directing his will would create something better than was already there.

 

"Yes. There will be pain. From me, and from what I have instore for you..." Turning on her heels, her senses were fully aware of his every move. "Come. I have my speeder here. We will return to the manor, and then leave from there. I will not train you on a planet with so much distraction....."

[Rahalin Toral II]

Rahalin, obediently fell in behind Aero, awaiting her orders. She had power, he wanted and that was all he knew at this point.

[Aero]

Arriving at the Manor, she instructed Toral to board the Shifting Sun in the hanger. She grabbed several items and left the twi'lek in charge once more. She was happy to get away from Naboo. She hated the feeling of Shy-Ree and the babes. At times she could feel Trowa, at other times, she couldn't. That though sent shivers down her spine.

 

Leaving Naboo behind, the Shifting Sun blasted into space.

[Lobo]

OOC: Sounds good. There's no need for a death.

 

IC: Lobo gripped his neck, growling at the pain he felt. Trowa's impressive display didn't cause fear in the hunter, Lobo's ego was much too big for that to work. But it did cause a blow to his pride, perhaps just as damaging. The bounty hunter looked at the blood on his hand, noticing it had another strange color mixed in with the red. He began to feel a tingling along his spine. Even a brute like Lobo could figure out what that meant.

 

The coward poisoned me. I'll have to tear out his fangs and his eyes.

 

"I knew he was a vampire wannabe."

 

Unable to comprehend how bad of a position he was in, Lobo tore himself free of the shadows and walked forward. He quickly stumbled as the tranquilizer began to slow him down. His vision was blurry as well. The bounty hunter didn't know whether the stuff was just messing with his systems, or whether it would actually kill him, but he knew this seemed bad for his chances of winning. Of course, he didn't believe it would cause him to lose. His speech slightly slurred, the hybrid's voice bellowed through the grounds,

 

"If you think that's going to take me down, you've got another thing coming. You'd need to bite me ten more times to knock me out. And I hope I tasted good, cause that's your last meal freak."

 

Lobo wondered if he could back up those words as his surprise emerged from around the corner. Lobo mounted his large modified speeder bike. The bike roared loudly, designed to mimic the sound of an old combustion engine. But it was merely for show, because this speeder was modern. Lobo pulled his visor from the seat and fitted it onto his face as he swung his leg over. The poison would take a while to either wear off or kill him. In the meantime, the bike would have to make up for his lack of speed. Lobo gunned it toward the roof, flying straight at Trowa. The Sith easily sidestepped as expected, but Trowa wasn't Lobo's target.

 

The skull on the front of the bike slammed straight into Trowa's roof, sending the surprised Sith and the bike tumbling onto the top floor, rubble strewn around them. Trowa had underestimated Lobo's destructive nature, and his house was paying the price. Lobo, still on his speeder recovered first due to this advantage. He drove forward, grabbing a broken chunk of wood along the way and ramming it into Trowa's thigh sticking out from the Sith's half buried body. As his bike thundered down the hallway away from the Sith, the hunter activated his wrist link once more.

[Bad karma]

Trowa looked around him quickly, ripping the rubble away from his body as he clutched his side in pain. They had come through the roof into his own, personal room..where his children and Shy had been in not two minutes before. A flare of pure rage flowed throughout him, and he fed it directly into the force increasing his power and blood lust all at once. The lingering dust in the air would surely hinder anyones vision, but Trowa had taken to stalking the other through the shadows.

 

Touching his finger to his lips he felt the warm, thick liquid flowing outwards. Unsure if it was his own or Lobos he tasted it just to make sure. It was his. This just wouldn't do, he must have gotten rusty or something...how could he let the likes of, well, anyone make him bleed. A cool breeze managed to make its way through the, now, collapsed roof and blow over Trowas face giving him an idea. He had always kept his house quite cold, it was time to put that to use.

