Liberation

[Caid Centurion]

Lwhekk
Ssi'kaat System

Caid was silent within the cockpit of his late father's Daisya-class Infiltrator. Seated in the two seats in front of him were warriors from Endelaan. His warriors rather specifically. Silver-green eyes gazed at the rotating tactical dispaly before him. The lifeform of thousands lightly grazed against his conscience mind as the cloaked Infiltrator steadily appraoched Lwhekk, homeworld of the Ssi-ruuk.

"We will be planetside within forty minutes, Your Highness."

A slow inhale followed by a steady exhale preceded Caid's response. "Very well." Settling back into his seat, Caid closed his eyes and slipped into a state of subtle meditation. The Sith Lord held very little belief that one [member="Decima Fortan"] was being held on the capital world of the Ssi-ruuk. He would have thought the Ren to initiate an investigation into the disappearance of one of their own, particularly one related to the Grand Moff. Yet...Caid knew perfectly well the Supreme Leader, at the end, was a man. Ruling over an Empire, as it so often did, had changed whatever Sieger Ren was in his youth.

Then again - it was the man that believed an Imperialistic dictator to be anything but self-absorbed that was the true fool.

------
Once the cloaked vessels had nestled onto the ground at the edge of a large clearing, the vessel de-cloaked as the loading ramp was extended. Caid descended the ramp swiftly before it was raised back into the vessel and the cloak re-engaged. The jungle-covered planet was sweltering, beads of sweat quickly beginning to form against the Sith Lord's exposed upper body. On his lower extremities, he wore little more than a pair of pants that were made of a tactical mesh. The onyx hilt of his lightsaber was affixed to the small of his back, just to the right of his tailbone.

The sounds of the jungle filtered through his ears as the Sith initiated a moderate running pace in the direction of a nearby small village, a conglomeration of outcasts. Prior to his departure, Caid had taken it upon himself to learn what he could about the Ssi-ruuk culture. They were based very deeply in their caste system, and the Sith Lord knew that the more affluent, powerful Ssi-ruuk would ultimately never turn on their own. Those that had been outcast, pushed aside for reasons not of their own doing...well they might be more useful.

 

[Caid Centurion]

Light began to filter through the thick jungle as Caid neared closer to another small clearing - this one containing the village his ship's sensors had picked up. Settling down into a crouch just before a point where the vegetation thinned completely, Caid allowed his senses to sweep forward. Slowly, a single hand raised to move an over-sized leaf just slightly, granting his silver-green eyes a direct but constrained view of the nearest crudely constructed dwelling.

Small fires burned intensely atop large wooden poles at random intervals throughout the village. The vast majority of presences contained within the village seemed to be in a state of tranquility, stationary. Naturally, Caid recognized that many of them would be asleep at this particular hour.

Minutes seemed to crawl by until one of the Ssi'ruuk that was awake came into view. The brown coloring of the Ssi'ruuk's skin confirmed Caid's suspicion that this was an outcast encampment. A place where the lowest of the Ssi'ruuk society could leave in relative peace, away from the overbearing and outright hostile views of the other castes. These Ssi'ruuk would be forever shamed by actions taken by the parents, mating with different castes.

Once the Ssi'ruuk sentry stopped in Caid's direct line of sight, the Sith Lord ensnared the creature with the power of the Force and ripped its body towards the treeline. At the same time, Caid clamped the Force down on the creature's vocal chords in a desire to muffle any roaring or whatever they did. The moment the Ssi'ruuk was within arms reach, Caid knew he would have to maintain his invisible hold of the creature.

Standing to his full height, Caid maintained his palm a mere few feet from the Ssi'ruuk's body, fingers separated. "If you lie, I will know. If you struggle, I will intensify the pain. Rest assured you will not be killed, set free from the pathetic circumstance of your life. Instead, I will be sure you live a long life of pain and suffering after you watch me wipe out all those you care about." A surge of force energy through the Ssi'ruuk's body twisted and contorted the creature's internal organs.

"Your people's incursion to First Order space. Did you take prisoners?"

The Ssi'ruuk struggled slightly, trying to make some kind of noise. Large orbs looked accusingly at Caid, wondering why it could make no sound.

"You should stop trying to make noise or speak. That won't be happening. Think your response." After all, it was much harder to think a lie without being fairly obvious. A moment or two passed before Caid tightened his invisible grip once again. "Lie one more time, and you will know pain that can't even be described."

