CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

KORRIBAN

Blackheart Darkstar paced back and forth near the doorway, his thoughts dwelling on recent events. Pumirra had gone off to talk to her master, and to prepare the forces being brought to bear in efforts to catch Loun and Raistlis. She had told him to trust her, which to some extent he did, but he also knew she was sith. Manipulations and treachery were like breathing air to the sith, a necessity if you wanted power and station in the ranks. Being aware of such, Blackheart knew enough to know he had to be very careful with the cathar, no matter their blossoming relationship.

The door hissed as it opened and he saw the woman enter the room. Sneaking quietly up behind her, Blackheart wrapped an arm about her shoulders, leaning in to nuzzle against the side of her neck. He had only a moment to register hands grabbing his arm before he was flung up and over her back to hit the floor hard at her feet. He registered the thrum of a lightsaber igniting and stared at the double blue blade that was pointing down at him.

"Pumirra, it's just me!" Blackheart called out, seeing his life flash before his eyes.

"Interesting."

The voice was similar but different, somehow colder to Blackheart. Looking up he realized his mistake, it was not Pumirra. The outfit was the same, just slightly different colouring, more black than red. All white fur gave her the same look as Pumirra but he now could see the hair was longer, tied back off the face, and the subtle beige and black facial markings were different. The eyes however, were identical, a soft rich light brown, luminous and deep if not holding a harder edge in the look cast him.

"I am not my sister, plaything." Pyrannus growled, holding the blade of the weapon hovering about his neck. "And you'd do very well to remember such."

"Sister!" Pumirra said as she reached the doorway, gaze glancing between her sibling and the zabrak on the floor.

It took only an instant for Pumirra to guess at what had happened. Blackheart had not noticed it was not her entering, and he had no reason to think her sister was going to do so. Pyrannus likely had reacted exactly as she would have expected. At least she didn't just outright kill him for touching her, Pumirra thought.

"I take it he is with you and I should not strike his head off his shoulders?" Pyrannus glanced over her shoulder at her sister.

"I know I'd appreciate it." Blackheart chimed in.

"Shut up!" Both cathar snapped at him at the same time before they looked at one another and laughed.

Pyrannus shut down her weapon, then turned and walked over to her sister, embracing her and giving her a quick light kiss in greeting. What her sister was doing with the zabrak, Pyrannus did not know. She could only hope her sister was not being foolish and weak. Of the two, Pyrannus knew she was the more hardened. Glancing back to the man as he rose back to his feet and dusted himself off, Pyrannus gave Pumirra a questioning glance.

"Blackheart Darkstar, this would be my sister, Pyrannus." Pumirra explained making quick introductions.

Blackheart looked between the two cathar, noting the similarities as well as the differences, though there were not that many. Pumirra caught his appraising glances and winked back at him with a sly little grin.

"Do not tell me you've taken in a stray?" Pyrannus gave her sister an annoyed look, then glanced back at Blackheart.

"Oh don't start, sister." Pumirra rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He is a guest, and well… he scratches itches so very well."

Pyrannus rolled her eyes and shook her head at her sister's words before looking once more back at the zabrak. He did look fit and strong, and Pumirra did seem quite taken with the man. If she wasn't, then he would have been down in a holding cell, she knew. Pumirra grinned at her and then winked and Pyrannus knew exactly what she was thinking. Not that it was that hard to know. They had always been fairly in sync with one another.

"Itches are made to be scratched, I suppose." Pyrannus said finally.

"Just remember, no breaking him." Pumirra reminded her sister, knowing her too well to not know how rough she could be.

"Pity." Pyrannus grinned before watching Blackheart shift nervously before them.

Pumirra laughed even as she moved and pressed against Blackheart's side, leaning in to lick up slowly along his neck. The zabrak felt himself stir at the contact, glancing to her before looking to his right as he felt and saw Pyrannus press in against him, her hand caressing over his chest before sliding low to cup and stroke his hardening length. The cathar purred at the feel of the man, fingers tracing the bulge of him even as it grew with her touch.

"Oh sister!" Pyrannus said, looking about the man to the other cathar. "Now I can see what you've been up to and why you've kept him close!"

Pumirra grinned and nodded to her sister, nuzzling and licking again at Blackheart's neck before moving about before him and slipping off the top of her armour, exposing her large breasts to him. Hands quickly shoved downwards, removing the leggings before she returned to him, pressing and rubbing her naked white furred form against him. Pyrannus watched before grinning and winking to her sister, slowly and teasingly drawing off the top of her own armour. Blackheart watched and took her in even as Pumirra rubbed and teased him. Pyrannus turned about, glancing over her shoulder with a wicked grin on her lips, bending over to slowly draw the leggings down giving the zabrak a full view of her rounded ass. Free of the clothing, she widened her stance and teased a hand back between her legs to stroke herself and show off, glancing over her shoulder to watch his reaction, take in his hungry feasting eyes.

