CHAPTER FORTY TWO

ZIOST

Night had fallen on Ziost by the time the group had followed Kaylin Nidor through the sewer pipes and out of the underground complex. The climb back up the slope had taken longer than expected, fighting against the slick angled surface of the pipe as well as the flow of the water. Once past that obstacle the rest of the trek had been quickly made. Free of the stench of the sewer, back under the wide open dark sky of the planet, they all were breathing a lot easier.

"I'm going to need to find new gear." Tormen grumbled in complaint, knowing all too well he would likely never get the smell of the sewer off his armour.

"Send the cleaning bill to the headmaster." Teffa snarked as he looked about, scanning about them for any sign of a threat.

Kayln turned red eyes to the bounty hunter, glancing at the armoured figure before looking back to Necrolis. He had always been the head of the group, the one they all looked to for guidance and leadership. Some things never change, she thought with a small smile. They were out of the underground facility but not clear of danger, not by a long shot. Kayln knew she had just tossed away her career and was now one of them, for good or bad. Logic be damned she had just made a choice that would reshape her life.

"We're going to have a lot of trouble getting out of here." The chiss commented to Necrolis.

"You've risked much already." Necrolis said, studying the woman once more as he spoke. "I guess you'd best come with us. We will need to hurry before they figure out how we've gotten about the place."

"And just how have you accomplished that?" Kayln asked curiously.

Teffa made to ward off any answer any of the group would give, but Shadelis held up a hand and shook her head at him. Looking at the other chiss, she knew there was no reason to keep such a secret. Coming with them, she was going to figure it out and see firsthand as it was.

"No reason not to say anything." Shadelis said. "Kayln, we had help from Abraxas. There's a network of tunnels that run about the Citadel."

Kayln shook her head hearing such. She should have guessed that old man would have some way of getting about. She had wondered enough times at his sudden appearances where he had not been expected. He had always been friendly with the students as well, she knew. If he had been helping them all along, it was only a matter of time before someone looked at him. Abraxas Miransi was now as much a traitor as she. They would both pay a price if they were caught, and sooner or later they were going to be.

"We need to keep moving." Bloodshade interrupted, looking about even as behind her the large deshade paced restlessly.

"We get Ab, then get the hell out of here." Teffa growled.

Teffa lead the way through the tunnel system back to the old groundskeeper's place. They had not had any trouble getting back to the tunnel entry and getting it open, following Abraxas' instructions. Avoiding the forces that had been spread out searching for them, and for a way in to where they believed they were trapped, had been easy enough. The only thing the bounty hunter worried about was the strange disappearance of Doc.

Reaching the end, Teffa opened the door slowly and cautiously. Peering inside he could see the room was in shambles. Swearing under his breath, Teffa shoved the door open fully blasters in hand and panning about the room. Sensors filtered out the glare of small fires as the bounty hunter moved into the room. When he saw the figure tied to a chair, blood pooled about the base, Teffa holstered one blaster and ripped off his helmet.

"Ab!" Teffa cried, racing to the chair, glancing about looking for enemies. "Necrolis get in here!"

Necrolis pushed past the group entering and eyes locking on the figure bound to the chair, his brother kneeling beside the old man. He could hear the gasps and muttered curses from behind as the others moved into the room. Moving over, Necrolis frowned as he scanned over the old man, hand rising to check at his neck for a pulse. Necrolis did not find one.

Abraxas Mirsani had been stripped down then bound with barbed wire to the chair. There were clear signs of torture on him. He was missing fingers on one hand, nails on the other. Cuts were all about over his body, a large cauterized burn hole where his heart should be told Necrolis he had met his end at the tip of a lightsaber. It was clear from the damage done to the place they had searched it but found nothing of what they were after. Likely the entrance to the tunnels, Necrolis guessed.

"Bastards." Teffa growled, head lowered to avoid looking at the old man.

"Oh Ab, what did they do to you?" Shadelis whispered, hand going to her mouth. She had seen torture, seen death, but this was on a whole other level.

