Naboo

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca was content to stay out of sight through the Force, but as for his own physical appearance it would be far more difficult seeing as Wookiee's were hard to miss, seeing as many didn't travel these days and the very population was dying out fast. He did however find a good place to hide himself from sight, yet not out of a position to help when he was needed.

 

((Sorry for the delayed post.))

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

OOC: Sorry, life is piling up on me. School work and such. This is short; I know.

 

”œI believe Coruscant would be a fine location for you to receive your training. We have a temple there, right under the Galactic Alliance's nose, where the weak are deigned to die and the most wicked arts in the galaxy are put into practice on a consistent basis. The brand of evil there is wholly authentic, useful, and suited for teaching someone new to the dark side of the Force. The facility has the standard training apparatus that I wish to employ with you. We can finish our drinks and get moving. I am anxious to begin combat training. Knowing that you're going to viciously bring war against the forces of good makes training an apprentice so incredibly worthwhile. ”

[Nishant]

The words that continued to ring in his mind were, "...where the weak are deigned to die..." This was why Nishant had taken this new name for himself, and this was why Sidus would remain under Ar-Pharazon's wing for as long as was necessary. It was time to learn a new kind of strength. Somewhere within, he knew that this strength he needed to find did not have to come from the Sith. There were places he could find it. But this was the best place to begin; a place that embraced death, a place that taught one to fight.

 

"Yes," he said, "I am also anxious for such training, as well. And then I will test myself against anything you direct me towards, my master."

 

He remembered the last time he had gone to Coruscant's Sith temple. It had not gone quite as well as this, so it seemed. But Sidus would now take all he had known, all he had learned, all he had seen, and set it aside. When he had found what he sought, then he would take it up again, and become something else. But the Sith were his new cocoon, and he would embrace them as wholly as possible, for as long as was necessary.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

After walking around for a while Lucifer was beginning to get a little annoyed being surrounded by the wretched civilians of this city...or as he liked to view them just cattle and pawns of chess to be moved about or disposed of.

 

His stomach started given him signs by eery rumbles that let him know he was hungry and so he was forced to question a passerby as to a good eating establishment.

 

The kiffar looked into the man's eyes as he stared back, he reminded the sith of a hillbilly of some sort with at least one goofy tooth and a bad accent.

 

Crinching slightly containing his malcontent Lucifer spoke to him doing his best to be civil and polite, the last thing he wanted was trouble if he could avoid it...at least for now, there were bigger things to worry about.

 

''Excuse me. Sorry to disturb you from your path but I was wondering I and my friend here are looking for a good and reputable or popular eating establishment...price is no limit to me. I was wondering if you live around and know of any such place.''

 

The man stared blankly a moment as the information processed in his tiny brain before he responded.

 

''It's no problem at all. As it happens I do know such a place, I thinks they calling it Blue or some such name it's expensive but you bet your bottom tooth the meals are to die for!

 

I hear there was an attack recently at the place when those no good dirty rotten scum came and wrecked the city, the cantina was where some jedi died, my cousin told me. They crazy they are, no-one in their right mind would stay open after that but they still open! I can show you the way if you like.''

 

Lucifer looked upon the man...he was growing bore dof the man's long winded speech but at hearing of a establishment to eat he decided to let the wretch live...for now.

 

Speaking he replied.

 

''If you would I would apprechiate it.''

 

Lucifer didn't really mean the words he spoke but he decided it would prevent problems for now. With that the hillbilly lead the kiffar sith and his apprentice until eventually they came upon the now infamous cantina. Leaving the man to go about his business after a slight payment Lucifer trod slowly his steps with purpose, moving his robotic eye slowly about as he entered, he let his robotic eye take a look at each person inside for abut a brief moment as he continued to walk, ever the cautious type.

 

He was certain he felt a very strong dark aura coming from one of the patrons...it was a familiar feeling that felt vaguely familiar as if from Dagobah but when he looked all he saw was a generic man of Naboo alongside another man who he could feel was also dark albiet weaker with a tinge of light. Paying nevermind for now he motioned for a table towards the side at a seperate table at the back which hadn't alreayd been occupied, with a full view of the cantina's two entrances, but away from both. He sat with the better view of these entrances and the barkeep, while leaving his apprentice with the more obscured view.

