Private On Neutral Ground

[Akhema]

Akhema stood at the edge of a balcony, arms behind her back and mind locked in apprehensive thought. She had sent a missive, simple. It was that she sent it to the Jedi Order that kept her from feeling anything but concern. There were those among the Jedi who were zealous, overly so, and likely would have jumped at the opportunity to strike her down. They were poor examples of the Jedi philosophy. Still, they were out there, and they were likely always going to be. The thing that truly bothered her was whether or not the Jedi would even send someone to meet with her in the first place. She pitched an easily accessed location, with plenty of entrances and exits. Not the ideal for someone intent to launch an ambush if that thought occurred to them. There was sincerity in her request, and she had hoped it came across that way to whomever it was received it first.

She had left her lightsaber aboard the ship she was currently living in. It was a risk, calculated, but one she felt would likely benefit her in the end. A Sith did not typically leave without their weapon, but if she wished to drive home that her intentions were peaceful then being relatively unarmed was likely the key. There was always the Force, and that was as much a weapon as it was a tool, but without a lightsaber she stood little chance against a determined Jedi seeking to end her life. She had made peace with that already. Even the clothing she wore was carefully chosen to display non-violent intent. While it was easy to assume all Sith wore dark colors, the white and gold of her current outfit was far from traditional. Only the boots stayed black, as even her current robe was white. It was a curated meeting that she requested, but she put in all the work to be as non-threatening as possible. Perhaps Akhema would learn something more about how much things have changed since the age of the Old Republic.

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

Since the attack against Coruscant by the Brotherhood of the Maw, Valery had been on the planet to help deal with the aftermath of that destructive battle. In her case, it meant going out in the streets to slay the many sithspawn beasts they released into the lower levels. But this wasn't the type of work she could do all day, so she made regular visits to various temporary bases and sleeping quarters that were set up - the Temple had been sacked so it could not be used.

It was during one of these trips back from the lower levels that she heard about the message from a Sith Pureblood dating back to the Old Republic. Since her own awakening, she had met one or two others that came out of stasis, but none from as far back as the Keshian Jedi. So despite the initial hesitancy to meet with a Pureblood - a feeling created by her past confrontations with them - Valery decided to go and meet her.

Making her way to the building where Akhema was staying, Valery entered and made her way over to the balcony, where she stopped the moment her orange eyes met with Akhema's. The Jedi carried around confidence and strength in her steps and was dressed in her usual tunic with a lightsaber clipped to her belt.

She didn't show any signs or emotions that would suggest her taking a combative stance, though. Instead, she looked the other woman over for a brief moment before she dipped her head.

"I'm Master Valery Noble - I was sent to meet with you following your message."

 

[Akhema]

There was a sensation in her that this was a meeting that she had long awaited. Akhema had not met a Jedi master before. In all her experiences back during the Cold War with the Republic she had only ever faced down and defeated Knights and Consulars, none of which had been masters. The Pureblood allowed the silence to linger just a moment longer. If there was any discomfort she wanted to know about it before revealing her intentions just yet.

The imperious look on Akhema's face softened, and she too bowed her head, "I am Akhema, Dark Lord of Sorrow. I thank you for showing me the grace to visit me today." her voice was sincere as she spoke. "You seem to be mistaken though. I have come her unarmed, Master Noble. Though, I cannot fault you for your caution. It has come to my attention recently that those who claim to be Sith have committed truly dishonorable acts of violence against the non-combatants of this world. As a gesture of good faith, I would like to offer my assistance in exterminating these vile creatures that pollute this planet."

Akhema paced for a few moments, "It may come as a surprise to you, but there are those of us Sith who exist, that find no honor or glory in senseless slaughter. Battle, and warfare, should be kept strictly to the combatants as often as possible. Civilians have no place in the sights of any military operations. I am disgusted that those who would claim the mantle of Sith would go so far as to stoop to crass terrorism to achieve their goals. Has my Order become so diluted that any strongman with an army can claim to be a Dark Lord?" she said, asking her first question of the meeting. Akhema had many more, but it was more important now to her that needless civilian casualties be mitigated. If there was to be a war between Sith and Jedi, then it should be exclusively between Sith and Jedi. In her mind those who were not of either order had no place fighting battles for either the Light or the Dark Side.

The Pureblood looked out over the balcony, "I can feel the fear on this planet. The people who survived will never be the same. An unfortunate reality, but one that must be confronted. I have few resources of my own. You know that I am from a time long forgotten at this point. But it would be remiss of me to allow cowardice and needless cruelty run roughshod over people. No true and honorable Sith should debase themselves in such a way. What good is a conquest to an Empire if what is left behind after the war is damaged beyond repair?" she continued on. Her anger was seething, and powerful. Akhema did not restrain it though. It was simple philosophical difference between the Sith and Jedi codes. While her counterpart in this meeting may take umbrage with her rage, she felt entirely justified in it. Wanton destruction was just uselessly wasted resources that could have been routed to further military action.

"In the past, the Republic and Empire sat in an uneasy peace. But, peace is a lie. The only thing that changed at that time was whether or not it was officially sanctioned. The resistance on Balmorra, the debacle over Voss, the Great War never truly ended. It just shifted theaters, and so will this one. I am prepared to offer my assistance further still, to combat the Sith that would commit war crimes in the name of ambition and greed. An Empire is nothing without a people to rule over, and if the attack on Coruscant this time is indicative of this Sith order's attitude, then the galaxy would be better off without them around." she concluded with an angry flourish. It was not something she took lightly, offering to help the Jedi, but she was an honorable sort that could not stand to see pointlessly wasted resources. Civilian life, as much as the Jedi may hate to admit it, was a resource to any government first and foremost, and the Galactic Alliance was no different in her eyes. A military, conscripted or not, still needed bodies to fill boots and fire blasters.

