Chapter 10: Spice and Spies
Draikor's sparring blade nearly cracked against Lord Sarrick's blade. The two true Sith furiously attempted to overpower the other with sweat trickling down their bodies.
Lord Sarrick's confident smile met Draikor's similar expression. The Sith Lord thrust her hand out at the same moment Draikor did. The colliding telekinetic blows caused both true Sith to slide a few feet back. In the last moment, Draikor attempted to unleash his growing force drain. However, his orange beam was taken apart by the Sith Lord's violet Death Field.
Draikor braced himself, but the impact came into him like a crashing freighter. His muscles cried out like beasts and his teeth nearly cracked against each other. Despite this, Draikor manages to stay on his feet. His feet wobbled but they didn't give in.
Sarrick nodded.
"Good. Your strength and endurance grow with the force around you. All too important progress for an Immortal Juggernaut." Draikor nodded.
"You're a masterful instructor my Lord." Sarrick smirked in a satisfied manner.
"Superior to my dear Lord Galall."
Draikor returned her smirk with his own.
"I don't know. His skill are among the best I've ever seen."
"Is that so. Perhaps I've been going to easy on you then. Our next session will put your words to the test." Draikor gave a respectful bow before departing.
After a quick shower, Draikor came back out to the promenade's main area. There he noticed Vette sitting with Mako and Bakoren as they ate breakfast.
"There he is." Bakoren said as he waved Draikor over.
"I see you're still wanting to celebrate our victory yesterday." Draikor said smiling in a certain way as he looked at Vette. The young twi'lek woman still wearing her slave outfit, only now with her pistols holstered onto her waist.
Vette blushed intensely as she tried to look away.
"I just forgot how hot it was here on Nar Shadda is all. This getup is more comfortable and easier to breath in."
"I'm certainly not complaining." Draikor's comment nearly made the twi'lek tremble, though not in fear.
Draikor began to eat while looking across at Bakoren.
"How did your business with Rotta the Hutt go?"
Bakoren gave a satisfied nod.
"He paid me a million credits for Zann's head. Plus another half a million for Urai Fen." The chiss ripped a piece of bacon in half as he spoke.
"It's too bad none of the ones you killed had a bounty on them." Mako added.
"No need to worry, we have our own business venture. Speaking of which, I talked to some associates here. I think I can have that next map deciphered and completed in another day." Vette sounding proud as Draikor nodded.
"Excellent. That treasure will be ours." Draikor began to notice something else on her face. He could sense something longing in her mind. An almost unresolved sensation.
As Vette tried to take it out of her mind, she noticed Quinn a few yards away at the Imperial embassy. Beside him were the Imperial Naval Petty-Officer and the dancer from the previous day.
"What's lover boy up to now?" Vette wondered. Draikor soon took notice of this as well. The young woman was no longer adorned in her promiscuous dancer attire, but instead wore the grey uniform of an Imperial Navy recruit. Her hair was done up in a neat ponytail, and a duffle bag rested beside her.
Quinn shared a deep hug and warm kiss with her one more time before the Petty-Officer saluted him and lead the young woman away. Quinn gave a heavy sigh and made his way to the others.
"Good morning sir. Did you morning sparring go well." Draikor nodded while looking all too curious.
"What was that all about?" Quinn attempted not to blush.
"Yes, about that sir. Forgive my lack of professionalism. However, during our skirmish on the yacht, I noticed favorable traits within Erica. After the skirmish, we had a long discussion where I got to know her better."
"I'm sure he did." Vette whispered to Mako who chuckled a little. Quinn tightened his fist and attempted to ignore Vette.
"After speaking with her, I was positive she was wasted being just a dancer. She is meant to be a fighter pilot." Vette nearly choked on her fruit while Draikor's look grew ever more intrigued.
"What?" Vette nearly laughed.
"From her actions, I saw she was confident, but calculating, she was bold and precise and had a keen eye for strategic opportunities. All qualities I've seen in the best fighter pilots. I called in some favors and saw that she entered a condensed navy basic training course. Once she completes it, Erica will head to Night-fury fighter academy. After proper training, I'm confident she'll become a valued member of the Imperial Navy." Vette's earlier fun at Quinn's expense couldn't maintain itself.
