Carida

[Moon Knight]

Fett nodded at Vash. Faust had indeed decided to show up, and memories flooded in. Moon Knight had hunted Faust once. He had had some adversity towards him during the infamous hunt for Reagan McGregor, as well, which Fett had participated in. It was interesting now, being able to review memories from both sides of that great hunt.

 

At any rate, Faust was one of the greatest evils in the galaxy, those that Moon Knight swore to destroy. But he was also one of the evils that could challenge and even defeat Moon Knight if he fought to his potential. But Fett himself did not fear the great and malevolent hunter, and if he needed to battle him, he would.

 

But that wasn't the idea here. I need to get the Admiral out of here in one piece...and alive, Fett thought. So it was time to improvise.

 

Moving forward carefully, Fett fired several more times, knocking down stormtroopers. He then triggered a pair of darts on his gauntlet from two adjacent launchers. One of them was a luma dart, and the other released poison gas.

 

The luma dart hit Faust squarely and burst into intense light, enough to blind anyone without proper shielding. Fett's helmet visor easily handled the change. The second hit a stormtrooper and spewed its gases in all directions. Fett then leapt forward and rolled, carefully handling the maneuver to disallow his rocket/repulsor pack to interfere, and came up at the unconscious Admiral's side.

 

With that, he triggered his flamethrower, executing an old trick with equal success. The poison gas, useless against filtered helmets, ignited in a massive fireball that engulfed Faust's surroundings. Faust was almost as resourceful as Fett, so the Mandalorian didn't count on Faust being out for long, but he used what time he had bought.

 

Scooping MacLeod up and throwing him over his shoulder, Moon Knight retreated in the same direction that Vash had, throwing a few blaster bolts behind him with the gun in his left hand as he moved to discourage pursuit.

 

Even carrying the Admiral, Fett was unhindered and moved swiftly. He caught up to Vash in a moment, quickly en route for the hangar. Although one of his hands was still free, Moon Knight glanced at his temporary ally. "Alright, your turn to cover me."

[Vladimir Faust]

Faust's gauntlet rises up just in time to block the luma dart, letting it embed itself squarely in the back before bouncing off. This gave the Hunter that brief second needed to shield his eyes, which turn an icy, icy blue.

 

The gas hurls towards him but Faust, prepared, extends his right hand and instead of taking the gas, a mighty force driven wind roars up, pushing it and the ensuing flames backwards, watching the blaster bolts reflect harmlessly off his breastplate and spark off Fett's armor.

 

Faust takes a leisurely pursuit, still some distance behind them, joined by a handful of Faust's elite storm troopers and with reports of another dozen heading off the spies. "The Admiral is expendable here. If they capture him he is a liability, though I'd like all three alive if possibile. Seal the hangars and put up ray shields in their path. I have a surprise I need to prepare for them." With that, Faust turns about and dissapears elsewhere into the ship, leaving his troops to stall them.

 

On command a gravity well is activated from the near-by Arachnid, sealing off egress.

 

Faust's word is done about the Vengence as the two spies and the unconscious Admiral suddenly find their way forward blocked by a ray shield, fortunately activated a moment too soon to trap them, but still soon enough to block their way and make a dead end.

 

Behind them a half dozen troopers appear, armed with stokhli spray sticks. A wide arc of netting sprays out, covering the wide corridor with a web sticky stun webbing. Behind, three soldiers wait with flechette launchers ready, their fingers at the trigger and ready to fill the hallway with ripping metal, and after that, torn flesh.

[Lora]

With an alert sounding over the ship, Lora accessed the security cameras that abounded the many corridors of the SSD. A quick glance at what was happening had her headed towards the Hanger and the ship that had been given permission to land not that terribly long ago. With a squad of stormtroopers, she had them fan out around the hanger. A number of special techs approached the ship, looking at certain areas of it's underbelly, Lora among them.

 

Opening up a particular hatch, she placed a certain item within, connecting it up so that she accessed the ships computers. She hacked into them, giving a different set of instructions. Grinning, she closed the hatch. Now try and leave fella's...

 

She and the other techs, after they had finished what they had been instructed to do, took up varying positions around the Hanger Bay waiting for the misfits to arrive.

[Bad karma]

A dark presence materialized from nothing. None but Faust would feel her arrival and it took all of two seconds for her to search out the invaders she sought. Thirty more seconds and she had them pulled up on the remote terminal. The admiral was over the shoulder of the armored man; a man she had met once upon a time on Kamino. A smile crept upon her devious lips as she departed, making her way to their location with haste.

