Akivan Assassination

[Sybil Inon]

The ship that carried the Acolyte as a passenger landed as gracefully as a pouncing Akk Dog in the cool, durasteel hanger of Vess Spaceport. Sybil stood up, taking a few strides towards the exit of the ship before pausing in her tracks.

It was... cold. Not just the ship, metal is almost always cold to the touch. But, to her, it seemed as though the usual hot and humid air around her was cold. It was unnatural, unsettling even.

'Odd...It's never cold on Akiva. What does it mean, the cold?', she thought as she shook her head and stepped down the metal walkway and into the buzzing spaceport.

Sybil took a moment to gather her bearings, eyes sweeping as an attempt to mock looking around, though her eyes were covered and unable to see in the way that humans saw the world around them. She saw what they did, yet she saw more. She heard more and felt more than what was presented to her. Perhaps that was simply the way things were when one sees through the Force, perhaps she was simply 'observant' and analytical.

Sybil shook her head and continued her walk, nodding and smiling politely at the locals and travelers that milled about. She was eager to get out of the spaceport, she had been from the moment the ship touched down. It had been almost a year, an everlasting and drowsy year of roaming.

Yet here she was, home at last.

Akiva was her mother and father, in a way. It provided for her, nurtured her, and guided her as she thought that any parent would. For the girl, in a way, it was her own twisted prodigal son story. She nearly ran outside as she felt the sunlight's warmth brush her skin, though she attempted to contain herself as best she could.

She took in a deep breath, smiling as she suddenly felt at ease. Her past, her regrets, the Academy on Bastion, her limitations were another galaxy away as she walked through the tight and narrow streets of Myrra.
The cold did not dissipate, however, even has she walked in her hooded, long flowing white cloak. It remained, hanging over her like a double-edged sword supported by a simple, thin string.

Harsh, strong... dark as it was.

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sybil Inon"]

As the tight streets wound under Sybil's feet, there would come s sudden quiet and a stillness that stifled the air. In front, behind, past each wall, there were was no activity, no people listening or watching, no one to witness what was about to transpire.

Then, as if the universe imposed it after the fact, there was someone there, blocking off the end of the street. Two presences in fact, though it felt more like one presence in two places; one in front, one behind. The one in front of Sybil had a presence like a cold winter night, cold and sharp, and focused. The one behind, similar to the point of being indistinguishably, but smaller.

Darth Ophidia stepped toward Sybil, her hands splaying out to the sides to show that she held no weapons. Parts of her form seemed fuzzy, not in any pleasant way, but like the the images in the Force were blurred somehow, particularly around her hips, the ends of her sleeves, and the hem of the hood that crested her head. Words came, but no lips moved. The voice was everywhere and at the same perhaps nowhere at all.

'Acolyte Inon - Your aid is requested.'

 

[Sybil Inon]

Sybil stiffened as the blooming capital city seemed to all but disappear in an instant. The lack of people and activity was strange, especially for a vibrant place such as Myrra. She stopped when she sensed the figure - person - at the end of the road that led towards the forest surrounding the city. A sharp, almost painful chill run down her spine causing her senses to heighten out of instinct. The world around her become more focused, more distinct than it had been prior to the presences revealing themselves.

The first one, the figure in front of her, seemed humanoid in form. With it, the cold increased drastically. A reminder that what, or who, she was facing was simply powerful in the Dark Side of the Force. The unclear manner of some parts of the figure's body and clothing made it hard for her to give much detail to the obscured portions of the person.

The second presence was difficult to identify and register properly. It was hazy overall, it seemed to be somewhat serpentine in a way. Perhaps she was wrong or in denial. Both could be dangerous.

Then, there was the voice. A confident yet subtle voice that seemed to be of the figure and of the serpent-like presence behind her.
The feminine one which seemed to come from every direction. Each word a deafening echo.

Sybil turned her attention back to the woman.

