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The more time she was locked in this Force forsaken cell, the more Laika felt her ire and anger grow in each passing day at being caged like an animal left to rot in this blank, colourless cold room. Her thoughts were nothing but filled with rage and hate over a variety things that were to blame for her current incarceration in Republic possession.
The forefront of her hate was the Jedi, to be imprisoned by the the very people who had driven her into the welcoming presence of the Dark Side and Count Dooku made her sick to her stomach. To see them gloat and praise each other over her capture only increased her anger more to the point she believed insanity was beginning to take hold, especially seeing that grotesque smirk on Skywalker's face once he had handed her over to the personnel in charge of this prison facility on Coruscant.
What she wouldn't give to have a chance at ripping that smug poodoo eating grin off his face.
If putting up with the Jedi's 'hospitality' was bad enough she was still fuming at being not bested by an equal of the Force, but by a bunch of Republic bantha fodder. Even now as they brought in food and water to her cell Laika would often be at the receiving end of the clones mockery. It was a great shame and embarrassment to be outmaneuvered by creatures bred from jars but more so was to have fallen for common trick by a primitive.
The human soldier she encounter fighting alongside the clones was nothing liked she ever seen. He shot at her with a weapon considered ancient by galactic standards which the Dathomirian had to refrained herself from laughing at first, but she quickly learnt in the skirmish aboard the Republic cruiser a fast moving slug was more difficult to deal with than that from a blaster rifle. His battle attire was also equally strange but it was the fact when she reached out to feel him in the Force she was met with a empty, a cold spot that shouldn't be possible.
Everything she had been taught of the Force couldn't come up with a solution on how a being could exist. Dooku had told her once the Dark Side of the Force was a pathway to many abilities the likes of the Jedi considered to be unnatural. However those abilities had a connection to the life source of the galaxy, he on the other hand was different kind of unnatural. Even by the Dark Side's standards she found this...disturbing. His capture along with Doctor Telar's would of been greatly pleasing to Count Dooku and given her a step closer into become the Sith Lord's new apprentice.
Now those ambitions were smashed to pieces, like the dropping of a glass panel on ferrocrete.
Even if she were to escape she knew Dooku would inflict punishment for her failure, possibly end her life for what he would see of her capture to be unacceptable and inexcusable and most of all her unworthiness to become his new apprentice.
She peered up toward the corner of the dull black ceiling of her cell, glaring at the security cam staring back at her. The small but irritable device watched her every move, following each step she took giving her not one single moment of privacy.
At the other end she figured there was a bunch of loathsome clones sniggering and sneering at her misfortune. Unfortunately for them she didn't give them anything in the form of entertainment so whoever was watching her would be bored out of their pitiful little mind.
Frowning she took her eyes off the cam and closed her eyes embracing the chilling and alluring presence of the Force, the side the Light loving Jedi would never dare tap into. Laika could feel the presence of multiple beings all around her, the movements of the clone guards patrolling the corridors and the thoughts of the other prisoners which felt like a mental flashing beacon of mixed emotions.
In the cell to her left she could sense the thoughts and feelings of a human, anxiety and fear gripping to him like a terror filled vice. Laika only felt disdain toward the cowardly little being whose self absorbed thoughts were on the loss of his wealth from ill gotten gains pillaged from worlds he arrogantly speculated to be easy pickings due to a lack of a Republic military presence.
That fact he was incarcerated like her was proof his stupidity and greed driven endeavour rewarded him being thrown into a Republic prison cell. She shifted away from the pathetic little man's mind and was drawn to the occupant to the cell behind her.
This one she felt self pity and anger from Kerkoiden who she learnt from her probing of his mind to be a Separatist Alliance General who fought in the Battle of Christophsis. He belittled himself for believing he had the battle won and the planet placed into the Separatists growing influence but ended up tricked and humiliated, leaving him no choice but surrender to the Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi. The Dathomirian felt a strange sense of envy albeit a small amount, however this alien had been bested by a Jedi, a being strong in the Force instead of the copied humans whose presence were insignificant and by a human who didn't have a connection at all.
She then felt a presence close by passing her cell, another clone who dwelled on the boring and repetitive duty of patrolling empty corridors and his longing to return to the war. It was the only thing Laika admitted to having in common with the trooper, to return to the battles waged across the galaxy but that common interest ended with their own purposes. He wanted to do his duty to defend the Republic like he had been grown and programmed to do, unlike her who wanted to fight and kill Jedi, to end their beloved Order and rid the galaxy of their influence.
Even with her eyes closed and her focus on the aroma of the Dark Side she felt the security cam moving, the operator watching her sit and do nothing but mediated. It had crossed her mind more than once to crush the annoying device but the shackles on her wrists reminded her using the gifts she was taught would result in an unpleasant shock, literally sending bolts of electricity into her body if she attempted to do so. It only added to the her list of why she hated these people.
Time passed with Laika's lack of interest on how long she had been meditating, feeding her anger and hatred into the Force when she sensed two clones outside her cell. Opening her eyes for a brief second to see the door shoot up and both of the Republic soldiers enter she soon closed them again, having seen one holding a tray of rations and the other standing guard by the doorway.
"Well here you go, dinner for one." The clone carrying the tray said, placing it on the other end of the room then turned to her, "What, not even a thank you?" He mocked her.
Laika was sure behind that bucket of helmet of his there was taunting grin, hoping to gauge her for a response.
"See that Pike. We have the courtesy to bring her food and see doesn't show any sort of gratitude." The clone told the guard standing by the entrance, receiving a snort in response.
"What would you expect from a witch, Axel. She'd sooner cut your throat then utter any appreciation," The guard sneered, unaware of the ghost of a smile that crossed her face over agreement of his statement, inwardly wishing she could turn that into reality.
"Ha! like to see her try. If our brothers in the 501st managed to take her down then we'll have no trouble doing so again." A frown threatened to give away her feelings to such an arrogant assumption.
"Yeah, if the Sith are training their people this way we'll have this war won in next to no time." Laika began to grit her teeth, seething at the insult but hid it behind her emotionless expression she used as mask to hide her true feelings. If she ever got the chance she would end their worthless lives without a second thought.
"Come on, looks like we're still not going to get anything from this witch." With that the clones left her cell, leaving her to mull over their new line of insults that only fueled her desire to end them.
Opening her eyes she stared at the tray on the hard metal bed opposite where she was meditating, finding a small bread loaf, a ration bar and a cup of water. When they first sent her food she didn't touched it in suspicion of her 'hosts' tainted it out of spite, humour or both. Lucky for her they did no such thing but if they think their false kindness and offerings of bringing her food or sanctuary as well as a political pardon in exchange of information, Laika was going to be of great disappointment to them.
It gave her small amount of pleasure knowing her silence and deflected responses during the interrogations from both the Jedi and Republic military officials only ended in frustration for them. They changed their attitudes and bribes near enough every time but all were in vain. She wanted nothing from them, rather instead to be eaten by a full grown bull rancor than take anything the Jedi had to offer.
Getting up from her meditating position she stood up and walked over to her bed, still eyeing the rations with suspicion but all the same begin tucking in slowly with her back against the wall. Once finishing what was on the tray Laika brushed it aside, not caring for the loud clanging it made as it hit the floor or the dozen or so pieces the glass cup broke into as it collided with the steely framed floor.
