Private A Dark Beacon Through The Force

[Malka Kaivalya]

Location: A half decayed Moon in the Unknown Region of Space, 4 days travel from region border
Tags: Darth Ophidia Sasmay Cull Milla Caranthyr Darth Vird

---

The Unknown Region of Space. An untempered expanse of unthinkable creatures, cosmic storms and unspeakable secrets. What was housed in its dark and dangerous mists were just as it was titled, Unknown. There have been many to explore the dangerous space, with few to tell about it. Just over a decade ago, a group of Jedi Knights and Padawans ventured to the darkness, with only one casualty. The one lost, was Malka Kaivalya. A human woman with a special talent in the Force and her lightsaber skills. Many had said her to be a Prodigy. It was never said how she was lost, only that they could do nothing about it. For years, the Unknown Region of Space had kept this tragedy a secret. Another truth buried under destruction, wild cosmic winds and rocks dense enough to block even the largest of starships.

But not everything is lost forever, and it can come back worse than when it was first founded. Through the all encompassing reach of the Force, a disturbance rippled across it, reaching even the most war focused Sith and Jedi. The presence was one of Hate, yet Sadness. Like a being somewhere had called out at the dark through the very binder of all life. To the average user of the Force it was untraceable, but those that possessed a talent for the Force could. It was a cry, or a beacon, that reached days into the Unknown Space. Through meteor showers and asteroid belts, a lone moon, half broken apart and unstable, residing in an unbalanced environment. There, somewhere on the large rock, was the source of the tremor.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Sometimes, the Force would send a call to those who listened.

And the Sith were always listening to the calls of the dark side of the Force. They were drawn to displays of power, of passion, but particularly to outbursts of deeply felt hatred. Like bears to the honey, they had sniffed it out, but Darth Ophidia was first to plant her feet on the broken moon. She could feel its atmosphere barely sticking together, clinging for dearest existence.

Struggling, as all things should.

Not far from the moon, a ship had attached itself to a major piece of debris and hid, and watched. No shuttle had left it, yet Darth Ophidia stood on the moon all the same.

The source, the beacon as some would say, was not far. A short walk, she presumed.

Like a slender pillar of grey stone, clad in layered fabrics in hues of ink and charcoal, she simply walked across the surface of the moon. Her face, hidden within the deep hood, barely allowed one to view the tip of her nose, her lips and chin. Her eyes, while obscured in the shadow of the hood's embrace, glowed like embers, unblinking, steady, and watching.

She appeared unarmed, with a presence in the Force barely more than that of an ant, and with no thoughts or intent rolling from her mind like it did with so many.

Malka Kaivalya

 

[Darth Vird]

Tags: Malka Kaivalya , Darth Ophidia , Milla Caranthyr , Sasmay Cull

The Sith... they display power, hatred, anger. This one who was abandoned on this world had displayed such power. It is the way of the Sith to display power, anger, and hatred. It is the goal of a Sith to gain unlimited power. However, passion gains a Sith Strength, through Strength; a Sith gains power, through power, a Sith gains victory; and through victory, a Siths Chains are broken. the Force Shall set all free.

The Sith have spent their time fighting the Jedi and trying to free themselves of their filth once and for all. And soon they will. Once the Jedi are gone, the new empire of the Sith shall arise; and Vird will be the instrument on which the ideals of the Sith shall rise against the ones who would cause the Sith to fall.

 

[Malka Kaivalya]

Location: A half decayed Moon in the Unknown Region of Space, 4 days travel from region border
Tags: Darth Ophidia Darth Vird Sasmay Cull Milla Caranthyr

---

Deep underground, a dull fire, barely covering the walls of the small area of cave crackled softly. A small lump of cylindrical metal resided at the heart of the room, cast in the pale light, the signs of a small Jedi group some years gone past had been scratched off with brutal force an equal time past. In the shadows, a figure was meditating, reaching out with the Force, trying to find them. Find the ones that put her there. For years she had searched, confined to this dead rock in the middle of the unknown. Alone. That was, until she sense multiple presences come close to the moon. They weren't the average space bound beasts she sometimes hunted for food, aside from the insects which were plentiful. Not knowing if they were salvation, or Jedi looking for her to prematurely end their fate. Taking up a small cylinder of metal, black and carefully shaped from the ground, donning a torn and tattered black cloak, and walked into towards the surface.

