Alpha Ascension

[GuardianElite]

Rishi

The last thing he wanted was his little girl to become a pirate. This whole Rishi business had EVERYONE being a pirate including himself. Major Treavor “RT-946” Alpha bounded over the stack of crates rolling immediately back to his feet to continue pursuit. No matter how many times he did this on Rishi, chasing down bad guys, it always surprised him; that only on Rishi….the other ‘bad guys’ seemed to make way. The sea of people RT could see in front of him parted as the Pirate Captain realized he was running out of deck to continue running. The Captain of the “Silent Shadow” a pirate ship that preyed on Imperial and Republic alike had information that the Republic needed, it didn’t matter about the other stuff. At least not until RT caught him. This guy was fast, RT continued to assess his quarry as he chased him.

‘Cybernetic’, RT thought, ‘Had to be’.

No normal sentient being could out run him in a flat out race, not without use of the Force or some other Bio-medical enhancement. RT slowed up, he saw the Captain change direction slightly and seem to slow, his right hand going toward the inside of his body. RT kept pace not wanting to give away that he already knew what the Captain was going to do. A quick ‘ZIP-WHINNG’ close to RT’s ear struck the Pirate Captain in his neck and he fell face first on the hardwood of the deck and slid another 20 yards before coming to a complete stop. RT was already turning around hands on his hips and breathing heavily to look up in the rafters. Porchia was already standing up, pistol raised with her hip cocked to one side. Raising his wrist-comm, RT spoke into it.

“I had this! I didn’t need your help! You’re supposed to be watching the warehouse!”

Porchia continued the smirk, but removed herself from her Father’s sight ducking back down the rooftop and heading back the direction she came.

“I was getting bored Dad…besides, ‘How LONG’ were you chasing that guy. He was reaching for a—“ RT interrupted her already standing over the limp form of the Captain to flip him over and begin searching for the code cylinder, he knew all of these Captain involved with the conspiracy carried one.

“—Blaster? Yes, I know…do your job Porchia! You are here because you blend and I don’t! Pick the targets and watch, that’s what you do…Karolin and I will do the heavy lifting.”

Clipping the Comm back to her belt Porchia was already jumping back down to deck level. It didn’t seem surprising to anyone that a purple haired girl was going rooftop to rooftop and jumping back down into the middle of the street. Her feet hit hard in the center of the marketplace and no one gave her a second glance. Porchia breathed in sharply. When her Father was on task, he was always a Rancor to deal with, she had gotten used to it. But there was something else going on this time. RT had been a whole lot sharper with her this mission. And it was HE who had dragged her off the racing circuit and begged her to help him. Something else was distracting her Father, any other time, he would have caught that Pirate the minute he gave chase. No one, could best her Father, at least no one in recent memory came to mind. Porchia continued to think about it surveying the marketplace and preparing to move back to the warehouse. It was something she definitely had to get to the bottom of. It was right then, the sight of the red hair caught her eye, a group of Mandolorians following another Mando, a female. As the female Mando removed her helmet, speaking with a shopkeeper, the female leader turned her head slightly. Porchia nearly fainted dead away, from fright. In a split second, Porchia was 10 years old again, hanging from the rafters of the Jedi Temple.

<…Behind her the vent blew inward with a loud clattering as it came off the wall and slid toward her. All red hair and black/green armor followed as the figure stepped through the new entryway immediately dropping her eyes toward the crouched child. Porchia's jaw dropped, the armored figure was beautiful, but Porchia could sense a deadliness in her. Something her Aunt Karolin had taught her about noticing peoples mannerisms. Glancing at a holo-display on her wrist, the armored vixen smiled wryly at the gaping Porchia.

"Pure luck, kid. That vent was set with a 10 Pound detonite charge. It's a miracle it didn't hit you when it blew in." The vixen kneeled down next to Porchia looking at the moving people in the foyer, all of them oblivious to the noise above. After a moment, the red haired vixen glanced at her wrist again and stood over Porchia, drawing her blaster.

"I'm sorry, Baby...I can't have you warning anyone about this. Too many credits involved..." Immediately Porchia knew what was going on, she didn't know how, but she knew. Grasping the railing above, Porchia slid quickly down to a lower catwalk taking off at a dead sprint. Only one shot followed her and that shot hit a support railing that ran in between the Vixen's line of sight and a running little girl. The bounty hunter smiled and looked at her blaster humorously before holstering it and placing a Mandalorian style helmet over her beautiful features.

"Yea, lucky kid....really lucky...."….>

It was HER!!! Porchia was sure of it. For years Porchia and her Aunt Karolin had secretly tracked the Bounty Hunter responsible for lowering the planetary shield on Coruscant. All of their lives changed that day, but no one was more affected than Porchia and Karolin. As she watched the red-hared vixen, now a lot older and looking a lot more worn than she remembered her, Porchia saw her glance in Porchia’s direction. Porchia looked away quickly to make it look like she was looking an interesting assortment of dried fruits at the stand next to her, then hurried around the corner raising her own wrist-comm. She touched a button to allow for single ‘person-to-person’ transmission. The voice on the other end sounded just as bored as she was only a few minutes prior. A few minutes before Porchia, spotted her ancient nemesis.

“Porchia? Why did you close the channel? Something juicy you don’t want your Father listening in on? Is it a guy? Is he cute…what does he look like?...” Porchia replied fast, her breathing getting labored just from the excitement of it all; her voice shaky with adrenaline.