"Who am I speaking to and what do you require my assistance for? What purpose would it serve?"

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sybil Inon"]

"It serves the only purpose."

Her tone spoke as if this knowledge was expected from the Acolyte.

Given the look of the woman saying it and the general darkened atmosphere, it would not take a great feat of deduction to come to the conclusion that this was a matter of the dark side of the Force, and given Sybil's history, the most probable hand in the game was the Sith Empire.

"The Dark Lord demands a life."

The serpent slithered closer then raised its head and bared its fangs. Her words were sharp and harsh, rasped like the claws of some dark spirit.

"I am giving you the simple choice between joining me in claiming it or finding yourself added to the list."

Yet, there was no aggression from the woman herself, only a harsh and unyielding command shrouded under the cover of an offer. Then, her voice softened considerably, taking an almost seductive tone.

"If your services are satisfactory, you will be rewarded richly."

 

[Sybil Inon]

There was no hesitation in her answer, nor was there fear or inhibition, simply a monotone acceptance.

If this assassination was to further the Empire, she needed to know nothing more.

"I will help, as you have requested. As for riches, if you believe it fit to reward me, I will accept whatever you believe to be necessary."

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

It would seem someone, at some point, had taught this acolyte respect. It was an important message, and it would probably require upkeep in the future. Yet, it was a refreshing change from uppity and self-important acolytes.

"Excellent."

With a turn of her wrist, she produced a disk in her palm. Extending her hand, she allowed it to float over to Sybil. It was a small communications device with a message recorded on it. She had consulted with miraluka members of the Empire beforehand in order to make sure the receiver would be able to perceive all that went on despite their very special sight.

"This will give you your instructions." "This will give you access."

She produced a small fob, from between her fingers, showed it, then floated it up next to the com.

"Don't be late."

The woman walked up to Sybil, the snake approaching from the rear. Then, as quickly as they had arrived, they seemed to vanish like fog. Mixing together and dispersing. Yet, eyes stared from up above. The Pale Assassin watched from under her shroud.

 

[Sybil Inon]

OOC NOTE: Sorry for the lateness of this response, I've been quite busy these past few days.


Sybil looked at the disc then at the fob which both sat in her left hand.

She glanced down at it before looking back up to where the Sith Lady had been, but all she found was the empty road ahead of her which lead into the forest.

The cold dissipated and fell away into memory as swiftly as it came, activity bustled through the streets once more as it time had only been frozen for those few moments in which they spoke.

She shook her head and ran into the forest, climbing a tall tree and sitting on a high branch. There, Sybil inserted the fob into the disc before watching and listening to the message which had been given to her. Waiting patiently for whatever instructions were to come.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

At first, the disc played smooth snippets of music interjected with phrases in various languages and by various voices. It seemed like nothing, until a specific voice spoke; it was the voice of the Sith who had just spoken to Sybil. Its cold, dry rasp and the imperial tone would be easy to easy to recognise.

"The satrap" Four musical snippets "Return" Four other pieces "End" Another four pieces "Republic" Five more "The time is in the beat." Then came five ticks separated by brief pauses, a minute long pause, and another three sets of five rapid ticks with a short pause after each set.

The satrap - return - end - republic - the time is in the beat . . . . . ..... ..... .....

Then nothing. The item fell quiet. If she tried to put it in again, it would replay, but all would be exactly the same. It would seem like code of some sort. Perhaps the ticks represented a time? It was still hours away from 5:15. But where? Myrra was not a republic per se. It was a democracy. However, there was the Republica street, at the end of which was what?

[member="Sybil Inon"]

 

[Sybil Inon]

Sybil paused after hearing the message the first time, piecing the puzzle together in her mind. She closed her eyes and a moment later, they were open again.


The satrap
Satrap. A word meant for a governor or local ruler. Perhaps he was the rather unfortunate victim of this ordeal.

Return
Return...Return from what? Or to what? This section stumbled her, so she turned her focus on the third part.