Three Minutes Later

Caid twisted his hand and heard a loud snap as the Ssi'ruuk's spine snapped. Death did not necessarily come immediately to the creature, its body convulsing wildly for a few moments. Eventually, a milky fluid began to leak from its ears and Caid turned his attention back to the village just beyond the vegetation. Stepping out of the cover of the jungle, silver-green eyes darted to the large poles with lit flames. Manipulating the fire directly would have taken too much time, focus. It also was a pointless exercise for the situation. Instead, Caid activated the silver-blade of his lightsaber and sent it arcing in the direction of the poles. Guiding the weapon's path with the Force, the Sith Lord cut through the supports, causing fire to land in the grass. In no time at all, the flames began to overtake everything. The first Ssi'ruuk to react were too late.

An adolescent Ssi'ruuk looked directly at Caid as the lightsaber hilt returned to his hand and the weapon deactivated. Smirking, Caid placed a finger to his lips, conveying a half-hearted desire for the adolescent to keep the secret. It didn't, a roar of anguish joining the others. Immediately, Caid disappeared back into the jungle, fully aware that the adolescent would tell others that would eventually wish to give chase.

However - Caid was airborne and rapidly ascending towards orbit in just under ten minutes. Breathing heavily from the exertion, he made his way directly to the communications chamber and connected a holocom call to Grand Moff Fortan. At the same time, he attempted to call up specifics on the location.

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

The sun was not yet rising over Avalonia, but trickles of sunlight crept over the horizon, turning the city crimson. It was just before dawn. Natasi Fortan was awake, having just pushed the covers back. She stood precariously, flexing first one leg up behind her, then the other, before padding across the plush carpeting of her bedroom at Number 10 to take her pale beige dressing gown off the back of the chair at her dressing table. She pulled it on, twisting her plaited braid out from under it before straightening the lapel. She crossed the room to the opposite side of the bed and pulled the cord there, sending the signal down to the servants' hall that the mistress had awoken and that she required attention.

She climbed back into bed, plumping her pillows behind her back. Jack arrived with the breakfast tray carried by her maid, Banks, and curled up contentedly by her side as Banks set the tray on the bed, straddling Natasi's lap. "I'll take the Times, first," said Natasi. "And then perhaps the Review -- no, Jack," she added, swiftly picking up the piece of bacon he had been attempting to pull off her tray. "Oh, just leave them," she told Banks, referencing the pile of newspapers that she had brought in. Banks set them on the bedside table, then placed her datapad on top of the stack. "Thank you, Banks. Give me... half an hour." Banks closed the door on her way out and Natasi crunched the piece of bacon as she slid her reading glasses on, then pulled the Avalonia Times across her lap. She was about to open it when --

The datapad on the bed next to Natasi chimed, and a blinking cyan light told the Grand Moff that she had a priority communication request incoming. She glanced at her watch as she pulled the datapad into her lap; at this hour, if the caller was calling from Dosuun, it would have to be something important. She activated the request and its encryption status; a familiar face swam into view as the video signal resolved itself. "Ah! Good morning -- I trust you're well."

[member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

The cool atmosphere of the Infiltrator had mostly dried the beads of sweat that adorned Caid's exposed upper body by the time the holocom connection was made. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, the Sith Lord was patient and proper, save his manner of dress, when Natasi's face came to life. A small dip of his head was the only real visual reaction he gave to the Grand Moff's greeting. "Yes, Your Excellency. I'm in the process of departing the Ssi'kaat System." Caid preferred to get straight to the point.

"I have gleaned information that the Ssi'ruuk somewhat recently constructed a high-security, covert detention facility outside the confines of their space. There is no specific confirmation of your relative's presence there, but based on how the facility was described to me, it is the most likely location."

For a brief moment, Caid paused as his fingers danced over a console in front of him, forwarding all of the information he'd pulled from the database on the planet Furia. "Furia. Located in the unknown regions just outside of First Order space. The enemy has indicated that the facility's construction was ordered, in large part, as a preemptive initiative to the assaults on Skye and Virgillia. It stands to reason they wouldn't want to transport a prisoner of Decima's caliber too any location known to be associated with the Ssi'ruuk. Likewise, it would be folly for them to retain her indefinitely aboard one of their vessels."

