Something.. Other.

[Gilbert Skolnick]

"So as you can see,"

The slightly nasal voice of Gilbert Skolnick came over the comms.

"in this first working iteration, we've gone for long distance luxury. Since weapons and shield weren't a big priority considering it's other features and abilities, we easily had room for the hyperdrives and their modifications, and with access to Istope-5, the power drain was basically a joke."

"It's also built for maximum fuel efficiency, since what's the point of going long range if you have to stop every second day to refuel, am I right?"

He let out a chuckle that was just shy of actually being a giggle.

"We'd considered adding solar paneling as well, but it proved.. ineffective in many of the situations this ship is built for."

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

"Mm."

Came the distracted reply from the Twi'lek.

Distracted for several reasons. Firstly because Skolnick was rarely worth listening to anyway. He bored her very nearly to tears, but his products were usually solid, and that was all that mattered. Secondly because she was giving the ship she currently stood upon a very thorough once over. They'd kitted it out to impress, that was clear. Parts of it looked much more like a luxury suite than a starship. Likely they thought that was what she would care about. In fact her attention was more on the systems, the wiring, the welds, the casting and above all else, the modified hyperdrives, and the array of monitoring stations and repair tools and droids around them.

Thirdly, a fraction of her attention was always dedicated to her daughter. The one she didn't remember having, and had only recently reclaimed from an agressive, violent man who'd attacked her and claimed to be the father. Sire perhaps, but no father. Not if she had any say in the matter. Even under the influence of Lesai, a child under a year old was exhausting, and since she trusted no one but herself and her droids with the babe, it was even more so. This was single motherhood taken to the extreme, balancing a child and running an entire criminal syndicate effectively by herself. What other choice however?

"I take it by the repair droids you've not sorted out the issue with the switch over then?"

 

[Gilbert Skolnick]

"Oh, uh, no.."

His voice sounded worried as she questioned him. He'd been hoping since she was used to the high life she'd just look at the finishings and leave the technical bits alone. The blankets were of the finest materials, the cabin far more open, the water system advanced enough that it had an actual water shower option as well as the more typical sani-steam module. He'd even had a lounge and seen to it that it was equipped with all the latest holos, as well as entire libraries of reading materials. And the workout room! It was state-of-the-art! No one would lose their tone on a long space voyage again!

Instead she focused immediately on the droids and deduced what that meant and saw a failing.

"But!"

He quickly interjected, still nervous despite the fact that she'd gone this long without having him killed.

"With the new way we've set up the dual hyperdrives there's effectively no down time. The spare is unconnected up until the moment the sensors say the first hyperdrive goes down, and assuming all sensors say it's safe to do so, it immediately swaps the second on. And of course the droids start repairs on the first right away. We've narrowed down how they malfunction, so repair time is pretty darn near optimal."

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

"Mm, it should do then. Have we made any manned attempts since the first few losses?"

she'd meant to keep better abreast of the situation, since in this operation she saw the potenial for not only safety, but also dominance. She'd done well for awhile, but it seemed as if recently every time she got ahead something else came up to try and overwhelm her.

Oh Starbird, you were made to fly, to burn, but all you do recently is manage to keep your head above water. Still, still and still and still. Leave me in a turbulent ocean miles from any shore and I will still start swimming and despise the one that gives up.

Once upon a time, so long ago she could barely remember that girl, for herself. Then for the Ravens that had come into her care. Now.. Eyes drifted once more to the small orange form a modified FAU-V1 was carting about in her wake. How many people understood that is was fear that drove her? Had always driven her? The proud, vain beast, the power behind the greatest criminal empire, regardless of what the Hutts thought. She who stood and defied everyone. Who would not bow. It had always been fear. All she'd ever wanted was safety in an unsafe world.

Safety, the kind most people thought they had was an illusion. You thought your allies would keep you safe? Your family? Your loved ones? Her family, her parents had sold her. Her allies stabbed her in the back and betrayed her at every tun regardless of her own actions or dedications. No, that kind of safety was a lie. People would only help you if you controlled them in some way, be it through their desires or their fears.

You only ever had yourself. The only way to be safe was to amass power. To make it so that no one could hurt you. Building walls weren't enough, you needed weapons upon them. Sometimes even that wasn't enough. Sometimes you had to strike first. It was a lonely world of paranoia, but it was a true one.