She laid down on the coverless bed closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, readying herself for sleep since there wasn't a great deal to do in her accommodation other than meditate and focus her hatred to those who threw her in this limited space.
Sleep however had been mixed fortune for Lakia for awhile now. All sorts of things seeped into her dreams that did nothing but plague her mind of further more unwelcoming feelings. The one specific nightmare that played itself over and over was of a failure that Laika never could, or rather wouldn't forget which drove her to path she now took.
Restlessness was now a common occurrence as she tried to sleep, trying to get... Her out from her own mind. Some nights she was lucky to have a dreamless sleep and to her relief this was one such occasion. Laika could live with her recent faults and mistakes, even learn from them but that particular tragic one will forever haunt her, a reminder of the biggest failure of her life.
Awakening from her relatively peaceful slumber her eyes met the glaring lights of the cell's ceiling once again. A annoyed grunt escaped her throat as she brought her cuffed hands up to rub her eyes, sitting up and pondered on yet another day locked in this depressive surroundings. She went about doing her routinely stretches and exercises to keep her body sharp and ready instead of falling into laziness, a trait unforgivable to any Dathomirian.
Upon finishing her exercises she went over to her usual spot to meditate, once again feeling the Force flow through her mind and body as she chancel all her thoughts and hatred into the Dark Side. The same chaotic emotional presence of the other prisoners still lingered around her but Laika kept them out from her thought patterns, not in the mood to read their selfish and woeful self pitying dwellings.
Through the middle of her meditation she felt a sudden tremor in the Force as she sensed a group of people walk down the corridor leading to her cell. Directing her focus to this group she felt the presence of a clone and three other people of which she didn't recognise but the first obvious assumption came to mind as to why they heading her way.
Wonderful, more pathetic officials come for a talk, She sighed inwardly to herself as they stopped outside her cell. She remained in her cross legged position and her eyes closed as the door shot upward into the frame as the commotion outside became more audible.
"I'm sorry sir, but until your clearance has been confirmed I can't allow you to enter." The clone argued with the official.
"Well then I shall be contacting your superior over the prevention of obtaining some rather sensitive and vital information. It is not my fault your equipment is on the blink," The official fired back, clearly anger by the soldiers stopping him from entering her cell.
"Again sir, I'm sorry but it's procedure." The clone stood firm.
"Very well, I shall be contacting Admiral Tarkin. I hear Feluica is quite the Chaos ridden world, with all the airborne spores, diseases and creatures hampering our forces worse than the Seppies."
Laika felt the pang of shock emitting from the clone at the mention of one, if not worse battlegrounds currently being waged across the jungle world. She remembered hearing some talk over Feluica before being sent with the droid forces to Nubia. The planet kept changing hands and the casualties were said to be staggering from both the Separatists and Republic sides. The shock was then replaced by anger toward the Republic official, eventually backing down from his stance over the threat.
"Thank you. You can go back to your duties now trooper." The man told him then walked down the small steps leading to her cell. The door slammed shut leaving her with this official but she remained feigning interest at his presence, keeping her eyes shut and refrained from moving from her meditation all the while focusing her attention to the stranger.
"Ugh honestly, all this trouble getting through that amount of security almost made this not worth doing." The man said nonchalantly, "Oh and before I forget," A weird beeping followed and through a hood eye she saw the man dressed in the standard grey uniform of a GAR officer, a small circle like device in his hand as he pressed a thumb down on it. "Wouldn't want them to hear our conversation now, it'll ruin the plan."
Feeling both curious and confused by the officials words and relaxed attitude compared to those who usually question her, she almost stopped her disinterest posture only to have her suspicions remind her this could be new method to gain information from her as he stated to the clone.
"Alright, now that little problem is out of the way we can begin," He took a seat on her bed, position himself so he was opposite her, "so. How are feeling this fine evening?"
Without so much as a twitch or movement of muscle to show her acknowledgement of his question she remained seated and pretending to shut off the world around her.
"The silent treatment I see. Well I gathered from the reports you weren't much of a conversationalist." He said giving a humoured scoff, still not getting a reply out of her. "Right then, perhaps we should just get down to business then. As much I loved to possess such a thing, I don't have all the time in the universe, Laika."
At the mention of her name she snapped her eyes open, glaring over at him.
"Woah, did I say something to offend you?" The stranger said slightly taken aback to her deathly stare.
"How do you know my name?" She questioned him with small dose of venom in her tone, knowing full well she never told the Jedi and Republic interrogators her name.
"My client. It'll be difficult for me to do my job if I didn't who and what I was dealing with." He shrugged moving the little device he used to supposedly turn the speakers of her cell off, using his other hand to lazily scratch his neatly trimmed beard.
"And who is this 'client' of yours?"
"You'll found out soon enough. All I can say though is it isn't who I'm guessing you think it is. From what I understand from the man, he'd would of sent somebody to kill you." He stated a fact Laika had been wondering herself, "My client however, was the one who gave me all the information on you. Such as you were born on Dathomir twenty two years ago, had great potential to strengthen your clan until a certain incident drove you to ignore the wishes of your people and take a path of vengeance for the death of your siste-"
"Don't!" Laika warned him, her eyes piercing at him like a lightsaber severing into some foolish being.
"Sorry. I'm not here to judge you. For all it's worth, it's understandable why you have gone down the route you've taken to get revenge for someone you loved so dearly." The man said sympathetically softening his eyes.
Laika sensed something else in his words, something if she wasn't not mistaken sounded like personal experience. Not that she cared but bringing personal matters he had no right to have knowledge of made her furious, boring her eyes at the man she suspected now was no Republic official at all.
"Apologies for being abrupt and brief but we really need to get straight down to business." He cleared his throat sitting forward leaning one hand down his knee, "Got to make it look I'm actually questioning you for the cameras." He said smirking, shifting his eyes upward to the cam.
"Who are you?" She asked still keeping a suspicious eye on the stranger.
"To the laser brains out there, I'm Vice Admiral Devin Karc, one of the heads of Republic Intelligence. It should take them a considerable amount of time to work out it's a pile of poodoo. Who I am, that changes weekly," He told her standing up from the bed, staring down at her as he folded his arms over his chest. "So, would you like to be free woman again?"
Blinking in surprise at his proposal, Laika checked through the Force to see if this man was not toying with her or if this was trick worked up by the GAR top brass. She didn't detect any deceiving or untruths in his words, only sincerity and patience for a response to his out of the blue proposal.
"Yes." She said firmly, locking her yellow eyes on to his own dark brown ones.
"Good." Was all he said before pressing on a button on his comm link, "In approximately eighteen minutes there will be blackout in the prison. The cells doors will open and I imagine a mass panic will follow with guards trying to restore order," He laid out the plan that sounded too good to be true.
"In case you haven't noticed but if there was to be a breakout of prisoners, the clones will head here first." She pointed out a flaw in his plan, "And I can't do too much with these still attached to me," The Dathomirian brought up her shackled wrists to emphasise the point further.
"Ah yes, I think I can help with that," Pulling out the same device out from his pocket and tapped on it once again, pointing it to her cuffs discreetly from the security cam's view.
