Chapter 12

Foyi was the first to exit the winding, labyrinthine tunnels of the Nest, having navigated to one of the many exits back into the sprawling Trade District by instinct alone. She clutched her discblade in her right hand, the only weapon she had been able to retrieve in the morass of fleeing and blasting sentients in the Cruelest Cut, as it was the only weapon specifically attuned to her, practically an extension of her own limbs. She had merely stretched out for it in the Force, and the blade had flown to her waiting palm as if of its own accord. She could still hear distant shouts behind her, as the violence that had erupted in the Cruelest Cut began to spread like a reactor leak throughout the other stores, alcoves, and cantinas housed in the convoluted tunnels and oblong caverns of the Nest. After all, the mercenaries, thugs, and assassins that frequented the district needed few reasons to hurt and kill each other. She took solace in the hope that the widespread violence would provide an opportune distraction to cover her and Rayf's flight. Unfortunately, it also assured Ak-vir's escape; finding him would be that much harder, now that he was aware they were after him.

She paused outside the stone maw from whence she had emerged, her mind racing, her eyes flicking back and forth, looking for hiding places. She was nearly knocked flat on her face when Rayf ran out of the exit behind her and slammed bodily into her back. She stumbled, then whirled on him. His expression seemed relatively calm, considering the debacle of the last few minutes; he was almost peaceful, as if he ran for his life every day of it. For some reason, this made Foyi angry, and she could not suppress a hissed, "What're you doing?"

"Running into you, obviously, because you're just standing around," he replied evenly, in a maddeningly unconcerned voice. His hands flew down the length of his wan-shen, and it was partitioned once again, so that he might better conceal it upon his belt and within his jacket. "We need to get off the streets before Yuelo's thugs come out here looking for us."

She was still annoyed with his overly calm facade—it had to be a facade—but she could not disagree with him. She stowed her discblade in the holster on her back, beneath her cloak, and walked beside Rayf as he kept up an easy, nonchalant gait that nevertheless carried him quickly down the street. What few pedestrians there were moving about the warehouses and permanent shops began to creep closer to the honeycombed tunnels that denoted the Nest, curious as to the amount of shouting, screaming, and blasterfire that could be heard from within its caverns, as it was abnormally violent and animated, even for a night in the district of Point Nadir best known for its violence and animation. Few paid more attention beyond passing glances at the Twi'lek and human pair, who continued to walk swiftly away from the sounds of blasterfire and ululations for blood.

Rayf gave Foyi a brief nudge on her shoulder, indicating that they should turn to the right. She did so, and the pair maneuvered around a disreputable store advertising a variety of illicit, military-grade weaponry and ammunition. They paused in the shadow of the building, their forms obscured by the low light and the multitude of overflowing trash receptacles arranged along the edifice's wall. Rayf leaned against the wall beside Foyi, and the two of them huddled close together, so that anyone who might spot them would most likely assume them to be close friends or a secretive couple in deep conversation. And while from a distance, it may have appeared that they were conversing, in actuality, they were both reaching out through the Force, attempting to sense the events still occurring in the Nest, as well as get a sense of whether their enemies were approaching.

Foyi reached out into the familiar ocean of the Force and partially submerged herself within its cool waters, the surface choppy and agitated by the ripples of violence emanating from the Nest and its inhabitants. The cold currents of the Dark Side were winding their way through the Force, splashing against her consciousness. She opened herself further to the Force, and wished to withdraw from it immediately, as the heat of anger, pain, and uncontrolled rage splashed against her, making the skin on her lekku shiver. But she continued to reach, trying to concentrate on the bright presences of those who she could feel were searching for something, who would have hers and Rayf's faces on the forefront of their minds. Try as she might, Foyi could not distinguish these individuals in a veritable quagmire of emotions and violence that permeated the fabric of the Force itself. The Dark Side was growing stronger here, becoming less subtle and more pervasive, as if it were a creature lurking in the deeps, only now becoming aware of itself and the existence of others in the endless waves, coming forth to consume and devour. She concentrated on those dark impressions, on the heated emotions, the focused intent to kill, and could not help but feel a kinship with the Dark Side, a familiarity that was both new and recognizable. She found herself sinking deeper into the Force, reaching out for the colder, darker currents, drawing upon the tantalizing power and simplicity inherent in violence, in unrestrained emotion.

She snapped out of her reverie when Rayf's hand clenched her shoulder, and she was suddenly aware of his presence again. His signature in the Force was heavy with concern, concern aimed at her. "Foyi...are you alright?"

Foyi forcibly shoved the dark feelings coiling inside her down into the depths, attempting to put as much metaphysical distance between her and the Dark Side, even though she could not deny the feeling of loss she experienced when she did so. She blinked and glanced at Rayf, but refused to meet his striking eyes. "I'm fine...we should get moving. They're all still too busy killing each other in there, and we need to get a line on Ak-vir again before he has a chance to escape the port."