Vette felt almost touched that Quinn would help someone who was essentially a slave find a better life. Even if it may have been for personal reasons in her opinion. Her smile grew when she saw Draikor nod in an approving manner.
"Well done Quinn. You recognized a potential asset and have made the Empire better for it." Quinn smiled with an approving nod.
"Thank you, sir." Draikor turned back to Bakoren.
"Is your business here concluded then?" The Chiss nodded.
"Yeah, Zann was my target here. Now I'm in the lead." Bakoren's excitement grew further.
"It's been a profitable stay, but the hunt must continue."
"And what will you spend that bounty money on?"
"Our ship could use a few upgrades. Our weapons as well." Bakoren nodded as Mako spoke.
"No lavish enjoyment with that money then?"
"What for, we were at the party of the century yesterday." The Chiss and true Sith nearly broke out in heavy laughter.
"In any case, we're leaving for our next target. Best of luck on your hunt."
"To yours as well." After breakfast, Draikor and his companions walked into another room in the embassy. An Imperial Navy technician sat behind a workbench with a few tools around him as he disassembled the communicator from the previous day.
"Well, sir, whoever made this was no fool. The encryption is some of the most solid I've ever seen."
"Commander Quinn led me to believe you could trace the signal." Draikor sounded almost impatient as he stared at the technician.
"Petty-Officer Newman can decipher it given time, sir." Quinn added in a supportive manner.
"Don't worry sir, I'll get it. However, I do have something for you already." Draikor's interest was peaked.
"Go on?"
"I traced a signal a few minutes ago to the Red light sector. The signal was an encoded transmission to another receiver. I've seen this kind of signal before, it's usually the kind given to transmit orders for military operations. I couldn't decode the actual message, but it could take some time."
Draikor stroked his chin as he thought about what Newman said.
"Something's going on in the Red-Light sector and I want to know what." Vette nodded.
"I guess that means we're heading out then."
"Don't worry sir, I'll keep you updated on my progress." Newman said after he saluted the Sith and Commander.
Within a few minutes, the three sat together in a speeder. Vette sat beside Draikor and took some amusement upon noticing Quinn's continued frustration in his attempts to decipher the map. Despite this appearance, Draikor could still sense the longing feeling inside her.
"Vette are you well?"
"Huh!?" Vette almost jumped hearing this from Draikor.
"Huh!? Oh, I'm fine." Draikor wasn't convinced.
"If there's something bothering you I need to know now. You probably know better than I how dangerous some of these streets can be. I can't have you getting yourself hurt because your mind isn't in the right place."
Vette took a deep breath and tried to ease herself.
"It's nothing. I can deal with it later. Don't worry I'll keep my head in the moment." Draikor slowly turned back to the skies ahead of him.
"Vette what do you know about the Red-Light district?"
"It's not a pleasant place, to say the least." Vette's voice holding familiar angst to it.
"My old crew and I once pulled a heist there and nearly got killed. The spice gangs are so vicious, even the Hutt's have trouble enforcing control over it."
Draikor continued to scour his mind for ideas.
"What would Rathari want there?"
"I have no idea, but if anything's going on those spice gangs will know." Draikor slowly nodded.
Within minutes they arrived at the Red-Light district. As the name implied, the streets were lit only by red lights. This, however, did little to hide their foul nature. Even as they landed, Draikor smell the fold stench. He could see the filth piling up and growing. Then there was the noise. Horrible screams and shouts coming from every direction.
A few Hutt mercenaries and security droids stood at the landing pad.
"Welcome to the Red-Light sector." The speeder droid said.
A Weequay mercenary approached the three. An eyepatch covering his left eye.
"Alright Sith, let me lay down the situation for you here. As soon as you walk out of this landing pad you're on your own." Draikor replied to the cold statement with a heated gaze.
"Does it look like we'll need help." The Weequay stuttered.
"I mean, you, we. I'll get out of your way." Vette smirked at the alien's frightened face. However, as they walked Vette noticed many of the mercenaries stare at her closely. Vette was a little confused until she remembered what she was wearing.
The twi'lek's face turning another shade of red again as she reconsidered if it was still worth wearing. If her main motivation for doing so was worth it.
However, such things fell out of her mind when they got to the streets. The odor that had been evident even in the speeder was now almost unbearable.
Vette almost had to cover her nose to keep herself from gagging. Quinn and Draikor similarly endured the smell.