"I'd say he likes you too, sister!" Pumirra purred before taking Blackheart's hand and guiding him over to the bed, letting her sister rise and follow after them.

"Let's hope he is up to the challenge then." Pyrannus said. "I'd hate for either of us to be disappointed or displeased."

SPACE – THE FOUNDRY

Reyal Bloodmoon heard the beep of the sensors even before his brother called out the contact. Looking out the viewport, he watched the small bright speck approach the asteroid field they were sitting just out of. Glancing to Raknac Bloodmoon, Reyal waited for the report on what was coming in. He had a gut feeling it was not the craft they were waiting for. Moments later his brother confirmed such.

"Small craft, likely single occupant." Raknac grumbled.

Raknac Bloodmoon was tall, broad shouldered and thick, with short buzzed black hair and eyes the same as the rest of the family. He was also about as ill-tempered as Dukzek, Reyal knew. Still the man with his heavy weapon specialty was more than handy in a fight. Reyal leaned back and looked out once more watching the small speck of light that was the ship. It made a straight run at the asteroid field to disappear within it. So far so good, Reyal knew. It looked like everyone that they were after was returning. Now they just needed the Mantis ship to return with all the rest of their targets before they could act.

"This is getting on my nerves." Raknac complained.

"Quite sure they'll show up soon." Reyal commented, settling in to relax more. "Just keep thinking of all the credits we're going to make on this job."

"Yes, a good sum." Kiren Bloodmoon stated as he leaned in the doorway of the cockpit.

Kiren was as tall as the rest of his family, but thin and muscular. His hair was ear length, falling over his face half the time, the same dark black colour as everyone else. His brown eyes were intense and alert, gaze sweeping over the cockpit and his two siblings. He had been wandering about, stretching his legs. With the wait growing longer, he had needed some sort of activity. There was only so much sitting around one could do before boredom took over.

"Just keep a sharp watch."

Reyal cast the oldest sibling and their leader a grin and nod while Raknac merely huffed and grunted an acknowledgement of the man and his words. Kiren chuckled, knowing they were all getting antsy. They needed a distraction or some action and soon. The longer the wait was, the more irritable his siblings were going to get. That meant sooner or later they would start fighting among themselves just out of necessity for something to do. They were simply hard wired that way it seemed.

"Just stay alert. We want to be ready to move right away." Kiren reminded then turned and headed back down the long corridor that connected the command to the rest of the ship.

Moving into the large gathering area, Kiren looked over those of his family who were present. Cevse sat silently off to one side, barely making a sound even as she worked at cleaning an assortment of weapons. About her in what he could only have ever described as organized chaotic mess were parts of blaster rifles and pistols. The purple haired woman glanced up, gave a quick nod of greeting, then returned to her work. The large frame of Dukzek was hunched over the dejarik table scowling at the holo pieces that remained on the board. Across from him was their sister, Sciowan. The woman had braided her hair to hang at her back in three long braids that hung down all the way to her waist.

"You can't win." Sciowan remarked with a grin, watching her brother struggle to come up with his next move.

"Says who?" Dukzek growled, eyes scanning over the board. "You're going down."

"Best to let him win." Kiren remarked as he moved up behind Sciowen and observed the game. Sciowen gave a frown of displeasure over her shoulder to the man.

"And why would I even think of doing that?" She asked.

"Because he's apt to throw a temper tantrum and destroy things if he loses." Kiren remarked and Dukzek gave a snort of derision at the answer.

Sciowen laughed lightly and then settled back in her seat shaking her head. She knew Kiren was right of course. Dukzek was not the most stable emotionally of all of them. He was the hot headed grunt who just wanted to fight. He'd lose, get frustrated, and likely upend the whole table in a tirade over how she somehow cheated him. It would not be the first time.

"Point conceded." Sciowen said quietly, with a bemused smile on her lips. "Then again it might be entertaining to watch."

ZIOST

The sensor readings flashed inside the Tionese helmet that Teffa Darkstar wore. The first probe had gone down the left corridor, following along until it hit a dead end at a sealed large blast door. Glancing over the readings Teffa had to wonder what was beyond the barrier, watching the readings register radiation and heat that could only be some sort of power generator. There was no going that way he knew. The other probe headed down the corridor to the right, floating along scanning over the walls and floors until it came to where the ceiling had caved in, a wall of rock blocking the way further. There was a small opening, just big enough for a person to squeeze through however and there was no indication of anything amiss.

"Guess we go right." Necrolis commented when his brother told him of the readings.

"I'm not going to fit." Teffa growled, looking over the scan of the small opening.