A clicking noise followed and when she looked down at her bound wrists, the Acolyte found the pesky contraptions that had been slapped on her since coming under Republic/Jedi custody now loose. The feeling of the metallic Force oppressive binders off her skin felt like a whole world of relief.
"I wouldn't take them off just yet." Karc, or whatever he called himself, cautioned her before she could slip them off her now free hands, "If the clones see you out of your cuffs they'll just slap another pair on you, and this would've all been for nothing."
"Fine." She conceded, keeping her wrists still in the now unlocked cuffs.
"Once you're free, make your way to the far end of the compound by the network of pipes. You'll find a colleague of mine waiting by a speeder who will then bring you to the spaceport, where we'll meet again before sending you off to our client's homeworld." He finished with the last details of his escape plan, then turned away from her and strolled out from the cell.
"Thank you for your cooperation" Karc turned back and gave her a wink, leaving Laika a loss for words and in a mixed bag of emotions as the door slammed shut once again.
Laika wasn't certain if what just happened was real, if it had all been a dream conjured up to mock her for her imprisonment and desired to be freed. Taking another glimpse down at her hands she felt more room for her wrists to move, slowly circling them around the now more spacious shackles thanks to Karc, or whatever his real name was.
She felt tempted to test her newfound freedom from the oppressive handcuffs but seeing as despite being now unlocked, the whirling currents of electricity was still active and would still strike her if she used the Force.
Her mind then crossed to Karc. The man was strange and appeared to be oddly relaxed considering he was in a high leveled security prison with a highly dangerous prisoner with a connection to the Dark Side. What gained her attention was his mysterious client paying him to break out her out. It was a risky and bold move to do so in such a security tight place and suspicion gripped to her over this plan. It came across as too simplistic and not overly detailed on how she was personally going to get out of here, considering she had no idea of the layout of this prison complex.
She knew her biggest advantage would be the chaos between escaping prisoners and the clones trying to restore order. Her best bet would be finding a terminal and quickly extract which corridors lead toward the entrance, or the less likely option of holding a guard hostage and persuade him to lead her out of this enclosed hell. It was without question if Karc's plan worked with the powering shutting down, a squad of clone guards will pour into her cell considering her status as a dangerous inmate.
Looking around the room she took a glimpse at anything that could aid in her breakout, finding nothing of use to combat the clones meaning she'll have to rely on her own limbs and the Force. Catching in the corner of her eye above the door was a row of railings that for some reason only stretched across the outer edges of the ceiling. An odd and ridiculous design which sprang an idea into Laika's mind over what she was going planning next.
Sitting patiently for the supposed 18 minutes to pass until the first part of the fake official's plan came to fruition, she worked over her own ideas on how to get herself out and to the designated spot. She then stood up and walked over to her bed once again, contemplating and patiently awaiting the minutes to pass by and see if this wasn't all a lie and instead turning out to be some new trick cooked up by her captors.
Laika suddenly wished she had chronometer or any time reading device in her cell, feeling this to be longest 18 minutes of her life. Patience was beginning to fade as time went by and nothing happened, the lights still on without so much as a flicker and the door still sealed in its frame. Fixing her eyes down at her loose shackles she rotated her wrists and exhaled a harsh sigh, starting to be believe this was all a cruel hoax.
Anger started to take hold once again but stopped once she found herself to be a pitch black red lights lit up the room but did little to brighten the cell back up. The hissing of the cell door made snap her head over to it, now finding it completely open to the outside corridors. All around her she could sense confusion and shock of the other inmates close to her proximity, unsure what was going on around them now their confinements were open and a chance at freedom unexpectedly presented before their eyes.
Dropping the cuffs on to the bed, Laika was finally rid of the Force oppressive binders. She rubbed her wrists now no longer separated by a metal and electrical combined contraption designed to keep from moving her arms properly and severing her connecting to the universal energy, enabling her to feel her flesh connected with flesh again. Taking a look at the cuffs the Dathomirian glared down at them with disdain, wanting nothing more than to crush the shackles but time was of the essence and she had to leave now before the guards had the chance to corner her and slap them on her once again.
Remaining cautious and alert she steadily approached the doorway, peeking her head out looking both sides to find a few other prisoners leaving their cells. Two human males and a female Terrelian Jango Jumper pelted past her, wasting no time in trying to escape from the prison but unfortunately for them as they reached the end junction two fast moving blue rings struck the humans, sending them crashing to the floor in a stunned state.
"Hey you, stop!" An amplified voice barked to the Terrelian. Taking no heed to the order, the Terrelian ran down the corridor opposite where the voice originated, only to for more stun blasts to follow after her.
Laika caught a quick glimpse of red and white armoured clones coming down the other end firing stun bolts at the Terrelian female before pulling back into her cell, hoping none of the guards had seen her.
"You two, go after her. The rest of you with me." An authoritative voice ordered as she sensed their presences edge closer, "Be on your guard. She may restrained but she's still dangerous."
A chilling smile formed her face at the clones words, obviously unaware now her restraints were gone that danger went up tenfold. She heard the clone again shout at the other prisoners, ordering them back in their cells and warning them to not try anything they'll regret. Staring up at the railings Laika jumped up and held the bars moving her body flat against the ceiling, keeping herself pressed waiting for the clones to foolishly attempt to seize her.
The heavy patter of armoured footsteps charged into her cell, the sound of each clone cocking their blasters at the ready echoed all around the supposed empty prison cell.
"What the, where's she gone!?" One asked in panic.
"Sir, look!" Another called out. Laika lean her head over to catch the clone in question hold up her discarded cuffs, showing it to the other three clones turning their attention over to him.
Choosing this moment to reveal herself she dropped to the floor gracefully without so much as a small clang on the metallic floor.
"Well hello boys, how nice of you to worry for my welfare." She mockingly greeted them. All the clones then twisted themselves around, finding her standing in the mouth of the doorway. Though their helmets hid it, Laika could feel the shock and surprise from each cloned human trooper at her unshackled appearance before them.
She took in their fear like a pleasing aroma, forming a vicious, predatory smile on her face as she summoned the power of the Force, unleashing a strong push toward the squad before they could react. All four went flying hard back into the cells walls, their plastoid armoured bodies colliding and rattling as they fell from the powerful Force enhanced push to the floor.
Pleased she had inflict some level pain to her captors she stood watch for any movement, finding to her relief her swift attack had knocked each Republic trooper scum unconscious.
Wasting no more time she picked up the closest fallen trooper's blaster and ripped off a comm links from a clone's wrist, walking out of the cell to her hope the final time. The power was still out and the dark red auxiliary lights were the only thing brightening the complex up, that and the traces of white light from torches clone helmets coming from the same junction where the two still knocked out humans lay she cautiously advanced down. Keeping her back to the wall Laika kept out of sight for moment waiting for them to get closer as they talked on the way down.
"Kriff! she was a tough one."
"Yeah, I heard Terrelians are difficult to apprehend. It took two Jedi to capture this one." They chatted, seemingly unconcerned what was going on around them.
Laika was surprised by the lack of other prisoners in this section of the prison freely roaming around like herself, considering this was a great opportunity to break free from this place. Her assumption was perhaps they were too scared to do so and were happy to skulk in their little rooms.
