KORRIBAN
Blackheart Darkstar stepped off the shuttle and glanced about, memories returning from when he had been nothing more than an acolyte. Stepping off the shuttle he had been the last of his group to arrive, and the one who had fought the hardest to get ahead as it turned out. In the end he had prevailed and risen, while others fell. Taking a deep breath, the zabrak cast black eyes about over the red rock formations that rose up about the landing platform. It would not be far to reach the sith academy temple, but he was not sure that was really where he wanted to go.
Moving from the landing pad he walked the sandy pathway that ran towards the academy, thoughts moving to what he should do. There really was no other place to go, and he had need of information. Sent here and cut off from Bloodshade, he was eager to find out if she had made it off planet or not. He figured she had or else he would have felt such through the force.
"Halt! Stop right there."
Blackheart spun about, crouching, hand poised above his lightsaber hanging from his belt at his hip. Damn you for being careless, he admonished himself, having failed to see the Imperial troopers that had lined the path. It was not uncommon to see them about, but in larger numbers he should have suspected something was wrong.
"Place your weapon on the ground and don't even think of trying anything." The lead trooper stated, hard and cold, emphasizing the words by waving the blaster rifle in his hands.
Blackheart studied them quickly, assessing them, and working out his options. There were five of them behind him, which included the leader who had spoken. Another eight were in front of him barring the way. All wore heavy armour, carrying an assortment of blaster rifles, heavy cannons, and vibroswords. Too many to take on, he knew.
"One last time sith, stand down and get those hands up. You're under arrest."
Blackheart grinned a moment as he rose back to a standing position, hands clasped in front of him, black eyes peering up at the head trooper menacingly. He was sith, and he could smell the fear on all of them just simply due to that fact. Fear was a weapon, if you knew how to harness it. It could well give him an advantage.
"You dare try and arrest your better?" Blackheart dropped his voice low and deep, the words slipping from his lips slowly and with emphasis. "You dare to threaten me?"
"Your choice sith, stand down and be arrested, or come along in a body bag." The trooper stated, but behind him Blackheart could see a few of his men were shuffling their feet and moving backwards.
Blackheart was about to go for his lightsaber when a voice called out commandingly, grabbing everyone's attention. Turning to face the larger group he had put at his back, he watched the troopers part aside as a pure blood sith woman walked straight at them, and then past them. No one moved, and Blackheart cast the woman a curious glance. Strange happenings seemed to be commonplace here, he thought, though he was not sure if that was a good thing or not. She was average height and build, wearing the grey and blue robes worn by those of Overseers at the academy. He did not miss the fact the woman had a lightsaber hanging at her hip from her belt.
"Stand down or pay the price." Overseer Loun had yelled, storming right into the ranks of the troopers that had the sith ringed in their ambush.
She strode right up to and past them, noting the surprise they expressed over her sudden presence. Loun grinned thinly, doing so giving her face a cold dangerous look that she knew was making the troopers all the more uneasy. Following the visit by the chiss woman, she had expected sooner or later one of the others of the Darkstar family would show up here. She recognized the man, Bloodshade's apprentice and adopted son.
Moving to join him, Loun gave him a scowl that bespoke her annoyance that he had been caught so easily. Blackheart gave a nod back and ignored the look the fellow sith cast him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, Loun winked and then took his lightsaber from him. Blackheart allowed her to do it, unsure as to what game the woman was playing, but willing to let it play out. At the very least it might provide a better chance at escape.
"Follow my lead." Loun hissed barely above a whisper at him and Blackheart gave a minimal nod of the head in response.
"There is no need for foolish bravado and testosterone, captain." Loun walked to the leader, holding out the saber. "I will accompany you and ensure his proper treatment, and his co-operation."
"I've got orders…" The captain made to argue but Loun glared hard and the words died in his throat.
"Pray I don't change your orders further commander!" Loun snapped, pointing a finger into his visor threateningly. "Unless you prefer to argue such with your better!"
The captain watched the Overseer take her fingers and squeeze them together mockingly taunting a force choke for him. It was all that was required, the captain nodding and waving to his men to lower their weapons. Blackheart grinned and glanced about at all of them. Yes indeed, fear was a powerful ally.
"I want you eight back at barracks." The captain barked out, clearly putting those under his command on notice he was not cow towed. "The rest with me escorting our… guests."
Loun walked beside Blackheart, the woman linking her arm through his and treating the stroll as if it were merely a leisurely walk about the grounds of the academy. Blackheart did not know the woman personally, had met her briefly once, but she had saved him from a decidedly disadvantaged showdown so for now he played along and trusted her. The captain and two of the troopers were in front of them, two following behind.