Rayf's hand on her shoulder did not tighten, but his touch seemed to gain more substance, holding her in place. "Foyi, you are not fine, so don't pretend to be so." When she turned an angry glare upon him, she found his steely regard in turn, refusing to back down in the face of her pain and simmering rage. "I don't blame you for all the fear, pain, and anger you're feeling right now. Ak-vir Vri and his ilk are scum, and tracking them down, bringing them to justice, is the right thing to do, especially if we can rescue your sister from it. But you are losing your grip on yourself, on your control. I sense the Dark Side in you...it drapes from your shoulders like a cloak, it drips from your words and actions. Now, I don't pretend to know Tama, but from everything you've told me about her, she sounds like a kind, gentle, and conscientious person." He leaned closer, and the intensity of his stare was discomforting, rooting her to the spot. "Now, ask yourself, and be honest with your answer. Would your sister want to see you like this? Would she even want to be rescued if she knew to what lengths you are willing to go to save her? Is her rescue truly worth it if she loses her sister in the process?"

Foyi refused to be intimidated, standing on the toes of her boots, their noses so close to each other they were nearly touching. "You're the one who wanted to help me find my sister. You can never understand how important she is to me. I can't lose her, and if that means that I have to get a little rough with these kriffing slavers, then that's what needs to be done. I've only been out in the galaxy for a few days, and I've realized that the galaxy isn't a fair or nice place. I would think that you would have picked up on that a long time ago."

"You used the Force to choke that man," came Rayf's firm response, his anger beginning to rise. "You used it to start crushing his heart and lungs! The Force is for defense, healing, discovery, and protection...never for attack! Never for personal desire! Never for revenge! That leads to the Dark Side! You are walking a thin line as it is, Foyi; if you continue down this path, you may find Tama, yes. But she won't even recognize you anymore! Is that what you want?"

Foyi met his stare defiantly, all manner of scathing retorts coming to mind. Part of her wished to reach out with her mind and give him a taste of the Force choke he so derided, to show him the true power of the Force, to teach him to think twice before questioning her. But the rational part of her mind, the serene portion immersed in the training and responsibility of the Zeson Sha swam to the forefront of her brain. She could not help but be appalled at the thoughts that had sprung unbidden; no, that she had allowed to fester within her. The Dark Side was not pure, unadulterated power to be used ambiguously and without expectation of consequences. It was the very epitome of imbalance, the representation of corruption and the loss of oneself uncontrollable emotions and irrational whims. Thoughts of Lido were inevitable, the images of his beaten and bloody corpse lying at her feet, the alien blood staining her murderous hands. She felt shame, fear, and guilt creeping into her consciousness, and for a moment, she could not breathe as she looked objectively at herself and the actions she had taken so far in the pursuit of her sister and her kidnappers. Rayf was more right than he knew; she had been balancing upon a cliff edge ever since Tama was taken away, and more than once had come far too close to freefalling into the black. She had been so willing, so ready, to give up and subvert a lifetime of training, a beautiful connection and relationship with the Living Force, merely because her life had taken a turn for the worse. And all of this had occurred within only a few days. She had allowed the Dark Side to sink its talons deep within her spirit, had been ready to sacrifice herself and her future at the altar of the end result justifying the means.

She shook her head, gasping as she slumped back against the wall. Rayf's brow furrowed with concern, and he put a comforting hand on her upper arm. "Foyi? What's wrong?"

She shook her head again, her lekku shivering in agitation. "I...you're right, Rayf. You're right. I've been dancing with the Dark Side, and I didn't even know how far I had given myself up to it. I-"

Rayf's stare had been affixed to her own, but his head suddenly snapped up, his gaze sweeping to the side. Almost at the same time, Foyi felt a splash against her face, her danger sense rippling through the Force, and she followed Rayf's regard to see two figures in the alley with them, having seemingly appeared from nowhere. One was a short, heavily-muscled human, a T-21 Light Repeating Blaster clutched in his hands, the gaping barrel of which was aimed for their torsos. Beside him was a much taller and bonier figure, the gangly frame of an insectoid Blood Carver, a DH-17 Blaster Pistol gripped in his left fist. Both of them wore cloaks black as night, secured at their waists by equipment belts laden with weapons and ammunition, their dark hoods pulled so far over their faces, it was a chore to identify their species. But the threat they posed was not in question, as they raised their blasters menacingly, their mouths firm, grim lines.

Rayf pushed back from Foyi, his hands flying toward his waist. The Twi'lek pushed off the wall, reaching back for her discblade. And while the Force could enhance their reaction times far past what they were naturally capable of, their distracted state had caused the warning of danger to come too late. The Blood Carver's blaster erupted with blue rings of energy, two of them in rapid succession, carefully aimed to anticipate the directions the pair of Force-wielders would try to evade. Rayf went sprawling across the stone floor, bouncing a little in the somewhat less-than-standard gravity, while Foyi was slammed against the store's wall, slumping to the side to impact a trash receptacle with a noisy clang. She struggled against the debilitating effects of the stun blast, trying to maintain a firm grip on her conscious thought. But her thoughts turned into disjointed cascades of sensations as the stun blast overloaded her bodily functions; her grip loosened, and she plunged headlong into dark oblivion.

