Public Secrets of the Sith (Sith Artifact Auction)

[Zago Kint]

​

"The Midnight Treasure is launching fighters," the Tactical Droid announced.

Then a new voice from the sensor station spoke up. The voices of the command droids on the bridge were modulated just slightly differently so that he could tell them apart.

"There is a Capital Ship here with the Midnight Treasure. All of its systems are coming online."

"Finish launching all craft," Zago ordered, "then take us to hyperspace. There is no reason to remain here while the droids finish their work. But send out a salvo of concussion missiles to thin opponents in the field. It'll take the edge off of our opposition."

At once, a salvo of over a hundred missiles poured out of the Hornet, like dandelion seeds blown out by a breeze. They streaked out in their multitudes, passing the Hornet's own droid fighters and boarding craft to collide with the fighters coming off of the Midnight Treasure. The result was carnage, with forty-eight fighters from the Auctioneer Ship obliterated in an instant.

The starscape became littered with broken bodies and mechanical debris.

Then the droid starfighters and boarding craft surged forward, their own launchers sending proton torpedoes streaking forth towards both the Midnight Treasure and the unexpected capital ship which Alastor was bringing rapidly online. Alastor's ship was already blazing away with its defense systems, doing a good job of screening the inbound flights of torpedoes.

The Hornet turned slowly away from the fray, aligning with a hyperspace exit path. Even as it turned away, it unleashed devastating broadsides towards the Midnight Treasure, smashing into its shields and disabling its onboard systems.

Then something new happened.

There was a woman at the bridge.

Not on the bridge. Not inside. But at the bridge viewports. Punching them.

"What is that?" Zago asked, incredulous.

"Humanoid female," came the unhelpful response, "unknown species."

Zago sighed. Droids lacked creativity and initiative. They also had a terrible tendency to unhelpfully state the obvious while missing the subtext of an inquiry.

"I can see it is a humanoid female. How did she get there? Past our particle shields? And is she- is she punching through the viewport? That's transparisteel, isn't it? How can she punch through transparisteel?"

There was a pause, then a series of responses came: "Unknown. Yes. Yes. Yes. Unknown."

"Are we ready to engage hyperdrive," Zago asked.

"Yes," came the simple reply.

"Good," Zago said, "then jump. She can either hop off this ship, or come along for the ride. Order fifty combat droids to the bridge, just in case."

"Acknowledged," the command droid replied, "Jumping now..."



Alina Tremiru
Alastor Baxa

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

Maldor hesitated as plans were discussed.

If he ran now, he could almost certainly get away.

But there was some truth to the argument that if this ship was taken, then these kinds of auctions would become rarer and more difficult in the future.

And then there was the matter of pride.

"False surrender is a war crime," he opined, "but I doubt we need to worry about such things when encountering piracy.

I endorse the ploy, and once the enemies board, we cut them down like dogs."

He glanced around, gauging the mood of those who remained.

He was prepared to stand and fight... but he would not do so alone. If there was no consensus, he would rather run and survive to buy another day, even if the frequency and difficulty of the purchases became less convenient.

He was not yet cognizant of the somewhat famous singer Chessa among them, who had unfortunately chosen the worst possible moment to make an appearance at a black market auction house.



Darth Kentarch
Ashin Cardé Varanin
Chessashai Umianai

 

[Chessashai Umianai]

Spoiler

♧ Inventory: - Lots of credits... - Lipstick - Mini holoprojector - Gigglespice ♧
♧ Interactions: OPEN ♧
​

Panic overwhelmed the singer among the chaos that broke loose, she was utterly lost and most definitely one of the weakest within the ship full of Sith lords. She most definitely did not like the idea of surrendering as the hooded gentleman mentioned but at the same time it would have been the safest bet, unfortunately, the others seemed eager to attack back. Taking the pirates ship sounded absolutely insane, was this how Sith lords typically behaved? Eager to participate in chaos?

Chessa gasped in surprise as she witnessed the white haired Sith jump off to attack, it was utterly unexpected. It was only a matter of moments before the entire ship shook from the impact of the fighters getting obliterated outside. The singer felt dizzy, this was her first time being in a pirate raid and being in such great danger.

"Dank ferrik..." She cursed, taking out her vibroblade. It was a pointless gesture for the Mirialan was quite frail and in no condition to be involved in fighting, Chessa felt rather frustrated continuously being the damsel in distress. Chessa had no choice but to hope that the Siths aboard could handle the situation.

