Private Nothing Beside Remains

[Jacen Nimdok]

“Gun it, the sooner we are out of here the better!”

Once Elise Ike was seated behind him on the speeder, Nimdok jolted the bike forward, launching them out of the clearing and through the dense forest. The sounds of battle faded to a distant murmuring somewhere behind them, replaced by the more peaceful noises of nature.

Despite the danger and urgency, Nimdok was lulled by the sudden silence and stillness. Some of the others had noticed his weariness. He hadn’t slept at all the previous night, and prior to that his nights had been restless. Before exiting the ship that morning, he’d quietly injected himself with a stimulant—nothing too strong, he had no interest in becoming addicted. Coupled with the adrenaline rush of his escape, it was certainly enough to keep him awake and alert.

This was a different kind of peace, having more to do with a desire for solitude. He was no longer on his own, and hadn’t been for some time. But despite the presence of Dr. Dixon at his back (or perhaps because of her—she was so wonderfully cold and distant), he felt alone. It was quite soothing.

The moment of tranquility was lost as the speeder approached their destination. Directly ahead, the Alliance base glinted in the sunlight that filtered through the trees, a dilapidated, ancient structure of rusted domes and collapsed landing pads. A rock slide some years earlier had partially buried the main entrance, which was further choked by the encroaching undergrowth, but it seemed Ravenous and his cohorts had done much to clear away the obstacles.

Speaking of his cohorts…

The hum of an approaching speeder was unmistakable. Nimdok managed to pull the bike into cover before the group of people outside the base started shooting, but just barely. Blaster fire singed the grass where the bike had been, filling the cool morning air with the smell of burnt carbon.

While they were fast and easy to maneuver, none of the speeders were optimized for combat, something Nimdok wished he had thought to ask for before he rented them. Although, since most of the bikes had been crushed by falling trees, perhaps it was a good thing he hadn’t wasted his money. Cringing, he tried to avoid thinking about the mounting cost of damages he was going to have to pay for.

Nimdok was desperate to get inside the base, not only because of the computer data and who knew what else awaiting retrieval, but because he wasn’t sure Zlova Rue could hold Ravenous off for long, and being inside the fortress would give them an opportunity to defend themselves from the pesky Sith. Even if the Twi’lek was strong enough to face him one-on-one, Ravenous was slime, always slipping through the cracks. Not to mention he seemed to have an unhealthy fixation with severing Nimdok’s head from his body...

Either way, they were in a bad position. If they’d had ranged weapons on them, perhaps they could have put up a firefight with Ravenous’ minions, but he’d left his stolen blaster behind and he didn’t think Dr. Dixon had brought one with her. On the other hand, he was quite certain she did have a lightsaber… and roughly three thousand years of experience in the ways of both the Jedi and the Sith.

“My dear Dr. Dixon,” he began, speaking in the most dulcet tones his velvety voice could produce (enough to melt wax, if not thaw a frozen heart). “It seems we are in something of a predicament…”

As he craned his neck to glance back at her, he thought he could see something in her gaze. She was looking at him with a fixed stare, the kind she did when she was patiently waiting for a chance to pelt the subject of her gaze with pressing questions.

It was then that he realized. The crystal snake trick. She had seen him do it. Oh... Well, was she all that surprised? He’d shown her his past in exchange for a glimpse of hers, hadn’t he? She knew what he really was...

“...but I’m certain these pests are no match for you,” he continued, back to pouring honey in the vampiress’ ear. “The natives are growing restless. Would you mind scaring them off?”

 

[Zlova Rue]

Zlova's hands reached out and snatched her hilts from where they hovered in the air. Her boots stamped the ground as she sent the energy of momentum into the planet's crust. Ravenous' spurt of power had thrown him clear of where he'd stood before she could arrive. Just as she'd foreseen. The man's ability to move so quickly was tiresome. She could see him, but that did not mean she could keep up with him. Not in the same way as her opponent, at least. Something to do with the modifications, perhaps.

As the man surveyed the surrounding, the Twi'lek flipped one saber in an arc five times. Each time it ended with the sparks and piercing whine of two sabers as they collided. A Sith's way of clapping for her opponent's ability to survive so long. "By all means," Rue called out as the man boasted of the cold embrace of death to come. "Before you bore the Sith out of me."

Zlova scoffed at what Ravenous said in the Sith tongue. She replied in turn in High Sith, "Nu tuti ra tsrotzhu an nairi kûts." <I am no slave to fear death.>

The Force was part of the world, and the world could be slowed in the mind's eye. To see the unseen. To bare witness to the smallest of things even the galaxy's greatest technological achievements could barely recognize ever existed. So she saw the void that Ravenous stretched out toward her. Saw the way he plied it as one might an extension of his grasp. To take, to hold, and to destroy. It was enough to know what it was -- to see and to feel it coming. Rather, to not feel it. A deep, fathomless hunger. Ravenous conjured a maw, a gaping orifice with only one purpose -- to consume all life.

Zlova knew of it well, in fact. Few other Lords did. After all, the one through whom it had been born was a flash in the pan to other Great Lords. One that had inspired fear and inflicted pain, true, but in the end what had they truly accomplished? The destruction of a few worlds? What Sith Lord did not enjoy moonlighting as a genocidal maniac? That was done on a Tuesday.

And the ability itself... If there was one thing a Sith disliked most it was the thought of losing their power. Wounds might be toyed with for a time, but they were double-edged swords. Apparently, Ravenous did not mind the thought his weapon might turn on him one day. Perhaps, Zlova thought, he should have studied the same holocrons she had.

The sabers snapped off as Rue crossed her arms over her chest. She drew in a deep breath even as the void bore down upon her. Her eyes closed. You could not fight something that did not exist. Neither could you consume eternity. Zlova grunted and stiffened as the power fell upon her. Not because it ravished her spirit and consumed her mind, but because the Force poured through her as a conduit. Remove every impediment, restraint, preconceived notion, and belief. Do not think of wielding the Force. Simply become the Force.

A useless tool on the field of battle, except to sustain an ability far longer than there was any practical purpose. Unlimited power with nowhere to go, nothing to guide it, to shape it, to wield it. Who bothered with such a holocron full of ridiculous ideas and prattle of a woman that had been beaten and lamented her failures. Someone that tended tombs. Someone that occupied her time with artifacts. Not to become the most powerful, but the most aware.

Dzisad Drasi. <Always Ready.>

Zlova slowly tipped her chin back down and forced her eyes open to watch Ravenous as he sought to consume her. Which could hold out longer? The devourer, or the devoured?

