Rise of Hot Sith

[Haytham Kaze]

Saleucami.​

[SIZE=14.6667px]A planet that’s capital city doubled as a spaceport. It was a hub of activity on the planet, countless millions came through the city, lived in the city. Carried on about their days in this city [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]as if they were safe from all things in the Galaxy. It was foolish to have such thoughts, especially with the Triumvirate drawing closer to the Coalition’s Space. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Darth Athyssius wore his black hair neatly cut, a [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]cloud of the Force[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] wrapped around his being to conceal the Dark Side’s aura that would otherwise roll off of him as if he were a tsunami within the Force. The raging hunger within that was always famished, was silent, forced by his mastery of the Dark Side. Garbed in his suit of armour, just as the [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]retrofitted[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] Pyrrhus-class Gunship[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] was coming out of hyperspace, his appearance changed after scanning a surprisingly average flight suit. Probably from some smuggler pirate that had been cut down by the Triumvirate months ago.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]It didn’t matter where it came from.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Armed with only the blaster pistol on his waist and the trusty Hapan Gun of Command around his right upper thigh, he certainly did look the part of a rugged smuggler. His facial features had even been changed to match someone visually similar to… Well, someone else. Anyone who knew him wouldn’t recognize him. And that was the plan. He was unsure as to why, but it was likely to preserve the sanity of some Zeltron out there. It wouldn’t do to have her coming after him for lying about something else. Not that he actually cared [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]what she thought… Right? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Rolling his shoulders while he was sat in the cockpit, he heard the hail from the planet’s Spaceport Security. The retrofitted ship’s IFF read them as a cargo ship, naturally, the question that came across was along the lines of what was being transported, how long it would take to drop off or pick up their cargo and how long they’d be staying on the planet. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]As polite as ever, the Sith Lord’s answer, came over in a modulated voice in the event that transmissions were recorded and traced back to him. As if they had his voice files on record, stalkers, right? Anyway, he sounded younger than he actually was, and with that youth came the sweetness [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]that almost always accompanied it when an adult questioned an adolescent.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]What’s being transported?[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]” He repeated, “[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]None o’ ya business.[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]” Surprise was heard on the other side of the line before he continued. “[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Maybe an hour or two? However long I [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]feel.[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]” So deep into the part, his arm lunged up and he jabbed himself in the chest as if they could see him over the voice comms. Flicking off the comms before he could hear a retort, the ship almost immediately picked up speed heading down to the planet in the surprisingly sizeable stream of ships heading to the planet. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Thought there was only traffic in Coruscant Space....[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Hate that place.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Sighing, there was the sound of blasters and other weapons being loaded. There was nearly two dozen of the Herglic mercenaries. Twenty-two to be exact. All armoured by the Koodan-class battle armour. Shaking his head as he glanced back over his shoulders, although he couldn’t see into the cargo bay, he knew in the bay that there were multiple deactivated [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]riot droids.[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] They were all armed with [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]MARS-12[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px] rifles.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Oh, and there was a box with a fun little toy in it in the corner too![/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Those would likely come up on the sensors and scans performed on the ship by the Spaceport’s Security. Of course, the passenger compartment was hidden from the planet’s sensors and scanners, that would likely draw interest that one cheeky adolescent was flying a ship containing an assortment of droids. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Anyway, after breaking through atmosphere and heading down to the Spaceport, he recalled that he wasn’t given a designated landing spot. “[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Bumpy.[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]” Was all he warned over the ship’s intercom as they burned down to the planet. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Leaving the autopilot on a setting to land in the largest hangar bay, he immediately went through the process of wiping the ship’s navigation logs. Removing the blaster pistol from his waist, he placed it on the console as he took the controls back and cheekily landed in the last open spot before another, much smaller ship was about to take. As bad a pilot as he was, the Gunship grinded upon multiple ships that were already in position around the spot.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Should’ve brought my pilot.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The repulsors kicked in underneath the ship, preventing it from actually any more damage than it must and he rose up to his feet.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He didn’t have to say there would be a security team outside the ship. It would be a small one, there was only one kid [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]on it for all they knew. Not all these beefy Herglics and a dozen or so combat droids. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Boy would they be in a world of hurt when that door opened. Likely a massacre, but anyway, reaching down to the commlink in his pocket, he clicked it multiple times, the signal for [member="Lassiter"] to begin her three minute countdown of beginning her part of the operation.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Far to the other side of the capital city, was Darth Drethi, the Sword of Vahl Sith Knight, or at least she should’ve been. Her directions had been to rest in the Daisya-Infiltrator and load up her carefully laid out into some civilian’s speeder she should’ve stolen. Or killed for. He gave her freedom like that. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]She had arrived earlier than him on the planet. In fact, she had been on the planet for the last few days while his retrofitted gunship was travelling to the planet. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Daisya was their escape ship, hidden far enough away from the capital that patrols likely wouldn’t find it. And why would anyone be looking for a ship out there outside of the capital? No one would be out there anyway. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]With the increased strength from the SI-HD Armour, he crushed the commlink into literal pieces, lifting the blaster from the console and leaving a few rounds in it to turn it to dust as he headed towards the door. Halfway through, he turned back into the cockpit and repeatedly fire shot after shot into the navigational computer and the rest of the consoles.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]While he destroyed the equipment, there were incessant cries and banging on the ramp. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Probably the welcoming committee. He had left them waiting for how many minutes? Whatever.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Even if they were wiped, he didn’t have a doubt that some way information could be found on them. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Stepping into the cargo compartment, the ramp was still closed as he cleared his throat. Behind him, there was the twenty-two Herglics weapons loaded and ready as the riot droids activated and stood around the disguised Sith Lord. “[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Protect the ship for as long as possible. Push out of the bay and kill as many as you can.[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]” The young holographic face that had become his own offered a cheery smile. “[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]Most of all, have a good time. It’s not every day this sort of thing happens. If it’s necessary, use this toy I found.[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px]” He waved his hand over to the cargo box in the corner. A single baradium missile was in there, a payload large enough to level the entirety of the Spaceport. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Of course, he had a remote detonator somewhere in his pockets. There was no way he was trusting one of these mercenaries actually blowing the Spaceport up. Sith trust issues of course. But none of them knew that of course.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Fun.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px][member="Lassiter"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px][OOC Note:] A bit more explanation to do in my next post. Woo![/SIZE]