"They figured out he helped us." Kayln whispered even as she hugged the other chiss and looked away. She was not positive which of the other overseers likely had done such, but she could guess. Is this the fate that awaits me, Kayln wondered?

Teffa Darkstar gritted his teeth then pushed up to stand, his anger evident in the way he stood and moved. In the black and red tionese armour it gave him a predatory look. Bloodshade nodded to him, knowing what he was thinking already. Shadelis sighed while Kalyn shook her head, knowing there was likely no stopping the man. He had always been one to have a short fuse, and she could see that had not changed. Looking to Necrolis who also rose back to his feet, the bounty hunter cocked his head at his brother questioningly.

"Not here and not now." Necrolis stated, reading his brother's body language and knowing the argument that was coming.

"Are you serious? After what they did to Ab?" Teffa questioned angrily.

Necrolis grabbed the front of his brother's armour, pulling the man right into him so his nose pressed against Teffa's. The pure blood sith let the full weight of his hard stare drive into Teffa before he shoved him back and let him go.

"Don't be stupid. We're not going on a suicide mission." Necrolis stated coldly. "Revenge will come when and how we choose, and Ab will be avenged, but not here and not now."

Teffa growled, turning and stomping away leaving the group watching him before looking back to Necrolis. The sith sighed and shook his head. As angry as he was, Necrolis knew it was foolish to attempt to go after those responsible. They had lost all advantage, they were hunted, and they were outnumbered badly. Getting out of the Citadel was going to be hard enough. Looking back down at the lifeless form of Abraxas, Necrolis grit his teeth, knowing he would bide his time, let his anger build and feed him. Sooner or later, he would return and deal with those responsible.

Kayln moved in quick measured steps, following after Teffa. He had not gone far, merely to the doorway leading to the outside of Abraxas's little hideaway. The bounty hunter leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest, and she knew he was in the dark mood that always seemed to overcome him. Gently, the chiss tapped the shoulder armour, watching as the armoured head turned to glance back at her.

"You haven't changed, you know." Kayln remarked and flashed the bounty hunter a smile.

Teffa heard the chiss' words and shook his head. Taking a long deep breath, he let it out slowly. Of course she would come after him, he mused. His eyes met her red ones and again he sighed, letting go a deep breath. Kayln smiled softly, reaching fingers up to stroke down the side of a red cheek. She looked over him, studying the familiar face. He still had the red skin and black tattoo patterns, though his head horns were a bit larger and longer now than they had been. There were more lines about the eyes and mouth too. He had aged some since last she had seen him. Has it been that long, she wondered?

"Changed enough to get married and settle down." Teffa finally said.

"Perhaps." Kayln removed her hand as she spoke, not missing the fact that again he had brought up his marital status. "You are still you. She's got to have the patience of a jedi I think."

Teffa chuckled and shook his head. Damn the woman, she could always break his dark moods so easily. Stretching out his neck a moment, the zabrak glanced back towards the group before looking once more at the chiss. She was still beautiful, much the same as he remembered she had looked, though perhaps a bit more tired.

"I'm sorry we lost touch." Teffa said, suddenly aware of the silence between them.

"It was a long time ago." Kayln said, trying not to remember that last final day when he had left. "I'm glad you did well and are happy."

"Kayln…" Teffa said her name, giving her a knowing look that she was not fooling him at all.

"It's ok. Let's just leave it as is." Kayln said softly, reaching up to touch his cheek with her hand once more. "We need to get out of here."

"Yeah… I know." Teffa said back nodding his head slowly and then glancing back to the group once more. "Damn the man, but Necrolis is right as usual."

Rian Cen Nur blinked hard as she fought to clear her vision. She knew the blow was coming but it had not kept her head from snapping to the side, her vision from swimming. Swallowing she could taste the coppery tint of her own blood in her mouth. A split lip, she guessed as she felt the sting of the small injury. The togruta sith clenched her jaw, wiping at her bleeding mouth with the back of a hand as her eyes found the headmaster once more.