Tag: Jacen Nimdok | Finley Dawson | Aselia Verd | Ravenous | Elise Ike

 

[Elise Ike]

Elise glanced back at the ambient light cast by the sabers wielded by the two powerful force users. If their twi'lek companion couldn't hold off the Dark Lord then they needed to put as much distance between him. She was confident in her own skills and racial powers, but against a man like that and years of taking it easy she didn't want to test her luck.

Not that their current predicament was much better, her attention being force forward as she sensed as a flurry of blaster bolts were hurled towards them. Elise quickly pulling her saber in hand, the green blade igniting and casting several of the incoming projectiles to the side as she dived of the speeder. Hand bracing the fall as she rolled behind cover next to Jacen Nimdok , slightly glancing over to the opposing force.

"Well, that could have gone better", it would seem Ravenous was smarter then first suspected, though the people shooting at them were not that much of a threat every second spent not progressing just gave the Sith more time to catch up should he elude their red skinned comrade. Before she could form up some sort of attack plan her ears were soothed by the sound of Nimdoks voice. The tone echoing from the man being quite unlike anything she had heard from him before.

Come another time and place she would have easily taken it as some form of flirting, Elise returning a coy smile at her fellow academic. "Ah physiological warfare, in the past before large scale fire arms were invented and most battles where fought with melee weapon it was often the moral of the men that decided the battle. Rarely did one army, unless they truly screwed up, be subjected to massive casualties, ah but now it not the time".

Rising from her position a little Elise reached out with the force, tapping against the minds of those shooting at their position, soon herself sending a wave of horrid thoughts and emotions towards their mind. Force horror was one of that moves that despite not being technically apart of the dark side only those with a twisted mind would use such a thing. "Ah, this brings back memories".

Her assault on their attackers mind wouldn't stop their, she knew among them their would be those resistant, but a little push from some real life threat would probably change their opinion. Her other hand sparking to life as an indirect wave of force lighting cascaded around the area, it's direction random but never the less dangerous for anyone who happened to be in the way. If the force horror didn't get them to duck or run away screaming in fear that this would do the trick... hopefully, mortals could be quite brave when backed into a corner.

As she continued the force assault Elise would turn her voice towards the man sitting at her side, quite eager to know what he himself would do to elevate the immediate threat. "Now may be a good time to do what ever it is you had in mind, I may be able to take a hit and live but I'd rather not get my chest shot out today".

Zlova Rue

 

[Ravenous]

As much as it may have pained him both physically and mentally a wide grin stretched across Ravenous's face when to his surprise he received a reply to his notion in the ancient Sith tongue. Admittedly it was a comforting thought to know that he wasn't the only one unblinded to the knowledge the old way's could provide. Progress can only be made by pushing forward but resolve can only be drawn from past experiences. "Ah! I see you are fluent in the Sith tongue! I must say you have impressed me today. You have proven yourself pestilent to my existence child." This was a new feeling...the force around Zlova Rue was forming a barrier of sorts? By merging her consciousness with the Force Zlova seemed to be keeping his drain at bay..."Vexatious child. You are wasting time I don't have." Dropping his hand to his side Ravenous rocketed down from his elevated position to better engage Zlova. Either she really did covet a duel from the man or she realized the situation Ravenous was in and only sought to stall him.

Time was of the essence.

Makashi was designed because of a pressing need for Jedi to be able to engage other Lightsaber wielding foes as the threat of the Sith arose. Makashi is the bane of duelists because of its ability to be flexible while rigid in its offensive and defensive capabilities, Precision and control are the cornerstones of Makashi. Footwork and leverage are critical to any practitioner...Its weakness was apparent to his analytical eye. Makashi relies on a person's ability to predict their opponent's movements and control the flow of a battle, But what if they couldn't? What if the battle was changing so rapidly it became impossible to control its flow and subsequentially your opponent.

With a flick of his hand, Ravenous summoned his Indigo crossguard its trio of blades flickering with energy. "You wanted a dance partner correct? Well, I can't leave a beautiful woman hanging now, can I? No, I can't. Should I win our engagement I'll make of note of putting whatever is left of your body in a special place of honor." Ravenous set-off towards Zlova his blade reflecting its light off his mask. Hopefully, his new form of Lightsaber combat will keep his enemy on her toes and put her on the defensive. Adrenaline flowed through Ravenous's body as he raised his blade above his head and prepared to bear down on his Twi'lek friend. He thought about all he had endured in this life all the torment and suffering that had been wrought upon him.

His parents dying leaving him alone in a wretched world, The horrors he witnessed on Korriban, Losing the only person he could have ever loved, losing his spine on Alderaan, losing himself on coruscant, It was too much. Ravenous could never truly be happy after all he'd been through. His rage and adrenaline fueling his strike Ravenous slammed his blade upon Zlova hoping to cut in her half.

Meanwhile at the alliance base

Screams filled with pure horror filled the area as some of the newest members of Intrepid Inc were filled with dread and terror. The veterans, however, stayed put. Sure they were scared of the power Elise was exuding but they were MORE afraid of what Ravenous could do them if they failed their mission. The things they've seen Ravenous do to people are horrors no mortal should ever have to witness, People turned inside out, nerves literally set ablaze, even someone's skin peeled off. Ravenous was a demon with no remorse no heart, but he was ambitious.

"Blast them! Blast them or the boss will do more than blast us!" A cascade of laser fire engulfed the air with carbon and smoke as the pirates commenced synchronized fire on Jacen Nimdok and Elise Ike .

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

"Now may be a good time to do whatever it is you had in mind. I may be able to take a hit and live, but I'd rather not get my chest shot out today.”

Elise might call his awkwardly seductive persuasion attempts “psychological warfare”, but Nimdok called it trying to avoid having to skinshift in public again. He was hoping his esteemed colleague would be able to dispense with the pirates with a simple wave of her hand, but he saw now that that wasn’t going to be the case, unfortunately. He wished he had brought along that gun he borrowed, but crystal snakes don’t have arms.

"I suppose I'll have to... do something, then."

Well, what was he going to turn into this time? A crystal snake was hardly appropriate here. Hmmm…

As he flicked through a mental bestiary with the air of someone flipping through a shoe catalog, there was a sudden burst of rapid, synchronized fire directed at their hiding space. Nimdok jumped, startled, then pushed himself further into cover just to be safe.

Elise was still looking at him, waiting for him to do something. With a sigh, he uttered a variation of a certain phrase he was becoming accustomed to saying more often than he would've preferred:

“I’d be very grateful, Elise, if you didn’t mention this to anyone else.”

