Quote by Kixi Rajki / Å pela Kristijana Rajki - 2015-10-19.
CHAPTER 1.
The MXS Morihei Ueshiba, Kixi's own battleship streaked through the distorted space known as hyperspace en-route to Coruscant. She had been sent there by the Silver Sanctum Coalition on a mission to investigate illegal slavery. The Force thus far had guided her to Coruscant. Her mission was to locate the slaves, wherever they might be, free them and possibly apprehend the actual slave boss and then arrest him or her. Initially she was reluctant to take on this mission, however Kixi had been experiencing for some time now, visions that had come to her spontaneously while either conscious or in her sleep as nightmares. These disturbances were of things that appeared to have happened in her life, in a future past that she felt so real, that she had actually felt that she had lived them already. Many times she had tried to shrug these off as being pure mind tricks.
She had been through a lot in the past few years. Kixi had sought help. She found the Silver Sanctum Coalition and in particular, the Order of the Silver Jedi. She sought guidance and further training to her Jedi path, which she received with open arms. However even with all this, and with the guidance and training of her own Jedi Master Coci Heavenshield, no one could fathom why these visions of darkness kept appearing. At best, all they could do, was to remedy the problem, which had helped Kixi in many ways since now she could at least control her emotions. However it still wasn't enough. Kixi desperately sought an answer as to why this had been occurring and what it all meant. Surely it all had to mean something. The occurrences were simply too frequent and what she was experiencing had always been the same. Her Master Coci had strongly encouraged Kixi to partake in this mission. Although Coci had not been able to solve Kixi's problem with her visions, she did believe that this mission may in fact hold some key and vital answers to what Kixi desperately sought.
With the upcoming mission, she had sensed a connection through the Force. A calling so to speak. She felt that this mission that she was undertaking, boring as it may sound had some form of connection to all these dark visions and feelings she was spontaneously experiencing. At least hold some vital clues anyway. After all, she recalled from her many nightmares, a large Trandoshan creature who was some sort of slaver. For reasons known only through her connection with the Force, she was certain that the slaver she was looking for, was a Trandoshan, and possibly with almost perfect certainty, the Trandoshan in her visions.
Her ship finally reached the Sith controlled Coruscant system. She had to tread lightly on her mission. Her ship type was rare and actually the only one of its kind in the Galaxy. At least as far as Kixi was aware of. Her ship hopefully wouldn't be attracting too much or any unwanted attention, as long as Kixi and her crew made it so by laying low which they most certainly intended on doing so.
Coruscant was a heavily populated planet. The entire planet was one big mega city on its own, with levels upon levels of civilisations and cultures. From here she would use the Force to guide her. Just as she had done so from the beginning of this mission. Her feelings directed her to one small and very much insignificant bar within the billions of inhabitants and travelers that comprised Coruscant. The Fat Mynock Bar & Grill. Kixi would gather her elite team of warriors which comprised of her right hand man, Braj'tec Qarr, who would accompany her to the actual bar, and then her other two, Zasalamel Xiz'te'menel, her mentor and bodyguard, and lastly, Kes En'jusek, a woman who had served as her own personal spy and when the times had called, her own personal assassin. The latter two, Zasalamel and Kes wound not enter the bar with her. They would simply hang around near it, like two total strangers, and remain on high alert for when their services were inevitably required.
CHAPTER 2.
Vinskk strode into the Fat Mynock with an empty stomach and a voracious appetite. He made his way to a corner booth, shoving some offworlder hillbilly to the side without so much as a glance. The towering Trandoshan took a seat on the stained, torn seat and ordered a server droid in Dosha to bring his usual, a bowl full of grubs and worms, and a juma on the rocks. He then eyed the patrons of the slightly seedy establishment, stopping slightly on the Mandalorian and the offworlder he bumped into. His worn leather armor jumpsuit squeaked against the chair as he leaned back, thinking about profits and costs of today's special cargo, a live Ewok, imported straight from the Endor system to be sold as a plaything for a Hutt crimelord. His thoughts ran deeper, but he still focused on the environment around him, watching and ready for anything at a moment's notice.
Kixi had only just walked into Fat Mynock Bar & Grill herself. She very rarely travelled alone when it came down to visiting not very respectable places. She was accompanied by Braj'tec Qarr, an older large build man, whom was her right hand warrior. It wasn't that Kixi couldn't hold her own in a scuffle or fight, but the reality was that she was just a fragile woman and having a strong warrior by her side was always more reassuring.
As she walked towards the bar, she was disgusted as she saw a Trandoshan for no good reason knock a young green skin girl to the side as he slowly made his way to a corner booth. "Repulsive lizard creature", she whispered in Braj'tec's ear who nodded in acknowledgement. By the time the two walked where the green skinned girl had been, she had already picked herself up. Kixi walked straight up to her and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Hi there, I hope you are okay and not hurt from that fall. It's unfortunate we have to tolerate these animals in our society".
She glanced over to the booth where the big Trandoshan had sat and gave him and looked at him with disdain. He was only about a metre away, as Kixi was clearly trying to make a statement of disapproval. She wasn't concerned at all, as she had her concealed lightsabre with her as well as Braj'tec who was towering tall behind her. For some unknown reasons, the Trandoshan looked familiar, but she quickly shrugged off the thought as she hadn't been acquainted with any Trandoshans as far as she could remember. Turning back at the young green girl, Kixi made sure she was okay, in which she confirmed she was and carried on with her own business.
In the meantime however, Vinskk hissed in disdain at the Human's rude comment. An animal? Hey, she looked kind of familiar, almost like he had a dream of her or something, some faded memory. The Trandoshan shrugged at the occurrence. His meal was placed in front of him by the emotionless server, a still squirming bowl of bugs. He dug in with his talons. Delicious.
Downing his glass of juma, Vinskk pulled out his datapad and began to type gently, sending a message to a slaver contact in Sleheyron to prep for a large delivery. He was absorbed in the technology, not noting that the tall man that Kixi was with, would soon be within a few metre of him in the adjacent booth.
