Chapter Two: Murk Raiders

It had been three weeks since Vader's arrival on Cyclonia and in that time he had been busy on keeping himself alive first and foremost. He had ordered the terra's finest engineers to construct a mediation chamber in the vain of the one that was on his ship the Exactor. It was crude, but effective when it was finally complete, however the chamber built up a lot steam while he was inside it and it made the chamber uncomfortable to be in for long periods of team, but Vader fought through it and the steam merely added on to his rage-filled mediations and kept his mind focused when he was sleeping, eating or anything else he needed to survive while within the make-shift chamber. He was given a large room in the east wing of the castle and he had strictly ordered the Talons not to be disturbed unless orders came from Master Cyclonis herself.

Master Cyclonis also kept her new warrior a secret from the outside world and ordered him to stay within her castle until told otherwise, only the personal at the palace and the empress's top three lieutenants known as Snipe, Ravess and Dark Ace were the only ones aware of his existence for the time being and were ordered not to tell a single soul about him or they would face their master's wrath. She had told him that she was waiting for the right moment to unleash him on her enemies, but now it was starting to seem like she only wanted him in the palace to keep as some sort of trophy.

In his time at the palace, Vader decided to learn about the new world that he was now apart of and study the enemies of his new leader. He learned about the history of the world of Atmos and the rise of both the Cyclonian Empire and the Sky Knights. The Sith lord spent hours at a time carefully studying maps of the thousands of mountaintop kingdoms known as terras and each squadron of Sky Knights that defended them as well as the worlds different forms of vehicles. Vader also educated himself on the study of Atmos's main power sources: crystals.

The dark lord would spend hours on end learning about each crystal and its capabilities thanks to Cyclonis's extensive private library. Vader had no intention of using them in battle or otherwise, to him they were nothing more then crutches to be used by the weak while he had the power of the Darkside to give him all the strength he needed, but he needed to learn about the weapons of his enemies and any weaknesses within them. If he was to ever battle Cyclonis again, he needed to know how to best her combat.

While he was busy studying more about crystals within his pressure chamber, he heard a knock upon the doors of his private room.

"Enter" Vader said from within his chamber

He heard the sound of the door to his room open and of footsteps approaching his pressure chamber. The Sith Lord opened his chamber, allowing a blast of steam to be freed from it as he did. The one redeeming quality to the steam build-up was that it gave Vader an extra aura of fear to him whenever the Talons or even Snipe and Ravess saw him emerge from the pressure chamber, letting it flow around him like a shroud that almost seemed like he had summoned it. It was no different this time as well when he stepped out to meet with the messenger.

"What is it?" Vader asked coldly to the Talon

The Talon was still frozen in fear to even remember why he came in here in the first place as he looked upon the off-worlder.

"Well?" the Sith lord demanded sharply

"M-Master C-Cyclonis wishes to speak with you" the Talon stammered out

Vader said nothing; instead he only passed the Talon and made his way to Cyclonis's throne room. He could only guess what the young empress wanted from him today. Whenever she requested Vader's presence, it merely amounted to her asking him hundreds of questions about the Empire and the many different worlds it hand under its control. As he told her about the galaxy that her world had no idea it was apart of, the Sith lord could sense a feeling of excitement and wonder coming from her; even though she hid it well under a facade of indifference.

Despite her age, Vader had to admit that Master Cyclonis reminded him so much of his master. Like Sidious, she was cold, cunning and ruthless with a keen and precise mind that put her three steps ahead of everyone else. Vader sometimes wondered what made the teenager the way she was today as well as where she gained such great mastery over her crystals, but in the end, he could care less; so long as she held up her end of the bargain, he would serve her without question.

Soon he reached the young tyrant's throne room, where upon entering he found the girl using her machine to design and engineer new and more powerful crystals by fusing lesser ones together and studying the results before making more of them.

"You summoned me?" he asked

He meant what he said about not calling her his master, despite being light-years away from the Emperor who may have already forgotten him in the past; he still had his loyalties to him. Besides, Vader took a secret pleasure in how much it inwardly angered Cyclonis to not being referred to as master.

"Indeed I did, Vader" she replied, not looking away from her work as she did

"So, I assume you have more questions about the Empire then?" Vader inquired with annoyance laced in his tone

Cyclonis stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. Her hood was down, allowing Vader to see a vexed yet stoic expression on her face.

"I have a task for you" she began, ignoring his question

A small spark of intrigue stirred within Vader when he heard that. In the three weeks he had spent in the seclusion of the castle, a part of him had been becoming anxious to leave this place and raise his weapon against new opponents.

"For the past few days our supply lines along the northeastern quadrant have fallen under attack by Murk Raiders" she explained "without those supply lines open, my army will be crippled"

In his studies of many different races in Atmos, Vader had read about these Murk Raiders. They were a race of reptilian-like pirates that struck fear in hearts of both Sky Knights and Cyclonians alike and had a nasty reputation to leave no survivors whenever they fell upon a ship. They reminded Vader very much of another race he knew all to well of: Tuskan Raiders.

