Red Hot Shili Peppers

[Setzi Lunelle]

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Outside of Corvala, Shili​

The Pirate’s Foe and The Revenant quietly landed on the dusty soil with a whoosh, the mechanical whine of engines powering down. The two ships which had landed - freighter and corvette respectively - were hidden in a brambly grove on the far outskirts of Corvala, Shili. The Pirate’s Foe was once an AgriCorps vessel, so Darth Azurea felt a little more secure that if her ship was spotted and subsequently investigated, it may not cause too much notice. The Revenant was not unmistakably Sith either. After debarking, Azurea walked around the perimeter of the landing site, viewing all angles to make sure the vessels were fully covered by brush.

She was joined on this trip by her Master, [member="Darth Pyrrhus"]. Shili was his home world, but they were not there for a family reunion. The Togruta Sith Lord, now a Voice of the Dark Lord himself, was there to collect Togruta slaves for Karazak Slaving Company. Togrutas were primarily a tribal race and remained together in packs, both for hunting and for everyday living. It would be difficult to get one or two alone, but not impossible. They could also investigate the current slave trade, look into bartering for existing Shili slaves, but for now, capture and storage in the cargo hold of the Pirate’s Foe would be the most economical route. Azurea carried a pack on her back with a small tent in case they needed to spend the night away from the ships.

As they walked together through the high, red and white turu-grass, Darth Azurea asked, “Tanek, do you think you’ll be recognized by someone from your past?” She did not know how close knit the societies were of the Togruta, whether each tribe kept to themselves or if they were connected somehow through a greater tribal network.

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Their ships touched down on the surface of the planet. It all reminded him of when they had flown back to Glee Anselm for the first time, after Ziost. Similar to then, he was now also taking her to his home. Or rather, what had once been his home. This was his home no more. He had left this world long ago. Although it had not been by choice, he had never looked back since. Once cast free of his tribe's chains, he was free to drift. At first he had thought it was by chance that he ran into the then Sith Knight, Sage Bane, on Coruscant. Now he knew better. He had always been destined to become Sith. The Dark Side had been waiting on him. And when he had left Shili, finally, it had grabbed a hold of his destiny and guided him from the shadows towards the Sith. Now he was Sith Lord of the One Sith order, and Voice of the Dark Lord.

Now his feet once more set down on that so familiar soil. He was not here for a happy reunion. He was here to conquer his past. In the process sever any emotional attachments to his past that may weigh him down, and prove that he truly was Sith. He was above such things. Togrutas tended to bond together in tightly knit groups. He had never belonged here. He had never truly felt a part of their tribe. They were different. He was different. Both sides knew it. Azurea was his tribe now. And together they were more powerful than these small Shili communities could ever imagine.

He looked up to the skies and around them. For now, they were alone. The Revenant was a ship built for stealth and escaping the notice of sensors. It did not appear they had drawn the attention of anyone on this primitive world. At least not yet. "I don't know." he replied honestly. "I am different. Older. Bigger. More powerful. I've changed. They may not recognize me. But I have not forgotten their faces. Chances are they have not forgotten mine." he told her. He gave her a knowing look. He didn't know what they would face here, but what he did know was that they would without a doubt overcome it together.

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Darth Azurea supposed that her Master's characterization of himself also applied to her. If she had tried to return to Aduba-3, her parents may not recognize her due to her long, dark wavy hear, the yellow eyes and her moon-pale skin. Azurea longed to ask Darth Pyrrhus about this family who he would still recognize, but it would do no good to dwell on the past. The future instead was on her mind.

The Sith Knight checked her map and peered out at the horizon with electrobinoculars. "This guide says that just beyond that small mountain is a Togruta encampment." Less cosmopolitan Togrutas would be much easier to capture. The ones which dwelled in the city of Corvala were less primitive, holding centralized government and business positions. "It's only a couple miles from here," she finished, placing everything back in her utility belt.