 

Slipping out of the room, Trowa began to track the hunter through his house. Listening as various items were utterly destroyed thanks to his speeder bike. Deciding the living room would be the place to strike, he made his way in there. When the bike came screaming through he brought up an entire wall of shadow if only to spook the hunter into thinking it was a solid wall. Rather then allowing him to jump off, Trowa slowed the air molecules around Lobos feet and froze them to his bike...

 

It was then that the hunter became the hunted and Trowa sprang out from his hiding spot, landing on the back of the bike. He grabbed the bounty hunters head and ripped it to the side, once more sinking his fangs into the thing. This time biting where his shoulder met his neck and completely ripping the muscle that was nestled there out of his body as he sprang backwards. All of this happening in the blink of an eye, Trowa watched as the bike collided with the banister.

 

"Vampire wanna be, huh? So what does that make you, a biker wanna be?"

 

Trowa took a step forward and waved his hand through the air, watching as Lobo was flung through the roof of the first and second floors, causing even more of the house to collapse inward. Trowa bounced forward, pushing off of the down stairs wall, then one of the upstairs walls and using his altered genes to fly straight up after Lobo. . . then above him slightly.

 

Harnessing the force, and commanding a large portion of his rage into one blow Trowa decked the other in the face. Watching as the strength Nurgle had gifted him finally came into play and as the sheer force of the blow sent the other rocketing downward towards the ground. Falling back to the ground himself, Trowa landed just in front of mansion. The other, had landed somewhere amongst the rubble.

 

"Now, You better get out here if you want to get paid!"

 

Cracking his neck, then his knuckles Trowa held out his hands and began to rip away two or three key support beams within the house...

 

((2))

[Lobo]

Lobo lay beneath the rubble, trying to stop the bleeding in his arm. This guy was too tough for him to beat it seemed, and Lobo was beginning to accept that reality. He was even a little afraid. Not of being killed obviously, but of losing a fight. The latter was what the hunter truly was scared of. The pain and blood this monster unleashed did not stir fright in Lobo at all.

 

I am the first to admit I'm not genius. But when it comes to hunting, there's no one better. I can at least put on a good show before this freak eats my liver.

 

Lobo burst out of the fallen debris as Trowa neared. The Sith had sensed him, and when Lobo swung a two by four with his good arm, the Shadow Sith blocked it easily with his own. A shockwave was let loose by the connection attacks, and the wood shattered into a thousand pieces.

 

Oh well, maybe he'll at least get a splinter. Those are somewhat painful.

 

Lobo vaulted over Trowa and landed two floors down. His genetically engineered body not missing a bit, the hunter ran on all fours out the door. Trowa followed. But as he emerged into the open air, Lobo's surprise was waiting. Lobo's ASN-121 assassin droid had been summoned. And, like a good assassin droid, the floating ball had waited just beside the open doorway for the Sith to emerge. At nearly point blank range, it pound him with red blaster fire. But of course, Trowa was a powerful Sith, and had sensed the danger. He was able to avoid the shots as he did battle with the little droid.

 

Lobo knew all about Force users, and always planned his attacks two steps ahead, as Trowa was discovering. Lobo had not intended that the droid would be able to kill him. As he ran out of the house, the hybrid had backflipped gripping the edge of the roof that hung above the Sith. When Trowa began fighting his droid, Lobo dropped down, wrapping his large good arm around the smaller man's neck. Lobo gripped him in a tight headlock squeezing him as hard as he could hoping to end him quickly before he summoned his magic. The assassin droid got the idea and moved in front of the immobile Sith, the muzzle of its gun pointed at Trowa's forehead.

 

"Better have that money ready, little man."

[Bad karma]

Trowa's vision began to blur as the powerful hunter kept him in a firm head lock. He was starting to grow tired of this fight, already wishing to leave this place and every bad thing that had happened here behind. The destruction of this house was Trowa's way of renouncing his old life to begin anew. This one put to much faith into technology, just as he himself had once done. It would be his downfall one of these days, but today wouldn't be that day.

 

Clenching his fist, Trowa watched as the barrel of the droids gun was crushed in the center. Closing his eyes, he used the force to focus his body and slow his heart so he wouldn't run out of air to fast. Once more the mystical power that surrounded them all would save his life, by keeping the hunters hands just lose enough not to snap his neck into splinters.