 

[Lassiter]

Equipment shuffled and metals clanked. The woman had been here for something a little short of a week now, or so it felt like. Her mission hadn’t been the most exciting, mapping rarely was. In fact if she was ever asked what her most boring mission had ever been so far, this particular task would have won by a landslide. Everywhere around her there had been nothing but rock. Rock, dirt and small critters that she never would have seen in outside of the occasional wild ride mission for the Ember. Truthfully she absolutely despised this, but when your one and only contact in the Triumvirate had the guts to die, well, you had little choice but to swallow your pride.

Which in this case meant swallowing something akin to a massive black hole of vanity.

Part of her knew Darth Athyssius (that’d be [member="Haytham Kaze"]) had sent her here out of spite, the other part of her knew better. This was about making a statement, sending the Coalition a message that they wouldn’t forget. She could grin at that, and she did as she loaded explosives by the crateful. As the message continued to beep she looked over at the transport that she had prepped up and kept ready to go. People had been curious as to her reasons to be there at first, it was hard not to, but with mind control came memory erasing. Nobody had reported her simply because absolutely nobody had ever seemed to remember seeing her there.

Her eyes set on the chronometer on her wrist. He was precise on his arrival.

The girl nodded and continued to load her ship until eventually she took to the controls again. Her eyes remained on the device attached to her arm. The second she was greenlit to go proper, she would. Until then she would remain. Staring, glaring at her own wrist waiting for a signal.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Standing in the hangar bay, hands on hips, looking up at the live-feed of the Sanctum Outposts, Connor Harrison cocked his head a little as the technician beside him replayed the communications transmitted and received. He was watching a specific feed, a recording of Salucamei and the space station, and an incoming ship that stood out as being both un-familiar and unexpected.