"I know it is a lot to ask of you, to trust me, to trust my kind." the Sith said quietly. "Our orders have been in constant conflict for millennia. But that does not mean our philosophical differences should block out what is truly important. Do we have an agreement, Jedi?" she finished, extending a hand not in violence, but in friendship, no matter how temporary it may prove to be.

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

During the initial silence, Valery looked at the woman and seemed to be in thought for a moment. Standing this close to a Sith Pureblood without any real tension was a peculiar thing to her, or at least uncommon. Most encounters she had with them were on battlefields or when she was assigned to hunt one down as a Shadow.

But this meeting already seemed very different from the start, and the woman's offer only further reinforced this.

"I carry my weapon as a precaution only, but you have my word that I will not use it against you as long as you're not hostile towards myself or anybody here," she said with an equally sincere voice. She let the offer linger in her mind for a moment longer, allowing herself time to consider it. For now, she decided to answer the question that was thrown her way as well.

Akhema paced for a few moments, "It may come as a surprise to you, but there are those of us Sith who exist, that find no honor or glory in senseless slaughter. Battle, and warfare, should be kept strictly to the combatants as often as possible. Civilians have no place in the sights of any military operations. I am disgusted that those who would claim the mantle of Sith would go so far as to stoop to crass terrorism to achieve their goals. Has my Order become so diluted that any strongman with an army can claim to be a Dark Lord?" she said, asking her first question of the meeting. Akhema had many more, but it was more important now to her that needless civilian casualties be mitigated. If there was to be a war between Sith and Jedi, then it should be exclusively between Sith and Jedi. In her mind those who were not of either order had no place fighting battles for either the Light or the Dark Side.

"Much has changed when it comes to both the Sith and the Jedi, but a lot also remains the same. The Sith, in particular, have gone through complete reformations since the days of the Old Republic, but those traditional views still exist as well. Those responsible for what happened here, I'd argue are more like some of the Dark Side cults that have popped up throughout history. Untamed beasts with just a desire to destroy." Valery began. There was technically way too much to cover in one conversation, but she was also still a little careful with the detail she offered. Her words were not filled with any type of emotion, however. She was calm but there was clearly a determination within her to combat those behind the attack.

The orange-eyed Jedi then listened to the final words of the woman, and the corner of her mouth would rise into a slight smirk.

"For now, I will accept your offer to help me slay the beasts in the streets of Coruscant. Not too many are left, but that's part of the challenge right now - finding those that remain. If you wish to fight against the ones responsible more, I'm sure there are ways to do so. But I would also suggest for you to take steps similar to my own - to travel more and understand this Galaxy better before you side with anybody."

With those words spoken, Valery took the offered hand and shook it as a mark of this temporary alliance. She couldn't speak on behalf of the Senate or Jedi when it came to deeper cooperation, but the beasts on Coruscant would be quite a good first step.

 

[Akhema]

Tag: Valery Noble

"Thank you for your trust master Jedi. It means more to me than you might think." Akhema said, being put at ease by the Jedi's willingness to cooperate with her on at least a temporary basis. She was thankful she had not been sent a more militaristic or zealous Jedi that might see this as an opportunity to purge the Dark Side. There were always going to be outliers in both orders, but she had seen first hand what kind of people the Jedi could be when their logic was taken to relative extremes. It was more often than not after those Jedi had come to the Dark Side in their misguided pursuits.

The Pureblood looked out over the balcony again, "These people were attacked, they're scared. But the least I can do is help you confront beasts created by Sith alchemy. My master used to warp beasts in the same ways, and I never agreed with it. Alchemy has its uses, but I find it distasteful to take creatures and bend them into agonized war beasts. If you know where to start, I am prepared to help as soon as you wish it."

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

Valery stepped out towards the Balcony to join Akhema, and looked out over the horizon, "Seems you have some experience with them, then - that's going to be helpful. We've found and killed most of the beasts, but some remain very deep down in the lower levels. Even without sithspawn, it's not the safest place to be, so keep your guard up." Valery said without revealing much about her own experience. Hunting these creatures was part of her job as a Jedi Shadow, but she kept that part of her duties more secretive.

The brunette then turned away and took a first step towards the door, "Get your weapon and any gear you need, then meet me at the taxi point nearby. I have a vehicle waiting for us that we'll take to get down there."

She was about to step out of the room when she realized something.

"Oh, before I forget. When we're down there, it's likely best if you stay somewhat near me. I'm sure you can handle yourself, but I'd rather avoid some Jedi attacking you because they believe.. you know.. that you're with the beasts, rather than us. There have been a few encounters with Sith, who were not able to get off-world and looked to hide in the lower levels."

Valery then dipped her head and walked out of the room to prepare herself to head back down as well.

 

[Akhema]

Tag: Valery Noble

Akhema felt relieved to be able to provide assistance against the beasts. Sithspawn were just part and parcel with those of her kind with more sorcerous intent. She had always been more of a warrior, specialized for battle against the Jedi, and all of her abilities in the Force reflected that aspect of her life among the Sith Order. Here without the Sith Order though, she had to prove that at least to this Jedi that some of her kind were more honorable than base terrorists that relied on overwhelming fear rather than respectable strength to rule.

