Commander Nichos Tanarb stood before the front viewscreen of the bridge of the Star Destroyer Grendel. His hawk-like face gazed fiercely at the sea-blue moon the ship orbited. He was assigned the duty of intercepting a New Republic agent who was said to be observing the newly discovered system.

"Sir," a junior officer approached him. "Our scouts have reported that our quarry has left the fifth moon's surface and is coming into our sector."

"Good," he replied. "Have the guns on standby. Open fire when the ship is in sensor range."

"Yes, sir. Oh, and something else."

"Yes?" Tanarb spoke impatiently.

The officer hesitated, and then spoke with a stutter, as if he was afraid to speak.

"He…L-Lord Tr-Treachery wishes for you to…to…make contact."

Tanarb stared at him, with a mixture of shock and horror. His hawk-like features had vanished, though he still had his beak-shaped nose. His fierce eyes were now wide and filled with horror and the color was drained from his face.

Just talking to this man was a death wish. Tanarb had seen for himself what he was capable of doing.

Still…

A holographic image flickered in the center of the room. It looked like a figure shrouded in a pitch-black cloak. His face made it hard to determine whether or not he was human. It was gnarled and withered as though it was rotting and his eyes looked more reptilian.

"G-Greetings, my…my Lord," Tanarb stammered. The ship is a-almost in our…quadrant. We'll s-soon h-have them, my Lord."

"Good," a cold, raspy voice, which sent a chill down everyone's spine, echoed inside the room. "Remember, Commander, I want everyone on board that vessel alive and unspoiled. Would you like me to demonstrate what will happen otherwise?"

"No! No, my Lord," Tanarb spoke quickly. "You'll have them. I promise you."

"Promises and results are two different things, Commander," the voice snarled before the image vanished.

Tanarb gasped for air. How did he get into this, he asked himself. More importantly, how was he going to get out? Alive!

As the image of the terrified commander faded, Darth Treachery turned to her direction.

"Get your ship ready," he said to her. "You will go to the Varronu system and join them. Then bring Lannon Solo to me."

"I must ask how you can stand them, Master." Although she was only sixteen, the dark tone in her voice made her seem older. "If it were me, I would have disposed of them immediately. They are nothing more than weak cowards."

"That they are, my child. But that is what makes them easy to intimidate. And those who can be intimidated can be controlled. It is best not to waste such resources until after their purpose has been served. Remember that, my young apprentice."

She bowed her head. "Yes, my Master."

As she left the room and headed to the hanger, she was lost in her dreams. Her dreams of destroying the Jedi and her master. She wanted nothing more than to be free of her master and her thirst for vengeance.

The day her dreams would be fulfilled would come, she knew. And she would wait patiently for that day.

For she was a Sith.

For she was an assassin.

She was Darth Slayer, the Sith Princess.