The loud-speaker mic to the Grandmaster, [member="Thurion Heavenshield"], was active on the wall before where he stood, so he’d pick up Connor’s voice and general hustle and bustle of the hangar where Connor was, fixing up his ship before being alerted.

”Can you see that?” He said out loud. ”Call me jumpy, but that ship doesn’t look familiar to me and it didn’t even give away its cargo it supposedly is carrying.”

His blue eyes danced around the screen, taking in a few readouts here and there.

”Remember Matsu Xiangu? Same thing happened when she waltzed through the border. I get the feeling this is something similar. But not her.”

Chewing on his bottom lip, he thought for a second, picturing Thurion doing the same. It felt good to be getting re-connected with his oldest friend following Kessel.

”Mind if I go take a look? Full of peace and goodwill of course.”

The little smirk was there.

[member="Haytham Kaze"] | [member=Lassiter]

 

[Rosa Gunn]

The need for supplies had dragged Rosa Gunn out of hiding on Arda. She'd intended to hop to Laekia, grand supplies and scurry away into her solitude once more, but once the ship was airborne and the stars were laid out for light years around her she could not resist the burning desire to run.

She wasn't running from anything in particular, nor was she running for anything. She simply wanted to move, to reach out and touch what she hadn't in a long time. Beneath the surface her second soul stirred with an unrelenting hunger.

It was for this reason she had sought solitude, to keep the Layill under control, keep the alter ego that had been forced into creation by the sith from taking hold. Trailing along the Mara Corridor, she descended into Saleucami, caught in the traffic to get into the capital she felt her anxiety rising.

She'd always been an empath, always been exposed to the emotions of others but now it way like being an exposed nerve, every spike in emotion like nails across a blackboard. She needed a touch of calm, a familiar face.

"Rosa. Gunn." She emphasised every syllable to the controller who seemed to be having difficulty validating her credentials. "Do you have another name? Maiden perhaps."

Rosa felt her blood pressure rising, if it wasn't for the fact that turning round would create just as many problems she would have done just that. "Mazhar." She replied through gritted teeth. "I've been married long enough that my maiden name should be meaningless."

"I'm sorry, the credentials you've provided are out of date-"

His voice trembled slightly as she reached out instinctively, reaching into his mind and seizing control. "My name is Rosa Gunn, I've been out of the world a while and I've not patience for the traffic controllers. I'm an old friend of [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] and you will let me through."

There was a moment of static. "Landing bay 846 will be ready for you momentarily." She relinquished her grasp on his mind and say back, her shoulders sagging.

Suddenly, going to the locals doesn't seem so bad. Layils voice slipped through her mind, leaving an icy trail in its wake, hungry and agitated.

"The ardans have no defence against the likes of us, I'll not put hem at risk."

But you'll buy these people at risk? What's the difference?

"There is a defence. It's called Jedi." Her dashboard flashed with landing intrusions and she swiped the yoke, peeling it the ship out of the queue and down towards the landing bay.

[member="Seydon of Arda"] is a defence. He defeated us once before.

"He defeated you, not us. He couldn't defeat us. Now shut up. I need to concentrate."

 

[Haytham Kaze]

His plan had overlooked the possibility of Jedi investigating the starship. He imagined that there wouldn't be so many Jedi, other than perhaps a handful on the planet at the time of the attack. It was on the edge of space, of course it was understandable if there were plenty of them. It was close to the border of space that was soon to be shared with the Sith Triumvirate. They would've expected a counter-attack. But even then, it had been some time since Ruusan.

Had they grown lax since then?

Maybe. Maybe not.

What was life without a bit of risk?

The biggest thrill was when that risk was your life, wasn't it?

The lights of the cargo room went dead. The silhouettes of the Herglics were hard to see as they lined the walls of the ship. In fact, their dark armour and darker colouring left them harder to see against the black interior of the room. In the centre of the cargo room were the droids, activated, but non-moving as the ramp finally began to open after a few moments of slapping the wall for the locking mechanism. The faint light from the spaceport outside lit the first few metres that led to the inside of the ship.

The only figures seen initially in the dark ship were the droids standing around, as if inert.

