Chandrila

[Xentar Kentam]

Xentar let annoyance flood him, but kept it perfectly in check visually and in his Force presence. He enjoyed feeling strong emotion--it gave him focus, fed him power. Who was this man to say whether Xentar had grown since he spontaneously disappeared years before? Well, he was apparently Rocketblaze, the founder of the Serpent Order, and one that should know what he was looking for.

 

The problem was that he hadn't looked.

 

"I see little reason to defend myself, Rocketblaze," he said, this time actually leaving off the title. "I am stronger than you think in the ways of the Serpent Order. You have been gone for a long time, and you have missed much. The ways of the Sith are no longer with me, subsumed by the ways of a Serpent." And though I respect you, I will not show it until you give me reason to affirm such respect, he added mentally.

 

He didn't yet mention that he had ascended to the rank of Master. Rocketblaze should be able to tell from his obvious aptitude in the dark side that was coursing through him that he was powerful. But if the old Archserpent needed guiding to that conclusion, it would be Moric who revealed such, for it was Moric that had ascended them both.

[Rocketblaze]

Rocketblaze was able to see exactly what Xentar's problem was. It was not his fault, as it came from a flaw in the system.

 

"That was good. After the remark I made, you must have felt a surge of emotion. As you were able to keep that completely in check, you have shown that you are indeed on your way to mastery of the Serpent ways. However, your ability in the Force is not able to mask your inability to express genuine emotion."

 

The Archserpent looked up from his plate. If Xentar had feathers, RB was sure they'd be puffed out to their very ends. This did not seem to be Xentar's natural way.

 

"The time I've been gone is irrelevant, because only the actions which fill that time are of merit. I have ascended beyond using the Force, out of the reach of kings and gods. If you can figure out what I mean by that, I'll reward you well."

 

Rocketblaze softened his expression. It appeared that Xentar had come far, yet he still had things to learn. Things that could only be taught by the founder of such ways, or so it would seem.

 

"Never forget that the Serpent way is my way. It is not a democracy, and there is no change to be found unless it comes from me. You alone stayed to practice what you knew of my teachings, awaiting something to spark you onward. That spark is here, sitting before you. Your training is incomplete, Xentar, but to no fault of your own. If you truly desire the benefits which the Serpent Order provides, take Vivi outside and play. There is much to be learned from a hopping Squall. However, if you feel yourself to be a true master, then you may choose your own path."

 

Rocketblaze gave another piece of Muja fruit to Vivi before nudging her off his lap toward Xentar. The Archserpent resumed his meal, ready for the next conversation to begin.

[Xentar Kentam]

Xentar remained still for a moment, making clear that he was not making his decision compulsively. The new Archserpent seemed to take him backward a step, refuting his position as Serpent Master perhaps without even knowing of its existence. But that was the thing about being a Master in the ways of the Force--it was not merely a title, but an achievement of being, an amount of skill reached, a measure of his connection to the Dark Side.

 

The large man was no less powerful than he had been a moment before, but apparently his achievement had been made in an incomplete Serpent doctrine, taught by a man who himself knew not all that was required.

 

Kentam wanted the knowledge that had been withheld. Yes. He hated the Sith as much as the Jedi, and wanted not to go back to them and their compulsive darkness. Nor did he wish to travel out on his own, for though he was powerful, he was not beyond wishing for the bonds of the Order that he had tried to sustain when things were bleak.

 

"I know not what you mean by ascending past use of the Force, but I hope to learn in time," he finally answered, by way of a decision.

 

He then stopped and picked up the Squall, Vivi, and carried it outside. It was a bit of a strange sight, he supposed, to a watcher--a large, bald man with scarred flesh and singed clothing and a lightsaber on his belt carrying such a small, playful creature. He did not, of course, know what Rocketblaze had meant by "play", so he set the creature down. He had heard a few things about Squalls, and he knew they were much more intelligent than they appeared.

[Garet Jax]

By now, Garet was used to Rocketblaze's strange words and actions. Rocketblaze was an extremely powerful Force-user, and Garet had always suspected such power came with a twinge of madness. Why a Serpent needed such an annoying pet was beyond him, but he didn't question Rocketblaze.

 

I hope he didn't seriously think I would eat that thing.

 

Garet of course, had no intention of eating Rocketblaze's pet. Such animals were far too easy to capture, and had nowhere near enough meat to satisfy his appetite. He oould be brutal, but he didn't kill on a whim.

 

On the other hand, Garet wouldn't have minded exerting extreme violence against Xentar. For Garet, Rocketblaze's absence had been an easy thing to deal with. He simply went underground, until his Master returned. There was never any question of Rocketblaze's motivations or whether or not he deserved respect upon his return. Rocketblaze was the embodiment of the Serpent Order. There could be no other and the loyalty of a Serpent's body was always to its head. Garet spoke to his Master for the first time in many years.

 

"It would be a simple thing for me to teach Xentar a lesson."

[Rocketblaze]

((OOC: I put the names in bold to give some extra separation to this post and make it easier to find where each character is addressed by Rocketblaze. I'll also be posting Vivi's actions within the context of normal posts, making the transition from RB to Vivi as seamless as possible. If any of this is objectionable, please let me know via PM.))

 

The Archserpent was satisfied to hear that familiar tone. Sensing a great deal of anger from Garet, RB sought to use that fury for constructive purposes.

 

"I have already seen to it that Xentar will be shown the proper path. There is little more you could teach him, as his body will not perform the same as yours... and he is not in need of a lesson in pain."