 

He spoke to the newly named Darth Muerte.

 

''My apprentice. Now we eat and wait until Lord Ar-Pharazon replies to my message.''

 

At that he called the barman over ordering two Corellian Ale's and a couple of ewok steaks medium rare. Little did he know the dark feeling he felt in the bar came from Ar-Pharazon himself.

[Moon Knight]

ShadowFett continued to wait. He was a patient man, but stakeouts were difficult when you had no concept of when the quarry was coming back. The Mando'ad ultimately found a position where he was reasonably comfortable with something to lean up against, but kept his eyes alert for the dar'jetii that he intended to bring to justice. Waiting from a stationary position tended to make the body relax and the mind wander or dull with boredom, but a warrior that was fast approaching a difficult battle needed to remain alert.

 

Mand'alor did his best to keep sharp, decades of discipline coming into play. In many ways, he had transcended the regular human's ability to remain focused on a task, testament to the effectiveness of long hours of training. Just as he had taught himself the art of the blade, the blaster, and the use of his beskar'gam, so too had he taught himself patience and perseverence.

 

Still the hours dragged on and even he let his thoughts wander just a bit. He thought about Moon Knights past, countless warriors in white cloaks bearing the crescent, standing against the forces of darkness in ways covert and overt. He thought about Mirdala, the investments they had made in each other, and how he lived now in a way that he had never before. The dala had altered him, given him something for which to fight other than himself and his titles. Commissioner, Mand'alor, Moon Knight. These things meant something to him because he had assigned them value. But they constituted what was a professional life, and she had shown him through no particular behavior that there was much more to existence.

 

His buy'ce pinged and brought him out of his thoughts. "Receiving a message from Coruscant," 2277 informed him. He read it through his HUD--it was text-only--and frowned. It was a message of general spite from a specific individual within CoreSec. He filed the message away. It looked like it was going to be a trip back to HQ after this situation with Ar-Pharazon was resolved. Thankfully, he doubted that this agent, even if she went rogue, could particularly damage the base of operations. Most individuals just weren't resourceful enough.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

While he waited for his order Lucifer decided he would check up on ny updates within the Sith via his datapad connected to the sith mainframe.

 

As he checked through he found something interesting had happened. It seemed Sheog had for some unknown reason on the very eve of battle disappeared leaving the sith to fend for themselves...in his place a man from the kiffar's past had taken his place as Dark Lord...the Sith Assassin and Illusionist Darth Asperser.

 

The Sith Lord contacted one of his contacts deep within the sith temple on Coruscant, a ever reliable source of information to convey a message from him to the new Dark Lord. He appeared before another as a simple hologram.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Whether by a strong sense of unable to handle the job, or the pure will of the Force, Kirlocca felt urged to make all haste to Gala. He couldn't help but feel as if his friend Dahar was in great danger. Sending a quick message to his fellow team mates on Naboo, letting them know that he was indeed leaving and making a return to the Jedi Order. It may have been brash, but he needed to do so. Carefully, he found his way onboard an unregistered transport headed for a main starport, where enroute, he would send for his ship.

 

((Sorry, but I need to quarterback this upcoming battle.))

[Rahalin Toral II]

<>

 

To: Mandalore

From: Rahalin Torall

Re: Coresec

Message: C.A.C. dec CoreSec lvl 1 disaster area. Agents in distress. Toral req aid help agents.

 

<>

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

As Lucifer stayed seated he sent another message to his trusted employee...of a sort back at the Sith Temple.

 

The meal arrived before he sent it and thus he took a quick bite before proceeding.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

”œWe've lingered here long enough. It's time to leave for Coruscant and begin the next stage of your training.”

