The Galactic Exodus Chronicles Part 2 :The Galactic Civil War

by Lord Exar Kun

Now with the rebels dealt a mighty blow, and the renegade Moffs about to strike, the galaxy finds itself moving closer and closer to full blown war! The Galactic Civil War is about to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting galaxy, and this is not the war you remember in the least. Follow Exar Kun, Darth Vader, Leia, the Emperor, and everyone else through this next chapter of the GEC.

66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

(Tapani Sector, Calipsa System, Calipsa)

"Okay you stick to my lead, and we approach this my way. I don't need you slowing me down or getting in my way girly." Raydonn whispered from where he and Kira kneeled. They were behind a few jumbled munitions crates and looking out toward the command building just in front of them. Crawling with stormtroopers of the Moff Alliance.

"Why don't you take your lead and shove it up your-"

"Language Offee, language." Raydonn feigned to chastise her and wagged his finger to do so. He didn't even bother to look her way. In doing so he missed her barred teeth as she felt agitation claw up her back.

"You are an utter irritant! You're worse than the red headed little schutta Jade, and I daresay you irritate me more than Viathan does!" Raydonn shrugged and continued looking toward the building. His dark blue eyes seemingly scanning for anything and everything that could be used by the enemy against him. The day, however, was waning, and darkness loomed as dusk approached.

"Yeah, yeah take it up with my supervisor. Now are you listening to me?! No craziness and no dramatics. I wanna do this quick, easy and simple you got me? I want to get off this crap world, and be done with this ridiculous test for Kun ASAP. So if you're going to do nothing but whine and complain and slow me down I will tie you up and leave you, so Force help me!" Kira sneered but said nothing and Raydonn took her low growl and murmuring curses to signal her relent to his wishes.

"Alright now the best way to do this I think is for us to quickly jump our ways onto the top of the building, and cut our way in or find a ventilation shaft for easier access. Once in we won't have to worry about too many guards from the outside bursting in to help their comrades."

"Why's that?" Kira growled out with a clear tone of venom in her voice.

"Because Offee, when we're inside they'll think there's more of us on the outside. They'll want to keep their vigilance up for those who haven't yet made themselves known. So, Ioyashi won't call them in."

"Again, Mr. almighty genius, how in the Corellian hells do you assume this will happen?! Let alone that it'll work even if it does?! You give Ioyashi so much credit just to then make him sound like a blithering idiot who's doing everything according to some dumb plan you gave him!" Raydonn sighed and hung his head down.

"Good Force, you are irritating Offee...hard not to guess that's why Exar put us together. He wants to see who'll kill the other first!" He grinned, but Kira glowered. Raydonn sighed again.

"Look I'm trying to logic out the best course of action. So what if I take a few liberties in deducing the though process of my target? I've been an Imperial Inquisitor for several long years of my life, and so far my methods haven't failed me. So, I say 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.'" Kira scoffed and rolled her own blue eyes.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with. The quicker the better. Any longer and I'll show Lord Kun that I was the one to strike first. If you're little um...'hypothesis,' doesn't prove true about his intent." Raydonn scoffed lightly to himself but nodded all the same.

"Alright, so on my go, we go. We jump onto the roof, and for the love of the Force keep your head low! They probably have snipers entrenched on other rooftops watching. We have to gut ourselves those five guards atop the building as quickly and quietly as possible." Kira rolled her eyes yet again, and seemed to do it with more pronounced irritation this time around, but nodded all the same as she clutched her inactive saber hilt a bit tighter than before.

She numbly scanned her eyes over the rooftop in question again herself. Two men stood at the front and remained mostly unmoving. Two more were meandering atop the roof, and occasionally moving out of their sights as they patrolled. The fifth seemed to be an officer who also disappeared from time to time. The roof to the complex was small compared to other buildings, which Kira assumed was all part of this grand hoax Raydonn had 'uncovered.' That thought alone had her rolling her eyes again.

The ground was littered with troopers as noted before, and Kira didn't think killing them all would be too much trouble, but Raydonn was worried his little one man of a prize waiting inside would escape in the time needed to commence and complete a full scale slaughter. All the sneaking and swift execution was utterly boring to her, but she knew she couldn't directly...or rather very directly challenge Raydonn. Not because he was her better, but rather because her master would be quite angry with her if she did, and she still needed a master, for the time being anyways.

"Alright, get ready. Walker patrol on the move. Once it passes, follow me and leap." Kira mutely nodded, and clutched her curved saber tightly in hand. Her pulse ever so slightly quickened and eyes became set on the rooftop as an AT-ST stomped slowly in front of them, and soon passed them altogether.

Raydonn silently bent his knees and then with a mighty push off the ground leapt into the air. The troopers on the ground and on rooftops not noticing and maybe even being made to not see him by some use of the Force on his part. As he landed onto the roof he made sure to be as silent as possible. Letting distant cracks of artillery fire and bombs drown him out.

Kira followed after and was even quicker and quieter than Raydonn due to her slimmer and smaller frame. When she landed Raydonn nodded to her silently and began moving toward the trooper to their right who seemed to idly be inspecting his blaster rifle. Kira took the hint and turned left towards the second trooper. That trooper was staring forward and waiting for something, and anything to happen.

She and Raydonn had both expertly used the Force to mask themselves from the perception of these weak minded troopers. And now it would prove to be a most fatal lapse in perception indeed. For, Raydonn was first to his target. Coming up behind that trooper he wrapped his hand around the front of the trooper's helmet and with one swift motion snapped his head left, and felt rather than heard his neck snap. He fell over and Raydonn dragged the now dead and limp body beyond the line of sight from nearby rooftops.

Kira was far simpler, and reached out through the Force. Grasping his neck with it she slammed her hand into a fist and felt through the Force his bones crack and snap along with his windpipe as life escaped him. He fell forward, but she used the Force to pull the corpse back from falling in front of other troopers. The body fell with a muted thud back onto the roof, and Kira easily dragged the body back alongside Raydonn's kill.

The ex-inquisitor silently began moving toward the next of his kills. Prompting Kira to follow and do the same. The second trooper in Raydonn's sights began turning toward him and Kira, but Raydonn was quick to jump forward and activate one end of his saber in a quick motion. The beam entered and easily exited the man out his back and in one exhale of air he fell forward onto Raydonn, who shut off the saber in but an instant after initially activating it.

Kira smirked and leapt forward and also brought her saber to bear. In one quick motion it sprung brilliantly to life and she swept it from left to right across herself. The crimson beam swept along the trooper in her sights neck and the mans head simply fell off. His body falling after him limp.

"What the-" The fifth man, the officer turned around and managed to croak in shock just as Kira dove toward him and stuck him straight through with her saber. He choked and leaned forward with a shocked look of horror on his face and the light in his eyes fading. His right hand almost managing to unclasp his blaster pistol at his side.

Kira smirked into his face just as life left him and let her saber die. He groaned a final time and fell with a light thud at Kira's feet. The girl ran her hand through her short black hair and smiled broadly. For a moment she took in her victory and let the pungent stench of burning flesh fill her nose before turning back toward Raydonn in triumph.

He rolled his eyes and said nothing. Lowering himself into a crouch he inspected the nearby rooftops around them, and motioned for Kira to crouch like him as well. She did so and came closer to him.

"Well? Anything?" Raydonn didn't respond immediately and continued to idly scan. Finally his hand motioning Kira to crouch down dropped back to his side and he turned toward her seeming calmer than before.

"Looks good girly. Now, with that minor success let's keep this ball rolling eh?" Kira reciprocated his eye roll and shrugged for him to go on.

"Right...anyways, here's a grate. Or more precisely a ventilation shaft. I think its purpose is venting fumes, but seeing as there's a battle going on I think it's safe to assume the refinery has been shut down to conserve power and clear the line of sight on this roof. So, we cut the grate, go in and make our way from there. You got me?"

"Loud and clear, 'almighty intelligent one.'" Kira snorted and her tone became immensely impatient. Raydonn snickered and shook his head as he once more looked about himself in a very paranoid fashion. Reaching his hand out and balling it into a fist the Force reached outwards and grasped onto the grate. The metal began to whine and creak as the bars began to twist and snap.

With every snap and break Raydonn would pause and look around as if assuming an ambush was headed their way. When nothing ever showed, and no one seemed to notice he would return to breaking the grate open. It became a slow and miserable ordeal for Kira to sit through. Especially whenever the AT-ST's would move nearest to them in patrol and Raydonn would throw both himself and Kira to the hard metal floor of the rooftop.

Finally he broke enough of the grating to allow for both of them to fit through. Silently bidding her to follow after him, Raydonn entered first. He controlled his fall down through the vent shaft, but the slide downwards was fairly steep. When he fell all the way down he found his boots slamming into a large black pile of ore. He fell into a roll and grunted as the ore left stains and marks across his armor and body.

Kira followed after but fell far more gracefully into a kneel. Raydonn groaned as he raised himself up and spit what tasted like soot and blackened tar from his mouth. He noted that what was beneath them and all around in massive piles seemed to be that of coal. A far outdated ore used for energy production in times long passed. But, as he looked around him and Kira further he noted the processing units and smelters. All manner of industrial machines that were made to process large quantities of carbon based ore into diamonds.

"Well now we know where the Calipsa family gets a massive chunk of their credits." Kira snorted and began carefully moving her way over the unrefined ore.

"Everyone always knew the family was getting more credits and resources than they should have been making. Never would've thought it would be through something like this. Not to mention these piles are far too big!"

"Probably why the majority of the worlds in their domain are resource oriented. Not only that but they take in the processing ore of the other houses too." Kira replied in a bored fashion coming to stand by Raydonn who only now got himself into a full stand.

"The other houses probably don't even realize they're getting kriffed over. Nobody willingly mines this much crude ore. Not when you can mine straight crystals, cortosis, durasteel, whatever else floats your ship." Kira sighed and Raydonn nodded.

"Okay, great. Fun musings and all, but let's get back to the job at hand. Maybe?" Kira jumped from the ore pile and onto a clearing of metal floor beneath. Raydonn joined her and both took in just how immense the room was. Several ore piles that reached many meters high were around them, but all the smelting and processing equipment or machinery was shut down. Thus the room was cold and nearly deaf in sound. The booms in the far distance beyond its thick walls only really reaching down through the vents above.

"Alright...door's over there I see." Raydonn pointed to their left. A sealed shut heavy metal door lay before them.

"First option, likely our only option. Alright, help me get it open."

"Quietly as possible I presume." Kira sighed and brushed passed Raydonn with a slight shove to his left shoulder. He huffed and followed after her as they both moved through a slight path through all the mountains of ore and grime.

They both reached the door that stood several meters high itself; and Kira threw her hands out in frustration with a heavy sigh following thereafter.

"How do you expect to open this? Not only that, but be 'quiet' while we're at it?" She inclined her head toward Raydonn. "After all, you're the walking talking local genius here." Raydonn ignored her and ran one of his gloved hands across the strip of facial hair along his chin.

"Alright, plan B it is then." Raydonn clasped his saber into his hand and activated one side once again. The purple beam sprung to life and he looked to Kira expectantly. It took her but a moment before she seemed relieved and full of energy again.

"About time!" Kira activated her own saber. The crimson curved hilt saber sprung to life, and she waited for Raydonn's move. The ex-inquisitor took his saber in both hands and stabbed it into the metal of the door. Kira followed the same from where she stood leaving enough room for both of them to move through.

The metal began to melt and burn hot before both of them, and Raydonn began forcing the beam of his saber up and then left. While Kira did the same moving her saber up but pushed it to her right. She had to hold it up above her head to meet the height of Raydonn, but she kept the saber mostly level.