And like them, he would slaughter every last of these barbarians without the slightest hint of pity.

"I want these animals dealt with" the young tyrant continued "I trust you can handle this matter?"

"It will be done" Vader answered, bowing his head slightly as he did

"Good" she simply said before walking past him "Now follow me, I have something to show you"

Cyclonis lead the Sith lord into the far bowels of the castle where Vader found himself in what looked like a massive indoor factory. The room was filled with machines and Talons working on different parts for several different types of skimmers around the clock, launching a few for test flights out of a small hanger as they did. The young tyrant led her new second in command past the vehicles in construction and toward a finished skimmer that put out to show for Cyclonis and Vader to see. The skimmer before them had a chrome paint job to it as opposed to grey colorizing the other skimmers had. It has four thin curved black wings and two small turrets mounted at the front of it.

"What is this Cyclonis?" he asked "This is not like the other skimmers you have in your fleet"

"This, Vader, is a new model we've been developing for the past few months" she explained "I call it The Phantom. The armor is lighter then a regular Skimmer's, but the engine is faster and quieter as well. It is even invisible to the most advanced sensors in the Atmos. This was built for only the most experienced pilots"

Vader had a good idea as to where she was going with showing him this new vehicle.

"And you want me to be its test pilot" he finished "Why not allow Dark Ace to fly it first?"

"The Dark Ace is a very well known person, and I want to keep this machine keep secret at all costs" the empress of Cylonia replied "I don't want my enemies to get wind of it just yet. Besides, you've flown a spaceship, this skimmer should be no problem for you to handle"

In that, Cyclonis was right. He had flown and mastered more complex ship than this winged bike, this was nothing compared to his TIE Advanced.

"It will do" The Sith Lord surmised as he inspected his new vehicle

"Good" the young tyrant said "Now go, and let nothing stand in your way"

Vader only bowed his head in understanding before mounting The Phantom and taking off through the small hanger, ready to wipe these pirates off of the face of the Atmos.

The cold night's air fill Vader's damaged lungs as he glided across the sky on his new vehicle. He was nearing the coordinates of the last known location of the Murk Raiders after their latest attack. As he flew in closer he could see something large within the visage of the dark clouds. As he moved toward the clouds, the Sith Lord could now clearly see that it was indeed a Murk Raider ship waiting for next their target to fall into their trap, but the pirates had no idea that they would become the prey tonight.

Vader had to give credit to Cyclonis's engineers; he was now less then a hundred feet from and closing in on the pirate's ship and still they had not detected them on their radar and after what he had learned of the Raider's scanning equipment, it was an impressive feat to overcome, and the added cloud cover also gave him an extra edge from being seen by someone onboard the ship through a window. Soon he had reached the closed door to the hanger, which he silently opened with a wave of his hand. Vader then proceeded to park his skimmer inside of the darkened hanger before dismounting his ride.

The Sith Lord inspected the empty area around him. There was not a trace of the Murk Raiders to be found anywhere within the room, leaving Vader to surmise that the needed only a small crew to run it and they where probably busy with other tasks in order to keep the ship afloat in the sky.

Just then, a lone Murk Raider stepped into the hanger, looking at a map of some sort while whistling some shanty to himself as he did. He then heard Vader's breathing and looked up to see the intruder standing only a few feet away from where he was currently standing. Before the pirate could even make a so much as a yelp, Vader took hold of this throat through The Force and lifted him into the air before flinging him forward in path of his now ignited lightsaber. The dark lord tossed the body aside as he made his way further into the ship, ready to fulfill his bloody task.

Captain Scabulous impatiently tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair as he sat on the command bridge. Normally a Cyclonian supply ship would be heading their direction about this time, but not even so much as a patrol passed by the route tonight. Something in the back of his head was telling him that something wasn't right about this situation.

"Maybe they changed their routes?" his first-mate Eyeball suggested

"Cyclonis is too proud t'a cower before anyone. She wouldn't let even our attacks make her change her tactics" his captain replied "Trust me Eyeball, they'll be here"

Just then, the ship's radio suddenly switched on, allowing the leader of the Murk Raiders to hear the panicking voices of his crew on the lower levels. There were sounds of gunfire and the screams of dying Raiders heard the background as well.

"Captain, there's someone down here!" the crewman shouted into the radio "I don't know where he came from but he's–ack!"

The fallowing sounds coming from radio was that of the Raider being strangled as well what sounded like a deep rasping breathing that even sent a chill down the great and terrible Captain Scabulous's spine. After a few more agonizing seconds of listening to their fellow crewman being choked, he was finally silenced and his body as dropped to the floor, leaving on the terrible breathing to remain.

"Who is this?!" the pirate captain demanded on his end of the radio

For a few moments, their was only breathing on the other end of the line, as if the unknown intruder knew that his very breathing was enough to make the band of thieves fear him.

"I'm coming for you" said a deep and stoic voice before the radio shut off

It was in that moment that Scabulous the great and infamous pirates of the Atmos now began to feel the very fear he instilled into his victims. His fears spread like a wildfire throughout the other crewmen who where aboard the bridge alongside him.