 

__

 

From the wall next to the two spies a small figure emerges, wielding what appears to be a sword despite that it has an aura all its own. A glowing blue aura. Its blade slides along Fett's helmet, slicing through his armor as if it was warm butter. The lady turns her gaze upon his emotionless visor as she rips the Admiral from his shoulder using the force. Her body twists around as she continues on her straight path, her left hand reaching out and grabbing hold of the Admiral's arm and her right waving at Fett as she seemingly passes into the room adjacent to the hallway.

 

As she left their view, ice began forming around their feet and creeping up their feet at an alarming rate. They would be frozen in place if something wasn't done soon.

[Moon Knight]

OOC: I find it unlikely that Dom could get from wherever she was all the way here in the last thirty seconds since the alarm sounded, but I'll roll with the punches here.

 

IC:

Too slow! Fett thought as matters complicated themselves. They were most of the way out, but progress was hampered by developments that made themselves evident. He was prepared to deal with pretty much anything that could materialize, but the fight was one that would be difficult to emerge from.

 

The ray shields were first. No sooner had the appeared, however, than Moon Knight was reaching down to his boot to grab one of a series of small tools designed for disrupting and eliminating security fields and energy shields like this one. He had to bend over to do so, and in that moment another threat appeared on his helmet scanners.

 

The threat was accompanied by the force of an attack or two made on Fett. He felt something hit his helmet but not his skull. Before analyzing the damage, he spun away from the attack, dropping the Admiral, whose body was instantly grabbed by some invisible force. More Sith magic, he thought.

 

But he was trained for this. His Sith target disappeared just as he swung around to face her, apparently melting through the wall. I hate Sith magic.... Ice appeared as his feet and Faust rounded the corner to confront the two again.

 

Jabbing his tool into the ray shield, he watched it flicker and die. He jammed the tool back into his boot as he rolled out of the way of incoming fire, shattering the ice at his feet with plain strength.

 

Still have to get the Admiral back, Fett thought. The Imperials opened fire with what the bounty hunter quickly identified as Stokhli Spray Sticks and Flechette launchers. With the ray shield down, the best way to go was away. The Mandalorian threw himself backwards and his repulsor pack gave him a boost as he cleared the stun webbing and the expanding clouds of flechette ammo. Still, dozens of tiny shards of metal embedded themselves a millimeter or two into Fett's armor in many places, a few more cutting into his flight suit and into his arms.

 

He shrugged off the pain, which meant little to him. Much worse things had happened to him than a little bit of jagged metal in his arms, from having his hands shot off altogether to losing an arm to having a rib torn out of his chest and rammed into his mouth, taking teeth with it. By now, pain was just something to be ignored.

 

Blast, he thought as he realized that he couldn't get the Admiral back without charging into the Imperial barrage, which would leave no survivors. Time to get out of here altogether, then. "Leave him," he called to his cohort.

 

He motioned to Vash to retreat and did so himself, bursting out into the hangar only a few seconds later, an assault rifle now in his unoccupied hands. Rather than continuing to fire backwards, he spotted and disabled security cameras with a few well-placed shots, then found some cover.

 

When the Shi'ido joined him, he said. "I need you to find a way to get us off the station. Even if we can't get into hyperspace, Carida is plenty large enough to get ourselves into hiding for a little while."

 

((That's right...by cover I mean "hiding". Think James Bond finding a million places to hide from even scores of opponents, if only for a short while. Just play nice.))

[Vladimir Faust]

The moment the two escapees burst into the hangar, a deep, booming, and maniacal laugh starts to echo from some hidden pocket of ships.

 

Welcome to the party! I've been expecting you!

 

The laughter continues from some time as Faust's voice- distant, yet all too close and coming from somewhere in the hangar- speaks again.

 

You have done an excellent job, troops, but I will deal with this rabble myself.

 

The blast doors leading into the ship, as well as without close, leaving Moon Knight, Vash, (and the unaccounted for Lora) in the hangar full of custom ships, various TIES, and the spies' escape craft.

 

I think a game of cat and mouse is in order, my little spies. Booms Faust's voice- lower now and on the move, echoing from a corner of the chamber. The cybernetic hunter gives another deep laugh. And I know which one of us is the mouse in the trap. Better dodge my claws!

 

Laughter and blaster bolts errupt from behind the cockpit of a TIE Fighter some thirty meters away, sitting in a row among its fellow TIES and near some other custom craft recently parked in the hangar, aiming not at Moon Knight and Vash's chest, but right at their feet, forcing them to either dodge aside or dance in place.

 

Dance, puppets!

 

More maniacal laughter twists out as the blaster fire and laughter retreat back behind the TIE Fighter, leading them on amid the rows of ships.