Their sabers nearly met and the floor became covered in hot melted metal that quickly cooled and hardened. The gashes where the saber cut through were growing and large enough for them to go through. They only needed to join their sabers over a few more inches to cut open the hole for entry.

"Once we get through we check our flanks, and move quickly. I'd like to say the Moffs didn't notice this light show, but I'm not goingto hold out hope."

"I'm sure we'll be...fine!" Kira declared as her saber sparked along and touched Raydonn's. The metal creaked and whined, and both of them leapt back from the door. Kira sent her hand forward and the Force exploded from her toward the door.

The hole now in the door snapped and cracked as the heavy metal slab broke and went hurdling onto the other side. A loud thud and crash echoed from beyond and Kira laughed profusely. Raydonn growled aloud, but flung himself forward into a dash forward as Kira beat him and ran wildly forward. When she dove through the hold she dove into a roll and came to a kneel looking towards her left.

Raydonn for his part dashed in and held saber firmly in both hands. He turned right and scanned his surroundings. The room, however, was dark but seemingly empty. The glow of both their sabers being the only light streaming and illuminating what little portions of the room they pointed their sabers towards. Kira picked herself up from her kneel and swung her saber back from left to right and over again. She too scanned her surroundings but found nothing like Raydonn beside her.

"Looks clear to me." She announced and relaxed. As well as grimaced in disappointment. Raydonn kept himself at the ready though and his brow furrowed.

"Something feels off. I can't imagine no one heard that slab of metal you threw against the far wall. At the very least there should be an alarm!"

"Ah well, we're just that good. Or, if you're bent on being a pessimist, we're that 'lucky.'" Raydonn said nothing but didn't drop his guard while Kira loosened her grip on her still active saber and took a few steps forward. As she scanned more easily the room she noted that it was a packaging dock, or something similar. Crates and boxes likely filled with refined ore or diamonds were scattered around. Kira smirked and chuckled as she threw her arms out and spun in place.

"See! We haven't a worry in the-" She was cut short as from above a series of powerful and blinding flood lights sprung to life. Kira felt the Force send a rush of warning through her and she threw her guard up in makashi form immediately. Raydonn simply remained where he was, but lifted his saber up slightly in closer guard position.

The sounds of many blasters whirring from above followed the lights, and after a moment of adjustment, and through squinted eyes Kira made out a second level. It was a long balcony that wrapped around the edges of the room. It originated seemingly from directly in front of them and spread out both to their left and right still along and hugging the wall. A thin strip of metal acting as a guardrail along the whole length of the balcony.

The whole length of the balcony was lined with troopers. All of them in dark armor unlike all the troopers Kira had previously seen. Both in the Imperial and Moff armies. The armor was the same as the trooper armor variants she was used to seeing only fully black. On both sides and to her front lining the balcony stood troopers with blasters aiming down upon them at the ready. To the direct front of her and Raydonn on the balcony were two evenly spaced heavy armor piercing turrets with troopers mounting them and also aiming down upon them.

They were all silent as they aimed at both Kira and Raydonn. Kira snarled like a wild beast and Raydonn was silent. His eyes wandering over the whole line of men and lingering as he searched for weak points. The silence between them was only pierced by the whir of the lightsabers in the hands of the apprentices of Exar Kun. Until a lone officer wearing the regular officer suit and with hands clasped properly behind his back approached the edge of the rail. His eyes were narrowed and piercing in a shade of dull gray. His head capped with an officers cap, and he seemed utterly bored. Yet, the man looked between Raydonn and Kira and wrinkled his nose in a disgusted manner before he fished out from his pocket a comlink.

"General sir, this is lieutenant Vinsti. Those assassins you warned us of have breached entrance B along my patrol corridor. I await further instruction, general sir." The man spoke in a heavy Coreworld accent. Kira, however, was less interested in his accent. In fact she shared that with Raydonn as both of them pondered what the man meant by 'warned,' as he said to whom they both assumed to be general Ioyashi. Yet, neither one of them said anything. Merely they stood remaining still in their defensive postures.

"Yes sir, right away. I will patch you through to the room's comm unit." The officer spoke aloud seemingly hearing some reply neither of the apprentices heard. He snapped a few keys along his comlink and then snapped it before pocketing it. He clasped his hands back behind his back and tilted his chin upwards in a very prim and snobbish manner. Kira waited for something and anything really to happen, but after a few more moments of silence she tilted her own head towards Raydonn. But, the man kept his eyes centered and looking forward from himself. Until finally a blare wailed out through the room, and caught both Kira and Raydonn off guard. Neither moved though both shared looks of pain on their faces as the sound bore into their ears.

Then finally a large comm terminal previously unseen by the both of them coming down from the ceiling sprung to life. The audio output rang and wailed for a time, but soon died down. Though it did leave a blaring in both apprentices' ears. Then the projector from the ceiling sprung to life and a large hologram appeared in the room between the men above and the apprentices below. It was grainier and less clear than your average holocomm call. Yet, the man before them was no less clear, and larger than he obviously was in person.

"Greetings assassins. I am general Daman Ioyashi. Though I assume you guessed who I was if you didn't already know my face. I have been expecting you for a while now. Indeed you kept me waiting longer than I would have expected imperial assassins to take. Perhaps I gave too much credence to the capability of assassins in league with the Empire these days." The man greeted and Kira and Raydonn noted his monotone voice and narrowed eyes. His accent was indeed that of a Kuati who had spent a long time on the home world. Many of those could take on a core accent or even a Coruscanti one, but those who remained on world and never bothered to refine themselves sounded very native to the world indeed.

"Expecting us were you? Care to explain how, or are you smarter than you look?" Raydonn asked, finally speaking after the revealing of the troops. Kira eyed him, but she said nothing herself. She wanted to hear this.

"I will not play petty games with your like assassin. Needless to say, how I knew of your coming is no great act or conspiracy. When an artillery position ceases taking targeting orders, and a patrol team finds them all massacred; not with blasters but lightsaber wounds, or other less obvious methods, it's easy to discern what befell them. Whether it is Assassins of the Inquisition ilk or other obscure department of and for the emperor the conclusion is the same. If otherwise I could not find it within myself to care.

'Your intentions were obvious as well. You had punctured deep behind my forward defense lines and bypassed my supposed command station. That little bit of information I myself had ordered leaked to intelligence. Yet, I see know that you have some modicum of foresight and deductive reasoning. That is in direct confrontation with my prior observations of you and your comrade. An interesting observation I now find myself with." Ioyashi paused and his expression turned contemplative. Kira felt her own face contort into an expression of incredulity at the man, but he soon shook himself from what appeared to clearly be musings on his part.

"No matter. I commend you both for coming this far, and nearly catching me. However, as you can both see you have been blocked by some of the finest men the Moff Alliance has to offer. Ghost division I believe will be more than enough to handle either of you. However, as a gentleman I find it becoming of myself to extend an offer."

"That being?" Raydonn interjected quickly.

"Surrender of course. On your part that is. Lay down your arms and come quietly as prisoners of war. You will not be harmed. Reject the offer and I will not be the one to blame for either of your demises." He was very matter-of-fact in his tone, but Kira sensed sincerity in his offer as did Raydonn.

"I think we shall pass." Raydonn offered for both himself and Kira. Though Kira wasn't about to complain.

"Very well. I had thought as much. Nonetheless, it is only right that the courtesy had been offered. Now, however, I must leave you both to your fates. I bid you a farewell into your next life." Ioyashi's form turned towards the officer on the upper level. All he did was bow his head and the hologram faded away followed by another small blaring sound as the holocomm device died down over them plunging the room once more into silence.

The officer, the one who named himself as Vinsti, seemed to sniffle in a bored like manner, and raised a closed-fist up.

"On my mark men!" He announced, and the whir of the blasters sounded out once more. Raydonn glanced Kira's way and bowed his head slightly in her direction before his eyes slid back to the balcony. Kira smirked and nodded. Both of them gripped their sabers tighter, and both of them bent their knees more, and too subtly for the men above to notice. Though if they had Kira didn't think they'd care. For she and Raydonn both sensed that the men felt utterly secure right now. Kira in particular looked forward to showing them how misplaced their belief was.

The lieutenant jerked his hand downwards towards the both of theapprentices. The troopers steadied themselves and their blasters in but an instant and opened a barrage of successive fire down upon them both. Raydonn was first to move. He threw his body upwards toward the walkway. His second saber beam activated, and he spun his saber before his now moving body immediately sending all bolts heading towards him flying away safely.

Kira dashed forward on the level she was on. With such speed that she was that she seemed like a blur of motion. She found herself safely under the walkway and the troops aiming for her above struggled to reposition themselves, as those troops along the walkway on the left wall angled to fire towards her. Both Kira and Raydonn heard the turrets blast open a barrage of immense fire and the bolts slammed into the ground scorching the metal and sending shaved off shards flying up into the air around them.

Raydonn landed onto the walkway. His saber slashing down and cutting one man down, and then he rolled over that troopers falling body onto the walkway behind the men firing at him. Those nearest to him turned and fired at his turned form but he was quick to swing around still in a crouched position and send a powerful wave of Force energy their way. Three troopers shouted as the unseen force pounded against their armored frames. They were launched off the walkway toward the far wall and hit the metal walls with successive thuds. Their bolts easily blocked or dodged.

He picked himself up and spun his saber before himself again as new bolts flew his way. From his left two more troopers fired on him. One fell into a kneel and the other aimed down sights with precision shots and pushed himself against the railing to protect himself from being thrown off as his comrades had been. Raydonn smirked subtly, and in a quick motion he ceased spinning his saber and threw his left hand forward. A crack of lightning exploded from his gloved fingertips and hit both men. They screamed and fell against the railing to the floor in uncontrollable shaking and twitching.

He quickly turned right and sent another wave of Force energy cascading from his left hand as those troopers turned and fired at him. They were merely slammed against the railing, but one hit the nearest mounted turret with a loud thud. The rest of the troopers to Raydonn's direct right were firing at Kira and really didn't notice him.

The mirialan halfbreed had jumped up onto the rail that had been on the left from where they had stood on the ground floor below. There were four dead troopers sprawled about her with one corpse hanging over the rail precariously. She was running upon another. Throwing herself up into the air stabbing down with her saber and impaling him. She fell with the body jumped up and slashed up from her left across right and took down another of these black armored troopers. She whipped around and her left hand much like his a moment before was sent outwards. No lightning came but her fingers twisted oddly, and Raydonn again felt the Force expand from her. When those men she pointed towards began falling over in immense pain and retching Raydonn knew she had again used the Force itself to poison and infect the men with some terrible plague.

She had to, however, then roll away from where she stood as a hail of heavy bolt fire flew toward her slamming into the wall and scorching it. Raydonn saw the two troopers mounting the turret firing at her as those men on the now left wall from his line of sight began firing a hail towards him. Raydonn threw his left hand out and motioned it in a quick motion from left to right across the walkway. The whole line of troopers were then slammed against one another and fell over as the Force hit them all one by one.

Raydonn again smirked, and turned right. He spun his saber and dashed forward with the double-bladed weapon in his right hand. His eyes narrowed and he threw himself upon those troopers he had thrown against the turret. They rose and fired on him again, but he slashed down gutting one. Then slashed his saber out from the first victim directly into the second. Killing both troopers.

He threw his saber out to his right and then wildly slashed it back left carrying himself into a spin as it cut down the seemingly aloof turret mounted trooper and the turret itself. More troopers ran upon him both to his front and back as those troopers on the walkway he had sent the wave of energy into regained themselves and fired. He jumped up and found himself throwing his saber. It spun and hummed on the way down and slashed through four troopers directly in front of him, before it flew left and up back towards him. He caught it as he fell back to the walkway and spun around just in time to spin it defensively as a new hail of bolts headed his way.