Foyi came back to reality to find Rayf shaking her weakly, as if the action pained him in doing so. She found herself lying on her side upon a slab of metal; further inspection through bleary eyes revealed the slab to be a sort of bed protruding from a wall in the small, cramped chamber in which she found herself and Rayf. He was perched on the edge of a similar "bed" parallel to her own, his body still quivering from the effects of the stun blast, as if he was in a frigid environment. For herself, it was several long moments before she could start thinking straight again. She was having great difficulty stringing coherent thoughts together, as well as thinking critically and rationally about the new and unwelcome situation they had found themselves in. She forced herself to a sitting position, which turned out to be a monumental struggle due to the painful aches arcing through her muscles. Her stomach threatened to disgorge her last meal, and the world swam before her eyes. Rayf helped her to remain steady while upright, his gentle grip on her forearm becoming an anchor of metaphysical contact. He was calling upon the Force, directing it through her body, and she felt the calming, soothing waters fill her like an empty, thirsty vessel. She blinked her eyes as her thoughts finally began to come back into focus, and the room materialized around her in greater detail. They were enclosed in a room barely three meters to a side, completely unfurnished. Dim glowstrips provided a grim, dusky illumination. The pair of slabs that protruded from the wall could retract out of sight by manipulation of a pair of buttons beside their mechanisms, and on the far wall was a single blast door. A holocam above the door watched them with its stationary, judgmental eye.

Foyi let out a sigh, trying to shake the cobwebs from her mind. "Rayf...where the hell are we?"

Rayf shrugged. His body was still quivering, but the voice that slipped from his mouth was calm, confident, and unhindered, as if the stunblast had had a lesser effect on him. "Dunno, cousin. I only woke up a few minutes ago. Wherever those hoods took us, they transported us when we were unconscious, most likely so we wouldn't have a clue where we were when we woke up. Thus, I've no idea." He grimaced, rubbing the back of his head as if it pained him. "Though I've a pretty decent guess as to who our new hosts are."

Foyi seized her lekku with both hands, as they were uncontrollably twitching. "Is it Ak-vir and his crew? Yuelo's thugs?"

Rayf shook his head, running a hand across the stiff hairs on his chin. "You would think so, but no. I'm pretty sure this is someone new we've managed to piss off. I think...we've been kidnapped by the Sable Dawn."

"That sounds made up."

He snorted. "If only. Unfortunately, they're as real as you and I; I'd rather be in Yuelo's slimy paws than held by these people. Sithspit, Foyi, you really know how to show a guy a good time."

Foyi did not have the patience for his cavalier attitude. "Who're the Sable Dawn, Rayf?"

"They're probably the most dangerous criminal element on this whole mynock-riddled asteroid. They're a bunch of assassins, terrorists, and bounty hunters buying and selling the cessation of people's lives. Murder is what they sell, and murder is what they're best at. They prefer to keep to the shadows, holding down regular jobs and lives, your everyday, neighborhood scum, until they get a contract on your life and put a blaster bolt in your spine."

Foyi considered his words for a moment, the dire situation they had found themselves in just beginning to dawn on her. "If they kill so many people...why are we still alive?"

"That's what's got my choobies clutched tight," Rayf responded sarcastically. "If we're still alive, it means they want something from us other than our lives." A forced smile came to his lips. "On the bright side...us still being alive means no one's put a hit on us yet that the Sable Dawn's interested in taking."

Foyi groaned. "I'll add that to the list of things that have gone right for us since we got here." She scrutinized the human, realizing that he was not really shaking anymore. In fact, he appeared to be back to normal, his eyes clear and alert, his movements precise and controlled. "You appear to be getting over that stunblast miraculously fast. Have you built up an immunity to them over your years of illicit activities?"

"Hilarious. No, actually, it's one of the many benefits of Matukai training. Normally, I can just shrug off a stunblast without a problem, but I have to be aware someone's shooting at me. Another reason I think those guys were Sable Dawn assassins. They're sneakier than a nexu in the jungle."

Foyi felt her body temperature fluctuating wildly, and she hugged her arms close to her chest in a vain attempt to conserve body heat. "We really don't have time for this! The more we're delayed by info brokers, drunken spacers, trigger-happy mercs, and hooded assassins, the more time there is for Tama to get hurt, or taken out of our reach! We need to find a way out of here! How do we do that?!"

Rayf stared at the blast door, as if it would open of its own accord if he stared at it long and hard enough. He sighed and flopped back on the slab, folding his hands behind his head. "I say...patience."

Foyi gave him an incredulous stare. "Patience."

