The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek

[Armand Temi]

Location: Kothlis, outside of the capital of Tal’cara

Two light-haired darksiders were covering ground on Kothlis, in the Bothan sector, for very different reasons. While one had come to meditate in an area outside of the capital city of Tal'cara before picking up some vital information provided by Spynet about where secret Techno Union holdings were that the Sith Triumvirate may want to get their hands on, the other had come to follow that same individual to get information on the Sith Triumvirate themselves. And if her plan went well, perhaps she’d be able to nab the TU intel at the same time, but at this point Livna Zios had no knowledge that it specifically existed.

She only knew a limited amount about Sith Lord, [member="Rhuza Kingpriest"] because that’s who she was tailing.

Kothlis was an oceanic planet with crescent moon-shaped atolls, fine, white sandy beaches and thick brush with palm trees and the occasional island cave. Plentiful were serene and picturesque areas for meditation, even for those who dabbled in the dark arts. If the bright sun was too much for yellow, dark-side corrupted eyes not accustomed to the sun, a blue-hued cave complete with stalactites and stalagmites could be found for those who required pure quiet, but for the sound of a nearby trickling waterfall.

Livna, the Caprine Dark Jedi, was posing as a tourist, collecting shells along the beach. Far behind him, she’d caught a glimpse of Master Kingpriest, and given his pale skin, she assumed he’d be heading to the Jorpond Caves which, according to her holomap, at which she peered through over-sized sunglasses, wasn't too far away.

Why yes, the honey haired maiden resembled an ordinary island hopper in a bandeau bikini top and floral wrap skirt, but her horns… there was nothing she could do about those, except cut holes in her wide-brimmed straw hat so they would emerge from either side. They were always a dead giveaway that Livna was, if not what she seemed, then one of the galaxy’s rarest species.

[member="Rhuza Kingpriest"]

 

[Helios]

Gloved fingers coiled around a glistening belt of metal, the precious ore reflecting the light of Kothlis' singular sun as Rhuza rested his hand on Severous, tucked in a crimson sash at his waist. Eyes that shared the same aureate hue looked ahead with a soft gaze, occasionally half-turning his head to peer out over the sapphire ocean, seemingly doing nothing more than admiring the rolling waves and the birds that flew just above them. Today, unlike many other moments, he found himself surrounded by beautiful scenes, unable to avoid detours to bask in the natural art painted by the builders of the universe. They did an exceptional job on this planet, Rhuza noted as the gelid breeze rolled over him, repositioning his platinum blond hair over his shoulders.

The squeaking of leather could be heard as he clasped his hands behind his back before turning his attention away from the water. A habit that'd stuck with him from his childhood, they were part of a set of manners pressed upon him by parents whom insisted he be raised as both a warrior and a dignitary. His straight-lace posture combined with an arrogant, belittling gaze made approaching him all-the-more difficult while also making him a sore thumb in the midst of typically well populated areas, which was the case now. Although the Bothans weren't a hunchback species, they didn't have a muscle memory that forced their noses to rise higher than everyone else's around them either. The humans here were largely ignored, Rhuza's prejudice relaying their presence as mere krab shells on the beach, which is why the the glimpse of horns inadvertently caught his attention, although they were spotted on the head of a woman several dozen meters behind him. He'd made a note of her constant presence whilst on the beach, but he'd yet to deduce her intentions. Such things would have to come into fruition eventually, however. Platinum hair blew under the wind once more as he turned to look out at the ocean again.

He was on this planet to intercept a package, a case containing sensitive information regarding the Triumvirate's enemies. Oddly enough, the night before he had his own case- procured from Yavin 4 which housed the rush of delicate wings, thrashing bodies, and the chatter of ravenous teeth. After ambushing remnant Techno Union members meant to meet with Spynet agents, he'd unleashed the swarm of unfed Piranha Beetles upon them after a relatively simple and short-lived interrogation session. Once finished, he opened the case and locked them in the room and as expected, screams pierced the night in discordant symphony that seemed to pass over Rhuza like whispers on the breeze. The deaths of those men men meant little to him and he need not bare witness to the garish show to assume its fulfillment - this act would find peroration with or without him. And when the authorities would arrive the morning after, they'd find a room full of bugs too fat to fly, and a few strands of shaggy clothes. After all, leaving a body-trail behind himself was never Rhuza's ideal method of handling business.

Chhh.

A sharp turn in the sand and he was rolling uphill away from the hustle and bustle of the beach, towards the quietudes of the caves above. The closer he drew to the mouth of the cave, the more his expectations were fulfilled. As he imagined there were almost no sentients in the area, save for one tourist snapping pictures on his holo-camera of the cave's mouth. A quick exchange of glances saw the tourist quickly escort himself away from the attraction however, as Rhuza continued inside. His molten gaze contrasted heavily with the azure texture of the grotto, something he somehow found an appreciation in still. Stopping momentarily, the Sith Lord looked as if he were sizing up the cave, or perhaps admiring its make-up as he looked to both sides of the wall and up to the stalactites hanging from the ceiling before continuing to walk deeper into the grotto.

[member="Livna Zios"]

 

[Armand Temi]

As she’d suspected, the Sith Lord headed towards the cave, either seeking its welcoming shade from the hot sun, or perhaps knowing it held a treasure trove of information. In bare feet, she quietly walked along the soft sand, until she also reached the mouth of the rock formation. As a Bothan tourist with a holocamera scuttled by, he said, “A strange being went inside the cave. He didn’t look too friendly.”

“Thank you… for the warning,” she said unsure as to his motives. There were lots of bizarre sights in the galaxy. Why an Eldorai entering a grotto was any less of a quizzical sight was beyond her, until the Bothan added, “But I can mix up some Daiquiris back at my hotel if you are hot and want to cool off with a refreshing cocktail.”

It made sense now, the furry, sweaty alien was hitting on her.

“A nice offer, but I’ll pass,” Livna said tipping her straw hat at him. The cave floor was cold to her feet and a little rocky, but the Caprine was used to scaling the white cliffs of Ikotch, her home world, so she was able to ignore the discomfort. Her heart began to race, but only because she knew an encounter was imminent, not that she felt that she were walking to the metaphorical guillotine. Livna had only begun her own training under Sith Lord, Vengeance, but she was relatively untrained in swords and sabers. However, the blonde agent wouldn’t have gone on assignment, leaving herself vulnerable. Although her plan was to befriend, Master Kingpriest, a Dagger Thorn was strapped to her thigh under her floral skirt. Along with sundries like tanning oil, water and a small towel, her beach bag held three color-coded syringes, one filled with Synox, the other two were a sleeping agent and truth serum respectively.

Finally, the flaxen-haired Caprine carried an aerosol spray that held enough Dioxis to incapacitate a Bantha, but it had been watered down and would not cause a fatality. Needless to say, she'd had enough experience with Sith Lords and Dark Jedi Masters to prepare for the worst.

As she took another step, Livna lost her footing and splashed right into a large puddle in the cave, making a loud sloshing sound that echoed throughout the cave. If Rhuza Kingpriest had not detected her presence by now he most certainly would hear her flailing around in the frigid water.

[member="Rhuza Kingpriest"]