Artus Prime

[The Black Sun Armada]

A comm came in from the Black Sun operatives to Reanna.

 

--Comm--

 

Mrs. Reanna, we have completed your order for cortis ore. If you would please return to the hangar bay we would gladly begin loading the ore with your permission and the deactivation of any anti-personal defenses your ship might have.

 

--End Comm--

 

(Happy now?)

[Astraal]

((Yes thanks ))

 

"Nice to meet you Kimberly."

 

The young Twi'lek untied Vos, holding onto his lead as he sniffed the air, a slight growl coming from deep in his throat. She petted his head, resting her hand upon his head to steady the vornskr.

 

"Excuse Vos' manners, walk with me?"

 

As the two females moved off, the sound of a comm unit broke the silence. The violet Twi'lek listened to the comm, answering affirmatively.

 

"Looks like my order's ready. I've got to head back to my ship so they can load it."

 

She led the way back towards her ship, talking quietly to Kimberly as they went, so that they wouldn't be overheard. There wasn't anyone close enough to hear them because of the vicious looking vornskr that she had on a leash.

 

"So you wish to join the Hutt's? We're always looking for new people. What are your skills?"

 

As they neared her ship, she indicated for her to hold off with anymore answers until they were alone again. Once back at her ship, she deactivating the security on the hold's loading ramp before speaking with the representative from Black Sun.

 

"Is my armor also ready for myself and my Vornskr?"

[Guest]

Kimberly smiled a bit, flashing her elegant green eyes to her compatriot and rubbed her lips together as they were drying quickly in this place and poise, sexuality, and attraction were key skills of hers.

 

"I am a Con Artist Reanna. I can conduct espionage and create illusions that of which this galaxy has lost its luster for. Other than that there is not too much else but those few things can get a woman far in this world."

 

She looked down at her chest.

 

"These help too," she commented making a short teen-like laughter showing off her girlish charm.

[Astraal]

Reanna laughed along with her as she indicated one of the parts of a female body that men tended to stare at alot. While the Twi'lek drew quite abit of attention, she wasn't interested in dallying, innocent in that respect. Not for the want of men trying to gain her attentions though.

 

"I bet they would. Those other skills could be quite useful. Soon as I'm loaded up here, we'll head off. You're welcome to follow. I can introduce you to those you're looking for"

 

Again she winked, indicating that she had found one of them already. Astraal just needed to get this job done first.

[Guest]

"That is fine by me dear," said Kimberly without any hint of anxiety, anger, or anything in her voice.

 

It's not like there is much of a choice anyways.

[The Black Sun Armada]

The Black Sun operative inclined his head to the woman and confirmed that yes the armour was indeed ready.

 

"It has been placed in the main lounge ma'am. You are cleared for departure."

 

Giving a half bow, the operative turned and made his way back to his offices and resumed his duties.

[Astraal]

The violet Twi'lek nodded, watching him head away from her ship and to his office. Once the others had finished loading the cortosis ore shipment, plus her extra... purchases, Astraal let Vos go into the hold before she locked it up, securing it for the journey. She turned towards Kimberly, handing her a datachip.

 

"This contains the co-ordinates to a place on Tattooine. Meet me there."

 

She stood near her embarksion ramp waiting to see if she had anything more to say to her before she left for Tatooine.

[Guest]

Kimberly didn't have much to say to her instructions but instead just looked to Astraal with eyes of thanks and made off to the spaceport finding the next trip she could to Tatooine.

[DarthBrendo]

Mindan guided his craft into the hangar and instructed Crow to complete the shutdown procedures for him. Making his way through the base, Mindan came into the main control center and greeted the Officer on Duty.

 

"I wish to speak with the Commander of the Imperial Forces here on Artus. Get me a secure transmission please routed to my private office."

 

With this order given, Mindan made his way to his office and sat down to go over the reports of activity here on Artus to see where things stood while he waited the transmission to go through.

