A/N: I'm so sorry guys. All I can say is 'English and Design Technology coursework' D:
I promise that I will upload at least once before next weekend to make up for my horrible gap. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think!
Ta-ta!
Kylo Ren snarled under his breath as he was shunted past by yet another person on the busy streets of Coruscant. They had landed in a relatively small clearing as far away as they could get from the city before heading towards the bright metropolis of lights.
He had donned concealing civilian clothing over his usual black affair of pants, boots and a tunic, head still covered by a hood and so was utterly unrecognisable. His Knights were strategically positioned around him: he could be seen, but they were invisible and inconspicuous.
Kylo was suddenly struck with an image of Hux trying to blend into the thick Coruscant crowd, accompanied by a squadron of his 'faithful' Stormtroopers. No, the Knights were the correct choice. Elite. Functioning as separate entities yet still making up an infallible system. They knew what he wanted to happen almost before he himself did.
Almost on cue, the gaudily dressed man that had shoved him went tumbling to the floor, and Kylo could only make out a thin shadow flickering away into the swarm of colours. The gesture was overly petty, but who was he to complain?
After a few more minutes of fighting his way through the crowd and sidling down several reeking back allies, Ren had finally found himself in the heart of one of the Galactic City's most popular red-light districts. His Knights had finally come into view, slipping along in the shadows of the streets adjacent to his.
It was a simple matter to investigate which whore houses the Senator had frequented in the last few months. A pattern was easily discernable, and it had taken less than a planetary hour to bribe the owner into allowing them access to the premises through a back entrance, and the promise to give them any information they required when they were there.
They travelled unhindered for several minutes before Kylo Ren finally rounded a corner and his eyes fell open the garishly loud building that was his goal. A large structure the size of the docking-bay of the Finalizer and painted a thick oily black towered in front of him, littered with all manner of bright pink and red neon signs, holograms, and posters, all flashing and flickering ostentatiously.
The artificial lights that pulsed above them only served to push the silhouetted group even further into the shadows and away from prying eyes. One by one shadows peeled away from the whole, flakes of ash from an inferno, until Ren and one other swept into a dark crevice between two buildings, and found themselves in front of a dusky grey door.
Two sharp raps on the reinforced metal granted them entry, and they were ushered inside the backroom hurriedly by their informant. The thin willowy woman with dark blue eyes eyed the two shadowy figures with trepidation as they took in their surroundings, and tried desperately to still the shaking of her tattooed, ring-clad hands.
Over the sound of her many bangles and jewels clanking together was a deep thrumming base which reverberated through the very foundations of the building. The room they were in was bathed with a rich crimson glow, which was most likely a theme throughout the establishment, judging from the signs outside.
"Your silence is ensured?"
"Here at Nova, secrecy is paramount for the safety of clientele and our workers." As if realising the irony of her statement in comparison to what she was staying silent about, the woman chuckled uncomfortably and kept her eyes away from the two imposing figures in front of her.
"And where will I find our VIP?" Kylo questioned softly, his words muffled under the thick fabric of his hood, and the thick hot air, smelling of sex and alcohol even in the remote corner of the whore-house.
"Out in the front room: being entertained by one of our main attractions, Jezebel. I can lead you through..?"
"Please." The dry imperative was blatant, and the woman gulped before heading towards the front room, where all customers where served before either moving upstairs or removing themselves from the property. "The girl?"
"Will come straight back down once you enter, and will act as if nothing has happened. There is no surveillance, and any recording equipment on her clothes can easily be broken underfoot. The practises have gone flawlessly, and she won't fail me. Or you."
They had reached the lounge by this point, and the Knight was quick to hand the host her credits. She shook and sweated profusely, looking pale and uncomfortable behind her layers of flawless make-up, but pointed the Senator and his entertainment out before sinking into the crowd of heavily perfumed bodies.
Ren's eyes stayed locked on the older male reclining on the hot pink sofa and the blonde girl giggling in his lap as he carved his way through the crowd. He was sure the girl, Jezebel, had looked up more than once and caught sight of both black figures, but merely went back to what she was supposed to be doing.
Kylo cringed and batted away yet another woman as the smell of sweat, booze, and artificial roses filled his nose. As if the pounding music and sea of gyrating bodies weren't enough to be getting on with, the bints seemed to be magnetised to the tall and imposing image he presented.
Skimming past yet another couple that were going at it in full view of everyone, his blood pressure rose further when he realised the fluffy recliner had, in his distraction, been occupied by two half naked males, both determined to steal the air from the other's lungs.