He had long since learned how to push pain to the back of his mind, so it wouldn’t impede his concentration. The transformation began. Before Elise’s eyes, Nimdok suddenly became invisible—well, almost. There was a faint glimmer in the air where he had been, as sunlight refracted off his skin.

There was more to it than that. Nimdok’s body changed, becoming bestial. His flesh crawled across his bones, warping and changing. Still invisible, his body at last took on the form of a voxyn—a brutal predator bred by the Yuuzhan Vong specifically to hunt Jedi. Nimdok was in need of a well-rounded combat form, and he figured an acid-spitting, blastwave-screeching, eight-legged monstrosity would do the trick.

And of course, he was still invisible.

Tossing his now reptilian head, Nimdok barreled down the slope toward the base. The astonished pirates fired in the direction of cracking twigs and pulverized leaves, the eyes of some struggling to follow an indistinct shimmer that was rapidly moving toward them.

Then teeth-lined jaws snapped around the throat of one of the pirates, wrenching him away with a gored neck. More blaster fire assailed the air where he had been, earning a hiss of anger from the thing they could not see. Clawed feet pounded across the platform where they had been camping, seeming to come from all directions at once, deliberately confusing them.

“Over here!” someone shouted, their blaster fire cut off by a scream of pain as they were swiftly dispatched.

“Where is it? I can’t see!”

“Blast everywhere, then!”

More synchronized fire singed the area, forcing Nimdok to take cover. Gargling acid in the back of his throat, he lobbed it at one of the pirates—specifically, the lovely Togruta female, Arivelza. The acid he developed was not as potent as a real voxyn’s, but it did smart a little more than spilled hot coffee.

Ravenous Zlova Rue Elise Ike

 

[Zlova Rue]

"No, you don't," the Twi'lek responded. Time certainly was against Ravenous. She didn't understand it was because of his enhancement; no, she saw it from the perspective of the power he'd just employed. Nihilus' hunger had its limits. The Chronicle of Darth Traya and Surik spoke of these things -- and more importantly how to survive being exposed to it. No matter how famished one might become, they're only able to ingest so much at a time. Survival then depended on allowing Nihilus or those like him to gorge themselves. Then you struck.

It was an easier gambit to know than to do, however. Zlova's red flesh was covered in a sheen of sweat as Ravenous leaped back into battle. Only this time, he did not seek to keep his distance.

"I haven't finished building my tomb in the Valley of the Dark Lords," Rue respond to Ravenous ever so generous offer to mount her in whatever unkempt place he lived. Korriban was a wonderful place to study the past. Terrible resting place, however. You had both Sith Knights or Masters crawling all over your tomb trying to steal what didn't belong to them. Zlova had been one them. Shame so many tombs had been desecrated and looted, however.

As the man rushed her position, the Twi'lek's golden gaze regarded him and his blade. Darkness. She could feel it gather around him. Feel his anger.

And Zlova smiled.

Did he want anger? Did he want rage? Did he want suffering? Zlova had watched cities and planets burn. She had led battalions to annihilate the innocent and subjugate the survivors. Lay claim to entire solar systems and declare victory over her lesser peers as they feel silent at her feet. Endured countless tattoos in true Sith fashion across her body -- the mind numbing pain and irrevocable reminders of every deed she had ever done. Every story was etched not only in her soul, but upon her body for all to see. And after that -- after things glorious and revolting alike -- she had been betrayed by the one person -- the only person -- she had ever trusted. To stand and watch from the height of her power as it literally crumbled beneath her and sent her toward a dark abyss. Only to flee under cover to the lowest cesspits of the galaxy so that all believed her dead to this day -- because who would ever imagine a Sith Lord as a dancer in a club?

Both violet sabers flared to life as Ravenous swung his blade down at her head. They crossed between the two combatants, caressed the extension of his will between the twins of her own. Zlova threw the scissor grip to one side as she danced in the opposite direction. A single saber cut diagonally upward at the man to test his own defenses. No need to be hasty. No rush to try and exploit a hole that might not exist. Time to see if the man's considerable speed aided him in close combat, or if it was only good enough for travel and disorienting enemies from a distance.

Tag: Ravenous | Jacen Nimdok | Elise Ike

 

[Elise Ike]

It was a little challenge to focus on Jacen Nimdok and keep her saber up in a defense manner as he transformed, but she was nothing if a Multitask er. Her hands going through the motions to deflect the incoming shots from the more experienced members of the defending troop. Perhaps a little care free but she doubted that with all the sparking and induced fear their shots would be less coordinated.

Though she didn't show much outward expression at the sudden change in Nimdok's body she was actually very surprised. In all her years she hadn't seen such a display in the force... well a willing one anyways. To be able to change your body so much without the need for a long ritual or expert genetics and so forth, it was new, and being new Elise wanted to know all about it. Getting to live so long things became boring, but Nimdok, he was different, eveything about him peaked the vampires interest more so then any man she had met in the past.

As the translucent beast leapt from cover she could only stand in amusement as Nimdok began to literally rip the enemy to shreds, Elise taking in a deep breath of the blood filled air, it was delicious. The moment seemed to last for a while until her the sense of urgency and the immediate threat in front and behind kicked back in. Elise had plenty of time to fawn over Nimdok slaughtering mortals, as of now she needed to use this distraction, the women vaulting over the makeshift cover, using the force and her natural ability to rush forwards at a blistering pace.

Her free hand reaching back into her coat, producing another saber, one that was much more sinister then her old Jedi blade. It's black sheen contrasting against her pale like skin with the added touch of what seemed to be bladed knuckles on the hilt. Something she put to use right away, going to bash the face of the nearest guard with the razor sharp edge.

Ravenous Zlova Rue

 

[Ravenous]

Rage manifested itself in a purple and black aura as it fed into Ravenous's power and hatred. Pain turns into rage and rage turns into power, that was the only lesson he had ever been taught in life. The rich thrive while the poor perish seething as motes of filth in a pool of their own excrement. War plagues the galaxy razing anything in its path to the ground leaving only the ashes of the damned in its wake. While the tension between Ravenous and Zlova Rue grew so did the energy between their blades sending fire and bursts of energy flying from the epicenter of their conflict. A sudden shift in weight caught Ravenous relatively off guard as Zlova not only managed to slip past his onslaught but mounted a counterattack in the process.