[Astraal]

After prepping her ship for take off, Astraal lifted off, leaving the planet Artus behind. She made several jumps on the way to her destination and had gone through the ship with a fine tooth comb looking for any bugs or tracking devices before she had left.

 

(I'd been waiting to see if Kimberly wanted a ride... I see she didn't amend her post )

[Haphaestus]

Mindan's transmissions did not go unheard. A few slim minutes after he sent them out, a response came through means that he would not recognize. A small ship exited hyperspace and began to descend towards the surface of Artus. Aboard was the Sith Master Haphaestus, sent on behalf of the Galatic Empire to do business with the Black Sun.

 

With precision, the tall, armored Sith brought his ship down into a hangar and exited, finding his way to the center of the base and thus the office reserved for the commander of Imperial forces on Artus. He may only be stepping in for the role, not truly commanding Artus, but he would play the role well. Besides, he liked the power that it gave him to be occupying this office, as trivial as the control over a few thousand Imperials was.

 

He then responded to Mindan's comm. "I am currently the head of Imperial activity on this world," he said in his expressive but somewhat masked voice. It sounded human, not mechanical as one would expect from a droid (though he wasn't really one), though its tones were extremely measured and his stressed syllables placed. "How can I be of service?"

[DarthBrendo]

Mindan's reverie was disrupted as a response came through, sounding slightly...he wasn't sure. It wasn't mechanical but not quite biological either.

 

Hmmm. Most interesting combination

 

Checking once more to make sure his office was sealed against interruption from outside, Mindan addressed himself to the Imperial Commander.

 

"Greetings. As the Empire may be aware The Black Sun was recently engaged in a battle over Haruun Kal. Our Chief, Piccolo, was killed in that battle and I have taken over control of The Black Sun. Piccolo had an agreement with the Empire over mining of the Cortosis here on Artus, the terms being unimpeded access and freedom to distribute to whomever we desired without restriction, and in return the Empire was allowed unrestricted access to Cortosis for themselves and would provide forces to defend the planet should it fall under attack. My desire today is to establish that those terms will still be honoured by the Empire now The Black Sun is under my control. I still have every intention of honouring the agreement from my end. What say you?"

 

Mindan could see no reason why the Empire would want to discontinue the agreement as it was beneficial to all concerned. But he knew the Empire was an organisation that could change its mind at any time without warning.

[Haphaestus]

Had Haphaestus been able to raise an eyebrow, and if that gesture, even if his fixed features had been able to execute it, would have been visible through his helmet, he would have. As it was, he was still capable of feeling the emotion associated with such an act, and he had found it to be one of his most frequent emotional excursions.

 

Basically, had he not something better to be doing, he would consider this a waste of time. Still, it was with meticulous patience, perfectly controlled as the tone that he wished to output, as his voice was not linked to his emotions (a rather useful trait), that he responeded. "The termination of your previous commander does not in any case terminate the contract between our respective factions. I see no particular reason that we can't both share the bountiful cortosis that this world has to offer, as long as the motives of our war machines remain similar.

 

"That is to say, you will be using cortosis to combat Jedi, and not Sith," he finished. This last sentence bore no resemblence to an affirmation, but a statement, as if there was no alternative.

[DarthBrendo]

Mindan felt uneasy at the emotionless voice coming across the comm channel, and bemused at the implied threat in Haphaestus' response.

 

"I am glad to hear that that is the case. I suspected it would be as such, however felt it prudent to seek confirmation. However, our original agreement was that we would be selling to whomever sought to buy. We seek to combat no-one. We seek to profit from the, as you say, bountiful Cortosis on this planet."

 

Mindan made sure that his voice was definite. He was open to re-negotiations on the details of the agreement, but he was not open to being dictated to on who he would and would not sell to.