[Moon Knight]

To credit Ar-Pharazon's disguise, ShadowFett did not recognize the dar'jetii when he approached the landing pad. However, even after all this waiting, he had remained alert, listening as well as watching from his place in the shadows of another ship on the 'pad. Now, his buy'ce picked up and filtered through clearly the man's words. When combined with his gesture, the statement was enough to label him as Ar-Pharazon himself, one of the Mando'ad's oldest and most dangerous enemies.

 

Much of him wanted to just open fire and catch the Sith offguard and unawares. With the cover of his ysalamir, he had pretty decent chances of being able to get a bolt or two to hit home, especially with Mirdala adding her fire to his. However, he reminded himself that as a CoreSec officer, he couldn't just gun people down in the streets of a peaceful world like Naboo, regardless of how much the shabuir deserved it. Though he suspected Ar-Pharazon would never surrender to him, he had to make the offer.

 

And so ShadowFett stepped out of his hiding place, his assault rifle leveled on the target and his follower. He took several steps toward them, still keeping about a score of meters between them as well as keeping himself partially obscured from the Chariot and its hidden arsenal. "Don't move, Ar-Pharazon," he commanded, his buy'ce making his voice loud enough to be sure they could hear him. "You're under arrest for uncountable crimes against several governments. Surrender or you will be fired upon."

 

Protected by his beskar'gam, the bubble around him that the Force could not penetrate, overwatch from Mirdala, and the steady hand of fellow Commissioner Holloway, Fett was reasonably certain that he had the upper hand. The question was whether Ar-Pharazon would realize the same... and Fett almost hoped that he wouldn't.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

Lucifer looked at his chrono as he finished the meal he was given. He saw his apprentice had not touched his and remained silent for some reason.

 

After closing the hologram he motioned for the receipt of the bill seeing as Ar-Pharazon had not turned up or so he thought. Motioning his apprentice to rise the kiffar left the establishment shortly after a old man and then he felt it...a slight tinch of light accompanied by darkness from the one that appeared to be following the old man or what appeared to be an old man, little did he know it was a now former jedi turned sith.

 

It seemed fresh almost. Rising from his seat the Sith Lord left shortly after the two deciding to begin preparations to leave himself. He paid what was owed and headed towards his own ship 'The Black Heart' back at the spaceport.

 

Moving through the crowd Lucifer couldn't help but consider what he had felt coming from from the one he had felt back at the establishment...it was uncommon for a jedi. sith or otherwise to be here that was until recently. He had to investigate this matter further. Moving through the crowd in the street he finally made it to his ship when he noticed something going on where he had the supposed 'techs' earlier.

 

They appeared to be aiming weapons at the old man he had seen earlier and the strange feeling he had felt from the one who followed him. Intriqued the kiffar looked at the goings on from next to his ship and used his robotic eye to zoom in and have a look while being quite distant from the goings on. It was then he noticed a peculiarity from the force..a void almost nearby, he knew of only one thing which could do that seeing as he knew Naboo didn't have any natural nexuses close by so to speak of...Yslamari.

 

How he hated the little buggers.

 

It was at that thought he overheard a name he was all to familiar with being called out to the 'old man'...Ar-Pharazon. The young sith thought that this was the cause of why he had not turned up or that he had but the two had not noticed each other in the same place. At least now he had found him, changing his choice of view Lucifer switched the robotic eye to the thermo vision setting via a quick blink of the eyebrow.

 

The heat signitures showed up as a reddish orange while non-sentiant objects as a kind of faded out blue. He noted Ar-Pharazon was somewhat surrounded in a perimetre as he gazed his eye about. One showed up as being behind a crate, one on a rooftop going by readout and another who appeared to be mandalorian in origin standing in front of Ar-Pharazon...if ever he needed a hand it was now.

 

He realised these must be CoreSec going by the badge this one wore. Thinking upon his mission Lucifer tried to place the mandalorian to any people he had seen at one time or another or things he had seen on the holonet. Thinking on it he placed a mandalorian Commisioner of CoreSec from what he had heard.

 

He realised these were the people he was meant to kill, Ar-Pharazon's task entrusted to him and in their death and delivery to places unknown he would become a master.