She retrieved several objects from her personal ship, the most important of which was her lightsaber. It would likely shock that the blade itself was not some crimson red color as was typical to her kind. She had managed to, in the past, acquire a permafrost crystal from Hoth in her time spent serving her master in the depths of that frozen wasteland. It was a rare item, but a reward for her commendable service in garnering usable biological samples of the the both wampa and the snow mynock for her master. Now, with this crystal, her lightsaber did not give off heat, but rather an intense cold much like that of the crystal's planet of origin.

With the mask that she donned, the Pureblood was fairly confident that she could retain some anonymity in spite of her deep connection to the Dark Side of the Force. Perhaps among the lower levels with the Sithspawn present it would cloud anyone from noticing that she was herself a Sith. She was now dressed for battle though, and at the meeting point she bowed her head, "I apologize for the delay." she said, noting that it took over an hour to prepare physically and mentally for doing battle with these tainted beasts. "I am prepared, and you may use me at your discretion. These creatures must be stopped before they disrupt the planet any further than they have."

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

While Akhema returned to her ship to prepare for the upcoming hunt, Valery made her way to the meeting point already. She had brought her weapon along initially and was dressed up in her usual tunic, so she was battle-ready. But the question as to where these beasts were located remained - this is what she decided to look into a little while she waited.

With how immense Coruscant was, the task of taking them out was a huge team effort with both Jedi and soldiers involved. Agents were down below to relay information as well, so every now and then, reports came up when a sithspawn creature was seen moving somewhere. Rather than engaging them, they'd make sure experienced Jedi were sent to take it out.

This task now partially fell onto Akhema and Valery.

"No apologies needed. Without the right preparation, we'll end up in trouble," she said before gesturing to the vehicle. There was no pilot inside because Valery intended to fly herself - there was no way she'd take a civilian pilot down there. The two stepped inside and with a steady descent, the brunette began to take them down deeper into Coruscant's underworld.

"I just received a report about at least two beasts down on level 47. That's where we're heading first," she said. This meant the two were going extremely deep into the underbelly of the ecumenopolis.

After making their way down, the vehicle came to a stop and without a doubt, the two could feel a strong darkness within their district somewhere. There were distinct presences, and one especially stood out to them - this beast was a lot more powerful than the other they sensed.

"If you can, suppress your own presence in the Force. We'll then follow our senses and approach the targets." Valery said as she looked around the empty streets. If there were people around, they were hiding inside buildings or they relocated somewhere. This whole block seemed abandoned.

 

[Akhema]

"My apologies master Jedi, but stealth has never been my strong suit. I was trained toward the singular purpose of battle, and my master intentionally neglected to instruct me in the methods of our assassins. He feared me, feared my power, and he was right to do so. I was once the Battlemaster of the whole of the Sith Academy. It fell to me to teach lightsaber combat in all forms. He knew he could not match me in an open and honorable duel, so he froze me. I must have made quite the trophy for his little cabal to preen about." she said, much chattier than the Jedi. Akhema was a talker though, and sometimes even in the worst moments she was more talkative than the occasion called for. "He saw to it that I was retired from duties that called me away from Dromund Kaas. That should have been my first warning of his inevitable betrayal. Still, these beasts cannot hide from us for long. They too, were not typically made to hide away from war."

The Pureblood reached out into the Force and drew upon the darkness that lurked within this hollow street. With no pedestrians or travelers here, it was much simpler for them. That meant the risk of collateral casualties was minimal. Curious souls were the only trouble now, and those who did not know when to temper their curiosity were more often than not killed like the Nexu from the old adage. "The Sithspawn down here is powerful. My educated guess is that it is some kind of juggernaut beast meant to take punishment on the front line. These creatures are tough, immensely so. I am willing to wager that it is a mutated Terentatek. They crave the blood of those that wield the Force and make a natural weapon against both Jedi and Sith. That, is the most powerful beast down here, I imagine, and the one that we should focus on first." Akhema suggested, "Thought, I must admit that I hope I am wrong about what the creature is. Sithspawn Terentatek are unpredictable and wild, and it will not die easily. They are resistant to the Force because of their consumption of the Force. It will be no small task to take it down if that truly is what is down here."

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

Valery blinked at how talkative Akhema was - it certainly was quite different from what she was used to from Sith. She herself wasn't the most talkative either, but it didn't bother the brunette. The first topic regarding Akhema's history as a Sith did catch Valery's attention. "Interesting, I was once the Battlemaster of my Enclave as well - responsible for teaching as well," she said with a soft chuckle. For two Battlemasters from normally opposing sides to meet this way was quite interesting to her.

"I don't believe it's a Terentatek simply because I think it would have been spotted already. As you said, it's a very tough beast to take down, so it would have been a priority target. Whatever is down there, it's likely more capable of remaining undetected. There are known Sithspawn capable of stealth from our days, such as Dark Lizards that were derived from the Hsiss, but new beasts have probably been created as well."

Valery knew plenty about Sithspawn from her duties as a Jedi Shadow, which she now partially revealed. But in this case, the information was important to share with the other.

But as the two discussed, something would quickly draw their attention: a loud scream from a street nearby that echoed between the buildings and empty streets. Valery glanced at Akhema and nodded.

"Let's get going."

 

[Akhema]

"My old master kept Hssiss as pets..." she said, before the scream interrupted her train of thought. Nodding in kind, Akhema took off toward the source of the sound, eager to put herself to use in her appointed purpose. Once she reached the corner of the building it was clear that what was happening here was a bit more than they had initially bargained for in their agreement. There was a Sith, and with that Sith was something wholly inhuman despite its shape. It was the source of the scream, and something that churned rage in the Pureblood's heart. The young woman that had been cornered was now crushed beyond recognition, destroyed by the Sith that loomed over her broken figure.