 

Resting his hands upon the hunters arms, Trowa brought out a power yet short burst of lightning. He opened his mouth in pain as it coursed through both of their bodies, but he didn't let this moment go to waste. He slipped out of the hunters loosened grip and lifted him into the air, gripping his neck through the force. He wasn't going to choke him out, that would just force him to wait until the man came too.

 

"Good thing a Jedi is weaker then a Sith, else I'd be forced to call you a liar."

 

Holding up his hand, Trowa pulled a datapad from his hanger through the air. He let the hunter drop to the ground as he began to fill the pad full of information. He placed his comm units number in the pad, as well as an account with a large sum of money in it. The last of the things he placed inside it was the names of the people he would have to hunt. Anyone that helped perform the Golden Link Heist.

 

"When you capture your targets, you are to turn them into the link. You will get a bounty from them for the capture. Inform them that they are to contact me when they get them and I will also be paying you a bounty. And one last thing, Next time you insult me you will die."

 

Tossing the data-pad down, Trowa began to move towards his underground hanger. He swiftly collected the last of his possessions and set up a few explosives in the hanger, no one else would use this place ever again. With that he leapt up into his Mech and lifted off. Hitting hype-space soon after. The explosives had a timer on them, set to go off in fifteen minutes...enough time for the hunter to leave the area.

[Lobo]

Lobo, barely alive and yet still believing he could have beat Trowa, grabbed his gear, and ran to his ship. As he lifted off into hyperspace, he examined the datapad. Slapping a bacta patch on his injured shoulder, Lobo put a check beside the name Slicer.

 

There's my first victim.

 

The Odin exited Naboo's atmosphere.

[Krad Nomed]

Krad sat on the speeder as he watched his master fly off into space and leave him on the planet. His eyes narrowed as he grasped the handles of the bike. He pressed on the peddle and flew off into the town.

 

In the open docks a man was walking towards a small Headhunter fighter. Krad pressed on the gas and drove towards the man. He leaped off the bike, just before it slammed into the man, and landed ontop of the ships hud. He opened the cockpit and got inside. The started the controls and followed his master even though he was far behind.

[Guest]

Zen had been staying on Naboo for a while; she had gathered some interesting information. She had picked up information about the whereabouts of a Sith Academy. Zen had been looking for one of these for years but the Sith are very good at keeping secrets it would seem. But she had to find out for sure. She boarded a Corellian Space Cruiser and left Naboo.

[Shy-Ree]

As the small ship slid from hyperspace, Shy's eyes narrowed as they beheld the emerald jewel of a planet before them. They did not soften with fond recollections. Instead her stare grew stonier the closer she sped toward the planet. She located her intended destination and dove into Naboo's atmosphere.

 

Not long after, the ship bearing Shy-Ree touched down near the former Barton estate. She wasted no time, swiftly made her way to the battered piece of metal that she hoped was her ship. She moved to the vehicle, her face finally betrayed emotion. She smiled. It was her ship. By all rights it should have been blasted to bits or scavenged to nothing but a skeleton. But there it was, sitting silently as if it had been patiently waiting for it's owner's return. She circled the vessel and made mental notes of the outer damage. It looked bad but she suspected it was mostly superficial.

 

Shy moved around and strolled up the ramp and into the belly of her ship. It felt scantly nice to step back into the familiar. She quickly made her way to the cockpit and attempted to bring the ship online. To her surprise it fired up. And without a moment's hesitation. This pleased her all the more. She smiled again. At long last... a scrap of luck that wasn't bad. She then made her way through the vessel, took her time checking and rechecking everything.

 

Later, when satisified that the important aspects of her ship were in tact, Shy moved to the cockpit. She was about to raise the ramp when she sensed something faint, familiar. A moment later she was pounced on and lovingly attacked by her loyalest little friend. Waffles had found her and was skittering across and around her body excitedly. Shy actually broke out into a laughter that caused her various aches and pains to flare up. But she laughed none the less, happy to see her scruffy little mutant again.