The people around them didn't look any better. Many wallowed in the streets, unwashed and reeking of spice. Vette looked at them with sympathy while Quinn almost looked disgusted. Draikor on the other hand simply felt almost assured of himself.
Draikor knew if this planet had been under imperial control this street would be cleaned up and the gangs put down with proper efficiency.
As they walked, Draikor felt something off-putting. He couldn't quite put his hand on it, but it was if he could sense the gazing eyes of other beings from a distance gazing at them.
"Wait." Vette said. One hand was raised while the other pointed to something disturbing going on across the street.
Draikor could see a spice-ridden Duros shaking as he handed all of his credits to a small human child. The child seemed less dirty and destitute than that aliens, but still in rough condition.
The child took out a handful of spice wrapped in plastic and placed it in the shaking Duros's hand.
"Go." The child said coldly.
The Duros walked as best he could away.
"A child spice trafficker? Only here I suppose." Quinn sounded even more disgusted than before.
Vette subtly motioned towards a pair of large aliens watching the child. A kaleesh and a Nikto. Both keeping a watchful eye on the child.
"I see…..Perhaps they will have the information we seek." Vette shook her head.
"They're just enforcers, only their boss would know something of value." Draikor slowly nodded as he took out a stack of credits and a tracking device.
"Then we find him." Vette and Quinn's eyes widened.
Vette carefully approached the child. The boy's eyes shooting to her instantly upon seeing her attire. The twi'lek almost groaned in annoyance but kept her guise up.
"My master has a party planned. He needs the best stuff." Vette handing the stack of credits to the boy.
Not a moment later, the Nikto took the credits out of Vette's hand.
"We'll take that." The boy handed Vette five packs of spice while Vette kept one eye on the two enforcers who walked away.
Once they were gone, Draikor and Quinn emerged from the shadows and surrounded the boy.
"Huh!?" The child shook upon seeing Draikor stand over him.
He reached for a blaster in his pocket, but Draikor seized the weapon and crushed it in his hand. However, as the child nearly collapsed, Draikor took his collected profits and placed it back into the boy's hands.
"If I were you, I'd leave this district."
Draikor further emphasized his point by tossing the spice into a nearby pile of burning trash.
Nearby addicts nearly shrieked as they sprinted over to try and put the fire out. The boy ran back the way they came towards the speeders.
Ten minutes later, Draikor stood with his companions outside what appeared to be an abandoned shopping center. Three large aliens stood guard outside. The stench of death surrounding them.
"The tracker is still on sir, it's in there."
Draikor nodded to Quinn as he drew his lightsaber.
"I say it's time we cleaned up these streets."
Inside the abandoned complex, a fat twi'lek sat on a large couch. Expensive clothes on his back and a jeweled ring on of his fingers.
On the table in front of him sat a stack of credits and a pile of spice.
"Five-thousand credits off one buyer! Huh, that sounds almost too good to be true." The twi'lek laughed as he ran his hand through the stack of credits. The twi'lek jumped with the sound of an explosion on the other side of the door.
His men inside the room drew their weapons and aimed them at the door. On the other side, they could hear screams of terror mixed with blaster fire. But there was also another sound. Strange energy that carried a slicing sound before each scream.
The twi'lek and his men began to shake as the blasts got louder and louder until they went silent. Only a humming noise could be heard from the other side now. The noise persisted for what felt like an eternity. Each gang member beginning to sweat and shake waiting for-
The door hurled itself from the latches and carried two of the gang members back with it. Draikor dashed in with every incoming blaster bolt sent away by his lightsaber. The nearest gangsters were decapitated by his counter blows. The rest found themselves burned down by Vette and Quinn's fire.
"Whew, it smells worse in here than the streets." Vette said while waving her hand over her face.
Draikor scanned the room until he found the twi'lek boss shaking as he tried to pull out a blaster pistol. The true Sith held his hand out and crushed the pistol within the twi'lek's hand.
"Ghaaah!" With a swift jerk, Draikor dragged the alien to him. The true Sith and his companions now loomed over the alien.
"Hey, I don't want any trouble with the Empire. I'm just running a business here." The trembling alien held his hand up with terror across his face. Vette's rage grew seeing the piles of spice in the room and the look of the gang leader.