If Darth Azurea needed to, she would use an illusion to turn herself into a Togruta besides Master Pyrrhus so if they approached a camp, they may be accepted in at least for a few minutes. Labor slaves were what they were looking for, but if they came across a force-sensitive male or female, oh what a prize that would be! To enslave a young Togruta and turn them into a Sith Acolyte? Perfection!

"The walk will give us time to catch up," she said. "There's something I've been meaning to discuss with you." Yes, the couple was a tribe. But the tribe was about to grow into a trio, and Darth Azurea was fearful to discuss the subject. Still, it wasn't going to be something she could keep from him for too much longer.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

"Does it?" Pyrrhus said, his tone distant. It almost sounded like he wasn't listening it all, lost in his own thoughts. The last time he had looked upon this horizon, his purpose had been entirely different. As had his mindset. Now he came back a conqueror, no longer a mere hunter. It had been so long that he had nearly forgotten... But he knew these hills. "I remember..." he paused, slowly pulling his gaze away from the distant landscape and back to meet the eyes of Azrea. "I think I know the way." some of the tribes often moved about. However, depending on the season, they usually had the same go-to locations.

Though he didn't know all of the communities in the area, he was aware of a few in this area. After his self-imposed exile, he had wandered alone and encountered many a tribe. When supplies for him was low, he had found a way to take theirs. He had learned some of their habits. Hopefully this knowledge would prove helpful on their campaign today. They would pay for their weakness.

Pyrrhus began walking, looking to her to see if she would follow. He assumed she would. "Oh? What's that?" he asked, curious now. There was something about the way she said that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was almost as if she wasn't entirely sure how she felt, or perhaps it was a mix of multiple things. "You can discuss anything with me, you know this" he said. While he may sometimes be easily angered, and she had probably witnessed him lash out at others both physically and with the Force, she was the exception to all his rules. "Or are you just nervous about meeting my parents?" Pyrrhus joked. A Pyrrhus joke! He even chuckled. He must've been in a special kind of mood. Pyrrhus didn't really know if they'd bump into his parents or if they were even alive. They were a thing of the past and their mission lie elsewhere. So far, he was completely oblivious to Azurea's secret

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Perhaps Darth Azurea didn't need the map after all. It appeared that Pyrrhus knew the way, the mental imprint of his lands coming back to him. Traveling off the map would be nice in a way. It's how she met the Togruta Sith Lord in the first place. On Selvaris, working with the Jedi AgriCorp, Azurea, a padawan at the time, stumbled into a mud-laced puddle and lost her guidebook. After wandering around, she'd run into her old nemesis, Darth Pyrrhus. And so it began, their fascination with each other.

"Off the map" also described how Azurea felt in approaching the impending conversation with her partner. She really had no idea of how to tell him. But his humorous mood signaled to her that now was a better time than ever. Still smiling from the joke, she said, "Remember before we landed on Kursid? You held me in the Pirate's Foe?" The next words were completely stuck in her throat. She had no way to say this without sounding like a cheesy Holo soap opera.

"You and I will have a child together," Azurea said quite plainly. And there it was - out in the open. What had caused her so much trepidation was whether he even wanted a son or a daughther. Emotional attachments were dangerous for the Sith. So far the Togruta and the brunette Sith Knight had made their attachment an exception. But a child brought on a deeper level of bonding.

But perhaps like their own partnership, they would be able to make it work. Otherwise, this sentimental connection would be a problem.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

As he stepped across the fields, he felt a familiar feeling rushing over him. It was satisfying to return actually. Not because he missed home, nor any other sentimental thoughts. After leaving the planet for the first time, he remembered coming to the realization of how utterly worthless he had been. A mere insect compared to the power of the Sith. Even as a Knight he had realized he was far from reaching his potential. Now things were changing. While he was sure there was more for him, he was always reaching, he did feel like he was getting there. Now he was far from an insect. He was Darth Pyrrhus, Voice of the Dark Lord.

