Private Mutual Vengeance

[Lark]

One could easily lose themselves in the lower levels of Coruscant, where hedonism and vile frivolity took reign. Men and women who lost themselves to drugs or drink lay on the outskirts of popular bars and lounges, where others continued to indulge their enslaving pleasures despite the dregs crawling around outside serving as a warning. Criminals of all variety corralled and conspired against each other, everyone plotting to enrich their lives just a little bit more. It was a truly rapturous game to play, the tides of control were constantly shifting. One could be on top of the world one moment, and the next be left amongst a bundle of cold bodies in some forgotten alley, with only rats for company. If one wanted to vanish from the face of the galaxy, this was a perfect destination.

But no one could run from Lark forever. Not even here.

He strolled through the underbelly of Coruscant, briefly drifting away from a local collection of nightclubs and cafes. Here, away from the constant action and excitement, was where the true scum hid. Always watching, making sure their profits continued to pour in and that no one dared to make a move against them. One wouldn't be able to tell by looking at some of the buildings, they looked so abused and consigned to oblivion, it was as though they had grown as repugnant as the drugged souls caressing the curb of the road. But with the proper connections, someone could find the gem that hid within the murkiness.

Outside an otherwise normal complex of apartments was a forlorn looking woman, gaze glued to the ground. Whether she served as a lookout or really was in a near comatose state, Lark couldn't say for certain. Walking up the stairs into the building, he didn't even look down at her. This was the address one of his contacts had supplied him with, and upon entry, he was greeted with fine paintings and detailed pottery looted from museums and historical sites from innumerable time periods. The walls were painted a soft blue and purple, and quiet jazz music played through the halls. Decorations like this belonged much higher up, but many who scrounged their way through filth often acquired tastes beyond what they were once able to obtain during their youths.

He carried no weaponry, and knew he was walking into a trap. After admiring the decor, Lark finally entered the door at the end of a long hallway. On the other side was a room just as ornate as the others, a grand marble piano and scented vines lended to the noble atmosphere. But the man sitting down on a royal chair was so sickeningly atrocious, one couldn't truly appreciate the rest of the room. Cigar smoke and the stench of whiskey was overwhelming, and despite adorning fine sapphire attire the man was as unkempt and slimy as a Hutt.

"Ah, about time," the man said. He was only known by his nickname, The Blue Orca. He was a renowned smuggler and mobster, and an uncanny businessman. Finance scams and trafficking, organized hits and street shakedowns, there was no level low enough for The Blue Orca. "Let's make this quick, boy. Got a paramour waiting back there for me, ain't that right honey!"

A knock on a nearby bedroom door, signaling that the two of them weren't alone. "Apologies for the wait," Lark said with a kind chuckle. "I was simply struck by some of the artwork on display. By all means, I trust we can come to an agreement that will be of benefit to us both." A little naivety, dapples of aloofness. Lark wanted the Orca to think that he was in complete, dictatorial control of their meeting. He had information that Lark wanted, so he pulled all the strings.

A sleazy smile slithered onto The Blue Orca's greasy face. "Right, so you've been looking for someone in one of my clubs, that so? Assim Papirs, did some slave trading out near some of those old Mandalorian territories. Yep, got a lot of those kinda refuges comin' here. Piss too many people off, you need some place to hide. Well, you're in luck my friend! One of my bouncers spotted your buddy enjoying the presence of a few dancers at a club of mine not far from here."

"Oh? That is good news," Lark feigned. "As we agreed, if he's brought to me, there's a large sum of credits waiting for transport to any location of your choosing."

"Not so fast kid. Papirs, he's been doin' some good work for me. Got a good ear on him, that one does. And quite a quick mouth. He's told me all about you, Sith. He don't know why you're after him, and I don't much care." The Blue Orca spread his arms wide, another gesture of control. "But like ya said, we can both walk away winners. So, how much you willing to pay kid? I can keep your little secret safe, and we can get your guy. He's probably down at the Azure Lane right now. How'sa bout it?"