“Aunt Karolin…I found her. I am sure of it….”

Tatooine

It wasn’t the first time she’d been to her Master’s secret hideaway on Tatooine. In fact, as Mrysti stepped down off the ramp of the shuttle, her foot hitting solid ground for the first time in days, she recounted three other times she had been there. One, in order to assassinate her Master, another to be introduced to her Master’s lover; now wife and the last to actually be shown around the place. Of those three visits, only one was purely for enjoyment. Mrysti stopped cold, looking across the landscape of the massive estate that belonged to Darth Isilith. No, the meeting between Mrysti and Isilith’s wife was memorable. And that was a pleasant experience as she recalled. Far too much alcohol had been consumed and she had slept over that night as she recalled. Thought it was also pleasurable in the hills behind the estate to watch Isilith when she planned to kill her. Though it was the Comm call from her, at that time former Master, that broke the enjoyment of the moment. Isilith called on Mrysti to inform her that she knew she was in the hills and had been there for three days. That was the beginning of the renewed relationship between them. Isilith met her at the bottom of the hillside, unarmed. She made no mention of why she knew Mrysti was there, did not even mention the Kaggath Mrysti had unofficially started between them. Isilith was even magnanimous enough to give Mrysti a shuttle ride out of her estate.

Now, it was six months later and Mrysti stood closer than she ever had of reaching her goal in becoming a Darth, a true Master of the Dark Side of the Force. And it just so happened to be with the one who had found her and began her training in the first place. Some would say the Force had a hand in all of this. As Mrysti began her decent onto the sandy ground she dismissed that notion. The Force did not control her destiny, it was the other way around. Isilith stood by the entrance house, a small domed structure next to the arrival pad, her hands clasped together to her front. As Mrysti approached she noticed her Master looked unusually bright for someone who sounded so dire on the Comm. There was a light to her, a glow of sorts. Mrysti sneered, it was disgusting and it didn’t help matters that Isilith was wearing white as well, a long gown or dress of sorts. Isilith was not as utilitarian as she usually was in her attire. Something was off, something was definitely wrong with her Master. Mrysti bent the knee for no one, except her Master. Getting down on one knee she lowered her head and waited.

“Master. Thank you for inviting me once again.”

There was a long pause, Mrysti kept her eyes closed, but could hear Isilith breathing over her. It sounded erratic for someone who Mrysti knew was always so well composed.

“Rise, my apprentice…we have much to discuss. Follow me.”

Isilith continued the silence for a moment as Mrysti rose to follow her Master. She noticed Isilith kept touching her abdomen. Was there a wound, some kind of affliction that her Master had endured that she had not told her about? It was well known by Mrysti that on many of Isilith’s missions she had endured all sorts of curious and sometimes fatal, to anyone else, wounds and disease. Mrysti cocked an eyebrow at her Master as she spoke still moving through the estate toward the Cliffside overlook.

“Your time of Ascension is nearly at hand, my apprentice. You have labored long and suffered much, there is little else I can share with you that you will not glean on your own…”

As they entered the lift, Mrysti got the first real look at her Master up close. Then it hit her, the strange scent. Mrysti was not as strong as her Master in the subtle use of the Force to sense things, she used the Force to augment her already awesome strength, but the scent came through the Force and it hit Mrysti like a tidal wave. At once, Mrysti touched her own barren abdomen. It was the woman in her that sensed this, this elusive scent in the Force. Isilith knew already and smiled at Mrysti causing her to look away.

“Yes, my apprentice…you are correct. Your insight serves you well. I am with child…”

Mrysti was stunned, both from being able to sense it and from the revelation that her Master had shared. As they disembarked from the lift headed toward the main anteroom a thousand questions buzzed around Mrysti’s head. Isilith already knew this of course and in a low motherly voice continued to speak as she led Mrysti to the bar counter.

“It pleases me to no end, to see your insight and use of the subtle Force grow. Though I must admit, I am somewhat confused as to how you were able to sense it…was it the woman in you or rather you ability increasing?” Isilith seemed to ask that question of herself as she lifted a bottle and poured her apprentice a drink handing it to her, “I, of course, will not be drinking, but please…” Mrysti lifted the drink in salute to her Master, not really sure what to say.

“Well…congratulations? I think…” Mrysti took a sip of the hot liquid, it burned down her throat as Isilith stood watching her, a strange smile on her face. Mrysti had no doubt they were way past poisoning each other, Isilith seeming to wait for Mrysti to continue. “…it must be the Force growing within me. As you know Master, due to my unfortunate past; I am unable to bear children…”

Isilith smiled sympathetically, “Yes…I know. That is why I did not inform you when I was sure I was pregnant. Not that I care for your approval one way or another; it’s your reaction to it…your tendency to get transfixed on something and allow that to distract you that concerned me…”

Mrysti stood up a little straighter, feeling slightly scolded. She locked eyes with her Master for nearly the first time since her arrival. Her voice was solid and reaffirming as she spoke.

“There is no conflict here, Master. I wish you well in this endeavor…whatever may come of it.”

Nodding, Isilith took the glass from Mrysti’s hand, gesturing toward the doorway. In fact this had been Isilith’s plan all along. Had Mrysti not discovered her Master’s pregnancy on her own, Isilith had every intention of bringing her down here to tell her. With that out of the way it was time to move on to bigger and better things. They started back toward the lift as Isilith spoke again.