 

Thinking about it he figured this provided a unique opportunity. To prove to Ar-Pharazon that he had uses, and prove his loyalty. Besides he really needed that item and since this group were his targets. Lucifer looked to his apprentice and spoke.

 

''It seems we have found Ar-Pharazon and our targets all in the same place. We shall help him if he is attacked, until then we shall stay distant and watch the show.

 

This provides us a opportunity to lure them to where we want them.''

[Raven37]

Drake nodded stiffly and his lower right hand slipped to his blaster on his belt, slipping into the shadows of the alley to observe the coming confrontation. He and his Master stood a good ways back for Ar-Pharazon but Drake's Codru-Ji hearing allowed him to pick up any words that were exchanged which he would then relay to his master. Unless Lucifer had some super hearing Force trick up his sleeve, he would not hear any hushed tones from the two men.

 

Drake turned his head slightly to the left allowing him to pick up on the conversation. At the same time he nodded slightly to Lucifer letting him know he could hear them.

[Nishant]

Sidus was glad to be on the way towards further training, and upon arrival at Ar-Pharazon's ship was intent upon getting to know such a veteran vessel. As such, it was not a pleasant surprise to find that they (or really, his master) was being held up by what was apparently a lawman. A Mandalorian, at that.

 

Sidus was sure there were only moments, as he was also sure that there must be several of these lawmen in attendance today, and he had a brief and intense desire to prove himself again to his master by doing as he had done with Skye, and using such extrasensory skills to locate their attackers. He corrected this impulse immediately, because he did not have the precision with that skill to do it quickly as well as efficiently, and his focus would be drawn from their location, which could get him killed.

 

Instead, he tucked a hand silently behind his back to grasp lightly the hilt of his only weapon, the curved knife, and prepared through the rocking energies within him the intent to blast this armored attacker through the architecture he was so aptly hiding himself behind. At that, Sidus did notice the man was positioned well, but he himself turned his silent attention towards his master.

 

He sent his thoughts his master's way, having not used this particular skill in some time, and said simply, What would serve you best for me to do here, master?

[Cas Holloway]

Finally Ar-Pharazon had decided to show his slimy face. From his position, Cas adjusted his weapon quietly. He knew the Sith probably knew he was there--he had heard that ysalamiri like the one he was wearing created a bubble of non-Force-ness that could be detected as such.

 

Nevertheless, he stayed in position while Fett approached the Sith directly. As they came into view, Cas saw that there was an apprentice with him. He flipped the switch on his blaster to stun and aimed for the young one. When the poodoo hit the fan, his first goal would be to knock out the Sith Lord's ally.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

From her well-concealed perch, several blocks away from the space port itself, Mirdala was afforded a clear view of the scene playing out several hundred meters from her current position concealed within one of the many architectural embellishments that decorated the old building that she was using for cover. From her vantage point she could see nearly the entire hanger where the Dreadfully Unpleasant and Very Unholy Chariot of Unwarranted Suffering was berthed.

 

The various crates and boxes that were stacked around the rooftops on the buildings closer to the space port could not have provided a better decoy for her operations. Though, no sniper worth their salt would actually use such an obvious cover unless no alternative means were available. She'd take a window on an upper story over an exposed rooftop with poor cover any day.

 

Through her scope she checked the wind speed from one of the banners fluttering in the slight breeze near Ar-Pharazon's ship and compared it to the speed that her own buy'ce's systems were detecting in her immediate area. She ran the ballistics and would be ready to take her shot once she got the signal from Kandor or Commissioner Halloway.

 

The presence of their lenedat drove her focus from the echoing hunger in her own mind, and she redirected that craving towards accomplishing their goal. They would bring Ar-Pharazon to justice, either by bringing him in for trial, or by ending his spree here and now.

 

Her boot slid out to her left slightly, until it brushed the side of the case containing her own ysalamiri, mentally checking off that it was still there as her focus turned back to what was happening through her scope and HUD, whose readouts and displays eliminated the need for her to work with a spotter.