[Vash Mammon]

Well, this is not good at all.

 

In his hundreds of years of existence, Vash had never been in more dire situation. These Imperials were different than those of old. It seemed every officer was a Sith in disguise, and even their most high ranking men were expendable. Nevertheless, Vash had to admire the one called Faust, even if he was human.

 

I've been dragged through this place, had my feet frozen, been shot at a dozen times, and was even insulted by an Admiral. A TIE Fighter is no match.

 

Vash's Kamarian form leaped on its powerful haunches, spanning the distance between himself and the group of Imperial soldiers led by Lora. The Troopers fell like nine pins under his massive form, a roll of bodies and limbs. When they began to arise, the found there was no Kamarian in there midst. And there was one extra Storm Trooper.

[Moon Knight]

Very well, Fett thought as Vash leapt away and laser fire cut into his cover. I'll handle the TIE fighter.

 

Throwing himself acrobatically into a sideways leapt, he flipped as though cartwheeling in midair as easily as if he were unarmored. It seemed an enternity that he was in the air, and several bolts of destructive energy leapt past him, their light reflecting off his black armor.

 

He finally landed in a crouch, leaning forward. A near-silent command word inside his helmet triggered his concussion missile, which was mounted upon his rocket/repulsor pack. The warhead leapt out and slammed into the TIE, causing the thing to erupt into a massive ball of flame that took with it the fighters on all adjacent sides.

 

That'll about do it, he decided. He assumed that there had been a pilot inside, levelling its weapons at him (and indeed, it was an assumption that the TIE had even been the source of the fire), but due to Faust's mental taunting, he knew that that hunter turned Imperial had to be involved in the attack.

 

With any luck, the huge explosion from the concussion missile, which had also cratered the floor and caused a temporary air vacuum where so much oxygen had been burned in an instant, causing other air to race to fill the gap in the form of an unbelievably strong wind, not to mention the ear-splitting sound that was a byproduct, had taken Faust with it. But there was still something in the back of Fett's mind that told him not to expect such.

 

He had not built such a long and mostly successful career by underestimating his opponents, especially ones like Vladimir Faust. Back behind a stack of thick crates once again, Fett snapped his assault rifle back into place and grabbed his disruptor rifle, one of the most dangerous weapons in the galaxy.

 

It had killed Jedi, and it could help him get out of this. For now he maintained cover, waiting to see how Vash's plan worked out and using his helmet scanners to search for a sign of Faust. He was alert and ready, his reflexes attuned and ears peeled to help him out. He would not be caught off-guard now, and he was determined that he could emerge from this in one piece.

 

He was Moon Knight, and this was what he was trained to do.

[Vladimir Faust]

Really, such senseless destruction? Taking out a TIE Fighter because you thought I was hiding behind it? Who do you think you are?

 

More laughter echoes from a corner of the hangar, though Faust had enough and it was time to end this. If Fett was willing to take out ships to deal with him, then it was time to end this, collateral damage aside. Besides, by clearing the rows of TIEs, Fett gave Faust a clear shot.

 

Sadly, you miscalculated, Fett and I know where you and your friend are.

 

By that time it was too late. One of the custom ships sitting in the corner, unmanned sparked to active life- its shields going from a discrete setting to full power and its missile launchers turning and firing. Around it, small orb like remotes hover- the source of Faust's voice and the elusive blaster fire such as the shots coming from behind the TIE cockpit. A sudden look would reveal those same remotes all over the hangar- acting as the cybernetic Faust's eyes and ears.

 

Alas, it's game over. See you in the next life.

 

The Bhelliom, Faust's cybernetic familiar and custom starship, his nasty surprise waited down in the hangar bay in an effort to limit the spies options. Its orbital remotes or other measures provided itself with enough defenses to take the two alive, but when those TIEs went up, Faust through off all the gloves with one cybermental command.

 

Two diamond boron missiles streaked across the hangar in Fett's direction- one of them tearing through the crates and nailing Fett right in the chest before going off. They exploded in great balls of searing blame that reached blue at their cores. At the same time, the Bhelliom's chain gun activated, narrowing in on the storm troopers tangled together. If those fools failed to clear out in time, the Hunter would wipe his hands of them.

 

The damage to the hangar bay and personnel was considerable. The storm troopers, reduced to a tangled mess of armor and flesh with heavy, blood splattered metal slugs littering the floor and wall behind them, are quickly thrown back by the explosion, leaving their parts scattered about the hangar. Some bodies look more or less intact, and could possibly even have survived, and a medical crew would soon arrive to deal with the wounded.