As soon as The Blue Orca demanded hush money, and a veiled offer of temporary camaraderie, he had lost the battle. Now Lark knew no one else knew about his presence, not Papirs or the rest of the Orca's thugs. He thought he could bully Lark into a partnership, and then cut him down once the job was completed. A typical mob boss behavior. Since all the information flowed out from him, no one else was kept in the loop. Without saying a word, Lark rose from his seat and went to exit the room, which caused the Orca to stir. "Hey, where the hell do think you're going? We're not done here!" Lark continued to walk, until he reached the door. He heard a gun pulled from it's holster, and a slight turn of the head confirmed that The Blue Orca had a blaster aimed right at his back.

"I'm going to the Azure Lane," Lark said softly. "You've told me everything I need to know. Thank you for your help, Londry."

Londry went pale, his sags seemed to slouch a bit more. No one in the underground knew The Blue Orca's true name. "How... how do you know that name?" Hesitation and a twinge of fear layered Londry's voice, his blaster hand wavered.

"You're a family man," Lark said, hand on the glassy doorknob. "You enjoy visiting gourmet diners with your beloved Maia, and secretly you enjoy all the romantic movies and books she forces you to share with her. Due to that kindness, she's tried very hard to develop an interest in history that rivals yours. You're such a good husband, she hardly questions these prolonged work trips you take."

The bedroom door on the other side of the room opened, the one that was knocked on earlier in their conversation. The Blue Orca's paramour lay on the bed, body cut up into a bloody mess. Sheets and bed curtains were stained red, the woman's remains would take months to be stitched completely back together. It wasn't Lark's doing, of course. Even he hadn't expected the corpse to be so savagely carved up. No, it was the doing of the woman standing in the door-frame, bloody knife still in hand.

"Maia, how did you..." Londry stared in utter disbelief. "What have you done?" Lark would never know whether that question was meant for him or his wife, for a moment later Maia pounced towards Londry, driving her knife into his throat and dropping him to the ground with a loud thud. It hadn't taken Lark long to break Maia once he revealed all her husband's secrets. She was an absolute wreck, and a few thoughts of revenge placed in her head got the job done. Londry died slowly, with his wife stabbing his chest over and over again, creating a geyser of blood. Her movements gradually slowed, and she then let out a baleful shriek. Tears streamed down her face as she brought the knife to her own neck, and as Lark left the room he heard her body fall onto his, equal in death.

Upon leaving the building, Lark took a handful of credits stolen from The Blue Orca out of his pocket. He knelt down to the woman crouched in the slums, eyes glazed with regret and despair. "Here," Lark offered. "Buy your drugs with this."

She took the money hesitantly, looking at Lark as though he were some sort of angel. And then he left, preparing for the mission at hand. Finally, Assim Papirs was near. This time, that wily little shrew wouldn't escape. "Papirs is somewhere within the Azure Lane, a series of nightclubs in the area. I've sent you all the location and a photo of his appearance. Be on alert, The Blue Orca's gang is well-armed and they've got some pretty fancy tech. I'd prefer to keep this quiet, but we should be ready for some noise. Papirs is always on high alert, he'll bail at the first sign of trouble, and we need him alive. Do what you need to do, and keep me updated. I'll be joining you shortly."

He had told them the details of the job in advance, that Papirs was a slaver wanted by the Sith for crimes against the Empire. But at the moment, they didn't need to know the finer, more personal details. Like that Papirs had stolen Lark's sister when she was barely two years old, and sold her into slavery. As long as they got rewarded for their assistance, he doubted they cared about who they were capturing or why.

Lark would do anything in order to find his sister, and at the moment Papirs was the only one who knew where she was sold to. No matter what it took, Lark would makes Papirs talk.

And the child that still hid deep within Lark's heart would sit by and watch it all happen, so strong was their shared desire for vengeance.