While he was strong and could easily deflect an errant slash at his shoulder Ravenous found it more devastating to his opponent to use his weight to roll with their strikes which not only tended to knock them off balance but also left an opening for a reprisal. With the minimal amount of Force Ravenous leaned to the side as he caught Zlova's blade with his own and batted to the side as he spun around and swung his blade downward trying to cut catch his enemy off guard. No dice she was too fast and had already leaped out of range of his fiery vengeance.

"Your form of Makashi is...unrefined, but I wouldn't dare call it sloppy. You stayed true to its values by using precise strikes to control the flow of the duel yet you worked around your own strengths by using mine against me. It's not controlled rather its adaptive. I like that. With war setting everything ablaze it's becoming less and less common to find a duelist with the aptitude to actually...explore their shortcomings and work around them to obtain victory. You have earned my respect and admiration today so maybe I won't kill you. Perhaps it is better to study you and learn what you could teach me. Yes I think I will, Its settled I'm taking you back to my vessel for analysis either dead or alive. I think we both would prefer the latter."

A sizzle followed by a trail of indigo steam evaporated off Ravenous's Lightsaber as a drop of water dared to touch it and suffer the consequences. Another drop burned out of existence then another and another and another until the blade emitting a constant billow of steam that fogged up lenses on Ravenous's mask only to be wiped away by the downpour of rain that followed.

"How appropriate." Without warning, Ravenous broke into a wild sprint his blade in a defensive position in front of his chest. Once mere feet away from Zlova his body suddenly made a disturbingly fast shift to the right of Zlova before raising his blade adjacent to his shoulder. Ravenous slashed diagonally at Zlova and locked one of her blades with his before dragging the tip of their blades towards the ground with his supernatural strength. Reaching out with his left arm Ravenous used the Force to remove his glove revealing nasty infected gashes on his palm as well as the addition of two cybernetic fingers. From the cuts in his hand shot out shards of glass all covered with his blood.

Meanwhile at the base

"Where the hell is that thing-AURGH!" yelled a panicked man as he was viciously ripped to shreds by a beast invisible to the naked eye. Blaster fire was delved out aimlessly as Ravenous's pirates and criminals alike all desperately tried to shoot whatever ghastly monster was killing them. "Spread out! Throw your grenades try to cover it in something that'll make it visible!" Yelled Arizelva before being pelted by a burning green liquid that burned through her jacket and wreaked horror's on her skin. Hastily Arizelva slipped out of her orange puffy jacket before casting it to the ground bubbling and sizzling. "YOW! SON OF A- First Ravenous throws his Karking coffee at me and now this?! I really liked that jacket..." She sobbed as Jacen Nimdok painted a mural of blood and entrails all over the base walls.

Pitter- patter pitter- patter. Her face contorted with anger Arizelva turned her attention to the skies her face and horns immediately pelted by an armada intent on drenching her in its fury. "GREAT! Now it's raining too! Can this day get any- WAIT A SECOND!" A spark of hope flickered in Arizelva's eyes as she turned around to see the rain hitting a surface before running off the side and hitting the muddy ground...She couldn't see him but she knew where he was. "Quick shoot there! Shoot there!" She yelled while pointing at what she hoped was the beast.

Elise Ike

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Out of a clear blue sky… or at least, it had been clear only minutes ago. Now clouds were gathering overhead, gray and menacing, from which the rain came. It started as a sprinkle, then a shower, until finally the water was pouring down in torrents. Quite a heavy storm for autumn, certainly.

And one that placed the invisible voxyn at a disadvantage. Nimdok at least could benefit from the stupidity of Arivelza, obviously pointing at him and screaming for the others to fire—he had a chance at dodging those shots, since he was not without ears to hear her shrieking. But his invisibility had become effectively useless. He was now a big moving target.

One pirate lobbed a grenade in Nimdok’s direction. Slime-coated claws skidded across the wet platform as the archaeologist-turned-voxyn moved out of range, then barreled toward the one who had thrown it.

“Help—!” the pirate’s cry was cut off as Nimdok chomped down on his shoulder. Beside him, his comrade turned his blaster on the pair. A bolt hit Nimdok’s scaly side, searing his flesh.

Silently (for the other pirate was still in his jaws) but obviously out of rage and pain, Nimdok whipped his barbed tail in the gunman’s face, flinging him through the air. In the same breath he tossed aside the one in his mouth as if the man’s body were a discarded chew toy.

Meanwhile, Elise Ike engaged the guards still standing at the edge of the pirates’ camp, slicing and dicing them with her lightsaber. Some attempted to duel her with vibroblades, but it was apparent that Ravenous surrounded himself with beings of lesser power and abilities than himself. These pirates were little better than common thugs. Didn’t he have an apprentice or acolytes among them? Hm, must’ve been a matter of pride for the Sith. Typical.

Nimdok hated long drawn-out fights. He wanted to wrap things up quickly. Snorting, wincing at the pain in his side, he prepared to utilize one of the voxyn’s sonic blasts. A real voxyn could burst eardrums and make its prey go temporarily deaf; Nimdok could only stun others and make them feel nauseous, and that was on a good day.

Seconds after he released the blast, he heard the distinct sound of somebody retching… must’ve worked. Cheered by this minor triumph, he bounded toward the noise, intent upon slapping the poor person off the platform mid-barf with his barbed tail.

Zlova Rue

 

[Zlova Rue]

Move. Don't follow the blade. Know where the blade is. Follow your opponent's body.

Combat training. Zlova remembered being so young. A red Twi'lek training to be a Sith worthy of being called 'Lord.' Such sessions were grueling. Merciless. How many times had she been struck or stabbed? Zlova quickly lost count. Sometimes multiple times with a command to press on despite the blood that seeped from her body.

In battle, you will not have the luxury to bleed. Defend yourself.

At the time, Zlova resented such methods, of course. Why did they hurt me? Were they trying to kill me? The years went by and all of that faded into merely a memory. They had been trying to kill her after a certain point, because in the galaxy that was all your enemy would try to do. A Sith could not hope their enemy would be too soft to land a killing blow -- that was no strategy for survival or advancement. It was weakness. So they trained hard. They trained those with the aptitude to survive.

If you have a choice whether you or another lives. Always choose yourself. Because they will.

Ravenous enjoyed himself. Or hated himself. It was always difficult to tell the two apart on the field of battle. A brutality to accompany his speed. A lethal combination for many. The way the man darted about the field upon his arrival had been alarming. After all, what if he killed their pilot? Well, suppose she could fly the ship, but why when there was someone else to busy themselves with such things? So they danced. Nothing fancy. Nothing refined. Just a greeting among fiends in exchanging taps with their sabers. Proper introductions.

