Message from the Servant [Republic Message.]

[Cylus Jest]

The fierce visage of the Plague mask stared into the holocam for a few moments before taking a few steps back and revealed the figure that was Cylus Jest. The room he was in appeared to be very dark, a lone cot sat in the corner and a single light above illuminated it.

Behind the man hung another from the ceiling, chains wrapping around his arms. A small desk appeared in front of the holocam and the Servant took his seat at it, it appeared to be a blank wooden desk with no real discernible features. With a slight cough, Cylus finally spoke.

"Good greetings, citizenry and administrative elements of the Republic." The voice was cordial despite the prisoner hanging behind him. He shifted slightly in his seat, apparently trying to become more comfortable.

"I am Cylus Jest, Servant of the Inquisition, and this fellow behind me is [member="Blaise Laurent"], Jedi Padawan." Cylus scooted out of the way of the holocam to show off the hanging prisoner once more.

"I found Blaise on Coruscant, and have taken him into my personal protection, however, as you might understand, caring for a Jedi requires a large amount of fees." The voice lost its' cordial feel and grew cold and harsh in an instant.

"I have taken the liberty of educating Blaise, as well as providing for his safety and security. He has grown much more respectful. You'll probably notice it when he comes back to you. Cylus stood, pushing the desk away and stepping calmly over to Blaise. He suddenly drew a gloved hand back and delivered a harsh sounding slap across his cheek.

"Of course, I'm ready to redeliver this young one to you, but first we must settle the terms of debt." Cylus strolled around Blaise, circling him much like a predator circles their prey, though his cold eyes never seemed to leave the holocam.

"I require two-million credits to be sent into the account number that follows. A flash of numbers and identification flashed along the screen for a few brief seconds before flickering out of existence once more.

Cylus stopped his circling, gradually drawing a long blade from his side, the blade was fairly thin and made in the style of a fencing sabre, though it was a bit wider than a traditional one. He flicked a button on the side, and a low hum would become audible.

"If you choose to refuse, I suppose i'll just have to find payment some other way." The blade moved rapidly, in an instant it slashed along the hand of Blaise, sending the detached limb piece to the ground in a single slash.

"You have four days, Fare thee well Republic." Cylus sheathed the blade, giving a bow of his head as he flicked his hat off. The figure behind him was now being held only be a single chain, his hand lay on the dark floor of the prison cell.

[member="Blaise Laurent"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

Jorus didn't serve the Republic anymore, but he knew they were stretched thin by schism after schism, regime after regime, galactic threat after galactic threat. He'd served on the Jedi Council long enough to know that this would probably be like most of the kidnaps in previous years.

Nobody would pay. Somebody would get around to handling the problem. Eventually.

A precisely chosen amount of money was transferred into Cylus' account: 1313.99 One Sith credits. An invitation to the lion's den: the legendary level 1313 on Coruscant, and specifically the Old Ninety-Nine Cantina and Grill.

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus had never been one for waiting, especially when what was supposed to be a basic ransom ended up becoming a ridiculous little attempt at a trap. Oh well, he wanted to be paid...he supposed it would have to do.
It didn't take very long at all to reach Coruscant, but proceeding from their would be more difficult. He understood the importance of not going in himself...that would be foolish, especially with the others having the homefield advantage down so deep in Coruscant. At least the planet was O.S controlled, that might make things a little easier.

Perhaps it was time to make use of that splendid resource he had, his bodyguard that is. It was sort of odd to think that the Servant had a servant, but such things happened. Though in retrospect he wasn't so much an actual servant as just an individual grateful for having received a body. Yes, this was a splendid plan, much better than risking one's life by going themselves.

He approached the living machine inside of the ship, calling it over to attention.
"[member="Echelon"] would you be so kind as to deal with our ransomer down on Coruscant, Level 1313, Some place called the Ninety-nine cantina and grill."

[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Echelon]

Echelon would point at itself confused at this sudden request, it would stop writing on a piece of paper it found. It felt like forever but it finally decided to speak up.
"Are you sure [member="Cylus Jest"]? What about if its a idiotic trap by the republic to attack you. But then they kidnap ME instead to get a ransom or something?"

It would shrug it's not existent shoulders, starting to follow Cylus to the Lambda pod hoping that Cylus would have an imagination and think of the consequences that may happen.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"] [member="Echelon"]

A visit to the Old Ninety-Nine Casino and Grill would find Jorus having a mug of lum in the disreputable establishment, a broad-brimmed hat hanging low over his eyes, and no backup around.