"Sorry about the door and comms. Ship malfunctioning after that landing, think I'm gonna need some repairs." He said, the holographic armour he bore flashing the smile of the stranger's face. "Din't want to say over comms I was carryin' refugees, y'know?" He explained as soon as he spotted Saleucami's Security Force. He didn't even give them a moment to speak as he continued, "Coulda been picked up on that frequency and made this whole planet a target!" He exclaimed. There was even a show of being out of breath as he stepped off of the ramp and looked back up the ramp.

"They're a little spooked out, don't think they've ever been to Saleucami... And the droids are to protect them." He said with a genuine looking smile. Now that he was done, he looked back and forth between the guards. He watched as one of the guards stepped back to start speaking into a commlink, liking communicating back to their surveillance headquarters what the situation was. He gulped. If they bought the refugee story, they'd be wanting to investigate and.. Force forbid, help them off. That would be when all hell would break loose.

"Take a step back kid, you're going to have to answer some questions once these people are off. Stand off to the side."

"I did bring them to the right place right? You guys can help."

"Wait and get to the side."

Straight to the point, huh? Suppose he could understand that, considering how snappy he had been on the comms. But that was all for the attention.

Finally, he stepped to the side, quite far. Actually, he was inching towards the Hangar's exit, but he stopped before he got too far. Instead, he just leaned on some random ship, casually and waited as the security team started climbing onto the ship. In the same instant, the Riot Droids stepped down the ramp, and formed equal, single lines on either side of the ramp and faced each other. It happened abruptly and one of them, cried out, probably the smaller one. He couldn't see from there.

Once both of the would be investigators got onto the ship, there was a flash of light and screams from the interior of the ship.

Within, a single Herglic had drawn the attention of the two men and utilized the Arc Caster function to electrocute them to the point of knocking them unconscious. They weren't dead, not yet anyway.

Nothing else happened.

In the event that someone planned on running up into the ship, they would find their path blocked by the Riot Droids moving simultaneously to block the opening into the ship, shields hefted and in position to protect themselves and those apparent 'refugees.' Of course, if no one did try entering, they would've remained frozen.

Without his commlink, Darth Athyssius was incapable of communicating with [member="Lassiter"]. She was a Sith, so he figured her to cut ties and run before completing her part of the mission. He did expect her to continue with the mission in the designated time, even if he didn't signal, or if he took too long to do so. Clearing his throat, for added effect after the flash of light in the ship, he cried out, "Don't damage my ship!" If only to continue the part he had unfortunately drawn up for himself.

[member="Connor Harrison"] - [member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

That chronometer began to weigh heavy. Lassiter took a look around her before finally letting the impatience get the better of her. With the last crate loaded up and ready to go she looked over the small miniscule team she had assembled by force, a group of the forgotten and downtrodden. Homeless people living by on the edge of society that scraped just to get by. Lassiter knew that struggle well. It was a desperate attempt to get some more warmth on some of the colder nights, a place to stay where you at least didn’t risk getting robbed blind in your sleep. In a sense there was a very small part of Sena that felt for them but in the end she understood the difference between them. Whereas they had decided to live in stagnation and squalor, she was superior to them. She was right in her ways and they were weak, so very weak that she would not have picked them as her disposable workforce otherwise.

“We can’t wait for the signal. We’re going in, and we’re going in now.” The girl said and flicked the ignition. The food truck, now more akin to a demolitions truck, would slowly roar to life as she grabbed the controls proper. If only she had known that there was no second signal. “I’d say strap in, but frankly I don’t care and neither do you.” She turned around to look at the hobos. “Right?” There was no answer. Just impassive stares as if they were all having ‘shyyyk flashbacks. Of course, some of them actually did. “Didn’t think so.”

The truck crept up and disguised itself amidst the oncoming traffic. The ring on her finger, very much something she had ‘borrowed’ from [member="Ameli Trahir"], kept her safe. At least for now. It was part of the disguise and she needed that.

… And if you ever considered that Sena was a big softie inside, there might have been additional reason as to why she would be wearing this particular ring. Not that she would ever admit to such a thing, of course.

“Remember the plan?” She spoke over her shoulder to the people in the back. Once again she did not get an answer. She sighed. “It’s like talking to a damn wall.”