A bark of a laugh fell from the Twi'lek's lips then. So she'd garnered the 'respect' as a science experiment. Truly, Zlova had moved up in the world. Yet, it was not quite enough to sate her personal aspirations. "Shall I tell you a secret?" Rue purred as the drops of rain fell from the clouds above.

The man did not seem interested, however, as he broke into a blinding dash toward her only to veer off to one side. So, given enough distance his speed could be used in personal combat. That fragment of a thought was all that existed as their struggle was not one of conscious thought and pre-planned actions. It was a dance, but it was no ballet. Ravenous wasn't interested in the prettiest form, the most graceful stroke, or even dainty flourishes. He moved, pinned, and then lashed out at his opponent as he should.

Rue felt the blade pivot toward the ground in her right hand. An effective combination of speed and strength to pry her defenses open.

That's precisely when the glow of the trapped saber's blade vanished.

With the Force guided by Rue's left hand, the saber's hilt secured with her thumb against her palm, Zlova pushed against Ravenous and his blood-soaked projectiles as she pulled the right side of her body away from him for space. Whatever they were and whatever he intended didn't matter. In battle, the only thing that mattered was surviving. Even victory came second.

Just make sure if you reported to a Sith Lord with a temper that you knew when not to report back to them about your failure.

"Are you trying to mar my beautiful flesh?" Zlova asked with a quick smile afterward. "A Sith would appreciate my body for what it is. A living testament of everything I've done. Everything I am. I've fought many men like you, Ravenous. Self-assured. Confident. Some were even cunning. I don't think I have ever found someone with a fighting style quite like yours. You're dangerous." Her lips peeled back in a toothy grin. "I like it. Say you'll write -- if we both, somehow, survive."

The second saber reignited as she stepped back in to the fray with both blades slicing horizontally through the air at a slight angle to provide a wide field of coverage. Rue wasn't as fast as Ravenous; it was only her reflexes and experience that kept him from skewering her as easily as he might be used to with unwanted guests. Time to test if she could force him back a step, or if she might need to stay on the defensive until Jacen Nimdok and that creature Elise Ike got whatever they came for.

 

[Elise Ike]

She hadn't really attempted to be stealthy but considering the whole rusks made by Jacen Nimdok most of the guard were concentrated on the invisible beast instead of her. The sudden downpour of rain increasing the odd phenomenon as they used it as a chance to renew their assault on the shape shifting being. A logical thing to do if one was to take Elise at face value, but doing so would a grave mistake, if need be she was more then capable of releasing her more feral form and to b e honest all the blood flying around was making her a tad hungry.

Flicking her hilt blade clean of blood she used the distraction by Nimdock to pounce atop of a guard, fangs bare and sharp, the beast like teeth driving into his flesh without hesitation. Most of the time a quick way to kill a person for just refresh oneself but Elise had other plans. It would be a waste to just kill off these brave men and women, why not borrow a few? A sly smile creeping across her face as she forcefully seduced the guard into becoming a thrall like servant.

He would loyally and willing carry out her orders, without fear or question, a useful drone when in a hectic situation like this, oh and their were still so many around to turn. "I can see why grand mother enjoys this so much", the rush of it all and the ever sweet taste probably never got old. Breaking away from the bite she allowed the man to slump down, letting the changes take place as she hunted for another target, perhaps one of the injured guards would do.

Ravenous Zlova Rue

 

[Ravenous]

Anger coursed through Ravenous as he poured more and more of his dwindling stamina into his focus and perception its aptitude becoming keener and keener by the second. This wasn't good, he had already used up too much of is strength...No that was a lie, he was already running on reserves. His eyes widened as suddenly the magnetic pull of Zlova's blade dissipated and with it the saber lock he had her pinned in. Damnit he had planned to finish off Zlova and use the rest of his strength to chase after Jacen Nimdok and Elise Ike but it seemed that wasn't happening. Could she handle it? Could he really trust Arizelva and the others to go up against someone like Elise? Probably not, her skills as a slicer are hard to come by but all and all Arizelva isn't very...reliable. Still it's not as though he has much of a choice. Leading Zlova Rue towards the base would be disastrous its the only reason he's still engaged with her.

Let Arizelva and the others handle Elise and Nimdok or expel whatever power still left in Ravenous to finish off Zlova and hope he can still take out the remaining two. Sadly the latter was most likely his best option. If this doesn't work he might never be strong enough to kill Zlova.

"No I won't write...You cannot write to a dead man or woman in your case." A black-gloved hand sprawled across Ravenous's face as he gently grasped his mask and ripped it from his face with violent force. Ravenous held his mask in his left hand as he stretched both arms adjacent to his body palms open, fingers spread. Slowly his armor began to fall from his body leaving only a black and navy blue robe behind in its absence. Brown curls of hair parted to reveal a face half-burnt writhing with the horrors Ravenous had witnessed while the other half was left untouched and pure.

"This time, nothing will weigh me down. I withhold not even the smallest ounce of strength, I am fully committed to killing you this time. If you feel the need to survive I would suggest you 'go all out' fight me. Fight me as though I am the bane of your existence. Think of me as the person you hate most. An enemy. Your mother. Your father." An eerie grin spanned his face. "Think of me as a betrayer. One who was cruel enough to earn your trust and then mercilessly destroy everything you ever thought of them. It demoralizes you and makes you feel broken. A mind being consumed by Force drain becomes easier to read, especially when they refuse to let their feelings of sorrow go. Come and claim your victory."

Meanwhile at the alliance base...

A blood-curdling scream ripped through the cool morning breeze as a poor Weequay expired at the bite of a vampire its sharp fangs filling the man with an insatiable lust for its master. Life was flushed from the Weequay's eyes as it stood slumped over and motionless like the lifeless husk it had become. Horror washed over a man writhing in agony as he turned away from the claw mark's lacerating his chest and veered into the skies to see a woman with hair black as night and bloodlust like no other pounce on him and plunge her fangs deep into the side of his neck.

"Huh...What the hell is going on here?! Where's that cape'n clad bastard when you need him?! Either way staying out here is a suicide mission EVERYONE INSIDE THE BASE!" Arizelva and the pirates (or what was left of them) frantically ran inside the alliance base drenched in rain and scared out of their minds. Practically smashing the button Arizelva activated the laser gate to the main entrance hoping that would be enough to keep whatever Elise and Nimdok had become from entering the base.

"Get all the explosives we have down here ASAP! we need heavy weapon's specialists and other ordinance down here as well because I am NOT dealing with whatever THOSE things are! If you need me...I'm going to get a drink..."