"Be ready." Loun whispered low to him and he gave her a questioning glance back. "I have it all taken care of. You are safe son of the Darkstar. I am a friend."
"I'm always ready, though I do not know you to call you friend." Blackheart answered back, eyes now alert and scanning about them.
Whatever the woman was up to, it would come soon, though he was not sure what that would be. On one side the stone of the wall gave way to a drop well down into the old tombs. On the other side was a wall of rock that was too high to climb. There was really no place to hide and nowhere to go. Blackheart's curiosity had become peaked.
"Necrolis Darkstar is a friend, and I look out for his family." Loun confessed and shrugged. It mattered not if the zabrak understood or not. She had made her choice when she had aided the chiss intruder. I did it for him, she reminded herself.
Blackheart knew the name, knew he was called brother by Bloodshade. That said enough about the man. If the woman were taken at face value, then he had found an ally. That said, he was not sure he did actually trust the woman. Glancing up at the wall, it was then he caught the glint of sunlight reflecting off metal. Someone was up there, he guessed, someone wearing armour. They were there and then gone, but there nonetheless. Perched halfway up the wall on a small rock outcropping, it looked like they were not alone.
"Now!" Loun hissed, breaking from Blackheart's side and tossing him his lightsaber. Her hand went out and let loose a wave of force energy to hurl the troopers behind them back off their feet.
Blackheart moved quickly, igniting his blade and turning to let out a gout of lightning that bathed over both troopers as they struggled to rise. He moved quickly, walking forward even as he drew upon as much of the force as he could, lightning pulsing and growing brighter in intensity as it seared into and through the troopers.
Glancing over his shoulder he watched as the unknown figure leapt from the ledge. The captain and two troopers turned to face he and Loun, unaware of the new arrival. The red glow of a lightsaber swept in two arcs, slicing through both troopers. The captain leapt forward, tucking and rolling up to a crouch, blaster rifle rising to track the new assailant. It never made it, Loun suddenly behind the man, face beside his over his shoulder.
"Poor pathetic fool." Loun hissed, leaning in to kiss the man's helmet. "Only now at the end do you understand. We are your betters, you don't ever hunt sith."
Loun extinguished her saber and stood even as the captain fell to the ground. Looking back at Blackheart she grinned watching as he continued to pour lightning into both the downed troopers. She watched their bodies twitching and jerking, enjoying the sight before waving a hand at him to stop.
"I do believe they are dead."
Blackheart shrugged and cut off the flow of the force lightning, watching the tendrils of smoke rise, smelling the burnt flesh smell coming from the two corpses. Better safe than sorry, he knew, not that he minded a bit of overkill. He looked from Loun to the stranger as he walked up to stand beside her. He wore standard grey and red acolyte armour, marking him as not having yet completed his trials. He was a pure blood sith, black hair ear length. For a moment Blackheart felt he should know the man, there was a sense of familiarity with him.
"Raistlis, this is Blackheart Darkstar." Loun offered in introduction. "Blackheart, this is Necrolis's sponsored acolyte."
"Adopted son?" Blackheart guessed, nodding towards the younger acolyte.
"And you are any different?" Raistlis said, voice low and deep.
"Enough with the posturing." Loun snapped. "We need to get out of here, and now!"
THE HIDDEN BASE
Necrolis looked at the asteroid field ahead of them and shook his head. If the co-ordinates were right they were heading right into the middle of it. Glancing to the display he could see the marker that represented the StarWolf just off to their left cruising alongside, making for the same place. A third signal was off to the right. Shadelis' ship, Necrolis knew, though he still had not accepted that it might well be his sister.
Standing behind Pierce who he had let take the controls, Necrolis began pacing the deck plating, red eyes watching out the viewport as they picked their way into the asteroid field. Well nobody in their right minds would look for us in here, Necrolis thought. For a moment he felt that empty feeling in his gut as he wished Quinn had been there for advice. It was funny how he had relied on Quinn for tactical analysis and opinion. His presence was missed. Hitting the internal comm, Necrolis flicked it on to speak to those within the Wraith.
"We're almost to the rendezvous point. Everyone get ready, we've no idea what we will be facing."
Aboard the StarWolf, Teffa Darkstar had already advised those on the ship to stand by. His hands flicked over the controls, even as Mako kept a sharp eye on the sensor readouts. It was not the first time he had been crazy enough to fly into an asteroid field, but he generally tried to avoid it. There was just something about living he preferred. Still, the bounty hunter knew it was unlikely the Empire would be hunting them down through here.
"Mako keep those eyes peeled!" He growled as he swung the ship down and around a larger asteroid that was slipping left to right across their path.