 

Rocketblaze smiled as the words passed his lips. It was always a joy to watch Garet fight, but for now other matters were to take precedence. From his pocket the Archserpent produced a holoprojector. He placed it on the table and expressed his will.

 

"I would rather have you begin work on this concept. The data you will find in this Imagecaster shows the development of a very special bullet for a slugthrower. Any progress you can make in the forge would be appreciated, but there is no reason why you should not see to yourself first. You know the Compound well and are free to employ any of its services, as it has always been."

 

There were parting words which could be said by Garet, but Rocketblaze was now concerned primarily with the final speaker. He looked up at Cody, realizing that the events in the dining hall were potentially overwhelming to him.

 

"Once again I must apologize to you. As I explained, things are a bit out of sorts with this being my return. Is there anything I can get for you?"

 

At the same time, RB was splitting his focus. He had calculated that Xentar should have reached the outside world by the time he had finished speaking. Taking a look through the Squall's eyes, the Archserpent saw Vivi looking up at the man who had just placed her on the ground. She sniffed the air before hopping a short distance away. Upon her return, she set a pine cone atop his foot. Moving to a patch of barren dirt, Vivi pawed at the ground.

[Xentar Kentam]

Xentar stared down at the pine cone on his boot, then looked again at the Squall. Seems simple enough, he decided, supposing that the animal wanted him to bury the object for some reason yet unknown to him.

 

He didn't have a spade on him, and the dirt was too tough for his fingers, so he pulled his lightsaber off his belt and thumbed it on, being sure not to hit Vivi in the process. He carefully dipped the blade into the dirt, then deactivated it before proceeding to kneel and work the hole a little wider with his hands. When it was sufficiently large, he dropped the cone in and found enough loose dirt to bury it.

 

The Serpent then looked at the Squall. Now what?

[Cody Canceno]

((Life has sucked balls for the past few weeks. Finals and junk, but that all ends tomorrow, so posting time=increased))

 

Cody nodded, swallowing a piece of finely cooked chicken. He set down his utensils, looking at this man sitting next to him. "My name is Cody Canceno and I don't exactly know what I came here looking for. I know that I was looking for something...new. Something to complete me. Perhaps this was the wrong place to come. But what is this Serpent Order you are talking of?"

 

Cody cut off another piece of chicken, putting it in his mouth, he chewed it, waiting for his answer.

[Rocketblaze]

Rocketblaze saw no reason to hide things from the newcomer. If necessary, the Archserpent and Garet could overpower him if things took a turn for the worse. With such an assessment made, RB responded.

 

"The Serpent Order is the product of my efforts to bring freedom to all who would have it. We are a collection of Force users who harness what is commonly referred to as the 'Dark Side' of the Force. While most creatures become Sith in this way, we are different. Sith are prone to letting their emotions rule them, giving free reign to whatever power they can summon... Serpents are more controlled in confrontation. Using the same degree of discipline practiced by the Jedi, we apply a great deal of self control when we summon power through the Force. We allow our emotions to fuel us, but never to overtake us. We assert command over these feelings and rise above the abilities one finds in the strict adherence to the ways of the Jedi and Sith."

 

Giving a moment for Cody to absorb all that was said, the Archserpent realized that a minor proof was in order. It would be unfair to claim that they were Force users without showing it to be true, given the nature of the newcomer's quest for completion. Rocketblaze reached out his hand above the table, motioning toward two apples. With a flick of his wrist, they rose to eye level in front of Cody. The apples spun about each other in a furious whirlpool of nothingness, the only physical indication for their behavior seen as one rotating finger on the Archserpent's hand. Suddenly, a large mellon flew up to the center of the invisible whirlpool. It stayed still as more apples collected around it, swirling now in all directions about the center at blurring speed. From behind his back a twisted, wicked dagger was hurled at an unnatural velocity toward the active mass of fruit. Within a second the pieces of fruit rested motionless on the table, each split in half. Cody would find no spray of the fruit on his body, for the cuts were too fast for any juice to escape before they impacted the table. Having never looked up from his meal, the Archserpent could been seen placing the wicked dagger of Ar-Pharazon back in its resting place. He took up his fork once again and continued.

 

"If you have interest in achieving the benefits of my Serpent Order, then there will be a place here for you... If you would rather not, then we are able to send you on your way unharmed. The choice is yours Cody Canceno. What do you desire?"

 

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

 

Still watching through the eyes of Vivi Rocketblaze observed Xentar's progress. The riddles of the Squall were now beginning to unfold. She dug at the dirt Xentar had just placed over the pine cone, pulling it up from the ground. She again placed it on his boot, then pawed at the ground. Making a slight squeak to convey her insistence that Xentar had not yet completed this challenge, Vivi hopped behind him and faced the lush fields of Chandrila.

[Garet Jax]

Garet took the holoprojector. He would complete his Master's assignment. But as Rocketblaze had given him permission, Garet first wished to get himself reacclimated to life amongst the Serpents. The Doshan stalked the familiar corridors of the Serpent stronghold. Garet stopped off on his way. He found his forge untouched, but worn by disuse. The Doshan would have to take great care to restore it. The Serpent continued on until he entered the training area.

 

Garet considered himself a master duelist. He had spent countless hours here honing his skills. But since Rocketblaze's departure he had not once activated his lightsaber. Now Garet would need those skills again. He summoned forth his sparring partners. Four deadly battle droids emerged from within nearby wall panels. There was nothing he enjoyed more than the beautiful hum of his double-bladed lightsaber. Even the pleasure of hunting paled in comparison to the thrill of his many duels. Duels which Garet invariably won, but to keep that track record he needed to maintain his training. The Serpent prepared himself as the cold adversaries advanced.