He pointed at the holocam above the door, indicating that their captors were most likely watching their actions and listening to their entire conversation. "Yes. Our hosts will be along in a few moments, and then...they'll release us from the cell."

"To use us in whatever nefarious plan they have for us."

"Hey. You can't have pure sabacc every hand."

Foyi shook her head, glowering at the blast door and trying very hard not to be sick all over the floor. "I don't even understand you half the time."

"I'm just trying to put a positive spin on our situation is all, Foyi. We'll get no closer to your sister if we let ourselves wallow in misery and despair. After all, the Sable Dawn want us alive, so we don't have to worry."

Foyi gave him a skeptical glance. "I think the fact that we're in their cell is cause for worry."

Rayf gave her a long-suffering glance. "Could you please lighten up for one second?"

"Why don't you go suck void?"

Their argument and derogatory statements may have continued for an inordinate amount of time, but the both of them sat up straight, acutely aware of new presences outside the door to their cell. The pair turned to face the door just as it slid up and out of sight with hardly a whisper of sound, revealing a human and a Duros standing in the doorway expectantly, dressed in brown and gray tunics and pants, light combat armor, and emerald cloaks. They carried blasters that were not presently pointed at the Twi'lek and human prisoners, but were held in assured grips that signified they knew how to use them, and could bring them to bear at a moment's notice. Rayf slid off the edge of his bed, putting on a rakish grin. "Stars and galaxies, am I glad to see you guys! I've needed to pee for the last several hours, and I can't go with her watching me."

Foyi gave him an incredulous glance, trying to discern whether he was actually trying to make their armed captors angry. Neither the human nor the Duros seemed overly amused by his antics, gesturing with their blasters. "Follow us," the human male said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Oh, you don't have to show me to the 'fresher. Just point me in the right direction, and I'm sure I'll find it."

The Duros leveled his weapon at Rayf's head, his wide mouth set in a grim line, his eyes murderous. "Shut up, and follow us. Now."

Rayf raised his hands slightly in a gesture of surrender. "Sure. When you put it that way, who can argue?"

Foyi followed Rayf out of the room, and the two of them came into a cramped hallway, brightly lit by white glowstrips overhead and glowing panels along the walls. The corridor was lined with nondescript doors similar to the one from which they had emerged, the passage barely large enough to allow two humanoids to walk abreast. The Duros mercenary led the way down its length, followed by Rayf and Foyi, with the human bringing up the rear; Foyi could almost feel the threat of his blaster, like a circular target being burned into the small of her back. She breathed deeply, centering herself and sinking into the Force. She recoiled when she felt the same venomous presences she had felt when first setting foot in Point Nadir, the beings steeped in the Dark Side, reaching out to her as well, studying her, watching her with the hungry, metaphysical eyes of invisible predators. She closed herself off from the Force, trying to mask her presence, willing herself to be small, insignificant. She sent a hair-thin tendril of thought to Rayf's back, an unspoken question, a soft call for awareness, an inaudible warning of danger. Barely had she sent this form of communication to him then she received a reply, a reassurance that he was aware of the apparent Darksiders all around them. She sent out a questing current to the human behind her, then one to the Duros, feeling their emotions, sensing their surface thoughts. The two of them were surrounded in darkness, a void of threat, violence, and avarice born of lengthy pasts of heinous actions and bloody murder. But neither one of them recognized her expanded presence or her probing mind, as they were not sensitive to the Force's flow. But the feeling of being watched from afar with cold interest and malicious intent did not abate. Wherever these Darksiders lurked, they were close by.

The Duros ahead of them paused in front of a door larger than the others they had passed, and it slid open, revealing a claustrophobic turbolift. Foyi and Rayf were both ushered inside first, then pressed against the back wall by the human while the Duros selected a floor. The door slid closed, and Foyi felt her stomach jump into her esophagus when it dropped into the levels below, the inertial compensators on the lift apparently faulty. The lift rumbled for a few moments, then ground to a halt, and the door slid open. Foyi and Rayf were shoved forward through the portal and into what appeared to be a reception area that was at odds with what they had seen of the rest of the facility of mercenaries and assassins. Whereas the cell block above had been constructed of severely geometric lines and right angles, the room around them had gently sloping walls that curved up into a domed ceiling. Three doors led out of the room, each of them set in doorways with rounded tops and minutely curved sides. Along one wall was a desk which seemed to combine the circular arrangement of Imperial communications terminals with the curvilinear structure of Selkath architecture. The desk was flanked by a pair of rare bota plants, and behind it sat a Rutian Twilek in a conservative suit that nonetheless hugged her feminine curvature in all the most appealing ways. She gave the group a smile that was more sinister than welcoming, then spoke to the Duros explicitly. "He's waiting for you. The door's open."