 

It would all be over with soon, and the hours of patiently waiting would finally pay off.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

There was a strong disturbance in the Force that Ar-Pharazon could easily feel, given his total mastery over the mythic arts. He knew the feeling. Someone was trying to screw him. He threw up a Force shields.

 

”œWhat the hell is this?”

[Moon Knight]

OOC: Fett doesn't care.

 

IC:

ShadowFett held his position, eyes alert inside his buy'ce, using the 360-degree vision it afforded him to watch the area, labeling locations that had tactical value and other factors that would help him if this turned into a fight. "You don't get to make demands here, Ar-Pharazon," he said. "If you want to talk, you may do so once you have disarmed yourself and been taken into custody."

 

The Mando'ad also studied the dar'jetii and his associate carefully. He wasn't certain whether Ar-Pharazon was bluffing about the hostages, but it was irrelevant. If there were hostages aboard the Chariot, they were as good as dead no matter what Fett did. He would not allow them to enter this situation as a bargaining chip that would allow the galaxy's greatest at-large mass murderer a chance to escape. This was the end of the line.

 

"You can start by placing your weapons on the ground."

[Nishant]

Ar-Pharazon's open acceptance of the situation, and his continual personification of his own will even under the sudden threat, revealed much to Sidus. He realized that he had needed this; needed a threat to this man to either expose him as even something of a pretender, or to prove his word as true; whether his master's views and actions were "right" or "wrong" were irrelevant to Sidus. That they, to some extent, meshed with his own present needs was enough for him to place his full faith in his master now.

 

With this, he realized there was little he could do (or really, needed to do) in this situation, unless things progressed beyond conversation (which was likely). He felt his master's power expand with a simple and sudden, invisible motion of the Force, and knew he had set up a shield, and desired at once to learn this skill also.

 

But at the persistence of the Mandalorian's lawfulness, Sidus quite nearly laughed. He was not naive enough to think that he could go toe to toe with this lawman and survive; he did not have the skill yet for that, even if it was one on one (which he could tell it wasn't). But it was his perspective that shot this lawman dead, no matter what actually occurred. Laws, laws, laws, right, right, right. The arrogance of one man, to tell another, no matter who they were, what they could and could not do.

 

Sidus dismissed such philosophizing now. On a practical note, it was apparent that the Mandalorian thought disarming his master (and he himself, though obviously as a footnote) of any material weapons would be enough, but judging from his speech it was obvious he knew Ar-Pharazon's power well enough. To so simply dismiss the threat of the Force, Sidus wondered what the lawman had that allowed him to do this. Firepower alone would not be enough.

 

As it was, Sidus was not laying anything at anyone's feet, even if it was only a knife.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

Still next to his ship and dressed as the combat veteran he was portraying...briefly Lucifer attempted to follow the flow of the force and brush past the shield or so was the hope to Lord Ar-Pharazon and what seemed like his new apprentice.

 

He hoped to let them know by this subtle nudge of pure darkness that slowly drifted through the force from him that he was ready to back him up if needed against his agressors if they so much as blinked.

[Raven37]

Drake was fairly certain he had not been spotted hiding in the shadow of the alley and was still masking his presence in the Force by way of the Quey'tek technique and decided to activate his stealth generator as well, obscuring him from sight. If a fight was going to break out soon stealth and cunning would be crucial to victory.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

Ar-Pharazon initially sighed, but after a moment, he only laughed villainously. ”œI will place my weapons on the ground after you lower your knees and press your hands and face on said ground, and prostrate yourself in due adoration of the divine being that stands before you. Pray to me, that in my great mercy, I spare all of you from the dire consequences of your ignorant transgressions.”

[Moon Knight]

((Bit of a filler, I know.))

 

ShadowFett held his ground. Ar-Pharazon's offer to help them find Montar wasn't even tempting. A raven in hand, so the old saying went, was better than two in the bush. He could not let a criminal like this go free on the almost certainly false pretense that he would lead them to others, none of whom were more notorious than he. No, the Mando'ad wasn't interested.