"I remember" he said, still not understanding where she was going with it. He stopped walking. Clearly something was bothering her, but for the life of him, he could not figure out what. And then she said the words. For a moment he just stared at her, mouth hanging open in a gasp. Had he heard wrong? She did say what he thought she said, right? But there was no other option. She had definitely said they were having a child. Could this even be? Human and Togruta. Did those genes even mix? It had never been something he had considered. It had never even crossed his mind.

Pyrrhus was not fully conscious of his actions. The next time his eyes focused, he realized he had stepped towards her. Now he was standing right in front of her. His hand was over her stomach. "A child..." he repeated, his eyes dropping to her belly. "We're... Going to have a child?" Pyrrhus spoke slowly. Now he looked up at her. This was one of the few times when she would have seen him with a truly confused face. To this he had no response. He was not sure which course of action to take.

His mind was bombarded with questions. More than questions, there were also many predictions. What did this mean? For him? Her? Them? His mind was overloaded with thoughts, to the point where he simply had to shut it down. He wrapped his mind around the one truth he could accept. The one reality he could anchor his mind to. He was going to be a father. All else became irrelevant. What came next was a discussion for the future.

"The galaxy trembles" he held her in a tight embrace

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Darth Pyrrhus's reaction was about what Azurea expected. That he was unprepared for a child was an understatement, but it didn't surprise the brunette Sith Knight. Her Master thought of conquest and war, of subjugation and terror. He wasn't a nuturing creature, and when he attempted this, it manifested itself in relentless training and long diatriabes about Sith philosophy.

But he put a hand on her stomach, almost territorially now. Would he embrace a child wholeheartedly? Would Darth Azurea? She felt a little more equipped to deal with the emotional baggage that came along with raising a son or daughter. But it seemed awfully cruel to subject a child to the ways of the Sith. When Darth Azurea was a padawan with the Jedi she had fundamental problems with younglings, and how they were taught to fight at a young age.

"The galaxy trembles," she said. "But the earth is still the same under our feet. What do you want to do, My Lord?"

She assumed that neither of them had a choice in the matter, but she wanted to hear his opinion on it either way. She held him back, just as tightly, but was interested in his plan for the future of this child.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Questions were racing across his mind. While he looked at her, it was almost like he was looking through her, as his mind drifted away to deal with this new reality he found himself in. A child would be born. That much he had accepted. The question now, of course, and the one Azurea had posed as well was what happens next?

What if it grew up to become weak? If it did, the child could have no worse fate than having Pyrrhus as a father. He would detest it, and it would know much misery. Pyrrhus paused long to think. Once more his eyes drifted across the meadows and colourful grass of Shili. He had made no prior calculations for this situation. Yet, he needed to make a decision.

The problem with the child, weak or strong, was the emotional attachment it brought with it. Watching over a child made them weak. Exposed. If their enemies learned of this, surely they would seek to use it against them. If anyone wanted to take a stab at them, it would be through their child. They couldn't watch it at all times without neglecting other duties, to themselves or their empire. Until the child came of age, it would be a liability.

"I don't think we can keep it" he said finally. His voice was low, almost a whisper. "The child becomes a target, and it could be a way to destroy us. Having done nothing to the world, being ours still makes it a target. It must be hidden. Raised in the shadows by someone else, someone away from the radar of both Sith and Jedi." his eyes carefully watched her as he spoke, eager for her reaction. "Once he or she comes of age and is strong enough, we will collect the child. We will train it. It will become ours again" he wasn't sure how she'd take this, or even if she would agree. It was a matter he was discussing, not simply enforcing his will on. They were two in this, more so on this matter than anything else. To tell a mother she should give away her child was not an easy task. A part of him hoped she had spotted something he had overlooked, and could alleviate his concerns.

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Nothing but a sad resignation flickered over Darth Azurea's features. She knew that Darth Pyrrhus was right. A very small voice inside of her told her to argue, to combat this idea that their child's fate was something other than exile from his or her parents. At least until it grew older. But any goodness inside of Azurea lingered there like a faint, ambiant echo - something that pulsed once or twice but was gone again as quickly as it had arrived.