For the first time in many long years, the desolate moon finally had new arrivals upon its craggy surface. The land marked with spiked rocky spires and caverns now had footprints marking its surface again. The Beacon that roared like a wild fire on Kashyyyk, emanating its continuous pulse of Hate from down below the surface. There was a multitude of Cavern opening around the area of the female Sith Lord, the question was, which one would lead to the source?

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Ophidia did not look into the caverns, or did not appear to do so anyhow.

Her eyes flicked from one position to another, but where she appeared to be looking did not coincide with her surroundings. As she moved through the craggy labyrinth of stone shards, it could look as though she was seeing a whole other version of the moon; one made from nothing but crystal clear glass. It was something she had learned from a competitor in an exchange of skill when she was a young acolyte, many, many years ago. The galaxy was a much different place then, but one thing remained true:

The darkness prevailed.

The monotony of the dark figure's slow march broke as she tilted her head back, chin stretching up to reveal the tattoos that trailed from the corners of her mouth and joined at the throat. A deep breath escaped through her nostrils as the glowing embers of her eyes were covered by darkened eyelids. She stood like this for a second, perhaps near a minute, before her eyes opened again and the head tilted back into its natural position.

As she stood there, her miniscule presence in the force appeared to sweep out, reaching with ethereal tendrils that probed the caverns and tunnels below for life.

The slightest hint of a smile played on the ashen woman's purple lips.

Malka Kaivalya Darth Vird Sasmay Cull Milla Caranthyr

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, K914 SMG, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite
TERMITE GEAR: 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets), BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle
DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Malka Kaivalya Darth Vird Darth Ophidia

The Gray Queen slowly floated through the debris of the broken moon. A singular eye playing upon the sight as she pondered what she was feeling. A dark side presence, deep within maybe? Or hiding along the surface. It was difficult to tell at times. She had maybe imagined another presence, but it was hard to pick through the other to find out. Her own presence in the force was well seated in much the same.

Anger and sorrow prevailed in her mind, easily beckoning her to the tumultuous energies.

The ship was slow to approach, her mind waffling between going by herself, or having an away party. Ultimately, she decided on the former as the Termite flew down to the surface without her usual escort. The atmosphere was breathable, though not pleasant as she opted to have the helmet be see through.

It always threw her for a loop when a stray hair slipped down, wondering why her hand had stopped shy of the offending hair. Now though, she picked through her gear opting to leave the heavy stuff in the ship as she locked the doors and signaled to the Gray Queen of her descent into the planet. It was a strange signal she was following. A living beacon of the dark side maybe. Her own presence was not hidden, dark and sweeping as she descended but not reaching out like the other.

It was not a matter of control, merely one of limited presence.

 

[Malka Kaivalya]

Location: A half decayed Moon in the Unknown Region of Space, 4 days travel from region border
Tags: Darth Ophidia Darth Vird Sasmay Cull Milla Caranthyr

---

The darkness. That was her place. A place of comfort against the Light she had held so dearly in the past. Wielding its power with such pride. Now, a painful reminder of what she was cast out of. What she was betrayed by. Her anger surged, the ripples within the force amounting to waves. Her footsteps stopped. She could feel something. Someone above her, calling out through the Force. As soon as the Force sensing tendrils reached her, she concentrated against them, forcing them away from the heart of the beacon she was creating. It'd be harder to trace her with the Force now.

She could feel someone else arriving. Someone else with Force. Another Light-bearer? Her breath hissed through her clenched teeth. She'd destroy them. She'd smite, slaughter and eradicate them all! Her hand gripped the metal lightsaber handle tighter, beginning to walk again. It wasn't long till she would reach the surface and meet her unwanted guests. Her face was entirely hidden inside the hood, its cloth draped over her features. The attire under the cloak hidden from all sight. It was like a specter moving through the shadows, the raw power of the Dark Side radiating off her form. The Sith eyes of any Dark Side user glowed like predatory monster from the shadows.

Her steps finally reached to the surface, her figure placing only one foot outside of the Cavern entrance. The dusty ground crumpled under her heel from beneath the cloak. Her eyes scanned the area around her, fixating on a female in a cloak. Was she like her? Or someone playing the part, yet not the role? Her hand tightened again, the ferocity in her gaze amounting to monstrous levels of Rage and blood thirst. "Who are you?" Malka asked, her voice barely loud enough for a whisper, yet the caverns around her echoed the words through themselves, sending the call through every opening around Darth Ophidia .