“Part of your ascension, as I have told you before, will be to assume your name as a Dark Lord of the Sith; your moniker, if you will. This has entirely to do with your power…a power that you will discover as you get closer…” Isilith turned in the lift smacking the button on the panel, “….I asked you here tonight to help in the discovery of that power, it is only after this ritual is done that we can move forward.”

As they left the lift and moved across the estate, Mrysti realized where they were headed, rounding the corner toward Isilith’s library and inner sanctum. Mrysti had been brought here once before, but this time it was different. The Holocrons that lined the walls all seemed to glow differently this time, perhaps the lights were just lower Mrysti couldn’t tell. Remembering her Master had pointed to one particular Holocron and warning her never to touch that one, Isilith had offered up all of this knowledge once before, minus the once Mrysti now hazarded a glance at as they walked toward the far end of the hall. They both stopped at an ancient Sith Monolith, it’s carvings seemed to glow at Isilith’s approach. Turning around Isilith gestured at the vast hallway, keeping her eyes firmly locked on her apprentice.

“Apprentice. This library was offered to you before, but tonight you will use it to discover what has been unseen by you in that first visit. These Holocrons contain all of the vast knowledge of the Force collected by both the Sith and the Jedi over a millennia….” She gestured for Mrysti to kneel at the monolith, “…meditate here, at this monolith. Let the power of the Force guide you in which one you will choose. And in choosing, discover your hidden power.”

Mrysti lifted an eyebrow, her first thought was to choose the one Holocron that Isilith had warned her to never touch and be done with it. Meditation was not her thing. As she started to kneel, Isilith seemed to sense that thought in her apprentice’s mind, answering it.

“I said ANY Holocron…that includes my own. But, be warned…do not take this lightly, my apprentice. You will suffer greatly if you do not allow the Force to guide you.” Mrysti instantly assumed that threat was from Isilith and smirked crossing her legs one over the other as she sat in a long forgotten Sage meditation pose. Isilith smiled at Mrysti was not even realizing what position she was placing herself in to meditate; it was already emerging within Mrysti and she didn’t even realize it.

“I will suffer greatly by your hand Master?” Mrysti lost the smirk as Isilith’s eyes seemed to flash with a bright purple hue.

“No…the Force will be your tormentor…” Isilith sent a shockwave of lightning into the monolith at her words as Mrysti quickly closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Images seemed to flash across her mind, snippets of a life she didn’t remember. Then like a clarity, she saw it. It called to her, the chaos of her mind subsided as Isilith ceased pouring her own energy into the monolith. Mrysti opened her eyes, no idea how long she had been there. Isilith looked weak, but said nothing as Mrysti stood in an almost robotic fashion moving the opposite way down the hall. Isilith watched her walk, watching the aura of yellowish energy that seemed to ebb off of her student. Mrysti had no idea that she had been there for the better part of two days. As Isilith stood over her watching, she never left her side watching as the light side of the Force seemed to make its way into the room and saturate her pupil. Mrysti had no idea of course and Isilith said nothing. That was the ritual, it was her power to discover. But, in doing so Isilith now saw a weakness in her apprentice that she had never quite discovered before. Mrysti was saturated by the Light Side of the Force and she always had been.

Mrysti continued to creep down the hallway, not even glancing at the other Holocrons, passing her Master’s own Holocron without a glance. She stopped in the far corner, a Holocron that glowed a bright purple. She gazed at it, the whispers from this device echoing in her head. All at once she reached out and grasped it with both hands, intending on taking it out of it’s floating pedestal. The Holocron had no intention of going anywhere as it downloaded all of it’s collective knowledge into Mrysti’s open mind. It took only a second, to Mrysti it seemed to take an eternity. It was too much, getting all of that knowledge and Mrysti fainted dead away at the foot of the pedestal.

Isilith had already started moving toward her when Mrysti grasped the Holocron. As Mrysti fainted, Isilith stood by and watched. It was known that some apprentices did not survive this version of the Ascension. It wasn’t until Isilith knelt down next to her and touched Mrysti’s temple that she realized…Mrysti was indeed alive and now internally processing. Isilith breathed a sigh of relief, Mrysti was her most gifted and promising of all her apprentices. It would be a shame to have to find another. As she was about to get up, something in Mrysti’s mind struck out and Isilith raised an eyebrow before removing her hand. Her apprentice had indeed discovered something, Isilith couldn’t be sure of the power that Mrysti had discovered. No one could know that till it fully emerged. No, Mrysti had rediscovered something that had been taken from her a long, long time ago. Isilith stood up and walked from the room to leave her apprentice to her unconsciousness, she was after all incredibly hungry. Glancing at the lifeless body sprawled on the floor, Isilith smirked at the revelation she’d discovered. Mrysti had regained her memories.

Coruscant

It was the third time this week that Dremmess had cleaned that particular rug in their apartment. Yes, she had server droids, cleaning droids…droids that did nearly everything she could possibly ask for. The point was, she needed to do something. Being cooped up at home was driving her insane and there was no one here to share that frustration with. Rishi had claimed her family, RT was there…Porchia and Uniform as well. Dremmess glanced at the Holocomm in RT’s private office, she couldn’t even get annoyed by Karolin or any of RT’s siblings. They too were on Rishi. Slamming the cleaning rod on the hard marble floor, Dremmess let out an exasperated sigh looking up at the ceiling.

“Why am I not there?? Oh that’s right….”

