A/N: I decided to combine chapters 3 & 4 into one post as they are short and the flow of the story feels interrupted. To give you an idea about family connections here is what the linkage is: Kennayil - Human/Zabrak male, S.I.; Chrensha (SHren'sha) - Human/Togruta female, B.H.; Rish'tak - Human/Zabrak male, S.W. Each of their stories will give better understanding of the individual personalities.
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Kennayil check his chrono as he walked through the door to the Blue Orb Cantina. He had made excellent time, there was still 25 minutes to go. He diminished his presence and put a feeler out to locate her. There, on the second floor. She was nervous. Moving with a purpose, but not rushing, Kennayil made his way to her.
Zentriia (smiling and projecting relief): It's good to see you again.
Kennayil (returning her smile): And you. This is a bit closer to Republic area's than I would prefer. But it is worth it to see you again.
He sat down next to her. Close enough to touch, but still not so close as to make her uncomfortable. He waited for her to say more.
Zentriia (speaks hesitantly): I don't know how much time we have. My master has been hinting pretty strongly that he's aware I'm up to something. It scares me. He – It's.. (pauses momentarily to figure out what to say). Kenn, I need you to understand. I care a great deal about you. I don't want to see you hurt by him.
Kennayil (frowns and looks up): He's here. Isn't he? And I bet that incident with the Jedi… (voice trails off).
Zentriia looks up sharply, fear now in her eyes. The Jedi set a trap for him? No no no nonononono.
Zentriia (her voice a strained whisper): Kenn, you have to leave. Now. They set a trap for us. Run. Please!
Master Vren: Stay where you are Sith. And keep your hands where I can see them.
Even the force-blind could feel the betrayal radiating for Zentriia. Her master had betrayed/lied to her. And now the one she cares for will suffer.
Kennayil (his voice carefully neutral): You should have left us in peace Jedi. I did not come here looking for a fight. Your padawan has information that I need. She was more than willing to trade it for the promise of no violence towards anyone, (his voice drips with the threat) for now.
Vren: You Sith don't keep your promises, unless it's convenient to you. (looks at Zentriia) Did your new "friend" tell you that he just killed Master Kelrin's padawan this morning?
Kennayil (calm but hostile): The only person I killed today was a traitor to the Empire and me personally. He stole a project I was working on. If that Jedi had not interfered, then Crental would still be alive.
Zentriia (desperate): Master, please. Isn't there some way to just leave this alone. I made a bargain, a promise of safe passage. Are you going to make a liar out of me? Is that what Jedi have become? Keeping promises only when convenient.
Vren: Remain silent Zentriia. You will be taken before the Council. They, will decide your fate.
Kennayil (his eyes glowing slightly with his anger): And what do you plan on doing to her? Seal off her ability to use the Force? Wipe her memory like you did to Revan? (Seeing the surprised look on Vren's face, he laughs) Didn't think I'd know about that one, did you? I am a Sith Inquisitor! I deal in knowledge. With knowledge comes wisdom. That should be something that you Jedi believe in. And yet, here I am again, being forced to deal with the close mindedness of the Jedi ORDER! At least with my Order I know what to expect because everyone has the same belief! Your Republic is a chaotic, disorganized mess. Your own Order is constantly stamping down anyone who dares to believe in something other than what they preach. (standing) Good day to you Padawan Zentriia. Remember this day. And I hope that the next time we meet, you will not be as closed minded as these fools who lead you today.
As Kennayil begins moving towards the rail, Master Vren strikes out at him with the Force. The blow sent him sideways into a pillar. The blow knocks the wind out of him, and he falls to the ground barely conscious. Vren strides forward and stabs downward towards Kennayil's heart. Instinct moves Kennayil's hand, and he barely manages to deflect the blow. He rolls toward the Jedi Master and swings wildly, forcing the Jedi to jump backwards or lose his legs. Kennayil gets to his feet and takes a ready stance. He snaps a Static Barrier around himself and uses Lightening to attack his opponent from a distance. Vren launches several loose chairs at Kennayil, quickly depleting the shield. Vren closes within striking distance so fast, it appeared as if he had teleported. Kennayil is stunned, but manages to shake off the effects quickly. Unfortunately, it was not quick enough. Vren attacks with a flurry of blows attempting to break through Kennayil's guard. Kennayil force pushes Vren off him and strikes with a jolt of Force designed to stun. Vren moves back within striking distance as if the attack was no more than a feather's touch.