She wasn't safe yet. But she was safer. Another glance. Now it was even more important. Now it was for her own blood in more ways than one.

 

[Gilbert Skolnick]

"No, we've stuck with droid pilots. Particularly after the uh.. the incident where.. I sent you the report. Where the travel was successful but the ship met with aggressors."

Unseen he pushed his glasses back up on his nose. Not that they'd known that at the time. They'd had no idea until the next successful attempt had brought back visuals of the destroyed ship, hanging forlornly in space. This hadn't been the usual couple of scorch marks, this had been a well and truly destroyed ship. It had made him cringe even just for the droid. That was the sort of thing that could convince a man to stay grounded.

"This will be the first ship we send properly manned now that the kinks have been worked out. We have our pilots pre-selected. Technically with the droid crew on hand it only needs one, but uh, even with the risks, we thought it best to have two sentients for the first journey."

He tried not to think about the initial few pilots they'd lost before switching to droids. Some night he was even successful.

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Are you sure they're there?"

"Absolutely master. Sources tell us she's testing out a new ship. No weapons, no shield. Should be quick and easy."

Nothing was ever easy.

Aboard a Phasma Interceptor sat a red man with a droid and a predator. [member="Zoya"] was her name, and she was here for the simple goal of backing up the man when the time came. And it seemed like the time was almost upon them. Within a hyperspace route the trio would sit, most likely in silence unless one of the others wished to talk. The Zabrak however, was very content with the quiet. It gave him time to focus.

Their target this time was none other than the president of the Red Ravens, [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] . She had taken the opportunity it seemed to test out a new ship. A new ship, as it seemed, was defenseless. The female would most likely get a notification that a ship was dropping out of hyperspace, but that wouldn't matter to the Lord. The interceptor would come out behind her own, guns already flaring for her engines.

While Ferus was after the life of the orange twi'liek, he wasn't sure she was on board, or even if the ship was Raven to begin with. But Droid seemed awfully adamant about it. Blue eyes drifted to the smaller female behind her, offering a slight nod. She had healed nicely even after he had dismembered her, a testimant to her will, and her own power.

"Confirm the identity, then capture. I want to make sure this is our target. She won't get away again."

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Suddenly the ships alarms started screaming out. The Twi'lek wheeled, sprinting for the bridge. An impact rocked it, knocking her briefly to her knees before she scrambled up. A new range of klaxons began howling, indicating damage done, but how much?

Reaching the controls, she pulled up the reports, yellow eyes feverish and bright as she took in the attacking ship. She immediately began keying an escape route, only to have a blinking red light inform her that the engines were offline. How? How had they found her? No one outside of the Ravens and Skolnicks and his team knew she would be here. Skolnick was watched, which meant this was another in the list of treacheries.

Lips drew back from teeth in a snarl, for a moment the usually lovely Twi'lek was transformed into a trapped and dangerous beast.

"Defensive mode, unknown contaminant or loss of atmo to be expected."

Her voice was clipped, harsh, as she spoke to the modified FAU-V1. It was not a combat droid, not in the least. What it would do was seal her daughter under a transparisteel dome, proof against any chemicals or the void of space, with it's own oxygen supply. For a while anyway. That thought nearly drove her to distraction.

The Twi'lek pulled up the leg of her pants, drawing the knife that stayed concealed there and pulling the force towards herself. She's set the ships power to channel to the shields, but those shields were mediocre at best and already failing, flickering.

What if they just kept firing? What if they destroyed the ship entirely?

"SKOLNICK! Relay my orders to the Ravens ships! You have them send the fastest ships here and no matter what they find they scan for life! You understand me? You tell them to race here and even if all they see is shrapnel, they scan!"

The FAU-V1 was tough.. it was possible, possible that it and her daughter might survive. As long as they were found before oxygen ran out..

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Nyx]

As her new boss fired upon their target's ship, Zoya watched the bright lasers stream through space with fascination. She had always found blaster fire to be a thing of beauty, as well as death.
The mauve-haired Rapax fiddled in her seat, ready to get her feet on that ship. She had explicit orders not to eat anything on board, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be boring and dangerous.

"You're talking to the galaxy's deadliest hunter." She scoffed. "She won't get away from me."

Zoya leaned forward, licking her lips and flexing her claws. She was ready.