"C-captain, w-what should we do?" Eyeball stammered out

"Seal the door, now!" his leader shouted at him "We're not letting that bastard in here!"

Two of the Murk Raiders quickly closed the steel door that lead into the ship's bridge and sealed it down with the door's three iron locks. Once that was done, the pirates began to draw their swords and blasters while other armed themselves with pulse rifles that resembled old muskets. They then trained their weapons at the now sealed off doorway, waiting for the mysterious intruder to make his entrance with dread in their hearts.

Suddenly, a beam of red energy stabbed itself through the top of the door, making the Raiders jump in fright. The red beam then began to cut along the sides of the steel door until it managed to cut it off of its hinges. Then without warning, the door flew forward, hitting a Raider and killing him on impact. There in the doorway stood there attacker with his weapon at the ready, ready to cut down all who stood before him.

Before Scabulous could even give the order, his men had already opened fire with their weapons. The dark-clad warrior raised his blade and began to deflect the shots back at his attackers, killing a few of the men with their own shots. With a wave of hand, he lifted two men into the air before tossing them out of the window, letting plummeted to their deaths. Another pirate let out a battle-cry before lunging at the towering figure with his sword in hand. The intruder's merely side-stepped the Raider's wild swings of his blade before striking him down with his weapon with one clean strike across his belly. With another gesture of his free hand, he guided another Raiders gun and forced his entire arm to use his own weapon on him himself.

Eyeball rushed at the man with his sword at the ready, only to be shoved backwards by an invisible wave of energy that hurled into a wall, knocking him out in the process. It was now to down Scabulous to try and slay this monster once and for all. He leapt forward and brought his blade down on the man in black, only to have his blade blocked by his enemy's own weapon, pushing him back in the process. He recoiled for the hit and lunged at him once more, swinging his sword to the right, which was blocked yet again by the energy sword.

While he blocked the sword with one hand, the man reached out with his left hand and grabbed Scarbulous by the throat, holding it in a vice-grip as he lifted him off of the ground. With not even using half of his strength, he tossed the leader of the Murk Raiders across the room into a wall that he slid down to the floor in a defeated slump. Before the pirate could reach for his sword, the man stomped on it and pointed the tip of his energy blade to the Raiders face.

"Well go on then…" Scabulous said as he glowered up his opponent "Y'a won't get the pleasure of hear'in me beg f'er mercy!"

There was a pause on Vader's end with only his breathing being the sound coming from him. He then suddenly deactivated his lightsaber and stepped back from the pirate captain, allowing him to rise back to his feet. At first he had the full intention of killing these cutthroats, but an idea formed in the dark lord's mind that prepares these thugs had a glimmer of potential if their where under his command.

"Hear me Murk Raider" the Sith Lord began "I will spare both your life and what's left of your crew on one condition"

"That being?" Scabulous growled, clearly liking where this going

"Serve me, and in return I will bestow upon you riches beyond your wildest dreams" Vader replied

"And what if I say no?" the Raider inquired slyly

His answer cam in the form of an invisible force clamping down around his neck with the same strength as Vader's cold grip—only the Sith Lord didn't lay a finger on him this time. Scarbulous gagged and wheezed for air, falling to his knees as he did while Vader only looked down at him through his emotionless mask. After a few more seconds of choking the life out of him, Vader released his hold on him.

"I trust I've made my point" Vader said in a tone that almost sounded like he enjoyed the pirates suffering

"Aye that y'a did" Scarbulous answered with a gasp of air, rubbing his neck as he did "so what did y'a have in mind?"

"In time, you will know" Vader answered "but for now, you and your remaining men must return to Terra Deep and gather your forces. I will call upon your services in soon enough"

"Well then…" the leader of the Murk Raiders said as he raised his robotic arm "Looks like we've got a deal"

Vader merely turned back on the outstretched hand and began to make his arm out of the command bridge. As he did, he noticed something flying just outside the ship's window. It was a strange multi-colored bird with bide orange eyes that seemed to scowling at him, despite the strangeness of the bird's action, Vader tried to put it out of his mind and proceed to leave the ship, but yet something kept telling him that there more to that bird then met the eye.

With the Murk Raiders covering their tracks as they retreated back to Terra Deep, it was easy for Vader to convince Cyclonis that he had successfully dispatched the pirates. She gave him praise for his effectiveness and informed him that soon she would unleash his power on the rest of the Atmos before allowing him to return to his private quarters.

Rather then enter his meditation chamber, the Sith Lord instead stared out into the dark and storming vastness of Terra Cyclonia, envisioning it already under his rule. With the Murk Raiders under his control, he now had those he could call on to his work while he stood clean from it in the shadows like his master had done during the Clone Wars. He had the full intention of having others join his side in his cue over Cyclonis, but there was something he needed that was essential for this plan to be foolproof. Something that in the event that if he failed, he would still have a piece of himself to live through and continue where he left off.

He needed an apprentice.