Kimora Min AMCO

 

[AMCO]

He cared naught for the money, and hunting a common criminal in hostile space was the definition of something he would normally delegate to a minion... an expendable minion. An assassin droid, perhaps, like that fancy new one out of... well, that's classified.

No, he was here because of Lark. The young man showed potential, and this was clearly more personal that he wanted them to know. Much like a venture investment, he found it prudent to slowly place the rising stars of the Order in his debt.

Smiling softly, the Sith Knight straightened his rancor leather jacket, his messy hair and the pistol at his hip in stark contrast to his usually immaculate appearance. All in all, a surprisingly accurate portrayal of some of the "Free Traders" that favoured the place - though most could hardly be expected to afford a taozin amulet, a necessity if he was to hide his rather noticeable presence from any Jedi. Not that they were often seen around here.

Brusquely pushing his way past the line, he waved a recently pickpocketed membership card in the bouncer's face, clouding the man's senses so as to make himself appear to be the owner. "Oy, member here! Some service, please!"

Lark | Kimora Min​

 

[Kimora Min]

From the rooftop of an abandoned warehouse, agent Kimora Min stood above the rabble that scurried about below. She awaited the moment she would move forward with her mission at hand. As she watched below, all she could see was rodents moving through a colony. Spreading diseases and misfortune to all those around them. Despite being a foreign intelligence agent, Kimora abhorred missions to Coruscant. The planet had been seen as the center of the galaxy for almost as long as history had been recorded. It is a shame such a grand title had been put on a planet filled with chaos and discord.

A shame indeed.

Suddenly, a blip came up on Kimora's HUD. More information on the mission came up on her feed. Once she received it all, she was on the move. She attached her grappling hook to the rooftop then began to carefully descend down the side of the building and into the crowd below. All around her were either too drugged up or busy to give a damn about the Imperial agent rappelling down the side of the building. Once her feet touched the ground, she moved with the crowd and towards Azure Lane. She could see the strip in the distance as she moved with haste.

"Just tell me where you need me. I'll be ready."

Lark AMCO ​

 

[Lark]

Lark would have given anything to raid the Azure Lane on his own, cutting through the mafia and reaching Papirs without the assistance from any outside organization. Papirs was so close, Lark couldn't afford to let the slaver slip through his grasp again. This could be it, the final opportunity he ever had to finally locate his sister. Relying on anyone else, even his Sith allies, was still strange to him. He had always believed the most capable hands were his own, and yet this operation was almost entirely dependent on the work of others. It gnawed at him, although he tried to hide that as best as he could.

So many balancing acts were required at the moment. Balancing his team to ensure success. Balancing the personalities fighting within him, to ensure that he didn't lose control and launch a one-man war against the Azure Lane and Assim Papirs.

But Lark had more betrayers than companions. How could he know this night was any different? He and Adrian had gotten along splendidly so far, but so did Lark and Krest. As soon as Lark had grown comfortable with his master, the swordsman betrayed the Empire. And Lark had never worked with this Kimora figure, could he truly place his trust in her. Only his brother had remained truly faithful, after all these years.

But his location was somehow more unknown than their sister's.

Lark took a deep breath, letting the cool, muggy air revitalize his mind. When in control of your emotions, nothing can stop you. Trust them to do their work. And if they betray you, deal with them afterwards.

So far, things looked promising. Adrian was powerful enough to trick a bouncer into granting him access to the main floor of the most prominent nightclub within the Azure Lane. Whether he managed that through some underground connection or sorcery tomfoolery, Lark couldn't guess. One could never truly tell with Adrian. Kimora was in position as well, he would leave it to her judgement whether or not it was necessary for her to enter the club. He was a novice when it came to anything techy, that work would be left for her. Now that Adrian was inside, he could let her in if necessary.

Assim Papirs had likely warned the entire Blue Orca gang about Lark, he couldn't risk entering the club yet. So instead, he watched from a cafe across the street, keeping a careful watch for any possible escape routes. "If I could hazard a guess, I'd say Papirs isn't in a more populated part of the club. Adrian, see if you can find anything concerning a higher-level area of the bar reserved for special patrons. If such a place exists, Papirs is almost certainly there."