Kennayil begins to realize that he is seriously out classed. He begins searching for a way out, but only one option comes to mind. Kill the Jedi Master. Drawing upon his hatred of the Jedi Order, Kennayil begins launching a series of Force based attacks. Pumping himself full of the Force, his speed increases. A series of attacks with his lightsaber are interspaced with quick bursts of Force Lightening. Encouraged by his success, Kennayil pushes even harder. His vision narrows down to his prey. Nothing else matters, he must kill this animal. Now entirely consumed by his rage, Kennayil possesses strength beyond normal. Vren notices the change in his opponent. This was the opening he needed. Vren knocks Kennayil against the same pillar and lounges. His lightsaber pierces Kennayil through the chest. Before Kennayil could collapse, Vren deactivates his lightsaber.
Vren (leaning forward): It didn't have to come to this young Sith. All you had to do was turn yourself in to me and I'd have seen to it that you were treated farely.
Kennayil (turns his head to look at Zentriia): You see? This… this is what *cough* what I was sa-saying. Th… g'bye, my friend.
Zentriia, still standing where she was when the fighting started, is stunned. She just cannot believe what happened. Her master just attacked without provocation. Kennayil was going to leave peacefully. She was dumbfounded. How could her master do this? Zentriia's world was collapsing, spiraling down into depths of anger, loss, and confusion. Everything she had ever believed in had just been ripped apart. Yes, she knew who was right. She moved to Kennayil's side to heal him, only to be blocked by Master Vren.
Vren (calm and neutral): Leave him. He is dead now. (voice now sturn) You violated your oath as a Jedi and as a citizen of the Republic. Not only did you consort with the enemy, but you started to fall in love with him. I am hereby placing you under arrest pending a tribunal to determine your future.
Vren took her lightsaber and placed her in binders. Inside, Zentriia was hollow. She had nothing. The slim chance she had to save her friend was gone now, the last spark of life having faded away. She let the guards with Vren guide her away. There was nothing left for her to fight for. As they walked off, a shadow detached itself from a hidden alcove.
Chrensha (looking sad): Now I see what you've been up to "brother."
Chrensha applies a kolto pack to her brother, and then checks on his vitals. It is a good thing those Jedi had missed him slipping into his trance, because it was the only thing keeping him alive. Picking him up, she takes him outside to an awaiting air car. Placing him gently in the passenger seat, she jumps in then heads for the spaceport. His ship should have the gear to heal his body.
Kennayil awakens to the sounds of his ships medical bay. Sitting up slowly, he groans.
Kennayil: Ooooo. I feel like I've been run over by a herd of bantha.
Chrensha: Well, at least you don't look like bantha poo doo anymore.
Kennayil automatically reached for his lightsaber, but it was not there. The human woman before him was holding it out to him. Cautiously, he reached out and took it from her. He placed it back on his belt.
Kennayil (weary): Obviously, you don't mean to kill me, hunter. So I am wondering, why are you here? And who are you?
Chrensha (humor coloring her voice): My name is Chrensha. And believe it or not, you are my older half-brother. I know that sounds crazy, but we share the same sire. I want him dead, just like you do. We also have a younger brother. He's Sith, just like you. Only he chose the path of a warrior. I don't have much time now, but I will contact you as soon as I finish the Great Hunt. There's a datapad on your bed. It has all the data I was able to find about our sire. I just ask that when the time comes to kill him, you let me know. I want in on it. The pad also has our brother's contact data on it.
Kennayil: IF what you say is true, and I will verify it through my own sources, but, if it is true, then you have my word that you, our brother, and I will kill him, together.
Chrensha nods, understandingly. She would have been disappointed if he just took her at her word.
Chrensha (pointing at his lightsaber): It was damaged during your fight with the Jedi Master. I took the liberty of upgrading it.
Kennayil takes out his lightsaber and ignites it. The blade is now orange/white, instead of the traditional red. A smile creeps across his face as he looks up. She has left. Kennayil gets out of bed and heads for the airlock. He still has a mission to perform.
Kennayil paid the fare to the taxi he hired and got out. Looking around he was surprised to see how decayed the area was. It was not very efficient means of keeping unwanted people out. To Kennayil, if you wanted to keep people from noticing you, you wouldn't allow your territory to fall into decay. It was not his place to be judge and executioner to the Black Sun. At least, not today anyway. Although, it did give him an idea on how to start building up his own base of operations, but that would be later. For now he needed to focus on the job at hand. He almost missed the insignia he was looking for. Hidden amoung the countless graffiti on the side of one of the buildings. Yes, there it is. His master's emblem, carefully designed to look like bad artwork. Walking down the alley, Kennayil felt a presence through the Force. Then two others joined it, following him down the alley. Several more were ahead, and they were hunting. Kennayil grinned to himself. Finally, he had a means of taking out his frustrations from his meeting with the Jedi Master.
Thinking of the Jedi filled Kennayil with rage. He tempered it, and placed it at the ready so it could be used to fuel his abilities. He would let them make the first move. Silently they closed the distance and sealed off the exit from the alley.
Thug 1: Well, well. Look at what we have here boys. You lost little man? We can help you out. For a small fee.
