Auction of Darth Odium and other items.

[Talon Vosra]

In an underground bunker on Agramar many were invited from across the galaxy to an auction. This auction however was not like most as its main attraction was a being that was a menace to life itself, [member="Darth Odium"]. Also for auction was the holocron of Talon Vosra, a useless but knowledgeable Jedi, and the journals of Darth Odium which detailed his time in the netherworld and nearly everything he had done since being introduced to the force. There would be no remote bidding on this however as for safety it was a kilometer below an existing force wound, created by Odium and an undisclosed combatant. Another idiosyncrasy of this auction, credits meant nothing, only possessions would be seen as viable currency.

Taloff waited in his office as a protocol droid officiated the bidding while the items for auction sat on a stage surrounded by deflector shields.


Lot A: Darth Odium (Winners can do anything they choose up to and including killing him)

Lot B: Talon Vosra's holocron (will link later)

Lot C: Darth Odium's journals and personal belongings

Lot D: Odium's armor, and Lightsaber

(Bidder's must be on site to claim items and post one introduction. No sitting out until the last minute.)

 

[Matreya]

Damien, having arrived a short while ago, sat on a chair that was partially moved to the rear of the bidders. He neither wished to be seen straight away, nor did he wish to remain hidden the entirety. However, his eyes, like a steel vice, locked onto a singular being that had long ago been nearly the death of him.

Odium.

Almost as if lovingly, Damiem drew a finger along Kallig's Saber, the item stolen from Odium during his long past auction. It and a Nox Datacron were what he escaped with, while many others stayed behind in a room to perish or be wounded severely. He wanted Odium, he wanted to test the might of his mental cognizance to that of the Sith Lord. He wished to break him, to snap his mind like a twig, all the while molding his will to his own.

Mayhap he would imbue his Rune of power onto the being of the necessity arose.

Raising a hand, he called out, "An AI matrixed around a living brain, allowing for true sentience, a hundred REX Droids, as well as a Datacron housing the alchemical knowledge of Palpatine and Darth Nox - for Odium."

[member="Taloff Arsov"]

 

[Fen]

It's a trap. I shouldn't have come. But how could I not?

He's a villain. He's killed countless innocents. A merciless murderer. I have to stop him.

More than that.

He stole [member="Quinn Vos"].

A figure hooded in brown, earthy robes unlocked his hands and let them rest at his sides. One trembled.

Twins storms of gray watched the nautolan. Body sold as chattel. How many would he have sold into the worst conditions imaginable if only it gained him an ounce of power? How many would he still? The best thing to do would be to buy him and execute him.

Ryan Korr pulled down the hood of his robe, exposing his red mane and hard, pale features.

Marcello would have killed Odium outright, yet Korr knew even as he looked on his old enemy what had to be done.

It was not what he wished. Would that he could stride up onto the platform and remove the nautolan's head from twixt his shoulders with one clean blow. The thought of it flashed like murder in his eyes, but it faded quickly beneath a singular weight that crushed all else.

Duty.

If I cannot kill you... then I will save you.

But what could a Jedi offer, who by his very nature owned nothing, that would outbid this sullen skein of tenebrous dealers?

Korr took out a vial and stared at the contents.

"The blood of Darth Isolda for Lot A."

[member="Taloff Arsov"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Taloff Arsov"]

The undisclosed combatant took a seat, one kilometre beneath a very familiar Force anomaly. There were some committed people in the audience; Odium had earned a good deal of hatred. Hers matched any of theirs, but so long as he got what was coming to him, it didn't much matter who pulled the plug.

"For Lot B, ten thousand credits. For Lot C, ten thousand credits. For Lot D, ten thousand credits."

This was, at a guess, a trap. No real question about it. That was just how such things were done. But knowing Odium's fate -- that was worth the risk. And if she picked up some materials along the way, things that Ke'dem could use or that Ashin would see fit to bury, that was all to the good. Even so, she had a Ke'dem extraction team waiting in orbit, in an old cloaked Sekairo, just in case.