 

However, he was interested in giving Mirdala the time to get the perfect shot lined up. And so he would stall a little bit longer. "Sounds like we're at an impasse, then," he said. "You needn't worry about our jurisdiction. As you can see, it will not be allowed to impede justice." That wasn't entirely true, perhaps, as sometimes there was a lot of red tape. Mand'alor, of course, made every effort to cut that tape as often as he could, and Mirdala's present relative safety was the result.

 

Inside his buy'ce, he sent a private comm to Mirdala through the private link they always had up. "Take the shot, Mird'ika."

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

As Lucifer observed he felt something...distant. Looking around he found it was not of this world but of the force, of the bond he shared with the Alcazarin's...something had changed.

 

Searching he found the source. It seemed Darth Oni had returned, and was sending a message to those that remained through the shared bond, to him this could either make his plans for the Alcazarin's easier to accomplish or more difficult...and yet he also felt from the force something else not from Oni, a disturbance far off almost that unsettled him.

 

Something was not quite right. After he was done here he would check in with his apprentices before he went to Gala, it had been some time since he had heard from them, and if he felt this disturbance maybe they did too.

 

At this thought he returned to what he was doing and observed the confrontation...at least for now, then he felt another disturbance like the force was trying to tell him something was wrong with the picture in front of him. He didn't trust this mandalorian...along with the feeling in his gut and what the force was telling him he didn't like it one bit, it was too quiet.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

OOC: No problem. Filler works. It's the beginning of the year. However, we might have to talk soon to coordinate.

 

IC: ”œYour tactics are laughable at best,”

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

(OOC: I got really sick after the holidays, so I've been catching up on work that I'd missed. Sorry about the hold up guys.)

 

"Take the shot, Mird'ika."

 

She was ready, but one thing kept drilling away at the back of her mind and tugging at her gut. The Mando'ad knew that it couldn't be call of the Force because the spice had cut her off from it's guidance for the time being. This had to be her own pure instinct, the same one that had kept her alive all these years.

 

She knew that if she were to to take the shot now, it wouldn't be a kill. Memories of things that she'd seen when she'd been working with Kitt, Aryian, and Kirlocca were coming in to rapid recall. She'd seen before how they'd used their connection to the Force for tactical advantage, something that surely Ar-Pharazon was doing even now. They had to take that advantage away.

 

She hadn't encountered the little lizards that suppressed her ability to use the Force until she'd started working with Kandor, but it hadn't taken her long to determine their range of effect. It was about three meters.

 

Via their link she responded, ”œKandor on my mark, you've got to get him within your Force-less bubble.”

[Cas Holloway]

Cas was ready. His gun was lined up with the apprentice's midsection, his finger on the trigger. So when he heard the distinctive sound of Mirdala taking her shot, his finger responded with a twitch that sent a stun bolt towards the dark-haired apprentice, only a second after his comrade's shot.

 

With any luck, the ysalamiri he was wearing would have masked his intent at worst--and his entire presence at best--from the inexperienced Force-user.

 

The Arkanian knew that with these two shots, not only were his and Mirdala's locations revealed, but that now the poodoo was going to hit the fan. So he immediately began to move, rolling to the right but taking care to stay behind the line of crates.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

As hell broke loose Lucifer set about events in motion. First he headed inside his ship as to give the impression he was not involved, while inside he in fact headed to the ship armory motioning his apprentice to follow him where a number of swords and various weapons hung up.

 

He gave a few words to his apprentice.

 

''Pick a weapon, and arm yourself. Locate and neutralise that sniper and any targets of opportunity by any means necessary. Ensure Lord Ar-Pharazon and his apprentice remain unharmed and...unspoilt.

 

Once they are out of the picture more or less...flank right I shall go left, cluster and then draw them into a crossfire on each other however be wary of the ylsamari they hold, take the little beasts out first otherwise our ability to use the force is significanctly lessened. I shall activate the ship gun turret above the cockpit to lay down suppressing fire.''