And so the truck followed the river of traffic, making way towards the city centre.

“Things go as planned, you might actually get paid for this!” The woman snickered. Payment meaning a total loss of limbs and life. Though that was fitting enough, right?

[member="Haytham Kaze"] // [member="Rosa Gunn"] // [member="Connor Harrison"]​

 

[T. Greg]

Tristan stood on the edge of the loading and unloading ramp of his ship holding on to the support bars not wishing to have a untimly fall .The ship was already on auto pilot following standard docking procedures. Tristan's thick dreadlocks hang just pass his shoulders as the ship docks into the port Tristan puts his locks back into a ponytail to keep em out his face and out the way service Droids proceed to ask him if she needs assistance unloading his cargo Tristan gives them a stern "


"no"

as the droids turn away to try and help another docking ship he walks to his cargo bay inside the ship the cargo bay ship flying open as he walks in to retrieve the cargo by hand taking every one of the heavy crates each full of weapons and munitions . Outside each by hand these certain crates were meant to be delivered to a rebel force fighting on the planet a course the certain group had the full backing and support of the Sith which lead to a deal of bi mouthy care packages to support and maintain the rebels rebellion .

Tristan wiped a beat of sweat away from his forehead as the last create was loaded outside of his ship he brings his head up to see a group of what seemed to be homeless people .Tristan had learned not to have no sympathy for anyone but he couldn't help but think about his own time without home he shook those thoughts away as he turned his attention back to the task at hand. As he was to wait for one of the rebels contacts to come and retrieve the cargo he sits on the loading ramp of his ship.The cargo stacked just to his left with not be given of window of arrival he could possible sit here for hours. He let out a sigh of announce knowing more jobs like this lay ahead of a sith apprentice like himself. He dreamed for the the day he would be a sith knight hunting jedi though out the galaxy. But for now he was left to deal with a low low level delivery job that even a wampa could do.


[member="Haytham Kaze"]// [member="Rosa Gunn"]// [member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He waited for nearly thirty seconds. He continued that impatient appearance of switching positions repeatedly. He even called out, “Is everything alright in there?” He waited a few moments before saying, “Better not be hurtin’ my refugees!” With how much he said it, perhaps he was beginning to actually believe they were his to take care of. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He sort of was.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“Find me at the cantina! Whaddya call it, Hot Rocks?” The young features that were projected on the face of the SI-HD Armour was grinning and then he headed out of the Hangar Bay. He figured with all the silence and with the unconscious security guards, there were going to be more of them on the way.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Shaking his head and shrugging, he exited the Hangar Bay and immediately headed in the direction that the signs pointed in. Towards ‘Exit’ of course until he passed a group of security guards that were heading to his ship. Thankfully, he looked like other people that were heading to and from the numerous Hangar Bays in the Spaceport. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He blended into the nearest, albeit small crowd as he spotted the exit up ahead. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Of course the Daisya Infiltrator was his ticket off of the planet, but that was the getaway vehicle. But the getaway vehicle had all of his weapons stashed on it. With the SI-HD set, he couldn’t carry anything except his blaster pistol and other things in his pocket. As sparingly as they were. Was he even going to need them? He couldn’t sense anything on account of the shroud he hid himself with, but it all seemed to be going according to plan. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Additional distractions may be necessary for Darth Drethi to continue with her own part of the plan however. He wasn’t entirely certain how long the Herglics and droids would be able to last in the Spaceport, but he figured for quite a while. Long enough for him to create enough distance himself and the spaceport.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=14.6667px]Slowing down his quick pace as he spotted another male entering the bathroom, the male was large, towering even. He walked into the refresher behind him and after closing the door, he knew it was safe to change his disguise. When the man went about to do his business, Darth Athyssius remained in the shadows as much as he could as the man exited from the stall and began washing his hands.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]At least he's clean.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The SI-HD Armour’s disguise function went to work again. This time scanning the large Rattataki male. He was probably a bodyguard of some sort after he spotted the blaster pistol. It only took a few seconds. Shorter than if he had attempted to change his appearance while making his exit from the spaceport. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The man must’ve noticed something because he turned around and found himself catching a strength-enhanced punch to the nose, shoving the bone of the nose straight up from its position in his face to send the bone into his brain. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He slumped soon after and he pulled him towards the stall he had previously been occupying and pushed him after closing the door. Moments later, he walked out of the stall and continued on his way… [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14.6667px]Right out of the Spaceport.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px][member="Lassiter"] - [member="Connor Harrison"] - [member="Rosa Gunn"] - [/SIZE][member="Tristan Gregory"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Ever since her return to the Sanctum, Joza had been concentrating on rebuilding herself. The hardest part was allowing herself time to heal and rest. She’d spent plenty of time on introspection, and could have sworn that this was the most she’d meditated since her Padawan days. And gradually, the Zeltron discovered that meditation did not need to be a singular activity. Sure, being enclosed in a dim room with lit incense for hours helped her become more zen, but she found that it was easy to slip into a quasi-meditative state when going through daily activities that didn’t require intense Focus. Something as simple as washing clothes or more impactful like practicing blade work helped her to stabilize her thoughts. Some days were easier than others.