As the troopers rounded upon him and fired barrages of bolts, Kira cut her way down the walkway along their right now as it seemed. Those men she had poisoned with the Force were now dead and unmoving. Those troopers down at the end of the walkway were forcing one another further away from one another trying not to bunch up and spread out thinly along the balcony. Seven troopers in their dark armor fired on her. Three kneeling, the other four standing and trying to angle themselves to fire at the acolyte and not hit one another.

She now stood with her saber whipping elegantly before her body blocking the stream of bolts coming her way. The troops never relented and she even seemed bored, but the reality was she was waiting. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the second and final turret behind her still operational. The trooper mounting it seeming dazed by the attack she and Raydonn unleashed. Perhaps their speed and efficiency catching him off guard.

No matter the reason she only needed to wait a few seconds longer. He shook himself from his daze and himself noted Raydonn standing very near to him on his left. He angled his turret and with a cry like that of a barbarian warrior charging a battlefield he unleashed his turret bolts upon Kira. As they flew toward her time seemed to slow as her senses became acute with the aid of the Force. A smirk crawled along her face, and she dashed forward while still slashing her lightsaber and thrashing incoming bolts from herself.

She leapt over the troopers firing at her. They followed her as she arched over them and fell into the narrow and small space between them and the ending rail of the walkway. As they turned to shoot at her in desperation they were blown against the wall and their bodies torn into by their own allied turret. Bolts from the heavy weapon ripped into their bodies and threw the seven troopers against the wall in charred heaps.

The turret trooper seemed unfazed or uncaring and continued firing down the walkway towards Kira even as other troopers shouted at him from all corners of the walkway. Kira laughed and rolled herself forward under the blitz of the turret. The man continued to follow with his heavy weapon and Kira dashed back towards where this walkway met with the center piece of balcony. The turret followed, and as she ran towards more troops they began running and breaking back along the center walkway strip.

Finally, however, he ceased firing. Kira paused almost saddened to see Raydonn had stabbed the man through with one of his saber sides. The man ripped the saber end from the man and elegantly spun the double-bladed weapon and cut the turret into pieces. He then turned and threw the saber once more into a line of men who were cut down as the saber spun back up and returned to him.

"Killjoy." Kira muttered before she dashed forward once more herself. Slashing down left up right, twisting herself around and stabbing a third man through. Slashing back around right and taking a fourth's head clean off, precisely angling and gashing her saber onto the leg of a fifth and along the fallen man's neck. There Kira ceased her assault and five men all fell before her.

As she took in steadying breaths from the sheer rush of dark power and adrenaline she heard a clang of meta against metal. Looking down as the Force warned of danger she caught a frag grenade readying to blow. On pure instinct she grasped it with the Force with her left hand and thrashed it back to her right along the forward walkway.

Raydonn turned back in time to see the explosive heading his way and that of the last four troopers along the walkway also behind him. His eyes widened and a seething curse passed his lips as he grasped the guard rail and jumped off the walkway to the floor below. He fell into a crouched guarded position with his arms crossed in an X before his chest and head. Just then the walkway exploded and the men screamed. The rail and walkway began falling to the floor below next to Raydonn, and so did the bodies of the men.

Raydonn lowered his arms and looked up towards the walkway. Kira flashed by his vision from left to right squealing and laughing. Her crimson saber slashed up to his far right of vision, and then slashed and slew in elegant sweeping motions as she carved down the very last of the men on the walkway. Leaving another five troopers in bits.

The room was filled with a light fog of smoke, dead bodies sprawled about, and some in bits, and charred or sheared metal. Kira stood triumphantly on the top walkway and held her head up towards the ceiling. She breathed in a mighty intake of air and released it thereafter. A content smile on her lips and her eyes momentarily closed. Raydonn sighed at this, but eased his stance.

"What exactly are you doing, Offee?"

"Oh just basking in the glory of my...our victory! Can't you smell it, feel it?! It's glorious indeed! Absolutely and utterly glorious." She ginned wickedly and joyfully. Raydonn shook his head, but did find a chuckle escape passed his own lips. With a heave he leapt himself back up onto a portion of the walkway still standing. Though when his boots landed the metal whined under his added weight.

Both beams of his saber died down, but Kira kept hers fully active. Raydonn turned about himself and looked at the spread bodies. The smoking and torn turrets and those troops who lay motionless upon them. As he looked his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed.

"Well I had thought something was missing." He uttered. Kira rounded up beside him and looked around herself finding nothing out of place.

"Oh? What has the almighty one observed this time? Please enlighten us mere mortals." Raydonn ignored her and swept an arm about the corpses.

"All of them are troopers."

"Uh...yeah how observant." Kira rolled her eyes. Raydonn sighed.

"We're suspiciously missing an officer in the mix, girly." Kira scanned the bodies again, and the pieces. Indeed she found not one corpse that wasn't garbed as a trooper in dark armor. Not one officer's suit.

"So, he took off."

"Indeed. Likely over...there." Raydonn eyed a section of the wall that seemed sleeker and even disconnected from the rest of the wall bits. Kira joined him and cocked her head to the side. Raydonn walked toward the wall bit and placed his hand along it feeling for anything out of place.

"I can't imagine how we missed his exit. There has to be a lever or something here." He trailed off and continued snaking his hand along the wall. Kira scoffed and closed her eyes. She centered herself and entered into the Force. Opening her eyes again she grinned.

"Well there's quite a few of them waiting behind that door!" Raydonn turned back on her.

"What?"

"Behind the wall...door whatever you want to call it. There's about oh...I don't know twenty maybe thirty men waiting for us." Raydonn's brow furrowed. He reached out with the Force and sensed others behind the wall and had for a few moments now, but he couldn't give as close an approximation as Kira just had.

"How did you-"

"I'm half miraluka, almighty one. I can see plenty you and your can't even if you really wanted to... Well maybe if you really wanted to. But, you'd have to get someone like me to teach you how to. This is neither the place nor time, nor do I really want to." Raydonn hummed in realization.

"A miraluka eh? Now that is quite interesting. Force vision...wait if you have that why didn't you see the troopers along the walkway?"

"I have to center myself! I really didn't think I needed to when we entered the cold dark room, and saw nothing with my eyes. I prefer those to trying to ceaselessly stay within my state of Force sight. Now do you wanna ask more dumb questions, or do you want to make a game plan for the mini-army waiting for us on the other side of this here wall?!"

Raydonn tipped his head in relent. He turned back towards the door and Kira joined him directly by his side. Raydonn activated both sides of his saber once again, and both of them reached out with their free left hands towards the door. With the Force extending from them and wrapping around the thinner metal material they began to curl their fingers inwards.

The door soon became crushed and crumbled and whined under the stress of the Force. It would snap off and be thrust forward once again as Kira had done with the last metal slab at her and Raydonn's mercy.

"Men, open fire!" They heard the familiar voice of lieutenant Vinsti call from what now was shown to be an immensely long corridor. Lines of men standing behind portable defenses and cover. Squads of men were lined at intervals with succeeding squads and their portable covering units behind them from the door Kira and Raydonn were at all the way to the end of the corridor. They were broken into left, right intervals. With the nearest squad of troops taking cover behind a portable unit on their right, and the next down the hall being on their left.

Several automated turrets had been attached to the ceiling in intervals as well in line of two, and the first line was already aimed down range at the two apprentices. The troopers nearest to them whirred their blasters and began to open fire followed by the turrets nearest to them. Exploding the room with noise and echoes. Both apprentices dove forward and away from fire heading their separate ways.

With Kira grinning in glee, and Raydonn dead set on completing the task placed before him. As they both stormed the base of operations of General Ioyashi deeper. To get to the general himself. Or so they hoped.

(Gladiator-class Imperial Stardestroyer Domitor, In Orbit Over Sarrish)

Both noghri stood with simple gray tunics over their torsos, training leggings tied to their waists, and electrostaffs in both of their two grayish clawed hands. They stood at the end of what was a large sparring room with their staffs buzzing with power as their two ends vibrated and glowed with electric energy.

"Alright Kohr you take Shira. Cahrir you're on me." Leia instructed. She and Shira stood opposite the noghri guards. Both of them having sabers in one of their hands. Leia in makashi stance with her curved hilt saber. Shira in djem-so stance modeled greatly after her master Vader's original form.

"We oblige your wish mistress." Kohr replied and spun his staff expertly. The noghri made their way forward ready to strike their mistress and her friend as their mistresses instructions.

"Alright, it's been a bit too long since we last had a good sparring match. Are you sure your noghri will last Leia?" Shira asked with a cocky smirk along her young features. Leia smiled in return and nodded.

"Oh without a doubt Shira. Don't let that overconfidence of yours get the best of you. You've seen them in action before after all."

"Yeah for a minute and against traitorous troopers. But, I'll take your word for it." She swiped her saber at both her sides, before turning into a defensive djem-so stance. Her saber went over her head and behind her shoulder. Leia's saber hung out and to her side. She quickly saluted and brought her saber before her face before retuning it to her ready position.

Without warning Kohr leapt toward Shira. His clawed feet pounding into the ground. His speed immense and figure light. Shira swept her saber down from overhead and slashed down colliding with his staff as it swept up at her. Then he angled down with the other end, she slashed up and threw it back. He spun and stabbed toward her she parried it away, he swept back and across her. She collided and was carried. She threw herself quickly into a spin and collided with his staff as it came back around.

She immediately let loose her own reprisal. Slash up from down left across, sweep around and slash across. Stop and pause. Slam down from over head, and flow into an impressive bout of feints at Kohr's flanks. The noghri swiped left and right over and over again with the staff. The electric ends buzzing and colliding with Shira's saber.

Kohr swiped left and caught her saber and held her in place. Spinning the staff where he stood it slammed her and her saber down. She gasped at the force of his attack, and quicker than she could see the noghri swept around her and slashed across. She dove her body into a roll and spun around. Kohr spun his staff and repositioned himself defensively. Shira stood back up and felt a smile crawl along her face.

Leia watched Kohr pounce towards Shira initially, and then fixed her gaze on Cahrir. Her noghri sidestepped toward her more slowly and that quickly turned into a circling pace. Leia met his challenge and began mirroring the noghri's circling pace. The noghri was first to strike. Cahrir slashed the higher end of the staff down from over shoulder onto Leia. She easily and gracefully parried. Her saber flowing across herself and immediately back down to her side.

The noghri fell into a flurry of jabs and strikes aimed at Leia's shoulders. Each one she swiped back down and finally caught one aimed at her left shoulder. She slashed in an upwards arch right and down and the staff fell to the ground next to Leia's right boot. She sent a small blast of Force energy through her left hand toward Cahrir. He stood his ground but still skirted along the metal floor a few inches.

Cahrir with no emotion upon his alien features spun the staff over his head and charged Leia. It was in both hands held at his right. He swept it across himself at Leia she parried and swiped. She slashed down towards his head, but the noghri leaned back, ducked down and swept under her. He landed his shoulder into her chest and Leia stumbled back. Cahrir stabbed the end of the staff facing her chest toward her, but she spun away and slashed back left. Cahrir spun and collided his staff with her.

The noghri slashed down, back up from the bottom and back from the top. Over and over again with great strength unexpected from the smaller forms of the noghri. Finally he swiped up from under his left arm and collided with Leia's saber. With a great heave the alien forced the saber up further and threw Leia's arms up and saber over her head though still in hand. However, Cahrir swung around at her right and Leia' barely pulled herself back from having her abdomen hit by the electric end of the staff.