"Incompetence, sheer and utter incompetence!" Valderas Lokhee snarled, pacing before those gathered in his office.

Rian, Sorn Kassal, and Kasche L'Hnnar had come to update the headmaster on all they had learned. He had not been pleased at all with the report, let alone news from the ruins from Janas Terek. Having lost the intruders yet again, learning of the betrayal and death of Abraxas Mirsani, the headmaster had flown into a rage. When he demanded to know where Kayln Nidor was, Rian knew she should have kept her mouth shut. Instead she had commented the woman had disappeared, a convenient fact, and one she felt showed she was aiding the intruders. For her guessing, Valderas had backhanded her hard enough to draw her blood.

"I have no proof or reason to doubt Kayln." Valderas snarled, glaring at each of the sith overseers in his presence. "Save your petty squabbles for someone else. I want these intruders found, dead or alive I want them dealt with!"

"My lord, I think with all due respect, we must accept that with Abraxas' aid we may well have lost them already." Soren tempted fate by answering.

Valderas growled and gave the bold sith a hard glare. The man might well have been right, he knew, but that did not change the fact he was not pleased by such. There had been too many mistakes made. He was surrounded by incompetence and stupidity, he thought. The intruders may have gotten away, but he wanted to know why they had even come, and who they were. The thought it might have been Shadelis fuelled his dark mood and desire to know.

"Make sure, find them. I want to know who they are and what they are doing." Valderas snapped. "And tell that fool Janas to get his ass before me."

"As you wish, headmaster." Soren said, bowing to the man politely.

Rian Cen Nur heard the demand and cast a quick glance to Kasche who frowned and shook his head. It went unsaid between them, but both knew what was going to happen to the trooper who had been in command. Valderas was not one to cross, and he did not tolerate failure well. The fact they had escaped the trooper twice now was enough for them to know the overseer was a dead man walking. With Soren leading the two of them fell in behind and left the chambers of the headmaster as quickly as they could.

"I have a feeling this is far from over." Kasche said, still frowning.

"I have a feeling we are all going to pay for what has transpired." Rian stated and shrugged.

Varel Thane paced back and forth in the tent that had been set up as his private quarters. He would not be leaving the old ruins anytime soon, he knew. Crews were still working on digging out the entry to the underground where the intruders had sealed themselves in. It was slow going, and would take some time, but Varel doubted they would find them. They seemed too knowledgeable, too clever. There were too many questions about what had been happening, and he knew it all lead to trouble.

"Keep it up, you'll dig yourself a trench from your pacing." Sevrina Thane said softly and chuckled as she watched her brother.

"You're in enough trouble." Varel fired back giving her an annoyed glance. "Can't ever just do what you are told! I said to stay put."

"Yes and it would have made any difference." Sevrina rolled her eyes. "I am not some weak pathetic little thing, Varel. Or do I need to shock you within an inch of your life to prove such?"

Varel gave his sister another hard glare, one that bespoke of her not even trying such. In truth he envied her power, the fact she was force sensitive. He had not been so fortunate. He ended up working harder, pushing his own limits to become one of the best of the Imperial armed forces. Force users may not bother him as it did some, but he was still one of those people that preferred a good blaster at his side. It was a simple matter of something tangible, that he could see and know would be there.

"I don't like this. Any of it." Varel resumed his pacing, speaking his thoughts aloud. "We should get out of here while we can."

"Don't even say such, you don't know who might hear!" Sevrina snapped, rising and moving over to grab her brother by the shoulders. "You know very well you would be branded a deserter and traitor. You'd be hunted down and killed."

Varel sighed and nodded, knowing Sevrina was right. Be it by Imperial hand or bounty hunter, he would indeed be labelled such and hunted down and killed. He knew all too well the fate of deserters in the Empire. Even so, with all that had come to pass, he wondered if such was not worth the risk?