[Haphaestus]

"Curious," Haphaestus replied. It was possible, then, that this cortosis, taken from an Imperial world, would be sold to the Jedi and Alliance for use exclusively against Sith like Haphaestus himself. He smiled internally (he was incapable of smiling externally)--he was unconcerned with Sith being overcome by cortosis. If it made that much of a difference, the Sith was unworthy to live anyway.

 

"I will honor the previous terms of the agreement. You may make your profit as you see fit."

 

That effectively signalled the end of the conversation, but the Sith Master left the comm system open just in case the Black Sun leader sought fit to thank him. He didn't think it necessary, but it amused him when people were polite to him. One is never polite to a droid, but when said droid becomes a Sith Master, a certain amount of respect is collected in the transition.

[DarthBrendo]

Mindan smiled tightly to himself.

 

Why have the cortosis if we cant sell it to anyone with the right credits? he thought to himself.

 

"Understood. Mindan out."

 

Mindan switched the com unit off and made his way back to Laayla and headed out of the atmosphere, setting course for Coruscant.

[Haphaestus]

His task finished, Haphaestus contemplated heading back to Carida to see if the Empire could use further assistance from him. But something caused him to linger. Here he was, active and stimulated, with no particular obligation to go anywhere else or do anything. Perhaps this time would be best spent contemplating the true power of the Dark Side of the Force.

 

He had always wanted to wield the elements. He was already a master of Force lightning, able to use it to great quantities at will. Indeed, it was its eventual ineffectiveness that led to his cease of its use in a given battle rather than the exhaustion that he did not know.

 

But there were other elements. Heat--fire--and it's opposite, cold were chief among them. And if lightning was of the sky, then was earth itself not also harnessable?

 

Fire was common. He would seek its absence first.

[Delta73]

Delta's ship came out of hyperspace into orbit around Artus, he activated the comm to the small planet.

 

Comm---

 

I am here to inspect the Black Sun base at the Cortosis mines, requesting permission to land.

 

End Comm---

 

Well this will go well”¦.

 

Delta sealed his helmet and waited for a reply.

[Haphaestus]

Haphaestus, interrupted from his training, which was going quite well, headed back into the base to respond to the comm that had been sent. He had basically taught himself how to detect and diffuse the molecules in the air that held the most heat. Heat had some interesting properties, how it moved itself to where it was in want and how it raised before lowering.

 

By suddenly shunting all heat away from a specific area, he could create an area of extreme cold, invisible but practically deadly--as deadly as flame, in most cases, more dangerous because fire-proofing was so common. He could then force condensation on the remaining air molecules, bringing out the moisture in the air, which immediately froze into a sheet or tangle of ice, which he could shape at will.

 

It was curious--ice, when manipulated correctly, could become quite beautiful, and it could become equally as deadly. He could form blades and points, spikes and shafts thick enough to take heavy contact. At this point he could thrust the creation forward on the currents of the Force and spear it through objects, as long as he avoided the concentration of heat that was the byproduct of his efforts. He had managed to put a particular shard clear through a thick tree, and found it rather satisfying.

 

He was enjoying being a Sith Master.

 

Haphaestus entered the administrative building on Carida and returned to the office that he had used for his previous dealings with the Black Dawn. It seemed that they couldn't just leave Artus alone. He opened a comm channel to Delta 73 and responded. "You have the Empire's permission to land and inspect the Black Sun base," he said. "In fact, why must one of the Black Sun inquire as to whether he may visit his own base?"

[Delta73]

Delta smiled as he got the Comm.

 

"Thank you sir, Beginning Landing now."

 

Delta landed his ship and awaited Canderous.

[Dar'Manda]

An RSS Corvette Marauder exited hyperspace and entered Artus's atmosphere. Aboard this ship stood one of the last true Mandalorians, Canderous Bralor. Canderous landed his ship next to Delta's and disembarked his ship. Looking around at the base and the mines that stood before him, he questioned Delta. "So, this is it, huh?"