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

The invisible voxyn actually chuckled to himself after successfully knocking his target off the platform with his tail. But his mirth was short-lived as he heard Arizelva screeching at the pirates to get inside the base.

Eight claws skidded across the slippery platform, slipping and sliding as he scrambled toward the gate. But he was too late—the lasers activated before he had a chance to get through.

The beast growled in annoyance, then turned to the control panel on the other side of the gate. He stared at it, concentrating hard... but the button wouldn't magically press. The gate remained impassable.

Grumbling and tossing his head in annoyance—he was starting to get a little too into this whole voxyn creature schtick—his eyes scanned the area, looking for Elise. She was standing with two rather sickly looking figures, a Weequay and a Human male. Busy as he was with mauling people, he hadn’t noticed Elise catching an early lunch. He paused, putting two and two together, then sighed. Well, at least they were scummy pirates rather than innocent civilians...

“Hhhh eehhh…” Nimdok’s attempts at speech while still in the voxyn form came out as a nightmarish hissing. He quickly shifted back into his normal form, the pointy-eared archaeologist, his hair and robes soaked from the rain.

“Hey, Eli—Dr. Dixon!” he yelled from the other side of the base. “I can’t get the gate open! Can you press the button with the Force?”

He pointed to the unfortunate Weequay and Human she had made into ghouls. “We can use them to distract the other pirates while we explore!”

Elise Ike Ravenous Zlova Rue

 

[Zlova Rue]

Let go. "Let go?" Let go. "You want to see me..." Let go. "Let go?"

Fifty stories tall. Fifty stories tall the black tower stabbed out toward the heavens at the shores of a large lake. Surrounded by a ten-story tall wall, the compound was filled with her own personal force. Some were devoted to her cause, while others simply did their duty to avoid being punished. Sith did not abide weakness, incompetence, or sloth in their ranks. Duty, devotion, and the desire for survival is what drove them.

Darth Siron knew some of them. Her commanders, mostly. People with dreams and agendas eager to make a name for themselves in the service of their Lord. Good, strong, smart people she could rely on without needing to coerce or threaten them. Like any other her rule was absolute, but that did not mean her subjects were flogged daily because they existed. Such gross abuse of power was left to other, more crazed Lords.

On that day she had been atop her tower along the railing that overlooked the enormous lake nearby. Her bright eyes surveyed the distance shore, and the horizon that lay beyond a range of mountains. There was no agenda today of conquer or slaughter. Tomorrow she intended to take a ship to a distant world to explore some ancient ruins that had been discovered. Nothing remarkable, the report said, but archaeologists were not always the best at understanding what lay in their hands -- not when it came to objects of power or tomes of knowledge. They thought they amazing relics of history, eager to study them, but not truly appreciative of what lay in their possession. Siron would ensure the appraisal of its worth had been accurate.

Until a snare locked her grip to the banister. An electrical current. Enough to kill most, but one strong in the Force did not succumb so easily, yet it did constrict the muscles of her hand. A familiar voice. A familiar face. Yes, a friend which among Sith was a mythical creature had surfaced and spoke a few words. 'Sorry, things have changed. Time for you to die so I can rise.' You know, the usual.

Only it wasn't supposed to be this way. Shouldn't be this way.

And that's when everything, literally, fell apart beneath her feet. Crack, snap, crumble, tumble. Down the mighty tower fell toward the dark currents below...

Until she let go.

Lifeless sabers were cast down and to either side of where Zlova stood. The golden eyes of the Twi'lek grew sharper and brighter, while the red and inked flesh about her eyes darkened. Her right hand swrpt upward to lift Ravenous off the ground, but even if that failed it would do little to deter the actions of the left that soon joined it. A swell of the Force plowed into the man to knock him, and his gear that he'd discarded, across the open field where they fought.

Her hands dropped to her sides as she breathed in one heavy breath after all. "Get up, Ravenous. Get up and face me." Her demand was not followed by her giving chase, however. For while she had grasped at the darkness to separate them and break the Force Drain, their conflict had exacted a toll. It would be best for her not to leave that spot; not that the novas of her eyes would acknowledge her own exhaustion.

Tag: Ravenous | Jacen Nimdok | Elise Ike

 

[Elise Ike]

Elise watched on with a devilish smile as the two enthralled being came too, not her best work as it had been rushed by they would do her bidding as long as they drew breath. Looking around the other pirates had retreated inside the base, leaving a very one sided battlefield littered with their remains, unfortunately no one remained to serve as another solider. The wounded still being sliced up so much even her regenerative gift couldn't heal them while the others had fled deeper into the fortress.

Her eyes fell away from the two men and towards Jacen Nimdok as her attempted to speak. "Are you asking me this becuse you can't change back easily? or is it if you change back you won't be able to take that form on for a while"? She guessed the latter half as a transformation of that scale could not have been painless or easy, herself awaiting a possible answer as her hands went to work. The force moving around the control pad while her servants stood behind, their initial groggy nature leaving them as they took a ready position at her flanks.

"I have not qualms about these two falling in battle, but I'd rather not throw them away willy nilly". "After all what sort of master would I be if I let my toys get damages so easily"? She stated with a small smirk. Though easily being cruel in nature when needed Elise was just as often proud and possessive of her personal items, in her mind the two pirates at her back were now her property and she hated giving her things away. "I should have this open in a second, be ready, I have a feeling we've got a trap in store".

Ravenous Zlova Rue

 

[Ravenous]

Golden embers waited intently as Zlova Rue 's twin blades dissipated before being cast to the ground beside her. With his Force enhanced vision he could see the energy inside her, the anger, pain, and regret Zlova has refused to let go of over the years. This was very...lucrative. He had finally earned the chance to face Zlova at what he presumed to be peak focus, a battle of will was inevitable now that he had seen her conviction. Vengeance was it? Or maybe she only wanted peace, maybe all she converted was the power to let go of all she had held onto all this time. He knew that struggle well. It can be hard to move on after such a devastating loss, unfortunately, there was no recourse he could give Zlova to fix it.

"Struck a nerve there eh? Its high time that you-" Ravenous's remark was cut short by the compressing of his chest as Zlova wrapped those beautiful metaphysical fingers around his torso lifting him some feet off the ground and pinning both his arms to his side. For all his struggling Ravenous could not break free of the hold on his body before a massive gust of air bore into him at breakneck speed. His ribs had been severely damaged and some were even protruding through the skin. Blood trickled from Ravenous's mouth as he skidded along the jungle ground suffering numerous cuts and scrapes before having his already broken ribcage slammed against the unforgiving trunk of a tree.