"I agree with you," she said. While she may have had a maternal instinct somewhere embedded in her DNA, Azurea was much more realistic. "The life we have chosen is no safe place for a child. I cannot love or nuture..." she broke off, hesitant to continue, or else she might crumble right then and there from the emotional weight. There it was. The truth of it. Darth Azurea felt she was too corrupted by the dark side to be a mother. She felt incapable of giving a child what it needed beyond the basis necessities.

In a way, both of them were protecting their heir. Darth Pyrrhus was afraid it would be a target from outsiders wanting to exact revenge on the Sith. Darth Azurea was protecting their son or daughter from herself. Both reasons were strong enough that she said, "What about here on Shili? What if we identify a couple who may be able to take the child?"

While she awaited his answer, she wondered if either of them would feel the same, once the Togruta-hybrid was born.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

He sensed her resignation, but to his surprise there was no fury or deep sorrow. Only a reluctant realization as her mind came to the same conclusion as his had. They were on the same page on this one. Though perhaps a part of them both considered for a split second to let everything else go, run away, and raise their child, it was a thought quickly dismissed. It was nonsense. The Togruta hunter Tanek had not become Darth Pyrrhus to throw it all away for some unborn child. Whether it was worthy of its father's affection and attention was up to the child to prove later in life. Much like he had grasped the title Voice of the Dark Lord through his own power and dedication, his child would have to claim the title son or daughter. It was not offered freely. Tanek was dead. Pyrrhus was a Sith first, anything else came second.

In their decision they were united, but their emotional state differed. While a part of [member="Darth Azurea"] wanted to love but realized she couldn't, Pyrrhus was fully prepared to hate this child. His mind was already moving on to how future reunions might play out. It was weak now. Would that ever change? An inexplicable feeling gave him a very strong sense that when the child came of age, regardless of paths chosen, it would have to show strength or die. If death became its fate, it was very likely it would be by his hand. Not even born yet, and Pyrrhus was picturing ending the child's life. Perhaps exile was the most generous gift the Lord of Ruin could ever bestow upon his unborn baby.

He snapped out of his train of thought and looked at her. She had given him a question. Taking more time to consider it, finally, he gave his response: "Perhaps.." Growing up on Shili had worked for him. "The child will not be happy. It will not be accepted. It will know suffering, and it will have to endure it alone" On a world like Shili, where the Togruta communities formed such strong bonds, being different and excluded could potentially become the most painful thing. The Togrutas were drawn to it, yet the child would be denied it. Pyrrhus had known suffering, yet he stood here stronger now for it. "Yes. Shili will do" he agreed. The child would be touched by the Force. If its upbringing resembled his own experience in any way, it would be guided towards the Dark Side on its own.

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

"That is best," Darth Azurea said, as though closing a book on the subject. But in her mind she wondered, why wouldn't the child be accepted? While Togruta's were hunters, they were a benevolent race. Surely, some hapless couple would accept a hybrid. Especially if she could locate a childless couple... Her mind whirred like a chrono, but she only nodded at Darth Pyrrhus's prediction that their son or daughter was going to have a difficult time growing up on Shili.

With the sun moving lower into the sky, the pair needed to pick up the pace in order to reach their destination before darkness fell. Eventually they came to a clearing with Togruta encampments - the first they had seen all day. They were far enough away to not be spotted, so Darth Azurea scanned the area with elecrobinoculars. As she pressed the hard duraplast device to her eyes, she saw something almost out of her dreams. A beautiful, proud Togruta couple filling up a container with well water. What a perfect mother and father they would make for their child! Her hand moved to her midsection instinctively as she watched the two work together. How they smiled at each other. They moved with the fluidity of companions who had been together for awhile. The female looked up at the male adoringly, and he patted her hand - all of this love radiating from a mere bucket of water!