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Ophidia felt her searching tendrils rebuked, and the surface welled with rage and bloodthirst. It would seem the beacon had answered her little lure and saved her time. Though, she had to admit, this one was better at masking her exact position than most who flattered themselves with such displays of power. To one like Ophidia, it was like watching a child spell their first word.

Words came from every direction, channelled through the caverns and arriving at slight delays, but the ashen woman did not seem phased. Instead, the purple lips split just barely as her lips tugged up into a smirk that faded as quickly as it had arrived.

"None you know."

Her words did not travel through the secret passages, but left her lips as a whisper and arrived just the same; so near one could almost feel her breath.

"When one screams into the darkness, it listens." And sometimes, it answered.

Her eyes flicked to the side for the barest second, then floated steadily over the horizon as if searching for something else. The deep orange cut the near-monochromatic face, like rings of molten iron next to sheets of cold steel.

"We are not alone."- she stated matter-of-factly

The second presence on the moon was bearing closer to them every second, and Ophidia could almost hear the jangle of weapons from where she stood. Rarely did one come so armed with less than lethal intent.

Malka Kaivalya Sasmay Cull

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, K914 SMG, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite
TERMITE GEAR: 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets), BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle
DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Malka Kaivalya Darth Ophidia

The woman slowly trudged along, drawing closer until she spotted two figures close enough to speak and watching her approach. She paused after coming into sight, singular eye blinking as she watched the pair before finding a spot to sit.

A wave of her hand was directed to the pair before getting comfortable and watching in silence.

The helmet was see through, but didn't allow her to drink. She pulled at it, releasing the seal and peeling it off before producing a canteen and taking a swig. The most presently visible weapon was the smg that lay across her chest as she pointed to them with the canteen.

"Beacons a bit strong. You wanting someone in particular or just casting a pole in the water?"

 

[Malka Kaivalya]

Location: A half decayed Moon in the Unknown Region of Space, 4 days travel from region border
Tags: Darth Ophidia Darth Vird Sasmay Cull Milla Caranthyr

---

Either this one was a fool for following her trace, or a Dark Side user. Either way, she might be a threat. Malka had vowed to never trust anyone again like she had with her comrades of 10 years prior. Her eyes flashed at the cloaked woman, until she noticed it as well. A second aura coming towards them. It wasn't like theirs, but equally Un-Light Side. Malka hardly turned to face the weapon wielding woman, drinking from her canteen with a weapon pointed at them. Malka instantly knew it to be a Slug-thrower. You'd be a fool to point a blaster at a obvious wielder of the Force. Her hand gripped the handle of her Lightsaber more, her mind wondering as to the nature of their arrival.

Then, it occurred to her. They were here to see what had caused the waves in the Force she had been making for the last decade. Strange as no one had arrived before. Lightsiders must have known to leave her alone, as Darksiders must have not noticed her presence. Her grim smile flashed to Sasmay Cull as she spoke. "I had not intended to draw you in. But, with you two here, I have two ways off this rock," Malka said, her voice only just loud enough for the SMG armed woman to hear. Glancing at the now obvious Sith, Malka knew she'd be hard to take down, but not that hard after all. It seemed as if she was strong, but Malka had a decade of unreleased Rage to let out. The perfect dummy to knock around a bit.

"Do you intend to let me leave with your ship, or will you stand in my way?" Malka asked, her body and mind ready to act in case one acted rashly. The thumb on the button to ignite the saber was ready, poised to press the weapon into action.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

One ahead, one on the flank; a younger Ophidia would have been worried about her odds. Now, she did not look the least bit concerned. One could consider if she did not understand the situation, or if she was perhaps mad with confidence. It was hard to say what lay behind those ember eyes. She moved, the sleeves of her robes parted slowly to reveal her hands: One ashen grey, one black as ink. The cloth shifted around her slow, deliberate movement as if it was some viscous liquid.

"A conversation perhaps?"

Darth Ophidia turned, seemingly without moving her feet, until she could easily see both Malka and Sasmay with her own eyes. Her gaze slipped from Malka to Sasmay, gauging their reaction to her proposition.

Was she afraid?

Or did she simply think she could talk her way to a better outcome?