[member="Darth Ferus"]
[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"You say the deadliest, but do not forget who bested you. Mind your place." Ferus frowned as he glanced to [member="Zoya"] . Cockiness was something that would only gain death, and their target [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] was anything but an easy mark. Yet, now with the engines destroyed, it would be much, much easier. The Phasma would find it's way to the side of the presidents ship, and without warning he would have his droid proceed with boarding protocols.

"Mind her saber, and keep an eye out for other targets if there are any. Kill those who aren't identified as Chiasa, unless they seem special. Understood?"

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Boarding. They were going to try boarding. Good. It was unlikely they were random attackers, but it was possible, and if so, they would find her not the easy target this damned ship may have suggested. The knife was switched to her left hand, and her right found the hilt of her 'saber.

That damned Jedi may have been infuriating, but for his aid in construction and the lessons after, she'd have kissed him, if either of them would have enjoyed such a thing. Some of the panic was subsiding. There was not much she could have done if they'd chosen to blast her ship out of the air, but if it came to a fight? Lose enough and you learned a trick or two, and the Twi'lek knew many tricks by this point.

There would be no honour, warnings, holding back or playing nice. A brief reach through the Force, touching the reassuring spot of light that was her daughter, still sleeping. Good, regardless of how this ended, let her sleep through it. Then focus was turned to pulling in power, to summoning every ounce that she could manage, could hold and control.

There might be predators out there, but there was one on the ship as well, a cornered mother, even more deadly, as the attackers would learn if they were not careful.

[member="Darth Ferus"] [member="Zoya"]

 

[Nyx]

Zoya rubbed the back of her neck as she was reminded of her recent...situation. Her new limbs were coming in nice, but the pain of growing them back was still fresh in her mind.
"Understood."
She muttered, standing up as boarding was completed. The Rapax knew little of their target, but did know that if she had a saber, then she had to avoid close combat.
With a grunt of pain, her telum shot out of her back, the red appendages taking on a wing-like shape. They fluttered with motion as she stretched them, and a predatory smile grew on her face.
"After you." She gestured for Ferus to go first.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]
[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

At the access shaft the Zabrak literally kicked the doors wide open. He would step onto the ship with his golden saber alight, already glancing about. Empty. Reaching out with the Force, he could sense absolutely no one save for [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] . He was about to push forward, until he felt something else. Something.. Smaller. If he hadn't decided to take an extra second to scan, he wouldn't of seen it.

"[member="Zoya"] , seems it's just us, the presedent, and something incredibly weak. If you find this weakling, do not kill it. I have a plan for it." And with that, Ferus would lean on in the ship, walking right towards the presence that was their intended. For once, they would actually be able to meet.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Who? Who was after her? Who dared attack her? Let it just be idiotic pirates who knew no better. All of her own ship was easily within her range. As she reached out, lightning quick before pulling back behind mental walls she cursed silently. Neither being was known to her, though one felt faintly familiar. By her guess one was not skilled in the Force, though this did not mean they were not a threat and the other..

The other was very strong.

But then, how often had she told her own students? The Force was largely limited by your own belief. She not only believed, she knew that she would do anything, would be anything, would accomplish and sacrifice anything to protect that most precious treasure hidden in a medical droid.

Let them come.

With the familiar snap-hiss, her orange blade sprang to life, she fell instinctively into a modified ko gasumi stance. Right leg back, body turned to the side, right hand with saber raised, the blade and her arm all level, prepared to defend before going on the attack, left hand held the knife in a reverse grip, thankful again to Draco for the gift of it. For it's alchemical nature as well as it's existence as a blade.

That was how they would find her, eyes blazing nearly as brightly as her 'saber and prepared to fight, force gathered around her, the medical droid behind and as far into the cockpit as it would fight. This was a confined space, the angles they could come at her and styles of combat they could use would be limited.