Dremmess clenched her teeth, she had agreed to mind the affairs of state and watch over the family’s assets while everyone was away. Most of all Porchia. Dremmess had even ventured to put on a disguise for the nefarious meetings she had to go to in order to look the part of ‘Smuggler Captain’. It was tiring playing the part of her Daughter’s representative, most of the time she spent thwarting her would be buyers advances, more than negotiating. Over time, Dremmess had come to enjoy the attention she was getting. Mostly because it was the ONLY attention she was getting. Plus, she liked dying her hair, changing out of formal Jedi clothing or what she wore around the house. She pursed her lips, storming off up stairs to her bedroom.

On the bed, the garb from the previous night's business lay arrayed. She picked up the form fitting pants looking at them. All of it was very snug and stylish, she did enjoy wearing them. As she looked at the clothing she caught a glance of herself on her nightstand’s reflector and touched her hair. She had forgotten to wash the coloring out of her hair. The previous night, it was blue with black highlighted tips.

‘RT would have loved that’, she thought and instantly got angry, a curse escaping her lips.

“Kriff it!”, RT wasn’t there, no one was. In a second she started removing her clothing to get in the shower. She was going to get changed and go out. There was no one here to stop her or ask where she was going. The fact that there was no business to conduct on her family’s behalf was inconsequential in that moment. Dremmess was going out because SHE wanted to, in fact she was going out; hair blue, tight fitting clothing, her twin pistols strapped to both of her hips. Dremmess was going out as someone else. And she was going because she wanted to be anyone other than who she was at that moment.

Rishi

Reaching over, Porchia gestured for her Aunt Karolin to take the Macrobinoclars from her hand in order to see better from their rooftop perch. Karolin waved them off, she had been staring at the auburn-haired Mandolorian for the better part of an hour. Her face was twisted in an evil, disgusting sneer as she watched the group of Mandos move through the streets of Rishi. Porchia spoke keeping the binos on her own eyes.

“What do you think? You think that’s—“ Karolin stopped her before she could finish.

“Yes, that’s her…I’m positive.” Karolin slunk back down the other side of the rooftop away from view, Porchia close behind. They sat for a moment looking at each other. Karolin finally broke from her thoughts of revenge and mayhem to look at her niece.

“Porchia, you are going to have to follow her. Watch her movements, get the Mando’s routine down. Find out where they are holding up and memorize everything we can about them…” Karolin started for the edge of the roof to jump down, looking back right before dropping off, “You blend. I don’t. Get what information you can and I will start asking around about them.” She laid a hand on the edge stopping herself remembering something, “Oh, and Porchia…don’t tell your Father….”

Porchia didn’t even get a word in edge wise with her Aunt, she had only seen Karolin this focused on a couple of occasions, all of them bad. She laid her back against the cold wooden roof of the building looking up at the blue sky.

“Great…don’t tell Dad. I always love what happens next when we.... ‘Don’t tell Dad’!”

[GuardianElite]

Rishi

It wasn’t common for Shae Vizla to mingle with the normal denizens of Rishi, but when she did come out of the fort she spent her time in the cantina. Well at least part of it, there were a few converts to her Mandalorian ideals that she garnered from the other pirate crews. Not that she was prone to piracy, Shae Vizla was a diehard Mandalorian, her clan was her crew. However she did lend a hand to other “crews” from time to time, sometimes to the highest bidder, sometimes to the most powerful Captain at the time who controlled the biggest interest for her own clan’s gains. With the threat of Revan taking up all of the Republic and Imperial forces time, she now had breathing room and she was looking to expand. It was a wager with one of the other crew's captains that gained her the fortress her and all her clansmen now enjoyed. It gave her the ability to stay sharp fashioning it into a place to train, to meditate to relax. She controlled the bay now, she had a controlling interest to see that Rishi somehow became “Revan” free…and by virtue of that fact Republic and Imperial free as well. It was that fact that brought her to the Shooting Star Cantina as she sat near the rear of the main Cantina floor, two large Mandalorian guards standing close watch over her close by. As she waited for the next Pirate Captain to either come and offer something or pay tribute to enter Rishi's bay, "Trouble free" something caught her eye.

The guards did not miss Karolin’s entrance as she slipped into the ground floor, smoke from the other patrons obscuring her view of the red-haired vixen sitting in the corner, watching and waiting. Shae saw Karolin enter, but paid her no attention. Just another Jedi, even though Karolin was in disguise and a very good one at that, as just another Pirate the walk made a Jedi unmistakable. And Shae had plenty of experience recognizing them. It was quite a shock when Karolin suddenly sat down across from her, Shae smiling slightly as the two guards quickly turned drawing blasters and pointing them straight at the back of Karolin’s head. They were slightly embarrassed that they did not see the Mirialan slip past them to take a seat across from their Master. It was a bold move, one that Shae quickly waved off as the two Guards holstered their pistols, but did not turn back around. Folding their arms across their chests, their watchful gaze firmly on Karolin, Shae slid a shot glass across the table to Karolin, the smile never ceasing.

“No matter how many Force Users I kill, I will never get used to the way you all tend to slip past even the best defense…my back is against this wall for a reason you know.” Karolin said nothing at her words, taking the shot glass in hand and shooting it in one shot to slam the empty glass back down. That got Shae’s eyebrow to raise, “And a drinker…who would have thought. Not a typical Jedi. But then nothing is typical in this place.” Shae leaned forward the crooked smile still on her face, “You’re not typical are you?” Karolin leaned back in her seat returning the smile.