That being said, some days were certainly far more difficult than others. Over the past few days, Joza found it more challenging to relax, plagued by anxiety of unknown origin. Even sleeping became a stressful affair. She was apt enough to feel the Force call out to her in warning, though it was vague and she couldn’t tell much more beyond a few subtle tugs.

And then, Nikias had died. And the tugs became stronger, more urgent. Something was wrong, and it began to frustrate her.

She’d retuned from Hora only a few days ago to inform the royal family of their King’s demise, with regrettably scarce information. She’d felt his life fade from the Force, and that was all that she had to offer Nik’s family along with her sincere condolences. The Hellyni had been a close friend and confidant. His death was certainly another blow to her already broken heart.

Finishing her morning meditations, Joza grabbed a cup of caf from the cafeteria before meandering her way through the temple, in search of the person who’d helped her return from the darkness. Hopefully [member="Connor Harrison"] could help decipher what was going on.

 

[Lassiter]

The food van continued its trek along the busy highway as the pressure in the small crew’s ears steadily grew. The downtrodden in the back, woman in the front. The rush of uncertainty brought an additional layer of contemplation on Lassiter’s mind as she pondered the trigger to the explosives in the back. She was effectively at the other sith’s mercy, driving a highly explosive delivery van towards a target that she hadn’t familiarized herself with. Not because of sloppy work but because of the small time frame that she had been provided. To say that she was filled with unease knowing how likely it was that she was going to get blown up before even arriving was an understatement. Sena’s teeth gritted as traffic speeded her by on the highway.

She took a sharp right turn into the tunnel clearly marked with ‘City Centre’. A small shimmer of orange light filled the viewscreen and it only grew bigger and bigger the closer to the tunnel’s end she got. Her heart began to beat just a little heavier in anticipation for her own arrival. So far so good. Darth Athyssius had proven himself reliable up until now, but Sena still wasn’t a fool, he was still not to be trusted. A quick glance set itself on the ring that she had borrowed. [member="Ameli Trahir"] hadn’t been provided with specifics, but she had been provided with a name. If anything went wrong, if for whatever reason Sena did not return she was to seek out (and preferably kill) Darth Athyssius.

She held the thought though. A professional didn’t let worry cloud her mind.

The truck entered the city proper and Sena began to look for her target destination. What she had been given the instructions for was a support pillar. A particularly sturdy and important pillar that kept the thousands of citizen safe. Only problem was that there wasn’t just the one pillar. There was a lot of them.

The woman kept herself to her route as the truck slowed to a crawl.

She had to find the place before others found her.

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa wandered the spaceport aimlessly, letting herself be drawn to the most appealing emotions. She stood back and watched as a soldier disembarked from a public transport, shadows etched into his face that vanished in the light as three small bodies slammed into him. The children were screaming in delight, shadowed by a slender and beautiful woman whose face was stained with tears of joy. He peeled the children off as best he could, before tugging the woman into his arms and kissing her fiercely. The eldest child made a noise of disgust and Rosa chuckled.