Akhema was not pleased to see that a civilian had been slaughtered so crudely. Whatever this Zabrak was doing here, it was unlikely to be anything less than needless brutality. With a snapping hiss, her saber sprang to life. A true rarity to her kind, the blade was not red, but a glacial blue color due to the permafrost crystal used to focus the energy. Not only did he change the color, but the blade itself permeated with a frozen energy not unlike that of the planet Hoth where the crystals were found. With the distinct flourish of the Makashi opening stance, Akhema spoke boldly, "Savor this moment, for it is to be your last."

The Zabrak turned and smiled, his own red blade coming to life in kind. For him there was no formality as he immediately leapt to combat what he originally assumed to be Jedi given the color of the blade. With short and precise movements, Akhema paced away from his first strikes without resorting to parrying. They were probing attacks, meant to test the waters more than anything else. It was then that the duo settled into a slow circular dance as they stared one another down through the pacing. It was at that moment that the Zabrak realized he was not facing a Jedi, "What is the meaning of this? Some nameless upstart trying to take me out while we are stuck on Coruscant? Of course, using the weapon of a Jedi and wearing a mask would make it much easier to cover it up. You might as well quit now, because I will make sure you die slowly."

The Pureblood launched into a measured offensive against the man. Each movement was kept in check, meant to expend as little energy as possible while providing as much of a sweep and opening to attack as she could gain. This was the key principle to Form II combat and how she began most battles. It was out of Form II that she could understand the methodology and capabilities of her opponent better than any other form, as it relied entirely on her understanding of her own body and mind as well as her weapon. She felt the most at home when practicing Makashi, but it became relatively easy to see that his use of Form V was going to force her out of Form II.

Every attack she gave was met with a parry and a counter-attack. This was the fundamental core of Shien, specifically the exercise in the principles of Djem-So. As quickly as she had applied Makashi she was forced out of it not immediately by his vicious counter-offensive, but by the snapping of a second lightsaber entering the fray. Akhema dodged, but just barely, and in doing so half of the mask she had worn was cut off to reveal her true nature. It was another Sith, and likely this one's apprentice choosing now to strike from the shadows. Form II failed against multiple opponents, and so she separated herself from the united duo and sank into the use of Form VI. Niman was not the strongest or most focused form, but it was the most adaptable and practical method of combat and allowed for more freedom from the user. It was often augmented by telekinetic pushes and pulls during battle. Form VI was only as powerful though, as the user was creative in its application.

Akhema stood in direct opposition to two men, intent to stand them down or die trying. It was her opposition to crass terrorism that created this strange confluence of events, but the Force was mysterious in ways not even the greatest mystics could fully comprehend. "What use is an Empire that resents its rulers? What does conquest gain if the defeated are simply slain like wild beasts?" she questioned, to the great irritation of the Sith Master, and to what she felt as conflict in the heart of the apprentice. There was doubt in his mind, and that would feed her ability to pull him out of this twisted and brutal path. "You know I'm right...don't you apprentice? You see no sense in this, do you? Your master is guiding you down a path without an end, nor the means to justify that lack of an end. Where is the line drawn? At what point is it too much?"

At that the Sith Master lashed out. Enraged by her questioning his authority he immediately resorted to Form IV. While it was the most acrobatic and likely the most offensively oriented form behind Juyo, it was equally draining on the user to perpetuate such a powerful and consistent offensive. This forced Akhema into Form III to defend against his onslaught. It was trance like once she had fallen into it as well, almost moving subconsciously to create a barrier of blades that met every attack with an appropriate block and step. It was as if the two were dancing together, but the deadly show of sparks and clashing of blades meant that only one of them was likely to ever dance again.

The Pureblood stood against this Sith's brutal offense, firm and dedicated. Akhema stepped in, peering through an opening and landed a small thrusting strike into the leg of the Sith Master that caused him to scream and flip back and away from her. "Apprentice, any time you wish to serve me effectively would be appreciated." he said with a callous hiss. The two of them leapt into battle against her now. The Pureblood could feel the fear and conflict in the apprentice. It made him sloppy in his execution of Form IV, while his master's overt presence provided less space for the two of them to move. The Sith Master then used a crushing push in the Force and threw the Sith out of the alley and sliding across the pavement, her blade lightsaber landing out of reach on the road next to her.

It was the apprentice's fatal mistake however, that followed up on her downed frame. With a rush of power in the Force, she intercepted his leap with a block and sudden counter-attack that severed his head at the neck and sent in rolling several feet away as he fell to the ground. The Sith Master had proven to be a powerful match for her, but his apprentice's mistake cost him dearly. Rage roiled with in her heart, as well as the Zabrak's, "Look at what you made me do..." she said with a powerful venom in her tone. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU MADE ME DO!" she continued with a violent scream that echoed in the Force and sent a shock wave of raw power down the alley. The Zabrak flew against the wall and landed on the ground on his knees before rising back up. He was powerful in the Force, and despite the pain his body was in he had stood up to her and proved that he was equal to the task. Either she was out of practice, or he was truly a peer of hers. She refused to acknowledge the possibility that he was a peer though, and blamed her carbonite stasis for her troubles with him.