"Or you could try to force your way through, assume you win, and gamble that you could figure out how to operate the ship you find first."

Either way, she stood in the middle of this. Eyes, narrowed as her purple lips drew up in a wry smile.

Malka Kaivalya Sasmay Cull

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, K914 SMG, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite
TERMITE GEAR: 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets), BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle
DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Malka Kaivalya Darth Ophidia

"Hahahahehe." It was a nihilistic sound that came from Sasmay as she watched the pair move to ready themselves for combat. Her laughter slowly ebbing into nothing more than a giggle.

Her hand waved with the canteen sloshing a bit.

"The fancy sabers and powers are well and fine. I'm outclassed on both of those fronts. Not afraid to admit that." She shrugged, still sitting as she tapped a comm line and openly speaking into the bottom of her helmet for them to hear.

<"Gray, target my location, full broadside if I blip out or talk weird. Anything left is fair game."> She didn't wait for the affirmation before closing the comm.

"Don't have the fancy training like you two. Lost my master for that. But I learned the hard way to not fight fair." A Nebulon-B class ship, though slightly smaller than a typical one slowly cruised closer to the planet. She didn't watch it come into view, instead leaning back and grinning madly at the pair.

It settled just outside orbit, turning broadside and to present the largest side of the vessel.

"Parlay? We are all bad guys here, after all." She offered with a small wave of the canteen. There was a wave of glee, almost joy rolling from her.

 

[Malka Kaivalya]

Location: A half decayed Moon in the Unknown Region of Space, 4 days travel from region border
Tags: Darth Ophidia Sasmay Cull

---

Standing before Malka were two obstacles. One of the Force, trained in its uses and powers. A true Sith Warrior. The other, a gun fanatic that relied on the use of her ship's weapons overhead as a form of intimidation. The Sith's eyes wandered around, seeing the brown haired woman use a comm link, Malka instantly knew she had made contact with someone. A ripple across her Force Sense told her danger was above. Not even looking, simply listening, Malka watched how relaxed the both of them were. "I don't know what this Parley is, but if you have an alternate method of me acquiring your vessels, then speak it," Her voice was still, almost stale. She stood there, half in the cavern's opening and open to the galaxy's eye. "Or would the big and proud Sith prefer that I show my prominence in the very skill she believes herself to be dominant in," Malka asked, her eyes flashing as her hand gripped the handle firmly, the fingers barely touching the ignition button.

She had seen some use this technique on them whilst she was with Them. A darker time, ironically. She knew it wasn't worth calling a bombardment on them, but the caverns below ran right through the moon. She would easily be safe from any cannon fire from orbit. She'd be safe before the first shot had even landed. "Your ship will only prove to be your own downfall. There's no point in threatening us with it," Malka said, her attention never leaving Darth Ophidia . If anyone was going to pull a fast one, it was most likely her. The gunslinger could attack with her weapons, but the Force was a much greater ally and danger than blaster or slug fire.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

“It means ’to negotiate’”

Ophidia noticed how the beacon focused so intently on her. She would agree that it was not unwise to keep an eye on her while she was still visible. However, in stand-offs like these one needed to keep more than one train of thought running at a time. The one-eyed woman had bought herself some insurance with the threat of cannonfire. Sure, perhaps one of the two force users would be able to overpower the ship and comandeer it if she died, but she had definitely made it more difficult to do so. Clearly, she thought one or two steps ahead.

Ophidia took a step back, slowly and deliberately as to show that she was not making any moves.

"So, let us negotiate."

Ophidia's slow walk put an even space between the three, unless someone decided to try stop her.

"I will not let you leave this rock with my ship without the right conditions." She put up one finger of her ashen hand. "But if the terms are amenable, you will leave this place today."

She had not come here to kill a being of the dark side. Not today, at any rate. Nor did she intend to give up her ship. She had come here to investigate and to test this beacon who screamed into the void.

As for The one-eyed woman's intentions, she could only guess.