"Get up...and face you?" Ravenous groaned as he clenched the steadily growing stain of crimson on his chest. "Your...not making it...particularly easy, lady. You got a box of painkillers or something? I'll even settle for a water bottle..." Rising to his feet still clenching his stomach, Ravenous stared down the path of destruction Zlova's attack had wrought...and he laughed. "THIS is what you were holding back? Come now, you can do better than this! Im not going to lie you did more than break the skin, but it's still weak. I can still sense the wavering belief in your conviction the restraint in your thoughts."

A dry laugh rolled over Ravenous's lips whist his indigo blade once more expelled its dark energy in his name.

"Unless you find conviction and commit it to your heart and mind...you'll never be good enough to rise above Darth Kalil. You see the person in your memories is a Sith lord I ran into during my studies on Korriban. Spiteful las by my account, yet too strong for you to ever best her." The final crucible, if this isn't enough to push Zlova over the edge and into the depths of fury Ravenous didn't know what will. Crossguard presiding him Ravenous slowly approached Zlova ready for any trickery she might throw his way.

Meanwhile at the slaughter and or feast waiting to happen...

"I DON'T CARE! There is a hungry voxyn and one of them vampire's from folklore getting ready to break down our door and get to munchin! So NO I don't care that you and the misses are planning to get busy tonight! And HELL YES am I ORDERING you and your squad to distract the enemy while we get the generator set up!" berated a burly Trandoshan in heavy green armor with teeth that look like they could tear a hole in the wall. "But Hryz! We'll all die! And I'm not getting paid enough for the chit no way!" Pinching his forehead Hryz addressed the young man plainly. "How about I put it like this...You can die out there! Or I can take an early lunch in here!"

Sunken and defeated the aspiring thief and his posse of wannabe's trudged toward the front entrance a death sentence awaiting them on the other side. "So unfair." The man muttered under his breath before the door in front of him slid open at the command of Elise Ike . "ITS THE THING AND THE-" As if he needed one to confirm what he had seen earlier next to Elise was...A MAN? Where was the Voxyn?! Unfortunately for him and his friends, an indiscriminate rain of fire exited the rifles of the pirates, their minds more concerned with survival than the lives of their comrades.

Jacen Nimdok

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

“Not at all!” Nimdok replied to Elise’s question. “I can shift as much as I want, so long as I can concentrate fully on enacting the transformation. There are no limits beyond that. It’s completely painless, too. I’m made out of gelatin and snake oil.”

Obviously that last sentence was hyperbole, and judging by his chuckling afterwards, it was some kind of weird inside joke that only he understood.

"It's just that my telekinesis is terrible, and I'd rather not make a huge racket trying to tear down the gate by force," he explained. Gesturing to the ghouls, he added, “If you can send these two in to act as friendlies, and simply draw the pirates’ attention away from us—”

The laser gate opened, someone shouted, and then the pirates opened fire. Their aim was such that they hit a few of their own, a group of unlucky thugs who had been sent forth as guards. Nimdok darted into cover, his body warping as he changed shape. This time, he took on the form of a native creature, an Odessen shade stalker. The transformation was simpler and considerably quicker than his voxyn shifting had been.

Once he was finished, he leaped into the fray, barreling towards the gunmen inside. Claws raked across flesh, sharp teeth flashed, and spiky scales tore through armor in a frenzy. There was no bloodlust in the violence, only a desire to rip through the opposition and reach the coveted artifacts within the base.

Elise Ike Zlova Rue Ravenous

 

[Zlova Rue]

A low rumble quickly manifested itself in the world as small pools of water from the rain began to ripple with increasing intensity. When the name 'Darth Kalil' fell from his lips the sound of the rain around them stopped. The Light? Yes, some part of her could see it here with her fueling what was to come, but it was undeniably the Dark Side that formed the core of Darth Siron's power. One's conscious effort to walk the gray path did not hold when consumed with emotion, but not all was lost. Though it soon might be for the two of them if the man continued to mercilessly jab at the Twi'lek before him.

With each word a sickness spread across the earth beneath Zlova's feet further and further outward. Even any chatter of animals had grown silent. Meanwhile, in a circle with the red woman at one end and Ravenous encroaching upon its center there grew twenty-two orbs of blue energy. They started as a mere dot in the air, but soon were as large as a BB-unit. Stray arcs of energy orbited the balls as they hovered, motionless about the field of battle.

Heavy with the toll of battle, Zlova's hands rose until they dropped atop the nearest orbs that had appeared at either side. "Vhedra, Torin Prime," her voice rang out loudly and clearly, even while her body required the support of the orbs at her side, "Illios, Jalos. Kedra, Polarius Three. Dyx, Zethani Two. Qu, Io Six..." Various cities on various planets passed through her lips while the black pits of her eyes focused on Ravenous. Whether any of them had heard of these places who could tell, but they all had one thing in common. Darth Siron had aided in subjugating or pacifying them all. "Come, Kalil. Come," she shrieked at last.

Bolts of lightning began to streak out from various orbs changing from one to the other and launching from different directions each time in an effort to throw their victim off. The air was charged with the energy of the barrage as Zlova's chest heaved with the effort to draw breath. If it was an intent to kill Ravenous wanted then he'd found it as the arcs of lightning refused to abate.

I've walked the golden streets.
I've seen the splendor of kings.
I've seen men, polished and neat,
And their boys beaming proudly.

I've flown between colliding stars.
I've escaped torn cosmic strings.
I've seen men, cups in their hands,
And the story in the tears of their eyes.

I've walked among you, pleasant as can be.
I've set upon you, ruthlessly.
I've come not to make peace.
I've come to watch you suffer needlessly.

All the Sith slammed a drink back and laughed. Good times. Nothing like laying waste to lesser creatures to demonstrate how powerful you were. Who didn't love when the Twi'lek Lord circled the enemy and watch as the storm of death laid waste to them while the helpless behind their high walls and tall gates looked on helplessly. To feel the despair radiating from their city when their only hope was broken, and their unrecognizable bodies lay upon the ground where not even the carrion birds would find satisfaction.

Perhaps Ravenous would escape, or perhaps Zlova would collapse. Whatever he did, however, he should do it -- or pray happened -- before the storm above brought the lightning down from the heavens as the crescendo hit its peak.