Darth Azurea stepped back and threw the binoculars down. She couldn't watch anymore. The ache in her stomach was too profound. That moment of happiness, the pure joy of being in the moment. It was doubtful she would ever feel that again. The Sith Lord looked up at Darth Pyrrhus. Her green eyes pooled with tears, but she said nothing. "Which ones are we bringing back with us?" she asked. She would not think of the couple now... maybe later when she was alone. Right now they needed to do what they came to Shili to do. Capture some slaves.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Pyrrhus hadn't understood it then, why he had never truly felt a part of the tribe. Somehow, he had always known he was better. The rest had as well, and they had detested him for it. It was only later he was able to link it to his Force sensitivity. It was easy for him to imagine how his unborn child would experience the same. Through its anger, it would find power. Through its hatred, it would discover the wisdom of the Dark Side. Perhaps eventually the child would even seek him out? Perhaps the Force would draw them together by coincidence. Whatever the method might end up being, he did feel confident their paths would cross once more.

Pyrrhus stood behind Azurea as she observed the area before them. As she made no mention of the couple she had seen through her binoculars, he did not become aware of them. If she wished to preserve them as potential parents for their child she would need to propose it. All he did see was Azurea looking back up at him, tears in her eyes but not falling. What had she seen? There was emotional instability to be found within her. Was she regretting their purpose? Was there still some of that young Jedi he had met so long ago left within her? She had not been a fan of slavery then. If she wanted him to stop, if she wanted to save the Togrutas from enslavement, there was of course a simple way to manage that. She had a lightsaber.

"All of them" he replied in a cold voice. Of course he wasn't suggesting they bring back every Togruta on the planet. Just in every camp they hit. "Those unfit to serve shall perish." Slavery or death was on the agenda today. Which it would be depended entirely on the villagers. The Galaxy had no further need for weakness. "How far?" he asked her, before starting his march. Slowly up the hill, before soon the dark-robed being would begin his descent upon the village.

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Retrieving the binoculars from the ground, Darth Azurea packed them back into her satchel and followed behind Darth Pyrrhus. All of them. Feth, it. He wanted all of them. Even the beautiful couple she'd seen, the pair that was beginning to make her question their decision to abandon their child, if you could call it that. For the young Togruta-hybrid would certainly benefit from the parenting of such a loving couple. Not that she knew for sure... but the Sith Lord was certain she could not raise an infant in their current state of perpetual hunting, pillaging and destroying.

"All of them, except this one couple I saw," Azurea countered. "That is the couple I want to raise our child. They will be traumatized by what they are about to witness, but we leave them alive and we come back to give them our baby."

She wasn't sure how Darth Pyrrhus would react. He was in one of his annihilation moods that was for sure. And to be honest, those moods came more frequently and stayed with him much longer than they used to. She could barely see the Tanek in him anymore, but Darth Azurea could assuredly say that about herself. And furthermore, the Togruta would be satisified if no traces of Setzi remained. But did she really want to see the entire personality of her lover disappear into ruthless despotism?

"If you wanted to kill the couple and I tried to stop you... would you fight me? Would you turn on me as well?" she asked him in a challenging tone. He was moving very quickly and likely wouldn't see her face, but it was filled with a sweet defiance. Darth Azurea was still determined, no matter the circumstance, to get her way if she so willed it, even if it meant an unscheduled sparring session with her Master.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

The Togruta's cold gaze turned over his shoulder, examining her as she brought up the request. She had seen something. A couple. Not a regular couple, but the pair she wanted to raise their child. He stopped, considering her words. A decision had to be made but he wasn't sure which one was the right one to make. "Alright." he agreed. "Do we hit their village, or spare this one and move on?" he let her in on the question stuck in his mind. Did they spare their tribe? The argument for was to keep it intact to ensure a steady society for their child, one that had passed the test of time and wouldn't threaten to go under due to instability or lack of resources. They were here for slaves, yes, but there were many communities like this one on Shili, they could easily fill their quota elsewhere. Would they even accept the child if they destroyed their community? Would they kill it? Would they keep it, but keep it at a distance, hate it? If so, that would ensure its path towards the Dark Side. Things to consider, but as the mother of their child, he wanted her to weigh in on this. They were after all a team, right?

