Ghosts of the Past

[Brent Warnel]

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

Ord Mantell. It wasn't the most beautiful of planets, or had anything that was important enough to make Brent want to come here. Except he had come, and it was too finish the last piece of business of his past. The holocron he had found on Onderon still called to him at times. He could feel the force surround the thing, whether it was the dark or light side or whatever side, he didn't like it.

He kept it locked away most of the time, and he had once even tried to activate it, but nothing had happened. The thing didn't respond to anything he did, talking to it or touching it. It was a smooth surfaced little pyramid and it wanted nothing to do with him. Which would have been fine, but he wanted to know if there was anything on there from the old Sith that he had been chasing for his life. Was this his holocron? Did it have information on him? Was the Sith really dead like Brent believed? Or was he just baiting him after all these years, or did the Sith even care?

Brent had all these thoughts running through his mind as he found a table at a non-descript restaurant that was attached to a hotel. It was good cover, the hotel itself was in the same building and foot traffic came and went constantly in groups. He was just one of hundreds of people coming in for lunch and leaving. He had stripped out of his armor and just wore plain clothes, although he had a few weapons just in case anything happened. He was waiting for someone, or something, he didn't know what. He just had been told to be here a little past noon at the small two seater table backed up against a back wall out of the way.

That's where he was, waiting for this soon to be buyer of ancient goods. Well, a hopeful buyer. Someone had expressed interest very quietly to him on very remote channels about the holocron, and he was hopeful that they could unlock its secrets. He had no need of anything on the holocron other than if the Sith he had been hunting his entire life was still alive, and if this thing contained any knowledge about that.

The server's had already brought his drink, and he sat nursing his non-alcoholic drink as he waited for whoever was coming to meet him. Hopefully they would show up soon enough, and he could get this over with. Once and for all.

 

[Hastur-Yig]

Punctual was a word for it, definitely misleading, though when one becomes so entwined with the force they find themselves able to preform feats rather hard to put words to. Hastur had preformed a task he'd not thought possible, using his messenger he was able to learn how to use a comm system to talk to his person of interest. Telepathy was usually the best way to contact people but this man, although tied to the force just like everyone else would be he seemed uninterested, so contacting him was a little bit harder. So comms it was.

After sharing interest in the holocron that this young madalorian had found Hastur dispatched his hound to capture it. Non-Force Users always seemed to prefer the protection of strangers for things like this. Always meeting in full areas so that if a scene happened help would come in one form or another. But Hastur nor his messenger had any intent to cause trouble today. The non-sentient male was dressed by his caretaker and enchanted his sword as to keep this doll safe.

Then in the blink of an eye it was there in the hotel looking at a wall, on the other side his target. Force sensitives and users would be able to identify the powerful force disturbance in the area that teleportation caused and that which radiated from this shinobi styled man covered from head to toe in white armor. His sword hidden with force shadow and not visibly armed with anything but his hands. No skin was exposed, this being was absolutely secretive in appearance, an appearance that was soon revealed to Brent.

The white clad 'man' sat before Brent looking at him with the one red eye on his helmet. Being in fully clad armor would stand out a little bit but this was the deep space, there was always some weirdo running around. So Hastur paid it no mind, and then while sitting in front of him it spoke.

"H-hello there, pardon-n-n-n my stutt-tter. I'm n-n-not very u-used to speaking out lo-o-oud."

Appearance:

Spoiler

[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

Brent was sitting at his table gazing at all the people wondering around in their normal lives when he felt something out of the normal. Nothing drastic, just a..feeling that something had changed. He couldn't place what it was, and probably wouldn't, but no matter. It most likely didn't involve him, Ord Mantell had its fair share of curious things happening like every other planet.

But it did have something to do with him, and he found that out when a white armored individual sat down in front of him at the table. A glowing red...(eye?) stared at him before it spoke.

"H-hello there, pardon-n-n-n my stutt-tter. I'm n-n-not very u-used to speaking out lo-o-oud."

