Dominion Hakuna Rakata | Galatic Alliance Dominion of Rakata Prime

[Zaka]

Interlude vol. II
Pt. 2
BYOO
TAGS - Dagon Kaze

Crimson, evil eyes flashed in the forefront of his mind. His breath seized, and his muscles locked up. Too heavy, too weak to lift them. A coldness set in, a sign that he was close to death. And then...

His eyes snapped open, flickering back and forth in the darkness. At first he saw nothing, then the familiar forms of objects that he knew well materialized in his sight.

His lightsabre hilts on the table beside his bed. Short, single handed vibroblades placed on a wall mounted weapons rack. A staff or two, both wooden, metal, and of a leathery variety were strewn about. Items of the less violent variety included books, holo and paper forms. And a few mechanical tools, not explicitly catered to be life taking weapons but, a warrior made do.

He sat up from his spot in the bed, getting a better look at his room. The rush of adrenaline that pumped through him was already dying down. His stomach rumbled. Sucking his teeth, Zaka threw his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet, slowly redressing himself. Of the weapons in his room, he collected the lightsabres, clipping them to his belt in the small of his back before throwing his cloak over his shoulder.

Making for the doorway, Zaka heard mechanical whirring drawing closer, and as the door cycled open to the rest of Peace, he paused to shoot a glance over his shoulder at his droid. "Ell-Bee, go get the fighter ready, yeah? I'm getting some food first." A robotic whine came as response. "You can't even eat!" The astromech droid rolled forward to crash into his leg unexpectedly before rotating around and rolling off to the hangar.

"Man I hate droids," Zaka grumbled to himself before heading off.

 

[Qellene Tyliame]

[Rakata Prime]
[Flight Lieutenant Qellene Tyliame]
[Revenant Squadron - Callsign: Revenant-Ten]
{Speech Legend: Normal Qellene, Probably Definitely Evil Qellene}

---

She drew her hands, her legs tight to her chest. Shivering and bathed in the walls of a pitch black cage, Qellene's head lay buried between her knees. Nobody... Where was she? Who... Who...? She sensed a tear slipping from her eye. Nobody would be able to answer her questions, aside from the woman who shared her voice-- but she'd made it crystal clear that desperate queries would only be met by aggression.

Qellene's only shot at understanding had already developed a hatred for her.

So what was there left to do but cry?

---

It was bewildering-- Chaar's suddenly bright attitude. Was it a trick? A plan the commander had devised to lower his officers' guards?

Another communication came up, at the moment curbing her urge to berate her own commanding officer for his distracting joviality. Artie.. eh? She recognized her subordinate A-wing pilot's voice almost immediately. Hmph, she must have been getting soft. Artemis hadn't been a name on Revenant Squadron's roster for more than a brief few sorties. Gah.... Her head began to pound, and it didn't help that she could hear every little sniffle produced by her counterpart.. or whoever the stranger in her mind was. Traced back to its roots, the true source of the pounding lay in memories littered like shrapnel in her subconscious-- taunting all she knew about who she was. These.. memories... portrayed Qellene as weak, an empathetic coward who had to hide behind false optimism to survive.

She wasn't growing soft. If these memories were to be believed-- She was always soft. What the kark is going on?! Another sharp pulse reached her head; she couldn't believe she was asking the Other for help. Weak. Weak. Weak. Weak. Well!? I'm talking to you! Can you frakking speak? Nothing. And far more ominous, even her counterpart's crying had ceased.

"Fething sithspit..."

Artemis was still waiting for a reply. Qellene produced a loud, impatient sigh and chimed her A-wing's comm unit. "Oh, What do you fethin' want, you insufferable little-" she uttered a loud round of curses in her own native Pamarthen. "We getting shot at yet? Or are you just trying to screw with me?"

Don't talk to her like that. Qellene's hands clenched. Oh. So now you finally feel like speaking?

---

​

[Revenant Squadron: Tren Chaar , Leon Gallo , Kaul "Joker" Emos , Artemis Toth , Danielle Stellaris , Len Vert ]
[I am so sorry, Art. No OOC insult is intended.]