Kixi couldn't stop but wonder what that Trandoshan was up to. Surely being a lizard creature spelt a trouble maker in her eyes. She had dealt with similar creatures before and even fought bloody wars against them.
She turned her neck a fraction and whispered something to Braj'tec in her naitive tongue to him. You just never knew who was eavesdropping in such a feral place like the bar she was in.
"Try and see what that Trandoshan is up to, what he is doing with that data pad. And be discreet".
Braj'tec nodded slightly in acknowledgement as he first got himself a drink and then slowly walked to the booth adjacent to where the Trandoshan was seated. He discreetly peaked over at the Trandoshan and could see his data pad. The Trandoshan oblivious to the big man adjacent to him continued to type away.
"Please make preparations in advance for the large shipment of cargo incoming. There were not enough cages last time, and Semper Slaves Incorporated and the Hutts over us will not stand for anything below an excellent housing standard and quality for our specimens. Also, duly note that..."
The Trandoshan continued to type away, oblivious to the prying eyes of the Human behind him ordering a drink as Vinskk grabbed for another handful of grubs and crunched down on them.
Braj'tec could see everything that the Trandoshan was typing. He had an implant in his head that was recording all that he was seeing on the Trandoshan's data pad. He had to be discrete of course so he didn't dare turn to Kixi to acknowledge that he had possibly found whom she had been looking for. She was a Jedi, and she despised slavery. She was intent on busting the Trandoshan to the authorities. Braj'tec continued drinking his drink and minding his own business as he continued to note what the Trandoshan was entering on his data pad and would later on report it all to Kixi.
...seeking. cooperation to the utmost. Thank you for accommodating us.
Vinskk Revamp, CEO of Semper Slaves Incorporated.
The Trandoshan turned off the datapad and passed in the empty bowl to the server droid, tossing a few credits inside of it as a tip for the chef. Vinskk cracked his neck and for the first time noticed the large Human staring at him. Squinting in distrust, he fished out a earpiece and attached it to his head, creating the possibility of private calls.
Pulling out a comlink, Revamp called Liam Darkgear, his top soldier and most loyal slaver.
The call went out...
Ring, ring...
"What's up, boss?"
Vinskk looked around cautiously, then whispered in Dosha, which Darkgear was fluent in.
"My location. Bring some boys."
Darkgear hung up, not responding as per protocol. They already had their captain's location at all times, so no further communication was necessary.
On the Black Talon...
Darkgear and 5 men exited the ship, clad in cloaks and hoods, weapons carefully concealed. The Trandoshan's last known location was some dive called the Fat Mynock. They were walking over when the leader spoke up in his light accent.
"We don't know what the captain's into, so go in expecting anything, boys."
The company proceeded while Vinskk sat in his booth, senses on high alert. His blaster holster was already discreetly unclasped, ready for the slightest danger to begin opening fire.
Braj'tec ignored the Trandoshan who suddenly noticed him standing behind him. He only moved slightly acting all innocent.
"Excuse me",
he said politely and moved a metre or so away from him. He observed the Trandoshan putting an ear piece on and that he could no longer tap into what he was doing or saying. Braj'tec was an experienced militant. He knew the Trandoshan had suspected something and had probably called for backup.
Braj'tec still not dared look at Kixi. Instead he proceeded with what she would expect him to do next. Zasalamel, Kixi's advisor, mentor and body guard, an even bigger man than Braj'tec, was standing innocently talking to Kes, a woman who was Kixi's personal assassin just outside the entrance to the bar. The 2 were talking outside pretending to be two strangers who had just met. Braj'tec with his implant signalled them both of the possible pending danger and at the same time also alerted Kixi herself. He put down his drink and signaled a server droid for another drink, still not looking at neither the Trandoshsn or Kixi and pretending to be clueless.
The 6 men in total entered the Fat Mynock, spotting their Trandoshan boss immediately. Not very conspicuously, the huddled mass of men crossed the restaurant, taking a seat with Vinskk.
Darkgear lowered his hood, revealing his jet black hair, bright grey eyes, and scarred face. He was sitting directly across from Revamp, while the other men sat next to him and Liam in the booth, scanning the bar and grill discreetly. The experienced slaver and soldier asked a question quietly, trying not to attract any more attention than they already had.
"What happened, sir? Looks normal."
Revamp looked around carefully, searching for any eavesdroppers.
"Caught Human looking at my data pad. Could be assassins. Or spies. Or you-know-who could have sent someone for me."
Darkgear looked at the big guy that Revamp had gestured to discreetly. He quickly sized up the large, older man before addressing Vinskk again.
"Bugger's big, huh? I got a solution. Let's get the hell out of here. Another dive, another planet, wherever you wanna go, boss."
The Trandoshan nodded. While slavery wasn't exactly illegal under Sith rule, the planet was still Coruscant, a place known for 'culture' and all that bantha poodoo. Not the best place for a slaver.
"I'll finish my juma, then we'll go."
Darkgear nodded. The other men relaxed externally, but were in reality on alert, probing the seedy place for any militaristic looking figures or immediate threats.
Vinskk sipped his juma quickly.
Soon, they would leave.
Both Kixi and Braj'tec had caught on of what was happening.A crime boss for sure. And a slaver. Braj'tec had transferred the data from his implant into Kixi's. The trandoshan held innocent slaves prisoners. She had to intervene as a Jedi. Her methods were not exactly very orthodox however. Her elite team comprised of the sort that both the Silver Jedi nor her Master Coci would ever approve of. One of them just for the record, Kes En'jusek a woman only a few years older than Kixi, was a trained cold blooded assassin. Given the chance she would kill anyone she hated or disliked, Mako Zaneca who was Kiki's soulmate included.
Braj'tec walked around the Trandoshan and his men and towards Kixi. He ignored them and pretended to go by his own business. He was good at what he did and his tricks. Although the Trandoshan suspected something, he wasn't certain as it looked like Braj'tec was conducting other business completely irrelevant to that of the Trandoshan's. Speaking to Kixi only in Züncålidiom, Braj'tec spoke calmly to her and right where the Trandoshan and his 6 men could hear not caring as they would never undertand a word anyway.