 

With that the kiffar looked to the weapon rack picking his two schimitars placing them at other side of his belt before picking up two flashbangs, two thermo detonators and one Cryoban grenade along with his lightsabre(s). Moving to the cockpit the sith lord activated the outer defenses before lifting the craft off the ground to rooftop level allowing for a quick getaway if the need arose. Signalling his ship AI via his neural link to seek out and identify the sniper threat, Lucifer leapt to the nearest rooftop out of the open exit ramp and proceeded to leap roof to roof via the nearest to the spaceport towards the one who hid behind the crate and threw over a flashbang using the force to manauver it closer hoping that the yslamari didn't drop it short as he prepared to attack the rear...or was his hope.

 

Scanning the area the AI found it's objective and marked the target beginning to attempt to 'suppress' the snipers position to hopefully allow his apprentice to manauver to her, as the 2 rapid fire heavy laser cannons a it's front and the Dual 360 degree rotating laser turrets placed above the cockpit opened up.

[Nishant]

At the word "impasse" from the Mandalorian, Sidus extended his Sense, encompassing his master (and soaking up what he was doing, to learn to replicate those shields later on), and reaching quickly out about him. And then, nothing. The Mandalorian was encompassed in nothing.

 

Surprise, surprise. A trickster. Sidus sighed, inwardly. Stepping into such a field of negation would force a response from his system, unconsciously, over his loss of feeling. Sidus supposed, however, that if it came to that, such an even would be a form of "mental" pain. Not one he had been trained by his kind to specifically handle, but he thought he might have more of an edge than he had just previously suspected.

 

And then time to think ran out.

 

Two shots, so close as to make the second seem an echo, and yet it wasn't conscious, coherent thought that made this clear. He was lucky, he could later guess, that his greatest current ability was precognitive awareness. As it was, his body simply responded by twisting and simultaneously pushing to his right, just away from his master. He felt, albeit not physically, one of the bolt's pass by his moving body as he dodged what he hadn't, couldn't have possibly had time to even register the very sound of.

 

Two shots--one for them both, likely, but he worried only for himself. He pivoted back towards the Mandalorian, who, as suspected, had back-up, and whipped his knife decidedly at the more central cleft in his armor. Following this, his attention recognized the weapons fire of a ship, which was apparently attacking their attackers.

[Moon Knight]

((The ordering on these posts is going to be messy. I was thinking about letting Ben get a post in there before I did, but I guess his last post was after mine.))

 

ShadowFett had stepped up at Mirdala's mark, ensuring that Ar-Pharazon would be without the Force when her slug arrived. According to his experience, a dar'jetii was all but helpless to evade such an attack with no weapon drawn and no precognition to help them, but Fett would be almost disappointed if that was all it would take to bring down such a normally-dangerous man. He'd probably be amused by it, and it would hugely reinforce his existing opinions about the Force being no more than a crutch, but he would be disappointed by the brevity of the battle.

 

Assuming, as he always did, that his opponent would find a way to stay alive, he opened fire with his assault rifle, full-auto on Ar-Pharazon's location just as the sniper shot rang out. Within the ysalamiri bubble, the demagol would be unable to properly defend himself unless he backed away, which would clear Fett from his lightsaber range.

 

Immediately the apprentice responded, drawing a knife and jabbing at Fett's beskar chestpiece, surprisingly lunging further into the anti-Force bubble. His gun already raised so that his arms were in front of his chest, the Mando'ad reacted quickly, fine-tuned combat reflexes developed over years of training rather than relying on a mystical energy field to give him necessary foresight. He parried the knife blow partially with his rifle itself, deflecting it enough that it glanced off his shoulder plate.

 

In close quarters against an inexperienced combatant robbed of the Force and wielding a weapon that could not penetrate his armor, he would excel. ShadowFett quickly counterattacked with the butt of his rifle, spun it around again, and fired a few more shots at point-blank, sidestepping to get the apprentice between himself an Ar-Pharazon, assuming the powerful dar'jetii still lived.

 

Meanwhile he became aware that a ship was lifting off the ground, which thankfully took more than a few seconds, and, using his 360-degree vision, started to look for the nearest cover in case it turned out to be hostile....