 

[Saiko Hayata]

OPULENCE
HAYATA CORP. HOTEL
CORUSCANT
赤虎
// Aiko Hayata | Ishida Ashina \\

​

The party sprawled multiple floors, attracted the likes of hundreds of people, and catered to all of their mortal delights. It was gaudy, lavish, and as to be expected, narrowly dodged being undermined by the underlying tension of the atmosphere, something which the Red Tiger alone seemed able to sense. Saiko Hayata's dark eyes cut through the hazy lights, listening attentively to the information espoused across the earpiece tucked into her left side. She cruised across the walkway above, accompanied only by the hollow 'tap tap tap' of her heeled pumps, and the faint rustle of the heirloom blade kept sheathed on her hip. She paused briefly, gloved hands set against the edge of the glassy wall on high, and peered down to the crowds below, keeping a close eye on the movement of the party, and more importantly, the shimmer of her sister's opulent scales from afar.

~"We're still clear, boss."~ the words did little to reassure her, to satiate the strange knot in her gut, the feeling that something rather unconventional was going to happen would not leave her be. Whether it would prove auspicious yet, or most unfortunate, remained to be seen, but it did not keep the Red Tiger from her prowl. A liquid shadow, she vanished from the balcony as easily as she had graced it, returning to her path. Minutes passed by without a sound from the little sister, yet through the crowd she manifested, cutting a clean path through the opulent attendees with two of her men sharing stride, one on each flank. She had been made aware of their special guest's arrival as well, though not by any technological means, but rather by the snipers she had posted in the building adjacent, in the penthouse on high, and by the augmented enforcers mimicking bouncers outside the front doors, cutting entry for the general populous with scowling faces unparalleled.

~And so the dove returns to the nest.~

She did not share the same poetic enthusiasm, rather, she began to wonder what it was the woman wanted outright. She was left with little time to wonder, as soon as they had situated themselves in their private booth above the party, Ishida appeared. Rather than speak, Saiko motioned for her men to move aside with her sister's words, creating space in the booth for the Jedi to sit down. Her cold gaze lingered on the pale-haired Atrisian, and without a sound, she offered the same sentiment to sit in the form of a shallow nod.

 

[Ishida Ashina]

A DARK SHADOW NEEDS LIGHT
BYOO - HAYATA RAKATA | CORUSCANT | HAYATA CORP. HOTEL
Aiko Hayata | Saiko Hayata
A DARK SHADOW NEEDS LIGHT TO EXIST
BUT LIGHT DOESN'T NEED DARKNESS TO BE LUMINOUS

it seems like an aeon since I last saw you; you have changed.

Ishida tried to feign indifference but failed.

Had she changed? Or was Aiko just saying that to get Ishida to react and unfold?

Lights shimmered off Aiko and Saiko, and Ishida remained mute for a moment of taken abackedness.

Beneath her bangs, her gaze glossed into the distance, suddenly sapped by the memory of that day. The last time Ishida had seen Aiko had been months before the attack on Coruscant. She'd been at Hayata hotel the day of the attack but hadn't had the chance to meet the mogul. Konrad had intercepted, and..the Jedi temple had been attacked. Priorities had instantly shifted within milliseconds.

Coming back here, having that acknowledged, made her chest tighten. A grimness that she'd idly pushed from her mind on behest of the allure of Hayata's beckon. And now, with the resurfacing awareness, she could feel her throat start to dry and her jaw set on edge.

~Perhaps.~ Ishida agreed, swallowed the ballooning unknown that threatened to overtake her throat, and straightened. ~For the better or worser?~

It was curious, though, the statement. So sure. So pointed. Did Aiko know about Inosuke's death? Did she know anything about the long-abandoned adopted son of Genichiro, Qiy'on and his betrayal? Did she know how alone Ishida was in the Ashina name, how ripe she was to step into that world and start taking advantage of the advice Aiko had given her months and months and months ago?

In the time it took for Ishida to recompose herself, Saiko had gestured for the swathe of protection to move away from the space Ishida could occupy. Their move was little more than ripples on water, shimmering in the neon lights as they stepped maybe once-twice to the side.

She took the seat meant for her and smoothed the fabric of her dress over her thighs. Curiosity drew her gaze from assessing the pair of siblings to what everyone else seemed to be looking at. She could see the white sparkle of people's eyes as they glanced forward, expectantly, over the rims of their drinks to the centre ahead of them, every now and then they'd look toward the Hayata's seats, but most focus remained on the arena ahead. The way the lights ringed the space suggested the expectation of performance or a show. Not an entire cast, the space was too small for that, but enough to entertain those who'd made attendance to the restricted levels of the corporation's hotel. Her eyes narrowed, the conversations from the foyer starting to make sense. Although those of the glitz and golden glamour weren't given access here, their intentions might have been — and thus, their words floated around in the confines of her skull: Profit. War. The Markets. Rakatan.