 

Canderous looked on, figuring they could add on, but it might be best to destroy the current base and start from scratch. Though, Canderous also wondered if the empire would mind them destroying the base since it was on their planet. "It might be best just to add on", Canderous said to himself as he stood there. He awaited Delta's reply, and assessment of the base.

[Dar'Manda]

As Canderous silently stood there, as he patiently awaited Delta's reply, he recieved orders via an encrypted comm. "Hmmm, it's strange they need me back on Dubrillion after me just arriving here. Better get to it then." Canderous though to himself. He excused himself from Delta's presence, and walked back to his ship.

 

 

He wondered what his being called back was about, though he had a good guess of what it might be for. Prepping his ship for take off, he fired up the ship's throttle and blasted off the planet. Moment's later he entered hyperspace and left the planet's system. Just seconds before he left, Canderous looked out the viewport at the rapidly deceending planet as he left, and spoke. "I will be back to finish that base, that's for sure."

[Rihn]

Dropping out of hyperspace, a small Hutt attack force supported by the Crusader corvette located a few Imperial transports. Opening fire, the ships used surprise to catch the imperials off-guard. Quickly moving to finish the job, the ships commenced their raiding operation. Quickly boarding and capturing the transports, the Hutts jumped out of the system with their stolen Cortosis.

[Delta73]

Delta jumped into his ship and blasted off to Dubrillion

[The Black Sun Armada]

The Commander received a warning message from Mindan, informing him of the attack that was in process on Dubrillion and requested him to increase alert levels. There was also a mesage in there for the Imperial Commander which he had been asked to forward on.

 

"Out of courtesy and respect for our mutual agreement on the planet Artus and in relation to the security of the Cortosis mines there, I must warn you that The Black SUn base on Dubrillion has come under attack from unknown assailants, though initialy scans indicate the ships are of the type used by the Rebel Alliance. We have stepped up security on our other holdings, including there on Artus, and advise that you do the same, in case they decide to attack there as well. If the Empire can spare any ships, I would like to make a formal request for assitance. Compensation will be paid of course. Mindan out."

[Haphaestus]

Haphaestus, still the active Imperial Commander of Artus, though somewhat self-assigned to that post, received the comm and leaned back in his chair. The Sith Master considered the fact and decided that it was not worth sending the message on to Carida. As far as he was aware, the Empire was at a truce with the Rebellion and not allowed to interfere.

 

He gave a slight chuckle. No, the Black Sun, though allies they were, were on their own for this one. If they couldn't defend themselves, they would be destroyed. Such were the truths of the galaxy. The truce went both ways, of course--Artus was in no danger, as the Alliance would be foolish to break the truce and attack the Imperial planet, even if it was only partially Imperial.

[Haphaestus]

It is time I left this planet, Haphaestus thought, rising from his chair and heading out the office door. His abilities were wasted here, and he was inactive, something that he could barely stand for any reason. He was capable of duelling and destroying Jedi Masters, leading assaults, challenging the greatest of foes and performing the greatest of deeds. He was not one to sit in an office and wait for nothing to happen.

 

The Sith Master headed out to his ship and entered it, setting the coordinates for Carida, where he hoped to find the body of the Sith Order and thus a way of receiving a task that would advance the will of the Dark Lord.

[Rihn]

The Hutt modified Imperial style escort carrier and the Crusader-class corvette dropped out of hyperspace as they entered the Artus system. Surveying the area, the mini fleet and its fighter compliments held just outside of the planet.

 

Sending a communication to the Black Sun requesting a meeting, Commander Orsa waited for the Black Sun representatives to respond.

[Jidai Geki]

*Comm for Haphaestus:*

 

'Master Haphaestus, this is Emperor Jidai Geki. Your presence is requested on Carida.'

[Haphaestus]

Haphaestus replied in the affirmative without question and immediately set his ship towards the Imperial capital.

 

Seconds later, he was in hyperspace.