"I'm on it."
Tormen stood behind the couple, along with the jawa, Blizz. Frowning, the smuggler thought what they were doing was insanity, but he knew better than to say anything. Teffa didn't need any distractions, and annoying the man was not on his list of things to do either. A small rock struck the side of the ship sending a shudder through it. Tormen felt it pass through the deck plating and he winced as the vibrations made his ribs throb in response.
"Blizz no like. Bad place, should not be here." The little jawa chittered, looking about and then up at Tormen.
"Don't look at me, pal." Tormen said back shrugging carefully to avoid more pain. "This isn't my crazy assed plan."
"Necrolis adjust your flight path point oh seven. Watch those rocks boys!" A voice called out, which both Necrolis and Teffa recognized as the woman claiming to be Shadelis.
"Next time I'm picking the location." Teffa growled.
"Hey, wasn't Nar Shaddaa your call?" Tormen stated as he grabbed the back of Mako's chair with one hand to steady himself as Teffa once again evaded an errant asteroid.
"Watch it or you'll be walking back to Republic space without an enviro-suit!" Teffa shot right back, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to focus on flying. There would be time enough later to punch the man.
"Easy there, boys." Mako said softly, shaking her head. "We're through. There it is."
Teffa leaned forward, peering through the viewport, even as Tormen whistled behind him. A large asteroid sat in the middle of the field, but it was adorned with what appeared to be landing bays, and some sort of working factory structure built into it. Whatever this place was, it was clear it had been here a while, and there was enough ship damage floating about, as well as damage on the structure to know something had taken place here.
"Mako, check our co-ordinates, where the hell are we?" Teffa grumbled, guiding the StarWolf towards the same bay Necrolis and the other ship were heading for.
"Mid rim." Mako confirmed, reading the display as she verified the information. "Lannik space. There's nothing out here."
"Apparently not true." Tormen remarked as the ship came into the bay to dock.
Shadelis took a deep breath then hit the button to lower the ramp of her ship. Kaliyo placed a supportive hand on her shoulder and the chiss smiled at the gesture. Nerves, I actually have shaky nerves, Shadelis thought as she put one foot in front of the other. The Foundry had been Imperial held but with the war going on, all resources, including the Imperial Reclamation Service, had been pulled from it. The place had been damaged in the battle to reclaim it and it sat empty and forgotten now.
Shadelis had thought of it immediately for a safe place to come to. It was ancient, Reclamation Services guessing twenty to thirty thousand years old. The station had twelve levels along with far too many drilled tunnels that interconnected through the asteroid itself. It was big enough to accommodate everyone, and nobody was going to come looking for them here. Not to mention it had been close to Hutt space, the Lannik system bordering it.
"Alright, I want some answers or someone…" The threat died in Teffa's throat as he marched towards the sleek silver ship.
Teffa came to a stop, hands yanking his helmet from his head. Necrolis was right behind him and came up to a stop beside his brother, red eyes locking on the chiss woman who stood at the bottom of the ramp. The sith frowned, shaking his head as if to wake himself from a dream. It's not possible, he thought.
"Shadelis?" Teffa asked watching as the woman nodded.
"It can't be." Necrolis said. "It just can't be."
Shadelis felt her eyes tearing up and was unable to respond. In the end she settled for sprinting to her brothers, flinging herself into Teffa's armoured form, hugging him before moving for Necrolis. She stopped when he backed up warily. Slowing, Shadelis moved up and took his hand, raising it to her cheek. Necrolis watched the woman, conflicted between accepting what was right before him that he could see and feel, and what he knew to be fact.
"It's me." Shadelis managed to whisper out to him. "It's Shaddy."
Necrolis felt tears come to his eyes hearing her words. Only Shadelis would have known his pet nickname for her. It was never said save between just them, not even around the others. Necrolis lunged at her grabbing her in a tight hug that made the chiss laugh. She returned the hug then began tapping his shoulder.
"Ok, ok, easy!" She cracked even as she cried.
"Hey don't kill her hugging her!" Teffa joked before joining his brother and sister in a giant hug.
Shadelis stepped out of the embrace wiping her eyes, even as she heard the yell of her name and turned to see her sisters racing towards her. Bloodshade and Aela all but tackled her, and Shadelis had to fight to stay on her feet. Laughing she could only hug them both, clinging to them for a moment before composing herself.
"Am I missing something?" Tormen asked as he watched the group.
"Probably." Asha remarked back, smiling at the sight of the reunion. "You're a guy, sentiment and subtlety are not your strong suit."