To say that he was started would probably be an understatement. Brent had seen some varying life forms out in the great beyond, both that were pleasant to look at and some that were not. Whatever was sitting in front of him made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and what in the galaxy wasn't used to speaking out loud? How did you communicate with anyone or anything if you didn't talk? Even force users used their voice. The part that made him the most uncomfortable was the way this thing's armor tried to vaguely resemble a human, but something about it made it seem as far from human as you can get.

Brent did his best to shrug off the unnatural feelings, "No problem, we all have our own...difficulties, mine is what we talked about on the comms. I have what we agreed upon, if you're ready to discuss it?"

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

A pause, delay for nearly three whole seconds occurred before it nodded its head in a quick snappy fashion. Definitely inhuman and far into the uncanny valley now it placed a hand on the table. Armored just like the rest but with five fingers, the last a thumb all normally sized, though a bit thin. The being swallowed once before trying speech once more.

"Y-yes." It said plainly not wanting to either anger Brent with more stuttering, or at worst avoid embarrassment. In the left hand it had grabbed onto the table cloth and was clenching it painfully tight but not causing much of a disturbance on the table cloth making it nearly unnoticeable. The hound spoke again, it's voice quiet. Quiet as if it were afraid someone would over-hear them talking, like a girl staying up late on her phone in the middle of the night. In gender terms it was mostly male but had some femininity to it but not so much so as to be confusing.

"This holocron, it-s-s-s an artif-f-f-fa-act? Trembling. I can p-p-ay you for i-it." The armor-clad creature was shivering, speaking was so alien to it despite all odds. It sighed, the throat clicking raspilly once or twice as it did so. "I ca-a-an unlock-k-k-k-k it here. W-w-w-would you li-e that?" Hastur asked as it perked up in stature a tiny bit.


[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

There was a slight pause, not long, but just odd enough to make Brent notice. What was this thing sitting in front of him? He didn't know what it was, but he could see that it was here for one thing, and he was wary it would do whatever was needed to get what it wanted. The way it set its hand on the table in a vague human gesture was a little comical, but it reduced the tension a little, allowing Brent to sit back in his chair slightly as the being continued talking.

It perked up a little at the asking if Brent would like to unlock it here. The thing gazed at him waiting for an answer and Brent thought it over. He wanted to know if there was anything in it that pertained to him, and the desire to find that out burned in him. He wasn't sure if what he would find, if he even did find anything, would be good for him, but he had to know.

He looked back at the being in front of him, waiting for his response. He knew it could open the holocron, he had no doubt about that. There was an aura around this creature that pulsed with power. Even for a non-force user like himself he could feel the strength that emanated from it, surrounded it. It made him cautious, but all the more desiring to open this artifact.

"Yes, it's an artifact and if you can unlock it, do it here. But not right now," Brent said hastily, glancing around. It was too busy, "Somewhere quiet and safe, away from prying eyes. Maybe a room here in the hotel?"

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

"Yes!" It chirped happily as it stood up and waited a moment for the man to follow suit. "I will take a room here for us, and then I can open it." Its speech was better but was still a little hiccupy here and there. Once the man agreed the soldier of mystery walked inside and approached the clerk before reaching to its left hip and placed a handful of credits on the counter. For the faster counters, through Aspergers or racial ability would see that the number was near two thousand.

"One pleas-s-s-se." The clerk went to push some of the money back but Hastur refused it with a simple shake of the head horizontally twice. The clerk shrugged and placed the money on his side before handing him a room card. Quickly it snapped around a complete 180 to face the Mandalor and hand him the card. "Her-r-r-e, you t-t-ake it. I've no need of i-it." Then it returned to a standard stance, a right hand on his hip and a left hanging loosely by his side.

Hastur-Yig was pleased with this exchange, it felt natural enough and was ready to open this holocron the first chance he got. His lust for knowledge began sinking it's teeth into his pleasure centers.

[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

"Yes!" the being said and stood upright nearly instantly and looked at Brent expectantly. Brent followed quietly as the...he needed a name for thing, something easy. There was a substance...howlite, that was white, maybe Howl? Easy enough to remember, Howl would be its nickname until Brent could figure out what it called itself.