The others laugh harshly at the joke. They were anticipating the joy they would feel in attacking him. Such fools they are.
Kennayil (his voice neutral): I'm not lost. I have been looking for you.
Kennayil pulls his hood back to give them a good look at him. One of them hisses and starts to back up. He checks the move before his 'friends' notice, but Kennayil could sense his sudden fear.
Thug 2: Hey. Hey, um, guys. We should leave this one alone. He's a Sith.
Thug 3: So? There's eight of us and one of him. Sith can die just like anyone else.
Thug 2: Fuck you. I've seen these guys in action. Just one is deadly. And they NEVER travel alone. I'm out of here.
The second thug barely has time to turn around before the first one shoots him in the back of his head.
Thug 1: Anyone else wanna turn coward? HUH!? Didn't think so. (turning back towards Kennayil) C'mon little Sith. Let's see if you're people are all they're cracked up to be.
Kennayil Force pushes the thugs in front of him backwards. He does not wait to see how many fall, instead he immediately turns to face the oncoming thugs behind him. Focusing his will, he creates a storm of Force Lightening around all of them. Since the idiots were dumb enough to stand close together, all three of them found themselves shocked by lightening. The attack kills two. By the time the storm is over the other four have recovered and taken up positions behind trash bins and other debris. Kennayil runs in close to Thug 3 and slices both his arms off. The thug falls to the ground screaming. The first thug activates a grenade and tosses it at Kennayil, but the throw goes wild and flies past its intended target. The two stunned thugs never knew what hit them. The grenade went off just as it landed at their feet.
By this point Kennayil was fending off blaster fire with his lightsaber. He attempted to redirect the fire back at the shooter, but he was not skilled enough to do anything but force them to keep their heads down. He sent a quick bolt out to stun the first thug, who could only watch helplessly has Kennayil walked up to him and slowly sliced him open across the gut. The pain radiating from his victim was a siren call for Kennayil. But the image of Zentriia flashed through his mind and ruined the mood for him. He quickly finished off the other two and then walked over to the gutted fool on the ground.
Kennayil: You, I will leave alive. Because the dead learn nothing. Next time one of your minions decides to warn you about someone, you should listen to them.
Kennayil sends a burst of dark healing energy towards his victim. The wounds close enough to no longer be non-lethal, but the pain remains. Kennayil laughs darkly as he walks off, following the marks of his master's agent. It was only a matter of minutes before Kennayil came upon a small, hole in the wall bar. As he walked in, he knew he would have to return when he had some free time. This was the perfect place to hang out and remain hidden. The only illumination came from the bar itself. The transparent bar top showed an assortment of alcohol and the bartender's favorite weapons.
Bartender: HEY! I said what do you want?
Kennayil (eyes sparkling): Sorry. I was admiring your collection. I am positively in lust over that Roth RVX-12. They haven't made a rifle like that in over a hundred years. Does it still work?
Bartender (his voice softening a bit): You like, huh? Disturb any of my regulars and you'll find out just how well it works. Republic made it illegal since it uses hyper-velocity rounds.
Kennayil (nodded understanding): And yet they will issue rail-guns to their troops. Good thing the Republic has no authority here. Gimme something that will burn on its way down, and spread like a herd of spooked nerf.
The bartender walked off and pulled something out of his fridge. Kennayil paid him for his beer and looked for some place to vanish into. Finding a spot that kept his back to the wall and facing to door was not hard. It seemed that unless you were at the bar, every table was set up to do so. Smiling to himself, he chose an empty table with a direct shot out the door in case he needed to make a hasty retreat. He was half way through his beer when a hooded creature sat at his table.
Kennayil (not looking up from his beer): Unless you have a death wish "friend," I would suggest you find some new place to sit.
Hood (lays a coin on the table): I believe you and I should have a chat.
Kennayil used the Force to flip the coin over, then looked up at the stranger. The Chiss looked to be around 16 standard years old, but there was no denying the coin. This was the one he was looking for, and it would seem his master's agent was alive and well.
Kennayil: Darth Ravenous has been looking for you. It would seem you have information that he requires.
Hood (retrieves his coin): My name is Al'andar. Most just call me Al. I need a secure line to the boss. The target he sent me after is now dead. But his friends are searching for me, and they will not give up until I'm dead, or they lose my trail.
Kennayil: Then we need to leave. There's a force of Jedi on Nar Shadda. They're up to something, and I need to see what it is. I've run into several in the last few days, far more than all the previous years added together.
Al'andar (looks up sharply): Damn. I think I know what they're after. We need to hurry. If I what I think is true, we'll need the boss's support before we can do anything about it.
Both males got up from their tables and silently walked out. After a few moments, a shadow detached itself from the wall and followed behind them.
[To be continued...]