“You should know, you created me…Shae Vizla.” Karolin emphasized the last words, just to clear the air. Shae frowned.

“I wasn’t aware we were on a first name basis…Miss…?” Shae left the question floating a moment as Karolin grabbed Shae’s bottle without asking in order to pour herself another of the Mandalorian concoction it contained. It tasted like Netra’gal, a drink the Mandalorians were so fond of and she hated Netra’gal. Karolin hid her grimace well.

“Karolin…just Karolin. We’ve never met, but I certainly know you.” Karolin’s eyes flashed slightly purple, dying out with a red tinge to them as Shae sat up slightly. Shae had seen the eye trick before, it was a Force users “release valve”, when their powers were welling up, the eyes flashed. This one could be a Jedi or a Sith, the walk said one thing and the eyes defiantly something else. Though she laid her hand on her blaster, she was sure Karolin had already known the sudden shift in her seat was only to gain a better position in which to shoot her, she was right as Karolin placed both her palms on the table in response. "I’m not here to fight you Shae, not yet….I’m here to let you know something.” Shae took her hand off the pistols, placing one hand on the table to match Karolin, but her eyes were already narrowed, her voice lowered in caution to the Jedi.

“Oh yea, and what is that Jedi?”

Karolin took the bottle in hand, standing as she took the last swig of what was left finally discarding it on the floor with a crash.

“That I am going to kill you. This day or the next, your days are numbered.” With that Karolin pushed past the two Mandalorians who had once again drew their blasters to end the threat. Shae got up moving in behind the departing Karolin, laying her own hand on each of her Men’s blasters, lowering them. It was very Mandalorian of Karolin to present herself this way and Shae was obliged to let her leave. It was even shocking to Shae that Karolin made no move toward anyone else in the bar simply keeping her back turned away from everyone in the bar as she left. The dark power rolling off of her came off in waves everyone in the Cantina could feel and most cut her a wide berth as she departed, still not looking back. Shae watched her all the way to the door. The game was on and she was already behind.

Tattoine

Mrysti woke with a start, the silken sheets wet with the sweat from…she laid her hand to her forehead, she had no idea how she ended up in a bed or how long she had been there. Moving the covers, she realized she was completely naked and quickly pulled the sheets back over herself. It was a move that was unlike her, many times she had walked in her own hovel completely nude with no regard for decorum. That thought didn’t press her as she pulled the silk of the sheet back around her attempting to stand, she was weak, perhaps not her body, but definitely in her mind as she quickly sat back on the bed, resting her head in her hand and grimacing loudly. It was worse than any hangover she had endured and twice as loud in her mind. Using the Force she could always purify her blood of pollutants and frequently did when it came to alcohol, this couldn’t be purged. Darth Isilith stood up from a corner, her watchful gaze had been on and her apprentice for the past three days after she had passed out in her inner sanctum. It was Isilith that had her disrobed and moved to her own private bedchambers. Isilith cleared her throat as she approached holding a decanter of water outstretched in her hand.

“To answer that question…all in all it’s been six days. And I must say, quite “Illuminating”. My you do have a checkered past don’t you. You said something's that even 'I' didn't know..."Mrysti took the water from her Master’s hand looking up at her wearily.

“Master, what are you talking about six days??? How is that possible, it feels like six minutes…UGH, and this pain…I can’t shake it.” Isilith moved to the far corner of the room, picking up a datapad and surveying its contents.

“Yes apprentice, six days….do you doubt my word? And you spoke throughout, it seems your mind is dealing with something, perhaps the effect of the Holocron, but at any rate I do believe your memories have returned.” Isilith seemed to find what she was looking for putting the Datapad back down and approaching her ailing apprentice. She sat down next to her on the bed laying a hand on her forehead, “Breath normally, this will not hurt, just stay still.” Isilith’s hand seemed to glow slightly as she pressed her own Force power into Mrysti’s mind. Mrysti did as she was told the pain subsiding slightly as Isilith stood removing her hand. “Much better, now come…we have much to do…” As Mrysti reached up and took Isilith’s other hand, her mind flashed and she seemed to black out once again…

<…Isilith stood looking at the remaining vestiges’ of the ruin that was once Kass City, fighters flew streaks overhead, both Republic and Imperial as the city burned. Next to Isilith a smaller Twi’lek stood, similar in features to her Master. Her saber was drawn as they both stood side by side watching the city burn. Isilith was older, wiser and seemed to carry a weight that she could no longer bare. She stepped away from the smaller Twi’lek drawing her own saber to face her.

“We will get to choose our own end…I will not have ones such as these invaders choose it for me.” Isilith raised her saber up into a guard, saluting. “Goodbye…daughter.” The other raised her saber in a similar fashion. “Goodbye…mother.”….>

Mrysti leapt away from Isilith nearly falling from the other side of the bad, much to Isilith’s shock. She grasped the blankets tightly around her as if to defend herself from what she had seen. Isilith looked at Mrysti angrily.

“Apprentice!!! Apprentice! This has gone on long enough! What has gotten into you…stop this at once and get hold of yourself.” Isilith moved over toward Mrysti, who raised a hand to stop her Master.

“No!!! NO!! Master…stay back! Don’t touch…me.” Mrysti murmured to herself, “It was real…it was so real…” Mrysti looked at her raised hand and quickly stuffed it under the sheets with the rest of her. Isilith stopped, putting her hands on her hips.