[Xentar Kentam]

Xentar frowned at the squall's actions. It was clear that it wanted him to bury the pinecone as he had done, but it wasn't satisfied with his prior action. When it faced the meadow he wondered if he was supposed to bury it out there, but the squall had already picked a suitable patch of ground in which the pinecone could be suitably interred.

 

It could also be pointing at the life of the area, as if it wanted Xentar to do more than just plant the seed. He crouched and looked at the animal. "I can plant the seeds, but I cannot make them grow," he said to it, as if expecting it to understand. What is it that's wanted of me?

[Rocketblaze]

Vivi cut down a small bit of grass. She placed some of the grass over the pine cone which sat on Xentar's boot. Suddenly she let out a harsh squeal, knocking the grass and pine cone to the ground. She then gathered up grass again, this time laying it down on Xentar's other boot. When she had formed a base, Vivi picked up the pine cone. She squeaked to affirm that Xentar was watching, then placed the pine cone atop the grass. The squall once again faced the sea of grass and awaited a reaction.

[Xentar Kentam]

Xentar continued to frown as he thought. Maybe the squall just wanted him to bury the pinecone out in the field instead of on the barren ground here. He grabbed the cone and headed out in the field, then proceeded to do what he had done before, digging at the ground first with his boot, then with his hands and burying the cone.

[Rocketblaze]

Vivi assessed Xentar's work, eventually coming to sit upon the spot where he had buried the pine cone. She let out a quick squeak, her way of indicating the end of lesson one. As a reward, the squall brushed her head over the side of his boot for a brief moment. Then it was back to business. Vivi hopped to a nearby pine tree and let out a loud squeak to signal the start of lesson two. She went to the base of the tree and rolled out a pine cone along the ground to the farthest reaches of its branches. Leaving it sit, she hopped around playfully while waiting to see what Xentar would do with it.

[Xentar Kentam]

Xentar raised an eyebrow. I guess that wasn't too hard, he thought with a slight mental smile of amusement. He was even more amused at his reward, which appeared to be some sort of hug. Serpent Lords didn't tend to get many hugs these days, and Xentar was no exception. Then again, they weren't exactly endless wells of outward affection.

 

Now he returned his attention to the squall, which seemed quite joyous. It had rolled another pine cone away from a tree and left it alone. He stared at the squall. "It's just a pine cone," he said in his deep voice. "What do you want me to do with it?"

[Cody Canceno]

Cody sat in shock for a moment, allowing his heart to calm down to its normal pace. He had never seen such a display of power in his life. It amazed him to say the least. This was what he had been searching for, not some job or a chance to see the galaxy, this was something that would complete him. He swallowed his steak and set down the silverware.

 

"That would be...much appreciated. This is what I've been searching for for so long. Would it be possible to learn this power?"

 

((I leave Sunday afternoon for a retreat and wont be back until the following Sunday...just a heads up...))

[Garet Jax]

Garet watched as the first android approached. He silently named the battle droid Ax. The metallic warrior swung a large chain it its right arm. In place of its left arm, the droid had a massive ax that could split even a Doshan's hard skull. And of course, as with all the other droid weapons, they were coated in cortosis. Another droid approached from the opposite direction. Garet glanced over his back as he heard the footsteps of the second fighter. He silently labeled the droid Hammer. In place of fists, each of the droids hands were tipped by large metallic hammers. Each hammer head was as wide around as the crown of his head. Garet squatted as Ax expertly swung the chain above his head. He drove his knee into the droid's chest plate. The force of the blow knocked the metal monster back a few steps.

 

I should have enhanced my attack with the Force. I really do need this training.

 

That point was driven home by the swing of Hammer's right arm. Garet nimbly dodged, but the blow glanced off his shoulder. He had been a step too slow. Garet felt blinding pain. But the pain was a sign of his luck, and he did not lament it. He wouldn't be feeling anything right now if he had been a second late. Garet rolled away from the droids as they continued their cold unrelenting advance.

[Rocketblaze]

"Cody, it would be my pleasure to start your journey into the ways of the Force. You shall be my Apprentice, occasionally training under the guidance of others when applicable. I have high expectations for your future with us, as I feel you are capable of greatness... I'm going to prepare a training room for us. You can attempt to locate me based on the aura which I naturally emanate or by way of the security system. Join me when you are ready for a minor workout."

 

The Archserpent disappeared from the visual realm, only reappearing once he had left the dining hall. He continued toward the training facilities.

 

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

 

Vivi squeaked at Xentar, hopping frantically about in the grass. She paused for a moment. Looking at the tree, the squall then lowered her eyes to the ground, forward onto the pine cone, then finally onto the grass. She traveled a short distance away from the tree and plopped down on the grass to rest. From this vantage point Vivi could easily observe the Serpent who was succeeding in keeping her entertained.

[Menthu]

Four solid months of training. Of learning how the force and fire could be used in such a way to embody his spirit. Four solid months of exhausting work, exploring the force past limits he never knew he had. Four months and then he returned.

 

He old clunker of a ship, a gift from the last place he had worked for carried him to the surface with out any trouble. Eye brow raised he looked out upon the surface of the world and felt only one thing.

 

Disgust.