The Dark Side rolled off of her in waves after that frustrated scream. "Master Jedi, shall we take this one together now?" she said throwing the apprentice's severed head at his master with her telekinetic power before following into the alley with a vicious strike. Now she was furious, and now she herself was dropping into Form V to utilize her raw strength and size against the man. It was a less mobile form, and it relied on pure domination of both the self and the enemy, but it more than made up for that by allowing plenty of space for the Jedi to jump in at her leisure.

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

Following the scream they heard, the Jedi and Sith moved towards the source as quickly as they could, only to find a Zabrak standing over the crushed body of a civilian. Seeing this, Valery frowned but she wasn't as quick to engage the one responsible as Akhema. Her mind shifted around, feeling the darkness within the area but there was something else too.

Looking at the body of the woman, Valery pondered - there was no way she'd still be out here all alone. She looked around to locate the source of what she was feeling.

She must have been with..

Her thoughts were interrupted as she spotted two figures hiding behind a destroyed vehicle nearby. They were kids, and their eyes were focused on the body of the woman - they were in shock. It was likely they were looking at the body of their mother or sister; Valery couldn't tell at first glance. Her eyes widened and she turned to look at Akhema, who was transitioning into Makashi as suggested by the flourish. "There are kids - keep him busy!" she called out before allowing the Force to explode through her being. With augmented speed, she dashed and jumped to cross the distance between her and the kids, all whilst Akhema began her battle with the other Sith.

While she wanted to help Akhema, these kids could be used against them in the fight, and they wouldn't be safe so close to the dark presences Valery sensed. Reaching the kids, she picked both up, one arm for each, and moved away with them under her arms. Within seconds, they cleared away from the danger zone, where she forced them inside an abandoned shop.

"Hide in here until I come back. Don't show yourself to anybody else," she said with the most comforting tone she could muster. She then briefly and gently squeezed their shoulders, before she closed the doors of the building, and turned around to join Akhema again.

Coming to a halt near the alley, she spotted Akhema throwing the severed head of the Apprentice towards its Master. She felt the woman's rage echo through the Force like a powerful wave, but also the tsunami of anger from the figure she was facing. Valery's expression turned cold and with the hilt of her lightsaber drawn into her hand, she stepped up to join the Pureblood.

"Gladly," she said in response to her request to take the Sith down together.

The brunette waited for Akhema to begin her approach towards the Sith, causing the space their opponent had to get smaller and smaller. The Pureblood's frame made it more difficult to track Valery through the relatively narrow alley as well, so when Akhema's clash with the Sith began, she felt confident in her ability to be unpredictable. She waited for just that moment to happen, before exploding up into the air with great power, and blinding speed. She bounced between the buildings on both sides of the alley and passed over the Sith with an Ataru-appropriate Ton Su Ma. Using the momentum of her movements, she attempted to strike the top of his shoulder with a quick shiim before landing behind him. Whether it hit or not hardly mattered - it forced him to focus on two blades at once.

But after her landing, Valery's posture relaxed and the Force began to grow stronger within her. As much as she felt confident to take this Sith down, she opted for the most efficient route to end him. Which in this case, meant enabling her ally. Knowing exactly what Form Akhema was using, Valery reached out with the Force and pulled back on the Sith's leg - the one supporting most weight in his current stance. She hoped to bring him off-balance completely but even just a small loss in the strength of his stance would give Akhema the chance to obliterate his defense.

 

[Akhema]

That was what Akhema liked to see. Valery had moved with haste and handled the crisis in a way she knew the Jedi would pursue. Those children she had saved were likely to be filled with grief, fear, and anger, powerful emotions she could sense as they were whisked to safety. It was still lingering even now, in spite of the young ones being hidden away from the danger. "A mother and children. What a powerful Sith Lord you are..." she said, punctuating each of her words with a powerful strike against his defenses. He had been placed on the back foot as she moved with slow and powerful deliberation. Form V was her go-to stance when it was nothing but utter domination that was required. This man was so sure of his power that the only way she would be happy to defeat him was to totally humiliate him for the hubris it took to hunt down families.

The Pureblood's rage struck with every sparking clash of blades. His steps were back, and defensive. It was his use of Ataru that had threatened her the most, but now that he was unable to find time to enter an acrobatic striking angle he was showing his lack of foundation in forms beyond outright aggression. Not only that, but he was much weaker physically than she, as he relied entirely on his agility to land many strokes from his blade rather than the single dominating strike that Form V was known for.

Suddenly, an opening. Master Noble had used guile and intellect in kind with her own brutal strength and offense. The leg buckled from the pull and in a sweeping Sun-Djem strike she severed both of his arms at the elbows before entering into a hate fueled state. The Dark Side roiled through her body and she reached out with a free hand and lifted the man by his neck. It was a classic Force Choke, but instead of just ending him like this, she battered his body throughout the alley until his bones were crushed and his body was totally broken. One final push in the Force and he went straight into a wall and fell against the ground, bloody and beaten. As his life ebbed away she approached, "Imagine using your power to kill a woman who had no chance against you. Imagine using your power to guide your apprentice down that same path. Now imagine that you succeeded, only to have your body destroyed in the same way. You disgust me. Pretender to the name Sith. May your suffering reverberate back to your masters. I want them to know how you suffered and failed. How you lay here now, fearful, and broken. You are no Sith Lord, you are a farce. You die a joke, and a bad one." she said, using the very same technique he had used to kill the woman to crush his body into a singular small ball of flesh and bone. When she released it he fell with a sickening squelch to the ground, utterly destroyed.