“What was real? What are you going on about?”

In that moment, Mrysti realized what had changed and that her Master had no idea what she had seen by touching her hand. Mrysti had seen her Master’s future. She looked at Isilith with sad eyes.

“N-nothing Master, it was nothing…just more Holocron effects. I will be fine.”

Coruscant

It was a dive, considering all of the opulent places on Coruscant. But, it was where more seedier business was held, the lower levels of Galactic City. Dremmess nursed her drink, usually there on business, she was just THERE this time. She had caught the eye of a few passers-by, even had a drink bought for her, but so far she had managed to give all of her would be suitors the ‘shove-off’. The voice from behind brought a smile to her face as the figure behind the voice slipped into the seat next to hers.

“This isn’t the best place to get a drink, but if you’re looking to get away, you could do worse.” Her bright smile almost hid the sarcasm that followed. Max could easily tell it was all for show, most of the time their conversations were all for show, she was genuinely glad to see him.

“Well, you would know…seedy is you specialty right?” Max face grew serious as he leaned in close.

“Dremmess, what are you doing here? This isn’t for you? Let me take you home…you have had too much already and people are noticing.” Her face turned from cheery to disgust in a split second.

“Home?!?! Home to what!! While everyone else is off saving the galaxy I’m supposed to sit idly by and do nothing??” She turned her back on him, “Just go Max…you are no better than the rest of them, just leave me to my drink and go.”

Max sat still not moving, he had no intention of leaving and Dremmess did not repeat her demand for him to leave. The fact was, she didn’t have the strength.

“Is that what this is really about? You feeling left out or is it something else…” Dremmess turned her slumped down gaze at him a crooked smile forming behind her arm.

“Maybe it’s a little of that…maybe a lot of something else.” She sat up all at once fixing a playful gaze on him, “What are you doing here anyway? Don’t you have a business to run?” Max sat back in his own seat cocking one leg over the other as he finally relaxed a little.

“Yep…and that business brought me here; to find this derelict ship captain. You wanna come along?”

[GuardianElite]

Dromand Kass

Moving through the corridor, Hamner was slightly nervous. It had been a while since he’d been ostracized by the Dark Council, longer still that he had even dared to set foot inside the Citadel and yet longer still that he’d been summoned by Darth Marr. This could be the end or it could be a new beginning, he gave himself a 50/50 chance of survival. There were no armed guards behind him and he wasn’t being led in chains, so that was a good sign. However, there was little use for either of those methods of getting him there. Darth Marr knew he was on Kass and summoned him shortly after his arrival. There was few places he could run. As he departed for the Citadel, Naraitak, his soon to be wife smirked at him giving a slight sarchastic wave. Her last words still echoing in his mind as he approached the doorway to Marr’s secret office.

“You did initial your Will leaving me everything didn’t you?”

Hamner grimaced, murmuring to himself “Damn that woman!!” Maybe she knew something he didn’t, she was a venomous viper after all. This could all be her doing. That thought joined the several hundred other deadly possibilities as Hamner stopped at the threshold about to chime his arrival on the pad. The door slid open before he could push anything, the voice coming from within the darkness of the room was all, Marr.

“Enter.”

Hamner walked across the threshold slowly looking around, his first inclination was to run, the other was to locate Darth Marr in the dark of the room. A light from overhead flashed on further obscuring his vision of the rest of the room as the door slammed shut hard behind him. The voice stopped him cold.

“You angered me like no other Hamner, had it not been for the usefulness of your family and that cursed Project you all are privy to…we would not be speaking at this moment.”

Putting a hand up to shield his eyes, Hamner tried to peer through the light into the darkness to locate Darth Marr. Hoping to get a better fix on him, Hamner thought to continue the conversation.

“I am glad to have been of service, My Lord. To what do I owe the pleasure of this summons?”

There was movement to his front and it seemed a creaking of a chair as someone very large sat down behind something. Darth Marr did love his theatrics. More importantly it was well known those who saw Darth Marr’s face never lived to tell about it. With all the darkness and bright light directly in his face Hamner could only hope that Marr still had his mask on.

“It wasn’t pleasure Hamner…this is out of necessity. Your conniving, your loss of Bilringhi; which as you well know is still being contested thanks to you, Death of Imperial personnel not to mention contravention of my direct orders...and that is the most grievous misstep. That you would directly challenge me, out of what? Your need for revenge, your childish pursuit of a throne that you can never claim? Your brother is firmly entrenched as the patriarch of your family, it's time you put childish desires aside. Step forward…I want to have a look at you.”

Hamner swallowed hard there was no disputing Darth Marr's interpretation of the facts. Stepping out of the light into the darkness, he noticed Darth Marr’s face plate was indeed resting on the desk the mass of the Dark Lord now sat behind. He folded his hands behind his back holding one wrist in the palm of the other hand and staring straight ahead, careful not to even give the impression he was looking at Marr’s shadowy visage.

“Hamner. Are you aware of what’s transpiring on Rishi at this moment?” Marr waited a moment to see some sign of recognition in Hamner, “No…of course you don’t. You are far too busy trying to find a way to reclaim your titles and your lands…too busy to worry about the affairs of the Empire.” The chair creaked again as Marr sat up forward. “I am going to remove that distraction, DARTH Hamner….” Marr emphasized the renewed honorific as Hamner did finally venture a gaze in Marr’s direction. He heard the chinking of ice against a glass as Marr sipped something setting the glass down hard on the surface of his rather large desk.