 

In my absence this world hasn't so much as stirred. No strife seems to have lain a finger of it, and in that it has become complacent. This world will burn, until its surface is but Glass! Than I shall remold it in my image. First however, there are some things that must be dealt with.

 

Darth Raset calmly sauntered down the ramp from his ship. Soon he would be remaking his image, but for now more pressing things seemed to call to him. It was the nature of the universe to have all things divulge into chaos. In that, only order could be established. Much how the flame set fire onto the land in a raging wildfire could bring new life and clear away dead wood.

 

Menthu came to find those who belong to the serpent order. Standing before them, he saw them in various states of disarray. They were under the guise that they were training though secretly to afraid to venture out into the galaxy.

 

As he spoke he would almost believe the very mountains on this world bowed beneath his voice, as the deep tones seemed to make the ground itself tremble.

 

”œAll of you show bow before me and call me Master. Or you shall die by the hand of the living flame.”

[Rocketblaze]

Service droids were now finished with the standard maintenance protocol on the Blazetail. Additionally, all requested items had been loaded into the cargo bay. Rocketblaze emerged from the compound, called Vivi to him, and strolled by the crazy man who incorrectly assumed that his fire trick was scary.

 

"Given your inability to select a proper verb phrase to convey your intended meaning, I'll assume that you could use a little help. Here's a tip: The guys here are all doing their own thing, so you may run into some resistance that could destroy you. I'm off to explore the galaxy. Be careful and have a nice day."

 

The Archserpent knew that he could be reached by commlink at any moment, and he was leaving in light of the relative inactivity of his students. Boarding his ship, Rocketblaze cleared the planetary influences of Chandrila without disruption.

[Menthu]

((three to five days later, I get disappointed.))

 

Like a wild raging fire, he had announced his presence and declared his intent, and like a deer caught in headlights they had stood far too flabbergasted to speak, much less look him the eye. All but one, who had fled in the hopes of escaping the onslaught.

 

Bile seemed to form in his throat on the thought of these beings and what they did with their lives. In a way, they much embodied the very people that existed on this planet. In that like they would they would burn.

 

Garet Jax was the first to go. Though Menthu had never met him, by virtue the willingness for this man to serve rocketblaze like an over eager puppy seemed to spill out from his very form. Like a beautiful dancer he gesturing with his hands, he summoned the force, forced it to be his and used it for his every whim and desire. The air that had been super heated to a fine point suddenly exploded where Garet's head had been, letting the corpse tumble to the floor.

 

With out wasting time or allowing a counter response he turned his attention upon young Cody. A Man who had wasted valuable time and energy in his ability to be ignorant and foolish. Like an enraged bull sighting on his target, he focused his attention on Cody and bent the raw nature of the force to his will. With in moments the Boy's body erupted into an unnatural flame. A product of the Dark side, Darth Raset lost interest in seeing the twisting body burn as the dark flames ravage this corpse whole, continuing to burn until there was nothing left but ash and overheated bones.

 

Instead, like a maestro leading his concert his hands danced in the air. Energy took shape and form and ignited the very air by its presence. With but a gesture he hurled it at building blowing a massive chunk into it to herald what was to come.

 

 

With none left to oppose him save his old master he felt the bile once again rise up in his throat.

 

”œLike dead wood caught in a fire I cleanse you from this land.”

[Moon Knight]

ShadowFett had not in his memory been to Chandrila. However, it fit his circumstances quite well currently for several reasons. First, it was politically independent, belonging to neither the Empire nor the Republic, the Sith or the jetiise. No one cared who came to the world and who left it. Second, it had an ideal, temperate climate. This made it only natural that he would want to purchase a safehouse here as not only a base of operations for this part of the galaxy, but to serve a far more useful purpose in the shorter term.

 

There were no large cities on Chandrila, but the Mando'ad didn't need one. He simply needed a large manor-like building with a courtyard, impressive enough that people would leave it alone but not so impressive that it would attract undue attention to himself. It was a tall bill to fit, but a planet was a large place, and he was certain such real estate existed.

 

With the help of his droid, 2277, it didn't actually take that long to locate a suitable building, and it took even less time to purchase it. It was a chunk of credits, to be sure, but the five million Fett had made off the Reagan McGreggor incident still hadn't run out due to tremendous income off of interest. And that didn't even touch the millions he had made since. Not that credits meant much to him, but they were nice to have for purposes such as this.

 

His purpose was this: to lure his quarry, who was growing rather ori'buyce, kih'kovid, to this new retreat and kill him. It probably wouldn't take too much, but after Moon Knight prepared extensively, the preparations would probably outweigh that battle itself which was to come.

 

Presently he landed at the manor, which was exactly to his specifications--it had a large front door and almost no back door. The front door led to hallways going off to either side and straight ahead to a large, open courtyard with no roof. There were windows lining the courtyard's walls, which were more halls of the manor that ultimately led around in a box to the rest of the building, which included a large dining hall, a greatroom, and living quarters.

 

It was a little extravagant for Fett's tastes, but he needed such a place to carry out his plan. He moved some of his equipment and a couple Ysalamiri (including the one in his carrying case) into one of the rooms adjacent the courtyard and near one of the windows. He investigated the area and found it satisfactory--he should be able to take the shabuir out from here.

 

EDIT February 18, 2009, 10:36 am, EST:

 

ShadowFett finished exploring the manor with the basement, where he found to his satisfaction a line of beskar'ade clearly outfitted as serving droids. Naturally anyone who would own such a building as this would require the use of droids to serve guests and answer the door. In Fett's case, especially the latter function would be useful.