"But its probably under much higher security than the entrance to the general club is. Kimora, see if you can grant Adrian access. Feel free to let yourself in, if you wish. But be on guard, whoever waits within this assemblage is several steps above the addicts and dregs lying around on the streets. Hitmen, pirates, assassins. Among them awaits Papirs."

Lark smiled, a tone genuine and trusting. "But I know who I'm talking to. Who are they to stand against us? If things go awry, allow me to clean everything up."

"Do whatever needs to be done."

AMCO Kimora Min

 

[AMCO]

Having brusquely made his way past the crowd outside in a manner befitting the rough-around-the-edges identity he had assumed, Adrian began to survey the scene, movements revealing no hint that he was being talked to through the communicator in his right ear.

Lark would receive a reply from the Sith Knight not long after, though not verbally - tech had never been his strong suit, so he simply sent a confirmation under the guise of checking an appointment on the shiny wrist-gadget he wore.

Probably best to give the agent some time to work. Making no effort at discretion, he visibly looked over some of the more attractive people in the club, ambling through the crowd like he owned the place. After a short while of this and a rejection - and he wanted the rejection, for he needed a reason to move on just in case the place had automated surveillance - he made his way towards the brute blocking the way to the restricted section.

"Celto Tysh, been a while. You still have some Corellian '87 left, or?" Waving "his" member card in front of the scanner, he was confident that the agent would have gotten him access... but if not, he'd just have to improvise.

Kimora Min | Lark​

 

[Kimora Min]

Kimora rustled her way through the crowd just outside the club until she could make her way inside. Once she was in, she retracted her helmet in order to make herself more discreet, though she doubted she would have stuck out anyway. As she found herself a spot to stake out inside, she received the word from Lark. Adrian would need help moving further into the club. He needed a pass. Kim quickly spun on her heel as she surveyed the club. Her eyes soon were caught on someone of some importance. She could tell by the bottle of whiskey in his hand, his clearly overexpensive outfit, and two bimbos almost attached to him at the hip at his side. This was a man who would have access to where Adrian needed to be.

She moved with grace as she approached the wealthy man. She feigned a sultry smile on her face as his locked locked with hers. As she came close, she held her hands behind her back as she activated the scanned within her multitool. Kimora came close to the man so that he could only have his attention on her and away from the ladies he was with.

"Hey. Don't I know you from somewhere? I think we hooked up a few days ago." Kimora began, sporting a flirtactious look upon her face.

"Did we? I dunno, darlin'. I never forget a good piece of ass. So, if we did, it must've not been that memorable for me." he replied with some attitude.

"Oh, silly me. I must have you confused with your friend. Yeah, I remember now. You wanted me but were too drunk to finish the job so your friend had to help me out. That's right." Kimora replied with sass.

"That don't sound too far from possible. If that's the case, then my sincerest apologies. When the booze starts hitting, I can't do much to fight back. Y'know?"

Meanwhile, during the conversation, Kimora's scanner read through the man's clothes until it found his access card. Once the card was fully scanned, the data from it would then be sent to Adrian's fake card, thus fooling any sensors of it's authenticity. As Kimora kept up the act, she awaited response from either Adrian or Lark.

Lark | AMCO ​

 

[Lark]

From the bar across the street, Lark silently observed how Adrian and Kimora conducted themselves. If not for the personal importance of this mission, Lark would've gotten a laugh out of watching them meander through the Azure Lane. But he could only hold his breath as each action they took either drew them closer to Papirs or threatened to ruin the operation entirely. So far, so good.

He nearly ordered a glass of water to calm his nerves, but what kind of sop ordered a water in a place like this? He'd might as well stand up and say he was an officer come to take them all in. So he ordered one of the finest beers available, and it still tasted like piss. At least Adrian seemed to be getting decent drinks.