“You mean…you are restoring my title…removing the Death Mark?”

Marr sat back again the chair creaking again like it was going to break, “Yes. And by doing so removing that which distracts you so. Now, you will do my bidding and I will hear no backtalk or other subterfuge from you, is that clear?” There was no need for Marr to raise his voice, it was always slightly raspy and always low leaning toward whisper in a menacing way.

“What would you have me do then?”

Marr pressed a button on a panel in his desk the room finally lit crimson as the holomap of Rishi floated in the ions above the desk’s surface.

“Rishi. You and your…’bride’ will go at once. Seek out these rumors of Revenite camps I have been hearing about and pay a visit to one who owes this Empire a debt.”

Hamner nodded slightly turning on his heel and quickly moving to the door. The menacing voice stoped him again.

“Oh…something else. The Republic has already landed forces in that area searching for the same thing. Your ‘brother’ is leading the taskforce…”

Hamner couldn’t see the smile stretch across Marr’s scarred features as Hamner exited the room. It was time for Hamner and Major RT-946 Alpha, round two. And he would be there to reap the benefits of it.

Rishi

“You did what?!?!”

RT was beside himself with fury and pacing around the room angrily as Karolin sat, hands folded neatly in her lap a look of calm across her face.

“Why didn’t you just mail her an engraved invitation and tell her exactly what we are doing here, Karolin?!?!”

Porchia started to speak up from her chair in the corner of the room, but RT had already lifted a finger at her to silence. This was between him and his sister. Karolin shifted non-chalantly. It wasn’t the first time she had angered her brother and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. The fact that she was actually goading him with her calm and uncaring attitude gave her no end of pleasure. RT was only getting hotter. As he turned to once again unleash another verbal barrage at Karolin, she spoke softly and pointedly at her brother.

“She killed Marcus, RT. She tried to kill your daughter.”

The smile was not out of joy but anger as RT started shaking his head and wagging a finger angrily.

“No, no, no….you don’t get to put Marcus’ death on her! The Sith killed Marcus and you killed the Sith…” Karolin was quick to interrupt him, this time she was starting to lose her calm as her voice got slightly louder.

“But she let them in! By virtue…she killed Marcus, RT!” RT stopped looking down, he was about to try and continue explaining it away, Karolin knew she had him on the fence. “Then lets not forget she tried to put a blaster bolt through your only daughter’s brain pan.” He glanced over at Porchia who gave him a defiant look. But RT was mission focused as always.

“Both of you, we don’t have time for this. We have a job, a mission to perform.” Karolin regained her calm speaking softly and once again goading her brother.

“You have a mission. Shae Vizla is mine and Porchia’s mission…” That did it for RT as he exploded putting his face right on Karolin’s, he shot a hard glance at Porchia before he unleashed.

“You leave Porchia out of this! You have some personal vendetta against this woman then so be it. You are a loose cannon anyway and the Republic is not counting on your participation in this mission to begin with!” Porchia stood up, moving up next to her Dad.

“No, Dad!!! Aunt Karolin and I have been tracking this Bitch across 10 sectors! I am not about to let her finish this alone!” RT was about to remind Porchia that she was a child, his child…something Porchia anticipated. “And I am not 18 anymore! I can make my own decisions!” It was time for RT to give up, even though he didn’t want to. He stood up looking at them both with a steely gaze.

“You will get no support from the Republic. As their representative on this world I cannot authorize any action against Shae Vizla, wanted criminal or not. That is not our mission.” Karolin stood up next to Porchia, both women looking at him with the same steely gaze. They spoke in unison.

“We understand.”

Leaving the room without another word, Porchia knew she had hurt her Father, but it was the right thing to do. Karolin rubbed one of her shoulders.

“He’ll come around kiddo…just give him time. Now come, tell me what you’ve learned.”

Vaiken Spacedock

Long and black, the robes were not Mrysti’s usual fare as she preferred tight fitting and utilitarian in her clothing. She looked like every other Dark Lord on the station now, her face covered by the hood. She folded her hands together to tamp the gloves tighter on her hands. They stretched all the way to her elbows. Since discovering her power, she was now in the process of covering her hands at all times, lest she see the futures of anyone she touched. It was risky; the need to consume alcohol ANY alcohol, but the trip was a long one leaving her Master’s compound on Tatooine. Moving down the long staircase, she moved silently through the crowd careful not to brush up against anyone and staying clear of the thick of people mingling in the Cantina area. Marstel spotted his sister from the top of the adjacent staircase moving through the crowd. Cocking an eyebrow in curiosity he moved toward her. Marstel didn’t remove his eye from his sister as he navigated the crowd, she seemed to walk with a slight slump as if she was carrying a heavy weight or that she was trying to make herself smaller. Standing at nearly 7 feet tall, Mrysti was his only sibling that was even nearly his height. At nearly six and a half feet, Mrysti was actually doing quite well at hiding herself. It wasn’t until Marstel got within earshot and nearly touched her that she stood straighter. Hearing her brother’s voice Mrysti nearly backed into a Mandalorian to avoid Marstel touching her on the shoulder.

“Heya Sis….whoa…easy there.” Marstel reached out to steady his sister who stepped on the Mandalorian’s foot, instantly gaining his ere. An ere that subsided nearly as quickly once he saw the height of the huge Sith woman who had done the deed. Mrysti looked down at the Mando who merely grimaced in her direction, not wanting to pick a fight as Mrysti quickly stepped off the foot. She even managed an apology, much to Marstel’s surprise as he finally managed to get his huge hand around one of her darkly clothed elbows steering her away from the crowd. Her voice was higher pitched, meek and his opinion more feminine than he had ever heard her.