The Duros nodded, then led the prisoners to a door on the far wall, which opened at their approach, ushering them into a spacious, well-lit office, structured in curves and subtle lines like the lobby beyond. The majority of the office's floorspace was dominated by a table with a glossy black matte finish so polished, it could easily function as a mirror. The table contained a few examples of sculpture and pottery from various intergalactic cultures, as well as datapads and flimsiplasts laid out in neat, orderly piles and arrangements. There were a pair of windows in the room as well, through which was glimpsed the white peaks and beautiful plains of Alderaan, if Foyi's memory of holoimages was sharp. As far as she knew, they had not left Resh 9376, so she guessed the images through the circular windows were projections themselves.

Her eyes, however, were immediately drawn to the people awaiting them in the room. Toward the back, standing beside one of the windows displaying scenery from across the galaxy, was a thin human male dressed in a nondescript, earth-tone cloak over simple tunic and trousers, having the air of a traveler or seasoned spacer around him, while his stance evoked confidence and his dark eyes both pride and lethal intent. A blaster pistol was strapped to his hip, while a blaster rifle was gripped in his hands, its barrel aimed at the floor. Before him, seated at the table with his hands folded carefully before him was another human male of more advanced age. His pale skin gave off a strange hue in the well-lit room, as if it was powdered or had been smeared with makeup. His wispy hair was gray and parted in the middle, not a strand out of place, which was in accordance with the pressed, expensive suit he wore. Soft wrinkles splayed from the corners of his eyes and the edges of his mouth. He appeared to have no weapons, nor was his quiet, pleasant expression oppressive or overbearing, and yet Foyi felt his presence filling the entire room. It was like walking from a cold exterior and into a sauna, the heady, restrictive atmosphere making it difficult to breathe. She met his soft brown eyes and felt irrational fear twisting in her gut, reaching up with cold, grasping claws to seize her throat and further restricting her breath. The Dark Side radiated from both men in cold, undulating waves, threatening to drown her with its intensity, while enticing her with its black promises of unimaginable power and the will to dominate one's entire existence. Having brushed so close to the Dark Side on multiple occasions within the last few days, Foyi had to scramble to keep herself balanced, the seated man's influence already subverting her subconscious. She looked to Rayf to find his normal, serious expression painted across his face, though his eyes had become like solid points of ice as he stared at the man at the table. He could feel the Dark Side about these two as well.

The Duros and human guards roughly shoved Foyi and Rayf into a pair of seats at the table across from the man in the suit. The man stared at both of them for a lengthy moment, then turned to the guards standing behind them. "Thank you. You may leave now."

Both of them gave courteous, deferential nods. "Yes, Mister Xan." At the mention of the man's surname, Foyi watched Rayf's expression blanch in recognition. Either he knew this man, or knew him by reputation, and judging by the way the Dark Side seemed to suffuse this man's very essence, she doubted that that reputation was a good one. The Duros and human guard who had led the two of them to this office walked from the room, apparently supremely confident that the two men left in the room could take care of Foyi and Rayf if they decided to cause any trouble for them. The man at the table watched them go, then returned his attention to the Matukai and Zeison Sha. His brown eyes showed lurid interest now, and he scrutinized them carefully; Foyi felt the skin on her lekku crawl as she felt his eyes searching through her very soul. "Greetings and welcome, my esteemed guests. My name is Virec Xan. Perhaps you've heard of me."

Foyi shook her head, but Rayf nodded. "You're the head gundark of the Sable Dawn chapter in Point Nadir. Everyone who's anyone in this port knows who you are, though I didn't think you did face to face audiences unless your guests would end up dead at the end."

Xan's thin lips curled into a smile that was not remotely friendly. "Well, this is a special case, due to your unique circumstances and abilities."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Foyi replied defiantly.

Xan's regard turned to her, and it was like getting hit in the face by a solid punch from a Gamorrean. "Indeed. So a Twi'lek youngling like yourself happens to be able to put a tempest-addled Barabel into a coma with just her fists, and no supernatural enhancement or intervention at all." The way he said it revealed that he did not believe this as a possibility at all. He leaned forward slightly, putting his palms flat on the table. "I have not the time for games, girl, so don't play me for a fool. I and my associates have sensed your presences since you first came to Point Nadir, when you reached out through the Force on multiple occasions. Based on that momentary contact and the information on your reckless and destructive activities our organization has been collecting about the the two of you, you are searching for something on this comet. If you did not have the Force, you most assuredly would have been killed long ago with your antics, considering how many dangerous people and groups you have managed to anger in your short tenure here."

"I don't remember pissing off the Sable Dawn," came Rayf's reply.

Xan's right eyebrow rose. "And as of yet, you have not. One of our agents was injured in that fiasco at the Cruelest Cut, but he'll live, and considering neither one of you actually pulled the trigger on the weapon that harmed him is one of a few reasons why you continue to live...at my preference."

"And we're supposed to be grateful for that?" Foyi replied.