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus shook his head at his mechanical bodyguard, and with a sigh nodded once. It was a well thought out idea he had, he simply could not send his bodyguard because there was a fair chance that he would be captured as well. He supposed they would both have to go, after all Coruscant was controlled by the O.S, backup was readily available.

"Very well, Echelon. We shall both go down to the planet and meet up with whoever is here. I will bring a pair of Undying with us, just in case. Stay close."

He would step into the Lambda shuttle, motioning for a pair of Undying troopers to enter. They would and hopefully after Echelon boarded the shuttle would take off towards Coruscant. It was a long ride downwards as far as 1313, moving past traffic fast and slow. Eventually however the group would make it to their location.
"Guard the doorway." He ordered to the pair of troopers before stepping into the establishment.

It took him a few moments to adjust to the place, he took long looks around the area before speaking into his com once more.
"If we do not return shortly, execute the prisoner." An acknowledgement sounded from the com before Cylus spotted a figure sitting at a bar, wearing a hat similar to the one he wore himself albeit with slight differences.
He slipped over to the fellow, taking a seat next to him and tilting his hat in greetings as he spoke cordially "Good greetings, are you the one I am meeting with?"

[member="Jorus Merrill"] | [member="Echelon"]

 

[Blaise Laurent]

Blaise kept his head down, averting his eyes from the holocam. The chains were rather uncomfortable and he kept fidgeting around in them but there was nothing he could do. He lifted his eyes to look at the back of Cylus as he spoke. It wasn't uncommon for kidnappings to occur with Jedi or criminals or anyone else that was wanted by another.

When Cylus started talking about credits he sighed, that was all they ever wanted. No regard for anyone. Safety and security, he scoffed and finally lifted his head to look at the man but only to be slapped. The Padawan could do nothing to defend himself and moved his head away with the impact. He glared at the man, though still somewhat fearful.

Blaise kept his eyes on Cylus nervously, waiting. He watched as the man drew a long blade and squirmed uncomfortable, though knowing he couldn't get away. He gasped when the blade came in contact with his wrist and took the hand clean off. It was more a gasp of shock than pain since it was a prosthetic hand anyway. He stared at the man, a lot more fearful than before, having now lost his dominant hand... again.

Spoiler

((ooc: Just replying to the first post, don't have to reply to this))

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

"I'm not the one you were asking for," said Jorus quietly, from behind the mug and the hat-brim. "But yeah, the message was from me. Let's talk about your guest. I'll need proof he's still alive before we can move on."

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus nodded his head once as he sized up the fellow in front of him, apparently this would be the ransomer he would be speaking to. He may have been insulted about the comment on the hostage's safety, but he understood that in his shoes he would do the same...that and he didn't really take offense to much.
"Of course, sir. One moment." He continued his cordial tone as he spoke to the man.

However when he spoke into the com-link his voice became much more authoritarian and cold "Send a brief video feed to my holo." Cylus reached to his side, removing a small holocom about the size of a mouse. After a few moments it came to life, showing the still hanging figure of [member="Blaise Laurent"].
"Proof enough, now about the fee."

[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

Jorus shook his head. "Proof is when I tell you to make a call to whoever's with him, and get either the prisoner or the guard to hold up three fingers, then two, then three, where I can see it on the video feed. For all I know this could be a recording. Then we talk about fee."

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus didn't think this situation was being portrayed in a good enough manner. Did it really matter? Not really, he wanted the funds and so he'd play by the fellow's rules, at least until it was no longer necessary to do so. Those were how these things were played after all, still it was good to retain some control over the ransoming.
He spoke into his com in his cold voice once more "Guard, please raise up your fingers in order of my count. One, Three, Five, Two." On the holo, a set of fingers appeared in front of the cam and did as they were instructed.

There, that was finally done with...hopefully, Cylus couldn't help but get the impression that there was something else going on, that maybe he was being played somehow. Again...it didn't matter for now. Now was time for control.
"Guard, please strike the prisoner once." The Undying trooper stepped in front of the cam before swinging his fist against the Jedi's ribs. Afterwards he stepped back to his position.