Maldor Mecetti Alina Tremiru Ashin Cardé Varanin Alastor Baxa Zago Kint

 

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

unleashed devastating broadsides towards the Midnight Treasure, smashing into its shields and disabling its onboard systems.

Jumping now..."

Hands knotted on the rail, Ashin stayed at the window of the display room adjacent to the auction hall. Broadside fire crashed against shields a stone's throw away. The detonations ignited Ashin's whole field of view. She squeezed her eyes shut against the apocalyptic glare.

When she looked again, the pirate cruiser was gone.

The lights and the artificial gravity faltered, but life support stayed on. She doffed the mask of Anger and rubbed her stinging eyes. The face she presented was a pale human in late middle age, recognizable.

"The attacker jumped," she said to Chessashai Umianai through the entryway. "I don't know what it left behind."

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina threw her fist again towards the glass, and this time fully shattered it. The sudden rush of atmosphere threw her back, which was part of the plan at least. She could survive space. The pirate she'd locked eyes with? She doubted that. At least until the ship suddenly jolted off into hyperspace.

Coward.

She let out a heaving sigh. Or would've if she had air in her lungs. Then just floated where she was. Vincent would arrive to pick her up at least. Best laid plans and what not. At least she got her sword back.

 

[Haon Hafey]

"HELL! YOU AIN'T GETTING AWAY THAT EASY!"
​

A voice cracked over comns as the entire Screamer Assault Battlecruiser lit up like a tree of fire, point laser cannons were shooting out with accuracy that was considered unorthodox and potentially terrifying. Showing up on a holo-projector rather suddenly in front of Zago Kint was the one, the only, Metal Lord, Haon Hafey. The last remaining royal Metal Lord, the engineer and designer of so many starships of Have Gun Will Travel, an Admiral in the Zweihander Union and the Elysium Empire of old. A droid that was supposed to be dead, shown up like a terrifying ghost from an omen! Screeching out as a single shot of turbolaser fire shrieked out danger close towards the pirates cruiser, he screamed out towards them over communications!

"YOU THINK! It is so FUNNY, to shoot and attempt to raid my TECH? MY DREAMS?! YOU BEST PRAY I DO NOT FIND YOU! I WILL HAVE YOUR HIDE AND DRAPE IT OVER MY WALLS YOU PIRATE SCUM!"​

This...did not seem like Haon Hafey of old, rather he seemed more than annoyed and angry, he was infuriated! Something changed in the programming but it was still there, the old cowboys vendetta still existed! The starship was now turning with incredible precision, workmanship that had not been seen in decades! It was ready to move forward and actually ram into the Hornet! To hell it was thinking of safety, it was going to get even! All the while, Alastor was running for his dear life towards an escape pod, not knowing what abomination he accidently unleashed!

Tags: Alina Tremiru Ashin Cardé Varanin Chessashai Umianai Maldor Mecetti

 

[Zago Kint]

Aboard the 'Hornet'
​

As the unknown woman used her unprecedented strength to smash through the reinforced transparisteel viewports on the bridge, Zago reached with one hand to grab a console. His other hand went to his belt, where he touched a control. A bubble of non-permeable energy formed around him as the transparency broke and the air blew the intruder away.

It took a few moments for the containment shield shutter to be lowered down over the broken viewport. Then Zago deactivated his belt and removed his hand from the console.

"Incoming message," a Tactical Droid announced from the signals station, "from a ship attempting to ram us. We have already initiated hyperspace, they will not succeed."

"Well," Zago said, "put on Johnny Come Late. Let's see what they have to say."

As the message came through, a holo-image materialized on the bridge in front of the broken viewport. It was a strangely dressed figure with a strange accent. As the image appeared, a blue hyperspace field transitioned into visibility outside the other viewports.

"HELL! YOU AIN'T GETTING AWAY THAT EASY!"
​

Zago quirked a brow, "I believe I just did."

"YOU THINK! It is so FUNNY, to shoot and attempt to raid my TECH? MY DREAMS?! YOU BEST PRAY I DO NOT FIND YOU! I WILL HAVE YOUR HIDE AND DRAPE IT OVER MY WALLS YOU PIRATE SCUM!"
​

Zago frowned, and waved a hand dismissively. "I think you have more pressing matters at hand." Then he nodded to his signals droid, who cut the message.

________________________________________

MORE PRESSING MATTERS AT HAND

​

In the space between where the Hornet had been, and The Midnight Treasure and the Battlecruiser were now, there was a distinct lack of emptiness.