"Sister, I don't like what is going on." Varel remarked, glancing about the tent before sighing again loudly. "Killing Abraxas? Kayln who knows where? I have a very bad feeling about all this."

Sevrina sighed herself, knowing how her brother felt. She had no doubt Rian, Soren, and Kasche had enjoyed torturing the old groundskeeper for information. It was their nature, after all. Rian most of all she knew, especially given her lust for power and getting ahead in the order. The inquisitor was still thankful it had been Janas and not Varel summoned to the headmaster as it was. She doubted they would see the man again, at least alive. Sevrina knew her brother was right to be wary and feel so, she felt it herself in fact.

"We must be careful." Sevrina said, keeping her voice low and words just between them.

"We need to get out of here." Varel countered giving her a pointed look. "I can tell you right now, there's going to be a reckoning coming one way or another. I've been in enough battles to know when the tide is turning."

If such had come from anyone other than her brother, Sevrina knew she would have labelled them a coward and weakling. This was Varel, however. He had fought on Taris, Balmorra, had been part of the force that had sacked Coruscant even. He was battle tested and tough as they came. When he had a feeling like that, she had learned well enough to pay it mind. Still, what he was contemplating was folly. To give up everything and run because you were worried about what might happen?

"You worry too much." Sevrina finally said, giving the man a small smile. "We be patient, we wait for now, bide our time."

"For what?" Varel asked, feeling like he had missed something in their conversation.

"For whatever comes." Sevrina answered, smile not leaving her face. "We will be patient and ready, and use it to our best advantage."

Kayln Nidor had taken point for the group, leading them through the streets of the Citadel. Having set up the security in the various levels, she had been able to lead them through without being detected. At least so far, she mused. They were halfway through the various levels heading down to the bridge when she brought them to a stop. The street they were in had assorted buildings to their right, a sloping hill of ice and rock to their left beyond a small waist high stone wall. Ahead of them, Kayln could see the open courtyard area, and had already counted at least three probe droids floating through there. Someone's repositioning them, she knew.

"What now?" Necrolis leaned in to whisper to the chiss, looking ahead and noting why they had stopped.

"I don't know." Kayln said and frowned.

The chiss knew they needed to get through the courtyard to the far side. There would be a narrow winding walkway that ran down to the lower level. Once there it was a straight run to the bridge and out of the city itself. The trick was in getting there without setting off any alarms. The last thing they wanted was to have to fight their way out through impossible odds.

"There's no way to sneak everyone through there unseen." Kayln remarked.

Necrolis glanced at the chiss, then ahead, before looking back at the others as they crouched and put their backs to the low wall. Teffa peered up to him from the back of the group, having been bringing up the rear. The armoured head cocked to one side questioningly and then he shook it. Bloodshade just groaned and dropped her head. Shadelis gave both siblings a look, then turned her gaze to Necrolis arching an eyebrow as she watched him grin.

"Oh no." Shadelis muttered and Kayln glanced past the sith to her.

"What did I miss?" The chiss asked of her.

"Necrolis is grinning." Shadelis said shaking her head. "This is never good."

The plan was simple enough, though most thought it was insane. Over the wall and down the icy slope to the lower level, they would avoid being seen altogether. Nobody in their right mind would look for anyone there, Necrolis knew. Nobody was going to take that risk, let alone be that insane. Kayln was still staring at him, jaw slack in disbelief. Teffa was chuckling while Shadelis and Bloodshade were shaking their heads. Tormen was glancing between all of them, then peering over the wall and down, then repeating it again and again.

"You're fucking nuts." The smuggler muttered after looking at the slope yet again.

"You got a better idea?" Teffa asked.

"Yeah, not doing it and staying alive!" Tormen shot back, even as Bloodshade nodded her head in agreement.

"We have no other options." Necrolis said and then looked over the wall to the slope himself. It was a sharp angle, but there were rocks they could use and as long as they could find hand and foot holds in the ice they should be able to make it. At least he hoped so.