When Kimora spoke to some mafioso to gain access to the lower level of the club, Lark paid special attention to the encounter. Not to any of the crass words, but to the man's face. A Sith agent had come into contact with a known mafia member, and Lark couldn't risk that encounter somehow coming back to haunt either Kimora nor himself. But he was nothing if not prepared. A fourth member of the team would soon make his debut, all he needed was a signal and a face.

A nameless pirate strolled into the Azure Lane, arm wrapped around some addict he likely picked off the street only minutes earlier. A horribly shrewd smile canvased the pirate's face, and for a brief moment he turned to face Lark across the venue. Meanwhile Lark only pretended to wipe off a bit of foam from his lips, a signal that the pirate would hopefully remember.

Wretched and black-hearted, the pirate nodded, knowing what it was he was being asked to do. For all his sinful vanities, and all his lustful desires, Lark trusted this enigmatic pirate wholeheartedly. He was half of the duo that determined Papirs' location, after all.

"Adrian, see if that worked. Kimora should have granted you access to the lower level now. It'll likely be a fortress down there, if you need to vomit please do so before making your descent." He took a swig of his beer, despite his abilities to completely control his behavior he still had to stifle a gag. How did these fools become addicted to such a horrid substance?

"Kimora, I'll leave it to your judgement whether you go with Adrian, stay in the main area of the Azure Lane, or make an exit. A cleaner has just entered the building, he'll ensure no one follows you no matter where you chose to go. He and I will take care of any loose ends."

Kimora Min AMCO

 

[AMCO]

Confirmation - and just in time too, seeing as he was just about to have his card scanned. He really should take the time for some proper technological training, at some point. Probably not soon, however - as usual he was working on a rather exciting alchemical project.

Brusquely moving past the bouncer, he made his way into the elevator, features moulded into an eagre look...

... for while he did not know exactly what was down there, something told him at least part of it was positively sinful.

Door sliding open, he quickly realized that Lark hadn't been kidding - more than one dressed-up thug was openly carrying blaster carbines, which just about fit into the aesthetic of the place; people enjoying themselves, people paid for the enjoyment of others, and sleazy deals aplenty. Like above, so below, but magnified, unrestrained.

It had been a while since the Law had come knocking, of that he was sure.

"Who the kriff are you?" Scoffing in the direction of one of the goons, he quickly decided that this was not the place nor the crowd for introductions or polite conversation. "Feth off, laserbrain. I'm here for cash and a good time, not the karking inquisition."

Kimora Min | Lark​

 

[Lark]

Lark continued to listen with growing nervousness, the closer to Papirs Adrian got the more uncertain the young Sith became. Was he wise to bring his own Sith allies into such a personal matter? Would they seek to extort him in exchange for their assistance? No matter, he thought. All that is important is that we capture Papirs alive. I can deal with whatever Adrian or Kimora desire afterwards. Finally, we're so close.

Kimora had successfully granted Adrian access to where Papirs regularly spent his nights, and from what Lark could tell from the video it was just as debaucherous as he had imagined. Drugs and alcohol and sex were present in disgusting ways, there was no beauty to the depravity like Lark had experienced in other places. And the mafia was armed to the teeth, and while he was sure Adrian could fight everyone there with his eyes closed and an arm cut off, it was paramount that the Sith were not traced back here.

Fortunately, Lark had connections outside of the Sith.

Another man made his way towards the more secure area of the Azure Lane. A man whose connection to the Force was nonexistent, and yet possessed a threat of galactic proportions. The nameless pirate, who seemed to know so much about Lark, and yet the young acolyte knew nary a thing about him. Nonetheless there was a trust between the two, one that Lark struggled to explain. The pirate had his secrets, that much was certain. Soon enough, they would be uncovered.