Akhema's anger released in another empowered scream of rage and frustration. Her Order had entrusted lordship to this coward. If this was what the Sith had become then she had to hunt them down and crush them. They were diluting the Order with any fool that wanted to feel powerful. "Only a coward kills a woman in front of her children." she said, her voice calm in spite of the clearly burning fury in her heart. "If this man is what the Sith have become then they deserve to be eradicated from the galaxy. I will destroy these Sith, I will become the Sith'ari and destroy the Sith so that I can reforge them from the ashes and build a Sith Order that values tradition and honor over debased power cravings and mindless slaughter..."

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

After pulling the Sith's leg back and watching Akhema take advantage of it instantly, Valery knew the fight was over. She disengaged her lightsaber and watched the woman take care of the rest. The anger and hatred with which she ended the man's life caused Valery to frown briefly, but her gaze hardened again quickly. Even with Sith, she always tried to end it as quickly as possible, and she wasn't one to give in to her emotions quickly either.

But especially hearing Akhema speak about reforging the Sith reminded her how temporary this alliance was going to be. In any other situation, this would have led to a confrontation with the woman, but she was going to honor her promise for now.

"If you're done, let's get moving. These two are dead, but I still feel those beasts nearby," she said as she turned to leave the alley behind them.

"Before I go, I'm going to get those kids. You can come with me, or you can go after the beast already. I'll catch up." and with that, she turned to head for the shop where she dropped the two of. Without their parents, they were not safe in an area like this, even with the Sith being taken care of.

After making her way there, the kids luckily did as Valery instructed. They confirmed it was her and then got out of hiding. Now that she had a chance to take a better look, she truly took note of just how young they were. It only made her feel worse, knowing they had just lost their mother to the brutality of the Maw. "Come on, I'm taking you back to my ship. Then I'll have someone pick you two up," she said with a very motherly tone, as she crouched down in front of them. The two kids nodded and joined Valery as they headed back for the shuttle with which they came down into the lower levels.

This process took some time, but Valery wasn't going to allow anything more to happen to these two. So she dropped them off at the ship and sent out a signal for them to be picked up.

They were safe, and she was ready to go after the beasts again.

 

[Akhema]

Akhema followed behind the Jedi, to where the children had been hidden. It tore at her insides to know that they had been exposed to the Sith in such a way. She knew it would color how they interpret her beliefs and the beliefs of those who she could draw back to traditional Sith thought. Still, she spoke to them only briefly before Valery whisked them away, "I deeply sorrowful over your loss, young ones. Please, be safe and listen to Master Noble. She has your best interests at heart and will see to your safety with all of her strength. Let her be a guide to you in this time of darkness, that you might come out of it stronger, and with a great appreciation for those around who help rather than hide. Be well." she said, with a bit of a brusque tone. The Pureblood's heart was in the right place, but she did not want to force the children to linger here in this place any longer.

She went ahead while the Jedi escorted the children, tracking the Sithspawn that had drawn the Jedi and her together. Even after her resolution to become the Sith'ari she felt conflicted about what had happened here. The Sith that were responsible for this had fallen so far from honor and tradition it seemed, that she could not fit in with them. Inversely, the Jedi still conflicted with her view on the galaxy and the nature of the Force. She was placed in a difficult position emotionally and intellectually. What she had done was essentially serve the Jedi Order, though indirectly. In the past she would have been loathe to do such a thing, but having heard that the war the Brotherhood of the Maw had inflicted on Coruscant was not intended to mitigate civilians in the crossfire it felt like the right thing to do. Was she going soft? Had she lost the way?

Akhema felt pangs of guilt, burdens on her conscience for things she did not even do here. This was supposedly a Sith Order responsible but even in her own time she felt that the use of super-weapons and Sithspawn went above and beyond what war called for. She hardened herself for the time being though, intent to flush out the monsters that had made their homes here by allowing her signature in the Force to flow freely. That was a mistake.

It was not a creature she hunted that she had found, but a Jedi on the same hunt. Akhema shook her head. The Jedi noted that she should have stayed nearer to her and here she was separated from the one person that was likely to be trusted in vouching for her actions here on Coruscant. As the green blade of the Jedi snapped to life and was swung into her she drew her own blade, icy blue, and clashed. Now was the time for Form III, because she had no intention of needlessly killing this Jedi when there were more pressing matters at hand. She was confident she could handle defending herself against the sloppily executed Form II until Master Noble returned to defuse the situation.

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

Now that the kids were dropped off and being escorted out to safety, Valery began to follow her senses to trace the path Akhema had taken. She could feel the woman through the Force, as well as the beasts that they were hunting down here. But there was something else too, another light within the darkness. Normally, this would not have raised any alarm bells - there were plenty of other Jedi helping with the purging of these vile beasts.

But Akhema was here as well, and now alone.

While she moved towards the woman's location with great speed, she couldn't help but blame herself for this. She should have kept Akhema close for this very reason. But there was no time to think about it too long.

"Stop!" Valery exclaimed as she finally made it, and noticed the Jedi engaging the Sith. "She's with us!" Valery called out, which seemed to confuse the other Jedi.

"She's Sith! She caused all of this!" the younger Jedi said as he stepped back but with his green blade still drawn.

"She's not with them - she's here to help slay these beasts." Valery tried to explain.

"No... it's because of the Sith that our Temple burns, that these people have lost their friends and family." he seemed to be in a panic, and stepped back more and more from Akhem, as Valery joined up with her. In fact, he was so utterly confused that he failed to notice another source of darkness creeping upon them. Above the three, on the rooftop of a building to their side, a twisted creature looked down towards them.

"Watch out!" Valery called out, but it was too late.