 

Where the missiles hit, large holes were ripped through the metal deck and their combined impact wiped out a full half wing of TIES. Fett, caught in the middle was vaporized in an instant. As a testament to the strength of Mandalorian armor, the breast-plate portion, complete with Fett's fried torso still inside, lands some distance away. No other part of him remained. The moment Fett even risked threatening Faust's ship, all gloves went off. Even standing next to the Empress in a command room half way across the Super Star Destroyer, watching the explosion via one of his remotes tuned to his ship and then in turn him, Faust does not blink, even after demolishing about 36 of her TIE Fighters and several of her troops for the sake of two men.

 

Gently, one of the orbs floats over to the dazed and somewhat burned Lora, spied by the remotes after the fact and caught on the edges of the missile's explosion and saved by a TIE fighter that was nearly thrown right on top of her. Faust's voice is cold and pitless as it once more speaks through a remote.

 

You are lucky to be alive. If you are able to, I would suggest pulling yourself out of here under your own power as soon as you are able to. There's still a medical crew on its way.

 

True to Faust's words, while the interior of the ship was gutted by flame and pure explosive force, small, small holes appeared in the exterior hull, creating a vast roaring sound.

 

Meanwhile in the command center, having witnessed the spies demise, Faust quietly helps himself to a drink from a small pocket flask, then offers a swig to the Empress if she so wished.

 

"I think that deals with the infamous hunter and merits a drink," he states, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "You can take the cost of the TIEs and repairs out of my operating budget if you wish."

[Bad karma]

Dominique's face remains impassive as she watches the hanger being ripped asunder by the powerful missiles. The Admiral was off in the med-bay, having his wounds tended to since he was obviously incapable of defending himself a security task force would be assigned to keeping guard over him. The Admiral would be tasked with finding a set of men, or droids, that suited him.

 

A chunk had been taken out of the ship and she was less then pleased about that, but there was nothing she could do at this point in time other then order it be repaired. The small framed lady closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath as she enjoyed the fresh, pulsing death that filled the force. She could hear their screams and cries of agony even now, as their bodies had been vaporized in an instant. Some of them, though, had the luxury of having a few dying moments as they lay trapped beneath some twisted piece of a star fighter, or suffering from a blaster wound.

 

When she exhaled her breath was visible and there was a smile of satisfaction on her face. She feels a sense of pleasure at indulging in their deaths and pulling their frenzied emotions from their souls as they passed on. It was something akin to the post-orgasmic bliss one experienced after a particularly rousing session. She was fully aware, though, that her ability of draining their emotions and pulling them unto her self was still active and at work. The subtle hints of the crew being sapped of their emotion began to show. It wasn't particularly smart, but she wished to indulge and so she Would.

 

”œYes, a drink.”

[Vladimir Faust]

Faust watches the destruction a bit longar, taking the flask back for another long swig. He felt the drain on emotions running through the room, but lost in his own sadistic pleasure, he remained a veritable rock amid the emotional riptides. When he turns and meets the Empress' gaze, his own blue eyes match hers with the same coldness and same preditory intent lurking deep with in.

 

"Watch," is all Faust can say. A simple cybermental command goes back to his ship and then in turn to the remotes he left waiting in the hangar bay. A different camera angle appears on the screen, showing of the Kamarian tumbling into the storm troopers in slow motion. The Kamarian's body shifts and becomes a storm trooper as he tumbles.

 

"I believe we had a highly advanced shape shifter use its abilities to infiltrate us," he states, "there are a few species that can do that." Faust's jaw tightens, "They are a pain to track down and kill when they don't want to be found," he adds under his breath. "My guess is our friend there changed form to get into the ship." Faust stops, his smile turning into a wide grin as the feed is replaced by a blurry hail of heated metal from the chain gun on his ship, tearing through the bewildered troopers in less than a second. "Bioscans would work for their kind in the future."

 

Faust's eyes narrow dangerously for a brief second as the camera angle changes yet again. A blood splattered wall shows the bullet riddles and shell shocked troopers. The majority in lie several pieces and about three look more or less intact.

 

"They usually revert to their own native shape when they die," he adds softly, looking at the troopers and cyber-mentally sending an alert, "yet I still see only storm troopers there..."

[Bad karma]

Dominique calmly watches the display, observing the shifter as it adapted the form of a Storm Trooper. It was quite simply to deduce that one of them wasn't a real soldier, since the no out of place bodies were present. She offered a nod to Faust and gave the order to lock the Hanger down completely. No entrance, no exit. Not even the medical teams would be allowed inside.