Heartwarming as it was to watch, the joy was tainted with melancholy. Each of them barren by events past, she and Seydon would never have children. It was a fact that she battled with in the quiet moments. She never spoke of her discontent, unwilling to lay burden to an already burdened mind. In truth, it didn't matter, she loved him and that was more than enough. Perhaps one day, when she was better and he not so involved in his work, perhaps they would adopt. The idea cheered her a little, and in the back of her mind she felt Layil shift in discomfort.

I'm not good with children.

"I'm well aware. You suck the life out of them and mimic them in attempts to terrify people. There's not a single part of you, Layil that would be any good as a mother."

There's you.

Rosa didn't respond, her attention drawn to a ship whose landing ramp was flanked by riot droids. She extended her senses towards it, two minds shadowed with pain but blank and a group that were whose intent was to maintain silence, to stay hidden. Her melancholy was abolished by curiosity and a shiver of excitement from Layil. She advanced towards it, placing a foot on the bottom of the ramp the riot droids snapped to attention, blocking her from advancing.

Tilting her head she reached out and placed a hand on the arm of the one nearest to her. Psychometry was her greatest gift, on she had used long before starting her path down the road of becoming a Jedi. Images flashed past her mind and she let them fly by her, slowing time down in her sight as she found the time she was looking for. She watched the security guards move up the ramp, jumping slightly at the shout of pain from within the ship. She cast her eyes around her, settling them on an armoured figure resting casually on the hull of a nearby ship.

“Find me at the cantina! Whaddya call it, Hot Rocks?”

She watched him walk away. She drew her hand away and stepped back from the droid. Biting her lower lip she remained where she was for a moment, feeling Layil's hunger within her, a burning desire to hunt and kill whoever he was. A good target, one they could both agree on. She glanced once more at the ship then walked away. She caught the arm of a passing staff member. "Hot Rock catina?" she asked.

He waved her in the direction of the spaceports edge and Rosa moved away, folding illusion around her she vanished from sight, heading for the catina at a run.

The hunt was on.

[member="Lassiter"] [member="Joza Perl"] [member="Haytham Kaze"][member="Tristan Gregory"][member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Darth Athyssius continued towards the Spaceport exit. Continuing to the point that he had exited the structure entirely.

After [member="Rosa Gunn"] had made her attempt at climbing onto the ship, and when she had left the Bay to go to the Spaceport's Cantina. She wouldn't find the being that she aimed to hunt. Namely for the reasons that 'Hot Rocks' was a mocking joke on account of the city being built into a caldera. In fact, the city was named 'Caldera City' and used geothermal energy from the magma caverns below the City to run the city. Whether the Spaceport even had a Cantina or not was nothing to worry about for the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Besides, she was looking for a lanky human kid, and his holographic armour projected the image of a large Rattataki mercenary. For all intents and purposes, the would be prey had no clue there was someone aiming to hunt him, even moreso, the hunter had no idea that his appearance was changed. Unless she had followed him to the bathroom, entered the male washroom, and discovered the corpse in one of the closed stalls. It seemed highly unlikely, but by the time he had immersed himself into the Caldera City crowds outside of the port, he was heading towards the spot he would be meeting, @Lassiter.

At this point, Darth Drethi was arriving at the location the Triumvirate's Military Tribune had designated in her mission briefing.

She was to wait until the Dark Lord of the Sith had arrived, and then when Athyssius arrived, she would be sent back to the Infiltrator ship and wait for him.

Or she could've left him to die, or to be captured, that was expected of her, she was a Sith as well and as any Sith he expected her to aspire to higher ranks.

But he was also one of few contacts in the Sith Triumvirate that she had, he expected.

To the centre of the city he was heading.

To the magma caverns below the city.

Within the Spaceport, the Herglic mercenaries and the droids finally stepped out of the ship and the Bay.

When they had walked into the busy area, they opened fire. Mowing down dozens of people in moments. Crimson bolts, emerald bolts, sapphire bolts, it didn't matter the colour, they fired on all people. Civilian, security guards.

Any that had found themselves in the main thoroughfare of the port.

[member="Joza Perl"], [member="Tristan Gregory"], [member="Connor Harrison"],