"Necrolis, you know I'll follow you anywhere, anytime, but this is madness." Bloodshade said softly.

Necrolis knew they did not have the time to remain there arguing over it. While he knew it was dangerous and relatively crazy, there really was no other option open to them. With a shake of his head, Necrolis grabbed one lightsaber, tossing it to Shadelis. Rising and hopping over the wall, he ignited his other saber, driving it into the ice and letting it slowly melt and slice through, using it to make his decent. After a short controlled slide down, he reached a small stand of rock just below. Looking up he could see the others peeking over and down at him.

"Debate is over, get a move on."

Shadelis looked at Kaylin then to the others and chuckled. With a grin she rose and ignited the lightsaber, then perched sitting on top of the wall as Kayln moved to join her. She heard Tormen muttering away and glanced over to the smuggler.

"What's the matter? Were you planning on living forever?" The chiss remarked.

Kayln moved right tight against Shadelis, arm going about her waist, the other her shoulder to grasp hands and hang onto the other chiss. Shadelis grinned and looked over her shoulder at the other woman and winked, even as they moved together over the wall, lightsaber carving into the ice and rock as Necrolis had done.

"Careful with those hands now." Shadelis teased Kayln. "Might think you are flirting and copping a feel."

"You get us down alive, I'll do anything you like to you." Kayln teased back with a laugh, causing Shadelis to blush and arch an eyebrow back at her.

"I won't tell Teffa." Shadelis remarked with a wink. "Would give him too many ideas!"

Bloodshade peered over the wall even as she grasped her own lightsaber. The inquisitor then looked towards Khem. The deshade was simply too big and heavy for her to try what Shadelis and Kayln had. She had no idea how to get the big creature down the slope other than to seek help. Her skull looking helmeted head turned to Teffa, staring at the bounty hunter.

"Can you?" She asked even as the bounty hunter glanced at the deshade and sighed.

Teffa was not sure he could make it at all, not with added weight, but he knew there were no other options. If the deshade attempted a descent with claws only, the odds were not good on him making it. Shaking his head, Teffa shrugged back at his sister before trying to calculate if he had enough energy left for his thrusters to carry them both all the way down. It was going to be close, he knew.

"This is not becoming." Khem growled as he looked between Bloodshade and the bounty hunter.

"Enough, Khem." Bloodshade snapped at him. "Just hang on and it will be over soon enough."

Teffa let the deshade move up behind him and grab hold. Giving a quick glance over his shoulder, the bounty hunter nodded seeing they were as ready as they were ever going to be. Hitting the controls on his left bracer, Teffa ignited his thrusters lifting them up and over the wall to descend along it. The added weight pulled at him. The damn creature is heavy, Teffa thought watching his power decrease quickly. At the rate it was going he would be hard pressed to get them all the way down. Almost to the rock the others were using to stop on, Teffa cut the power and let the two of them slide down the rest of the way, coming to a stop that made both grunt.

"That was rather fun." Zash-Khem remarked, the creature giving a tooth filled grin at the bounty hunter.

A moment later Bloodshade slid onto the rock outcropping with the rest of them. Glancing to Khem, she watched as he waved fingers at her and the sith shook her head. She should have known Zash would have emerged at some point. With Khem distracted and clearly not happy, it seemed she had regained a measure of control once more.

"Apprentice I do so love sharing your adventures." Zash-Khem growled out. "They are just so much fun!"

Tormen Darklight went over the wall last, pausing as he slid over to swear under his breath. Drawing a vibro knife out of his boot, the smuggler jammed it into the line carved out by one of the lightsabers. He descended almost too fast, realizing such and trying to jam his knife in deeper to slow down. As he plunged it in, Tormen was jarred as it caught, feeling the weapon yank out of his grasp. For a moment he felt weightless, as if he were simply hovering there on the slope. It did not last as he hit the ice and began sliding downwards, his speed steadily increasing. The smuggler stared and watched as the rock outcropping rushed up at him, and Tormen swore realizing he was going to likely die.