Forty fighter-bombers and a dozen gunships flew in formation, unleashing laser fire, torpedo fire, and missile fire as needed to batter the remaining defenses of their adversaries.

The Midnight Treasure was the first to succumb, having been already depleted by the Hornet's previous turbolaser and Ion cannon assault. The dropships landed upon the hull like bees upon a flower, and began to disgorge their deadly cargo of battle droids. Before long, one of them would find a hatch, blow it open, and board the auction-house ship.

There was still time to flee, for those so inclined.

For those not inclined, hundreds of battle droids were assembling for insertion...





Alina Tremiru Ashin Cardé Varanin Chessashai Umianai Maldor Mecetti Haon Hafey

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

Aboard the Midnight Treasure
​

"We're being boarded," Maldor announced, quite unnecessarily. "This is our last chance to either fight, or flee. If we fight, we should do it together. I don't see much of a chance otherwise."

He looked in the direction of Chessa, "If we do decide to fight, there will be no noncombatants. The pirates are unlikely to discriminate."

Meanwhile, the Mandalorian mercenaries were moving fast. They'd finished helping to secure the remaining artifacts. Now they were assembling at choke-points, ready to lay down fire as the enemy came on.

There was a minute, perhaps two, before the shooting would begin.

That was the rapidly-closing window of decision.




Alina Tremiru Ashin Cardé Varanin Chessashai Umianai Maldor Mecetti Haon Hafey Darth Kentarch Alastor Baxa

 

[Ashin Cardé Varanin]

Forty fighter-bombers and a dozen gunships flew in formation, unleashing laser fire, torpedo fire, and missile fire as needed to batter the remaining defenses of their adversaries.

The Midnight Treasure was the first to succumb, having been already depleted by the Hornet's previous turbolaser and Ion cannon assault. The dropships landed upon the hull like bees upon a flower, and began to disgorge their deadly cargo of battle droids. Before long, one of them would find a hatch, blow it open, and board the auction-house ship.

Meanwhile, the Mandalorian mercenaries were moving fast. They'd finished helping to secure the remaining artifacts. Now they were assembling at choke-points, ready to lay down fire as the enemy came on.

There was a minute, perhaps two, before the shooting would begin.

DISPLAY ROOM
ADJACENT TO AUCTION HALL​

The auction items had been placed under lock and key, somewhere Ashin couldn't see but likely in a nearby area. Long ago, she'd faced the tradeoff between power and sensitivity - throwing stones or reading ripples, shouting or hearing a whisper, as the old lore put it. She'd chosen to shout. She didn't have the sensitivity to determine exactly where the auction lots were. There'd been a Sith book bound in skin, and a holocron, and a number of other interesting items. She'd come with the intention of respecting the auction's process - most interference was beneath her - but the situation had become untenable. The scales had just tipped: there was little to no chance the auction could recommence.

Take what she could quickly find and carry, then, and head for her shuttle - or whatever vessel made itself available. One of those boarding craft might do nicely.

Ashin put her mask back on, pulled her Khovesk Naddist mace from her belt, and rechecked the Dzuskuri lanvarok on her left forearm. Her black armorweave robes were of a type that had served her well in similar situations and worse.

The guards who'd secured the most significant lots from this room had come and gone through a security door to the side. Ashin took a deep breath; metal creaked. She let out the breath as she brought the black-and-gold mace around. The mace enhanced her strength and, more significantly, served as a focus for her will to compromise the security door. The door crumpled gently with a cataclysmic sound and ripped free of its tracks. She went inside.

This was the room where many of the lots had been secured within serious barriers, including transparisteel-lidded lockboxes. The holocron was in sight, as was the book, but instinct suggested a lockbox that held assorted smaller items from the displays: curios of Sith-related groups, perhaps intended for bidding in lots. The visible items had enough Naddist influences to pique her interest.

She ripped that lockbox from its security housing and left the room - left the book, the holocron, the rest of the treasures secure in their own lockboxes. Maldor Mecetti , Darth Kentarch , Chessashai Umianai , and Alastor Baxa might well find them interesting.

Mace in one hand, lockbox in the other, she began walking toward the place where she'd parked her shuttle. The first violence percolated down the corridors as guards, guests, and guards of guests engaged with the pirate droids. Once again, she called on the Force in her preferred way and wrapped herself in a barrier of hard distortion to augment her armorweave.