Tag: Ravenous | Jacen Nimdok | Elise Ike

 

[Elise Ike]

So it had some weaknesses to it, but saying his body was made out of jelly more or less, "Okay, not exactly an image I was looking to have in my head today, but noted". Her hands continued to move a shift the doors apart, her concentration half on the task and half on @Nimdoks words, the smell of fear wafting from the base as the entrance slid open.

Such a reckless move proving to sting, quite badly as the flurry of fire from within the base was too much, even for her. Both Elise's thralls diving behind cover as she herself was struck be several shots. "F-argh, dammit"! Pain flaring up in he body as she fell over, being dragged behind cover by said servants. "Note to self, get some actual armor", her casual clothing doing little to block the attacks, her regenerative ability being the only thing to keep up alive as she laid on the ground, nursing her hips and legs.

At the very least her animal like companion was having fun, it would take quite the considerable force to take him down. Speaking of which, the guards inside were probably focusing him down once more, time to put her puppets to good use. "Make your way inside, trail Nimdok but be careful, try to blend in or hide". She commanded with a husky tone, silent nods coming from each guard as they unholstered the weapons and edged closer to the now open door.

Zlova Rue Ravenous

 

[Ravenous]

Sterness and caution plastered on his face Ravenous slowly approached Zlova as his enhanced vision caught wind of the rising energy pool around her. I was like a generator as it drew from inside Zlova Rue and turned itself into something she could exude outward's into any form she chose. It's a power you wouldn't see very often, one that requires extensive concentration and devotion to increasing your mental fortitude to such a degree that the Force itself bends to your will. This wasn't like traditional use of the Force which turns the user into a conduit for which the Force to operate, rather this use of the Force actually charged the physical world around Zlova with power...power she could control.

There were whispers in the air and screams of terror in the earth. The ground shook and its stones were cracked as a massive surge of Force power was sent bolting through them, The air grew stale and buzzed with energy while it began to funnel violently around the pair their auras clashing with each other in the epicenter of their conflict. The rain around them had ceased mid-air as though the gravity calling them to Odessen had yielded and allowed Zlova to wield its power.

"That's better. I think you finally learned what it meant to draw on conviction. You can lie to everyone else, you can lie to your mother, your father, friends, and enemies alike. You can even lie to yourself...but you can't lie to me. You can't lie to someone who's been in the same spot you have. I know how you probably feel right now. Should you survive today maybe you can tell Darth Kalil how you-"

Without a semblance of a warning (one that he was paying attention to) a powerful streak of Lightning blasted him straight in the chest launching him several meters away from his target. That bolt just now...that wasn't a manifestation of the Force it was REAL. Damn it! How could she have found his biggest weakness?! For all his power electricity if directed into his spine at high levels was an almost guaranteed fatality as it would spread throughout his entire body frying it from the inside out...But it was his only chance of winning the fight now.

Rising from his downed position Ravenous glared at Zlova his focus at peak potency. The arcs of Lighting seemed to be channeled through the orbs around Zlova which meant that if their energy flow was disrupted Zlova would be vulnerable too.


Only. One. Move. Left

Ravenous broke into a sprint his mind already analyzing the battlefield in front of him as he bobbed and weaved between the bolts of energy being flung at him. He didn't need to worry about the errant strands of energy around him rather he should put all his concentration into dodging the ones coming at him. With his arms stretched forward, he summoned his suit of metal armor into his arms, carrying it as though it were an injured child. Usually, Force lightning is directed solely by the user but since this WASN'T Force lightning, it in theory should still follow the laws of physics.

"You know what, you were an amazing dancer..."

Once mere feet from Zlova Ravenous threw his armor high into the air above Zlova in hopes of it drawing Zlova's own Lightning strike upon herself. Reaching outwards with his right palm Ravenous felt the muscle and bone tissue inside Zlova's ankles and imparted his own feelings of anger and pain into them as he did with the tree's earlier. "You just stay right there!"

Meanwhile at the alliance base

"We hit that thing!" Cheered the pirates upon connecting several rounds with Elise Ike sending her stumbling backward and behind cover. "Don't let up! Press the attack, we can't them catch their breath!" With renewed tenacity, the pirates charged forwards their blasters roaring with each pull of the trigger. There was no honor among thieves and even less among those who were only in it for the pay and the spoils. Even with these iniquities, they all shared one trait that bound them to this battle...the will of survival. The spirit of a man is great, but the spirit of a dying one is even greater. Especially when faced with danger they cannot even comprehend.

Their hope was unfounded however as within moments of exiting the corridor their forces were immediately cut down mercilessly leaving a collage of blood and other ghastly horrors in its wake. Jacen Nimdok in the form of a shade stalker leaped from person to person cutting through their armor and flash until only a few lowly souls remained fear and confusion written all over their faces. "What are you two idiots doing?! Attack them not us!" Yelled one of the soldiers before being blasted by his former companion. Still unable to decipher what was transpiring the pirates without missing a heartbeat fired on their companions while simultaneously trying to deal with Nimdok.

Meanwhile in the command center

Skeptical eyes watched the front entrance security monitors whilst Arizelva filled with anxiety that desperately needed quenching haphazardly chugged down a bottle of Balmorran ale. "This is the good stuff ain't it? Something you can't find by looking for it, you have to find it by chance. Did you try some yet?" Asked Arizelva feigning indifference to the severity of their current situation. "Have you lost your Karking mind?! We have a beast of some kind and a shade stalker tearing through our forces like hot butter! WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO DRINK!" Screamed an enraged Twi-lek before swiftly slapping the bottle of ale out of Arizelva's hands shattered glass and alcohol splattering all over the ruined floor. Anger contouring her face Arizelva dragged the green Twi-lek by his lekku over to the security console pressing his face against the cracked screen.

Pressing an array of buttons Arizelva rewound the security footage to a little more than 5 minutes ago. A Voxyn and a mysterious figure stood complacent at the entrance their focus quite clearly on the laser gate surrounding the sealed-off door...until the voxyn shifted into a man. And when I tell you this guy looked normal I mean he looked likes everyone's accountant. "You see while I was busy trying not to get eaten alive I noticed something odd about this monster. It wasn't eating anyone...that thing didn't attack us because we threatened it or it was hungry...It just wanted to kill us. And after coming in here and looking over the footage I found that this thing we're dealing with is a shapeshifter! That would explain why the Voxyn appeared and disappeared into thin air, It would also explain why the thing next to it hasn't been attacked."

Arizelva pressed the man harder against the screen. "And because of this new information I now know how we're gonna beat these guys." Arizelva released the pirate from her punishing grip and turned to address her crew. "Shut down the elevator and drop the temperature in the base to below Zero degrees!"