"Kixi we can't take the fight in here, there are people and innocents everywhere, however it appears they are going to bail and make a run for it".
"Not to worry Braj'tec, we'll get them outside after they walk out".
Kixi spoke into her implant.
"Zasalamel, Kes, there are 7 men who are about make a run for it. Take up strategic postions and prepare to ambush them once they are clear of the door. I suggest you turn on your body shields now. Braj'tec and I will follow them out a few seconds later".
She got the acknowledgement and they moved into their respective tactical positions. While she was at it, she also contacted Mako to ready her D5-Mantis Patrol Craft known as the Phantom Chaser which was in the nearby vicinity. There was always the possibilty that Kixi and her crew could be overrun and she needed a plan B for escape. She looked at the Trandoshan who clearly had grabbed her attention.
"Oh hello there, I'm just trying to organise a get together with friends for a special occasion.They're all hopeless trying to get them in the one place".
She raised her hands in a gesture and smiled. Then signaled a server droid for another drink as she continued her charade. Looking at Braj'tec,
"Ready your body shield, mine is ready, as soon as they walk out, wait until they are out the door, by then Zasalamel and Kes would have surprised ambushed them. We then run out, have your weapon in hand and I'll have my lightsabre in hand".
She put her drink down and moved her upper body to the rhythm of the music. She looked again at the Trandoshan smiling as she almost appeared as if she were dancing on her seat. Hopefully he had no idea of what was about to happen.
"Well, that was easy enough".
Vinskk clicked at Darkgear again, this time in Dosha, with a knowing glare.
"Another one. A 'get togther'. She's ordering an ambush. Call the rest of the men."
Liam cocked an eyebrow in incredulity.
"Um, sir? All of them?"
The Trandoshan nodded slowly. The seasoned soldier shrugged and called it in.
Ring, ring...
"Yes, Mr. Darkgear?"
It was Free-Eyes who answered the call on the earpiece, Vinskk's Gran first mate and close friend, who virtually worshipped the Trandoshan Cartel Boss. Liam spoke in Granese, the language of Free-Eyes and a much less common tongue than Basic or Huttesse.
"Mr. Eyes. Do me a favor and send all the boys over to our location. Captain's orders."
The Gran slicer scratched the back of his head skeptically.
"Uh, sure. I mean, that's a lot of guys..."
Darkgear ended the call, nodding to his boss.
Meanwhile, on the Black Talon...
All 34 of the other soldiers and slavers began to gear up, putting light armor underneath heavy cloaks and concealed blasters. They left as a mass, splitting up into various groups to seem less suspicious. Free-Eyes himself led a group, cloak covering various weapons and gizmos and hood covering his three eyes.
The Trandoshan and his motley collection stayed put in the restaurant. It was a matter of time before his entourage came to pick him up.
Okay, less of an entourage and more like an army, but you get the point.
Braj'tec was no fool. He was too experienced as a militant to accept anything easy. He hadn't just transmitted the intel he had copied from the Trandoshan's datapad to Kixi's implant, but also to their ship, the MXS Morihei Ueshiba. By now their intelligence officers on board had decoded much information. Jhes Je'kesik, the head of intelligence onboard the Ueshiba had relayed something back to Braj'tec of matter of urgency. They spoke like always only in Züncålidiom.
"Braj'tec, the ship, the Black Talon is their ship and is within striking range of us. Yet they do not know we are, let us say their enemy".
"Copy that Jhes, I've just partially intercepted part of a conversation they just had now. You appear to be correct regarding the Black Talon.Worse still, he is assembling an army to meet us on the ground, we will be overrun if they land their soldiers. Hold one moment"
Braj'tec had been able to decode part of the conversation being spoken in Gran with his inplanted universal translator. Gran was still a language native to this galaxy and thus his translator was programmed to decript very much all languages native to it. He turned to Kixi who was also getting the feed from the ship.
"We either retreat or we stop those men of his from landing. Otherwise we lose the fight I'm afraid".
"Jhess, this is your captian Kixi, we have a dire situation here. If those troops land and get to our location, we will be heavily outnumbered. Given first officer Mako is not onboard, you are in command of the ship. Intercept the Black Talon and engage. Do not destroy the ship, I repeat do not destroy it. Only disable it.The slaves are onboard.To destroy it will defeat the purpose.You have the element of surprise. Strike hard before they realise what is happening and then get the hell out of there. Our ship model is unknown to them, the less they see of it, the harder it will be for them to identify us later".
"Copy that, moving into intercept course now, please standby".
All Kixi and Braj'tec could do now is wait and hope. The MXS Morihei Ueshiba indeed did catch the Black Talon off guard. The ambush was quick and swift, and as the crew on the Black Talon were not expecting it and were very much preparing a ground strike team, the Ueshiba managed to disable the ship, scan it to confirm the slaves were indeed on board, and then quickly make a run for it. Hopefully it would stall them for a while as surely there would be no chance of such an easy ambush on the Black Talon a second time.
"Kixi, it is done, however I suggest you hurry up with your business because I think I've just peed off a lot of people big time".
"Affirmative, we'll do our best down here but we may require your services again. Don't go to far".
Kixi looked at Braj'tec hiding the fact that she was extremely worried. The situation didn't look all that bright if those soldiers from that Black Talon got to them eventually. Kes and Zasalamel were still outside. She needed the Trandoshan and his 6 men outside of the bar. As long as it was them 7 versus the 4 of them, they could easily win the fight. Zasalamel alone couild probably take out most of the Trandoshan's men. He afterall had tought Kixi most of what she had known about fighting and combat and was almost 2 metres tall and a huge man.
She spoke in Basic again so that the Trandoshan could understand her, pretending to look all frustrated at the lack of organisation.
"This is hopeless Braj'tec, I rock up here and those 2 are stuck in their offices with clients. I mean why now. When we should be all here celebrating and drinking".
She sighed or rather pretended to in her pretense act of frustration.She was hopeful that maybe now he and his thugs would leave the bar so she could take him down and into custody.