Cahrir spun the staff at his left and slashed toward Leia by swinging his form right. She blocked the spinning staff. As Cahrir then spun it at his right and swung towards her. She collided and blocked it, but Cahrir then suddenly swung back from his left slashing down at her with great force and speed. Leia was forced down to her left and cried out a small gasp of surprise.

She landed her left hand flatly onto the metal floor, and sensed the noghri standing over her from behind. Her curved saber was still in her right hand, and she swung around and slashed up as she did. The saber met his staff. She slashed up at his head, then at his right and left and right again over and over.

Then she swiped down right and up left her moves swift and fluid. Going from one directly into the other as if choreographed like that of a dance. She swiped over down from her right to the left then slashed up and collided with the staff and forced it back down Cahrir's left. Thrusting her left hand forward into her loyal noghri's face the Force exploded outwards and sent the alien flying back.

Cahrir groaned out as his back hit the wall with a thud. Leia seemed to shake herself from her battle haze, and lowered her saber.

"Cahrir! I'm sorry I don't know what...came over me. I got too caught up in my form..." She trailed off seeming herself perplexed by her choice of excuse. She felt the Force rushing and whirling around her as the adrenaline did the same within her blood. Her focus was wholly set on the duel and her form was amazing for one so young and new by all standards to saber dueling. Nonetheless, Cahrir rose up using the staff to help him.

"Think nothing of it, mistress. I have received worse wounds in sparring matches or otherwise. I am willing to continue if you are." He assured as he fell into a ready stance with both clawed hands wrapping along the staff handle. Leia relaxed some and seemed less worried. She smirked and nodded before falling back into a ready stance to duel the noghri as Shira did the same with Kohr nearby.

---

Nearby to the commotion of the two Sith in training dueling the noghri Viathan sat on the floor with legs tucked under him. His eyes were closed and his body seemingly totally still. His breaths were long and deep as he entered deeply into the Force. All pain was suppressed while he was within this state. That included his arm which had been quickly mended with bacta and some bone-mending. Doctor Wor hadn't been present once again leaving Viathan with his assistant Sieda Noorsh. The woman was all smiles and psychoanalysis. She was pleasant to be around, but Viathan hated when she had to touch him and examine him. He hated when most anyone touched him.

Nonetheless, he lived through it. Now Viathan merely wished to center himself and relax as it were. Though it hardly was the type of relaxing most people took part in. Especially as he kept hearing the clang and hum or quick movements of boots against the floor nearby. But Viathan knew he was behind in his contemplations and delving into the finer aspects of the dark side and the powers held within.

Before him in the floor sat the holocron of none other than Darth Ruin. The pyramidal shaped object of power and untapped knowledge had for too long now remained untouched and untapped by Viathan within his various quarters ever since the battle of Coruscant, and even before. As had his immensely secretive datapad he had I his position. That datapad which contained the repository of Rakata knowledge and information.

He would not venture into the powers of those ancient beings today, however. The last few times he had used that simple datapad and the alchemy contained within he found himself knocked out on various floors. So, today he wished to speak with Lord Ruin once more. He focused himself into the dark side, and let his inner self stretch outwards and touch the holocron and bid he who dwelled within, or that part of Ruin that remained, to come forth.

The pyramid of power soon crackled with life and hummed. Viathan opened his crimson colored eyes open and watched the ethereal figure of Ruin rise out of the holocron. The umbaran Sith lord remained cowled with his circlet atop his head, and his natural dark shade of skin showed even now in his projectile form. His glowering eyes looked upon Viathan, and made the boy again wonder silently at how these holocrons could retain the essence of those who used them. As he found himself truly looking eye to eye with a man long since dead.

"The boy who would follow and seek ancient power comes to before me again. I do not know much of what happens beyond the confines of my holocron, but I do retain enough power to know a great deal of time has passed. May I inquire as to why that is?" The Dark Lord asked. Viathan remained where he sat upon his legs and bowed his head in reverence and response to his question.

"My Lord Ruin. The conflict in which I and the galaxy finds itself embroiled in wages on. The intensity has tripled and body counts rise. My attention was drawn away from such musings and teachings such as yours. The battlefields are now far and wide, and I am needed in many places at once."

"So do all who live through war claim. War itself is a matter of repetition boy. Without war there is no power, for war is an extension of ultimate conflict. War itself is a construct of sentient nature. To happen periodically to cull the weaker force and empower the stronger." Ruin retorted with a coo, but in no manner menacing voice. Viathan nodded.

"It makes me question though lord. Why then is war truly necessary if the weakest of the galaxy; those who do not fight, remain while those stronger than them fight and kill one another?"

"Ah, that is the question. Why do the strong toil for power among one another, but leave the weakest alive? Why do the strong cull from one another instead of unite to dominate the weak? The reality is far too simple. Indeed so simple one may think it too simplistic to the point of a fabrication and lie." Ruin mused, and Viathan sat enthralled to hear his wisdom.

"The powerful are assured of rule. The original Sith code has a modicum of truth within. 'Peace is a lie,' for it is indeed. Sentient creatures do not rise from dung pits and caves to exploring space from places of absolute peace. Yet, even if they did they would find themselves dominated soon enough and driven to conflict. For it is within conflict that one achieves power and strength.

'Our passions not our peace is what drives innovation and knowledge, and this is what gives many strength and of course power. They break their chains and are freed even if they haven't the Force at their disposal. The voice, the mind, and the will to dominate and teach and create give onto those without the power to move objects with but a thought the power to win the minds and hearts of those weaker and less ambitious than themselves. This is the heart and soul, the very nature of politics. And war is but an extension of it."

Viathan remained sitting in silence. The voice of the Sith Lord had become louder and impassioned as he continued to speak, and Viathan could feel the truth in the words he spoke. Lord Ruin had a fascinating power to take Viathan's questions and funnel them into a context he could understand.

"The powerful are the ones who not only wage but lead war. Those who do not, the weakest and unempowered are those whom the powerful; those who wage and lead conflict and war upon one another, seek to dominate and rule. War is not fought ultimately to defeat those who are like yourself. They are but a rival to the stage and surely one must fall to see ultimate power rest in the hands of one, but it is by the submission and control of the weak that the powerful become powerful.

'For in a galaxy or universe where there is not the weak, but only the strong then who is truly strong? None, for they all are. Without the weak there is no strong, and there are no powerful. The weak must not fight and must not become strong because then those who call themselves powerful will find they are only as strong as those whom they lead allow them to be. War decides who the weak shall empower, and who the powerful and strong will rule.

'Sith and those of us who command the Force have a special capability that your average leader a politician of the old ilk do not. Our power allows us to gain power over those whom are most powerful and to secure greater following of those weaker than us but who are yet strong enough to fight for us, and then to lord over the weakest among us. That is what the Jedi do not understand. That they would have greater effect in keeping peace by ruling and domination than by passive observation and contemplation. The Jedi are passive, whilst we Sith must be proactive."

Ruin imparted with wisdom. Viathan nodded through all of what the lord said, and found much truth within. The need of the strong, the Sith in his case to have civilians and citizens was key to their very nature. If all fought and all were empowered then truly there would be no powerful. Because everyone would be powerful then who would even know what power is? Viathan saw now his power was based on the need not in spite of the weak. With all the people of the galaxy and all the places of the vastness of space Viathan would have never thought he'd come to such a conclusion with Lord Ruin.

"But come now. I know you didn't summon me from the confines of my holocron to speak on the nature of war and sentient necessity of it." Viathan shook himself from his own musings on what Ruin said, and bowed his head.

"I wish to learn more from you. To dig deeper into the nature and power of the dark side."

"As you should. No Sith can survive purely as a blunt instrument alone. Those who seek to fight and never to learn the greater secrets are doomed to failure. You can be a warrior but if you do not at least attempt to attain some greater knowledge and power than those who do seek it out are assured of mastery eternal over you. Because what are you then to they who can break and bend or reforge with but a thought? A tool, a blunt instrument to be twisted, bent and used as they see best."

Ruin spoke knowingly, and Viathan nodded in agreement. He knew well enough that he had been that tool under Palpatine, and the earliest days of serving his master. Viathan had no greater aspirations beyond serving his new master. Yet, he knew he would be a greater servant greater than just a tool. He would be the greatest agent of a lord's will to have ever existed in the galaxy.

"You have been a strong and good student thus far. You've learned that which I have bidden you to learn quite well and quickly. So, perhaps it is time you begin to delve into the depths of darker knowledge I possess. Or, perhaps you are not ready? Maybe you fear to seek out that which would empower you to the degree of being considered monstrous?"

"I fear nothing but the lack of power to do as my master commands. I fear being incapable of completing my tasks assigned, and I fear failure. I am ready for everything you can offer, my lord Ruin." Viathan bowed his head. The Sith lord hummed. Again making Viathan almost feel he was calling the dead Dark Lord rather than speaking to some essence of him trapped within a pyramidal object.

"Ah yes. The obedient and ever attentive submission to your lords will. I had almost forgotten that devotion that lay within you since our last meeting boy. Endearing as ever. Hopefully it doesn't prove to be that which holds you back from greatness. Greatness that even you may not be prepared for or desiring." Viathan furrowed his brow but said nothing. The umbaran Sith sighed almost contentedly. Though Viathan was sure it was for show. He couldn't imagine a projection actually taking in air.

"Very well. I shall teach you once more. Perhaps today is a good day to teach you a very powerful ability. It hearkens back to the ancient days of the Sith. The old lords and masters, the kings and emperors who mastered the very art of instilling terror and their will in but their use of eyesight. It is a technique that has been called many names, but as I learned it, it held the name of 'deadly sight.'" Viathan again furrowed his brow. He indeed had never heard of such a technique. The Dark Lord's projection saw his confused look and subtly smirked.

"It fills me with an odd sensation of pleasure to see your confusion boy. It lets me know this shall be a great learning experience for you indeed. The power as I said is old. I learned of it after I left the Jedi Order and took to exploring dead Sith worlds. The great emperors and kings of the old Sith empires used it to subject those who came before them to immense pain and eventually death before the eyes of their courts. It was...effective."

Viathan felt his adrenaline rush in anticipation. The two girls and their noghri companions still sparred just some ways away from him and didn't seem to notice him and his holocron. That worked just fine for him at the moment. He wanted his attention squarely placed on Ruin.

"Imagine that you could take all that rage, and all that darkness that lay within you. Imagine you could take all those passionate emotions. The hate and anger, the fear and turn it into raw power. Unseen, and unheard, and imagine if the saying 'if looks could kill,' and truly apply it." Viathan looked confused, but Ruin waved his hand o keep him silent.

"It sounds odd yes? I thought the same when I came across teachings on such power in my bid to reforge the Sith into a viable empire. Yet, when I applied myself I found that my look alone could set fire to the forests and turn my enemies and subjects brought before me to ash. Now, set before yourself an object. Something you wouldn't miss perhaps? Though a hated enemy would be preferable." The projection almost seemed ready to laugh.

Nonetheless Viathan nodded and turned to a nearby weapons rack. Using the Force he called over a cortosis lined vibroblade and directed it with but his thought onto the floor to his right away from the holocron of Ruin. He turned back to Ruin and bowed his head ready to receive further instruction.

"Good. Look upon that object." Viathan did as told and looked upon the sword. "Now close your eyes." He did. "Look into yourself, and find all that which fills you with hatred. Find all images, and visions, your memories that make every bone of yours shake and skin crawl. Dig deep and find your wrath, your hate and your fear, and let it well."