 

The Mando'ad activated the first in the line. "Greetings," it said.

 

Fett nodded. "I'm Fett."

 

"I am at your service, Master Fett."

 

The experienced bounty hunter outlined his plans to the droid, making sure that his orders were absolutely clear without fully clueing it into his real plans, since they would ultimately result in the droid's destruction, unless it was extremely lucky. Otherwise, he would just have used 2277 to do the work.

 

The two parted ways, the beskar'ad to the door to answer it should his company arrive and he himself back up the stairs and to the window near his chosen room, with an ample view of the courtyard. Once there, he pulled out his Verpine shattergun, adjusting its programming module and enabling its effects to be had on the weapon, just as he had practiced on Corellia. Cracking the window and a few others, he felt he was prepared. He loaded the weapon with a dozen shells following a pattern--cortosis bullet, thermal well bullet, and so on, alternating until his clip was full.

 

And that's that. He sent a comm to the hunter Slicer, then settled down to wait, making sure that he had his infrared visor ready, his targeting rangefinder down, and his ysalamiri-carrying case right at his side so that he would be undetectable to Force senses. In fact, he knew for certain that Force users couldn't even feel an ysalamiri bubble unless they were specifically looking for it, so his quarry would have no idea what was coming.

 

EDIT February 7, 2009, 7:47 am:

 

The Mando'ad got an response from Slicer, but decided that he had some extra time to wait. As he did so, he moved to the pack of equipment he had brought from his ship and pulled the honeycomb sleeve from the scope of one of this other rifles and moved it to the scope of his shattergun. This way, he would eliminate another possible variable that could depend on the time of day that his quarry arrived--the position of the sun and the glare it could case in his scope, which was obviously a significant part of sniping.

 

Next he moved down to the courtyard and did a close inspection of the nuances of the terrain there. He wanted to know every possible divet, anything that could provide his quarry cover. His initial appraisal of the courtyard turned out to be correct--it was flat and covered in only grass. Whoever the shabuir had been that had last owned this place, they hadn't had a thing for gardening.

 

Double checking himself, he visited the receptionist droid he had programmed to help. He instructed the droid to perform a noninvasive scan of the man that arrived to determine within all certainty that he was living flesh and blood. Fett didn't think his infrared visor would be deceived, but it would help to have multiple sources of making sure. This chakaar wasn't going to beat him with the Force.

 

Satisfied that he was now fully prepared, Moon Knight returned to his post overlooking the courtyard and once again settled down to wait.

[Moon Knight]

ShadowFett grimaced when 2277 sent him a comm informing him that Slicer had been reported captured. This was most inconvenient. Of course, Fett didn't expect the shabuir to stay detained for long, but it meant that it would be much longer than he was willing to sit in one place on one perch and wait for his arrival.

 

Which wasn't to say he needed to leave Chandrila. ShadowFett made a brief trip to his ship to pick up some of the training equipment he kept aboard, then set it up in the manor's huge basement. There was a large durasteel wall down there that was ideal for a backdrop to training targets because even if he missed the wall wouldn't be too damaged. He couldn't use his disruptor on it, but the Mando'ad was pretty comfortable with the weapon anyway.

 

Thus began another long training session Fett undertook often. They could last for more than a few hours--he could train all day long and often did. It was his only path to success, his path away from the occasional failure that had marked his career. Moon Knight learned from his defeats and came out stronger each time. He was a survivor in this way--Rane Scando and Vladimir Faust were dead, but he was here, training towards his goal of perfection. He was a verda through and through.

[Moon Knight]

The training was long and hard, and it was the sum of Fett's existence for many days. He used the time to reinforce everything he knew already and attempt to perfect the skills he had developed in recent times with what he was now referring to as his adaption of style to combat jetiise and Sith, probably more the latter than the former.

 

Still, through it all, there was only so much he could teach himself. He was striving to obtain better accuracy with his blaster pistols, but the targets available to him could only simulate a living target so well, and he felt like that wasn't enough. He disciplined himself to take shots on the run, simulate live-fire situations, and take down targets with only one shot. In this business, one had to be Mandokarla and nothing short of it.

 

The experienced bounty hunter did nothing more than train in these many days, and as he trained, he noticed an increase in performance. His physical stamina increased so that he could train for hours before even breaking a sweat, and he knew that this would aid him in fighting long, pitched battles against worthy targets. The kinds of targets that any Mando'ad sought--targets that would make him say vor'e at the end of the fight, for only through them could he really, truly improve his technique until it was at that place no man could reach--perfection.

 

It was lost goal, of course, but even lost goals were worth following if it was the journey that made one strong. There was an ancient Coruscanti concept called nostos which signified just that--a journey, usually to one's home, that changed its undertaker so that he could have the qualities he needed once he got there. It was a concept that was well-reflected in Mando culture as well and, at the end of the day, celebrated through the communal feeling of aay'han, which was colloquial to Mando'a and thus had no translation in Basic.

 

But once again Fett realized that he had tarried too long in one place. He was still awaiting his quarry, but this man would contact him when it was time. He could safely leave the planet without missing him, he suspected. Still, there was some premonition that bade him to linger a little longer--and, after all, as long as he trained, the time was not spent in vain.

 

Fett took of his buy'ce and headed to the kitchen. He spent much of his time training, but it was such hard work that his caloric consumption was necessarily skyrocketing, and once again he found himself in need of sustenance.

 

In time, he would go back out into the galaxy and once again hunt. But he was patient because he was whatever he needed to be--he was Mando.