Necrolis frowned, knowing his brother was right. The bounty hunter in the heavy armour would have to stay behind unless they waited for him to strip down, shove the armour piece by piece through then waited again while he geared back up. Necrolis was getting an uneasy feeling once more especially not knowing what would await them and the thought of facing such without Teffa's firepower to support them. Glancing to Shadelis, then Doc, the pure blooded sith knew there was no helping such and motioned for the two of them to follow.

"Keep our backs covered." Necrolis said to Teffa.

"Don't I always?" The bounty hunter remarked.

Shadelis scrambled up the slight incline of debris, then laid flat and crawled through the small opening at the upper right corner of where the metal ceiling still held back the ground above. It was a tight fit, and for a moment the chiss thought she might get stuck partway through. Crawling forward, rifle in her hand and pointed ahead of her, Shadelis tried to get through as quick as she could. It was only a couple feet and she slid out the other side. Red eyes scanned the dark corridor ahead of her but she saw no movement.

Doc came next behind Shadelis, grumbling under his breath as he squeezed himself through the narrow passage to the corridor beyond. Sliding free and getting to his feet, the medic dusted himself off and looked back watching Necrolis follow after him. The sith may have been calling the shots, but Doc knew sooner or later those of the Republic would be at odds with the Imperials. It was only a matter of time. He couldn't help but have the thought he could wait till they were distracted then cause the narrow passage to collapse, effectively trapping them.

Necrolis crawled free of the passage then looked ahead, hand grabbing one lightsaber and igniting it, letting the minimal light dance against the metal walls. With a glance to the others he moved forward leading the way onward. Whatever this place is, it is massive, he thought. How had they never known it was here? He was not that surprised such a place had been built and existed. The sith and their schemes and power plays were quite normal.

"This place just seems so familiar somehow." Shadelis commented, casting a glance to her brother.

Necrolis nodded back, feeling much the same. He did not know why, could not recall ever being in this part of the city even when they had been students at the academy. And yet for some reason he seemed to recall the place. Even as they moved forward, Necrolis somehow knew there would be a door and beyond a main room ahead of them.

"Just stay alert." Necrolis finally said back.

A moment later all three of them came to a stop, staring at the large sealed blast doors before them. Off to the right the blinking blue light of the door controls drew their attention. Necrolis motioned with his head at Doc, who stepped over to the controls and hit the button to cycle the doors open. There was a low groan as the doors began to part before a large clunking sound echoed in the corridor loudly and they stuck in place partway through the cycle.

"Lovely." Doc remarked and shook his head. "I am not going first!"

Shadelis shook her head at the medic's words, not waiting for Necrolis to say anything. She moved up to the blast doors, peering into the dark beyond it and then grabbing the top edge of the bottom portion and hopping up to sit on it, a leg on either side, rifle panning slowly left and right. The former Imperial operative hopped down and as she did so internal motion sensors brought lights on, forcing the chiss to shield her eyes with her free hand.

"Interesting." She remarked even as Necrolis and Doc climbed up and over the section of door to join her.

The laboratory was large, two rows of long tables ran through the middle of the room while computer terminals and machines ran along the outside and back wall. At the back of the room they saw an open doorway lead into another chamber, through which they could see a holo terminal and another large computer. To their left and right on either side of the entry a pair of stasis tanks had been stationed. The two tanks on the left were empty, while on the right one of them was in use.

Doc's attention was fixated on the stasis tank in use. Walking over, he peered through the swirling blue energy that created the sealed tube holding the person inside. Dark eyes took in the older man floating suspended inside. He clearly had been there a while according to the timer and readings on the tank display.

"He's still alive." Doc commented, head cocking to one side as he studied the man within.

"Well this just got interesting, if not complicated." Shadelis remarked as she moved to stand next to the medic.

Doc tapped the controls and scrolled through the screens, making note of the readouts and condition of the man within. Whoever this was, they were alive but he could tell the duration of time within the stasis tank had been so long there was little chance when deactivated the person would live. If they were younger it might have been possible to survive, but not at the man's advanced age. Glancing to Necrolis, Doc looked to see what he wanted to do. Finding someone they might be able to talk to had not been expected at all.

"If we free him to question him?" Necrolis asked the medic.

"He won't have long. It's been a damn long time since he went into this. Odds are he will die quickly once freed. These things were not meant to keep people in them indefinitely."

Necrolis frowned at the news. Eyes scanned over the tank, noting the age and also what the man appeared to be wearing. White or light beige pants and tunic, over which he wore a long jacket that looked to mark him as a lab technician of some sort. Was the man inside Ordann, Necrolis thought? Was it worth the risk to see if they could glean any information? Necrolis paced before the tank, glancing at it as he mulled over the decision, aware of Doc and Shadelis watching him, their eyes following and studying him.

"Doc, open it."

"You know it is going to kill him, right?" Doc asked back at the sith, not sure the man fully comprehended what such would do.

"I want answers. Do it." Necrolis growled giving the man a hard look that warned he was in no mood for argument.