 

"I wondered where you'd gotten to." she said as she scooped him up and kissed his forehead. "I have my shoddy ship back. I have my handsome co-pilot back. What more could a girl ask for?" she asked in a distantly sorrowed voice.

 

The ship's ramp closed. Shy closed her eyes and prayed to any and all gods to grant her but this one miracle. All she wanted was for her ship to be in space faring condition. She then immediatly launched into the blue Naboo sky, daring to push her little bit of luck. The ship manovered flawlessly as it sped across the heavens. But it did not leave the planet. The Correlian frieghter arced higher up and around then spiralled back towards Barton's obliterated estate. Shy's eyes momentarily locked onto scorched patch of land that she once considered home. It saddened her a touch but she shrugged the feeling off. Her viiolet eyes iced over. "All things ruin and rot... " she said quietly, "... in the end."

 

She swung the dilapitated ship around once more with the intention of testing her dual light laser cannons. As her ship came within firing range of the ship she'd swiped from Roon, Shy let loose a relentless barrage of laser fire on Trowa's vessel. Seconds later the grounded ship erputed into a fountain of fire and twisted metal. Shy's ship then sliced upward into the sky. It slid into the clouds and was gone.

[Mira Jesra]

Mira had called into Talasea, Denon and the Silver Station on her way to Naboo. At each location she had picked up parcels to be delivered to the next stop, finding that doing 'proper' jobs was just as worth while as smuggling. She had stayed at each location a few days before going on and now came out over the scenic planet of Naboo.

 

She sent for - and received - permission to land, taking the Jade's Run down to a landing pad on the outskirts of Theed. She took her ship down to land, getting 'Matey' to unload the last load she had been requested to deliver while she spoke with the contact she was told to meet.

 

"Well it's all there, six cartons from Silver Station, all in order."

 

The contact checked each box off, giving her a friendly grin.

 

"So it is, you hanging round long?"

 

Mira looked at the other girl who was about her same age.

 

"A few days I guess. Till the wander bug gets me again."

 

She gazed out towards where several marquee were being set up. Her hand raised up, pointing in the direction.

 

"What's that in aid of?"

 

The other girl's face took on an excited expression,

 

"That's for the Annual 'Festival of Lights'. It's going to be great. Going to stick around?"

 

Mira nodded her head, it had been ages since she'd done something fun. The two girls finished the transactions with the cargo, agreeing to meet up by one of the large tents at a certain time. Mira then headed back into her ship to decide what she was going to wear for the Festival. As it went for a week, she might even stay a bit longer...

[Mira Jesra]

((3 day - Legal double post))

 

Mira had thoroughly enjoyed the week long festival, the lights, the parties, the performances. She had stayed on board her ship only long enough to catch naps in between the festivities. Now she headed back to her ship wanting to sleep after having exhausted herself with her enjoyment. She wasn't a big drinker, so hadn't had much to drink, prefering to laugh at the drunks rather than to partake herself.

 

She'd need to rest soon, though her body was still buzzing from the last show she had seen. She'd waved goodbye to her new friend and boarded her ship, locking it up behind her. She headed to the cockpit, her droid, 'Matey' following behind her.

 

"Might head off now, I'll sleep on the journey."

 

They went through all the preflight checks, including checking for tracking devices and what not. Eventually lifting off and pointing the ship skyward. As soon as they cleared the planet's gravity well the Jade's Run disappeared into hyperspace...

[Exodus]

A gateway to oblivion, a first step to greatness at hand, a prospect of the Sith. Exodus stood proudly at the crown of the discreet shuttle ramp. Folds of midnight robes whipped in the fierce winds, Exodus, becoming a heartless phantom above all else as his heart raced with anticipation.

 

A muffled hiss reached Exodus's ears as the door following the ramp was pushed open with the aid of hydraulics. The black-jacketed shuttle commander staggered through, breathing heavily, attempting to bow.

