Rhuza's pace quickened as he neared the remaining corner, the last hall of an alleyway until he hit the streets once more- then the explosion sounded. Surprise claimed his visage as his hands unclipped from behind his back and he broke his posture to race to the streets.
Screams. Terror filled and visceral, along with blaring noise from every corner filled his senses.
Beating. Pulsing. Echoing. What was the cause of this chaos? To whom did the responsiblity belong? The horns of the street vehicles beat against his ears with an unwanted rush, the tattoo of new cuts upon the ribcage, a fluttering bird trapped in a cage- tempest wings stuggling against echoing, hollow bars.
The emotions of the citizens around him were rich in fear and anxiety but nothing associated with terrorism. Rhuza stopped momentarily to listen for resounding explosions but this event, at least for the moment, was both singular and unique to this location.
They're small. Perhaps a band.
Rhuza watched [member="Cody Jorin"] from afar, ochre eyes unblinking as the terrorist freed a firearm from his person and executed the civilian. He may, in hindsight, realize he did the man more good in killing the injured civilian than perhaps what he thought he was accomplishing but this was no time to contemplate such things. He was already moving inside and Rhuza was nearly three blocks away, close enough to witness but too far to interject. Rhuza opened his comm before sprinting down the street. His voice shaky but not breathless- those on the recieving end would be able to understand him.
"We have an explosion in the Surface Streets. Sector 4-D." He paused to look up at the banner, and made out the name although only a few letters remained.
"Its the HQ of Titan Offices. The building is ablaze, but still standing. All One Sith members and allies are encouraged to pursue. And contact law enforcement so they can lock this sector down."
And with that Rhuza lowered his wrist, tilted his head and with aid of the Force burst forward at a rate that the civilians around him were suddenly unable be unable to trace.
Looking up, Rhuza halted his motion, sliding to a still on the ash covered surface of the first floor. The scene threatened to stall the Sith Lord furthermore. He always found beauty in death and this was no different. The walls were scorched and red flames were present upon most of the infrastructure but it threatened him singularly in a matter that was almost non-existent. He lifted a skeletal, pallor hand as the ash of papers, furniture, or perhaps sentient flesh wafted through his fingers and rested on his palm.
Then Rhuza lowered his hand and allowed the ash to break apart on the floor. He pulled his sensitive mind together and simply listened.
Beyond the lick of flames he could hear the distinctive throb of hearts- survivors. He granted a fleeting glance to the scene and noticed that the visible victims were shot. The assailants hadn't taken the time to check behind doors, because Rhuza could plainly hear the throb of a heart, no- two. Turning to approach a flame covered door, Rhuza pulled it open with the Forceto see a twi-lek crouched in a smoky corner. Rhuza had no intention of saving anyone but should he be put in the position to do so, he would
consider it.
"Civilian." Rhuza said simply in his usual raspy, distant voice.
Smut covered the Twi-lek but it's clothes weren't damaged. Rhuza assumed it was in this hole when the explosion happened. The alien remained silent however, and instead of taking the opportunity to flee, he stared up at the Sith Lord with wide, confused eyes. Finally, after a few more seconds passed the Twi-lek parted it's lips.
"Why?..." She started before submitting to a coughing fit.
"Why would the Sith attack us? What have we done, Lord Helios?"
Taken aback, Rhuza stopped. She looked absolutely terrified, the look of a doomed gizka standing before a starving rancor.
Then he understood, he was the Nightmare in the dark to this one. The politics of the Sith had not reached her reasoning and the surprise of the attack influenced her to accuse the One Sith. This, surely, was within her own mind-for no citizen of this planet, not even on the lower levels, would claim such things in the face of a Sith, especially one whom's name she knew; not when he was the very being whom unlocked her tomb and offered her freedom.
The twi-lek shifted, but didn't move. Her eyes stared into his own but they were distant...so, so far away in a mask that was unblinking and distrustful. The Dark Lord, who was so generous, who had not forced the citizens of Coruscant to bath themselves in the misleading light and luminescence of the Jedi any longer was unappreciated in this moment. The One Sith, his people, had accepted the creatures of this planet, allowed them to thrive, to continue to build, to grow. And yet, this mongrel put the most sour of tastes in Rhuza's mouth. He was categorically offended. He took two steps back, waved the door closed and wrapped his spectral, ghostly grip around a large piece of burning furniture before slamming it against her coffin. Her suffering would allow her to recollect the final moments of her life before she died a few minutes afterwards.
Time was of little concern at this point. Perhaps those few minutes allowed allies to enclose, but he would press on without them for now. His enemies were in the building and they would not leave the way they came in. The dying twi-lek was no longer his concern. Rhuza was not a being whom possessed convictions of rescues, or notions of telltale hearts and fluttering sympathies- that was simply a moment for him to investigate something he stumbled across.
The second heartbeat would not earn the same investigation. The alien ruined that part of his muse. Instead he intended to track down those whom committed the crime responsible for this building. Although the damage, on this scale, is admirable as a sheer witness, it wasn't appreciated in Sith territory. Rhuza imagined they would feel emotions akin to pride, or perhaps excitement, but he wouldn't need to track emotions to find his prey.
Their campaign would end in the very building they ignited, and once they prepared to initiate the next step of their mission, the band of misfits that were responsible for this would be unaware of Rhuza's encroachment.
[member="Darth Venefica"]
[member="Judgement"]
[member="Jareth Oldron"]