“I’m sorry, Sir…my apologies….” Marstel shot a warning look at the Mando just for good measure as he finally got his sister near a back table. He knew something was up with her, an apology, the voice…the way she moved. Marstel wasted little time.

“Sir? Apologies?? What tha ‘ell…Mrysti, what’s is going on with you?”, She quickly broke his grasp on her elbow taking a seat away from him across the table slowly, keeping her head shrouded in the hood. Marstel peered under it, they may not always be on the best terms, but this was family business. He could see the tracks of tears down both of her cheeks. “You’re crying…what’s ‘appened?!!?”

Mrysti slumped down in the seat making herself small again and creating more distance between her and Marstel.

“I-I Can’t tell you….it’s-It’s horrible, just horrible…” That voice from under the hood almost made Marstel smile. Mrysti always seemed larger than life, the consummate warrior; ruthless, unforgiving. That voice made Marstel instantly think of Karolin, Mrysti’s “twin” sister. It sounded like Karolin speaking, lest the tinged of an Imperial accent in her voice.

“Yea…well, I’m family. We been through horrible. Think I can handle it.” He folded his hands on the table top just looking at the figure in front of him, waiting for an answer. He would wait forever if he had to. Mrysti looked up slightly, just enough where Marstel could see her chin quivering slightly.

“I-I just needed a drink, Marstel. Something to calm my nerves…nothing more.” As she reached out to signal the bar droid, Marstel grabbed her hand. The reaction was not what he expected. Not only did she rip the hand from his grasp but nearly knocked them both out of their seats with the force in which she snatched the hand from him. Marstel started rubbing his hand as Mrysti now held hers, he could see her chest heaving from breaths. “Don’t. Touch. Me, Brother….ever again.” It sounded ominous and not entirely a threat, more like a warning. Now he had to know.

“Ok…now I gotta know.” Mrysti in fact had to know as well, it had been 48 hours since her brief lapse at her Master’s estate. Mrysti had to know if it was in fact true. Slowly she started taking off one of the stocking gloves that covered her hand laying the hand palm down on the table, just staring at it.

“Take my hand, Marstel….” He was still rubbing the hand she snatched away from as he cocked an eyebrow toward it.

“But you said, not to…” Mrysti gritted her teeth, some of the old rage she carried in her voice coming back into play.

“Just Kriffin’ do it, Marstel!”

Slowly, he lowered the sore hand until he laid his palm gently on top of her outstretched one. She grasped and caressed it lovingly, but only for a second….

<….It was a sun lit beach, on a sun lit world and the ocean stretched as far as the eye could see. Marstel was standing removing his boots to put his feet in the sand. The pale of his skin in sharp contrast to the violet color of the water. The waves caressed that foot as Marstel smiled looking up into the sun. It was quiet, peaceful and for the first time since the farm he felt part of the land again. His land, his home.

The shot rang out breaking the silence like a lightning bolt. Birds who had hidden themselves behind the dunes suddenly took to flight at the noise. Marstel turned slowly toward that sound, the sound that broke his solitude. Blood ebbed slowly from his mouth as he fell turning, to his knees. She knew he would be hard to kill. Marstel had not survived so long without taking a shot or two.

With his genetically enhanced vision, he saw her; sitting on the roof of their newly acquired beach house and suddenly all of the emotions that would have caused him to fight bled out with the hole in his chest. He slumped at his knees, lowering his head. His biggest regret was that not only was she killing him, but she was also breaking his heart. No longer able to fight he merely sat there waiting for the inevitable to come.

“Just do it…”

Katiaran squeezed the trigger of the rifle sending the second and final shot through his brain pan, not even an Alpha was coming back from that. She stood up slowly watching his body fall to the sand and finally stop moving…>

Mrysti broke contact with the hand abruptly nearly falling out of her chair and stumbling back against the rail of the staircase that led from the Cantina. To Marstel it seemed he had only just touched her hand a second ago, in that second Mrysti had witnessed her Brothers end. She bobbed and weaved wildly looking for an escape any escape, waiting for the images to fade. Marstel was already on her grabbing her by the shoulders. She fought to get away, but she wasn’t going anywhere in his grasp, not in her weakened state.

“Mrysti!!! Mrysti!! Stop…stop, it’s alright, it’s ok…what’s going on!!! Stop!” She finally relented slumping into her brother’s massive chest as he held on to her.

“I-I don’t know what’s happening to me…I have got to get rid of this, it’s killing who I am!” Marstel just shushed her as she finally calmed down enough where he could ease his grasp on her.

“It’s ok…I don know what’s happening. I don think I can help…” Mrysti looked at him from under the hood.

“I saw you die. I see everyone die, who ever I touch…I see their end. Marstel, I have been cursed and I don’t know what to do.” Marstel continued to shush her as he led her toward the stairs. She hid her hands carefully in the folds of her robe as they reached the top.

“I don know what I can do, Sis…this Force stuff is beyond me.” It hit her like a ton of bricks, Marstel had given her the answer and he didn’t even know it. Family was indeed everything. Her face turned from sadness to determination.

“Karolin…we have to find her. She will know what to do”

[Valikk]

Awesome!