"Bloodshade, on my command." Necrolis snapped quickly.

Reaching out with the force, Necrolis shoved back against Tormen, beginning to slow the man's wild descent. Even as he slowed, Bloodshade focused and when her brother called her name, she reached out, grasping the smuggler with the force and yanking him down to land beside her. Tormen stood and looked about, hands patting himself down in stunned disbelief.

"I am so not hanging out with you all anymore!" Tormen cracked.

"Just think we only have to drop twice more to get down." Teffa said, watching as Tormen shook his head.

Janas Terek stood at attention, hands clasped behind his back. He had expected to be summoned by the headmaster, especially in light of having lost the intruders for a second time. There was no way to spin what was in a positive light. While they still might get them, assuming they had not escaped from the underground hiding place, he knew Valderas Lokhee was all about results. To the headmaster they had failed him, and miserably.

He had taken a shuttle back to the academy from the ruins, then been left to wait before getting an audience. He had not seen any of the other overseers, and could only guess they had either already been dealt with, or were not being held accountable. It did not matter to Janas either way. In the end he knew he would face what was coming, and all he could control was how he faced that fate.

He entered the chamber of the headmaster and stood waiting at attention, watching as the headmaster paced about the room. He said nothing, merely paced, his anger clearly evident in his body language. Janas fought back the urge to shift despite the uncomfortable atmosphere. He could literally feel the anger and unease in the room, it made his skin crawl.

"You up until today have served me diligently and with distinction, Janas." Valderas said, voice steady and even.

Janas watched the man pace before moving to stand before him, suddenly feeling tired. Even as the headmaster spoke he found himself thinking he could well just fall asleep right where he stood. The almost soothing voice of the man did not help at all. Blinking hard, Janas fought to focus himself on the headmaster and what he was saying.

"I understand the circumstances, I really do. I know you tried your best, didn't you?"

"As always, headmaster." Janas said, nodding in agreement. "It is my duty as well as pleasure to serve."

"And you serve me well, don't you Janas?" Valderas said, hands coming to rest on either of the man's shoulders.

"I serve you well." Janas said, feeling all the more tired and drained.

Valderas met the man's gaze with his own, holding it, staring intently at him. Janas blinked slowly, barely noting how close the headmaster was to him, or was he? Janas could no longer be certain. The only thought he had was to make sure he served the headmaster. Make sure you do your duty, and do it well. Valderas grinned even as the proboscices slid out from their cheek pouches along either side of his nose, tendrils waving slowly in the air as he leaned in closer. The anzati let his hands rise to grasp and hold the man's head in case he moved at all, proboscices rising and seeking entry into the man. Tendrils found and pressed into Janas Terek's nose, working upwards and into the head of the man.

Janas Terek shuddered barely registering he was being held in place. He registered nothing at all that was happening to him even as his eyes closed shut. Valderas held the shuddering form as he fed, feasting on the sea of memory, devouring the man's essence and all he was. He knew he could feed sufficiently and stop, leaving the man alive but his incompetence had cost him his possible prize, the feast he had hungered for since her departure. No, Valderas knew he was going to gorge himself on the soup, draining the man.

Gasping as he finally finished, caught up in the euphoria of his feeding, Valderas let his proboscices slide free from the man's nostrils, letting go of his lifeless body and letting it crumple to the floor. Valderas turned and walked back to the bank of windows in the room, looking out over the Citadel and sighed fitfully. He had not indulged in the man's fear or terror, but the meal had been satisfying enough to tide him over. He knew he would need to feed again soon though. Janas had not been attuned to the force at all and in comparison had been a rather bland meal. Still, it was better than being hungry. One day I will have her as I wanted, Valderas thought as he looked beyond his office. One day Shadelis would be his, not just her body, but her mind as well. That would be a feast to remember and revel in, every bit of terror, every bit a succulent force attuned drink of soup worthy of being eaten. All in time, Valderas reminded himself.