Malka Kaivalya Sasmay Cull

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons, K914 SMG, (4) Elemental Grenades, (2) Impact Grenades, Phase X-E CryoSonic Heavy Pistol
EQUIPMENT: Phase II Haywire Armor without force mask UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit, Kirino Visual Interface
FLYING: The Gray Queen's Throne carrying The Termite
TERMITE GEAR: 1 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(Outfitted with Glitter Bullets), BR-3 Rowdy Rancor, Winter Rose Rifle, Phase XI Anti-Material Rifle
DROIDS: (4) Droid Bois - (Tremor, Clang, Skitter, Pop)
TAGS: Malka Kaivalya Darth Ophidia

"Didn't come for a fight. Felt the beacon. Seen the rock. Got curious. Not often something like that beacon just screams so openly for everyone to hear." Capping the canteen, she replaced it on her belt and put the helmet back on.

"And if it's a ride you're needing, you could just ask. I don't run a taxi service...usually...but I'd feel bad after seeing this blasted rock to not offer." She spoke, voice clearer with the helmet annunciation system working.

"Where do you even want to go? Sith? Eternal Empire? Given the...pleasant welcome so far those are about your two options really." She was shooting off ideas at this point. Thinking aloud as it were.

"If it's Sith...I think the lady there would be your best bet. At least if you are itching to fight someone...more light aligned like a jedi anyway." She tapped her leg idly, the motion an anxious habit that she didn't even think about.

 

[Malka Kaivalya]

Location: A half decayed Moon in the Unknown Region of Space, 4 days travel from region border
Tags: Darth Ophidia Sasmay Cull

---

The moment had come. She was being offered not one, but two ways of this hunk of desolate rock. The young gunslinger had potential, yet, she knew the path she had to take to reach her goal. From within the cloak, her right arm raised. The black steel handle of a lightsaber in hand, as she clicked the ignition switch. With the switch hit, the very end of the saber split in two, creating two smaller lines of metal. It was almost like a primitive guard, that was until the saber unleashed its light. A saber of flaming red, like a short jet from a flamer gun, became a long saber. Along its edge, close to the point of ignition, wisps of unstable energy acted like flames against the air. Two smaller blades ignited simultaneously with the main blade, running along the metal fold-able guard. It was a Crossguard Saber. One of an Ornate design, yet tattered and damaged from years of disrepair.

"You, Sith, will take me off this rock. In return, I will aid you in your crusade against the Jedi," Malka stated, her flaming blade pointing at the Dark Warrior. The Sith eyes gleamed from under the hood, the light reflected in their yellow tint. "But, I will need something from my place or origin. Something I cannot fight without," Malka said, her saber lowering, allowing its light to shine on her face. A young face, roughly around its mid twenties, with dark blue hair, partly bleached a pale grey. Even though she seemed untouched by the common effects of the Dark side along a being's face, hers was devoid of such damage. The cloak had opened slightly, showing what remained of Jedi garments torn and reshaped to form a Vest, knee length skirt and leggings made from trouser fabric.

"As for you, Gunslinger, make sure to spread the word to any Jedi you meet," Malka said, her face turning to look at the other woman along the rocky clearing, "That Malka Kaivalya, is coming for them all." With that, her thumb hit the switch. The saber of burning red, vanished, the metal guard folding inwards, until it gave the appearance of a standard lightsaber. Slowly, the woman began to walk towards the Sith, her eyes flashing with a need for revenge and destruction. A need to leave this moon and come back to the galaxy at large once again. A prodigy of the Light, here to bring Darkness to every corner of every known and unknown planet.

"Lead the way, Sith," Malka said, awaiting the Warrior's actions, her own face neutral and passive.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Sasmay Cull Malka Kaivalya

Indeed, Darth Ophidia was the safer bet if one sought the Sith and the extermination of the Jedi Order.

That was, after all, one of her great goals.

It was not often that parlay actually lead to a satisfying conclusion, but this one time it would seem like the parties would be able to walk away with something they wanted. Malka wanted a path off the planet and vengeance upon the Jedi. Sasmay seemed to be driven by curiosity and could now answer the question of the origin of the beacon. As for Ophidia herself, she could sought power for the Sith, and now she had found a font of great potential.

That potential would have to be tested under more controlled circumstances.

"I would be amenable to this agreement."

Ophidia looked to Sasmay.

"We shall meet again, I imagine."

Nodding to the two, she gestured for Malka to follow and began to lead her away. Her hands tucked into her sleeves, making the ashen assassin like a pillar of black silks. Inside her sleeve, she tapped her coms to send a soundless message to her ship, summoning it to her location. Out in the asteroid field, a ship uncloaked and detached itself from its perch to meet its master.