End
Final, perhaps, completion. This part on its own made no sense either.

Republic
There was Republica Street in Myyra. Then, there was the Republic influence on the planet itself. Which one was being referenced? Was it both?

The Time is in the Beat
That portion was simple. The longer beats representing hours, the shorter ones representing minutes. 5:15 planetary time. She had approximately five and a half hours.


She sat there and replayed the message another time before leaning on the enormous trunk of the jungle tree.
She sat up abruptly. Whole, not separate pieces.

The Satrap - Return
The Governor of Akiva was back from wherever he ventured off to in his usual display of wealth.

End - Republic
Governor Tarv was of the Republic, sent to spread Republic influence. By assassinating him, Republic influence on Akiva would come to a sudden halt.
Republica Street, perhaps, was her destination.


Sybil climbed down the tree and ventured through the marketplace for hours, chatting with locals and travelers who were all to eager to share their own stories and ask questions of a native. Hours passed seamlessly. Soon, it was five P.M. planetary time and Sybil began to make her way to Republica Street. When she arrived, the time was 5:10. She had five minutes to spare. The girl sat in the middle of the street, facing the Spaceport. Her eyes closed, perception sharpened to a point.

All she had to do was wait.

At that moment, her role in this mission would begin.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sybil Inon"]

The spaceport and Republica Street were both busy places. There were many coming and leaving, trade was done, meals were consumed in its vicinity, people met for the first time in long or parted for journeys ahead. It was all rather mundane. Then, a presence made the area shift within the Force. People's emotions and attentions turned, some to hope, some to hate, all to a certain level of attention at what was about to transpire.

The crowd parted, six humans flanking three humans came marching out while a speeder was brought up.

In the crowd she would see a presence; small, suppressed, but instantly recognisable to her. The burning eyes of the assassin stared at Sybil, then at the procession. A smile creeping over her lips as she moved up along Republica Street, same way as the speeder was about to head, then disappeared once more.

In the middle of the procession was Governor Tarv. The speeder would take him to the parliamentary palace, where he would conduct his diplomatic work. For the Empire to succeed in their mission to end Republic influence on Akiva, they would have to stop him before he got there, or assault the meeting and coup the government. Would she move to the parliament, or would she try to cut off the speeder on the way?

 

[Sybil Inon]

The gaze of the assassin burned into her waiting figure, her head raised to see the woman fly out of sight, down the path which led to the right. She followed suite, standing to her feet and walking towards the procession. Sybil followed the same path that the assassin blazed ahead of her.

She nodded. The best bet would be to stop the Governor beforehand, crush opposition in a public setting to cement that fact of the Republic's end on her homeworld rather than the rumors that were likely to speculate from an interpreted diplomatic meeting. However, there was a cover-up for both scenarios. The former just seemed right and proper for this purpose.

She waited, hoping for some signal, some form of direction from the Sith Lady on how they would proceed with this coup. Rather than an entropy, this would result in freedom and the ascension of a far more stable government.

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ophidia]

[member="Sybil Inon"]

The procession of speeders moved away from the spaceport and down the street. The crowd thinned more and more as it stretched on, until the people present were simply those passing by one way or the other. It looked almost as though nothing was going to happen. It was all calm, still, mundane. Tension sapped from the air.

Then, a dark figure looked down upon Sybil from the corner of a side-street. She held a remote in her hand and casually released the switch.

KR-ZAP!

A flash of blue light and crackling trails of electricity. Lights blacked out and cracked, people dropped to the ground in fear, droids dropped dead. The speeders stopped moving and fell to the ground. The batteries of the security guards' blasters were flat, having been active at the time of of the EMP blast.

As they scrambled to get their weapons charged and jumped out of the vehicle to take cover, another speeder came flying out of the side path, crashing into the side of the procession with a bout of flame and a blanket of smoke. They were blind thanks to the smoke, the Governor was not watched for a second.