On second thought, that was [member="Ryan Korr"], possibly the most staunch proponent of justice in the Jedi Order. Not a man to cross, and not one who'd show mercy on the Nautolan-of-mass-destruction. If Korr got Odium, the Sith Lord's teachings wouldn't be at risk of propagation. The abilities that had, in large part, ruined Ashin's life.

"And another ten thousand credits to back Master Korr's bid for Lot A."

 

[Krux Mullarus]

Mullarus read the description of the auctioned items from the comfort of his chambers deep in his manor. He had some credits set off to the side gathering dust, maybe it was time to use some of them.

"I've no use for a nautolan man...but if I remember right, Setzi did say she wanted some new armor. Perhaps the lightsaber would even look nice on display...can't help but wonder what knowledge is in that holocron either."

Using his fingers, he put in his bids.

Lot B: 15,000 credits

Lot D: 20,000 credits

"The high bidders on A and C can have it...hell, I really just want that armor and lightsaber." he murmured to no one in particular, until his amaran servant returned into the room with a bottle of Ithorian wine.

"More wine, sir?"

Mullarus nodded, holding his goblet out to him for him to refill it.

[member="Taloff Arsov"]

 

[Matreya]

Damien sighed, that blood was worth quite a bit...

"Current bid, plus the authentic Holocron of Lord Ergast and a dozen kilos of stygium, on the nautolan." Damien called. With this, it was plausible he was roughly neck and neck with the other bidder. But he couldn't be sure really, as that blood was more of a personal opinion. To an alchemist like himself, such was worth Damien's weight in any currency, to others not so much.

"On second thought I will also bid on C and D," Damien called, "How about another sentient AI, and a dozen Neuranium daggers on D. A bakers dozen Betty Blasters, the overpowered Blaster pistols made by J.A.C, and a half dozen Melinda slugthrowers from the same maker, on C." Realizing the stipulation that credits meant nothing, Damien did not throw around his wealth on these, rather his goods.

[member="Taloff Arsov"]

 

[Krux Mullarus]

The big on Auction D rose with some strange items that may have held value over credits? "Ah, hell...I really want that armor for Setzi." he sighed, deciding to up the antie on it, rather regretfully.

Lot D: 30,000 Credits

"Careful, Krux, I don't want to go bankrupt..."

[member="Darth Pikiran"] / [member="Taloff Arsov"]

 

[Matreya]

Damien heard the other bid, and chuckled as he looked at the man, "The AI alone is worth at least 100 times that. Just as a warning. The second factor is, credits are not to be used in this auction as far as I am aware. Just a bit of knowledge for you!"

[member="Knight Mullarus"]

 

[Kaela Jaryn]

Theft. Hardly the pinnacle of Sith society, or any society for that matter, but still a part of it. And not one to be overlooked. Especially when there were journals of such a magnificent example of the dark side to be pilfered...

This would take timing unlike anything she had ever done before. Feth. This was certainly out of her expertise. But she had a lightsaber, the Force, ad at least two grapple guns to make good her escape with. Not the greatest plan, but a good one none the less. Ah, yes. The plan. Wait until the current bidders got into even more of a frenzy, and sly her way around the side of the group. Then it was snatch and grab, hook to the doorway and make her way back to the surface as quickly as she could. Hopefully with all her limbs intact, and the journals to hand.

And so, as the bidding intensified, she slipped into the room. Her nondescript outfit with its deep set hood concealed who she was, and it was just ordinary enough to pass her as yet another interested bidder...

 

[Soeht]

One of the attendants, Sonolka, watched the auction begin. She came with an invitation meant for another - yet presented the appropriate proof to be his bidder by proxy. Sonolka stood among the crowd on the auction floor. She appeared to be dressed more in battle armor than anything appropriate for an auction. Though, she did not appear to be the only unique character in this rather unique event.