Cowards, She mentally spat. Just as they reached the corner bending her way she sprang into action, firing two shots quick succession stunning the clones before they knew what hit them. Frowning she was disappointed the DC-15 blaster still in stun settings. Switching stun to kill she carried on trying to find a way out of this place, using the Force to assist her on finding a safe route out, walking over their still forms and that of the Terrelian female.
All she could think of now was the next step of finding a way out amidst the maze of dull grey coloured corridors and clone troopers roaming the paths keeping prisoners in check from the power cut.
Her biggest problem was she could barely remember the way back to the entrance seeing as she spent a vast majority of her time locked in that cell. Plus, there was no question the entrance was going to be heavily guarded to prevent anyone leaving, especially once it's found she was on the loose. As much as she would love to
It was down one turn Laika eventually found some commotion and trouble. Three guards holding electrostaffs were up against half a dozen freed prisoners, hopelessly outnumbered unless they knew how to deal with the brigands who had been locked up in here with her for reasons the Republic deemed as a threat to the state. A lot of them though she suspected were captured commanders and the like from the war.
"Return to your cells!"
"Get back, or we'll have no choice but to use lethal force." The clones futilely ordered the captives who were mostly human or Weequay.
Staying out of the confrontation and about to head off down a different direction Laika then heard a loud grumble come from the back of the group of prisoners. Peeking back she saw a three and half metre tall beast emerge from behind the tiny crowd, making the others part as it stomped in front of the unfortunate clone guards.
Her eyes widened in surprise at the creature's appearance, it's scaly red lizard like skin, large black eyes and bulky stature was intimidating and judging from the fear and worry she could sense from the clones, Laika could tell the beast was having that very effect to those opposing it.
"Stop, return to your cell now!" The middle clone barked, though Laika could hear the small amount of terror laced in his tone of voice.
His order was met with a low growl as it's piercing dull eyes bore down at them. It took one menacing step forward and was met by the clones flanking the one who commanded at the reptilian giant as they thrust their staffs into its torso. Purple electricity shocked the giant who roared momentarily in agony before to even her shock, grabbed both the electrostaffs at remarkable speeds with its clawed hands and lifted both the active staffs and the clones wielding them effortlessly off the floor.
It then swung and slammed both guards against the wall with incredible force, causing them to loose grip and drop their now unmoving bodies crashing to the ground. It then moved its attention to the remaining single guard who Laika could see tremble and take a step back as the angered tall reptile humanoid menacingly approached the unfortunate clone.
Whether out of fear or newfound courage in the face adversity, Laika would never truly know as the last clone lunged at the lizard with his own electrostaff but to his dismay the hulking alien battered the staff aside before it connected to its body.
It then encircled a clawed hand around the clone's neck and lifted him with no effort, pulling him up until he was eye level with itself. Laika witnessed as the clone thrashed about in the alien's incredible strong grip and threw punches to loosen the hold but it was all useless as it gave a low, threatening growl at the guard.
A sickening crunch rang in her ears as the clone suddenly went limp in the creature's hand. It dropped the guard to the floor in a heap, to the delight of the other prisoners who swarmed the deceased clones and began picking off anything useful. As much as it was pleasing seeing the giant lizard being deal with the clones, the scavenging behaviour from the others sickened her like scrounging Jawas picking off a mechanical carcass freshly destroyed.
Leaving the scum be she began walking down a different corridor, continuing her search for a way out when she heard a triumphant cheer behind her.
"Aye, check this out. This buckethead has a map of the whole prison!" One of the prisoners announced, causing Laika ears to perk and halt her steps. Luck, a thing she never believed and thought of those who had as small minded imbeciles, seemed to be favouring her today, altering her attitude to thinking maybe such a thing did exist.
Going back she saw the mixed group hovering around a Weequay loading up a blue hued map from a holoprojector he stole off one of the fallen clones. The projection showed several floors and highlighted positions dotted on different areas for a purpose Laika was unsure of until she could claim it off the fools.
"Ha, with this and the big guy here it'll make our escape much more easier." One of the humans bragged, pointing a thumb up to the lizard giant behind them.
"Sorry gentlemen, but I need that a lot more than you do." Laika decided to make her presence known, standing with her blaster at the ready and finger tightening on the trigger.
"What the!"
"It's a Dathomiri witch!" Another Weequay said holding out one of the electrostaffs, turning on the crackling purple electrical ends. They were all facing her now with the Weequay and a human possessing the only available weapons taken off the lifeless clones.
"How observant of you." She mocked him, keeping her eyes on all seven of the captives but more so on the giant of being.
"Sorry girl but this here's ours. If you want it!" The other Weequay holding the projector told her, forming a disgusting grin on his scarred face. "You're going to have make it worth our while."
The sickening chuckles from the rest made her blood boil and hardened her stare at the scum.
The suggestive thoughts that ran through their heads made her snap and unleash her fury. Extending out her hand she used the Force to tighten the throat of the vile Weequay, crushing in his trachea and pulling him over to her.
She ignored the looks of horror from the others as she pulled him into a physical grip but still applied the Force's pressure on the alien's throat. Laika stared down into the terror filled eyes on the prisoner, feeling no ounce of mercy for the pity waste of space gasping for air and pleading to her.
"I-I'm sorry... Here…. Take it... T-take it!" He handed the holoprojector.
"See, that wasn't so hard was it?" She gave a fake smile before snuffing his miserable little life out for good.
Raising her head after hearing a satisfying snap from the now dead criminal, Laika stared over with a death glare over to others.
"S-she's a Jedi!" One said trembling.
"I am no Jedi." Laika stated with deep fury at the ignorant accusation.
"Kriff this, let's get out of here!" The human holding the electrostaff shouted, dropping the weapon as he pelted it down the opposite corridor she assumed they had originally came from.
One by one they all ran with the coward, the Force not necessary to know they were all near frightened to death by her. The only one who remained was the lizard being she had trouble identifying its species type. For a moment the acolyte had a silent stand off with the creature, waiting for some type of response either it hostile or submission. Laika stood firm, her eyes remaining defiant and unwielding as they locked on to the colourless large orbs of the reptilian. She had trouble reading it through the Force, unable to tap into its surprisingly strong willed, resistant mind.
Expecting it to make a sudden attack she slid her fingers on to the trigger, waiting for it to strike at her but instead it let out a low roar and spun around. Laika blinked in bewildered watching it stomped away from her presence, leaving her puzzled to its bizarre actions. Ignoring the beast she loaded up the projector and scanned her eyes over the flickering blue image.
Several red dots were highlighted on different sections of the map but their purpose for a moment Laika didn't understand until she started moving, noticing one dot was doings so too.
She moved again taking a few steps, seeing again the same dot move again in the same pattern to her own movements. It quickly dawned on her the dot was in fact her positioning on the map. She let out a frustrated sigh knowing more clone squads will be after her seeing as she appeared to be the only one on the move.
Expanding the image out so it showed the whole prison rather than just rows of unhelpful corridors, Laika eyes the small holo projection to work out a way to escape. The power outage was her greatest advantage but Laika knew it was only a matter of time before it was brought back up again, making her escape more difficult than it already was. Playing around with the projection she roughly made out a route to the main entrance of the prison, wishing that the escape plan cooked up by Karc was better detailed on her part to get out seeing as she had very little to no knowledge to the layout of this caged cesspit.