[member="Darth Ferus"] [member="Zoya"]

 

[Nyx]

Zoya grunted as she stepped onto the ship. The Rapax sniffed the air, looking for the scent of her prey. She picked up two distinct scents: One of an adult female Twi'lek, and one other she could not identify. She frowned, then followed Ferus.
"I can smell both, but I can't identify the other." She informed him, her red-on-black eyes looking around the posh ship.
"If you wish, I can go find it."
As she was, Zoya knew she stood little chance against someone with a lightsaber: she may be better off securing the ship. But she'd do whatever her boss decided.
[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]
[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Very well, secure the ship. I'll try to keep the target busy." With a single nod to [member="Zoya"] , the Zabrak would burst his way to where [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] seemed to be located. Orange saber and all, he wasted no time getting right to the action. His form blurred forward, his mind cloaked from Teras Kasi to hide his moments. No matter of Force prediction would help now. His golden blade rushed out for her chest in a single thrust, quick from the Force, strong from his metallic arm. While this was the first time he had seen her, he knew she was exactly the mark he was looking for, once he had for quite some time.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

[member="Zoya"] would find nothing but a particularly luxurious ship and some maintenance and crew droids, likely already mindlessly beginning the process of repairing the damaged engines. Still, luxury ship as it was, if she was thorough it would take some time to check every nook and cranny where someone could conceivably hide.

A red blur and a yellow blade and she was under attack. The confined space as well as an unwillingness to simply let him move past her kept her from simply stepping aside and letting him and his blade go past.

Orange 'saber met yellow with an angry hiss, the Twi'lek dropping to her knees and twisting. Under both blades, moving herself out of the way while still stopping him, sliding his 'saber along hers rather than taking the full brunt of a blow she would likely be hard pressed to deflect with her own strength. At the end of the manoeuvre, barring any interference from him which was unlikely, she would have gone from standing with her left shoulder closest to him, to rising back up into a crouch with her right closest. At the same time, as his 'saber skidded along hers she slashed out with the knife at anything within range.

She went to batter him mentally at the same time, but found his mind oddly closed to her. Fine, at least it meant he could not invade hers either.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

Mind battles weren't Ferus's thing. Melee battles were. With a grin, he gladly accepted the beginning of this fight. With her invading his form, he would slide his way back without warning, a gust of the force from his free hand being used to create the distance. Of course, he would press back, his form bee lining once more to clash against hers with his golden saber. Makashi, the duelist form, was his basis, and as he closed his blade would thrust out again and again, aiming for different parts of her body with each, aiming to overwhelm her with the speed and randomness of the attacks. Of course, he kept his free hand back, once more building up the Force to prepare a defense should he need it.

[member="Zoya"]
[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Chiasa had been trained primarily Djem-So, though she still resorted to instinctual movements and the lithe grace that came from years of training as a dancer. Though she slid back under his force assault, she kept her footing and form, falling utterly into the movements. This particularly, this dueling was much like dance. Watch your partner, anticipate their move, make the correct move in return.

Between bladework and a constantly moving body, the Twi'lek was avoiding his blows, though often they were close enough she could feel the heat of his blade. The danger she was being drawn into was that if she was not careful, if she lost herself too completely to the dance, there was a chance that he would outlast her, and as she began to tire, eventually overpower her. She could feel that he was beginning to do something with the force, so she struck first, and this too was a gamble, these sorts of force powers were no longer her forte, using them was far more draining for her than they would be for him. A push to his upper torso at the same time that she pulled at his ankles and legs.

In the perfect world he would fall and she would move in for the kill. She could not afford to leave him alive. The other was still there somewhere, and she could bear no such blatant threat near her child.

[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

The push pull combo caught the Zabrak off guard, causing him to fall to the ground with a thud. As he fell however, he kept his wits about him, and his free hand that was building the Force was released. A pulse pushed out, aiming to keep [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] back as he got himself back up to his feet. Grant it, he couldn't do much else but spring himself backwards away from the president, keeping his golden saber aloft.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

This force push hit her more solidly, sending her backwards to crash into the FAU-V1 she was so adamantly protecting. For a moment, her worry and concern spiked, but it was a droid meant to operate on live battlefields, made of solid materials and more than outweighing her. The impact hurt her more than the droid that simply stood.

As quickly as she was pushed away however, she regained her balance, springing forward again, subjecting him to a flurry of her own blows. Speed was the name of the game. She was not stronger than him, there was no point trying to overpower him. Enough shallow injuries could sap a person, or distract them enough for a killing blow to land. Besides, while he was on the defensive, she could push him further away from the droid and it's cargo.

The hand with the knife was held back in reserve. If a strike of his own slipped past her 'saber, she could catch it still on the knife.

[member="Darth Ferus"]