The beast jumped down on top of the young Jedi, and his body folded as it struck the pavement. The beast's claws buried deep into his flesh, causing a scream of pain that sent shivers down Valery's body. But again, there was no time to think as the beast jumped out towards Akhema with great speed to attack once more.

 

[Akhema]

There was an audible gasp from Master Noble. The gruesome injury to the young Jedi was preventable had he listened to reason and took consideration over his raw emotional baggage. He would need to be seen to sooner rather than later, so in a snap decision, Akhema answered the call of the violently injured young man with a raw speed that was enhanced through the Force. It was almost as if she had blinked from one location to another as she knelt to the wounded Jedi and placed herself in direct harm's path.

The creature slid and lunged at her again which she deflected with a Force Push. Though the Jedi had tried to kill her, she had moved to save him. With the momentary distraction caused by the creature's sudden shift in direction and angle she called upon the Dark Side of the Force and drew its power. With her left hand she pressed into the bloody wound and grimaced as the pain that coursed through his body now entered hers. It was not flawless healing, but rather an inheritance of his agony that she went for at the moment. It closed his bleeding off, and stopped him from dying, but put her in very real danger now that she was taxed with the burden of his wounds. She looked upon him with an expression of pure torture, but stood again above him now that he was not in immediate danger of death.

Akhema needed more time though, to see to her own pain and misery. The Dark Side was flowing into her through this agony, and she took what little time she had left to dispel it into the Force. It was holding her together, and while it was not exactly healing she was focusing purely on keeping her blood flowing within her body. The pain remained, but she sealed it off so that she too would not bleed out. It was a tremendous effort and a snap decision, but she knew it was the right thing to do even as the danger present continued to loom now, circling them as another of the beasts approached. She fell to one knee and held onto her torso in a tight hug, "The beasts have venomous claws..." she said with a weakened voice.

It was at this point, that she had chosen to expend the rest of her energy. The young Jedi was dazed still, and she was reeling from the venom that enhanced the pain of the victim. With one final grasp in both hands, she wrenched the Force to her will and tore one of the beasts apart as if it were mere paper. It was a brutal and sickening sound as flesh and sinew tore, and bones and viscera fell to the undercity path. She was certain Master Noble was capable of handling the final one as she fell to the ground, unconscious from her efforts.

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

As soon as the beast came down upon the younger Jedi, Valery drew her weapon and prepared to engage the creature. But before she could, she spotted Akhema moving in from the corner of her eye. The beast was pushed away by the Force push but then something more peculiar happened - it was as if the injuries of the young man transferred over to Akhema, who as a result found herself in incredible pain. Especially as the venom spread and made it feel like her entire body was burning on the inside.

Valery frowned at the pain the Sith seemed to be in, while the younger Jedi looked at her with widened eyes. He clearly had never seen or experienced anything like it before, and while still dazed, he felt much better. Good enough to notice the beast moving to strike at them again.

"I-incoming!" he called out but Akhema had noticed the beast coming back around, channeled the Force, and with her last bit of strength, tore it apart.

Valery immediately rushed over and drew her weapon defensively as she stood to protect the unconscious body of the Sith Pureblood. Much like before, it was hard to believe that after so much fighting against the Sith, she was now protecting her like this. But these thoughts passed within mere seconds as a second beast came out from the darkness, leaping towards them to tear the group apart.

But having heard about these beasts being venomous, Valery decided against fighting it up-close. Even a small scratch could potentially be crippling, and that would mean serious trouble for all of them. So instead, she extended a hand and used her telekinetic prowess to catch the beast in mid-air. Her orange eyes stared it down and her teeth gritted slightly. The woman wasn't angry or hateful towards the Sithspawn, but she seemed far more fierce and there was no doubt about what was going to happen next.

With great speed, she launched the lightsaber forward, the tip pointed towards the beast's torso. Seconds later, it exploded through the creature's chest, and out the back, before Valery recalled the weapon back into her hand. Now that the creature was dead, she let it fall back down and turned to Akhema and the other Jedi.

"Can you walk?" she asked the young man.

He nodded, "I can..." he said weakly.

Valery's attention then shifted to Akhema while she disengaged her blade. She crouched down beside the woman and lifted her up in a fireman's carry. She was a good bit heavier than Valery but with her natural strength and the Force as her ally, she was able to carry the Pureblood.

"I'm taking her back to the shuttle, and we'll go to a nearby field hospital. I suggest you come along," she said without making eye contact with the young man, whose lack of emotional control had been the cause for all of this trouble. He simply nodded and followed after the Jedi Master.

 

[Akhema]

Akhema's mind had roused from the trauma she had received from the battle with the beasts. With the pain still coursing through her body it occurred to her that the venom was running its course but was a non-lethal substance. The Pureblood writhed for a moment in the bed and opened her eyes to see herself surrounded by Jedi and physicians. Master Noble had not left her in the undercity to perish. It was an honorable thing to do, and though there were core differences in their philosophies they had served together to protect innocent folk.

One of the Jedi spoke first, "I see you're awake, Sith. Master Noble told me to trust her judgment in saving your life. Please, would you be so kind as to sit up for me? I must examine the wounds on your back."

The Pureblood looked away from the Jedi, allowing the young man to perform his medical check, "Yes, and thank you." she said politely. The gashes in her back were deep, and looked nearly infected due to the venom. She was in agony, but the pain was dulled by the overall peaceful mental state in which she had awakened.

