DROMMUND KAAS

Blackheart Darkstar crouched low in the foliage, dark red eyes burning in anger as he peered about him. The fingers on his left hand twitched as he gripped the lightsaber hilt hard, itching to hear the hiss of energy as he brought it to life. Better the hunter than the hunted, he thought.

He had been heading to the dark temple with his mother and mentor, Bloodshade, when the jungle had turned into one giant blaster filled fight. Mandalorians had seemingly come out of the woodwork about them, and in the chaotic moments just after being jumped, they had become separated. The initial fight had been quick, mini rockets and blaster fire coming from all directions, mingling with the blue hued lightning and dirt kicked up by use of force slams to gain distance for them. The jungle had filled with smoke and fire.

Blackheart had taken two of the Mandalorians down since, playing hide and seek with them in the jungle. The first he caught crossing a small stream of water. Lightning was useful, especially when the man had been standing in such a good conductor. The warrior's armour had smoked and burst into flames about the seams as he fried out its systems along with the person within. The other he had caught crouched down and unawares. Blackheart had crept in close, letting his double bladed lightsaber sever the helmet from the body, head within in a clean quick stroke. He could only hope Bloodshade was faring equally as well somewhere out there.

"Where are you, mother?" Blackheart hissed.

"Behind you."

Blackheart growled and spun on one foot, hand bringing up his lightsaber and igniting it, the red blades springing to life horizontal out before him from either end of the hilt. The zabrak's eyes narrowed and looked about a moment before seeing the slight shimmer standing beside a tree a couple feet away. Well out of reach, but had it been anyone else, I would have been a dead man, Blackheart thought angrily.

Bloodshade dropped her disguise, letting go of the force she used to wrap about herself to disappear almost entirely from sight. The woman moved forward and crouched down beside her adopted son, even as he shut down his weapon. She grinned inside the ancient sith helmet she wore. A family heirloom passed down, or so the force ghost Kallig, her ancient relative, had told her. She was still uncertain about the validity of that. Ratattaki in heritage, an orphan as it were, she could not quite reconcile the fact she might have had a powerful sith related to her.

Bloodshade wore her customary red armour, the lightly plated upper chest and lower sith robes marked her station as an inquisitor. Blackheart knew with the old, skull looking metal helmet she looked terrifying at the best of times. Despite that, he noted the burnt sections on the robes and the charred mark where a shot had grazed the armour plating at her shoulder.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her.

"No, but a handful of them are." Bloodshade said in a tone that left no mistake the Mandalorians had lost a few more men. Blackheart could only grin, noting the woman was in a foul mood. That was a good thing, he knew. She was always dangerous when put out.

"Any idea how many of these bastards are out there?"

"Too many." Bloodshade commented and shook her head. They were well outnumbered, and sooner or later their luck would run out she knew. She had managed to get some separation from her attackers, long enough to have thought things through.

"We are going to need to split up."

"I'm not running from these dogs." Blackheart growled, spitting on the ground for emphasis.

"Don't be foolish and blinded by hate, my son." Bloodshade commented, casting a glance about watching for more mandalorians. "We have no idea how many of them there are, why they are after us, or who sent them. They hunt for credits and glory, and right now we are the prey."

Blackheart swore under his breath and shook his cowled head. As was his usual habit he wore lightly armoured all black robes with its deep cowl covering his horned and tattooed head. Much as he wanted to argue, he knew he could not find any fault in Bloodshade's logic. If they split up there was a good chance one, if not both of them, would get away. At the very least it split the number of foes they faced.

"Whoever sent them, I am going to rip out his heart and hold it before their eyes as they die."

Bloodshade grinned behind her helmet hearing his words. Blackheart had fury and passion to spare, but it was still not tempered by experience. Soon though, Blackheart would ascend to be a great sith inquisitor, following in her footsteps. For today however, she could only hope he would do as told and follow her lead without getting too creative. Her adoptive son was nothing if not a handful at the best of times.

"I want you out of the line of fire. You are to go to Korriban. The rules on fighting and killing there still hold true for the most part." Bloodshade confessed. "Take my ship and go there. Follow your instincts."

"Fine." Blackheart growled, unsure why he was going to the sith home world, and still unhappy with how things were going. "And what about you, mother?"

"I am going to go get Khem, and together we will find out who is behind this. And then, my son, we shall have our revenge."

Bloodshade watched Blackheart slip off, smiling within her helmet as he left. He was becoming all he could be, growing well under her tutelage. He would do as told, but grudgingly. He always had before, though she understood all too well the desire to find and kill whoever was responsible. I've certainly made enough enemies.

"My daughter, you must take heed and caution."

Bloodshade turned in her crouch, startled hearing the hollow resonant voice. She relaxed a moment later seeing the pale translucent form of Kallig standing and watching her. While she was not sure she fully trusted what he had revealed about her lineage, he had not lied to her at all. It had been a long time since last she had seen him, but he had a bad habit of popping up when trouble was coming. Still, Kallig had sworn he had been seen for the last time back before she had killed Thanaton. What was he doing here now?

"Kallig." Bloodshade said the name of the force ghost, nodding to him. "And what do I owe this visit to? I thought I was not going to see you ever again."

"You, my daughter, are in grave danger. I have seen wait awaits you. This is why the force brings me to you now."

Bloodshade cocked her helmeted head to one side, studying the shade of her supposed relative. One of these days I need to do a check into such, a bit of blood would prove the claim once and for all, she thought. She knew enough not to doubt Kallig though. He had been right about Zash, had warned her and even helped her then and after. His strength had been part of many ghosts she had bound to draw power from in her fight with Thanaton.

"I'm guessing this attack is tied to such." Bloodshade said to him. "And I don't suppose you can tell me what in the bloody hell is going on?"

"You will face yourself, your past." Kallig said pacing back and forth as he spoke. "All you think you know is at an end. Prepare yourself, daughter, but know you are not alone. And know you sit amongst your enemies on the Dark Council. Seek not their help, for they have betrayed you."

Bloodshade shook her head. Damn force ghost, always so bloody cryptic, she thought. He told her just enough to help, but nothing really useful at all. It left her only with more questions. Kallig had a habit of doing that. Annoyed all the more, there was nothing more Bloodshade could do but head off to find her deshade, and then a way off Drommund Kaas. The last words of the ghost lingered in her mind however, about the Dark Council. She had earned that seat defeating Darth Thanaton, but not without argument at her placement among them. She had been dubbed Darth Nox, but titles were meaningless. Others had risen on the broken bones of fallen council members before, it was nothing new. If they are against me, Bloodshade thought, then things are grave indeed.