What she said next puzzled him. It had never been a topic before, nor a situation they had experienced. What had changed? The darkness was forever present in his Azurea, he had made sure of that. But for the first time he felt as if it was directed towards him. "The strong enforce their will, and do not suffer the weak to dictate their agenda" he said a line that rung true to his general philosophy. "Neither of us are weak." he added, turning fully towards her now, even taking a step in her direction. "Had we been two Sith, here on this slope... Certainly. I would fight to see my will done." he replied calmly, though careful eyes examined her. Truthfully, the couple meant nothing to him. Killing for pleasure or simply for the sake of killing was butchery. Such tasks belonged to common rabble, not true Sith. If their lives could serve a purpose they would one way or another be made to serve that. And as Azurea had pointed out, they did have a purpose.

"But we are not two Sith. We are one." he said simply, looking upwards at her on her now elevated position. "Like a brain split into two parts, we deliberate, weigh in with different point of views. Ultimately, however, we reach the same conclusion. Our bodies are one. We act in unison." where her defiance came from, he did not know. For a moment he felt as if he had walked into a trap, yet he immediately dismissed it. Not from her, surely? "Or do you no longer believe that, Azurea?" he asked, finally the hint of a soft smile forming on his lips.

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvbJY2CjrUI​

"Yes, we spare this village," said Darth Azurea in a firm tone. Darth Pyrrhus may have gotten flashbacks of how his partner disavowed slavery once, forcing a female Acoylte-slave out of their house even. Of course that was most likely for other reasons than just her disgust of slavery. The blue-skinned alien hybrid was beautiful, sultry and... well, she was a slave. While Azurea trusted her Togruta Master, she did not trust the Balosar-Chiss, nor the circumstances.

And perhaps there was a little anger towards her Master, despite the affection they felt towards each other. Both of them lived in a state of quiet turmoil, constantly vying for power within their own organization and outside of it. Especially Darth Pyrrhus who was now a Voice of The Dark Lord. While Darth Azurea never suscribed to the Rule of Two, at times she understood it. Pyrrhus was forthcoming with his knowledge of the Force, but somehow he was always quicker, faster and stronger. It filled Azurea with envy and awe, a healthy mix (for a Sith at least) of jealousy, passion and occasionally revulsion, not at the Togruta himself but his actions. Was he holding her back from his most cherished esoteria?

Her lip curled up in a sly smile. She enjoyed surprising him at times, and this was no different. His eyes glittered menancingly as he began to process what Azurea was suggesting. After he spoke, he grinned as well, disarming her for a moment with his canine smile. "I still believe that," she said in a softer tone. Azurea tried to shrug off what just happened - the anger and confusion she had suddenly felt, not over anything in particular. "It's just this... situation," she continued, her hand on her belly to indicate that she was speaking about the pregnancy. "It's been a strain on me, that's all." He would not want to hear that. He despised weakness. But that was the honest truth. She felt weak-minded and powerless to do anything but try and protect their child.

Yes, the couple could not be captured nor slaughtered. And it was not said, but hopefully clear to Pyrrhus that Darth Azurea would stand in his way if he tried to harm them.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Elmora Raa]

Elmora landed her ship on the surface of the planet Shili, home to her native people, but only excited to bring the Sith lords kicking and screaming back for a bounty for great coin.

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

"Very well" Pyrrhus responded, and was with that done with the matter. Her reasoning made sense to the Togruta Lord, and so he had no problems letting this village be. Of course, should she make similar claims the next place they reached, the pair would have a problem. She smiled, and he felt her once tense shoulders start to sink more comfortably. She still believed it, and he nodded, smile still on his lips. He knew. She wouldn't betray him, she wasn't the type.