Caid paused once more as his silver-green gaze briefly darted to a holographic display that was out of view from the holocom. It indicated that the Infiltrator was steadily approaching orbit of Lwhekk and would soon be in the initial preparation phases for the jump to hyperspace. Eventually, his gaze returned to the holographic image of Natasi. "I am preparing to head there now to get a better understanding of the facility. I will send more information once I have it, unless there is something else you require in the mean time?"

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Natasi frowned gravely as she listened to [member="Caid Centurion"]'s report, her dark eyes narrowing at the information coming across the line. "Centurion -- look, I'm sorry to interrupt -- but I'm very curious," the Grand Moff explained, reaching up to scratch the back of her neck distractedly. "It's been more than a year since she was taken. Why would they keep her alive -- at this facility, on a ship, or anywhere else? She didn't know anything about the First Order -- certainly not enough to worry that she would give them anything actionable, of course." She paused and took another bite of her bacon, adopting a rather faraway look as she looked aside, masticating her bacon thoughtfully.

"Could she have been... turned, somehow? Tortured or whatever, made to be useful to the scales in some way? She might not know about the First Order, but perhaps she knows something about -- I don't know -- human physiology or human nature, something that would prove useful to them?" She turned her gaze back towards the datapad, eyebrows furrowing in equal parts of frustration and concern. "What do you think, Centurion? Any thoughts? Hunches?"

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid was silent as [member="Natasi Fortan"] offered her comments and questions. When the Grand Moff had finished, the Sith Lord exhaled softly. Caid's response was simple. "Entenchment, Your Excellency." The pause that followed lasted little more than a second. He was unsure just how much the woman knew about entenchment, but it was certainly something that had been used to quite a large degree among certain Sith. Caid, personally, did not involve himself in such schemes, personally opposed to the unnecessary investment in the artificial manipulation of souls. "There are plenty of historical examples of the Ssi-Ruuk practicing the manipulation of life-energies to power their mechanical technology."

Another pause.

"I believe this was the primary reason for their incursion into First Order space in the first place. With their desire for ever-expanding military might and influence, they needed an extra fuel source. The First Order was closest...a society of well-educated, well-trained individuals that could be utilized. Their attacks on Virgillia and Skye, therefore, make even more sense as surely they would believe the force users of the First Order to have the strongest life-energies with which to manipulate."

A steady inhale preceded Caid's final statement. "They were not wrong."

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Natasi closed her eyes, suppressing an eyeroll at the man's response. He couldn't possibly think her so ignorant as to not know about entechment; she had access to the same briefing material he had -- and much more -- relating to the intelligence they had gleaned about the Ssi-Ruuvi Imperium. She lifted her teacup to her lips and took a sip, composing herself before she set it down and inclined her head. "Quite," she said curtly. The Grand Moff studied [member="Caid Centurion"] for a few moments, dark eyes curious, before she straightened.

"I have no other requirements or questions, Centurion," she said pleasantly. "Thank you for your report. I trust you still have sufficient reserves to cover your expenses. Don't hesitate to reach out should you require anything additional from me. This channel will remain open."

The Grand Moff waited for the response and, once the conversation was concluded, disconnected. She hurriedly finished her breakfast, finally ceding the last few bits of sausage to Jack, and read the paper until Banks arrived to finish getting her dressed.

 

[Caid Centurion]

No. He didn't suspect her to be ignorant of anything. His intent was only to directly respond to the request she made for his assessment of the information. However, as her interest waned, the Sith was content to merely shake his head. "I require nothing, thank you, Your Excellency." A polite nod was offered before Caid allowed the connection to terminate.

A slow inhale was the only sound that accompanied his light footfalls making their way back to the cockpit. He had done what had been requested of him, a favor for someone with whom he held respect. He would make a brief visit to this planet to try and get a better understanding of the layout and whether or not the information held any truth. Following that, however, he would wait for Natasi to inform him when she was prepared for her sister's liberation to begin. After all, it did have the potential for blow back if not executed in a particular manner.

Settling into his command chair, Caid's silver-green eyes danced over the navicomputer database. To his relative surprise, Furia was indeed listed. To even greater surprise, there was a fair amount of information in the Nightstalker's system. Then again, this vessel had once belonged to his father, and he had once been rather involved in the Fringe. Selecting the system, Caid leaned back into his chair. "Captain."

"Coordinates received, Mi'lord. Plotting a course now - looks like we'll need a couple jumps."

"Very well."

[member="Natasi Fortan"]