Given how relaxed Viathan found himself he found it difficult to call such thoughts and emotions. But, memories on the other hand. He had plenty of those. One such memory flooded to mind. Doctor Lucentos stood before him with a smile on his face, and glare in his eyes as he looked down on Viathan.

Little Valek shook and tears rolled down his cheeks like the weak little child he was. The boy stood with knees shaking and hands tied behind his back. He stood precariously on a piece of metal. It was more like a plank of thin metal that had been placed over an open hatch in the floor. Beneath him lay the great and seemingly endless fall into the depths of Coruscant from the heights of the imperial palace. Hundreds upon thousands of feet of open air. The wind below whipped up and sent his hair flying and a chill through to his bones. Another one of the doctor's tests to force Valek to use the Force to its fullest purely by instinct to survive.

"Come now Valek, if you keep shaking as such you will certainly fall before the test can even truly begin! That's no way to carry out such a test as this. And it's certainly no way to act if you wish to continue surviving as you are." The man had said as he clicked his tongue condescendingly once more as he always did when 'disappointed,' in Valek.

The boy cried and hyperventilated pleading with his personal training doctor to help him and take him of the plank of metal as it shook and wobbled beneath his six year old feet. The great fall below paralyzing him and making him all but incapable of moving. The doctor merely sighed in more feigned disappointment.

"It's sad really Valek. Very sad indeed. I try and try but you insist on disappointing me. But what's worse is your constant disappointment of the emperor! The poor man...I guess I'll have to tell him how bad you've been." Valek cried even harder then weeping and pleading him not to tell his master and lord the emperor. He didn't want him to get angry with him again. He did...bad things to him when he was angry. He had others do worse things too.

Lucentos smiled then. A deceitful and misleading smile of mixed enjoyment and anger as he slammed his closed fist sideways into the wall beside him and against a keypad with two simple buttons. From under Valek the plank dropped and the boy screamed and jumped. The Force exploded out of him his fear awakening in him a great well of power that sent him jumping so hard that force felt as though it shattered a knee. He fell onto the floor in a heap of screaming and relief. Lucentos above him laughing and all but jumping in joy at his success. As a bound six year lay at his booted feet crying.

There he felt it; the fear the anger and the utter rage rise from deep within. He felt his heart pound and body shake. He felt such vile hatred and contempt. He wished he could go back as he was and change what happened. Go back and violently tear him apart. Oh how he wished he could go back and tear into little Valek. How he hated him.

"Good, I can see it rise in you boy. Now channel it! Channel it up and outwards. Move not your hands nor your body! Only open your eyes and let that power out!" Ruin commanded. Viathan did as told and opened his glowering crimson and bloodshot eyes. He did as told he tried and let that pure and raw emotion climb up out of him from his own eyes. From but his eyes he willed out that hate and anger and barely contained himself from using his hands to jump up and pound the ground or nearest wall.

He felt the dark side seethe around him and flow out like a howling beast from his heart he heard a crackle. He planted his vision squarely onto that damnable sword on the floor and let the darkness rise up out of him. He looked at that metal and barely saw a hint of his own reflection. He saw an older version of that stupid scared little brat! He saw a reflection of that older cretin Valek, and his hate exploded. The sword shook then from no action of his own and he saw smoke rise from it as if it was set on fire from a scalding hot furnace.

The sword flew off the ground then almost like it exploded. It shook Viathan from his hypnotic glare towards it and he shook himself from his hateful musings. His heart thudded and his body felt totally drained as the Force settled about him. He clutched the right side of his head as it too began thudding. The sword fell back to the ground in a clatter, and caught his full attention.

In almost a daze he called it to him and found his connection to the Force felt weak. As if he had just dueled with Nelrain again. The sword shook but was eventually called to him, but as he laid his left metal hand upon the sword he felt the burning sensation translate to that hunk of metal he called a hand and he dropped it with a mild sneer of pain crossing his face.

"What...?"

"So is the power of deadly sight." Ruin replied immediately calling back the apprentice's attention. Viathan felt his body weaken and his senses through the Force almost feel hazed and drained. Yet, Ruin seemed pleased.

"What...exactly was that? I feel like I just had someone extract all my strength right out of me." Ruin nodded.

"The results are, however, worth the small drain of strength. That can return to you, but imagine then that hot metal there being the bone and muscle the very tissue of your enemies. Deadly sight drains your power quickly, but with practice you may call on it at will, and quite literally burn your foes from inside out.

'As I said before the old emperors and kings found it quite useful. To bring a disloyal or impudent subject or rival before you. Make them kneel and then with but a thought and with them in the vision of your eyes burn them and see their body turn to ash. It would send clear messages through the court and among your other rivals that you are not to be trifled with. Wouldn't you agree?" Viathan weakly nodded and released a breath that spoke of his drained state of body and mind.

"On the field of battle, could it be used then?"

"Of course." Ruin almost joyfully assured. "It is but a matter of training yourself, and becoming stronger. Control your emotions only so that you may call on them at will and use the power it grants to you. Use it against your enemies, and with deadly sight tear them apart. Burn them where they stand and let their allies see not just their friends and comrades combust but their armor their weapons and maybe even themselves. You will find them struck with such total awe and fear that they may well either bow before you and bend their knee in surrender. Or flee in terror. Either way you gain victory and more power. Taking you one step closer to achieving all your goals."

Once more Viathan nodded. He felt only a sliver of strength return to him and a dull throb begin to take hold seemingly from his sinuses. Nonetheless he bowed his head nearly to the point of prostrating himself towards lord Ruin.

"I welcome and accept your most empowering teachings my lord Ruin. Truly your depths of knowledge are deep." Ruin hummed. The sound seeming half gracious and contemplative.

"Such humility. It is far more dangerous to be humble than to wear your hatred and aggression upon thy sleeve. Take that humility boy and shape it into a weapon. Use it to blind your enemies, and with all else that I teach you stab them in the back after you've gained their trust. And always remember, 'there is nothing, only me.' For his is my creed. The creed of Ruin. Learn it, shape it and apply it well, and you will attain all that which you desire." Viathan would disagree with a few teachings of what Ruin had spoke, but he nonetheless nodded and accepted the wisdom before bowing one last time.

The Sith lord seemingly needed no other words spoken and no more formal farewells. For his visage dipped his head but once in goodbye and he faded away back into the confines of his holocron. Awaiting as he was before the time in which he would rise again and impart his teachings upon one willing and capable of absorbing them.

Viathan lifted himself up and felt weakness still spread throughout his body. His muscles felt ache and his head carried that dull throb that seemed to spread out a little. But, he was sure it would fade. He picked up the fallen vibroblade and carried it back to the wall and placed it there. He idly rubbed his left arm and winced only slightly at the continued pain there. His mind was busy not only dealing with flashing by memories of his younger years, but of this new immense power he had been gifted with from Darth Ruin.

"So, how was your session?" He turned upon hearing the familiar voice. Finding Darssus standing where Viathan had not seen him but moments before. It was almost jarring how his brother could pop seemingly into his vision from out of nothingness.

"It was my business."

"Oh of course it was. Mind telling me who exactly that was? I only caught a glimmer of him." Viathan huffed out a groan.

"It is my holocron. I ripped it from the depths of a cult temple, and it was I who contended with those who lived in the temple for it. It's mine to use and mine to understand." Darssus held up a calming hand. His smile never leaving his face.

"Of course, of course dearest brother. I wouldn't seek to take that which is yours from you without your consent. I merely wish to know who you are learning such power from that I could feel and even I daresay nearly taste your rage across the whole of the ship." He sounded almost thankful and glad when he mentioned Viathan's explosion of power. Viathan growled under his breath and used the Force to call the holocron sitting on the floor to his hand. He idly mused on the fact that if it was not Darssus who would be badgering him it would be his phantom. Luckily the dead one wasn't in a talking mood today.

"This is the holocron of the umbaran Sith lord Darth Ruin. Creator of the New Sith Empire, and the one who brought the fractured and all but destroyed remnants of the past Sith empires together once more. Without him the Sith order may well have been eradicated by the Republic and Jedi long before Palpatine and us."

Darssus made an intrigued humming sound and clasped a hand onto his chin.

"Very intriguing. Certainly not a Sith lord I would place too much faith into but from what I know he may have some power and wisdom to teach. Really you should look towards older and far more ancient masters of the dark arts for power brother."

"I'm happy enough with Ruin as is. He's taught me nearly as much as my master has, and has aided me in molding my philosophy greatly. Besides I've dug into the deepest past for knowledge on the dark side. It's always been an...unpleasant experience." Viathan finished as he pocketed the holocron carefully into his cloak. Darssus seemed to sigh in halfhearted disappointment with Viathan. For a moment he felt his rage spike as it reminded him of doctor Lucentos. But he buried it deep...it would be useful to call to him later.

"Very well brother. But you must tell me how deeply you've dug into the dark mysteries of the Force sometime! It would be interesting to compare notes."

"Perhaps...one day brother. For now I must rest and meditate." Darssus smiled and motioned for his brother to move passed him. Viathan bowed in farewell and returned to the floor. Angling his legs under himself he lowered back to the ground and closed his eyes. Returning once more into the depths of the dark side. His brother lingering by and musing into whatever thoughts he may have, and the two girls and the noghri still going at it nearby. Leaving Viathan wondering for a moment how they hadn't felt or sensed his little outburst before he fell into that familiar almost sleep like state of meditation he knew so well.

(Nar Shaddaa, Three Days Later)

"Varuunga hasn't done much yet boss. To be perfectly honest I would have thought he'd do more. Maybe we ought to be happy he hasn't." Tol sat musing in a lounge chair. The thumping and thudding intensity of his club beneath him and his office clearly heard in the background. Three more holograms of fellow Nar Shaddaa sector lieutenants sat or stood circling around the main image of their boss. That of Botassa the Hutt. The crime lord was lounging upon his large throne and eying not only Tol but his fellow lieutenants as he spoke to them from wherever his base was.

"Varuunga is young and brash. He has no understanding of how to conduct business. What's worse are those Hutts many of them old and wiser than this joining with him. By that token they have joined with the Moffs. Hutt space and our politics is one matter sticking their necks out and by extension all our necks out into the wider galactic politics is a whole other matter." Botassa spoke. He was one of the few Hutts who preferred speaking basic over his native tongue. It made it easy for none natives of Hutt space to understand him.

His voice was deep and commanding as was expected of a Hutt. His size was larger than even most Hutts. For Botassa was old among the Hutt clans and his own clan of Besadii. He was not head of the kajidic, but held immense sway within. He was around before the rise of the empire, and Tol was sure he'd be around long after it. When he met Botassa with his group of wayward friends they had all been different. Botassa more like your common Hutt crime boss, and his friends and he young fools trying to make it and make it big on Nar Shaddaa. Some of them with sadder and darker tales than the other, but all save three including Tol now dead.

But, they had changed Botassa for the better. Now if anything he was like an uncle who every now and again Tol had to keep level to the ground. That did not mean though that the Hutt had lost his power or his intimidating reputation. A saint among street folk but a pariah among Varuunga and his little Hutt friends.

"They're hypocrites the lot of em' Botassa! I say we find the nearest Hutt who's signed on with Varuunga and the Moffs and we jettison him into the star!" Gorth, a rather loud and none too bright lieutenant who managed Botassa's operations in the old Duros sector of the moon. He was also a loud obnoxious Houk.

"Alright Gorth, alright let's not get too excited around here." Tol threw his hands up as the hologram of the Houk eyed him. "Varuunga hasn't done anything crazy yet. Maybe he's rethinking or scared to do anything without more support from the other Hutt clans. Doing something drastic would only set him off potentially. What then? Who's to blame for escalating the conflict?"