 

The small woman took her time as she made her way towards the hanger, finding her own way in and being met head on with the smells of scorched flesh and death. She smiled as her eyes scanned the ”˜battlefield.' Body parts are strewn all about, but she passes them as if they are nothing more then blades of grass on a Naboo field. She settles her gaze on the three, mostly, in tact Storm Troopers.

 

Dominique falls back into the force, wrapping it around her body and using the deathly energies present to assist her in inspiring fear in the three. It wouldn't be a difficult task, at least if all three of them were normal Storm Troopers it wouldn't be difficult. Despite her stature, Dominique would seem as something horrifying and incomprehensible; two would have their minds shattered in effort to draw the third out. Easier methods were, of course, open, but then what kind of sadist turned down the opportunity to slice through a persons mind and leave them as a blabbering, unintelligible moron.

 

Expose yourself

[Lora]

At the first sound of the famous Hunter and General Faust, Lora had been surprised that he himself had been there. She should have realised though. Between what Fett was up to and with the creature flying towards the position where some of the Storm Troopers had gathered (next time I'll be more specific, I actually meant that they had taken up hidden positions from which to fire from ) Lora had dove away, scrambling for more cover.

 

She hadn't expected the destruction of the varying TIES, nor had she been totally ready for their entry into the hanger as soon as they had. (That'll teach me to have a couple of days where I couldn't post much)

 

Everything seemed to happen at once, the Firrerreon girl only just managing to get to cover where the hurtling TIE fighter landed over her position. That in turn saved her from the worst of the explosions, though she felt the burns through her armour and second skin. She must have blacked out for a moment, for the sound of Faust's voice got through her dazed and addled brain.

 

Carefully she tested her limbs, finding that she had managed to escape with only burns, a concussion and minor cuts, again thanks to both her armour and where the TIE had landed. Getting groggily to her feet, the Captain swayed a moment, grabbing hold of some debris before she steadied herself enough to walk.

 

She managed to get herself out of the Hanger, glancing back to luckily see that her personal ship had been out of the firing line. She have an order for her droids to lift off, to take the ship to a designated location until it was required. It had been locked down with security in place since she had come on board. Leaning heavily against the hanger's doorframe she made sure nothing was near her ship as it took off and left the SSD. She then turned round to see the approaching medical team.

 

She was aided onto a stretcher and taken to the medical bay, the doctors removing her armour and second skin and placing her into a bacta tank. After a long bacta treatment, she was removed from the tank and placed on a medical bed. She requested her second skin and armour fixed before she rested back against the pillows and drifted off into a healing sleep.

[Omega73]

COMM to Dominique From Space

 

 

----------------------------------

 

Hello There, I am Crosa Hoverich. I have orders from Jacen Onnd to ask you why the Sith came to conquer us at the planet of Artus. Please Reply as soon as possible.

 

 

-------------------------------------

END COMM

[Vash Mammon]

Vash looked into the horror Dominique had showed them. That she was a Sith was obvious. Vash, in his two-hundred and some odd years of life was not one to be destroyed by Sith sorcery. Even sorcery as terrifying as Dominique's was not going to destroy his mind that easily. Of course, that was exactly what she had in mind.

 

Perhaps it's time . . . to start lying.

 

As the other two fell, their minds destroyed, took off his helmet. This was a dangerous situation. But Vash was an exceptionally gifted liar. The face of Jidai Geki was revealed.

 

"Very good, I am impressed."

[Bad karma]

Dominique's eyes instantly narrowed at the visage she was seeing. A man past his prime, a terrorist turned Emperor, and a Sith that had all around failed to do anything but inspire a little fear in civilians. She disliked the man; no she despised the man along with what he had done to the Empire.

 

Now he came here, onto her Flag ship, and tried to kidnap the admiral for whatever ends along side a bounty hunter that would never work with the likes of Geki? Things seemed out of place and she had been told that there was an exceptionally gifted shape shifter on board. She felt that this was the one she sought and his lack of command over the dark side further proved her point. It was entirely possible that if it was in fact Geki, it was being concealed, but she didn't bother believing such a thing. She felt if he had considerable power, she would be able to feel it.

 

Her hair fluttered as her feet swiftly carried her forward and lifted the pseudo-Sith up using the force. She pinned him to the wall and brought around her serpentine dagger. It was pressed up against his neck; the slightest of movements on his part would result in it piercing his flesh but she made sure he was firmly held in place with the force. She didn't speak for a moment; rather she let the man feel the dark energy that pulsated from within her weapon. A light blue gem adorned the very bottom of the hilt. It looked almost like a piece of ice and gave off the same chill as one.

