First Reply The Hunt

[Xeykard]

Abraxin, Scar Worlds​

The Inquisitor traced the tracks in the mud. "We're close," he said. Even the most elusive and careful prey would slip, and the muck of Abraxin's swamps made tracking easier -- once they were close enough.

Rising, Xeykard continued to lead the small team of Sith marines on their way to find their quarry.

A short prompt, yeah, idk. Your choice on why your character is being hunted (or even whether Xeykard is going to go murder).

 

[Percival Io]

Arrived in: The Holy Grail
Accompanied by: Boris and Bram
Objective: The hunter is hunted... ?

The natives of Abraxin seemed to view Percival with a mixture of wariness and awe. They had heard rumors of his origins, yet the young warrior-mystic who roamed the countryside, culling the ranks of the local crime lords and slaughtering the remnants of the Bryn'adul, was not at all what they expected. Percival and his House might not be able to erase the scars of the Scar Worlds, but they had begun to act like wandering rangers, instituting some semblance of law and order in the broken societies they visited.

He and his more robotic companions hid themselves in the swamps, lying in wait for their targets like the highwaymen of old. Then they would leap out and crush the Drael, the thugs, the leeches who sought to profit off of untold suffering. Sometimes they had enough time to shout, but plenty more died without a sound, their bodies sucked under the mud, riddled with wounds from blaster fire or the cuts of Percival's sword.

That was where Percival lay now, crouching in the swampy brush, his brethren similarly hidden nearby. Quiet and patient...

Xeykard​

 

[Xeykard]

Percival Io ​

Xeykard sniffed the air, then held up a fist. He made two quick motions with his hand. The marines dispersed, disappearing into the swamp; the acolyte, Aryrene, found a tree to hide behind.

The Inquisitor moved forward about fifty paces, then stopped concealing himself so heavily, walking slowly (and loudly) as to make himself known. Another fifty paces. Another sniff. He took a deep breath.

"Percival Io! That's your name, isn't it?" he called. "Come out. We must speak."

 

[Percival Io]

<Brothers, who is this guy?> Boris asked via technopathy.

<A better question would be who does he think he is?> Bram quipped back.

Percival stared at the lizard from cover, his body splattered and smeared with mud. Only his eyes moved, turning toward one of the marines that had dispersed into the swamp. The man was only a few feet away from Percival’s concealed position.

<They are not the petty thugs of a fringe crime lord, that’s for certain,> he told the others. <These are trained forces. Hired mercenaries, perhaps. Here to destroy us and put an end to our little crusade.>

Bram’s mirth was palpable. <Looks like we’re officially infamous. I love it.>

Boris was more practical. <I’ll go in your place, Brother Percival. I’ll tell him I’m your rep, and see what he wants.>

<Yeah, Percy. You’re too squishy compared to us.>

<Boris, you may go. Leave your weapons.> The ones that weren’t built into him, anyway. <Announce yourself as my emissary. If he attacks, we will assist you.>

Out of the bubbling muck there emerged a metal skeleton with glowing green eyes. It held its empty hands up as if in surrender, slowly approaching Xeykard.

“I’m Percival Io’s emissary. Say to me what you want to say to him.”

Xeykard

 

[Xeykard]

Percival Io
​

Cautious. Xeykard could respect that, even if it was disrespecting him.

The Barabel lowered himself to sit, one knee up. "If you fear this one's intentions, this one understands. But, this one would be a poor hunter to walk out in the open, calling your name. Having another speak for you is degrading, this one finds."

His eyes wandered. Io was clearly not next to his servant. For now he was patient.

"This one wishes to know your allegiances. Are you of the same breed as that... Sith, Laertia Io? And if that is the case, why are you here, picking fights on some backwater?"

 

[Percival Io]

Degrading, or smart? The concept of honor and parlay was unknown to most of the types they encountered out here. Percival spared another glance toward the marines hidden in the swamps.

"We don't know you, and we don't assume strangers are honorable," Boris replied. "Laertia Io is our Mother, the Matriarch of our House. You would do well to refer to her by her proper title, Darth Xiphos."

<We are here to reclaim the Scar Worlds,> Percival fed the words directly into Boris' mouth with technopathy. <Many in our House are refugees from these planets. These are their homes, the lands of their ancestors. We will not see them scavenged by thieves and murderers.>

Xeykard​

 

[Xeykard]

Percival Io
​

"Good. Our project is the same," he said. "Between the Bryn'adûl's last, the Sith remnants, and all the other grifters, these worlds are ruined, terrorized. This one intends to bring some order to these worlds. The few Sith that remain on these worlds are parasites, and this one will wipe them out before long.

"That said, there are some more deadly threats -- ones that may take time to emerge. This one speaks of the Ossus Academy, where Jedi have gathered. Left unchecked, they bring chaos to the Scar Worlds. Darth Xiphos would have little love for them, this one imagines.

"This one does not have the means to destroy them directly, but this one suspects you would make for a good ally in this endeavor. These worlds should not be blighted by the Jedi, the Draelvasier, or any other leech."

 

[Percival Io]

If Boris had had lips, he'd have smiled.

"I like the way you think. Keeping the Scar Worlds pure and safe from all of the above. That's nice."

<House Io is more than capable of destroying the fledgling Ossus Academy on its own. But they have had many allies willing and able to rush to their defense in the past. I presume you do not mean to take them down through open warfare?> There were other means of sabotage that were far less spectacular, but would do the trick if done properly.

Xeykard​

 

[Xeykard]

Percival Io
​

"Hm." Xeykard doubted his own forces's ability to destroy the Jedi of Ossus, though perhaps 'House Io' had some vast secret army. He wondered if every Sith Lord did. The Jedi were slippery beings -- how many battles could each survive on the front lines? He could come up with a plan to blockade the planet, bombard the academy, anything like that; still he felt as though it was unlikely they would succeed.

"Raise the cost of living, of staying in the Scar Worlds. Small sabotages, supply shortages, injuries, sicknesses, dangers, creating too many 'problems' for them to 'solve'. As you say, they have allies elsewhere -- they would be more comfortable elsewhere. Destroying them outright would prompt retribution; they would be best encouraged to depart.

"The specifics can be hashed out at a later time -- when you are better acquainted with the specifics of the academy. Should you be willing to embark on such a task, this one will ensure the security of places such as this, where you have roamed." Xeykard finished his proposition.

"Are we in agreement?"

 

[Percival Io]

<Not gonna lie, Percy, this guy sounds sketchy as hell,> Bram's technopathic commentary interrupted. <He's a Sith. Most of them don't give a chit about ordinary people.>

Indeed, much of what Xeykard was proposing wouldn't merely affect the Jedi, but anyone who attempted to resettle the Scar Worlds. Right now there were few decent people to be found, and many of them lived under the cruelties of criminals, hustlers, and lesser men. But the ultimate goal of House Io was not merely to cull these evils. They wanted the Scar Worlds to fully recover. Delaying that recovery, even to hurt their enemies, was... problematic.

<At a later time,> Percival agreed, keeping his own reservations unspoken. <We will see for ourselves.>

Xeykard​