"Gratitude is a useful emotion to cultivate, even when you believe it is not warranted," Xan chided her. "You may find that your relationships improve if you give consideration to others, my impetuous young Twi'lek."

Rayf nudged her, accompanying the movement with a quick mental flash, a brief sensation that she should be careful of what she said around this man. Rayf then turned to Xan, briefly eying the second man standing silently beside the window. "Well, for now you don't seem to want us dead, considering we're still alive. So maybe you would like to tell us what you want from us. I mean, we'd love to stop and chat for awhile, but we're kind of on a schedule, see, and if you could keep this short and to the point, both of us would be exceedingly grateful." He threw an arm around Foyi's shoulders to show agreement between the two, but she subsequently shoved the appendage away.

Xan allowed a small, sardonic smile on his lips. "Very well, Mister Moors. I have a proposal for the both of you, based on the commonalities all of us in this room share."

"Those being...?" Foyi queried.

One of the datapads sitting before Xan slowly rose from the glossy sheen of the table's surface, then began to spin languidly in circles. Foyi could feel the Force rippling about Xan's person, the cold current of energy he had stretched out to the datapad, trapping it in a deadly Force grip. "The Force, obviously. The ultimate weapon to vanquish all of one's foes, no matter where they exist in the galaxy. The only tool which allows us mere mortals to gain complete dominance over our entire existence, and with the proper will, the existence of others. You feel it, the same as I do, the same as my lieutenant does, the same as the most lethal and trusted members of the Sable Dawn do. And that is why you are here; I wish to offer the both of you positions and training with the Sable Dawn. We always have need of people with your capabilities and Force sensitivity, and not only can we provide you a steady income and job security, but protection and anonymity from even the Emperor's Inquisitors. This is one of the most dangerous times to be a Force-user in the galaxy, but with the Sable Dawn as your employers and allies, you will experience security and invisibility you would not otherwise be capable of."

"You want us to kill for you?" Foyi asked, incredulously.

Xan gave her an exasperated glare. "Don't be so naïve, girl. You wouldn't be killing for me, you would be killing for our clients. We're not random murderers or in the practice of wanton carnage. We're business beings first and foremost. As a Sable Dawn assassin, you would kill for fees of unimaginable amounts you could only receive because of our reputation for efficiency, ability, and discretion. More importantly, we could hone your latent, poorly-trained connection to the Force into a weapon so powerful and so deadly, you could surmount any challenge or obstacle that stood in your way."

"Who says we're poorly trained?" Rayf responded, feigning hurt.

"The riot at the Cruelest Cut."

Rayf gave Foyi a sidelong glance. "Guess we can't argue with that."

Foyi ignored him, forcing herself to look straight into Xan's eyes, refusing to be intimidated by his fearful aura or the fact that he was carrying on this conversation while still rotating the datapad in midair, as if it required no concentration at all. Being a Zeison Sha Warrior, this was a technique of telekinesis she could replicate with little effort, and thus she was not impressed. "Well, I appreciate your offer, Mister Xan, but I think I speak for both of us when I say that we'll have to decline."

"Hold up!" Rayf interjected. "I'm still considering...nope, she's right. Not really my style. I have more of a thing for long sticks and knives than blasters, and I've never looked good in all black."

Xan's expression darkened, though whether he was annoyed by Rayf's behavior or the fact that he had been denied was difficult to determine. The datapad floated as light as a feather back down to the table, replacing itself on the stack of similar devices upon which it had been previously set. Xan folded his hands again and let out a sigh, which sounded more like a perturbed hiss. "I can't say I'm surprised by your answer; I even expected it. Though I assure you I was merely trying to spare your lives from the end results of this self-destructive swath of chaos you insist on carving through the shadowport..."

"How do you mean?" Foyi asked for the both of them.

"Since you've been here, you've managed to upset a great many people, most of whom hold long grudges, and some have connections to the powers that be in Point Nadir. Take it from me, the political environment in this shadowport is far more delicate than you could possibly understand, and upsetting the status quo around here is not taken lightly or with amusement, no matter how humorous you believe you are." Here his gaze needled Rayf, who had the presence of mind to look sheepish. "For your information, Captain Ak-vir Vri is in Zietta's employ, and a member of the Anjiliac Kajidic's army of knaves, mercenaries, slavers, and ne'er-do-wells. By assaulting him, you are on the verge of declaring war on the entire Clan, something I doubt either one of you are prepared for. Not to mention all the individuals you managed to anger and injure in your clumsy efforts to locate this disreputable Weequay. Sooner, rather than later, someone is going to approach the Sable Dawn with a contract for his uncivil tongue and your lekku. And when that happens, being the good business beings that we are, you will see us again, only there will be no niceties...only blaster bolts, and Force grips, if necessary. Do you understand now why I offered you a position with us? I'm only trying to make certain you make the smart choice, not to mention all your talent that would be lost if such an unfortunate circumstance were to come about."