[Moon Knight]

"Master." 2277's voice suddenly filled Fett's buy'ce, next to him on his nightstand. "Incoming message from an anonymous source."

 

ShadowFett rolled to a sitting position and pulled the helmet on, considering hitting the light but finding it unnecessary when he activated his bucket by looking at the top right corner of his field of vision and blinking twice--infrared and light-boosting vision flooded his awareness. He was in his room during one of the brief periods of sleep that served to break up his hours--days--of training.

 

The Mando'ad was fully awake in a second, having trained himself for years to be ready for combat in a second's notice. His hand fell on his assault rifle as he righted his posture--though he knew there was no danger, it was perfectly positioned so that he couldn't help but touch it in his present position. "Put it through," he said, his voice sounding loud but fully awake.

 

He listened with growing interest at the message as it played out. It was definitely addressed to him, not something 2277 had just picked up. The man on the other end addressed him respectfully and graciously, which meant he was either looking for a favor or the shabuir simply knew that is wasn't good to talk down to a Mandalorian.

 

By the time the message had run its course, Moon Knight had already decided what to do. He didn't have an osik'la clue why he should stick around here any longer, since his quarry clearly wasn't coming and he hadn't received any message about the other job some chakaar had supposedly hired him to execute. "Warm up the Vengeance," he said, the words carrying the couple hundred meters to 2277 but weren't so much as audible an inch in front of his mask. "Calculate the jump to Trulalis."

 

Fett was quick when it came to putting on his beskar'gam, another drilled exercise that he practiced even when he had ample time. Being a verd was entirely about discipline and practice, and while he was good at improvising, doing so unnecessarily was one of the best ways he could think of when it came to committing suicide. In his job, you spared nothing.

 

Only minutes later, he was aboard the Vengeance, his modified YT-2000 Corellian Stock Light Freighter which did everything except carry freight, fully decked out in battlearmor and an array of weaponry, including his new Verpine Shattergun for sniping and a beskar briefcase in his hand that contained a very useful critter for fighting Sith Lords and jetiise. "Let's go," he said to his droid copilot and finder.

 

Minutes after that, the ship was gone and Chandrila was back to being its quiet, backworld self.

[Serpe]

Out of hyperspace, the Full Moon jolted over the skies of Chandrila. The ship moaned and groaned, however Moon, eyes closed, remained silent and still. Her right hand was resting peacefully in her lap, while her left hand was concealed in a special flap next to the yoke. Under this flap, her bionic hand was connected to the computer system of the E-wing. Her mind, through her hand and through the Force, was controlling the ship without anything else needed from Moon. The Full Moon simply did whatever Moon willed it to do. Taking a deep breath, Moon allowed the Force to flow deep inside her. She opened her mind and body to the Unifying, Living Force, bidding it to flow into her and through her, if that is what the Force willed. She felt invigorated and strong, as well as at peace.

 

Satisfied with where she left hyperspace, she willed the starfighter forward and into Chandrila's atmosphere. She studied the horizon, looking for a clearing as the ship pulled up and slowed down in the lower atmosphere. Just ahead of her was the forested northern sector of one of Chandrila's two continents. Within that forest was a clearing, looking almost unnaturally circle, empty and bidding for Moon to land and begin to train here.

 

Moon landed the ship and detached her hand from the Full Moon just as she used the Force to open the cockpit. She jumped out, aided again by the Force, as soon as the bump signaling landing occurred. She landed softly on the green, soft grass. The place reminded her of her master, Kautra Nadio. He was a Jedi Naturalist and not only a good friend, but the closest thing to a father she ever had. She easily loved him, and could understand why her Dark Side blasted forth when she figured him dead.

 

Moon looked around her, surveying her surroundings. The wildlife was going about their daily lives, and the plants were swaying in the gentle Chandrilan winds. The sky was beautifully blue, matching the Rattataki's bright blue eyes and her also bright blue lightsaber. Her bald head was caressed by the beautiful wind as she took another deep breath and exhaled. She closed her eyes, sitting right where she was, feeling safe. She let herself slip into a deep meditation, the Force flowing through her. She gathered it and then let it dissipate, causing the grass to sway away from her as if she was causing a wind from all sides. Moon felt herself in the Force, felt her lightsaber, she felt her left arm, and felt the starfighter she had linked herself with. She could see the intricate wiring and exactly where the armor plates were separated. She could see the cockpit and all of the extra wires she added to incorporate her arm. The ship spoke to her, in a soft tone, with words of reverence and love. Of course, the ship did not actually speak, but it felt like it through the Force. The ship was simply replicating Moon's emotions through the Force.

 

In the Force vision that Moon had fallen into, her lightsaber glowed bright blue, the color of its blade. It was not activated, but it glowed around the hilt. It too was pleased, for it had served Moon well the few times she's actually had to use it. Its wires were even more intricate than those of the ship, entangled and bound by the Force. It was infused with the Force, making it even lighter than a normal lightsaber. This also allowed it to be linked directly to Moon's body and mind, therefore her will.

 

Lastly was her arm, the left arm who's wires were bound physically with Moon's "wires." Her nervous system was directly linked to certain wires within her arm that allowed her sensation, as if it were a normal arm. This arm normally was covered from the fingers to mid-forearm by a glove, but now, this arm was bare as can be. The metal skeleton and all of the wires were exposed, as well as the minor cortosis weave. This weave glowed in the Force, as Moon let the Force flow through it. The arm, mechanical as it was, was as much of Moon's body as the rest of her natural self. She cared for it as if it were her own real arm.