"Speak for yourself Gedden." Tol stifled a groan as he turned his attention toward Myla Friin. A rather...opinionated and rigidly cool Chagrian. The indigo colored alien woman had the usual two prominent lethorns of her people and the two head plates going down her back. She always had an attitude about herself, and especially where it came to Tol. It didn't help that she was one well built strong female either. Quite intimidating.

"Lovely as ever Myla. What have I said now that deeply offends you?"

"While Varuunga and his men have left your sector alone they've been causing nothing but hell down here in the under city levels. I've lost five men already, and a weapons storage site was fire bombed. Surely you heard about it even from where you sit up high." Tol groaned but said nothing.

"Enough. I will not have dissension among my lieutenants upon the moon Hutta. But, Myla is right Tol. Your sector has been thus far mostly unaffected, but Varuunga has had his proxies, fellow weaker minded Hutts launch attacks on Axxila, Denon, Taris, and even my holdings on Coruscant.

'Our allies and like minded Hutts are feeling profit losses. Their confidence is shaken, but luckily their anger stoked. Reprisals have come to Varuunga's proxies. Spice factories bombed, weapon caches taken for our own, and slaving operations in the chaotic Expansion-Region have been shut down by our allies and my men. A conclave of Hutt clan leaders including myself and Varuunga has been called for on Nal Hutta. We will meet and we will speak on the matters at hand and once more argue.

'I will try and sway my fellow Hutts from across the galaxy against joining political factions outside of of our own affairs. Once more Varuunga will throw their credits into their faces and sway more. The war will only intensify until Varuunga and his Moff financiers are brought to cease or are dead." Botassa intoned darkly.

"What do you need done boss? You wanna off some Moffs to help send the message?" Gorth offered.

"That would be unwise. It would likely only push them deeper into their alliance with Varuunga. They would seek protection from gangsters and the URM from Varuunga and his ilk. What must be done is to make Varuunga and his kind be a liability. A bad investment to the Moffs. Varuunga and his cartel are funneling adrenals, weapons, and local support to the Moffs not only in Hutt space but across the Outer and Mid rims.

'Our war is to hurt all operations undertaken by Varuunga, his men and his allies until the Moffs see no more need to give them money or allow for the rampant slaving now taking place in Moff territory. No matter what happens in this meeting that is our goal. Destroy all operations of Varuunga. And it begins here on Nar Shaddaa. That is my goal for you my lieutenants. Find the weak points of Varuunga's operations here, and exploit them." The lieutenants all bowed their heads in understanding or murmur it in reply.

"Very well. That will be all." Botassa commanded leading to all the lieutenants ending their call with their Hutt lord. All of them save for Tol who remained and cleared his throat expectantly.

"What is it you have on your mind Tol?"

"As you know boss the other Hutts and Varuunga are in no way about to back down. They've seen more action and credits in the last few weeks than all their lives. At least for some of them. Varuunga that na yoka, will see all of Hutt space burn under URM retaliation or come under Moff domination." Botassa nodded.

"Of this I am indeed aware Tol. Enough with the pitching, you're not selling me silverware. Go on and speak what's on your mind." Tol smiled and nodded slightly.

"Right not that I think we can't handle it, but the way I see it we need friends. Friends in both high and low places. What says you about me maybe giving a couple of my old contacts a holocall? Smooth them over a bit and see if they'd be willing to help out some." The Hutt was quiet for a moment before sighing a long deep breath.

"Whom did you have in mind Tol?"

"Well I have a couple of dirt guys. Ya'know, really quick and fast to do the dirty jobs you need done. They're already on call. Their fees? Don't even worry about em' boss I got it covered." Tol smirked and held his hands up. Botassa nodded.

"Very well, who else?"

"Well I see it like this, we got two guys on call who said to call if we needed them. Just depends on who you'd feel comfortable calling. First option is the 'butcher,' as he is known as." Botassa seemed jostled slightly before he settled.

"That name is hardly becoming of his character. Mal is not one I'm willing to call in just yet. Given he and his family would well enough kill all the Hutts I don't want to be the one to give them the excuse to do so."

"Well I was thinking juts him boss." Botassa shook his head.

"No, calling in Mal now after he and his family have come back in touch is hardly a good idea. The Maccarion Syndicate is hardly wanted on Nar Shaddaa in any greater form than it already is under Mal. He sticks to his business and we to ours, and we make friendly with each other. Unless I have Varuunga's abominable trandoshan hordes at my very doors I don't want to involve him and his fierfek family." Tol raised his hands in surrender and leaned back into his chair.

"Fair enough boss. That just leaves Valorne."

"And you think he'd come?" Botassa asked Tol nodded though it seemed halfhearted.

"He said to give him a call if we'd ever need him. I say we could use his services if we can't use Mal's. Plus you've seen the holos. What's going on out there. He's galloping around taking down Moff and droids across the karking galaxy. I would think a shot at hurting Moffs through hurting Varuunga and the Hutts allied with him would seem like a win win for him. Plus he knows us after all." Botassa nodded his large head.

"Very well. But I would not count on his coming. If he does then we use him as we can and as much as he is willing. If he doesn't come we make this war on our own." Tol bowed his head.

"I'll do it boss. May the best cartel win eh?" Botassa bowed his own head once more before his hologram faded, and left Tol alone inside his office. The club thudded and people drank below as war brooded across the galaxy, and among gangsters.

"And to think I once thought this was the safer job." Was all Tol could say.

(Chommell Sector, Naboo System, Naboo)

"I don't fully get it."

"Get what?" Starkiller asked. He and Luke were trailing after their lord and master and father for one of them as they moved down a well maintained and almost classical looking stone paved street. The buildings were all tan shaded with teal colored domes atop nearly all of them. Some had what looked like callbacks to bell towers or spires on their roofs. But for the most part the city seemed very similar and serene.

A vast blue sky hung above them filled every so often with TIE fighter patrols and regular air traffic. The streets were mostly filled with a vast line of stormtrooper honor guards on either side of the street. They blocked out all the civilians and citizens robed in what Luke and Starkiller assumed was fashionable robes and dresses of the world civilization. They were onlookers on both sides behind the trooper lines with the vastly open road leading to a large palace.

The palace itself was decently large. Though after seeing the Imperial Palace upon Coruscant it was hard for any building to impress the two Sith. It too was dome shaped with its roof being teal and sparkling in the sunlight. Lines of stone sculptures lined either side of the palace entrance with a set of stairs leading up. It was a beautiful place to live and not half bad for a monarch Luke believed.

"I don't gt why my father is so stressed."

"What makes you think he's stressed?" Starkiller whispered back. Vader was some feet ahead of them as he stomped at a controlled pace towards the palace. His gloved hands were tightened into fists and his boot stomps while controlled were heavy. But, the greatest give away that Starkiller couldn't deny was the Force around Vader. It was swirling, and almost seemed to growl about him. Indeed he had been brooding since Tlactehon.

"Well don't ask me Luke. I've served my master almost all my life and he's never been the...easiest to get along with. This seems normal to me. Maybe he's angry or stressed over the war." Starkiller quickly declared, but Luke only frowned further than he had before. He could sense the distress and what almost felt like panic coming from his father.

"Maybe, but he's been dealing with the war just fine these last few months right? What's changed since then?"

"Nothing much but the planet." Starkiller retorted quickly hoping to shut Luke up before either one of them got caught whispering by Vader.

"Hmm, yeah...yeah you're right. It did all begin when he mentioned Naboo. But why? The planet seems nice and calm, good weather. Heck of a lot better than Tatooine. I might not even mind living here. Just look how green it is! And blue...both sky and water!" Luke declared and Starkiller snickered slightly.

"You know if I didn't know you came from Tatooine I would think that was sarcasm." Luke gave him a sideways glance but smiled and chuckled himself. They both became contentedly silent then as they along with Vader approached the palace steps. They passed the stone statues on either side where stood several people.

Luke gave one of them a gawking look. She was painted or something like too much makeup was lathered all over her face. Her hair was up but not in any real normal way he'd ever seen it. Her dress was fiery red and lined with gold and black. The center of her bottom lip was also painted or marked with heavy lipstick. Dots placed on her face like some type of porcelain doll. But around her stood several military or guard types, and what looked like a court. Though it consisted mostly of handmaidens, or so Luke thought they were. All of them robed in yellow and orange with their heads covered but faces visible. They were all pretty...or so Luke thought one would say...

He pulled his hood further over his head and blushed as he followed after his father and alongside Starkiller. In front of them stood what was obviously a Grand Admiral, and what looked like a Moff. Though Luke knew Moffs were no longer an office in the Empire. So he assumed he was one of those new 'Imperial Governors.' He was an older dark skinned man who seemed looked far more military or like a bodyguard than a politician. He figured his father would get along well with the military types rather than the politicians.

"Lord Vader." The Grand Admiral, who was obviously sweating, bowed deeply at his waist. The governor followed suit but bowed less deeply. Almost seemed to be in defiance.

"Welcome to Naboo. I shall dispense with all pleasantries and inform you that we have received recent intelligence since your appointment to the sector of large Moff naval activity in the Kreeling system." Vader nodded stiffly.

"Matters of military importance shall be discussed out of sight of none actors in the field Admiral Grunger." The Admiral coughed in his nervousness but bowed his head.

"Governor Panaka, I would assume you have in place all your security personnel?" He asked turning to the governor whose name Luke heard and noted.

"Of course my lord Vader. I have my security personnel all across the planet gathering intelligence. If any Moff spies have landed on world we'll weed them out. You have my guarantee."

"I shall hold you to that, Panaka. Indeed you have always been hurried to gather intelligence and information best kept hidden." Vader intoned, and Luke felt a sharp pang of resentment flood from his father towards Panaka. The governor swallowed subtly but obviously in fear and bowed his head like admiral Grunger, and deeply too. His own defiance suddenly vanishing.

"Lead then to you command center admiral."

"Uh...yes of course, my lord Vader. H...however, there is the matter of your meeting with the queen first?" Panaka interjected before Grunger could speak in reply. Vader turned again towards him, his breathing being the only reply the man received. Until finally Vader angled towards the queen and her court, as Luke had come to assume them to be beforehand.

"It was commanded by the emperor, my lord. However, if you wish to postpone I can inform her majesty-" Vader raised a silencing large gloved hand into Panaka's face.

"I shall meet with Kylantha. The Emperor has commanded it. However, it shall be brief. Thus you shall go on ahead Admiral. I expect all pertinent data to already be prepared upon my arrival."

"Ye...yes, my lord." Grunger bowed and turned on his heel towards the palace and up the stairs. Presumably to whatever command room Vader spoke of.

"You two," Vader turned sharply to Starkiller and Luke. "find something to keep yourselves entertained. These matters do not concern you. However, I charge you Starkiller, with keeping the both of you near and on your guard should I need to call on you." Starkiller bowed.

"Of course master." Luke frowned.

"Why does he get charged with watching him and me. Why isn't it the other way around?"

"I trust him to follow my commands. You and your sister have refused to do such in the past." Vader quickly quipped, and with a flutter of his cloak turned towards Kylantha and with Panaka slightly behind him moved towards the queen. Starkiller turned to Luke with a pleased smirk on his face. Luke raised a silencing finger.

"Not a word, suck up."

"Whatever do you mean Luke? Simple fact is when my master orders and commands me I do what's ordered or commanded. You I think and your sister like getting on his bad side." Luke waved him off. He turned back toward the street and noted the stormtrooper honor units were moving in two single file lines out of sight.