Foyi made the bold move to stand, but neither Xan nor his lieutenant made any moves to stop her, so she placed her palms on the table and held Xan's gaze. "Well, thanks for the warning, but I think we'll make it just fine on our own."

Xan sighed again, and this time he was truly exasperated, but resigned. Rayf also stood, noting nothing in the Sable Dawn members' actions or Force presences that indicated they meant to initiate violence against the human and Twi'lek. "It's been a nice chat, but..." he glanced at an imaginary chronometer on his wrist, "...we're already late for an appointment, so we really should be jumping out of here."

"Are we free to go?" Foyi asked of Virec Xan, tensing her body in preparation for an attack, wishing she had her discblade in hand.

Xan nodded. "Of course...assuming you answer a question for me?"

"Shoot," Rayf replied hastily, eager to be gone from the Sable Dawn hideout. "I mean, go ahead. Please don't shoot us."

Xan folded his hands before his face, interlacing his fingers before turning his gaze on the Twi'lek. "Why are you after Ak-vir Vri? What has he done to you?"

Rayf answered for her, trying to remain vague. "He took something from us, and we just want it back. Forcibly, if necessary. Which is the way it looks like its gonna be."

Xan gave a wan smile, but his attention did not waver from Foyi's own. "Indeed. Considering Captain Vri is a slaver, I'm going to guess that the 'something' he took from you is a someone."

"The sithspawn kidnapped my sister," Foyi replied angrily, hoping that her willingness to be honest would reveal the reason for this line of questioning. "He's brought her into slavery somewhere, and the last place he moved slaves through was here, Point Nadir. We need to finish our conversation with him so that I can find my sister."

Xan frowned slightly, a contemplative look on his face. "In that case, might I offer you some information that you may find valuable?"

Foyi remembered Pash cautioning her on Nar Shaddaa to not accept gifts from anyone, and she figured the same applied on this asteroid, or most any other place in the galaxy's seedy underbelly. Rayf was suitably suspicious as well, narrowing his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "In exchange for what?"

Xan spread his palms. "Nothing at all. Call it a sign of good faith, and a small encouragement to reconsider the Sable Dawn's generous offer. Ak-vir Vri is well-known to us, and most other individuals who matter in Point Nadir. While officially he works for the Anjiliacs, he also lines his pockets with credits earned from side jobs for a variety of people in many capacities, from slavery to contraband to piracy. He's rather prolific for such a poor representation of his species...not that the Weequay have much to live up to, mind you. One of those people he takes extra work from is Yuelo, who I believe you met in part, considering you thoroughly slagged his cantina. Another one he works closely with, particularly in recent weeks, is Sho Sura, a purveyor of all manner of illicit goods and substances. He owns a warehouse in the Trade District, the designation of which I am willing to provide you, if you are interested. Perhaps Sura would know of Ak-vir's whereabouts."

Foyi was incredibly suspicious, but she did not want to look a gift nerf in the mouth. Rayf, however, spoke her suspicions audibly. "Yeah, I think we'd appreciate the help. Though I fail to understand what you get out of this. After all, you said you were a businessman; you must want something for this information."

Xan's smile was like that of a leering nexu. "Believe me, offering this information is not completely philanthropic on my part. Ak-vir Vri has had more than one aggravating encounter with the Sable Dawn, and myself personally. So far, he has not earned enough of my ire that I would kill him without being paid, but I would be remiss to pass over an opportunity to make his life more difficult. I may find your efforts those of amateurs, but perhaps they will have some mutual benefit to all those involved. Save for the Weequay in question." He grabbed one of the datapads off a stack, then input a series of commands, and unceremoniously slid the device across the table to Foyi. "The address for Sho Sura's warehouse is on that pad. We've noticed an unusual amount of comings and goings amongst both Sura and Vri's associates at that location in the last few days. Chances are, if Captain Vri can't be found there, then there will be someone who knows of his whereabouts."

Foyi picked up the datapad, cradling it to her chest as if it were the most precious object in the entire galaxy. She could not help but admit a large measure of suspicion regarding the validity of the information and the motivations of this Force-sensitive assassin, but she could feel the warmth of hope blossoming in her core and spreading through her body and spirit. Ak-vir Vri, and the location of Tama, had been within her grasp. Perhaps, because of this man, she would now be able to do what was necessary to rescue her sister and regain some measure of her former life. To return to a comfortable normalcy. "Thank you," she whispered.

"So you are able to convey gratitude. Good." Xan leaned forward, and his gaze grew dark once more. "But I would not be too ready to show appreciation for this if I were you. This is given under the assumption that you will strongly reconsider my offer, and realize that you are moving about Point Nadir of your own accord at my will, and upon borrowed time. It is but a matter of time that someone comes forward with a lot of credits on your heads, and when that time comes, your heads will assuredly find their way to this table...whether your bodies are attached or not depends on your actions from here on out. Here's some more free advice: Do whatever it is you have to do in this asteroid, then leave if you value your lives. Not that removing yourselves from this port will save your lives if we take a contract on you, but at least you may get a chance to see your sister alive before you perish at the end of our blasters."