Of course. It was the only way so many, so rich, could gather collectively on Coruscant, in the wake of such terror. To equip themselves for the horrors of the night Aiko had called them once. Her gaze flickered to the younger of the two Hayatas, envying the display of her heritage blade. It was no Ashina steel, but it was a boast of a threat that everyone knew the raven-haired killer would make good on, given the opportunity. It was the way she was known to speak, more her blade, less her words. Ishida'd operated like that...before the Jedi.

Tension slid away from her, and she released a breath before speaking once more with a quiet voice. A purposeful volume, one that found its way to the other's ears through the thrum of harmonic melodies and landed within range as if an afterthought to the environment.

~It is good to see you both. And your hotel almost untouched after the devastation on Coruscant.~ The comment was innocent, an edge of relief suffusing through the underlying tone.

As part of her changed nature, one that truly felt loss for the first time, Ishida let part of her emotions through – though she followed the subtle direction of everyone else and kept her gaze fixed ahead, on the glasteel perimeter of the arena with blue lights.

Despite the sentiment's wistful nature, Ishida's countenance remained undisturbed. Speaking as cooly as though she were simply remarking on the unique stitching on a garment. ~Seems most else I cared about was found by destruction that day.~

Barely a heartbeat passed before she transitioned with a nod to the glass, finally looking back at her hostess with a flash of a tight-lipped smile. ~I'm glad I made it before...what you have in store starts?~

 

[Dagon Kaze]

BIG PICTURE
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #9 w/ Zaka

The long way. Three different hyper vectors before he docked on Peace. Deliberately not taking a direct course from Denon. Deliberately not accessing its database remotely from his world. A little more vigilant, a little more cautious - it had been warranted. With the Senate being compromised, the Jedi played a number on and Solipsis on a crusade to exterminate every single Jedi.

And with mentoring the Sith Lord's daughter.

Dagon Kaze cannot afford the risk.

Cannot afford that blind trust so often as he did before.

He turns a corner on the long, empty hallway when he comes across Zaka and stops. Eyes widen for a moment before he finds the composure again, nods a silent greeting, and then walks away on his business.

Only for a strong hand to grasp his arm in an unshakeable hold.

"Huh?"

It's time for answers.

 

[Zaka]

Interlude vol. II
Pt. 2
BYOO
TAGS - Dagon Kaze

Soon, Peace's private quarters faded away behind him behind winding hallways and staircases. It was only after a few minutes into his walk did he realize that this was not the path to the cafeteria. Slowing, but walking with a determination that gave him the semblance of a man possessed, Zaka continued for a few more moments before he felt familiarity on the edge of his senses.

Not someone that felt glad to see him, or as a long lost friend. But someone that he had encountered before. Among the Jedi of the Core, that number was few.

Moments later, there he was.

Dagon Kaze.

The Knight gave a nod and feigned a coolness that propelled Zaka into action. Pace quickened, frustration built - a flash of those same crimson eyes - and then his hand was on Dagon and spun him about.

"Why?"

Zaka's mind did not possess an ounce of illusion to make him think that he did not know what he meant. Solipsis. Jedha. Stopping him from ending it all. Just thinking about it, recalling it made him tremble.

In anger.

"Why did you stop me from killing him?"

 

[Dagon Kaze]

BIG PICTURE
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #9 w/ Zaka

The question rang in his mind like an echo in a cavern.

And yet, between them - grave silence. Only the soft hum of life support systems faintly bickering across the walls. His blue eyes glared at nothing, away from Zaka's demanding gaze. He doesn't even shake off the hold. The pivotal moment flashes before his eyes - there in the dust and ruin, with flames ablaze, and the galaxy's fate on the precipice. No matter how many times he ran the memory again and again and again, certainty never seemed to stir.

Only belief. A tiny candlelight of belief in a sea of dusk.

Belief that the risk was too high, that Solipsis was too fast, too strong.

And that Zaka would just be another sacrificial lamb for a cause that seemed to waver against the battering gale from the Unknown Regions.

Another friend, another comrade, to be buried.

Dag's mouth finally opens to speak, eyes avert away from nothing to the inquisitive glare of the Blackfang, "Because he would've killed you first." his voice suddenly hoarse, drained, just as it had been then, "Chances were too slim, Zaka and I made the call." flashbacks of when he'd chosen the mission at the expense of Tycho's life and the alienation of Djon resurfaced.