Sonolka held a datapad with a list of assets available for use in the auction. Since credits were not valid to bid with, this made it difficult to gauge how one was ahead - for everyone - without feedback from the auctioneer.
_____________

Several days prior,

"Arsov is weird," began Sonolka's accomplice, "The location and rules to this auction are telling enough."

Sonolka was kneeling before the man the spoke. Her gaze was to the ground - not daring to look up. Her accomplice fiddled with a datapad.

"You just need to show him something he can't say no to. Something he'd be personally attached to. And from what I've seen, he'd..."
_____________

As bidders began to try to outplay each other, a server approached the solitary Sonolka and said, "Would you like any refreshments, ma'am?"

After a second delay, Sonolka turned her head slightly to the server to reply in monotone, "No."

The server then moved onto the next bidder. Sonolka turned her attention back to the auction. She followed the action and took note of what each of the competing bidders were offering. She particularly focused on Lot A specifically - the only lot her accomplice deemed necessary.

/introductory post

[member="Taloff Arsov"] [member="Darth Pikiran"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Ryan Korr"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Taloff Arsov"] [member="Darth Pikiran"] [member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Knight Mullarus"] [member="Kaela Jaryn"] [member="Soeht"]

"For Lot B, I'll refrain from reading backwards. I'll also throw in holorecordings of five Sith facilities getting raided, if you're into that kind of thing.

"For Lot D, I'll offer the location of the Coldharbor.

"For Lot C, I'll offer the location of my next target."

 

[Krux Mullarus]

After receiving the message from one of the anonymous bidders on regards to credits not being viable in this particular option, Mullarus took another look at the rules.

...Another idiosyncrasy of this auction, credits meant nothing, only possessions would be seen as viable currency.

Mullarus sighed heavily, closing his eyes and throwing his holocommunicator across the room with frustration. "Maybe i'll just...find another set of armor..."

 

[Talon Vosra]

[member="Darth Pikiran"] [member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Knight Mullarus"] [member="Kaela Jaryn"] [member="Soeht"]

((This auction will remain open until everyone is satisfied that there is a winner.))

Arsov watched his monitor in the Arsov mining office on the surface of the planet just east of the landing area his workers had set up for the bidder's use. Did he have an agenda? Oh, yes. Would he be killing his bidders, not today. He turned on the PA system that was hard wired into the auction room and listened as the people spoke and bid. It was going well. The menace remained contained, the items were intact. Yes, it would be a good day indeed.

Only one thing troubled him really. The credits. Someone didn't find his rules appealing perhaps? That wouldn't do, but neither would punishment seem appropriate. He opened his end of the PA and made himself known.

"Dear bidders," he said in his best basic, "Please refer to rules of auction. Credits will not win this day. I thank you for future compliance."

He began typing on his datapad to display current leading bids.

Lot A: [member="Ryan Korr"] (barely)
Lot B:[member="Knight Mullarus"] (This is an allowance for this bid)
Lot C:[member="Ashin Varanin"]
Lot D:[member="Ashin Varanin"]

He closed his system and waited. The one question he had why did Odium do nothing. The deflector shield protected the items from being reached but it didn't block the force. Was he truly do broken?

 

[Matreya]

"Add on the Yoke of Seeming." Damien said after a long drawn out sigh, "This with the sentient AI, Ergasts Holo, the Stygium, the REX Droids, as well as the Datacron. All for Odium."

[member="Taloff Arsov"] [member="Ryan Korr"]

 

[Fen]

Korr turned toward the woman who had backed his bid, one eyebrow quirked in surprise. Well now, this was certainly unexpected. How many years had it been since last they met? And now here, of all the places. She seemed solid as ever. Her aura hung about her, sullen as a storm cloud. Here was a peer of sorrow and loss, though her features bore that familiar scream of defiance, etched into every wrinkle, every scar, every glint of the eye, as if to say, "Here I am, come and take me if you can."

Well, at least he knew one of them would live to tell the tale should this prove a trap. Empires had crumbled, while she remained.