Vinskk nodded to his entourage inside, standing up.
"Let's go."
The 7 men stood and crossed the restaurant, reaching the exit. The cloaked slavers huddled around Revamp, forming a protective formation.
They left then, the party outside the bar and grill. The group waited there for the rest of the group to show up from the streets, unaware of the attack on the Black Talon...
CHAPTER 3.
Kixi and Braj'tec pretended to pay little attention as the Trandoshan and his men left the bar. Kixi spoke through her inplant to both Zasalamel and Kes.
"They're coming. His men are protecting him. Engage them once they are out. Eliminate all but the Transoshan and his head man who is standing to the right of the Trandoshan".
They achnowledged her and as they did, both Kixi and Braj'tec made a run for the door, with lightsabre ignited and blaster in hand respetively, and to the sudden unexpecting attention to the rest of the patrons in the bar.
As the 7 men walked out, they were quickly and swiftly ambushed. First a 2 metre tall dark hooded man came at them at mega lightening speed. With a scythe almost as long as the man himself, he instantly diced two of the front men. And then before anyone else could react, a much smaller woman, also quick was able to jump to the side of one of the other men, put a strangling cord behind his neck, bring him to the ground and choke him to death in mere seconds. The Trandoshan and the remaing 3 men were about to obviously pull out their own blasters when one of them also went down courtesy of a blaster bolt from Braj'tec's own blaster rifle, and a second a moment after that fell headless as Kixi severed it with her lightsabre. This left only the Trandoshan and his main man Darkgear left standing. Kixi by this stage had ordered her men to stop. The four of them surrounded the two, weapons fully trained on them.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here. An ugly green lizard scumbag. Now what shall we do with him hey?"
Kixi spoke with a huge smile on her face feeling all good about herself that she had suckered the Trandoshan in believing she was just a harmless woman at the bar.
"You can start by dropping your weapons, both of you. Then both of you get on your knees and hands behind your heads. You lizard man have something I want. Aboard that ship of yours the Black Talon. The slaves, hand them over now! Oh and speaking of your ship, I've had my ship disable it, so that little army you were preparing for me and my buddies here I'm afraid isn't gonna show up. Lastly in the name of the Republic, I am placing you both under arrest".
Both lowered and then dropped their weapons, or at least the ones that Kixi and her men could see. The got on their knees with hands behind their heads as ordered to do so. The Trandoshan starred directly into Kixi's eyes, he hissed and gave her a death stare. And then it hit her like a herd of banthas. She had for well over a year now been seeing visions of events that had felt like she had experienced them, had been there, but had never happened. Or she believed it to be the case. She had seeked help from the best Jedi masters, yet they too were only at best able to remedy the problem. Her own Jedi Master, Coci Heavenshield too could solve this mysterious puzzle. No one including Kixi understood why, but in the centre of all these visions was a Trandoshan. The name came to her. "Vinskk!". Kixi's face suddenly went pale, she felt sickened, very sickened. The Trandoshan had guttered Mako and had been ready to kill her before she managed to change everything in a nick of time. The memory had come back.
"You are Vinskk, Vinskk Revamp, would I be correct"?
She turned off her lightsabre to the surprise reaction of her other 3 companions.
"Have you lost your mind, what in the name of the Force are you doing Kixi"
Braj'tec snapped his words at Kixi but didn't dare take his eyes off both the Trandoshan and his one remaining man.
"Vinskk we were once friends, and then you turned on me, however I doubt that you would remember".
Kixi who was shaking inside due to her revelation, and Vinskk starred at one another for several seconds, silently as Mako's D5-Mantis came in hovering and remained there. Braj'tec had called Mako in, as he knew Kixi all too well enough to have realised that all of a sudden, something wasn't quite right with her.
"Karking hell...Kixi?"
The sudden familiarity, hitting him harder than the swift deaths of his men had, was like a sucker punch to the gut of the Trandoshan. All those dreams he had, dreams of the Jeedai, him killing a woman while another screamed in horror...this one was in it, and her name was Kixi Rajki.
"Yes, that's my name. And you're Kixi Rajki. I...I don't know you, but at the same time..."
What the hell was going on? Just being near this woman was giving him a splitting headache. Darkgear was silent, quietly mourning the deaths of the men who served with him on Revamp's crew.
Vinskk wasn't in fear, but he was definitely perturbed by this. What did it mean? How did he know her?
Kixi began walking closer to the Trandoshan but then stopped short. She wasn't afraid. Even with her lightsabre now switched off, she still had the Force and her 3 top warriors surrounding both Vinskk and Darkgear with their weapons trained on them. She suddenly got a massive headache as she had neared the Trandoshan. She put one hand on her forehead and closed the eye next to where her hand was momentarily to try and ease the pain. Her right hand warrior, Braj'tec and her advisor and bodyguard Zasalamel were on extremely high alert by this stage. They didn't quite approve of what Kixi was doing. Kes the assassin woman yelled out to her.
"Just kill them already, or I'll gladly do it if you are too soft or have no flamming guts".
"Quiet!"
Kixi snapped back at her.
"So Vinskk, you remember me, or a bit at least.......good".
Kixi took in a deep breath. Inside she was shaking. She did her best not to show it, although her two male warriors could see it as they knew her all too well and were ready to pounce again if everything were to suddenly go haywire again.
"You owed me a life debt, we were on a mission to get something at the Jedi temple, an artifact. I retreived it. We had encounted a Botham spy, he wouldn't talk so I threatened to kill his family and then you turned against me. I was consumed by the dark side of the Force back then and had decided to chase you and even unleash some kind of biological weapon on your home word. One that I wouldn't be able to replicate now, as for one I don't have your species sample anymore to modify the Genghis virus, and two I have changed. I, I, I wouldn't do such horrible things anymore".
She looked around at the slain bodies of the Trandoshan's men not too sure about the last part she had just said and continued.