 

However, within the radiant beauty that Moon saw in all of these things, there was one thing that stood out from the Force aura of her surroundings. The one thing that resonated within Moon but not within the environment was the taint left by Moon's dormant Dark Side. Moon did not grimace as she saw this taint, but simply smiled. She smiled at it because she accepted it; it was a part of her, after all. That is why it didn't bother her.

 

As she slipped out of the trance, she allowed the Force to flow through her. Breathing in caused it to fill her body, and breathing out set it free. She repeated this breathing several times before opening her eyes, feeling better than she ever had before. She stood and unhooked her lightsaber from her belt, and ignited it, beginning to swing it, practicing her combat as she allowed the Force to guide her movements. It was very fluid and very natural.

[Ragnos]

Seemingly appearing out of nowhere an old battered CloakShape suddnely recanted from hyperspace in the Chandrila system. Mimicking a phrik dagger cutting through white-flecked zeyd cloth, although without none of its elegance, the spacecraft glided silently through subspace before ungracefully releasing itself from its awkward hyperdrive sled and headed for the system's second planet, namely Chandrila.

 

Laying his ice blue gaze on the distant world, the young pilot's soul filled with warmth. It was as of yet only a disc in the distance, a disc lit aflame by the system's sun, but a beautiful disc nonetheless. With two gargantuan continents covered in rolling green plains and an ocean so blue the pilot was almost spellbound by it, it was certainly an idyllic world, and the most wonderful stellar body the pilot had ever rested his eyes on. His mind lingered on the beauty ahead of it for a few moments before reminding him of Bunduki, comparing its drab brown surface to the invigorating gorgeousness of the planetoid in front of him. This was a moment where he was glad to have left the ol' homestead.

 

As the CloakShape further approached the planet, a sound emanated from the dashboard in its cockpit. It was the ship's comm system. Hesitating but for a few moments, the pilot answered.

 

"This is Draconis of the Centurion. Who... who is this?"

 

Draconis was the name of the pilot, who decided not to call himself captain as he was only piloting a small starfighter. His question hung in the air unanswered only for a fraction of a second, until a frail female presented herself through the comm.

 

"This is Chandrilan Space Traffic Control. You are entering independent space, please specify your business here."

 

Frowning, Draconis wasn't really surprised at he bluntness of the voice. Since leaving Bunduki he had heard about the ongoing war. Seems you couldn't be too careful these days. Taking a few moments to look at planetary data presented to him by his navcomputer and phrase his next sentence in his mind, he replied.

 

"I am requesting landing clearance in Hanna City spaceport. I am in need of supplies."

 

"You're welcome to use docking bay 28. Have a pleasant stay."

 

Switching off the communications console. Draconis seized the control yoke and maneuvered for the now not-so-distant planet. As he drew closer he was again dumbstruck by the beauty of the place, especially by its oceans. He hadn't seen many bodies of water in his life, and a planet so full of it? It was amazing, amazing how the rays of the system's sun reflected upon the planetoid's surface and lit up the young man's face, making him warm and at peace with himself. Tearing his gaze off the planet and focusing on atmospheric entry wasn't the easiest of tasks, but in the end he managed to pull it off and tightened his hold on the control yoke. He was going in.

 

Accompanied by a roaring sonic boom, the ungraceful Centurion dived into the thin air of Chandrila's upper atmosphere. Dialing down the ship's inertial compensator, Draconis was about to take the vessel through a loop in order to celebrate the maneuverability of the ship gained by atmospheric flight when he suddenly felt something. Or rather, he sensed something. Through the few lessons his mentor back on Bunduki had taught him about the Force Draconis knew that this was monumental. This was one of the rare occasions where the young man's sensitivity to the Force made itself known, and his mentor had told him always to trust the will of the Force. The feeling was ominous yet seducting, temptating. It felt bad and curious at the same time. But after a few moments another feeling manifested itself. Hunger. Draconis was on Chandrila to get something to eat. The ominous feeling would have to wait. If it could be repressed for that long...

[Serpe]

Moon continued at her training, cutting at the air both swiftly and gracefully. The metallic arm held the lightsaber at most times, leaving the right hand free to call upon the Force when needed during combat. The form that Moon chose for herself and trained ever so tirelessly in was Form II, Makashi; reflecting her choice to defend instead of attack. The fact that Makashi was best used with one hand, Moon chose to use her left hand to hold the lightsaber. When she used the force to do so, small locks within her fingers could lock into position onto several places on her lightsaber, Moon was able to keep a firm grasp even when performing the wildest of stunts.

 

Deciding that she had finished practicing her lightsaber for the time being, Moon deactivated her lightsaber and replaced it on her belt and made her way back over to the Full Moon. The bustle of the city was near, and with slight amplification to her hearing using the Force, Moon could hear the machinery at work. Oh, how she longed to go to the magnificent city and find a shop with a blaster or something that she could tinker with. Her resolve, however, prevented her from doing so; for the starfighter that she calls "home" needed some desperate attention. She grabbed a rather ominous bundled up cloth from the still open cockpit and lowered it to the ground with the Force. She followed it to where it landed and uncurled it - revealing several mechanical parts and wires along with a few buttons. Moon noticed that there were no tools - something she had done on purpose in order to force herself to hone her mechanical Force abilities.