Draikor grabbed the twi'lek by the next and held him against the wall.
"I require information on this sector. Your life depends on this knowledge." The flames emanating from Draikor's presence brought even more sweat down the alien's back.
"Ok, ok. What did you want to know?"
"Have any other Imperials come through here?"
"No, imps don't hang out here. Plus I'd know if they did, you guys aren't hard to miss."
Draikor kept his grip and slowly inhaled.
"What about anything unusual?"
"Out of the ordinary for this place. I guess the staffs haven't shown up. Bad for business too."
"Staffs?" Vette turning her head slightly in confusion.
"Oh right. A few years ago these guys started showing up here. They paid the urchins on the streets to do some odd jobs for them once a week."
"Odd jobs?" Quinn asked.
"Yeah, random things. Moving crates around and changing lights."
Draikor noticed the all too intrigued expression on Quinn's face.
"Where exactly did these staff members come from?"
"One of my men saw them come out of an old apartment complex off Darrow street." Quinn smiled in satisfaction.
"Sir, I believe we have all that is required." The true Sith turned back to the still trembling twi'lek in his hand.
"Please don't kill me."
"You made your money off selling spice. It's brought decay to these streets." Vette and Quinn watched closely in anticipation.
"Why don't you try it yourself." Draikor tossed the fat twi'lek into the pile of spice. The red powder puffed up like a cloud around him. The alien squirmed and rattled like he was having a seizure. His pupils dilated and the man began laughing uncontrollably.
Vette almost laughed watching this.
"Never indulge in your own product." She joked while scooping up the now scattered pile of credits.
"Woah! He had a hundred and twenty-thousand credits here." Draikor nodded while taking the money and splitting it up. The Sith took sixty-thousand of the credits for himself and split the rest between his companions.
"Thank you." Quinn said. Vette's eyes widened in shock as she saw the stack of credits handed to her.
"Really?"
Draikor slowly nodded with a smile.
"Are you still not convinced I don't see you as my slave?" Vette almost laughed as her face blushed.
She turned back to the shaking gang leader and the pile of spice around him.
"That spice is probably worth twice as much as this."
Draikor shook his head in disgust.
"I don't deal in spice." Vette nodded in relief while Quinn smiled in a satisfied manner after he heard Draikor's response.
The three walked back to the entryway as Quinn shut the door to the streets.
"Sir I believe I know what's going on in this district. I've read case studies and reports of similar signs."
"Signs of what?"
"The New Republic Intelligence Service." Draikor's eyes nearly lit up.
"Go on."
"In past cases, they were known to choose run-down areas like this to keep a low profile. They would hire street urchins to replace hidden cameras around the streets."
Draikor held his chin and thought about the presence he felt before. They were being watched, perhaps Quinn was right.
"Kallus was a double agent. I'll bet that was his post." Vette said while Draikor nodded.
"Yes, that makes sense. Hold on, Newman said that he intercepted encrypted military orders. The signal led to here." Draikor raised his head with a look of realization.
"He's planning an assault on the republic's listening post."
"He could very well be. But if the orders were sent, then the attack has likely already begun." Quinn added.
"Hold on, the spice dealers said they didn't see any Imperials in the streets." Vette said while Draikor carefully thought.
"Unless he's not attacking with regular troopers. In any case, this is an opportunity we cannot pass up. Let's go!"
"Wait, what if Lord Rathari is present. Darth Baras said we'd need to assassinate him." Quinn started until he saw Draikor's all too aggressive expression.
"Then we'll think on our feet." Vette eagerly looked at Quinn. But was disappointed to find no fear in his face. Only stern acceptance.
"Then we shall."
The three made their way across the Red-Light district until they found the apartment complex. The area around the complex seemed completely abandoned.
No street urchins or gang members could be seen for blocks. The doorway was open and intense blaster fire could be heard inside.
"It seems we were right." Quinn said as Draikor carefully reached out to the complex.
He sensed great fear, aggression, and angst. However, he felt no powerful force users were inside.
"Lord Rathari isn't here."
"You sure?" Vette asked as she sounded almost relieved.
Draikor nodded.
"Still his men are likely inside."
"Our men." Quinn showed immense reluctance across his face. Draikor tightened his fist in a similar conflict.
"They could know where he is, or even where Kallus is." Vette's words had a bittersweet sensation to them.