Lark would send Adrian another image of Papirs, as the pirate silently approached Vandiir's side. "Heard you were the bloke who hosted that nice party a while back," the man said with a ghastly growl. The man had never held any respect for the Sith, or any authority for that matter. Anarchy followed him like a shadow, although there was some reason he continued to work alongside them. Lark hadn't figured out why, not yet. "Just lemme know what you need me to do. And once we're done, I think the kid owes us a drink."

AMCO Kimora Min

 

[AMCO]

Quite the hive of scum and villainy he had stumbled into - and not in the good way.

Take that woman, for instance - clearly suffering from a spice addiction and that collar on her neck was less "fun fetish" more "literal slave"... those "guards"? He was pretty sure most had a record a mile long riddled with violent crime, fraud, and Force knows what else.

Glancing down at the picture of Papirs and then at the pirate - one of Lark's associates, he assumed - the Sith Knight would smile coldly.

"That I am - and I've got him on our seven, I believe. Surrounded by his pals and goons with guns, of course." Pursuing his lips, Adrian was grateful for the noise making it possible to have a private conversation, even if such a thing would normally annoy him. "If you think you can shut down the security systems and take down the lights, even briefly, I could persuade him to leave "of his own volition"."

Lark | Kimora Min​

 

[Lark]

The nameless pirate scoffed softly, and with a slight flick of his hand the hilt of a curious blade revealed itself. "Aye, I can do that. These pricks aren't half as savage as they pretend. Take away a tit or a tart and they'll cry as loud as a newborn babe." Turning, the man cockily sauntered further into the club towards the security system, before vanishing into the crowd with the ease and practice of the most dreadful ghosts. The pirate put on an affable face, and despite not truly knowing him the two had shared a laugh together more than once. Lark knew that even amongst those mobsters, murderers, slavers, and rapists, the pirate was a thing of nightmares. So why then did Lark still trust him so much?

And what was it he wanted?

Lark just couldn't piece it together. How did the man know so much about him, and why did he try so hard to keep his name a secret? After this is all over, I'll need to have a word with him. That man holds some sort of hint about a piece of my past that I've forgotten. Something that's remained hidden from me for all these years.

Hardly a minute has passed before the lights went dim. Cameras turned off, the barrels of automated guns were stuck in place, useless. Through his communicator Lark could hear the commotion. Uncertain murmurs, angry shouts as people bumped into one another.

"You do whatever you need to lad," the pirate said into the communicator, with a voice of gravel. "And allow me to clean up any mess you leave behind."

AMCO

 

[AMCO]

The pirate was confident, very confident - and lo and behold, said confidence was not unwarranted, for not long after the nameless man vanished into the crowd the security systems, the lights, and probably more, they all went dark in some fashion, quickly replacing a festive mood with paranoia and music with shouts and the sound of blasters being levied against neighbours.

If his goal was to set a fire, all it would take was a little spark and the whole room would be ablaze.

Sliding through the shadows like a Vornskr on the prowl, the Sith Knight approached Papirs by the indirect route, a wave of his slender hands making a guard - more glorified thug, by the looks of his - sufficiently inattentive for him to slip inside the impromptu cordon and another sending the girls at his side into a daze. Before the slaver himself could react, Adrian stared into his eyes, blue orbs darkening somehow.

"They come for your life, but fear not, safety can be found in the White Rose, room seventeen. The White Rose, room seventeen."

Fleeing back into the shadows as the criminal snapped out of his confusion, the Sith Knight moved the final piece into position, a flick of his wrist pressing the button of another man's blaster and sending a bolt into the chest of one of Papirs' goons.

A spark to ignite the flame - check and mate, just another sheep to the slaughter.

Lark​

 

[Lark]

For nearly half an hour Lark waited at that horrendous bar across from the Azure Lane, he refused to drink anymore of the piss-poor beer on the menu so instead he pretended to be an addict, lost in the depths of Coruscant. He had seen so many of those poor dregs in the slums of Myrkr, he could mirror their behaviors as though he himself had been a lifelong drug addict. Minor Force illusions turned his veins different colors, and he adjusted his muscles to make his face seem more shallow and desperate. Even the most experienced of slumlords wouldn't be able to pick him apart from the run of the mill crowd, so perfect was his replication.