"Well not kill unless it is necessary that is. I had failed my mission and was captured by the Sith. You were carrying out the executions. You killed Mako first and were about to kill me, but I was able to use that artifact which I had replicated in my own body using some kind of replicating technology and change everything. For the good".
She half smiled at him slowly.
"Yes for the good indeed. And now we are here. You although have not changed a bit. I want to cut a deal with you. I was going to arrest you, but after this revelation, I don't want you anywhere near me. All I want is what I came here for. The slaves. Hand them over and you and your buddy there will be free to go. Contact your ship, the Talon and have the slaves loaded onto a shuttle. Have one of your pilots fly it to my ship, the Morihei Ueshiba in which I can arrange the co-ordinates for, and then once the drop off is complete, your pilot can fly back. My men and I will then board that Flyspray hovering just above us and you will be free to go".
She took a few paces back and crossed both her arms and gave the Trandoshan her unmistakenly evil smile of what would happen if he were to double cross her.
"Of course any funny business and you're both dead. This means no special forces are to go on that shuttle, just the slaves and the pilot flying the ship. No bombs, no hidden bombs on the slaves, and yes we can scan for all that with our advanced sensors before your shuttle would get to my ship, and no sending any reinforcements to our position here".
She pointed her arm and finger at him and then crossed her arms again and gave him what was clearly a fake smile.
"So the choice is yours. What is it going to be. If you ask me it is a great deal given your current predicament. You lose the slaves, but get to live and walk free, and on top of all that, fight another day doing all the dispicable crimes that you clearly do best".
She waited for the Trandoshan to decide. Hopefully he had no other tricks up his sleeve. Her head felt like it was going to explode. All she wanted now, was to leave with the slaves and finish the primary part of her Jedi mission.
CHAPTER 4.
Both Vinsk and Liam Darkgear were on their knees with both hands behind their backs as Kixi paced in a circle around them. Her three elite warriors had their weapons trained on then.
"If you would allow me to pull out my comm unit so I can contact the Talon, I will fulfill your request Jeedai".
Kixi stopped pacing a good metre shy of where the Trandoshan was standing and nodded in approval. She gave him a distasteful look as she half grinned at him trying to express her superiorness. At least she thought she was. However the Trandoshan did unknowingly have one card left to play. Both Braj'tec and even Zasalamel were now getting extremely anxious at the fact regarding Kixi's cockiness. She was only standing a metre from both captives and unnecessarily so. Sure she had the three of them with weapons trained on them, sure she had the Force and sure she had her body energy shield on. However if the Trandoshan decided he had nothing to lose, there really wasn't much to stop him from realistically maiming Kixi before they took him out".
"Free-Eyes come in. Free-Eyes this is Vinskk".
Free-Eyes answered the comm promptly as Vinskk explained the situation. During the conversation Free-Eyes also informed the Trandoshan in regards to how their ship had been ambushed and disabled by another ship, and thus why the ground reinforcements he had requested had never arrived.
"So we'll send shuttle Gamma to the co-ordinates you gave us regarding their ship with all the slaves. This will take at least 20 minutes to get all slaves on board. I hope that's reasonable".
Vinskk held the comm out to Kixi so she could here it, as Kixi nodded in approval.
"It is".
Vinskk eyed Kixi with pure hatred as he spoke in his comm to confirm Kixi's approval to Free-Eyes. Little did Kixi know however that shuttle Gamma was a code word meaning to dispatch a transport to their location, and to instead ambush Kixi and her warriors. The ship was already nearby. It was actually Vinskk's ride back to the Talon. The ship was a Pursuer Class Enforcement Ship. Small, but well armed and adequate for the tasks it was designed for. It would sneak up behind Mako's hovering D5-Mantis and disable it. Temporarily at least which would put her out of the playing field for the few minutes that both Vinskk and Darkgear would need to then be able to escape unchallenged. It would then fire shots on the ground near them which would send all three of Kixi's warriors ducking for cover. As for Kixi only standing a metre from him, his intent was to lunge at her, grab her and incapacitate her. Then take her onboard his transport and kill her once and for all.
Kixi paced around slowly circling both Vinskk and Darkgear. Again only staying a metre from them. She spoke in ridicules, mocking them both, grinning and laughing as she waited for confirmation that the slaves onboard the Talon were being readied on the Shuttle Gamma. Of course that's what she was being lead to believe was happening.
"Only the Victor can decide what is justice".
Kixi put both hands in the air mockingly as she spoke and made faces at her captives. Braj'tec and the others felt very uneasy regarding Kixi's behaviour. They would've preferred if she had just stood back at a safer distance while they waited for the slave transfer.
"You pathetic Kerr".
She pointed a finger at the Trandoshan as she kept pacing around him in circles.
"The moment of victory. I love it".
Once again she stopped and put both hands in the air in a mocking manner as she spoke in an almost childish voice chuckling to herself.
Then suddenly she was unexpectedly interrupted. A small ship appeared out of nowhere. It fired several weak ion blasts at the Mako's ship, the Phantom Chaser. It caused the ship to suddenly lose power forcing it to land. At the same token, it fired several ion bursts on the ground near where Kixi and the others were standing. As Kixi's three elite warriors instinctively ducked for cover, Kixi who was momentarily off her guard got lunged at from the Trandoshan. He put his powerful arm around her neck, hand on her mouth and forced her on the ground. He tried to snap her neck, however Kixi's body shield was the only thing that had prevented the Trandoshan from succeeding. Kixi struggled in the grip of the powerful Trandoshan's grip. She had tried to take out her lightsabre only to drop it on the ground. She gurgled and struggled for breath. He held her firmly as her body twitched violently but to no avail.
The Pursuer Class Enforcement Ship landed and Darkgear ran and opened the small side door. Vinskk dragged Kixi along with him, arm still wrapped around her neck. He forcefully dragged her on the ship. As she was pushed into the ship, she managed to kick her leg up on the door's control panel that in effect caused the door to stay open. Her kick had been assisted by the Force and thus strong enough to actually damage the doors controls which prevented the door from being shut.
"Signal the pilot to lift up slowly while that door is still open. Go get the necessary tools to get it shut".