"...we would've lost a capable Jedi and gained nothing."

"That's all there is to it..."

 

[Zaka]

Interlude vol. II
Pt. 2
BYOO
TAGS - Dagon Kaze

No.

It couldn't be true.

"You... Don't know that... Not for certain." Zaka said, his mind racing as it dragged the memories of that day back to the forefront. The bright, otherworldly glow of the Sith'ari's eyes. He remembered him on the ground, wounded. Zaka remembered his arms raising, no, about to raise, and then he was pulled back. Dragged through the temple as it collapsed by invisible hands before being locked out.

He shook his head, but he made no attempt at refuting the claim again.

How many times he had he played it in his mind?

How many times had Darth Solipsis carved his insides out when he dreamed?

"...we would've lost a capable Jedi and gained nothing."

"That's all there is to it..."

Multiple schools of thought would see Dag's reasoning as hindsight bias. Or something approximating it, since what he spoke hadn't come true, due to his intervention.

"You Coreward Jedi..." He shook his head, muttering. He remembered standing with Rhis Fisto in the aftermath of the Brotherhood's attack on Coruscant. A planet in mourning, death on an unprecedented scale. The grieving he had seen then, he realized they saw death differently from his people.

The sacrifice would've been worth it, he'd convinced himself. It was his purpose. People would die to end this darkness. Better to lose one, than the thousands it'll take just to see another opportunity like that come again.

"Now I've got to live with your choice." His hand fell away, suddenly too weak and confused to maintain the vice grip. Forced down a path on account of anothers decisions? Had he sensed maliciousness at any point in their knowing eachothers, they wouldn't have been having this conversation. "Everyone that dies trying to take him down... It's not just on you now," spoken softer, the daggers Zaka shot through Dagon's skull lessened in intensity. At least a little.

 

[Dagon Kaze]

BIG PICTURE
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #9 w/ Zaka

Zaka was right. Dagon Kaze wasn't certain, not completely, not beyond a reasonable doubt. They let goons out for less than that. But this was no sleazeball runnin' a street on Denon. This concerned the very galaxy itself. He had felt that dark power rising, prowling, stalking, and preparing to lash out. Deception was the Sith's greatest weapon.

He couldn't gamble Zaka's life, not when the outcome had been so uncertain.

Not when he had already lost a comrade, a brother, the same way years ago. When everything had to be wagered for the mission... and then what? Scum got them wild-eyed, shocked, and fled to terrorize another street for years. They'd won nothing and had lost everything just because Dag had tunnel-visioned on the task, just like on Ossus...

He takes a deep breath to clear his mind and escape the spiral of nightmares, "I know."

"But dying in vain will only weaken us in a conflict that's end may not come with his demise..."

"... a lot more blood will be spilled until then and..."

"... without us to protect it - I don't think the galaxy stands a chance." there was no hint of arrogance, no superiority slithering in his voice - just pure statement of facts. Facts that carried the weight of responsibility for every single living soul in the universe.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Atlantis​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Allyson Locke Kalie Alverez Lyrrin Saul Colsan ​

​

Valery was approaching Allyson when she heard Saul Colsan 's comment, which caused her to briefly pause her steps. Her orange eyes slowly turned to look him over, "If you look at me and see a Rookie, I fear for any assignment left to your assessment." the rather experienced Jedi Master said in return, her voice calm but the look in her eyes showed disappointment in the man. With a simple shake of her head, she turned away from him and looked over at Allyson.​

​

There was much more she could have said but she wanted to keep it as professional as possible, so she decided to answer her fellow Shadow's question and focus on something important.​

​

"Agent Lyrrin and I retrieved the Wayfinder from the bridge of the disabled Battlecruiser." she began. "We went there following intel we received from M, but locating the item wasn't as easy. Agent Lyrrin was left to attempt and recover it on his own while I was kept busy by a group of Maw special forces that entered the ship after us."​

​

"He..." she looked over at the Farghul and smirked."...kind of stumbled into finding it. But he also protected it nearly with his life and allowed us to get it out of the ship. Which is where Agent Alverez picked us up." she said, clearly with praise for both of the Agents she had worked with on the mission.​

​

"Since then, I've made sure no attempts were made at accessing the data stored inside. I have experience with Sith artifacts and many can be dangerous and sometimes, they contain a failsafe as well. I believed the best possible route was for you to take a look at it first."​

​

"My specialty is taking down Sith and their creations, not accessing it."​

​

​

 