Brent followed Howl to the counter and watched as it placed way too many credits on the counter and then refused the change with a robotic shake of the head that made Brent smirk. The smirk went away when it spun around faster then he could blink and made him jerk a little. It had the room card in its hand and gave him a quick, "Her-r-r-e, you t-t-ake it. I've no need of i-it." before returning to a...casual stance?

Brent took the card with a quizzical look on his face. He raised an eyebrow and was about to ask a question but instead just looked at the room card. Room 336E, most likely the third floor.

"Alright, room 336E, probably the third floor. I'm going to take the elevator if you want to join? Or do you prefer the stairs? Maybe just climbing up the side of the building?" Brent said with a small laugh and then quickly interrupted himself, "That-that last one was a joke. Elevators this way," Brent said as he walked away and blew out a breath and raised his eyebrows. Climb the side of the building? Who says stuff like that? Bad joke, real bad. He continued down to a hallway and pressed the button for the lift wondering what would come next.

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

Oh good, he took the card. How fortunate, as 'Howl' as he was now being called would be lost for quite a while with that card. Then the options of getting there came up, elevators were something he had little to no memory of. The stairs were fine, and sounded simple but climbing the building would be fastest. Hearing that it was an option he was thankful as it was socially accept-

Oh, it wasn't. Playing it off Howl gave off an average length chuckle. Four ha-has that as it went on sounded more and more winded, painful even near the end. Howl's lungs were overcompensating for the laugh and as it ended it took charge heading for the elevator, his right hand on his weapon and left swaying back and forth. Another feminine trait that was, if this being had a more sizeable back end it might be a good sight. Though this thing was more combat suited, covered in armor and lean muscled.

The elevator ride was extremely uncomfortable, Hastur-Yig wasn't terribly used to moving just directly up. Teleporting up yes, jumping in this body? Not so much but it happened. But just standing there and moving up, that was weird.

"E-e-e-elevator's are s-strange. Th-h-hey seem more out-f-f-f-itted for labor n-n-not rest." By rest he meant, going to a room to rest. But that was a little hard to read into and would confuse most. Especially if they hadn't spent as much time as Brent with him. The eldritch master pulling the strings felt it's heart pump faster in its gut, they were growing deathly near to learning even more knowledge. Not just any knowledge, the knowledge of a powerful sith lord.

[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

Howl gave a laugh at the joke about climbing up the side of the building. A rather rough laugh, but none the less it was a lugh, which was always a good sign. If Howl was laughing, it meant he was less likely here for nefarious reasons and actually here for the holocron and a straight deal. Brent was still wary of how almost easy it had been to find someone, but maybe for once in his life he could actually have it smooth for a few days.

Brent looked back as Howl followed him and noticed how he was walking, rather feminine. Brent had taken him for a male figure, but if it was female then maybe Howl wasn't appropriate? Too late to change it, he was already used to calling it Howl. Her Howl...him? It didn't matter, he was thinking way too much into this.

The elevator ride was quiet, Howl seemed ill at ease, and his next comment confirmed Brent's thought, "E-e-e-elevator's are s-strange. Th-h-hey seem more out-f-f-f-itted for labor n-n-not rest."

"Yeah, just sitting here and going up is a little weird. Believe it or not Howl some people can't ride in elevators because they hate small spaces or don't like not being in control of their own movement. You're not the only one so no worries," Brent told him as a way to make small talk, "Hope you don't mind me calling you Howl...just a thing I do when I meet new people, I give them a nickname."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened up onto the third floor. Brent poked his head out and saw the nearest room was 306E, so they were on the right floor. "This is our floor, let's go," Brent said to Howl as he stepped out of the elevator and walked up to a plaque on the wall. It said their room was down the hallway to their right, towards the end. Perfect.

"Alright, this way," Brent said waving for Howl to follow, "It's towards the end of the hallway on the left."

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

People as awkward and unfeasable as this body? How strange, how very odd. At least Hastur-Yig had an excuse, here he was guiding this thing wearing a suit of thin armor. It was almost sad, here Hastur was with his own plans and there were people like that in the world. Though as the elevator opened his concious cleared and the... boi? Howl lead to the room and waited patiently for it to unlock.