The reunion was short lived, as introductions were quickly made and as a group, they ventured into the Foundry, Shadelis leading them into the main control center area. As a precaution, they had all agreed to keep the ships manned. Kaliyo, Pierce, and Torian remained with the craft docked but ready at a moment's notice. After Nar Shaddaa they were taking no chances on being surprised.
"I trust you saw Darth Marr's ship as we got out of Nar Shaddaa?" Shadelis asked of them as they sat about the large table in one of the meeting rooms. They had gathered there, bringing food and drink, so they could sort out what was going on.
"How could anyone miss that monster?" Aela commented, settling back in her chair and frowning.
"The truth is, this is getting more complex and worrisome." Necrolis stated, elbows propped on the table top, thumbs hooked under his chin and head resting there. Glancing sideways to Shadelis, he knew there was only one thing to say. "We need answers."
Shadelis nodded at her brother's words. Knowing very well most of them were completely in the dark. Only she had access to the codex, and even then she was still not sure as to all of what was happening. Darth Marr's involvement had been a surprise for her, but she could guess as to a number of reasons why he was now central in their being attacked.
"I came across information, a file buried in secret Imperial Intelligence documents." Shadelis explained. "It made reference to some sort of operation or programme being run. I do not know to what end or purpose, but if was referenced as the Darkstar Legacy."
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Teffa growled.
"I've learned whatever this was, it was run by a doctor Ordann, who in turn was answering to a Dark Council member, Darth Mekhis. My guess is whatever they were doing, it was not something the Council wanted known." Shadelis elaborated before shrugging.
Silence descended on the group and Necrolis leaned back in his chair to think. There was more to recent events than what they had thought. Teffa to his left was busy getting Mako to work on digging up all she could on the information Shadelis had just supplied. If it was out there, Mako would find it. Around the table everyone seemed to be mulling over what was happening. All save Bloodshade who was biting her lower lip and had her eyes closed standing back away from the table over by Jaesa. Necrolis arched an eyebrow, glancing to Jaesa who was scowling, but shrugged when she caught his glance to her.
"Bloodshade, you alright?" Necrolis asked, his words drawing everyone else's attention to the woman.
Bloodshade flushed and waved a hand at Necrolis but seeing everyone looking she threw up her hands in annoyance. There was no getting around it, and no way to explain it off. The woman shifted the long lower robes she wore and stepped back as Blizz popped out from underneath. Seeing everyone staring, and quite a few whose jaws had dropped, the little jawa waved at them all. Teffa stared at the little jawa before rising and pointing to the corridor that lead back towards the hanger.
"Blizz, get your ass to the ship!"
"Well things are never dull around here." Tormen quipped with a grin, settling back in his chair, only to have Asha hit him in the shoulder with the back of a hand.
"Hey! That's my job!" Vette whispered to the smuggler, making them both laugh.
The little jawa held up both hands as if to ward off Teffa's anger before running. Aela and Jaesa could not help but giggle, while Necrolis just shook his head and fingers pressed to the bridge of his nose. Teffa slammed both hands on the table top and looked at the ratattaki in a hard stare.
"What?" Bloodshade said, "He's good with his hands!"
That brought a fit of laughter from the woman at the table, Necrolis groaned and Teffa hung his head and shook it negatively. Smacking a hand on the table top, Necrolis looked about at all of his siblings, as well as those of the Republic and Jedi, before trying to get them back on track.
"So someone has a project they've hidden, something that has the Dark Council wanting us silenced. There's no doubt the bounties were their work. The question remains though, why?"
"There's only one way to find out." Teffa gruffly stated, looking at both him and Shadelis.
"Ziost?" Shadelis asked to which the bounty hunter nodded.
"There's something else, too." Asha interjected, drawing everyone's attention. "Don't forget they targeted us too. I can understand all of you, but what the hell do we have to do with this?"
Silence fell over the table as Necrolis and Teffa glanced at each other, but neither had any answer to the jedi's question. Shadelis was the one to finally break the silence, leaning forward to glance at both she and Tormen intently, the chiss's red eyes alight with recognition suddenly. When there was only one answer, as crazy as it may seem, it had to be the right one, she thought.
"It's quite simple." Shadelis said. "Like it or not, we are all family here, it's the only explanation."
"Whoa!" Tormen held up both hands and shook his head. "No way am I related to all of you! No damn way!"
Asha put a hand on the smuggler's shoulder and he looked at her arching an eyebrow. Shaking her head, Asha then looked from each one of them at the table. Despite Tormen's outburst, she had her doubts as well, but the chiss was right. There was no other explanation. When everything else was ruled out, the only thing left had to hold a measure of truth to it. She could feel the truth in the woman's words, much as she disliked the thought.
"Like it or not, we are all Darkstars."