Doc muttered under his breath, not at all happy with knowing the man would die. Whoever it is in there, they're dead either way, he reminded himself. The only difference the medic knew, was in how the man passed away. If left as is, whoever the man was would simply pass on slow and peaceful, unaware of anything and without pain. Opening up the tank would revive the man to pain as his life drained from him. The sith might not have cared, and part of him didn't either, but he was still a medic and used to saving lives not taking them unless he had no choice.

"Doc." Necrolis stated when the man did not move at all.

"It's on your head, not mine." Doc growled and pressed the controls.

Bloodshade Darkstar sat behind cover, glancing over to see the smuggler, Tormen, was sitting stretched out and back to the large rock he had taken refuge behind. The inquisitor could not help but study the man, wondering how he might have turned out had he remained with the rest of them on Ziost. Abraxas' revelation they had all started out together as children had surprised them all, but she could only imagine the thoughts running through the smuggler's head. It was bad enough not to know who you were, where you came from, but to find out you had been abducted and carried away from where you would have been robbing you of your destiny just seemed to make it worse, she thought. Nothing but lies all around on both sides, Bloodshade thought.

Glancing up, Bloodshade watched Khem Val pacing back and forth. The deshade was restless, having to simply stand about and wait while the others were off exploring. The creature was not big on patience, she knew. Not that she was any happier just sitting around herself. She was about to tell the deshade to stop and sit when she saw him stop in his tracks. Muscles rippled even as Khem snarled, hands going to grab the large weapon off his back. Rising to a knee, Bloodshade peered over the mound of debris she was behind, looking at what had caught the creature's attention.

"Well so much for being bored." Bloodshade remarked before laughing a small strained laugh.

Tormen Darklight heard the snarl of the Imperial's creature and his head snapped up, instantly alert for danger. He saw the Inquisitor moving to a crouch and followed suit, already drawing his blasters in anticipation of a fight. Looking up over the rock he had taken shelter behind the smuggler groaned as his eyes scanned over the Imperial forces moving in on them. Hearing Bloodshade's comment the smuggler grinned and shook his head.

"I'd take boredom over suicide." Tormen quipped as he looked over the sheer amount of firepower being brought to bear on them.

A line of heavy assault droids marched in on four legs, the heavy cannon arms up and pointed at them. There were six of them, all TZ-27 Annihilation units, Tormen recognized. As if that was not bad enough, behind them he could see the arrayed trooper ranks, and at their head a pair of sith, their lightsabers ignited red making them stand out. I should be flattered they think they need all this to take me down, Tormen mused. Keeping his head down, Tormen tapped the comm link.

"Guys we've got company, and I think the shit is about to hit the proverbial fan. We're going to need some help here."

Kaylin Nidor had sat through the briefing, watching as Janas Terek assumed total control over the forces they had assembled. Working with Varel Thane, and also the sith Overseers, Kasche and Sorn, the plan was laid out. It was going to be as simple or messy as the intruders wanted it to be. If they refused to surrender, they were going to face the full fury of an onslaught. As Janas had put it simply, it was going to be a tank and spank.

The chiss had nodded her approval when asked on the plan, but otherwise had remained a silent observer to the proceedings. She had caught the subtle but directed glances coming from Rian Cen Nur. The woman was watching her, and Kaylin wondered what she was thinking. Could she suspect her of anything? So far she had done nothing to give away the thoughts she was having, the wondering of who the intruders were. She could not dwell on the Inquisitor Overseer, she knew. Whoever was hiding themselves in the ruins, they were about to get themselves killed. She had no doubt there was not going to be an easy surrender, no matter the size of the force brought to the field against them. That left her with only one choice left to make.

When the briefing concluded, she watched the others slip off to deal with their own preparations. They would expect her to find some high ground where she could effectively use her sniper rifle to benefit them. That gave her an opening she knew. Assuming you want to even go through with what you are thinking, she reminded herself.

"I just don't know." She muttered to herself quietly as she walked away from the main gathering area, heading for some of the taller ruins that remained about and would offer the view of where they had pinpointed the intruders to be.

She would be risking a lot, she knew. If it was Teffa down there, she did not want to watch as he died where he stood fighting. She knew she could not accept that outcome. On the other hand, she had no idea who the intruders were, and if he was one of them. If she took the chance and was wrong, she was gambling her career, but more importantly her life. Honour and logic would have dictated one course of action, but honour and her heart also argued against and for another. Stopping in her walking, the chiss looked ahead and then off to the side. Damn the man, she thought to herself even as she knew she had already made up her mind. Reaching down she pulled out the data pad and scrolled to the information she wanted. She had access to every schematic that had ever been made. She was sure she had located an access point to get her below ground level. It might allow her to get to wherever the intruders had gone.

"You better be there, Teffa." Kaylin muttered under her breath.