"These wounds are quite deep Sith. I will do my best to help you." he said, focusing his energy into the Force to provide healing through the Light. It strained on him greatly. The Pureblood Sith were not just more attuned to the Dark Side, but it served as sustenance on a spiritual level. Without the Dark Side, the Sith species would die a slow and painful death. Akhema relaxed her mind and allowed him more access so that he could at least mitigate the infection before it spread too far.

The Jedi huffed a bit, out of breath from his work, "It is as if your body itself fights the Light. I have never encountered anything like this before." he said, quite curious.

"I imagine not. The Sith species is very withdrawn so I have come to understand. We as a people are inextricably linked to the Dark Side of the Force. We do not just harness it to our ends, but need it to survive. The Jedi in the past learned that quite tragically when the Force was severed from some of my kind while they were imprisoned. They did not survive being separated from its power." she said, looking at the ground of the field hospital. Akhema looked over her shoulder, "Did the young man who came with Master Noble survive the ordeal?"

For a moment the young man pondered the nature of Sith anatomy. "Reliant entirely on the Dark Side. Strange, I should read more into this should I ever encounter more of your people in the future." he said quite calmly. "My name is Jerad, by the way. Knight. And yes, the young man did make it. He had wounds very similar to yours but they were far less severe."

"Good, then it worked perfectly. I had no time to check on him after I inherited his agony. I took unto myself the wounds he received from the Sithspawn that Master Noble and I defeated. I'm pleased to hear that he made it. I would like to speak to him if you would allow it, Jerad." she requested with a bow of her head, "And you may call me Akhema, Dark Lord of Sorrow."

His reaction was one of mild shock to know he had been in the presence of a Dark Lord. He stopped for a moment, and then nodded, "Sure, I will have him come. He was waiting in the lobby for Master Noble."

Akhema waited patiently while the young Jedi was brought in. She looked to him and smiled, in spite of his meekness and apparent shame for his actions. He radiated an aura of contrition and conflict that she had no trouble detecting. "Be calm, young Jedi. I wanted you to know that I forgive you for acting on instinct with the knowledge that you had been taught. It is only natural. We have been taught that our dogmatic differences are irreconcilable, but I appreciate that you came to see me. I harbor no ill will toward you for what you did. But, it would be remiss of me to ignore my instinct to teach. Please, remember in the future that you must use good judgment and not act on raw emotion as you did in the undercity. Your Jedi Code teaches you to remain calm in the face of adversity, and if you fail to do so you will tread closely to the Dark Side. It is not my place to guide you toward your destiny in the Force, you must choose that for yourself, but if you wish to remain among the Jedi you would do well to work on your self-control."

Both the healer and the young Jedi seemed shocked by what Akhema had said. They looked to one another and back to her and stared momentarily in silence. The first to speak was the young Jedi that attempted to battle her, "Thank you, very much, Sith. I will take your lesson to heart and work toward a better measure of self-control. I was wrong to judge you so quickly. I am glad to have encountered you, as it has taught me a very important lesson in humility and discernment. Go in peace, Sith, when you do, and be well." He said placing his hands on his legs and bowing properly. Akhema nodded to him and he departed.

The silence was stifling, until the Knight spoke up, "Remarkable. Akhema, you guided a Jedi toward the Light with your lesson. You gave freely of your knowledge and mind to help him. You likely could have slain him in the undercity. You could have left him to die yourself, but you did not. I have never heard of a Dark Lord of the Sith showing mercy like this.

"Jerad, the Dark Side is my tool and weapon. What I have chosen to do with it, and how I choose to use my power, is not dictated by hatred and violence, but by discernment and judgment. My anger, and rage, are just a means to an end. The power that I wield, I wield to do honor to myself and my blood. There is no honor in slaying the weak or innocent. It is the right of the powerful to rule the weak, but not to destroy them or oppress them, but to guide society properly. While the Jedi and Sith exist at odds with one another, I do not believe that our differences are irreconcilable. The Force is a power that we both wield, and to me, good and evil are strictly in how the Force is used. Do you believe, that the Dark Side can be harnessed to do good? In kind, do you believe that the Light can be used toward evil ends? I find that the people that live in absolutes with no variance are doomed to continue this desperate blood feud to the ends of time." Akhema said, waxing philosophical for far longer than she thought she would. It was a mental exercise though, and she appreciated the time to do it. Jerad sat down across from her and pondered quietly as they both waited for Master Noble. "It might be difficult, but I believe that the Sith and the Jedi can coexist, peacefully."

 

[Valery Noble]

On Neutral Ground​

---

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Valery: Appearance
Tag: Akhema

Following the lengthy philosophical discussion between Akhema and the Jerad, Valery eventually made her way into the medical facility to look for the Sith Pureblood. She had left both her and the wounded Jedi in the healer's hands after bringing them here. Valery had never been any good at healing, and this involved some Sithspawn venom as well. So there was no way she'd get in the way of the recovery process.

"You look much better already." the brunette said as she approached the two.

For a moment, Valery studied Akhema to see how she was really doing. The healer had attempted to use Force Healing but it had been difficult to use such a skill to heal a Sith whose presence is tainted by the Dark Side.

"The beasts we were going after in the lower levels have all been slain, and more Jedi and soldiers have been assigned to clean up the last levels. So it seems our job is done." Valery continued. "Before you go wherever you feel drawn to, I wanted to thank you for your assistance down there. You not only saved a Jedi's life, but by killing those beasts, you helped save countless more people."

Valery offered Akhema a smile, as well as a respectful dip of her head.

"That said, there is of course no rush. Take the time you need to recover and if there is anything you need, please let us know as well. It's the least we can do."