Draikor forced himself forward with his companions close behind.
Once inside, they immediately saw the exterior was but a facade. The atrium had a reception desk and a deactivated shield door with a carpet laid out. While walking in, the three saw the aftermath of an attack. Half a dozen Republic agents lay dead across the entryway. Smoking blaster bolts decorated across their white uniforms.
Draikor carefully scanned the room as he kept his lightsaber gripped tightly.
"I know you're there. Reveal yourselves." Only a moment later did seven individuals emerge from thin air. Their' stealth field generators deactivating to reveal themselves as Imperial Intelligence operatives. Each armed with a blaster carbine and knife.
The lead agent stared at the three very suspiciously.
"Who are you? We weren't expecting reinforcements." Her eyes remained fixed on Draikor as he noticed her finger on the trigger.
"Where is Lord Rathari?" Draikor's words held a hot metal.
The lead agent attempted to pull a stun grenade out but was enveloped by a surge of red force lightning. Draikor's fist sent the wave out and around all seven agents. Each groaning in immense pain. The apprentice cut down the lead agent and her nearest companions while Vette and Quinn gunned down those closest to them.
Vette could see the frustration in Draikor and the sorrow in Quinn as they were forced to kill fellow Imperials. The sound of nearby blaster fire, however, forced them to forget such feelings.
Upon continuing into the next chamber they saw it was the main area of the listening post. The brown room had a series of computers at one end and ventilation equipment on the other side. The other end was slightly more elevated.
Two small ramps led up to it with makeshift barricades set up between them.
A few more dead Republic agents and dismantled droids rested near the computer terminals. Standing over them was another squad of Imperial operatives exchanging fire with unseen Republic survivors behind the barricade.
The lead agent held a hand to his earpiece.
"Second squad we have the last of them pinned down. Move in and eliminate them. Second squad, second squad come in." The man's mustache twitched in fear. He soon had his answer once he saw Draikor emerge with his companions.
"What's going on here? Can you not see we're in the middle of an assault…..Wait a minute, I recognize you. You're the Sith who killed Lord Rathari's apprentice."
A proud gaze appeared on Draikor's face.
"Tell me what I want and you may continue serving the empire." The lead agent waved his men at Draikor.
"Kill them all!"
Draikor viciously lunged forward, but the operative dove backward and cloaked himself. Two of the other operatives fired a few shots at Draikor. But he deflected them away long enough for Quinn and Vette to gun them down.
The remaining operatives got into new positions of cover whilst Vette and Quinn did the same.
Draikor attempted to sense the operative, but he had clearly been trained well in concealing his emotions. Draikor's body convulses in a horrific sensation. A stun charge embedding itself into his back as the operative re-emerged.
With the true Sith going limp he attempted to knife the back of his neck. However, Draikor mustered his strength after channeling his rage. With his regained strength, Draikor was able to turn his head enough to lift the operative off his feet with a force scream.
The man regained himself and vanished again.
Draikor's breath turned harsher while he scanned the chamber. The operative emerged behind Draikor once again. A scatter blaster raised against his foe. Draikor furiously slashed around, his lightsaber cutting the barrel of the blaster off just before the trigger could be pulled.
The operative's eyes widened when his blaster clicked with nothing coming out of the end. He dove backward and attempted to cloak himself again. But Draikor charged through the air and slammed his lightsaber through the center of the man's chest.
His body collapsed down with the impact of the lightsaber. Draikor pulled his lightsaber free and noticed the room was now silent. Vette and Quinn emerged from cover after having killed the remaining operatives.
"Alright, we did it." Vette's excited face irritated Quinn to no end as he gave a mournful gaze on the dead Imperials.
Draikor searched the lead operative's body until he found his communicator.
"Wait, listen." Quinn said holding his hand up.
Draikor could hear voices coming from the other side of the barricade. In the rush of the fight, he had forgotten about the Republic survivors Rathari's men had been fighting.
"Maybe we should just leave them." Vette said. Draikor turned to the barricade and violently thrust his hands forward.
The collected metal burst apart and revealed a clear path.
Quinn gave an eager expression while Vette simply took a deep breath.
Draikor walked up first, his lightsaber raised as he saw the survivors. However, they were not at all what he expected. Ten men were before them, but these were not agents, they were soldiers. Not just any soldiers either.