 

Exodus remained composed in the winds, regarding the commander with mock-sorrow. The nondescript man opened his mouth to speak, but Exodus cut him off. "Your mistake shall be your undoing." The Sith Master invoked enough power to crush the man's kidneys and collapse his larynx. He watched for a moment as the officer writhed on the slope, eyes bulging in agony, airy whistles issuing from his contorted mouth.

 

When the sporadic twitching stopped, Exodus refocused his attention to the fallacious landing position, but more so to the cavern ahead. "Show yourselves" he spoke to the air, reinforcing the command with a mental signal. There came rustle grotto. Six armed bandits filed silently into his presence, splitting into two rows on either side of him, inscrutable black-slit visors regarding Exodus with scandal.

 

Behind those armored helmets were faces of fear. They trembled so noticeably that it almost sickened Exodus into convulsion, but Exodus said nothing. There intentions were understandable; scavenging whatever possessions were held within the ship and make a considerable profit. How tactless, such mindless beasts buried themselves in treasures before even touching it.

 

The superior of the bunch approached; Exodus made this evaluation before he had looked at the man for even three seconds. Short black hair, filthy and matted, lay strewn across his scrawny neck. Bug eyes stared from beneath a contorted brow. His smile, a horizontal crescent of ill-formed teeth, was far overexcited. The shirt and black matching vest, though plainly of quality make and expensive fabrics, had been neglected, and clung to the man's flesh where sweat had cooled. There was gauntness about the man's frame beneath those clothes, a malnourished pallor to his skin that suggested he had not left these confines for days.

 

”œLook's like we've got ourselves a trespasser boys. You know what to do”

[Oblivion]

Through the distant feed, the communication link that had serviced the Sith Master began to rumble quickly, if not just for a quick instance. The soft ambient blue glow of the monitor signalled that a feed had arrived for the man, received from the far off reaches of Kamino in a disclosed location; a location where only he would know exactly where the message came.

 

----

 

”œMaster Exodus,”

[Aero]

Awaking, Alyssa sat up. Her breath heavy, sweat dampened her clothing, sheets and pillow. Placing her hand on her racing heart, she checked the time. 0700. Sighing she laid back, relaxed her body and allowed her pulse to slow.

 

It... whatever it was... was real. Call it a dream, call it a vision, she knew it had meaning. It sent a shiver down her back just thinking about it. Throwing off her blanket and sheets, she swung her feet off the bed and onto the floor. Slipping into a comfortable sandles, she moved from the bed. Going to the shower, she stripped her robe and used the force to turn the water on to the perfect temperature. Grabbing towels from a shelf, she placed them on the wood counter. Stepping in, she let the water run over her body.

 

--Aero had returned from yet another failed attempt to train an apprentice. Rahalin learned much, but she was not able to finish his training, and disappointment had filled her. She had told Aashi to continue her task as Keeper as the Sith Lord had retired to her room. Climbing into bed, she had a restless sleep with this dream, this vision tormenting her... --

 

Her mind snapped back to attention as she washed her now red hair. Seeing only the moments before her waking play over and over in her mind. Turning off the water, she motioned the top towel to her. Wrapping her hair up, she motioned for the other. Stepping out, she went back into her room and opened her closet. She Force spoke to Aashi, letting her know that the Sith was up. Choosing black pants, a black shirt with flowing sleeves and her favorite sleeveless clock, she left her room and went down the grand stairs to meet up with her faithful Twi'lek servant.

 

"Morning, Aashi. Thank you once again for your faithfulness."

"You have treated me well, gave me food to eat and clothes on my back. You have taught me much, so it is an honour to serve you."

 

Rolling her eyes but smiling at the younger female, Alyssa walked with her to the table at which had food laid out. Both seating themselves, they talked about the manor and what had been happening while Alyssa had been gone. Aashi showed her another plant that had been thought impossible to grow on Naboo. Smiling, they ate and continued to talk.