 

”œGive me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat, Boy”

[Omega73]

Crosa's ship appeared in space over Cardia. Crosa, angry that his COMM had not been responded to, had his ship quickly desend into the atmesphere of Cardia. He sent another COMM to the address...

 

 

COMM ((To Dominique))

 

----------

 

Crosa Hoverich here again. You are not responding to my COMMs so I have decided to come and talk to you face to face. The least you can do is send me your coordinates so I can find you. And since you now to know my name, may I at least have the right of knowing yours?

 

----------

 

END COMM

[Bad karma]

A communications Tech responded to the fresh comm.

 

"Crose Hoverich, you will take note of the Super Star Destroyer in Orbit of the planet. You will be given an escort into one of the hangers and met on board."

 

An escort of Tie Defenders was sent out and a different hanger than the one Dominique was in was prepared for his arrival.

[Omega73]

"Crose Hoverich, you will take note of the Super Star Destroyer in Orbit of the planet. You will be given an escort into one of the hangers and met on board."

 

About time...

 

Crosa usually was not to impatient, but there was a battle going on with black sun in it.

 

I should be there

 

But Crosa knew his orders, and he would follow them to the last detail. Crosa watched as two Tie Defenders came out of the Super Star Destroyer to escort him. As he was being escorted to the hanger, Crosa realized that if he didn't get along with who ever was in charge, the chances of getting out alive were very slim.

 

As Crosa jumped out of his ship, which was now landed inside the Star Destroyer, he approached one of the men who was closest to him.

 

"May I please speak to whoever is in charge here? Or at least the one I have been COMMing? I have orders from the leader of Black Sun to ask him or her a question immediatly."

[Bad karma]

A hanger full of Storm Troopers greated Crosa when he stepped out of his ship. The Empire had sent their soldiers to attack the Black Sun and here they were, foolish enough to send an 'ambassador' straight into the hornets nest. They were obviously much less intelligent then the Empress gave them credit for.

 

The Storm Troopers leveled their weapons as an officer stepped forward; his heavy blaster remained at his hip.

 

"Crosa Hoverich; you are deemed a Criminal under Imperial law and are hereby under arrest. Make one false move and you'll be cut down. Slowly toss down your weapons and come quietly."

[Omega73]

"Crosa Hoverich; you are deemed a Criminal under Imperial law and are hereby under arrest. Make one false move and you'll be cut down. Slowly toss down your weapons and come quietly."

 

Crosa frowned. He would have to thank Jacen for this when he got back. Or rather, if he got back.

 

"I would be more then happy to go with you quietly... But..."

 

As Crosa was speaking, he slowly and un-noticable, reached his hand behind his back towards a thermal detonator.

 

"I do have my orders, and they are to speak to who ever is in charge. Now, if you kill me I have a fleet of black sun agents waiting to attack this Super Star Destroyer. Instead of that happining, would it not be easier to just take me too whoever I have been COMMing?"

 

Crosa was bluffing about the Black Sun Fleet of course, but he hoped the lie would maybe get him in a bargianing position.

 

Crosa put his thumb on the Class-A thermal detonator, which was by far powerful enough to kill all the imperials around him as well as do some damage to the hangar. If the officer decided to kill him, he would be ordering is own death.

 

((Awww, come on. Don't kill me with a bunch of NPC's...))

[Bad karma]

The officer walked forward and drew a previously unseen fletchette pistol. It was obvious that the man didn't understand that when he was surrounded by soldiers that were focusing on nothing but him, there wasn't much of anything he could do that wouldn't be seen but regardless”¦A thermal in hand was a big threat that the officer didn't want to risk. He pressed the pistol to the man's head, trusting that the man wouldn't make a move knowing that if he did he'd be cut down.

 

”œGoing quietly does not include such objects as the one you are in possession of. The Black Sun fleet could be taken down by this vessel alone; do you believe that a threat or a welcome challenge? The Empire is always looking for fleets they can pull free parts from.”

[Omega73]

With current alert status, no one is permitted to speak with the Empress. You will speak to me and I will send the message up the ladder if I believe it is worthy of her attention. Now, disarm your weapons and put them down or I will splatter your brains all over this hanger. Got it?

 

Crosa slowly shook his head.

 

"Listen here, I was polite enough to come all the way here just to speak to your 'Empress' and now you tell me that she cannot answer one bloody question?"

 

Crosa was starting to get angry at this officer.

 

"Now look here, your empire as well as two sith are attacking a Black Sun base. Now if I don't get this sorted out with who ever is in charge here, then we will defeat your men. Right now, because of your arrogance, you are killing your own men by not letting me see this 'Empress'."