Looking up she spotted a vent on the ceiling, too small for most in here to attempt to fit but it was big enough for her to crawl through. Dropping the blaster on the floor she opted for one of the fallen electrostaffs, taking up from the floor and pulling the sash of the staff over her head as she walked beneath the vent using the Force to pull the vent cover off the ceiling. The cover cracked and twisted as she violently ripped it down, crashing down to the floor causing it to create a loud echoing bang all around her.
Laika did a quick check to see no one was coming before jumping up into the now open vent. To her relief her whole body managed to fit into the vent passageways even with the electrostaff attached to her back. Pulling both her arms forward she loaded the map once again and memorised the sections in which she had to travel. Once the hologram disappeared Laika found there was only a small amount of light in the vent passageways but enough for her to make out the different junctions turns ahead.
Crawling forward through the cramped interior of the vents Laika on more than one occasion had to stop and adjust the strap of the staff as it kept scraping the tops above her. The last thing she needed was for the ear screeching noises it made attracting the guards attention.
All through her tight squeezed journey out, the Dathomirian heard a lot more commotion as she slowly edged closer to her goal. A few times she peeked through vents to find clones rounding up or battling inmates, the dark red lights still evident the power was still down.
Sounds of struggles between combatants and the crackling of electricity could be heard all around her as she focused on pulling herself through the dark, confined passageways.
On one turn she stopped and pulled the holomap out again, seeing she was now quite close to the exit but her attention was then drawn to a pair of clones out below pointing their blasters down the corridor.
"Slick, stop!" One called out.
"I'm ashamed to call you brothers. You're all too blind to see we're nothing more than slaves to the Jedi!" This 'Slick' responded, spitting the name of her enemy with hate. It gained Laika curiosity these words were spoken by a clone.
"Don't make us do this, Slick. Just return to your cell." The other pleaded with him.
"Go on then you bunch of sleemos, shoot me. Because that's the only way you're going to bring me back there!" The rogue clone taunted the guards. After he rutted his statement she heard the unmistakable sounds of running footsteps going down the same way she was headed, followed by the buzz of stun rounds from the clone guards.
"Ah, Kriff. Come on let's get him before he escapes." One of the clones growled before running after the would be fugitive.
Having been humoured by the confrontation by literally observing it behind the shadows her concentration was swiftly brought back to freeing herself out. She began to feel her muscles ache and her skin burn from its continuous rubbing against the metal surface, but it was small dose of pain to put up if it meant breaking out and achieving freedom.
It was on one turn going right she pulled out the holomap once again finding she only had two more passageways to go before finally reaching the entrance. Her biggest problem then on would be those defending the main entrance and the fact she was somehow tagged on the search lists for the guards to priorities he capture. Dragging her body at the last bend, ignoring the stinging pains of her bones and muscles and having crawled in the claustrophobic space covering a great distance within the prison, Laika felt incredibly relieved at reaching the last passageway.
Keeping the electrostaff close to her back on the last pulls to the ventilation shaft the acolyte moved herself so she was resting on her side to put the mini holoprojector in her pocket, gently removing the shaft cover once it was safely tucked away. The sound of approaching fast paced footsteps halted her fiddling as a large squad sized unit of clones came running down below her.
"Commander Fox says she's heading this way, hurry!" One of them commanded rushing by.
Waiting for them all to pass by Laika carried on removing the cover, sliding to other side of the now open vent shaft. Sensing for any lingering presences nearby she found nobody else was in the corridor. Jumping out feet first she turned her head back for one last look of assurance then proceeded down the next corridor. Again she was met by no opposition, giving her some hope of any conflict free encounters until reaching the front of the prison.
Those hopes were soon smashed as she came face to face with two clone guards blocking her second to last corridor.
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here, Pike."
"Looks like we got ourselves a lost nerf, Axel. Perhaps we ought to help bring her back to its pen," Immediately Laika recognised the sneering guards. Her anger began to take control again, simmering as they stood in her way.
"I suggest you stand aside if you want to live a little longer," She warned them both.
"Ha, yeah right. The only place you'll be going is back to your cell, assassin scum!" The one called Axel activated the purple electrical ends of his staff, followed by the other clone, Pike mirroring his actions as they both threateningly encroached toward her.
Laika narrowed her eyes at the duo, inwardly seething at having to waste time dealing with these bantha fodder. But then again, putting an end to the clones who had done nothing but insult and mock her since being brought to the prison was an opportunity too tempting to pass up. Pulling her own 'borrowed' electrostaff over her head she turned on the lethal ends and prepared herself. Her actions earned a mocking chuckle from Axel.
"Woah, this little nexu has claws."
"Claws sharp enough to take you both on with little effort!" She shot back, "Unlike your brothers who at least went down with a warrior's death, you'll die as the useless cowards you are while they're out there doing the real work in this war"
"You pale skinned harpy!" The Pike clone charged her, clearly upset by her insults.
"Pike!"
Laika brought her staff up to block the overhead strike, revealing in the anger she felt coming from the clone who was driving the staff down on her with all his strength. Using his strength against him she side stepped and pulled her staff with her causing him to lose balance and almost tumbled over. Her eyes goaded him and in predictable fashion he lashed out again but once again she moved aside with incredible speed, resulting in his staff striking the wall.
The next attack was from her this time as she drove her staff into his hip, unleashing a torrent of violet electricity into his body. His plastoid armour did nothing in the way of protecting him from the unforgiving searing pain shocking through his body as he yelled out from the attack.
The clone then dropped his staff as she withdrew her own but then Laika grabbed hold of the stunned clone and swung him around facing her. Dazed and injured from her punishing blow the acolyte threw a punch his way, colliding her fist in a deadly hit against his throat, causing him to instinctively bring his hand to his neck as he began to uncontrollably choke at the vicious blow.
Throwing him to the floor face first she turned around to face Axel. Staring at him with a sickening satisfying grin Laika raised her electrostaff and slammed it at the back of the injured guard's neck beneath his helmet, sending another heavy burst of electricity into him only this time keeping in place until his body went permanently limp. Finally withdrawing the staff from the now deceased clone she still eyed the remaining clone who was horrified by the brutal death of his comrade.
"Still want to stand in my way, clone." She challenged him with a smirk.
"Kriff the Commander's orders. You're not living to see another day!" He shouted in fury, lunging at her with swipe.
The move was clumsy making it easier for Laika to simply step aside from the strike and counter but the clone managed in time to parry it away. He then tried to drive one of the crackling lively ends toward her face but with great athleticism she bent backwards and ended up behind him. Capitalising on his lack of discipline driven by his anger she sent a hard kick into the back of his knee, making him growl in pain and catching him off balance.
The Dathomirian raised the staff over Axel's head and pulled it back on to his neck, pulling roughly back with her own strength coupled with Force enhancement. Bringing him down slamming the top half of his back on her knee as she crouched with the staff blocking his airway.
"What a disappointment. Here I was hoping for a challenge." Laika gave a fake sigh as she pressed her grip on the staff down harder on the clone's neck.
"Kriff you... You... Psychotic witch!" Axel growled between coughs.
"Maybe I am. You have your Jedi handlers to thank for that." She told him, the last words she would ever say to the insignificant soldier as a snap of his neck echoed in her ears.