His eyes absently flicked over the shadowed figure that faced him from across the room, but by the time his brain had caught up and he forced his eyes back, it was gone. He scanned the crowd for the person, but comforted himself in the fact that if they posed a threat to him or his task, the Knights would deal with it silently and with no-one the wiser. Realising once more that his target had moved on, he came to a stop against a wall, and calmed himself.
He closed his eyes and stretched out through the room, locking onto the coquettish giggle and the inebriated slurs the rippled to him from the entrance staircase. He whirled around and bore down upon the shadowed gap in the wall, slowly stalking up through the building, paying no minds to the mindless shrieks, moans and grunts that echoed along halls, accompanied by the wet slapping of flesh and protesting creaks of various pieces of furniture as they were cruelly abused.
At last the pair made it to the top floor, carpeted in gold, and lit with a slightly classier light. There were only a few rooms in use here, but Kylo Ren already knew to head right to the end of the corridor. He didn't bother knocking: he barged right in, and ignored the undignified sputtering of the male occupant.
"Your services have been appreciated."
Jezebel crawled off of the large bed and shrugged a black filmy robe on, before heading for the doorway. Ren noted that the money had changed hands before turning his attention back to the male who was hurriedly slipping his pants back over his legs. He was tempted to grin as he heard the happy tune hummed by the blonde as she left, her job done and far richer than she had been this morning.
"What is the meaning of this?! This is a most outrageous invasion of privacy! I will be having words with your-!"
No more words were had as his back slammed into the wall, air leaving him in a wheezing gasp while the crystals in the chandelier over their heads tinkled merrily. Kylo Ren didn't grace the man with another word, instead reaching his hand forwards and pulling thoughts in a constant stream from his mind, heedless to the weak resistance that the Senator attempted to scrounge up.
Satisfied when the search revealed nothing out of the ordinary, the systematic crushing of his airways began. Starting at the top of his oesophagus and working his way gradually down to the trachea, and finally to the lungs themselves for good measure. It wasn't needed: a great many things weren't, but the practise was great nonetheless.
Letting the purple-faced corpse drop to the floor, he was about to exit the room and let his Knight deal with the mess, until he felt a subdued ripple in the Force. He froze, and he noticed absently that his second in command was watching him with barely contained concern.
"Get rid of it, then meet us at the speeder."
Ren swept from the room, hurrying down through the many levelled building until he reached the ground floor. He wound his way through bodies and furniture, keeping an eye on his surroundings and staying alert. He burst out into the cool black alley only minutes later, and rounded the street corner to find the Knights waiting in an idling speeder. He climbed into a vacant seat, hand settling uneasily over the cold metal of his lightsaber.
A prickling chill was making its way slowly up his spine, and he was unwilling to acknowledge the feeling of relief that swelled inside him when the last Knight returned, and they could finally jet off into the darkness. It didn't take long to each the city limits, and only a few minutes longer than that for his ship to come into view, nestled next to a large reflective lake.
Kylo Ren had finally relaxed, and barely had time to react as something came hurtling towards their craft out of the darkness. He only had time to spring free as the glowing object made jarring impact, sending the speeder hurtling into the dewy ground at a high speed.
As he sailed through the air, he watched as it tumbled end-over-end before finally coming to a groaning halt on the bank of the lake, black smoke spewing from its engine in noxious clouds. The Knights converged around his crouched form, scanning the darkness for an attacker.
His head snapped up as he heard the sheathing of two lightsabers, and a woman melted into existence not feet from the black-swathed group. He leapt to his feet, lightsaber activating with a hissing crackle, watching the serene smirk spread even wider on the cloaked woman's pale face.
"Who are you?" he snapped, feeling exposed and vulnerable without his mask.
The slight woman (girl?) raised her head slightly, and his Knights barely concealed gasps of shock as burning ochre eyes shone through the darkness at them. They immediately broke protective formation, and dropped into a respectful kneel, heads bowed and right hands clasped over their chests.
"Ah, Kylo Ren... I have followed you halfway across the galaxy. Why so unhappy to see me?" she purred, the unstable lighting from his demonic lightsaber throwing an eerie, bloody shadow across her angelic face as she threw her hood back. The young man was suddenly struck through with a very primal instinct he hadn't felt in years.
Fear.
This woman was powerful. His Knights knew her; so why didn't he?
"Who are you?" he repeatedly firmly, his husky voice betraying nothing. Although the slight rise in the position of his saber seemingly gave away everything.
She flicked her finger, and his lightsaber went spiralling into the darkness, deactivated as soon as it left his hand. She grinned smugly, and dropped into a mocking curtsey.
"Viila Thaan, mi'lord." Her lips closed sensually around the name, and her golden eyes burnt him straight to the core. "My pleasure."