[Lyrrin]

-

Tags: Valery Noble | Kalie Alverez | Saul Colsan | Allyson Locke​

---

Lyrrin didn't look up from his datapad as Saul Colsan called Valery Noble a rookie though a visible smile began to cross his face as he held in a laugh. The timing of it was hilarious to him! As Valery snapped back and Allyson gave her round table style introduction of those present, Lyrrin gave them a a brief nod as he put his datapad down and put his now free hand on his hip as Allyson Locke claimed that she was going to open it with.., what? "What? Wait..." he squinted at her and took a step back "Stars... you're a Jedi to?" he looked then to Saul and, visibly, his head bobbed up and down as he carefully inspected the man for any signs of lightsabers then to Kalie Alverez . Seeing nothing that resembled a lightsaber and no talk of weird terms he assumed they were 'clean'.

He turned back to squint to Allyson as he took a step away from the table before she could do her Jedi witchcraft. He didn't take the Wayfinder away or anything he was just making sure there was ample space between him and the wibbly nonsense and bad luck of the Jedi Order "Rrrriggght" he said in a long drawn out way that featured a very feline rolling series of R "I'll let you uh, take care of " he made air quotation marks with two fingers per hand, datapad still clutched in the left hand "The relic." clearly Lyrrin had something against Jedi, Sith, and perhaps more Forced based organizations - though the Farghul were renown for their distrust of both Jedi and Sith.

As he went to stand more with Saul and Kalie he looked between them "If something springs up and out of that thing it'll take us 38 seconds to get back to the shuttle if we sprint - I counted."

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: SHADOW BASE #187431 "Atlantis" //:
//: Valery Noble //: Lyrrin //: Kalie Alverez //: Saul Colsan //:
//: Operation: HEARTSEEKER //:

"Surprise?"

Allyson wiggled her fingers as Lyrrin expressed surprise. She didn't blame him; she never wore anything traditional, marking her as a Jedi. Allyson shrugged, "I'm as close to a Jedi as synthetic blue milk is to the real stuff." It was the truth about how she felt about being a Jedi. Hearing Kalie's words, Allyson gave the girl a slight smirk, enjoying the woman's banter. It kept things light, and her annoyed mood calmed for the most part. Saul still rubbed her the wrong way. Looking to the others, then back to Val, she sighed softly.

"I understand; while yes, it seems the Force is going to be needed - there's no reason to endanger the entire team." Looking back towards the three SIA agents, "You three are dismissed; Agent Lyrrin, could you make sure to fill out a detailed report of the incident. While Valery's verbal confirmation of what happened works, for the time being, you know our boss - she'll want record." The Corellian nodded, and her attention went back to the wayfinder. "From preliminary findings - whatever is keeping it locked up is nasty - don't want to put anyone in danger unnecessarily."

Allyson ran her hand along with the device till she could tuck her hand under and flip it. "Valery, when the other's clear out, could you create a barrier around us - keep everything contained. I found a hum that I think I can tap into with Mechu Deru." She waited for the room to clear as well as Valery to put up the barrier. Allyson didn't dare move forward, but she wondered if she would have to make a call to the one person that could help her with this. As much as she hated the thought of reaching out to the woman - Allyson knew if she couldn't crack this with Valery's help, she would have to swallow her pride and call Taeli Raaf.

"Hurry up and clear out you three. That's an order."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Atlantis​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Tag: Allyson Locke Saul Colsan Kalie Alverez Lyrrin ​

​

Valery briefly looked at the others and as much as she wanted them to be here for this - they had been involved in the recovery after all - she agreed with Allyson that it was in their best interest to keep some distance. The two Shadows would be able to shield themselves from anything that could possibly happen next, but she couldn't ensure the safety of the other Agents if they were too close. ​

​

She then offered Allyson a nod and waited for the others to clear out before she stepped closer to the Wayfinder and began her preparations to form the Barrier. First, Valery closed her eyes and slowly pushed out any thoughts or emotions that could distract her, allowing her to continue with greater clarity.​

​

Her arms extended out to her side, the palms facing away from her, and she began to channel the Force. With the strength she felt flowing through her body, as well as what her armbands amplified, she began to project a field outwards. Like a bubble, it formed around the two Jedi and the Wayfinder, its energy strong in the Light and able to contain what they were about to release within its confinements.​

​

Valery then opened her eyes and let out a soft breath while she worked to maintain the Barrier.​