Standing up and dropping the now dead clone to the floor, hardly a spare thought was in Laika's mind over the death of the clone as she picked up the staff once again and left the bodies behind in pursuit of freedom. To her surprise she hadn't come across any more security units or even any inmates attempting to break free. Having finished going through the twists and turns of the prison's corridors she came to the front reception of the detention facility.
Keeping her back to the wall keeping out of sight, it was obvious to Laika that this was going to be tricky since there was voices coming from an office like room down the other end. Adding to her problems was the sudden glow of the main lights of the facility which could only mean the power was now back online. Cursing to herself she knelt down and stealthily crept down toward the reception area.
Poking her head for a quick sneak peek in the room, she found it to be more in line of surveillance with the many holoscreens observing everything that's going on in the prison. Within in the room was three clones with one leaning over the various screens talking into a comm link to other units.
"Sergeant, what's the status on priority targets?"
"Six out of seven are back in their cells, but we are struggling to contain down here Commander. We're outnumbered and some of the prisoners have acquired weapons!" A voice replied on the other end of the communique.
"Hang in there, reinforcements are on the way." The commanding clone assured the other,
"Have you detained the assassin?" Laika heard him question as she quietly slipped by in the hope of being unnoticed.
"No sir!" The clone Sergeant reported as she neared the door leading out the main exit. "Uh, sir. You may want to check your tracker."
"What!" Was all Laika heard before the door sheathed up, revealing the extraordinarily large and spacious exit way.
The rushing of footsteps behind her meant the Commander had done as the Sergeant suggested. There was no mistaking the bewilderment of the clone how she managed to get past them without noticing.
"Hold it right there!" The lead clone with more patches of red paint on his armour, the Commander ordered she presumed her ordered raising up dual hand blasters.
"Sorry boys, but I have better places to be!" She gave a wave then closed the door behind her, hearing the shots from their blasters pinging on the other side. Next she rammed the staff into the control panel, short circuiting it into a shower of sparks and crackle of dying electronics.
Certain no one was getting out that way for the time being, it left only one last part remaining part for Laika to escape from before working her way to the supposed waiting speeder.
Running down the long and vastly wide entrance she saw the tall, thick 40 metre double doors of the prison were sealed shut. Taking a brief pause she searched for a control panel or anything resembling a button near by. Unsurprisingly she found such a panel beside the doors on the left hand side of the massive door frame.
Wasting no time she jogged over to wall finding an assortment of buttons on a flat face panel built into the durasteel walls. Pressing down on a few of the buttons it was to her dismay when the thinly made screen kept coming up red and displaying 'ACCESS DENIED'.
"Come on!" Laika carried on pressing each button to no avail.
Slamming a frustrated punch above the unresponsive panel, she groaned angrily at what seemed to be failure at the last step to freedom. Her thoughts of failure were then interrupted by the movement of the heavy duty doors opening up, beaming light from the outside into the dark and low artificial lightening interior of the entrance. Joining the sunlight was over a platoon sized strength of Republic troops pouring in, rushing to join their comrades in restoring order from the unexpected power cut.
Keeping hidden in the the shadows Laika waited for them to pass, hoping none of the bucketheads will notice her presence. As the last trooper jogged in the doors started to close again with the acolyte picking up the pace to get out before they could trap her inside again.
Whether it was the work of the Force, luck or another unknown power entity out there, the feel of fresh air and the evening sunlight of Coruscant Prime shining down on her meant Laika was finally out from the accursed Void hole. Before her stood many monuments but more dominant was the giant statues of clone troopers and two rows of Republic banners flapping in the wind, colored in crimson red and the insignia of the Galactic Republic.
It was good architecture but the choice of dedication of the colossal stone statues filled Laika with disgust. Remembering she was yet safe from danger and recapture, she legged it down the other end of the enormous golden/yellow stone wall inscripted with lettering she neither had the time or interest to know what it read.
So far she hadn't bumped into anybody, hearing only the whine of engines of dropships and some speeders flying over her head to the main entrance of the facility. Starting to believe she was about to run free unopposed on the last stretch from the prison's premises, a snarling animalistic growl came from the end of the walled monument. Laika stopped caught by surprise at the massiff and its clone handler walking out with a small group of troopers behind them. The massiff saw her and straight away started barking wildly, alerting its master and the other clones.
"You there, stop!" The massiff handler pointed to her. All at once the blasters from the other clones raised in unison, ready for her make one wrong move.
"You will not stand in my way." Laika glared at them all, springing into action first before they could pull the triggers by jumping higher than any normal being could with the Force's assistance.
Summoning all the power she could muster the Dathomirian Force wielder beard down on the gathered soldiers who opened fired in an futile attempt to stop her. Dispersing a huge shockwave as she landed in the centre of the clone unit, all the troopers and the massiff went flying in different directions. Looking around at the results of her power Laika allowed a grin to form, pleased to have dispensed of her would be retainers in a show of her true strengths.
"There she is, over there!" Another voice shouted further down amongst the built up Republic forces by the main entrance. Worse was the humming down from the side of the prison, across from her view in the form of a turbolaser battery shifting around to face her.
Between the turbolaser and the pursuing clones Laika set off within a heartbeat, her will and determination all set on meeting her ride out of this place.
The repetitive thudding from the turbolaser filled her ears chasing after her, quickly catching up with her steps. Blasts of blue flew past her too adding to the heart pounding chase, a few managing to pass her considered too close for comfort. She found a stairway heading down to her next destination, mustering all the speed she could produce ran for it zigzagging from the wave of enemy fire. Jumping down she heard a heavy blast collide on to top of the flight of stairs, thanking the
Force she chose to jump otherwise she would be nothing but pieces of flesh. Regaining her senses she ran again, finding her way on to the walkways of the humongous pipe network connected to the prison facility. Not far behind were squads of red and white armoured blasting a mix of blue plasma and stun rings in an attempt to subdue her.
'If only I had my lightsabers!' Laika complained to herself as she did her best to avoid the concentrated fire aimed solely at her. She scanned her eyes everywhere for this waiting speeder Karc claimed to be here but she found nothing but more pipes, walkways and pursuing clones. A beam of white light shown down at from seemingly nowhere until glaring back to find a Republic LAAT gunship flying over, keeping a front spotlight trained on her.
It closed the distance with her fairly quickly, opening it's crew compartment to reveal more clones sticking their blaster rifles out firing at her without hesitation.
Luck began to waver out of her favour when a burning sensation she felt before back on aboard the Republic cruiser coursed through her calf, puncturing through cloth, skin and muscle. The pain that came with it caused Laika to wince her eyes close and make a sudden stop and kneel over. Ignoring the pain she tried again to move but the shot caused a limp in her leg, slowing her progress and giving valuable time and opportunity for the clones running after her to catch up.
The dropship flew ahead and twisted to it's side blinding her with it's searchlight piercing the bright white light down on her, giving the troopers a chance to jump down to the walkway it hovered over. Raising her hand to block the light from her vision she made out the figures of the clones previous aboard the dropship now standing in her way blocking all walkways in her path. Behind her had she had the same problem now the clone squad chasing her had finally caught up.
An order to hold their fire rang out as Laika frustrate cursed herself at slowing her pace due, regardless of injury, and now was blocked off and surrounded.