The room was crowded by relics and young hopefuls, seething with contained excitement at the chance to hold this demon. All of them were tainted by the dark, so far as he could tell. Did they really think they could contain him? Did he?

The Jedi grit his teeth as the fellow with the weary sigh continued to up the ante.

"A favor, so far as it is within my power to grant, to the owner for Lot A. You know the worth of my word..."

A pang of sadness shuddered through his heart with all the force of a poisoned dart.

He approached the man with all the toys slowly, for surely he would continue to layer on his toys. Perhaps he could be reasoned with.

"Excuse me..." He nodded respectfully, "What is it you wish to do with Odium?"

[member="Darth Pikiran"]

 

[Matreya]

Damien looked to the other who approached, leaning casually backwards as he stared upward, "I will break his will to my own. Attempt to crush his spirit more than it already is. If that cannot be obtained however," Damien said, even admitting to himself the possibility that it couldn't be done, "I will eviscerate him from existence." His voice steady as if the actions he described meant nothing, he looked his new acquaintance up then down and back, "Why? What is it you wish of the Nautolan?"

[member="Ryan Korr"]

 

[Matreya]

Ignore. Double post. Apologies if it double tagged as well.

 

[Fen]

A slight frown creased Korr's brow and he pursed his lips. Ah, but what right did he have to judge? Was he not ready to take Odium's head off just moments prior? He breathed out slowly through the nose, nodding once while wondering what wrongs had been written on this man's past to render him so ready for vengeance.

"Before he was Darth Odium, his name was Ket Vista. I knew him well. I wish to make him Ket again. Failing that, I will do what is necessary to see he gets the justice he deserves."

[member="Darth Pikiran"]

 

[Matreya]

Immediately Damien offered a different air; respect. It was evident as he replied, "That is quite the goal. One I can understand, and find admirable." Damien paused, then continued, "I am sorry however, for though it is a work of true honor, in my soul I know I cannot pass this chance. There have been few who truly nearly caused my demise, and he is one. I would see this event rectified." He said, then raised a hand to bid again, "A suit of pure Ultrachrome with a built in shield generator, to do with as you will. Plus, a contract with J.A.C to craft any form of weapon, armor, or ship, at no expense to the properieter; including but not limited to alchemical, standard, or rare alloy builds."

[member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Taloff Arsov"]

 

[Soeht]

A display of which bidders appealed the most to Arsov appeared. The blood of [member="Darth Isolda"] was the top bid. Her accomplice, Soeht, happened to be Darth Isolda’s apprentice.
__________

“If anything we could easily provide gets put up for bid, just match it,” instructed Soeht, “Something like a generic lightsaber, some random holocron, et cetera. Maybe play with words just for fun. Then just add something from the list.”
__________

Sonolka questioned herself on whether or not it would be valid to match the bid “the blood of Darth Isolda”. It took her a good few seconds before a thought came to her mind - something she remembered Soeht mentioned long ago. It would be valid - from a certain point of view. Depending from Arsov’s disposition, it might also be a pleasant surprise.

Then, Sonolka looked at the list of items that were available for her use.
__________

“It’s also important to know why Arsov values certain bids,” said Soeht during his instruction several days ago, “Especially early on, use some items to bait out a response. Very similar ones, especially.”
__________

One item of Soeht’s seemed similar enough. She wondered how he obtained it.

By the time Sonolka touched the items she wished to bid, Darth Pikiran and Ryan Korr had already made a few more bids. The Yoke of Seeming - an unfamiliar item to Sonolka - and a favor from a mysterious bidder. She had doubts on whether or not she was upping the ante enough. And then Pikiran had to drop ultrachrome.

Sonolka finally spoke out with her bid to test the waters, “The blood of Darth Isolda and one lightsaber formerly hers - slightly battle-worn, for Lot A.”

[member="Taloff Arsov"] [member="Darth Pikiran"] [member="Ryan Korr"]