The ship lifted slowly as Darkgear quickly explained the situation to the pilot and ran to another compartment to get his tools. In the meantime Vinskk held on to Kixi tightly. Arm firmly around her neck as he kept the rest of his body weight on her to keep her on the floor. She couldn't move. Her legs and arms twitched slowly as she struggled and gurgled under his grip. Had it not been for her body shield, she would've been dead by now. However her shield was depleting fast under the stress it was under. If she didn't do something quickly, she would soon be dead.
She slowly felt weaker and weaker. She had had both her arms and hands on the Trandoshan's arm who was pushing down at her neck. Although he couldn't yet strangle her because of her body shield, she could nonetheless feel the pressure of his strength and weight. It still hurt and she was losing strength. Eventually she dropped both arms and hands flat and stretched them out on the floor, twitching slowly for a few more seconds, but that eventually stopped too. She lay limp on the floor, but remained conscious.
Now that she lay limp on the floor, completely helpless and at his mercy, he began to punch her repeatedly in the gut. His punches had some trouble penetrating her body shield but it worked to further weaken the shield. It also hurt Kixi like hell. She groaned and groaned in pure agony as he hit her again and again. The shield was almost depleted. In fact it was now depleted on her face. The Trandoshan then put the hand he had punched her in the gut with and grabbed her neck, which still had some shielding, and with the arm that previously was wrapped on her neck, used his elbow to smack Kixi's forehead several times. He put one of his knees on her gut to ensure that she wouldn't be able to move. She stopped groaning. He stared down at her blue crystal like eyes. His eyes were filled with pure hatred.
"Who's the victor now? Me sees now that laugh no more you do. Soon you'll breathe your last breath you Jeedai scum. This is real justice you murdering troll!"
As he said that Kixi's eyes rolled back. The Trandoshan pulled out a small knife and slashed Kixi under her left eye. She didn't even scream, but rather moved her head slightly to the side and back a few times as blood oozed out from under her left eye where the Trandoshan had slashed at her. She was moments away from falling unconscious. If she did, then death would be an absolute certainly for her.
Although the Trandoshan lay on top of her, one of her arms and hands that were spread across the floor was behind the Trandoshan. Kixi had observed several large containers in the compartment they were in before she had been forced to the ground and held down. She had to get the Trandoshan off of her now, otherwise it would be all over for her. She had to summon the Force now.
Images suddenly flashed through Kixi's mind. In a Sith holding cell, the same Trandoshan guttering a half cyborg version of Mako before her and then killing her and then moving on to kill her. The altered timeline. Vinskk who was looking directly down at Kixi had just witnessed the same images flash his through his mind too. They were linked together in that now altered timeline. Vinskk was now setting out what he had not been able to complete previously. That was to eradicate Kixi from existence once and for all.
Concentrating and using the arm and hand that the Trandoshan couldn't see, she slowly lifted several of those containers. She had to exert a lot of energy just to lift them in the air. Her body shield suddenly failed as the Trandoshan now was able to fully grab her neck and choke her. Kixi began gargling for breath. Then the Trandoshan loosened his grip slightly and spoke.
"You're deserved fate has finally arrived Jeedai space witch. Now you get a taste of your own medicine you murderous slime. Any last words before I finally have the pleasure to end your worthless life?"
As he spoke his words of hatred, the containers that Kixi had hovering hit the Trandoshan on the head and body. He let go of Kixi as a result and stumbled backwards. As he did so, Kixi rolled around and got up. Coughing and in complete pain and agony, she hopped and limped to the door that was stuck open. The ship had risen very high up by now. Kixi could see a small hold on handle just next to the outside of the door on the ship's body. She grabbed it with one hand and arm for support and stood near the door. At this point Darkgear had returned with the tools to fix the door so it could be closed, only to find his boss Vinskk picking himself up from the floor and Kixi half in and half out the ship's door.
CHAPTER 5.
Kixi starred at the Trandoshan in shock and in disbelief. Disbelief that she had still allowed him to grab her so quickly and pull her into his ship while her three best warriors had had him surrounded. Her gash under her left eye which had only been inflicted moments ago by the Trandoshan oozed blood. He had repeatedly beat her to force her on the ground, where she struggled against the brute strength of the lizard creature. Had it not been for her own personal protective force shield, he would've by now, had ripped her apart with his own claws and slashed her throat. This was of course on top of strangling her. Her shield had now failed. She was weak and vulnerable due to the excessive and repeated beating she had just experienced. She could barely stand as she clung onto the frame of ship's door. She coughed and even splattered blood from her mouth as she did so. She locked gazes with him. He was no doubt going to kill her. There was no talking her way out of this one. Not after she had just been responsible for killing five of his best men.
How ironic she thought. She could've have killed him only minutes ago. Kes her personal spy and assassin had cursed at her for not doing so, and yet here she was now, at the Trandoshan's mercy who would clearly show none. Ironic indeed. If alternate timelines were to still count, this would be the second time now she had spared him only to once again be at his mercy again. The last time she had had a plan and escaped, but now.......
"You will die space witch. I'm going to enjoy tearing your body apart. Your head will make me an awesome trophy and serve as a reminder for anyone who dares challenge me again in the future".
The words angrily came out of Vinskk's mouth. Kixi decided to speak, although she was coughing a lot of blood and the sheer effort of speaking had become a total struggle.
"Wa wa wait".
She struggle to say as she put one arm and hand up at the Trandoshan.
"Hear me out. I could've killed both you and your head man, but I spared you both. Repay me the favour. Pleeeeease".
She almost sounded as if she were begging or pleading for her life. A few minutes ago it was her that had his life at her mercy. How quickly the situation had changed. And it wasn't looking too bright for her either.
"Loo, loo, look at me. You have already beaten me up, you've virtually won. I've lost all my pride and have been shamed. Let me go".
She now put her hand on her chest which hurt like hell as she spoke and coughed. She was in agony with no where to go. She moved her head a fraction to look out the door. Wind blew her blonde hair to the side as she looked down. The ship had risen a least a kilometre in the air by now. Her three elite warriors below looked like small specs, no longer able to aid her.