 

Sighing and allowing a slight smile to adorn her face, Moon walked around the ship twice; looking for the areas which needed the most attention. First was the cockpit, looking rather pristine when compared to the rest of the ship. Next were the wings. There were a few holes here and there in the hull, but only in the empty areas not really important for any use. That, and they weren't large enough to impede movement. The engines, however, were another story. Beaten and battered, they definitively needed the most work and attention. So, Moon pulled her parts to her workspace and began to work.

 

Using the Force, she pushed the smallest of the dents back out to where they were supposed to be. She then worked on the larger dents, causing her to use the utmost of her Force abilities. Finally, when all of the dents were removed, she began to work on the innards of the engines. She placed her hands on the engines themselves and closed her eyes, allowing her to see the inner workings of the engines through the Force. She grimaced slightly, wincing at the amount of damage that was hidden underneath. Moon sighed, but kept her eyes closed. She began to use the Force to move certain wires, untangle others, and remove still others from the work area. Using the Force to guide her, she went on fixing up her ship.

[Ragnos]

Hanna City was a peaceful place. Situtated right next to the placid Silver Sea, the salty fragrance of its water permeated the city and mixed with the various scents offered by the many merchant stands crowding the streets leading from the city's largest spaceport. Draconis found this mix of odors to be the most soothing one he had ever felt, even more so than that of the tea his mentor used to serve him after the most rigorous of training regimens. He couldn't help but stop and drag some salty sea air into his lungs through his nostrils. Oh this is so much better than being stuck on the ship.

 

Draconis had already aquired the supplies he needed, this time checking if they were somehwere close to edible, and was now just strolling around the spaceport. He didn't want to leave. The extreme coldness of his marginally airtight ship didn't seem very welcoming when compared to the warm breezes sweeping through the streets of early noon Hanna City, its cramped cockpit was nothing next to the open space between the buildings of the place. But he had no choice but to go. He had promised his mentor he would find the Jedi, and the Jedi were located at the center of the galaxy. Or so his mentor had said. From what Draconis had heard when asking around the different spaceports he'd visited over the last few weeks, that might not be the case. But he had nothing else to go on, Coruscant was where he was going and that was that.

 

It was only when he returned to the Centurion and had been given clearance to take off that Draconis again thought of the odd feeling he'd recieved upon atmospheric entry. The planet's capital had been so utterly beautiful it had easily distracted it, but now that it sprung to mind he could feel it again... some kind of morbidness he'd not experienced before, a dark taint on otherwise so peaceful planet, standing out in the Force like a beacon. Reclining slightly in the pilot chair of his craft, closing his eyes, he focused. He tried to home in on the source of the disturbance... and was rewarded for it. The Force pointed him to the north, wanted him to go there. And who was he to argue with the Force?

 

The area north of the city was one covered in lush emerald forest. There was barely a meter of ground visible beneath the green canopy, in fact it wasn't until an hour after taking off that he spotted the first real clearing. To his great surprised the clearing was occupied - a ship had landed there. And, more interesting, it seemed to be the place of origin of his sensation, the darkness penetrating his senses. After circling the spot, trying to find signs of life but drawing an utter blank, he decided to set his ship down and investigate, just to follow the will of the Force...

[Serpe]

Moon withdrew her hands from the Full Moon's engines as soon as a cold tickle ran down the small of her back. The Force was letting her know that another presence, another Force user, was flying above her. She retreated from her ship slightly and looked up, seeing the ship as it circled around her clearing. She simply stared at it, analyzing it, as it found a suitable spot and landed.

 

If her senses were correct, then the Force presence of the ship would have blended with Moon's and the person would not be able to sense her in the Force distinctively. She stepped farther away from her ship and folded her arms across her chest, the metallic one clinking with sounds of moving gears as she did so. She simply waited for the being to show itself to her. She could tell through the Force that it meant no harm and, even if it did, it didn't pose much of a threat. The forest was dense and if she needed an escape, it provided the perfect one.

[Ragnos]

The Centurion gently set down on the soft grass of the clearing, its repulsorlifts parting the green straws before the landing struts hit the ground. Inside the ship Draconis curiously peered out the viewport, trying to spot the owner of the mysterious starfighter. Apparently he had landed at a wrong angle. Silently cursing under his breath the young Epicanthix stood up from his seat and moved backwards, through the tube that represented the interior of his ship, and stopped at a locker. From it he produced a weapon, the only weapon in his possession. A dagger - it was about thirty centimeters long with a slightly curved blade of midnight black. Its hilt was made out of dark hide and the pommel cap was represented by a glorious ruby. The blade had been a parting gift from his mentor, which was strange since he almost only practiced unarmed combat. But however strange that was Draconis was now grateful for it, tightly gripping the hilt in his left hand. After a moment of self-centering he moved toward the small boarding ramp, lowered it and strode down it, cautiously looking around for the object that was the dark taint upon the surface of the peaceful planet.

 

Seeing nothing peculiar but the other ship--a smaller, newer model than Draconis' CloakShape--he stepped from the shadows of his own vessel, slowly circling the other craft until... he saw someone. The first thing the young Epicanthix noticed was the paleness of the being's skin. His icy blue gaze then moved to the face. Obviously female, it completely lacked hair and was as white as morning snow. She was obviously near-human, just like him, but the race was for him indeterminable. He then spotted the lightsaber, a curved cylinder dangling from her belt. This object coupled with the aura she produced in the Force left no doubt for Draconis. This woman was a Sith, one of the Jedi's ancient nemeses. His eyes narrowing carefully, and his grip on the dagger tightening, Draconis spoke.

 

"Are you a Sith?"