After tuning into the pirate's and Adrian's comms, his mind whirred with the beginnings of a new plan. The pirate was successful in disarming security systems, even from outside Lark was able to notice the dimming of lights and a rising alarm in the bouncer's mannerisms as they realized something wasn't right. But it was something that Adrian said that struck him the most. Adrian issued Papirs an innocent command, one that Lark was certain Adrian issued simply because the room was separate from the rest of the club. But the name "The White Rose" gnawed at some part of his memories, the same ones that the pirate did. Memories that were shrouded, obscured by something he was completely unaware of.

Glancing at an outline of the map, Lark realized he could quickly access the meeting point Adrian sent Papirs to. It was near the bar, a floor above ground level, and with security in disarray Lark could easily reach it. He left an acceptable amount of cash on his table, and quickly resumed his normal appearance as he hurried over to the White Rose, scaling the building and quietly entering the second floor.

The second floor was quiet, most of the patrons either sealed themselves away in their rooms or went to see what all the fuss was about across the street. That let Lark wait in the room Adrian mentioned all alone. When he turned the corner into Room 17, he stopped dead in his tracks.

If he had a gun, he would have put the muzzle to the roof of his mouth.

It was just a room, one that he had no history with. But the angelic white hue awakened something within him. He knew not what it was, nor why it horrified him so deeply. Was it the sudden realization that there was a very real possibility that there was some part of his past that had remained hidden for so long, and only now started to awaken?

Why did the term "White Rose" unsettle more that anything he had come across in his years with the beasts in the Sith Empire? He tried summoning the monster within him, the most wretched and unfeeling of his personas. But even he shied away from showing his face. That left him with the same mask he wore now, the acolyte who just wanted to find his sister. He'd suffer through the mental torments this room put him through, so long as he could finally see her face again.

He sat down on the pure white couch, it was only a few moments later when he heard Papirs stampeding towards him. The man truly was a coward. Finally, he too turned the corner and, upon gazing into Lark's hate-filled eyes, tried to let out a scream. Lark reached out with the Force, pulling the door shut and forcing Papirs to the ground.

Lark slowly stood, and softly walked to Papirs. Since he had begun tracking the slaver he dreamed of what he'd finally say when they met, about all the tortures the acolyte would inflict upon him. Papirs deserved an eternity of suffering and hell for what he had done to Lark's sister, and he thought he had just the thing that would provide that. But before that could happen, Lark needed answers.

Without a word, Lark gently placed his hands on Papirs' temples. The slaver screamed as Lark dug through his mind, ripping away fond memories and replacing them with ones filled with unimaginable nightmares of the Sith's own creations. And then Lark found what was really important. A vision of Papirs dragging a small, black-haired girl by the wrist, throwing her to the ground in front of a tall noblewoman. Papirs had likely done something like this thousands of times, but as far as Lark was concerned only this one moment mattered.

"Typha-Dor," Lark whispered. "That's where she is." He could fly there. Right now, if he wanted. In mere hours, he could be standing side by side with his dear sister after a decade and a half spent apart. But he had a location, and that was enough for now. There were loose ends that needed to be taken care of first.

"I have what I need," Lark said into the communicator. "I've apprehended Papirs and will be taking him to Bastion." After knocking Papirs unconscious, Lark hauled him onto his shoulder and started to carry him towards their vessel. The slaver would never see the inside of a jail cell, but he'd still suffer an eternity of torment. No, imprisonment was not to be his punishment. Lark would turn him into a Kragien Dreg, a mindless walking abomination forced to witness to horrors Lark had imprinted on his mind forever. Such was the only just fate for anyone who hurt his family.

Turning an glancing once more into The White Rose, Lark couldn't shake that strange feeling. But it would have to wait.

He had a family reunion to attend.

AMCO