 

Crosa stood up to his full height and pulled his thermal detonator out from behind his back, which they seemed to already know about, and raised it above his head. Then he raised his voice so that all of the imperials could hear him.

 

"This right here, gentelmen, is a Class A Thermal Detonator. It has a range of twenty meters. It can blow both you and I to peices. Now, I really don't want to do that, but your close to leaving me no choice in the matter. All I need is a Direct COMM to your 'Empress', then a non-inercepted COMM to one of my superiors, then I would like my ship back with no tracktor beam, or tracking device on it."

 

Crosa lowered his Thermal Detonator down again, then spoke directly to the officer again.

 

"It's your choice. What will it be?"

 

Crosa awaited the mans responce.

[Bad karma]

Without hesitation the officer lowered his weapon, but rather then holstering it he aimed at the exposed elbow of Crosa. The man was outfitted with what appeared to be some heavy duty armor, but all armor had its weak points. Joints were normally one of them and in this case that point proved true. The fletchette pistol discharged one round and the officer watched with a calm face as the arm that held the thermal was ripped clean from the body.

 

The muscles, as was normal for any being, tensed around the thermal and made sure it didn't detonate when the arm bounced across the floor before coming to a stop.

 

”œYou're going to need medical attention, but you are in no position to be making the sort of demands you were making. The men attack your organization know that Death is a potential risk of the job; they do not fear it, nor do I. You will speak to me, now, or you will speak to no one. Cooperate or you will to death.”

[Omega73]

((What the freakin heck?!? Having my arm shot of by an NPC!!! Is that even legal?))

 

Crosa calmly looked at his elbow, which was now a stub, then he looked at his arm lying on the floor with the thermal detonator still in the hand. He knew that the pain would start to kick in any minute now.

 

"You have just made a terrible mistake. If you think that I, or black sun for that matter, will take this lightly, you have another thing coming. If black sun does not take action, then I have friends who will."

 

Crosa was brave, but not stupid. He knew that if he tried anything that he would be dead, thus usless to black sun.

 

" I am going disarm myself now. You have my word I will not try anything... stupid."

 

Crosa slowly started disarming himself, sticking to his word of not trying anything.

 

"Be sure my ship gets taken care of. I don't want anything happening to it. Better yet, put it on auto-pilot and send it back to Black Sun."

 

Crosa knew that they would not listen to a word he said, but he really had nothing to lose, except possibly his other arm. When he was fully disarmed he raised his remaining hand up. As the troopers began to escort him away, Crosa said one last thing before his final capture.

 

"Oh, and tell your 'Empress' that she should enjoy her last weeks of living. She will soon be dead. If not by black suns hand, then by mine."

 

With that said, Crosa was escorted out of the hanger, into imprisonment.

[Bad karma]

((Despite the utter disrespect many people give to trained NPC's, yes it is completely legal for an NPC to not only blow off your arm as he did but also kill you. There has even been an instance of a Sith Master being brought down by Imperial Troops.))

 

The man's weapons, as well as his hand, were gathered up by several of the Storm Troopers. The weapons would be put in a lock box along with various other personal items that many of the men on board had wished to put in a safe place. Should the Empire ever freely release Crosa, he would be given his gear back. Crosa was led to the medical bay, where he was stripped out of his armor. The armor he wore was placed atop a repulsor cart and moved to the same location where his weapons were stored.

 

A doctor looked over the wound, which was still bleeding and spent a few minutes working to stop the bleeding so he could get some bacta onto the wound. That would cause rapid regeneration of his flesh so that the wound would be sealed over and left as nothing more then a stump. The man would have the option of receiving a cyberware arm, but that was only if he escaped this Ship alive.

 

After that he was taken to a small room with nothing more then a metal bed and a toilet and shoved inside. The door was made of pure red energy; if his flesh touched it, it would burn just like a blaster would. The man that had led him into the room spoke to him, just before leaving.

 

”œDah Empress will pay you a visit when she's got ”˜dah time. You enjoy yur stay, boy.”

[Lord MacLeod]

Released from the med bay, Admiral MacLeod stepped out of the bacta tank and over to a closet which held his uniform. He slipped into the white uniform and adjusted it so that it was perfect. Then stepping into the hallway, he was surrounded by the members of Onyx Squadron. His former squadron mates were now his new bodyguards. they proceeded to the Armory, where Luke selected a slugthrower and holstered it on his hip.

 

Luke left the Armory, followed by his bodyguards and headed to his office and looked around. It was quite a mess from the attack. He shook his head and considered what he should do.