"Now...are we done?"
[member="Blaise Laurent"] | [member="Echelon"] | [member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

Jorus shook his head. "You could have pre-determined that signal and that command, which is why I gave you a sequence of my own. This could still be a recording. As I said, I need explicit proof that the prisoner is alive, and that means the only way you get your money is if you give the sequence three, two, three right now."

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus shrugged, laying the holo on the counter as he spoke once more into the com. It was a really good thing he didn't actually get annoyed, because a normal person would probably be losing their temper about now.
"Fingers, three, two, three." In another quick motion, the fingers appeared over the holo before disappearing back behind the cam.
This fellow was awfully picky wasn't he, that two million credits was going to be extremely useful in his future affairs however.
"He followed your sequence, if you ask for more proof I'm going to have him break the prisoner's jaw."
[member="Blaise Laurent"] | [member="Echelon"] | [member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

Jorus shook his head again. "That won't be necessary now that your man has given the signal." He contemplated asking for proof that the kid was Blaise Laurent, but he'd pushed about as far as he could comfortable go, and anyone on the other side could replicate Force use. Besides, the amputation video had been authenticated, unless a very good holoslicer was involved, so that solved that.

"You're making a mistake, Mr. Jest of the Inquisition. It has nothing to do with your safety here, or the boy you've kidnapped. Would you like to know what it is?"

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus jerked his head sideways, giving off a curious look as he glared into the man's eyes with his own cold ones. He had a feeling this would be one of those witty one-liners in an attempt to threaten him, that would be interesting. Not that he'd care even if it was, that was simply the way things were.

"Let me guess, have I made an enemy of you?" He asked, one would have expected some sort of contempt from the words, but it was spoken in the same cold monotone he tended to use.

[member="Jorus Merrill"] | [member="Echelon"] | [member="Blaise Laurent"]

 

[Sabena Shai]

DAY 1

Four days. As [member="Jorus Merrill"] and [member="Cylus Jest"] made their deals, the Republic had began to act. Sabena was placed on an investigative team to primarily search for and recover [member="Blaise Laurent"] - and if possible, to end all possibility of Cylus kidnapping another Jedi ever again.

Though in reality, Sabena was more a part of the team for whenever their did field work in the actual act of rescuing Blaise.

Leaning over the shoulder of a young Twi'lek male typing away on a holocomputer, Sabena read a bit of what the Jedi Investigator was looking at. Rather than cash, Cylus had requested funds in the form of an account transfer and had given his account information - plain as day.

So the Twi'lek Jedi Investigator, named Numar, searched for bank information related to this account number and routing information - specifically the name of the bank, the physical location of it, names linked to the account. Numar hoped to leverage the Jedi and Republic's authority, yet more "slicer-like" approaches might be necessary.

Patiently, Sabena waited to see if the search turned up anything.

 

[Cylus Jest]

[member="Sabena Shai"]
The account would be nearly empty, however one fairly recent transaction would indicate the purchase of a Crux Heavy Frighter from Mandal Hypernautics. Any further delving into this would likely lead to the name [member="Verd Skirata"].

Another recent purchase would be of a fairly large amount of building materials including titanium alloy.

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

"What do you take me for, a Jedi? No, Jest, your mistake was stipulating a credit account. Credits are a digital currency. They can be traced, and you think the Republic cares about due process and foreign bank confidentiality?" He snorted. "Which means you're never going to see that two million, unless you're willing to take something other than credits."

 

[Cylus Jest]

Cylus shrugged, it was a good play on the Republic's side, but it was inconsequential.
"That doesn't matter, I have a deadline at which point I execute the prisoner, I lose nothing. If you capture me here, the prisoner is killed, If you harm any of my men, he is killed. You cannot find his location and if the credits in my account shift before I have taken them, the prisoner dies. Are we understood?"
He leaned back in his seat.
[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Cylus Jest"]

"You're not hearing me. When those credits shift, they will be traced. I don't care how good this Inquisition of yours is; you're messing with people who have the resources to do that. And if that wasn't enough, like feth are you going to take the credits and let the other side trust you'll deliver the hostage. It just doesn't work that way, not with me, not with the Republic, not with anyone you're talking to about this. So like I said, you'd better be willing to accept your payoff something other than digital credits. Huttese solid currency, maybe -- truguts and wupiupi. Or aurodium, or gemstones. I'm prepared to make you an offer above what you're asking, if you take it in something other than traceable credits."