"Now what's there to do on this world?"

"Probably not much. If we could I would recommend seeing the forest swamps and the natives who live there. Though I'm not sure how your father would feel about us seeing Gungans even if we could move out of his range." Luke looked surprised.

"Gungans? I've heard of them. Strange folk right?"

"You have no idea. None at all my friend." Starkiller patted Luke on the shoulder with a smirk. As the street cleared of stormtroopers and the guards on the palace returned to stationary guard stances civilians began shakily returning to the street and going about their business. The crawl became a run and life came to the streets, giving it a lively almost easygoing feel.

"Well...I guess there's always a stroll of the local museum? I hear they have all sorts of pieces of memorabilia and artifacts from the ancient days of Naboo. Including some pieces of cultural stuff from the Elders. I guess they went to war with the Gungans long time ago and forced them underwater in the first place.

'They also have some more recent stuff. Gungan pieces, local Naboo stuff. History on all the queens of Naboo. A very detailed section devoted to the Battle of Naboo some years ago." Luke gave Starkiller a sideways look.

"You knew all of that just by way f the proverbial 'grapevine?'"

"Well...I may have looked into it on the flight here. Figured we may be put on the back-burner by my master your father." Luke chuckled.

"Well it's either that or we train some more. That may work for you, but as for me I'll take the history lesson."

"Fair enough." Starkiller intoned, and Luke motioned for him to lead ahead. The two of them then carried on towards the museum in question. To observe the ancient artifacts, paintings and tales of Naboo legend, and to see the trials of war they have lived through. Both the occupation by the Trade Federation and the Clone Wars. The queens and kings the monarchs both unknown and great. Like queen turned senator Amidala one of the heroes of the Battle of Naboo.

As Starkiller idly looked over illustrations of the Battle of Great Grass Plains, Luke looked at an amazingly detailed illustration of the Queen Amidala hung on the wall. The entire time he couldn't help shake a feeling like he'd seen her before. Like from a dream or a brief and distant encounter on a street.

"Padmé Amidala Naberrie. Naberrie...where have I heard that name before?" Luke mused aloud. Even until the point when he and Starkiller would leave he wouldn't shake that gnawing feeling in the back of his head. It would bother him for some time after.

(Tapani Sector, Calipsa System, Calipsa, Three Days Ago)

A purple lightsaber ran through a trooper and its beam was visible from the holocam monitoring the fourth corridor the two Sith had moved into since infiltrating the facility. From just around the corner the man in armor came into view and kicked the trooper off his saber to the ground dead.

The girl followed after and the two of them looked around one another before moving on down their new corridor nearer towards General Ioyashi. The monitor quickly switched to the next corridor where the two fell into a series of defensive actions and flips and swings as a new series of troopers fired on them with all they had.

"Damn, I hate lightsaber wielders. No matter who or what they are they always tear my ops apart. And my men!" Commander Solo growled and kicked his booted foot into the monitoring computer. His head hung and a sigh escaped him. Chewie lightly moaned out a few growls and patted Han's back.

"Yeah I know, but we can't move him. The front is almost secure we can't break now. The men see it and they'll panic." Chewbacca again let loose a few growls and subtle roars. He nudged his large furry head towards a few commandos of Ghost Division Han and he had brought from Procopia.

"Untested in real combat Chewie. But, considering where we're at. I suppose it doesn't hurt to try." Chewbacca grumbled in agreement and gripped his personalized bowcaster tightly and joined Han as he approached the commando team.

"Alright no point in being all formal so here's how it is. We got two enemy operatives, Sith, Inquisitors, whatever you wanna call them heading our way. Heading for the general. Our guys are getting bled white out there, and I don't know how much longer we can hold them off when really 'holding them off' is more like a bad joke at this point with our friends and comrades acting as the punchline." The commandos had turned to Han and stood at attention as he came towards them. Two human men, a twi'lek man a female human trooper and a wookiee. The twi'lek didn't have a helmet and the wookiee didn't have a set of armor, but they were Ghost material through and through.

"What do you need from us commander? Give me a job and I'll sure as hell get it done or die trying. On my honor." The unit commander declared. A brown haired man with a sly smirk on his face. Han studied the man for a second a look of partial recognition about him.

"What world you from?"

"Corellia, sir. I'm sure my drawl gave it away, or something." Han nodded and a whimsy smile crossed his face. It looked like he was reminiscing.

"Me as well. You could probably tell. How is the homeworld?"

"Haven't been there since just before the war started. Couldn't help but try and make a difference in the galaxy when the war started and we finally had a chance to fight the Empire. Even if it is via the Moff Alliance...no offense, sir." Han smirked and nodded. The other commandos sharing the sentiment of their commander across their faces.

"And your name commander?"

"Danek Vanom. I and my team have been training for weeks now, and we may not be the best in town or the system, but we'll do our best. We signed up with Morlin and joined Ghost to make a difference. We're ready to go." The other commandos remained at attention but all bowed their heads in agreement. Han didn't know them all as personally as he would like, but based on Vanom's good old fashion Corellian enthusiasm, he had a good feeling about them.

So Han nodded. At first slowly and then with gathered enthusiasm.

"Alright then. I'll give you guys a shot. Vanom as commander I charge you with not only the mission but keeping your men...and women alive. Got me?"

"Loud and clear boss. Just name the time and place." Han nodded."

"The two agents of the Empire are advancing through corridor Four-B. We've lost too many of our guard units, so now's the time to pull out the big guns. As I've said you and your team are thus far untested, but I'll give you a shot. Take these directions," Han handed a small map device to Vanom. "Cut off the two on their approach and hold them off. Killing them is appreciated but secondary. We only need to stall long enough to allow for the front to be fully re-secured by our ground units. Use any and all methods necessary."

"Copy all, commander sir!" Vanom announced, his men following suit and saluting. Han saluted back and bid them leave. Upon doing so they dashed towards the exit leading to the two incoming Imperial agents.

Chewie groaned lowly as they left their sight. Han nodded.

"Yeah I know. But they have guts. That's what matters. I think they'll surprise us. Just call it a feeling. Now come on, let's see how the general's doing." Chewbacca groaned understandingly and followed after Han back towards Ioyashi's position.

---

The troopers were backed up against another door leading into yet another corridor. Six of them with their backs against the wall and door. Their blasters raised and firing rapidly down the corridor. Raydonn was spinning his saber and easily deflecting all fire. Kira was out of his sight but he assumed she was doing the same as best she could. The corridor behind them was littered with bodies and scorch marks. Smoke filled the corridor and the endless blitz of blaster fire or screaming men filled with anxiety and adrenaline.

Raydonn suddenly paused and with a thrust outwards and back in of his free hand he pulled two troopers towards him. They flew through the air yelling, and as they reached the ex-inquisitor he spun himself and his saber clutching it with both hands. The saber slashed clean through both men as he spun back around. He whipped his saber back across as more bolts headed towards him and he moved forward around the two new dead bodies towards the rest of the men.

Like a blur of color in his left peripheral vision Kira dashed passed Raydonn. She ducked herself low and slammed her small frame into one man and threw him into the wall with a thud. Her saber cleaved right down and disarmed one man literally. She spun right full and slashed her saber into the neck of the man who had been on her left. She simply back away then twisted her saber downwards and stabbed the man she had thrown down. Leaving one trooper to Kira's far right.

He shakily and clumsily reached for his belt fro a grenade. Raydonn pulled it from the man using the Force. He tossed it far behind himself as he approached the trooper. The explosion went off behind him and sent heat and wind flowing about Raydonn's back. He payed no thought to it, however. The trooper raised his blaster and fired it with gulps of hurried air easily heard escaping from his mask.

However, when he fired no bolts came from the weapon, and he cried out in terror as his weapons cartridge had been spent, and he only just realized it. Raydonn continued to approach steadily, but from the troopers right Kira came down upon him. She ran forward and swung up from down under her left arm across his figure. He spun and fell to the ground dead.

"Took you long enough girly."

"Shut it. I'm not the one trying to look impressive with an explosion trailing my backside now am I?" Raydonn waved her off and approached the large door. He looked at the keypad for access, and frowned.

"Hard way it is again it seems."

"Fun." Kira gave her monotone reply. Both of them stepped back and again gripped the door with the Force. It whined and groaned and shook until at last both of them crushed the heavy metal under the pressure of their combined unseen powers. They pulled their hands back and thrust them forwards sending the door flying back into this new corridor.

Raydonn dashed forward ahead of Kira sensing many me on the other side. The bolts flew down at him immediately and he threw his saber up. The double bladed weapon slammed across from left to right into both ceiling mounted turrets. They exploded and left the men on the floor firing at their weaponless enemy.

However, Raydonn simply jumped over their bolts, and whilst in midair he extended both hands down and unleashed a massive bout of lightning. The blue tendrils wrapped around and coursed over all seven of the men Raydonn. They all began shaking and seizing before falling over into horrid death fits. Raydonn ceased using his terrible lightning and fell back to the ground. His saber returned to him and he snatched it easily from the air.

"Brilliant show." Kira commented dryly from behind him as she entered.

"Thank you. Now let's keep moving. I sense a lot more men down this corridor. I think we're definitely getting closer to Ioyashi." Kira nodded and walked passed him into the seemingly deserted corridor. Barring the dead men Raydonn had taken down there certainly were less guards here. Raydonn didn't even vocalize his concern as he gripped Kira's left shoulder and passed her. She silently slowed and paused altogether. Raydonn's face and furrowed brow gave away his concern as he reached out through the Force for those close by.

"What is it?" Kira finally asked. Raydonn, however, didn't answer immediately.

"I sensed more than just those seven back there through the door. The question is, where are they hiding now?" Just as he finished the corridor began blaring with an alarm, and a light flashed quickly and near to the point of seizure inducing.

Both Sith winced and wanted to cover their ears once again at another sound gouging into their eardrums. With the flashing of the emergency lights and blare of horns Raydonn made out troopers coming from the next corridor and from small spaces along the corridor wall that could fit one man. They turned toward Raydonn and Kira and opened a barrage of fire.

With a hard shove Raydonn threw Kira down to the ground. He could sense her rage almost immediately, as he ducked down under the bolts and then swung up with the saber and fell into a series of saber swirls and spins to deflect the further barrage. He felt the dark side swirl about him, and he fed off of it. Allowing it to enter into him and rejuvenate every tired muscle and aching bone.

Raydonn snarled lowly as he dove forward. He fell into a juyo frenzy as he fell upon the first trooper nearest to him. Two and then three bolts all slammed into his armored body but he barely registered it as he allowed himself to be surrendered fully to the battle.

First trooper backed away but Raydonn slashed his back hanging saber forward and nearly cleaved him in half up his center. He slashed left holding the saber in both hands and slashed into a set of saber spins cutting down another. He carried that spin and stabbed a third trooper through. He jumped up and fell onto a fourth trooper cleaving him down.

He swung his body right and slashed another trooper down, let his left hand go forward and send a massive brutal and raw wave of Force energy against the other troopers down the corridor. They flew back hard and the thuds against the wall sounded more like their armor cracking. Raydonn swung back left and slashed down across another trooper who spun to the ground dead with the sheer force of the slash.

Swinging around again he threw a hard left kick into a trooper just gaining his footing again. He slammed back against the wall and slumped but Raydonn spun his saber overhead and stabbed down into him. Turning on his heel directly around Raydonn tossed the double bladed saber into another trooper shooting at him and watched the weapon impale and carry him into the wall. The bolts ripped into Raydonn's armor but again he didn't register it. He turned to the troopers he had thrown against the far corridor door finally and again unleashed immense blue tendrils of lightning from his hands. Those who were left began screaming and seizing until those four who remained fell over dead. Leaving the corridor now completely dead save for he and Kira.