[Vash Mammon]

Vash had practiced this shape more than almost any other. When he worked for Open Sky he had managed to convince their leader to attack the Alliance in an effort to fool the Empire. The plan was to assassinate Jidai Geki, and take his place, after joining the Empire. Of course, Vash would then kill the members of Open Sky, but it never went that far. The Alliance reacted more harshly to their small raid than anticipated, and Open Sky was obliterated.

 

All save one person of course.

 

But Vash had still spent months mastering the lvoice tone, facial motions, and manner of Jidai Geki. He knew the man very well.

 

"I suggest you release me. If I wished to kill the Admiral or anyone else for that matter, I could have done so. It was only by my intervention that psychopath didn't shoot Macleod on the spot. And if I think he was crazy, you know he must have been unstable."

 

Vash did not move at all. Only words could escape him from this. Vash was many years the senior of Dominique. He had known many ruthless Sith and many brutal Sith. There was a difference between being ruthless and simply being brutal. Brutal implied a lack of intelligence. If Dominique was simply a brute she would have killed him already.

 

"My fight and the fight of SEED is with the Alliance. I will be happy to explain, if you release me from your grip."

 

The face of Jidai Geki eyed Dominique's form from his Force-held position. He didn't allow himself a smile, but his eyes betrayed his implications.

 

"But either way is fine. I don't care if this gets physical."

[Bad karma]

The man showed regard for human life; not a trait that Geki was known for showing. Everything about his appearance told her that he was, in fact, the Sith Master Geki but she had been trained by Darth Exodus and knew that looks could be deceiving. If he was Geki, why did he show regard for the Admirals life? Why was he dressed up as a Storm Trooper? Why did he mention SEED when they weren't even around any longer?

 

Things weren't adding up, she knew something was amiss and Dominique disliked being tricked nearly as much as she disliked having others trying to invade her mind. She pressed her blade tighter to his neck and drew blood as it sliced into the superficial layers of skin. It was little more then a trickle, but she was literally millimeters from cutting into his jugular.

 

”œIf you are Jidai Geki, you should be able to free yourself.”

[Vladimir Faust]

A short time after Crosa's incarceration, the motantony of his imprisonment is broken by heavy metallic footfalls. The shield around his cell vanishes, but is instantly replaced by the imposing figure of Vladimir Faust, flanked by two of his elite and hand trained storm troopers.

 

"Search him," is Faust's immediate order. The two soldiers glide forward, holding Crosa down and begin a second, painful, and very invasive search of the Black Sun operative that compromised dignity for the sake of thoroughness with full scans and probing. Concluding affirmatively after some time that nothing was or could be found, Faust gives a second command, stepping full into the cell.

 

"Hold him so he doesn't try anything foolish."

 

With that, the elite troops hold the agent in a kneeing position on the floor, his good arm pinned behind his back, leaving Faust to stare coldly down at Crosa. His arms are cross and his stane conveys confidence and superiority. He also holds by the wrist, the gauze wrapped arm of the operative.

 

"I admire your gall in coming here," he begins. "Though if a diplomatic mission was what you had in mind, making silly threats the way you did was stupid beyond measure. You have no one to blame but yourself for your current situation." Faust continues staring and the tempature in the room seems to drop, letting this sink in.

 

"As it happens, the Black Sun violated the tentative ceasefire and guarantee I arranged a while back when one of your lead Vigos, Piccolo, tried to assail Sith going after the Alliance's command center. I understand there was a matter of honor involved there, which is all well and good for your Trandoshan friend, but it's bad policy when our men are killed or injured by yours while trying to put the hammer down on those pesky Jedi." Faust's smile is mirthless as he continues. "When word reached her majesty, a punitive expedition to Artus was arranged to discourage further actions. It's as simple as that."

 

At this Faust lazily taps the severed arm in his other hand, waving the stiff limb, already subject to rigor mortus, like a baton.

 

"Now, I have an interest in seeing Black Sun survive just as I do carrying out her majesty's will. My terms will be simple: we'll call off our dogs if you call off yours. No revenge, no bang-bang, and you can lick your wounds in peace. As much as it pains me to say it, the Empress will want to see Piccolo, in person, to discuss what can be done to... make amends... That's all I have to say on this matter. If you can guarantee these terms and carry them back to the Vigo Council, you can walk out of here with your life. After the threats you made, it's not worth much at the moment, even to Black Sun. They've killed better agents of their own for less, though you are sampling her majesty's tender mercy now. I suggest you accept it since it is a very, very limited thing."

 

With that Faust taps the agent's arm in a slow, steady beat, awaiting an answer.