The 'situation' had been a strain on her, and he wondered for how long had she known? "Have no fear. Just like any other challenge that has stood before us we will overcome this, together." he assured her the burden was not one she would have to carry alone. Bearing a child within oneself was something he would never fully understand or be able to relate to. He could only imagine the physical as well as mental strain. Uncertainties she had, brief moments of perceived defiance could be attributed to her condition. He had heard with pregnancies came mood swings. He had that to look forward to. "You are not alone in this. It is my child as much as it is yours." he assured her once more, a supporting hand on top of her hand which already rested on her stomach. He leaned in and planted a deep kiss on top of her lips, holding her in a tight embrace

With that the two Sith left this village behind. They would return, but not for many months. Now, they simply circled around and started walking towards another village. They started moving into territory much more familiar to him. Given the location and the season, he had a pretty good idea of where they might find their prey. Though the trek was long, it was made in good company and so he did not mind. It was bizarre coming back like this, wandering the same steppes he had before. Only this time he was a Sith, and he was not alone. At some point he had to chuckle out loud. Time for her to meet the in-laws.

At last, they would make their way to another village. This one would not so easily be spared. With a knowing look exchanged between the long-standing lovers, their sight fell upon the village. The destructive Darth duo was about to start rounding up slaves for their ships, unaware that one very ambitious Togruta bounty hunter had tracked them to Shili. That was alright. They had room for one more slave on their ships.

[member="Darth Azurea"] [member="Elmora Raa"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Her Master, companion and father of her child, kissed her on her forehead, more lovingly now. Darth Pyrrhus was capable of understanding, but it was how she approached him for his empathy that made all of the difference. The Togruta had become very powerful, and now as a Voice of the Dark Lord, his responsibilities could have been a heavier burden on him as well. She failed to take this into account that he was under a certain amount of strain. It was visible more and more through the creases around his eyes and lines in his vibrant red skin.

“Yes it is,” the brunette Sith Lord said, clutching at him tightly back. “You are right. I’m being selfish in just thinking of how this affects me.”

Just maybe they wouldn’t have to return to Shili after all. Maybe there was some way to move past both of their shortfalls as parents. But it made Azurea feel better to know that there was a loving couple who existed somewhere in the world who would take their child and give it a normal life if they chose.

Out on the Shili plains in the blistering sun, Darth Azurea felt more like a huntress than a human, much like a Dathomir witch taming a rancor. She followed along with Pyrrhus, stepping in his footprints as though a Togruta herself. The journey was eye opening to her. These roots of Pyrrhus's were ultimately her child’s as well. Azurea felt nearly dizzy with the possibility that everything as they knew was changing in front of her eyes and would not be the same nine months from now.

As they approached another village, ready to inflict their will on the helpless residents, the Sith Lord felt a strange prescience that they were not the only ones on the hunt that day.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Ryker Wylde]

[member="Darth Azurea"] [member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

He'd been on Shilli for almost a week now learning of the culture and lifestyle of the Togruta...Of his race. Though he had been raised Mandalorian as well as the Jedi he had never known what it meant to be togruta which is why he'd left from Voss and traveled here to Shilli just to see. Currently he had stopped in a village past Corvala to have a rest before continuing on with his travels, The speeder he'd taken here still parked just outside of the hut he was currently sleeping in.

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

[member="Darth Azurea"] [member="Ryker Tal'verda"]

The pair creeped up on the village, like the perfect hunters. It brought him back to memories of his childhood. He knew how raids like these were sometimes performed. This time, however, there were only two of them. They were severely outnumbered. Even so, without a hint of doubt, he knew they overpowered the villagers. What went for warriors across this hill meant nothing to him. It meant nothing to the Sith.

He stopped, crouching down. Pyrrhus looked back towards Azurea, but did not speak. He simply shot her a look and a brief nod. They were here. They were ready. This was when they revealed themselves. This was when they claimed their prize. "Leave as many alive as you can. Their warriors are more useful in chains than dead." he whispered back to her. Perhaps if they gathered enough specimen, they could even breed their own little village, corrupt them from childhood.

And with that, one dark-robed hunter from Shili moved in on his target. He kept to the tall grass. His approach was swift. When he came within view it would be too late. The Force allowed him a heightened awareness. There would be none to escape and tell the tale of their village's subjugation.