"Alright assassin, you've had your fun. Either submit peacefully, or you'll leave us with no choice but to use force." A clone stepped forward from the the dropship party, offering her the only two solutions available. All the other clones kept their blasters pointed at her, cautiously approaching her waiting to see if she would do anything foolish.
Clenching her fists in fury, trying to deal with the burning, throbbing pain in her leg and closing her eyes silently raging at being fooled and recaptured. Staying still sensing the clones drawing nearer the acolyte vowed to add Karc to her growing list of vengeance for tricking her into believing he came to help her. It'll be the last time she would ever trust a human.
"Get the cuffs" The same lead clone ordered. The overloading hate and anger building up inside channeled into the Force, feeding the Dark Side of it's favoured qualities to prepare for one last desperate plan of attack to prevent herself from going back to a cold, restrict cell room.
Building her power up she could feel the clones all around her flinch are prepare to fire but all that was put aside by a new light emerging from nowhere. Laika opened her eyes and just like the clones stared up at the new source of light, finding where the dropship originally was instead in it's place a fiery ball of flames and smoke as well as an explosion ringing in her ears. Parts of the destroyed dropship fell and clattered to the surface below into dozens of torn and twisted pieces.
Above flying threw the burning wreckage was a three bulbous engine speeder, hovering over their position with a person standing up holding what she made out to be some type of heavy blaster.
Without warning the being fired his own blaster down at the clones, hitting two of them from the first burst. Taking advantage of the chaos she sent sharp high kick to the chin of the closest clone who dared to tried and arrest her, knocking him off his feet then used a combination of stomach punches and another hard chin strike using her fist on the next clone dazing him. She then went on to toss him to the floor and pressed her knee into his neck, twisted it snapping it in the process.
Once the clone was dealt with she saw the last few clones left fire at the speeder, clipping the underbelly and different areas of the driving compartment but none hit the unknown assailant.
Giving a hand she sent a Force push in their way flying them off their feet, even getting two of them to lose grip of their guns. The speeder lowered to ground level behind her, showing a helmeted figure with a humanoid build and a male Iktotchi driver.
"Get in, quick!" The amplified feminine voice of the helmeted figure waved her in. Hearing some of the clones who weren't killed or knocked out stirring she climbed aboard, sitting herself in the back passenger seats.
Once she was aboard the speeder the driver lifted the speeder up again and fly away at top speed. Laika for the first time since leaving her cell relaxed a little but doing so she felt the stinging sensation of the plasma round that embedding itself in her calf.
"Woah, that was close one!" The helmeted being sighed, her voice, as Laika assumed was a female, still amplified by the helmet she was wearing, "Bet you're glad we arrived in the nick of time." She shifted herself around to face her.
"Yes." Was all Laika said as she took her eyes off the woman and looked out to the fast moving traffic they were about to enter into.
"Yeah, Karc mentioned you aren't much of a talker." She stated the man's name whilst taking off her helmet, showing a young female with buzz cut dark brown hair and grey eyes. "Your welcome by the way," The woman said in sarcasm with her voice having a more natural sound to it.
The rest of the journey remained in silence now they left the dull, oppressive features of the Republic military prison facility to the now luminescent multi coloured night life of the Republic's capital world. The natural light of the system's sun was completely taken over by the artificial lightening of various skyscrapers and other multiply storey high buildings, thousands of speeders and ships racing back and forth off to different locations from all around the planet wide city or off to different star systems.
All Laika cared about however was getting to the spaceport and leave this wretched planet for good. In the distance she spotted the towering silhouette of the Jedi Temple. A deep angered frown formed on her face snapping her head away from the headquarters of her most loathed enemy. How she wished for the day to see the Jedi's beloved Temple crumble into nothing but rubble. Beside her she noticed for the first time a rocket launcher leaning on the other side of the passenger seat, explaining how these two managed to take the dropship down.
To her relief they finally reached the spaceport without trouble. The Iktotchi drove the speeder down to the platforms parking down by a group of cargo freighters.
"Come, it won't be long before the GAR track us here." The woman said hopping out first. Following suit Laika got out next leaving the silent Iktotchi male last to disembark from the vehicle.
Letting her 'saviours' lead the way she walked behind the pair still limping from her wound, awaiting for what came next from Karc's plan to get her off world and to this 'client'. After walking past half a dozen different ships the duo in front stopped as a blue skinned Patrolian came over carry an infopad.
"Where's Karc gone?" The lightly armoured woman asked the small amphibious alien.
"Finishing the final touches of our payment." It replied in a deep almost gurgling voice.
"Good, I didn't like this contract from the start. I just want to get paid and get out of here." The Iktotchi spoke for the first time.
"Oh come on, Tareese. All you did was drive. I was the one doing all the fighting." The human female scoffed folding her arms, earning a gruff grunt in response to her accusation.
Staying out of the exchange Laika waited for the person she had more interest in, waiting to find if he would keep up to his word. Minutes passed when Karc finally appeared, no longer dressed in the grey GAR officer attire from earlier today, instead now dressed in a brown and black jumpsuit tucking the same device he had from before into a pocket.
"Ah wonderful, everything appears to be done without a hitch." Karc said with a pleasing grin.
"You never cease to amaze me. I've yet to know of any plan of yours to fail", The short haired young woman complimented him.
"It wasn't one of my best, Kara. It required our friend here having to do the hardest part of escaping that dreadful place with no help from the outside, besides Danibo's hacking of the prison's security systems." Extended his hand out to Laika, drawing all their attention to her.
"I am disappointed how easy it was to access their mainframe and break down their firewalls. Some one will be in trouble tomorrow." The Patrolian gave a short laugh at the last part of his sentence.
"Enough already. When are be leaving?" Laika spoke up, growing impatient at their nonchalant conversation over the man's plan to break her out.
"This is where we'll be parting ways, Laika." Karc told her crossing his arms over, "The payment has come through, so now you will board this ship behind me and go to my client's homeworld." He thumbed over his shoulder to a grey and rustic brown Corellian light freighter.
"Who is this client of yours?. How do I know this isn't a trap?"
"I assure you, they intend you no ill will. I think you'll find this to be quite a pleasant surprise on the other end of this journey." Karc continued to smile at her, a smile she was fast growing tiresome of.
"I doubt that." She grumbled, sensing annoyance from the others over her sceptic attitude but Karc didn't show any change in his own attitude toward her.
"Come on, you best go before the Republic's heroic boys in shining white armour find you here." He started walking to the ship, indicate his hand for her to accompany him. Walking past the others she came alongside the stranger, only for him to stop momentarily to the others.
"Aren't you going to thank them?" He nodded his head to the trio of aliens. For a second Laika didn't know why she had to due to the minor role they played in freeing her, except for the blue skinned Patrolian who shut the whole facility's mainframe down.
"Thank you." She looked over at them, stretching the words out at the common courtesy she very rarely used as often as she did as a youngling.
"See, the Dathomir witch does have manners." The joke did not raise one ounce of humour from the acolyte, preferring to get on with leaving as quickly as possible to wherever he was sending her off to.
"Here's the coordinates." He gave her small piece of flimsiplast, "It's fully fuelled and contains some supplies for the journey. You should have enough to see about cleaning and dressing that wound of yours too."