​

"That should do it. I'll be able to maintain it for quite some time, but let's hope this shield isn't needed," she smirked and looked between Allyson and the Wayfinder. She wasn't sure what was going to happen when they tried to access it, but she would make sure to stand ready for it.​

​

 

[Aiko Hayata]

BYOO|Coruscant|Show
AIKO HAYATA, CEO OF HAYATA CORP
TAGS//: Ishida Ashina Saiko Hayata

​

~Worse not worser dear, I'd hope the Jedi to not lack at grammar, wouldn't that be tragic.~ she remarked snarkily, eyeing her sister for a reaction before turning back to Ashina girl before them. Anticipating either a lack of response from Saiko or a muted smirk of some kind, she could never tell nor anticipate. Saiko was unpredictable and had always been that way since they grew up in their father's compound on Atrisia; it was no wonder she'd stayed out of prison for so long. But she meant no malice to Ishida; after all, it never hurt to have a joke every so often; it broke the ice during many tense negotiations and meetings.

~For the better.~

It was not a lie on her behalf, nor was it blind praise, merely an observation on her side. People changed so much throughout their life, both spiritually and physically; it was a belief that stemmed from her interest in the mysteries of Atrisian philosophy and thought. Such ideas, which had profoundly impacted her own way of life and in the world of business, her father had been much the same until the thought of what came after drove him insane and distant from the rest of his family.

~What can I say, Hayata branded products or anything bearing our name is built to last,~ Aiko smirked.

The Atrisian CEO tilted her head and lit a cigarra with one of her enameled lighters, inhaling and letting out a long wispy cloud of smoke that permeated the perfumed and already smokey room. She switched from Atrisian to the heavily accented basic that she used reluctantly.

"Killing is our business and business is good, it seems every week we at Hayata have a new clientele, senators, crimelords, pudgy faced administrators; they all desire one thing these days, dear."

 

[Zaka]

Interlude vol. II
Pt. 2
BYOO
TAGS - Dagon Kaze

Zaka didn't like it.

But he didn't need to, to understand.

There was no certainty that he would've succeeded, no matter how confident he was in his abilities. The same reason why his Master never wanted him to leave in the first place, not without his oversight. Too young, or, not ready. He'd heard all the reasons, and to come face to face with a Sith. The Sith. Zaka couldn't fathom how Dagon didn't believe things would look up.

Born to warrior traditions, he did not need to look long to see the scars on the Jedi Knight. His time in the Core told him that those that surrounded them would sympathize. But Zaka? Amongst his own people, to be so weathered was to be considered Great. A warrior meant for renown. Even if failing in an attempt, the journey was no less impressive even if the end was failure.

"I chose to believe it would end with him," he started. "I think something would've changed if I did. It'll haunt me. Even if we're lucky enough for him to never strike again." His shoulders raised and dropped in a shrug. "But I understand why you did it -- I don't like it... But, I get it."

"... without us to protect it - I don't think the galaxy stands a chance."

For a moment, he paused.

"I've seen your Senate's Mandate. You still think they deserve Jedi protection? Even if they settle on dubbing us criminals?"

 

[Ishida Ashina]

A DARK SHADOW NEEDS LIGHT
BYOO - HAYATA RAKATA | CORUSCANT | HAYATA CORP. HOTEL
Aiko Hayata | Saiko Hayata
A DARK SHADOW NEEDS LIGHT TO EXIST
BUT LIGHT DOESN'T NEED DARKNESS TO BE LUMINOUS

~Worse not worser dear, I'd hope the Jedi to not lack at grammar, wouldn't that be tragic.~

Gratitude burgeone within for the blue lights bouncing over her skin, a necessary contrast to conceal the flash of pink that rose to her cheeks at the correction to her Atrisian. Any opportunity edgewise to slight the Jedi was optimized, and she gave a small twitch of a smile in response.

How long had it been since she’d had a full-blown conversation in her mother tongue? Surely Aiko wasn’t the last one. Her expression returned to something pensive, thoughtful.

~For the better.~

Her muted wonderings truncated when Aiko gave a response, and Ishida nodded. At least her time with the Jedi hadn’t made her growth detestable.

~What can I say, Hayata branded products or anything bearing our name is built to last,~

The explanation for their withstanding the attack was smooth, practiced and marketable. Ishida inclined her head ever-so-slightly from the nothingness everyone seemed to be looking at, and back at Aiko’s sharp face. Burning at the edge of her mouth was the familiar pulse of the ember to her cigar. Ishida remembered thinking that had looked so cool when she was little, watching the enterprisers mingle with cigars dripping from their mouths. The smoke rose and joined the already all-consuming cloud of the room, adding to the mystery of the hidden chamber.