[Exodus]

Exodus surveyed the debris that littered the cavern. On the floor, directly beneath a ragged fissure in the ceiling, lay a pile of stones ranging in size from pebble to boulder, and commingled with chunks of splintered wood. A blanket of dust lay upon all of it. The table, he recalled from his studies, had seated seven.

 

With his foot, he nudged a tin plate. Here and there lay remnants of rawhide clothing, a canteen, and the corroded pod of what looked to be a clothes locker. Along the base of a wall, shards of glass twinkled in the shaft of sunlight entering from above.

 

Exodus questing fingers touched something. He plucked it from the debris, shaking off filth. It came away sprawling a wire from one end. Deposits of crystalline silica coated the metallic cylinder, fusing the buttons and knobs. Being careful not to disturb the orientation of the Adegan crystals which ancient hands, guided by the Force, had aligned so long ago, he disassembled the cylinder and removed his own lightsaber.

 

His unparalleled creation shimmered with radiance and the sacred eye buried within its structure opened with a terrifying urge; eyes twitching every which way before focusing on what Exodus held within the other hand. It desired something, it craved nourishment, and so it was fed with the potent Adegan crystals. The eye itself engulfed the material in literally a blink of an eye and pulsed with a refined vitality.

 

He pressed the ignition button with his thumb. It resisted but he pressed harder until it yielded. Two beams of light stabbed out in solid spikes, extending with valuable distance. Streaking the rock-strewn ground with long shadows and tinged with a crimson shimmer, the beam sizzled. From the device a thrumming rose into the cavern, reverberating off the high walls.

 

The feed cut in ”“

 

”œLord Oblivion”¦”

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian's ship pulled out of hyperspace, quietly landing in the high northern hemispheres. His presence was suppressed, it looked like normal traffic through system to any wary force user.

 

He chose an open field for the final touchdown point, his ship hissing as the landing pads softly took the weight of the Jedi Master's ship out from it's own accord. He didn't know why he had come here, just like he didn't know why he had gone to Ryloth, but the point was he was here, and he had the mysterious artifact-like box from Ryloth. All he had left to do was wait.

 

He piggybacked two encrypted comms onto outgoing holonet transmissions, masking them as static, then sat back in the cockpit for someone, something, to find him. Only time would truly tell the full story of destiny...

[Exodus]

The Storm.

 

It was enormous; a cyclonic system stirring with complete darkness, inevitably fed by the Sith Masters' foreboding and venomous presence. And under that mass of cloud were hundred mile-an-hour winds. It looked like a truly monstrous hurricane; surely those already under it were experiencing death in incalculable numbers. Pathetic aliens. It was without doubt getting bigger, and it was undeniably heading this way.

 

The citizens were already in a ravenous panic from the random slaying of their figure-head, they were worrying intensely now though, as the electricity in the capital died without a sound. He looked around his suddenly dark surroundings.

 

In a drunken inquisitive state they people staggered out onto the rain-swept streets, and peered up both ends of the city. All was dark, but not silent. Exodus now stood high, summoning greatness never before seen by these people; so dark was the night now. There was no moon or stars; they were still hidden by the endless rain clouds.

 

Eventually some light was shed onto the roads as a means of transportation pulled out from every-which way, Exodus could better see the hordes of people spilling out from pubs and restaurants to see for themselves the unparalleled sight of a city in total darkness.

 

And then something far, far stranger happened. The very ground beneath their feet was rumbling, as if a small but persistent earthquake was happening below the streets of Theed. And finally something new. From the docks, less than a mile away, came the sound of total destruction over the hammering of the rain.

 

”œDarkness which may be felt.”

[Ary the Grey]

Aryian squinted as the screams echoed through his mind. He was bound to his order to protect the innocent, but right now if he made just one misstep, it could be more than a few thousand dead. It could span across most of the known galaxy.

 

After a few hours of nothing, Aryian supposed nobody could find him if he did not wish it, therefore to allow someone else to come to him, he must be made known, however subtly. He slowly allowed his force presence to swell to it's normal proportions, a medium-to-large surge in the force, enhanced by his armor. He also turned off any stealth systems on his ship, but kept a few defensive ones on.