Rayf made a placating gesture with his hands. "Okay, we get it, you're scary. We'll just be on our way then, assuming you show us the way out?"

Xan indicated the silent man standing stock still behind him. "My lieutenant will guide you on your way. You will have to be blindfolded, of course. No one who remains outside of our organization is permitted to know the location or layout of our operations here."

"And our weapons?" Foyi asked expectantly.

"Will be returned to you once you are far from this place." The silent man behind him finally moved from his post; Foyi was certain this was the only point the man actually blinked the entire time they had been in the office. Rayf and Foyi carefully walked about the table, Foyi trying to keep her gait steady, her spine erect, as the stunblast still affected her to some degree. Xan turned to watch them go, his eyes cold, his facsimile of a smile even colder. When he spoke, though, his voice was melodiously warm. "Be safe. Be alert. Your lives depend on it."

With that veiled threat echoing in their minds, they followed the Sable Dawn lieutenant back through the lobby, past the Twi'lek receptionist, who offered them a smile worthy of a dragonsnake contemplating its next meal. They were joined by the pair of guards who had led them from their cell in the turbolift, and in its confines, their eyes were shrouded with blindfolds. The world went dark, and while Foyi immediately felt a sense of vertigo born of the stun weapon's aftereffects and her sudden blindness, she was not rendered senseless. Even in the stifling presence of the Darksiders and the assassins' natural cruelty and proclivity for violence, the Force was with her, extending herself past her own physical form. She could almost visualize the room they entered upon proceeding through the turbolift's doors when it opened up for them. She knew they were passing through another door into the larger, cavernous spaces of Point Nadir seconds before she was hustled through the doorway, and the contours of the waiting, rusted landspeeder they were bundled into were already familiar to her touch before she ever sat in its seats. The ride to their final location was not long, during which unseen hands replaced her discblade in its holster, and she heard the clatter of metallic cylinders being handed to Rayf as the mercenaries replaced the pieces of his wan-shen in his possession. Finally, the landspeeder hovered to a stop, and the two of them were unceremoniously shoved from its compartment. Foyi stumbled and braced herself against a wall she could not see, but she could feel the grime beneath her palms, and smell the stench of refuse and decay. There was a familiar quality to the smell, and she had the feeling that wherever she had been deposited was somewhere she had previously visited.

She heard the landspeeder rumbling into the distance, heard the sounds of infrequent passerby, their surface thoughts occupied by avarice and unchecked want. She steadied herself against the stone wall, then removed the bandana covering her eyes, momentarily struggling with the binding as it tangled about her tchin. She blinked her eyes in the dim light to regain their focus, and she found her suspicions to be correct. She was standing beside Rayf in the same alley, beside the same garbage receptacles, where they were taken by the Sable Dawn thugs. Which meant they were back in the Trade District, and thus not far from the warehouse that had been identified for them.

Rayf finished checking on the integrity of his weapon, then replaced the pieces at his belt with a flurry of gestures. He stepped closer to her, seeing that she was still swaying a little on her feet. "You doing better?"

Foyi inhaled a large quantity of the poorly-filtered air of Point Nadir, and regretted it once her nostrils were clogged with a variety of rank and stomach-churning smells. "I am now." She pulled out the datapad that Virec Xan had given her, calling up the map that specified Sho Sura's warehouse, currently their only connection to Ak-vir, and thus the fate of Tama. "I want to believe that Xan was truly being helpful back there, despite his threats and poor disposition, but this could be a trap as well."

Rayf nodded, looking over her shoulder to stare down at the screen, then returning his gaze to their immediate surroundings, trying to get his bearings in accordance with the map. "That occurred to me as well, and at any other time, I'd be getting a bad feeling about anything the Sable Dawn were remotely involved in. But this...I've got a good feeling about this."

Foyi nodded. "I can't disagree. I think Xan's actually helping us out here. So, let's go talk to this Sho Sura and ask him some simple questions about the company he keeps, before Xan comes through on his threats, and we have the Sable Dawn breathing down our necks like a bunch of akk dogs."

"Are you sure? You're still looking pretty warp-lagged."

She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'll be fine. The Force shall sustain me. Do you know where we are on this map, because we really should get going. Tama doesn't have much time."

Rayf took the datapad from her, scratching the goatee on his chin in thought. He pressed a finger to the screen, indicating a small block of real estate registered to an arms dealer and fence. "We're at this shop here, and Sho Sura's warehouse is...over here, on the other side of the Trade District. Fortunately, away from the Nest."

Foyi sighed in relief, stretched her limbs to test how well they would support her and answer her commands, then checked on her discblade. The weapon was still in one piece, and in pristine condition, as was expected of a Force-imbued blade. "Then let's pay our new friend a visit."