Her other hand and arm was wrapped around a handle on the outside of the door frame, she now did the same with the other. She looked like a little girl, hurt and helpless against the predator who stood before her. Half her body hung out from the ship, now a good 1.5 kilometres in the air at least. The wind blew her air to one side and strongly against her face. It felt like it had some weight behind it making her body ache even more and holding on an even greater struggle.
"You should've killed me when you had had the chance then".
The Trandoshan laughed at her.
"Look at at you, you're pathetic. You cry like a little girl and squeal like a rat. I'm going to so enjoy killing you painfully and slowly".
Kixi looked down at the ground again, and back up at the Trandoshan. Then she looked down once more and back up.
"You wanna jump out you karking troll".
The Trandoshan laughed even louder.
"Be my guest. You're a dead witch anyway".
The Trandoshsn began closing in on Kixi, his sharp claws out ready to grab her, and throw her back inside and then slowly rip her apart. He would first dig into her body with his sharp claws and make her feel pain, then he would gut her and finally he would slit her throat and make sure she was dead by holding his hand on her mouth and nose and strangle what ever last breath she might have left in her. From there he would cut off her head as a trophy. He was going to enjoy this as he watched his pray helplessly before him. She almost looked as if she were crying.
"You brought this one upon yourself Jeedai".
Kixi could read his evil thoughts, she was going to die with all certainty if she didn't jump. Now easily well over two kilometres high, she had no choice. Whatever energy she had left, she would call on the Force to try to slow down or break her fall. The choice was now simple. Don't jump and be slain at the hands of the Trandoshan. Jump and possibly survive. She gave the Trandoshan a look of hate and disdain.
"You may have won the battle, but you won't win the war. This isn't over. I will hunt you down to the edges of the galaxy if I have to".
As Kixi spoke those words, the Trandoshan leaped at her, both claws out to finally silence her, but Kixi let go of the handle she was holding and allowed herself to free fall towards the ground far below her. She plunged ground wards to what for most people would have been certain death. However with the Force, Kixi still had a remote fighting chance to survive this.
The falling distance was probably far too great for her to be able to slow down from in her deteriorated state. Normally it wouldn't have been a problem, but the Trandoshan had repeatedly beaten her up. She had already used up most of her energies to barely survive that altercation. And then there it was. Mako's D5-Mantis. It was flying up towards her. Her odds of surviving the fall had suddenly drastically improved.
The distance between the two ships, that is the one she had just jumped out from and Mako's was only around 50 metres apart. Much easier to slow down from than the more than two kilometres she originally had fallen from. Mako could see her falling towards her. She initiated a reverse course and slowly began a descent down. This was to further help soften Kixi's landing on the ship. Kixi closed her eyes and concentrated heavily on the force with whatever energy she had had left. She managed to slow down the fall to around 40 kph, on a ship that was descending downwards in in the same direction at around 30 kph. Therefore impact speed of Kixi's body hitting the ship was only at around 10 kph as she violently rolled around on the ship's surface to further break her fall. She was about to fall off the ship as a result, but Braj'tec was there waiting on top of the ship for her and grabbed her just in the nick of time. Mako stopped her gradual descent and kept the ship hovering as Braj'tec slowIy carried Kixi back into the ship from the small hatch in which he had come out from.
Braj'tec took Kixi in to the small infirmary onboard Mako's D5-Mantis as the ship abruptly shot skywards in pursuit of the Trandoshan's ship. There in the infirmary, an emergency medical droid immediately attended to Kixi's wounds. Kes was present, as Braj'tec now in command of the mission instructed her to stay with Kixi and the medical droid. He quickly then made his way to the Phantom Chaser's cockpit where Zasalamel sat in the co-pilot's seat next to Mako.
CHAPTER 6.
Mako was in close pursuit to the Trandoshan's ship. By the time Braj'tec had entered the cockpit, they had already broken out of Coruscant's atmosphere and were in the blackness of space. Although Blackness wasn't all it was as Coruscant stood out well below them as a bright lit up ball. And of course the many ships in its orbit and beyond.
"I'm slowly closing in, I should have him within missile lock range in approximately less than a minute".
"Good. For what he just did to Kixi, he deserves to die".
Mako softly and with deep concern on her voice asked regarding Kixi as she continued starring directly ahead at the ship she so much wanted destroy. Not long ago she hadn't really cared of the Trandoshan. She just wanted Kixi to do whatever she had to, to free the slaves, however after what he had just did to her soulmate, her best friend, all she could think of was payback.
"How is Kixi doing back there?"
"She had suffered a bit of a beating and is hurt, but she's strong. She'll make it. The med droid at back is attending to her now, and she'll get full treatment once we get back to the Ueshiba. Kes is at her side too".
"Kes ah".
Mako said in a very distasteful voice. Mako and Kes didn't get along. In fact Kes resented and despised Mako.
"I guess Kes is no good up here at the moment, so she might as well keep poor Kixi company".
"Okay Mako, I know you would rather be with Kixi right now, and that relations between Kes and yourself are tense. Once this this is over you can be with her, however right now I need you to fully concentrate on the task at hand".
"Right".
"Looks like we have a problem, look at the starboard viewpoint. Ships incoming and closing in on our position".
Zasalamel pointed out with extreme concern.
"Looks like Sith fighters. Four of them dammit!"
"One of those alone is vastly superior to us".
"Break off your pursuit".
"What! I've almost got a lock".
"And by the time you do, they'll have us for breakfast meaning we'll be either all killed or captured, neither a prospect I want to experience".
"But..."
"That's an order Mako, break off pursuit now".
Mako reluctantly complied. She broke off the pursuit and started off in a direction to pull away from the closing Sith fighters.
"I'm redirecting all weapons power to engines. I'm also directing all forward shields to engines. Since we're running, we won't be needing them now and can use the extra boost".
"Absolutely".
"Zasalamel, punch in these hyperspace jump coordinates in the Nav computer. It's the location to where the Ueshiba should've jumped to earlier on and not far from here".