Earlier, she'd noted familiar guests among the two-hundred-plus attendees: a couple of disguised Darksiders who'd studied aboard the Pomojema. One was, if she recalled correctly, a Central Isopter death cultist; the other was a fallen Jensaarai. They fell in behind her, traveling in her wake, and lightsabers blossomed in their hands. A couple of others - maybe their associates, maybe opportunists - joined Ashin's wake rather than try to loot or set up defenses or run. She didn't engage them, just kept moving at a brisk walk. She did not intend to stop walking.


OOC SUMMARY/ Ashin's breached the door to the secure area where the lots are held and has taken one. She's heading for where she parked her shuttle, and a handful of attendees have started following her on the assumption that she'll get through. Have some options!

 

[Darth Kentarch]

​

The Midnight Treasure
In Orbit over planet THX-1138

Maldor Mecetti | Ashin Cardé Varanin | Alina Tremiru

As the situation unfolded chaos erupted among the bidder. Maldor mentioned something about false surrender being a war crime, not that any Sith cared about such things, But their enemy was a literal pirate. Kentarch waited to see how things would play out. The pirates were going to attempt to board the ship. The masked Ashin vanished, likely to nick the items they were interested in, Kentarch thought of doing the same.

Maldor spoke about there being no non-combatants.

"You're not going to complain about war crimes if I unfairly execute our enemy for wasting my time?" Kentarch's question was more of jest. In a second his lightsaber hilt was in his hand, but he waited to light it. "I say we fight. But I think those pirates won't give us a choice. The pirate captain is mine. " Kentarch declared.

 

[Chessashai Umianai]

Spoiler

♧ Inventory: - Lots of credits... - Lipstick - Mini holoprojector - Gigglespice ♧
♧ Interactions: Maldor Mecetti Darth Kentarch OPEN ♧
​

The singer nodded as the politician spoke, he was right about fighting. Unfortunately there was absolutely no way for her to flee, such downsides came with not being able to afford your own ship. Chessa wasn't the kind to hire her own men other than her manager, in this case, she had secretly run off behind his back to attend the auction. Her attention went to the individual who placed her mask back on, it was only then that Chessa recognized the figure. Chessa had seen her at a festive event abroad a star cruise. Although the mask was eerie, the energy she gave off as she walked off felt even more so off putting.

The cloaked figure seemed to be quite prideful in his skills, "Kill what you can darlin'," she rolled her eyes. The white haired lady from earlier seemed to be much more ahead in terms of personally targeting the pirate captain.

Chessa Bossa turned away to find a much more fitting weapon for herself, something that could be good for distance. Despite planning to take part in the fight, she certainly wasn't going to be in the front lines. Perhaps she'd be lucky to find a rifle originally for sale on the floor...

There was no more time to think, the Mirialan tripped on her heeled shoes as she attempted to hide behind a structure when the blasting suddenly began.

Ashin Cardé Varanin Alina Tremiru

 

[Maldor Mecetti]

​

"By all means," Maldor replied to Darth Kentarch, "kill the Captain if you can find him. But I doubt he's come aboard."

Maldor considered the artifacts, so close-by, so tempting. It was why he had come, after all. But events soon interrupted his contemplation.

The space filled with blaster-bolts, and the Senator was forced to do something he would have preferred not to. He drew his light-foil and ignited it as he positioned himself behind a now-empty display table and kicked it over. That in itself wasn't so bad. The nobles of the Tapani Sector were known to carry such weapons.

However, there was little chance to explain away what came next.

Despite the meager cover, some of the blaster bolts entering the space threatened to kill Maldor. So he moved the blade to block the incoming fire. It was something that a mere foil duelist could never accomplish... not without being force sensitive. And further, not without being trained.

The Mandalorian mercenaries were too busy with the pirates to do much about Ashin's theft. And the pirate battle droids were too worried about the Mandalorians to worry over Ashin's departure. Their orders had been to ignore those attempting to flee, and they did that with the exactitude and thoughtlessness that only a droid could manage.

The Mandalorians were doing well in their defense of the ship.

They destroyed multiple droids each, with fire that was accurate and abundant. But even Mandalorian Iron could not make them impervious to blaster fire. There were soft spaces, joints in the armor. Vulnerabilities. One Mandalorian took a hit in the neck and fell back with a smoking hole in his throat that nearly decapitated him. His blaster rifle skidded to where Chessa had tripped, within easy reach...





Alina Tremiru Ashin Cardé Varanin Chessashai Umianai Maldor Mecetti Haon Hafey Darth Kentarch Alastor Baxa