[Aero]

Alyssa had left the dining room and had gone out to the balcony garden. Walking through it, she felt a change. Like something strange and mysterious. Like from the vision, a new force signature.... JEDI... Aero closed her eyes and reached out. This could not be what she had revealed to her. Not a Jedi. No, everything she hated... she could not possibly....

 

Moving to the glass doors, she spoke to the Jedi, "Can This Be Possible?"

[Exodus]

The assembly line never came.

 

But Exodus had the stationary transports on standby regardless. Above all else, there was an eternal instant. The storm raged onward but was silenced in volumes. The scene of the destruction receded and became unimportant. He was nowhere. He was inside himself. To his astonishment, the dark side spoke through him, becoming a vessel, seeming to speak with his own voice.

 

"You have been chosen for the future, over these impotent remnants of the past," it said. We will make a bargain, you and I.

 

Exodus was reminiscent of a great leader, a king of all kings, but such would not be noticed by his brethren, it never was. His phantom appearance dawned over the frantic, desperate citizens of Theed as his voice sounded throughout the entire audience.

 

What bargain? They all wondered, amazed at his calmness.

 

"You will become my greatest servants, and in return, you will be the greatest masters of my power in all of history," the voice of the dark side replied.

 

The terrified audience, some still running while others looked onward at their supposed protector. They wondered if enslavement was the case, it was something they would ultimately refuse against, but as such thoughts were provoked ”“ The dark voice spoke again.

 

"You will not be slaves. No”¦ You will be far above all other living beings."

 

Exodus' eyes outburst with a brilliant resonating emerald as the voice of darkness channeled itself through him. It was of course his own inner deceit speaking out, his darkness that was rarely spoken in such a manner, but it was all believable after the display that had just occurred.

 

They would eventually wonder the price of all this, those who still maintained their intellectuality would challenge such persuasive offerings. But the Dark side was always one step ahead, prepared to smother whatever doubts laid within the minds of the weak.

 

You must give up everything, the voice of the dark side said immediately. Your plans, your desires, your dreams are all forfeit. Your past will be given up and lost. Your future will no longer belong to you. But you will live forevermore.

 

The tyranny could not be stopped either way, and so the mammoth vessels began to fill up, those of who were uncertain and those of who were in favored were filed onto their according ships. Existing beings would waste no further time running to places that proved to remain unsafe. The storm still raged onward and still pushed its boundaries further as more supporters of the caused roared out in disdain, truth was; such a storm was fuelled by the pain, the anger, and most of all, the fear. Such a thing would not stop until these creatures were removed or smothered.

 

--

 

Hours sunk beneath the seas and the once respected river of Solleu before the several ships lifted off the abandoned planet and headed for their own respective destinations in utter secrecy.

 

Mission Complete.

[Dagon]

::Genesis division clone ships arrive on Naboo to begin the process of colonization and cloning. Prefabricated cities are laid down and medical facilities are erected in short order. Damages to the Naboo architecture are repaired as the world is restored to working order. In the times to come it will be a pinnacle of imperial society, the triumph of security and Sith rule. Construction begins on a Celeris device.::

[Ary the Grey]

((Since I assume I'm not near Aero...I'll also assume that was speaking through the force.))

 

"Can This Be Possible?"

 

Aryian was half startled as a powerful Sith mind brushed up against his, and even moreso when it was not a direct threat. This person also felt like the one...the one in the vision. So clear, it had to be.

 

"Possibility has nothing to do with the force's will...I'm sure you know this by now. If the force wills something, that something is brought into being."

 

Aryian relaxed into a deep meditative trance, putting all his energy into his mental functions, keeping a small amount of concentration of the area around him, but the rest of it meeting with the mind of the Sith, a female. He plucked her name from her thoughts, as well as a tidbit of information...she was a Sith Lord...

 

EDIT:

 

((Deleted the other edit, she posted first, + edited master to Lord.))

Edited June 2, 2006 by Guest