It was startling, then, to hear Aiko transition to basic. Her shoulders tightened and she sat a little straighter. The line seemed far more marketable than the first she’d delivered as if she wasn’t speaking to Ishida the person, but the Ishida she should have been, or the Ishida she might have been if she stepped full force into the expectations of Ashina heirdom.

Diversification of clientele absolved Hayata’s dependence on a single revenue stream, many pocketbooks liberated alignment and Ishida’s realization coloured behind her eyes.

Further realization struck when she realized the difference of language, the purposefulness of it. Killing was the business, not protection. Aiko wasn’t an arms dealer that sugar-coated her work.

Ishida hmm’d thoughtfully. Her legacy was in the divinity of Ashina Steel — used to construct the deadliest of weapons that parried even the effectiveness of a lightsabre. It would be a fallacy for her to think she would be involved in any business other than killing either. And all those clients she mentioned, the senators, were interested in killing.

“One thing?” She asked, though dreaded the response. There were so many ways to kill someone.

 

[Dagon Kaze]

BIG PICTURE
THE GREAT ERROR vol. II
Issue #9 w/ Zaka

why do we fall​

Dag didn't like it either, even when Jem had all but confirmed that Solipsis had already set plans in motion in case he was sent to the realm of death. It wouldn't be out of character for a Sith--the Sith-- to make sure his agenda was carried out after his demise. His own father was proof of that notion. Death could not contain Haytham Kaze.

"I've seen your Senate's Mandate. You still think they deserve Jedi protection? Even if they settle on dubbing us criminals?"

"Everyone does, Zaka. Especially those who despise us." he says. There was no love lost between him and those sitting on the Senate but a Jedi's duty superseded mundane differences that separated the common sentient of the galaxy. "Every life is sacred even those that seek to harm us..."

Sighing, he continues, "...look, these decisions we make and this cross that we carry, the galaxy-- endure. Take it. They can hate us for it... they have hated us for it but that's the point of being a Jedi-- we can be the outcasts-- we can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice."

 

[Aiko Hayata]

BYOO|Coruscant| Show
AIKO HAYATA, CEO OF HAYATA CORP
TAGS//: Ishida Ashina Saiko Hayata

​

"Oh my dear, there are many ways a person can die, oh killing someone with a swish of your lightsaber, so dull, so droll, archaic even I'd say. People pay for drones that can wipe out a man from miles away, droids that can perform battlefield functions better than a man can, replicants that can hide among the dregs of humanity unaware until they are ready to do their task."

She smiled at the girl, bemused by her seeming lack of awareness and even ignorance at the subject of suffering and violence. Funny, she might've thought the Jedi would know all about the horrors of conflict and taking a life. Though she supposed it was easier to stomach taking a life when sugarcoated and buried beneath an ancient cult-like ideology that was the light side. At least Sith was more honest and direct in their sadism and intentions.

"When you took your first life, how did it feel?" Aiko inquired, a loaded question even for one such as Ishida. The tone in her voice shifted sharply from playful to serious, yet her body language was relaxed, and she leaned forward, burying the butt end of her cigarra in the ashtray.

"It's fascinating."

 

[Ishida Ashina]

A DARK SHADOW NEEDS LIGHT
BYOO - HAYATA RAKATA | CORUSCANT | HAYATA CORP. HOTEL
Aiko Hayata | Saiko Hayata
A DARK SHADOW NEEDS LIGHT TO EXIST
BUT LIGHT DOESN'T NEED DARKNESS TO BE LUMINOUS

Until they are ready to do their task. Ishida’s countenance remained stoic, but Aiko’s choice of words played the strings of her nerves like a harp. The New Sith Order had remained concealed amongst the elite, the normal until they struck. Aiko’s replicas were just so.

And the tasks of the replicas, Ishida could tell already, were of little concern to Aiko. So long as she was paid beforehand. She was empowering the witless and cowardly to skulk in the shadows until activation.

She folded her hands in her lap and put another notch in her mental pros and cons list to connect with Konrad Harrsk . The life of shadows and ninjas was only a few buttons away. The life of a respected, focused, killer.

"When you took your first life, how did it feel?"

Suddenly she was a ghost in her own life.