"Good." Laika answered then remembered, "Thank you."
"No problem, it's what I was paid to do. This particular client always gives me interesting jobs to do and they pay quite generously." He smirked moving away from the ramp leading up to the ship, "Oh, one last thing". He came to her again, reaching his arm around her back.
Instinctively she went to grab his arm and act in self defence but it wasn't until he retracted his arm and in his hand was a tiny star shaped chunk of metal resting between his fingers.
"What is that?"
"This is what they put on you so they could track your every move." Karc explained eyeing the device, "Clever little thing, for something so small to possess a great tracking range and you wouldn't know it was on you unless you look carefully enough." Finishing his observation she watched him drop it then stamp on the device. On the removal of his foot the device was crushed and shattered into many pieces.
"Is there anything else?" She asked raising a questioning brow.
"No. Safe travels Laika, it's been a pleasure." Karc gave a small bow, then left her be to join his small team of mercenaries. Giving one last backward glance at the four people responsible for playing a part in breaking her out the newly free Dathomirian walked up the ramp, hitting the button at the top to retract it and closed the door.
Going through the light freighter giving it brisk look over she made headway to the vessel's small cockpit, taking a seat on one of the swivel chairs and unfurled the flimsiplast containing the coordinates. Reading them over Laika could help but feel something was familiar about the numbers. It still tugged at her as she punched them into the nav computer next to the hyperdrive controls, pulling the ship off the landing pad and toward the night sky of Coruscant.
The vast star dotted expanse of the cosmos soon came into view once she left the planet's atmosphere, amongst the civilian vessels and Republic Naval warships going about their business. Getting to a safe clearing she pulled down on the hyperdrive lever, her view within seconds turned to the pulling swirl of lightspeed travel. For the first time in what felt like a whole lifetime had passed, safety and proper relief was all Laika felt as she sank her back into the lethal covered chair.
No clones, no Republic or Jedi were here to to torment her, press her for information she mostly didn't know but took a small dose of pleasure in pretending to, to dissatisfy the grim faced officials and Jedi. Feeling her leg starting ache again she got up and went in search of any bacta or medical equipment to help deal with the pain. Finding a med small med box containing bacta patches she return to the cockpit and went about checking out the extend of the wound.
Once she had cleaned it up and placed a bacta patch over the blaster wound which left a hole in the back of her calf Laika decided to sit back and think over the fluid motions of the day, and of the upcoming meeting with this client of the mysterious Karc person. Nothing in this moment in time gave her greater joy than being away from the clutches of the Jedi and Republic's hands, the look on their faces over their failure to keep her within their durasteel and ferrocrete walls as a prisoner would been a truly humorous sight.
But now see had to wait and see what waiting for her at the end of this trip. Karc told her it wasn't who she suspected. So if wasn't Count Dooku who employed him to set her free, then who did. It was a question that plagued her until the nav computer signaled she was close to her destination. Again looking over the coordinates Laika felt a tug at her mind over where she had seen those numbers before.
After five minutes those questions were answered in the shape of the disappearance of hyperspace to a pinkish/red planet filling the view window of the cockpit.
"Dathomir?" Laika said aloud at the sight of her homeworld. Different emotions played on her changing from joy, sadness then confusion over why she was flying to a world outsiders viewed with suspicion and fear thanks to stories and legends spread from off world travellers and the few natives to wander the galaxy.
Laika glanced again at the nav computer and carried on directing the ship to where this person wanted to meet with her. Flying through the Dathomirian atmosphere she was welcomed by the dense mystical like fog covering the landscape, hiding the different mountain ranges and swamp lands from a bird's eye view. Poking out the fog were some mountain tips and rock formations along with tree tops spouting out too.
It had been some time since she climbed Shattered Ridge or crossed the famed Dreaming and Frenzied Rivers of her people's homeworld, reasons very few knew why she wouldn't venture to those places again. The nav showed she was reaching closer to her final destination, and to finally find out who it was she had to thank for helping her. Slowing the ship down she pressed the button that extended the landing gear and put the ship down the exact spot the navigation was signaling to land.
The ship broke through the less dense fog over the self designated landing spot, descending to the rustic coloured surface below. Laika stood up from her chair straight away as the ship landed with a soft jolt on the dusty, rocky terrain making her way through to exit the ship.
Activating the ramp it opened up the door and unsheathed the narrow flat extension of the freighter to the ground.
Deliberately taking her time stepping off the ship Laika took a moment to take in the environment she hadn't laid eyes on for years. The arched dead trees ranging from large to small still stood strong even with their vegetation long gone and means of subsistence evaporated years ago. A pair of veeka birds flew overhead going off into the distance cawing to each other, flapping their wings through the mists.
She inhaled Dathomir's air for the first time since leaving, feeling it's aroma ingest into her lungs. Despite all the supposed gem worlds of beauty and industrial might of some worlds belonging to the Separatists and the Republic, nothing felt better than walking on the soil of her homeworld. To any non-Dathomirian the 'Planet of the Witches' was nothing but a barren world shrouded in mysterious and unseen horrors but to her it was home, a more welcoming sight than any other world in the galaxy.
Remembering why she was here Laika took her focus away from the environs of her homeworld and walked down the sandy dirt filled and misty path leading in the opposite direction. Strolling down Laika could make out through the thinning mist artificial stone structures at the other end of the wide path attached under the small mountain. The trees were curling over the trail like sharp bone fingers getting bigger as she drew closer to the familiar stead she hadn't visited since departing.
On her way down there was nothing but silence but she feel and sense hidden eyes watching her every step, observing the unknown single party advancing on their home. If it had been any outsider they would not have detected those possessors of those eyes tracking every footstep but despite a long absence she knew who was watching her. It was her knowing of these people that refrained her from doing any violent rebuke when they jumped own in front of her, raising their energy bows and swords and daggers at the intruder.
"What business do you have here?" One behind her asked in her echoing like voice, poking her with the tip of her blade.
"I was told to come here." Laika replied unflinching to the threat of the Nightsisters.
"By whom?"
"You know who." She told them without turning to face the speaker.
"Come now, lower your weapons," A figure approached from the entrance of the mountain. Without hesitation all the Nightsister warriors lowered their bows and blades, parting out of the way.
"Mother Talzin." She addressed the head and spiritual guide of the Nightsister clan. The red robes of the tall older woman strangely flowed on their own accord as she gracefully striding over with a small smile on her aged but experience face.
"Laika, welcome home. It pleases me you have arrived safe and well." Mother Talzin greeted her. Like the other Nightsister Talzin's voice echoed from each work spoken but the flanging voice was more deep and rough.
"Forgive me Mother, I'm am forever in your debt but why did you employ those mercenaries to break me out?" Laika quizzed her.
"All in good time, sister." The elder woman responded, walking closer nodding to the other Nightsister who all back away, "News reached us of your fate at the hands of the Jedi and the betrayal the Sith had in place for you."
"How-"
"Come, Laika" She gently placed a hand on her back urging her to walk alongside her back into the Nightsister mountain fortress. "There is much we need to discuss"
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Woah, that was a long chapter. I apologise again for another long wait, my fault thanks to work and being distracted by Euro 16 and other bits and pieces.