Their bodies were covered from head to toe in white armor very similar to their stormtroopers with blue stripes along the centers of their chest plates, along the shoulder plates, along the greaves, and above the tops of their visors for those who wore helmets. The helmets also greatly resembled that of their stormtroopers, with all but two of the men wearing them.
Draikor recognized this armor from footage of old battles and archived pictures. These weren't support troopers, they were republic heavy-infantry. Shock troopers trained to fight in direct and intense confrontations on a battlefield. They were only Republic soldiers that could give stormtroopers a proper challenge.
But why were they here? Could they have been providing security? No, support troopers would have been the more likely option. Their presence made Draikor even more intrigued.
Two of the men were wounded and being tended to by a medic.
The two soldiers without helmets spotted Draikor first. Those who could still stand raised their helmets. The larger of the unmasked soldiers slowly approached. His face fair with a shaved head and green eyes.
The second was Quinn's size. His skin dark, and his hair black with a Republic army sigil tattooed across his face.
"Hold your fire!" The lead soldier shouted.
"Captain that's a Sith!" The other unmasked soldier protested.
"I said hold your fire!"
Draikor could sense a mixture of fear and confusion inside the Republic captain as he approached Draikor with his hands out.
"Alright Sith, I don't know what's going on here. But we don't want anything to do with it."
Draikor waved his hand at Quinn and Vette, whose weapons were raised. The two eased themselves a little when they saw Draikor's hand.
"What is a squad of republic shock troopers doing in an Intelligence Listening post?" Draikor asked with a grin.
The captain grit his teeth.
"That's classified Sith."
Draikor lowered his lightsaber and deactivated it. Much to the surprise of the other soldiers.
"What's your name?"
"Captain James Tulson. Republic 56th Heavy-Infantry division. Leader of Aqua Squadron."
Draikor looked at the Republic soldiers with interest. Though reluctant interest at best. As much rage and aggression as he felt towards his enemies. Draikor couldn't deny a sense of opportunity he had before him.
"We saved your lives here. That means they belong to me."
"We don't belong to you Sith!" The unmasked soldier roared as he raised his weapon again.
"Corporal that's enough!" The captain slowly inhaled while holding his face.
"Look Sith, I can appreciate the fact that you saved us. But we're not betraying the Republic."
"I'm not asking you to betray the Republic. I'm asking you to help me hunt a Sith Lord." All eyes in the room including Draikor's companions shot to him. Mixed expressions filled them.
Draikor attempted to keep himself calm and appearing sure of himself. Only Vette could see the heavy toll it was taking on him.
"You want us to help you kill another Sith?" The captain almost couldn't comprehend the words he heard.
Draikor could only nod.
"Sir, we can't trust a Sith!"
"He saved us, corporal." Draikor took out another communicator and handed it to the captain.
"I'll contact you when the time comes. Remember what I did for you."
The captain slowly nodded before he turned to his men.
"Get Markens and Ramith on their feet, we're moving out." The corporal gave Draikor one more fierce stare before leaving with the others.
"Sir, all due respect. But what is this? We're letting them go! They're our enemies!" Quinn's voice holding a heat he hadn't heard from the commander before.
Draikor's head shot to Quinn's with all of the pent up aggression now coming out in a feral gaze.
"I know! You don't think I would have enjoyed cutting down the Republic scum! But our mission is Kallus and Rathari. They have most of the Imperial Forces here under their control! We have only ourselves!" Draikor attempted to catch his breath. The heat from his voice nearly making his companions sweat.
"Those soldiers could prove useful to us."
"All due respect sir, if they betray us?" Draikor crossed his arms.
"They won't. I could sense no deception in them. Soldiers don't hide their true selves. Besides, if they turned on us as we fought Rathari they would be alone against him."
Quinn took a heavy breath and held his face for a moment.
"It's not ideal. But we must ensure the mission is completed by any means necessary….." The objection in his voice overshadowed by his discipline.
Vette put her hand on Draikor's shoulder. Her warm smile gave him some ease.
"I think it was a very smart plan."
Draikor attempted to smile but found it almost to difficult.
Author's note
The hunt continues as Draikor makes some unexpected allies
The next chapter will bring even more excitement but there's not too much more to say
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)