Inside the room was a basic one bed, one window, one bath, one lamp combination that all hotels had. Because it was easiest to make them this way, but they weren't here for the room. Hastur could barely understand itching, sex would be something way out of this bodies capabilities. If he wasn't piloting directly, maybe but that'd stray from the mission. Turning to face the seller, the buyer looked on, before extending an open palm for Brent to give it to him.

He'd open it up, they'd see what's inside, Hastur would pay for it, then Hastur-Yig could finally leave. No more unneeded sociabilities, he only understood teaching and combat. But this Holocron was necessary for his mission, and he had to complete it.

"I-I'll open it now... How m-m-m-much do-o you w-w-need?"


[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

Howl lead the way to the room and then stopped at the door and waited for Brent to unlock it. He got the card key out and after the first succesful attempt managed to slide the card in right and unlock the door. It gave a slight beep and slid open for the guests to enter. The room was pretty basic, one bed and bathroom. A small window and like all hotels it had a lamp on the nightstand next to the bed, he could almost guess as to what was in the drawers.

Howl looked around the room and then turned back to face Brent. He extended his palm and asked, "I-I'll open it now... How m-m-m-much do-o you w-w-need?" he asked Brent.

Brent looked at Howl for several seconds before finally answering, "Open it first and then we will talk price. Right now I am more concerned by what's inside, and I know you are too. We have time to talk credits after we find out if this thing even works."

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

Howl nodded his little inhuman jarring nod. Then once the holocron was in his hand a giddy giggle gnawed at his throat as his free hand rose around it. Soon enough the small piece of geometry surrendered itself to the power of Hastur-Yig and opened revealing a dream like vision that the two stood inside of.

There was a great fire, larger than any I had ever seen. It burned violently as the pirates and the crusaders fought on inside of it. The crusaders had armor, and outnumbered the small band of pirates. These, lawmen butchered them all. Not one was left standing, every limb cleaved off and every skull flattened. These vanguards of good showed just how grey I really am with this alone, how they could so easily cleave through other living beings.

Because of this outrage, I demanded balance. It came through the ashes of this fire, rising from it came an ember, a spark. This little spark began to understand why it existed and grabbed his most powerful tool. Using a pen and a sword he founded a new lineage, this ember touched others and ignited their fires. Though they fell to the greed of the pirate and failed to see the color of the ashes they were founded in. Though the knightly men found my ember, and they murdered him. I buried him as the last of the pirates and closed his eyes, but before I could make another scheme... I saw a flame. Rising from the student of the ember, it began to link other fires and soon it flowed so violently that the knights could no longer fight it.

Not fighting men with swords anymore the crusaders were bested and the flame grew into a wildfire. A savage burning wall that ate away life, a design I did not envision. So now in a time, a universe of fire I leave this for you perhaps you will take my teachings to heart. Or maybe you'll try to control the fire all for yourself. Though if you do, you will surely die. There is power in the fire that you cannot control, but there is also strength in the air around it that is being snuffed out. Find your balance, for your life is tied to me. For I am the universe, I am the stars, I am the trees, I am the dirt, I am...

You are not ready for the revelation that is me. Either way, you shall find your torch on Altair-9. If it is not there already it will come to you. Once it is there you will chose whether or not you can understand the force, let alone the story I have told.

-

It ended suddenly, without a trace of it left. All that remained was force energy pulsating from the object. Howl took it and cradled it close to his chest.

"S-strange... I had not expec-c-ted that. So your story was tru-u-u-ue. This holocro-o-n-n proves th-hat. H-h-how should I pay you?" Though it wasn't so sudden as it should've been. Hastur had been greatly amused by what lay inside this holocron. Altair-9 was a swamp planet in the outer rim, it wasn't special in any way but it did have breathable oxygen.

[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

Howl was certainly excited about what was on the holocron. He could see the robot quiver with anticipation of what lay within. But when the holocron activated, they both weren't expecting what came from it.

Force users. They always left cryptic messages and unknown meanings, that's all that that message had contained as far as he was concerned. All he knew was that whoever this Sith lord was, he was probably more powerful then Brent could have possibly imagined. He didn't understand much of what the holocron had just said, but he had his helmet record the message so he could playback and listen to it again later. To see what he could gain from it, if anything. He stood there thinking, and thinking hard about what he should do next.