Her first kill, she couldn’t remember. Someone her father had put in front of her, someone who’d thought they could win but had lost. Brutally. Their name, she didn’t remember. Their face was just oblong shape in the haze of childhood. They’d been alive, then they weren’t. She’d done as she’d been taught. Flawless, bringing delight to the Ashina name. She’d looked for the next face within seconds.

She blinked, a glossiness taking over her eyes. She’d only felt the baring of her teeth, blood in her veins, pleasure in triumph. Then nothing. Muted nothing in knowing that had been the expectation. She’d just performed as intended.

“Unmemorable.” Ishida lied, waving her hand to dismiss a geisha offering her something to smoke. She already felt lightheaded enough.

Stormy eyes tracked the movements of the mogul, watching the embers douse from pressure. Like life. Snuffed. Aiko squished a cigar the same way Saiko swiped her blade. The same way Ishida stabbed, cut, kicked...

There were many ways to kill. And she knew… a lot of them.

"It's fascinating."

It was fascinating. Not the kill, but the way people chose to try and live.

She exhaled through her teeth.

“Have you killed?" She asked, her voice thin through the music. "Or has Saiko told you what it's like? Or your replicas..do they feel?"

 

[Osarla Ridor]

II| CAPTAIN OF TORTUGA COMPANY
222ND NOVA CORPS | 512TH LEGION | 312 ATTACK BATALLION
RAKATA PRIME | RAKATAN PRISONS | 09:00H
O P E N

Creepy.

There was no other word for what this was. It was creepy.

Prisons were, at best, unscary. But ancient prisons? With confusing outbound messages and pleas for reinforcements with difficult-to-decipher speech? It felt ghoulish and dangerous like she was leading her men into an unseen trap. The haunting subtleness to it all was worse than the traditional launch into conflict. Made it harder to plan.

<The number of positive lifeforms matches the Chandra's Vanguard manifest. Well...it's actually less.> Bug answered the unasked question, scrolling through the schematics of the prison. Small, glowing dots moved throughout the white outlines on his navy background.

<Positive lifeforms?> Fiddler asked, fiddling with his blaster until it gave a satisfactory click. <Suggesting there might exist negative lifeforms?>

<If there're negative lifeforms, we've got one right here.> Brick (the only one who might have given Osarla competition for her size) chuckled, shouldering the complainer of the group. Reporter, they called him affectionately. For always having the gull to report whatever was on his mind, usually something realistic erring on pessimistic. Reporter only grunted in response.

Bug ignored the jests. <There are weaker signals, which I'm reckoning are perhaps some crew members who might have been the ones to send the confounding messages we received. They're likely compromised somehow, but how we don't —>

<We expected that.> Osarla interjected solemnly, her hardened expression untelling of the growing concern within her. The Force was not content here. It was brittle, almost. Confounded and wary, sensitive. <The Alliance personnel is tagged with identification we can trace. We'll cover more ground if split up to recover the science team. What's left of it.>

Helmeted heads nodded in agreement, and two teams of six split apart to cover two separate entrances, planning to meet in the middle. And if they missed the middle, back at the shuttle at 14:00H. Anything otherwise would be cause for concern.

For a long while, there was only silence, stillness, and emptiness, the prison creaking softly only in response to the heavy trooper armour that navigated down its hallways.

Despite it being daytime, the prison was as dimly lit as it was silent. Even though everything was on, and fully activated, it was poorly maintained. The only sources of light were random flickers from dying bulbs throughout the corridor, and the flashlights on the helmets of the Tortuga Company.

Chamber after interconnected chamber, Fiddler rhapsodized about how never-ending this felt.

<Until it ends.> Reporter muttered grimly as if foreshadowing what they were all wary of. Those positive lifeforms Bug had pointed out earlier.

The seeming vacancy of the hallways explored thus far was both disorienting and nerve-wracking. Bug had duplicated the map he'd used for everyone to make use of, but it was still a foreign set of lines they had to navigate in real-time, no matter how frequently they referenced the picture. They had walked almost a kilometre from the entrance by now, and at each corner, half-expected someone from Chandra's Vanguard to greet them with wide-eyed cackles of relief.

No such interaction came.

So far, they'd only run into a few droids that were still operational. Going about cleaning duties, random pre-programmed protocols. Brick had been so startled he'd almost blasted the first one's head off.

<Hold on.> Osarla held up a hand, the five soldiers behind her drawing to a stop and keeping their weapons raised. Ready. <I feel something..>

---