The Sith fighters were still closing in on the D5-mantis' position, despite Mako's best efforts to increase their speed. The Sith fighters were now within firing range. A volley of blue fire came out of their cannons. It wasn't laser fire, but ion blasts. Their intent was clearly to capture them, not kill. Although one would beg to differ in the end as being captured by the Sith would spell a torturous and painful death. The D5-Mantis shuddered and shook violently as ion fire from the Sith fighters hit it again and again.
"How long until we can make the jump to hyperspace".
"Around 40 seconds at best".
Mako yelled as she performed several evasive manoeuvres avoiding some, but clearly not all of the Sith ion blasts.
"That is cutting it to close to my liking dammit".
"Shields at 20%, and falling fast, they're too quick, we're not going to make it".
Sparks began going off from controls and panels all over the ship as it took more and more fire. The ship violently bucked and rocked as suddenly another larger ship emerged from hyperspace directly ahead of them.
"What in the name of......... It's the Ueshiba!"
Volleys of laser fire suddenly burst out of the Defiant class battleship. The four Sith fighters that were attacking the D5-mantis were vaporised within seconds. They had no time to react as the Ueshiba had just appeared suddenly out of nowhere. It's third officer currently in its command, Jhes Je'Kesik was getting good at quick strike ambushes at enemy ships. Previously she had used the Ueshiba to attack the Trandoshan's Black Talon in a surprise ambush to successfully disable it.
"Boy are we glad to see you. How did you know we were in trouble?"
"Kixi, you can have your commanding officer Kixi to thank".
"Kixi? But she is back in the med room getting treatment. How was she...."
Kes entered the cockpit and cut Braj'tec's speech off.
"She sensed the Sith threat through the Force. She then contacted the Ueshiba who wasn't far and gave then our co-ordinates. She never gives up and is one tough warrior. Oh yeah, she'll recover, her injuries aren't as bad as they look".
"Okay peoples, enough of the chit chatter, you can talk, banter, glorify each other or whatever later, we're not out of the woods just yet. Sith capital ships heading our way. Get the heck inside the hanger bay now so we can say goodbye to this place".
"You'll get no objection regarding that from us".
Mako was already almost in the hanger bay of the Ueshiba as Braj'tec and Jhes were exchanging words. Not long after they had landed in the Ueshiba's hanger bay safely. The battleship was already in the process of powering up its hyperdrive, however there was one more piece of drama that was yet to unfold.
CHAPTER 7.
Mako ran to the D5-Mantis' med room where Kixi was standing and ready to exit the ship. She ran into her arms and hugged her closely.
"You're okay, I was so worried. Your face, it has been scarred, no!"
"It will be okay Mako, it's not as bad as it looks. I'm going to be okay and we're together now. That's all that matters. All is going to be good my love".
They smiled at one another and then kissed. Kes walked straight past them. Unnoticed by either she gave Mako a death stare and continued to the ship's exit. She hated Mako, couldn't stand her, and if it wasn't for Kixi's feeling towards her, Kes would gladly have strangled the life force from her with pure pleasure by now. She just couldn't understand what she saw in her.
At the Ueshiba's bridge, minutes later, Braj'tec, Zasalamel and Kes entered. Kixi who was limping and holding on to Mako entered shortly after.
"The Sith capital ships are flanking us. That Black Talon is ahead and blocking our hyperspace jump route".
"Charge up the Zinglon weapons and open up a channel to the Talon".
The armoury officer complied as he initiated the Zinglon weapons, as the acting communications officer attempted to open a channel to the Talon. It was answered. Vinskk the Trandoshan could be seen on the main Holoprojector of the Ueshiba's bridge, along side him was his second in command, Liam Darkgear.
"How unfortunate, you're foul rotten existence is consuming the air we breathe Kixi Rajki. Looks like somehow you've managed to cheat death again".
"Charming".
Kixi smirked at the Trandoshan's sarcasm as she held on to Mako's shoulder. She really should've been in the ship's medical centre given she was in bad shape, however that would have to wait for until they made their escape to hyperspace.
"Vinskk, you are nothing more than a criminal. Nothing more and nothing less. You might think you have honour, but your honour amongst criminals hardly counts for anything as far as I am concerned. I had plenty of chances to kill you. As a Jedi I'm clearly superior than you and you know it. Yet I spared you each time only for you to take advantage of the situation. Now whilst I would expect that if you could escape you would, trying to kill me in cold blood when I'm vulnerable due to my somewhat sympathy towards you, holds absolutely no honour at all".
"Oh the words of a fallen hero of the pitiful Republic. I've heard them many times, oh please save us all from having to listen to the karking rehearsed rubbish. If you have any last words to say for yourself or on behalf of your crew, do say them now Jeedai, you're trapped".
"On the contrary, I'm going to get through and make the jump to hyperspace, so the Sith pursuing us from behind and to our flanks will not get to us".
"Ha! You're very optimistic aren't you. How? I'm blocking your path. It's all up to me on weather I move out of your way you fool".
Kixi put her free hand on her stomach and bowed slightly as she clearly mocked the Trandoshan with her next set of words.
"Then I should be grateful that it is not up to you"
She took her hand off her stomach and gave the Trandoshan a half smile cocky look.
"And now you are about to move out of my path, you karking piece of filth, you pathetic kerr!"
"And just how do you suppose you're going to make me? This ship is now fully armed and ready. You're little lucky surprise attack your crew did earlier to disable my ship will not work this time. Surrender now and I'll ensure you get a quick and painless death. That's for you and you're crew. Hell we might even spare most of your crew and enslave them instead".
Kixi laughed at the Trandoshan as she discretely signalled the chief armoury officer to fire the Zinglon weapons at the Talon in which he already had a weapons lock on.
"You laugh at me Jeedai. Is that how you wish to live your final despicable moments. No one who laughs at me ever lives, no one!"
Just as the Trandoshan spoke his words, alerts beeped that the Ueshiba was powering up weapons. Their crew had already raised shields to max.
(Continued in first comment area).