Altair-9, he didn't know the world, but he soon would. The holocron wasn't left for him, that much was certain, it seemed to be left maybe for a student or another force user who would follow in this Sith's foosteps. Brent was not a follower of some doctrine though. He feared whatever was on Altair-9 might not be unlocked by him, it might need another force user. He didn't know for sure, but he would find it soon enough.

"S-strange... I had not expec-c-ted that. So your story was tru-u-u-ue. This holocro-o-n-n proves th-hat. H-h-how should I pay you?" How said as Brent came back to himself and focused his attention back on him.

"What did you bring to pay with, I'm open for discussion, if nothing else a large sum of credits will do," Brent said to Howl, "I know you probably don't care Howl, but be careful of what's on that, nothing ever good came from the darkside except death and destruction."

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

If Hastur-Yig had been lucky enough to have a face he'd frown for the boy. He understood the message just fine and now he was talking bad about the force. Though of course he didn't know Brent, he hadn't swam in his mind just yet. Perhaps he despised the force, maybe he had his force powers removed. He may never know as Hastur was not considering teaching him anything.

"I can offer a-a-anything. Just p-please ask and you shall gain. I have what I n-need." Howl walked over to the window, away from the eyes of Brent. The being was sad, these people around him had began using the force for their own gains and not for what it should be used for. Because of that there were people less fortunate than others, those that were hurt by other force users. Surely this holocron would lead to more death because of its nature. The force wasn't evil, nor was it good. Hastur-Yig repeated the line a few times for reassurance, he'd seen it first hand not out of blind faith.

It was a fact and he was going to prove it, though he couldn't without students. "If you're going to Altair-9, please b-e-e-e careful. Death isn't the on-nly way to progress a story." It said plainly as it began reaching for more credits. This would haunt his mind for some time to come, but he couldn't turn around and reveal himself here and now.

[member="Brent Warnel"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

Brent studied the creature as it walked away and stared out the window, almost as if it was sad, or dissapointed. Brent was still thinking about the vision the holocron had spewed out at them. He despised the force, those that knew him could attest to that. Maybe that clouded his judgement, but it was something he couldn't, wouldn't, change.

Howl could offer anything. Anything. In a normal scenario Brent would probably have asked for something material, something rare and handy. But this wasn't a normal scenario, and he didn't ask for anything special. He was about to reply when Howl cut into his thoughts, "If you're going to Altair-9, please b-e-e-e careful. Death isn't the on-nly way to progress a story."

Brent slowly looked up at the alien as if seeing him for the first time. Brent's demeanor changed, hardened. As he remembered his brother and his old friends that died because of force users, because of just this one. He wasn't cold as he replied, but he was curt and to the point, "I didn't choose death," Brent said and pointed to the holocron, "He did when he started this. Death began this journey, and death will end it."

Brent pulled out his datapad and brought up an account that he had established for this purpose, "Transfer a quarter million credits to this account and you can have the holocron and the knowledge it holds."

[member="Hastur-Yig"]

 

[Hastur-Yig]

A pause happened, one for a few moments before he moved again. Breathing suddenly as strings had been pulled in a different location, one that had left this doll lifeless for a handful of seconds.

"It is done. You account will be updated soon." The being said, starting to get the hang of words. Sure enough some bank had just transfered twenty-five hundred thousand credits to Brent. Howl held the Holocron. That much money was a bit too much, but one must deal with scoundrels from time to time he thought to himself.

Now if Brent ended up dying on this planet it would all be for nothing. The cycle would continue as usual, and Hastur might even respond to the call to follow. Perhaps this sith wasn't so far as to not be saved. Placing the Holocron down it vanished as the master warped it back to his home. Howl left alone for a brief moment went to move but couldn't find the strength too. Then the puppeteer came back to hold his show once more.

"I'll not follow you. Go, do as you please. Our story ends here Brent Warnell." Looking out the window to the setting sun was peaceful, calming. It allowed Howl to think again. Emotions escaping his mind once more, leaving room for rationality and thought.

[member="Brent Warnel"]