He hung his arms down and released a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. The adrenaline had his heart pounding at an incredible ate almost painfully. A sudden cascade of sweat beaded along his brow and matted his black hair to his face. He felt like his energy had been pulled from his very core, and he took a moment longer to recover.

When he finally took in a large breath and released a grand sigh he called his saber back. Kira just rounded up near to him eying his handy work with a mixed look of awe and appreciation. Maybe even jealousy, but he wasn't sure.

"Stars, you tore them apart, almighty one. Nice handiwork. Though I personally find juyo to be too unrefined your work makes it seem almost artful." Kira snickered. Raydonn glared at her for a minute but quickly rolled his shoulders and flushed the Force through him to rejuvenate him and his energy.

"Yeah thanks for the compliment. Now let's get out of this corridor. The blaring is going to drive me nuts if we stay any longer!" Kira nodded in agreement and both Sith dove towards the door some of the troopers had flooded in from previously. Once more the two had to work together to break the door down with the Force but if fell like the rest, and luckily for them the alarm was not active on the other side. Though still easily heard from the last hall and thus grating, but it seemed to be a one corridor tactic.

They both moved through this next room which led to many rooms on the sides of the corridor, with the main corridor still before them. There were, however, visible upper decks on either side of the room from some upper level rooms. The blaring from the last corridor was a little more distant, and the room and hall was far better illuminated. But, once more there was none in sight. Both of them on instinct became slow in movement and stretched their presences out into the Force.

They moved deeper into the corridor and towards the open section that led to many forks in the path along with the main corridor pathway. They continued on and still nothing showed, but they could sense the presence of others near. They both rotated about one another with their backs towards each other and saber in front of themselves. They kept scanning the many doors and the balconies. They all screamed of incoming ambush but they couldn't stop and wait for whatever was behind them to come out.

It remained quiet until they reached the entrance to the next half of the main corridor. Then with a pulse and whir of electric power a series of electrified blocks came up and blocked anyone from leaving. They both turned towards the room again to see the corridor half they came from now had an electric gate up too.

All the doors sprung open and the upper level doors were thrown open as well. Revealing more troopers. Only this time there were aliens among them. A wookiee and twi'leks by the look of things.

"Back me up, and watch my back. I'll watch yours."

"Right...of course." Kira retorted in as low a whisper as Raydonn gave. The two of them inched back into the room, and stopped as a thick line of enemy troopers in their dark armor blocked them from going where they had come from. With those troopers including the aliens mounted the second floor aiming down at them as well.

"Gotta say, you gave the grunts of the division a beating. An undeserved one at that seeing as you two are the trespassers. The invaders as it were. It ends now, however. Best to lay down your weapons and come quietly." They both looked up to their right as a trooper with an obviously Corellian drawl to him spoke from behind a mask. He stood beside a wookiee on his right and a twi'lek on his left. Behind him Raydonn could make out an imperial officer and he squinted for a better look. When he finally saw the man with but a sliver of a glance he smirked.

"Vinsti! We've been looking for you since our first meet. I know you officer types are prone to running, but sacrificing so many men to cover your hide? And, apparently running for help? How pathetic really." The officer growled.

"Why you little pr-"

"Lieutenant please." The trooper raised his hand to silence him.

"Your business is with me alone Imperial dog! Leave the lieutenant be. He after all was not the one to carve and cleave good men as they fought for something they believed in. You and that witch friend of yours on the other hand? You two fight for what? Glory, power, or some sort of title that I assume is important to you lightsaber flinging types." Kira smirked that feral nexu-like smirk of hers again, but said nothing.

"You'd like to know what I fight for wouldn't you? Well really it's hard to explain. It may or may not involve some mathematical equations, the understanding of the physics of a black hole and time travel." Raydonn smirked as he sensed the trooper attempt to process what he just said. In fact all the Moff forces in the room were full of sudden confusion. Before anger quickly took over.

"Ha, very funny imp scum. Very funny. Yeah, anyways back to what I was saying. Drop the damn lightsabers or be blasted with complete prejudice!" He steadied his grip on his blaster and his men followed suit. The wookiee holding a bowcaster, and the troops with him on the two balconies holding a variety of weapons as opposed to the grunt legion on the bottom floor with Raydonn and Kira.

Raydonn scanned the whole of the enemy forces again, and found himself in quite the bind. Fire would be raining down on them and coming from dozens of directions even if they ducked or jumped. The room and corridors were too tightly packed for any maneuvering. A frustrated snarling sigh escaped from his nostrils as he turned ever so slightly to Kira.

"If I take the bottom floor myself I'll need you to take the top balconies. Think you can do it?"

"Of course I can do it!" Kira seethed in a sharp reply. Raydonn just nodded and steadied himself.

"What's the hold up?! Drop the lightsabers now or be vaporized! Final warning imps!" The commando in charge commanded. The familiar whir of blasters readying filling the room and their ears.

Raydonn fell into a juyo ready position with his saber at his right with both hands gripping the hilt, and Kira merely remained at the ready with her saber slanted in front of herself protectively. The trooper in command shrugged his head to one side.

"I gave ya' a chance. That's the least I could have done. Alright then, men o-" Before he finished a sound of snapping metal from some distance was heard coming from the original corridor Raydonn and Kira had entered from. The troops on the balcony turned towards the sound. Those grunts on the bottom floor shakily remained standing and aiming towards the two Sith.

Vinsti and the commanding trooper turned hesitantly towards the corridor and angled over the balcony railing some to try and see something. The troopers gave one another lingering looks as their confusion echoed out into the Force. Though to be frank both Sith were equally confused by the sound.

"Okay...that was odd. But, let's get this show on the ro-" A roar like something from a terrible pit within the shadows of ones worst nightmares filled the halls from the same place. The back line of troopers on the ground level turned now and aimed down corridor. Their anxiety and immediate senses ridden with a primal fear. The wookiee beside the commanding officer who now seemed unmoving whimpered some to him in his native tongue of roars and whines.

"Yeah...I mean no I've never heard anything like that either. Kark!" He cursed aloud and examined his troopers. Raydonn and Kira shared a squinted eyed look of confusion. They relaxed some though the roar indeed sound horrendous whatever it was. The commanding officer said nothing as he Vinsti and his balcony troops watched the corridor the sound had come from for a few tense and silent moments longer. And, just as they seemed ready to relax some and return their attention to Raydonn and Kira something appeared.

From down the corridor leading from an adjacent hallway something on all fours barreled in. Its body was massive but beat like. Like a compact reek or heavily built nexu. It ran in so fast its slammed its body against the wall as it turned towards the corridor full of enemy troopers.

"Worst first assignment in the history of karking assignments." The commanding officer declared quite audibly as he aimed down that corridor which was opposite Kira and Raydonn. The men half turned and half remained watching the two Sith who had been carving them and their friends up for hours now.

The beast remained still for a moment after slamming a clear dent in the wall next to it. It's breaths were heavy and filled with hatred as it stared towards the dark troopers. Oddly the Force and the dark side swirled around and within it. It took a few predatory steps towards the men and they all shook and stepped back with those to the back of the line or front depending on which corridor side you were on aimed at the creature.

"What in the name of the Force is that?!" Raydonn wondered aloud and clearly not caring who heard him. Kira, however, remained quiet and seemed to narrow her eyes as she looked upon the monstrosity with a look and feel of familiarity. It raised itself up on its hind legs and unleashed another terrifying roar and slammed back to the ground and shook the walls of the corridor.

And upon that roar following after the beast from that adjacent hallway came familiar crimson colored brutes carrying their staffs and heavy cannons. Raydonn's eyes went slightly wide and his mouth slightly ajar.

"Massassi?!"

"Kalgrath!" Kira called out with a wide grin of recognition and elated voice. Raydonn turned to her with an astounded but confused look.

"Kal...what?"

"Sic 'em boy!" She called and the beast roared with acknowledgment. The Massassi behind Kalgrath joined in a terrible war cry, but the beast charged forward first. Its speed and power immense as the Force wrapped around it almost as if on instinct.

"Fire you idiots fire!" Vinsti yelled and fired his blaster pistol as the beast charged into the room, and amazingly broke through the electrical grid shutting it fully down. The hue of the monstrosity was green and sickly seeming. Its talons immense and terrible as was its maw and row of jagged teeth. They seemed built to rip flesh clean from the bone.

The troopers fired upon it but they didn't faze him at all. The beast seemed fully protected by the Force wrapped around it. It howled a terrible cry and slammed into five trooper throwing them against their friends to the back rows. It dug its right front clawed paw into one trooper and impaled him on his talons. The man screamed horrifically and the monster threw him to his right against the wall. It pounced onto another and began mauling him as his friends shot in vain down onto the monster. He seemed unstoppable, but the Massassi behind him now made the situation seem impossible.

Those with heavy cannons hung around them and in their toned arms and hands fired heavy waves of bolts up into the balconies and the men to the back of Kalgrath's assault were waylaid by Massassi wielding their lanvarok spears or Massassi war swords. Some Massassi were hit by they kept moving, kept cleaving and kept stabbing. Kalgrath mauled man upon man. Leaving bits and pieces and blood pouring everywhere. A dumbfounded and wide eyed Raydonn watched on with Kira giggle at the sight.

The Moff troops completely lost interest in the Sith and fired blindly into the Massassi horde as they came in full force. Kalgrath leading the charge with his Massassi comrades firing and slicing or stabbing with their Sith lanvarok shields in their arms and blocking the incoming bolts. The room soon became dank and stale smelling with blood and body parts being strewn about the room and corridor hall.

"You two certainly have taken your sweet time to get this one job done!" They heard a familiar voice call over the rampage and carnage at hand. Coming from the hall the Massassi had come from they saw Arden Lyn brandishing her greenish hued saber with its signature metal cross-guard in her droid hand.

"Lyn? What are-" She raised her hand.

"Hold that thought." She turned left and swept her saber across herself blocking a series of bolts flying down from the balcony. She extended her free hand and those on the balcony were tossed into the walls. She seemed bored as she returned her attention squarely on the two Sith. In a blink of an eye she tossed herself gracefully over the crowded carnage taking place in the center of the junction room to right before Raydonn and Kira.

"As I was saying. Do you two realize how long it's been since you started?"

"I'll assume a few hours?" Raydonn quickly returned. Arden shrugged.

"Somewhere around there. But essentially you've been operational for nearly a full standard day if you go by Coruscanti time."

"Oh yeah? And, how is it you got here so quickly? If you don't mind me asking of course. What, with all the slaughtering and carnage taking place right behind you." The scream of a man being mauled beneath the claws of Kalgrath sounded out as if to accent Raydonn's words.

"I may or may not have been tasked with watching you and Kira's progress. I may or may not have been under orders to intervene and or aid in your operation should I feel the need arose. Frankly based on the video the trackers I placed on the both of you sent back to me I felt you both were in serious bantha dung if I didn't intervene."

"Trackers?" Was all Raydonn replied with. Arden shrugged and said no more on the matter. Though anyone could sense the immense embarrassment and frustration coming off of the ex-inquisitor in waves.

"Now that I have your trooper situation in hand you two best be getting back to your objective. Wouldn't want Lord Kun to think you're both highly ineffectual now would we?" Kira smirked and on her heel turned towards the electrical gate. Now with time on her side she carved her saber into the wall where the beams projected from and gouged out the wiring and soon the streams of electric energy died off.

"Why are you-"

"Letting you catch your mark? Well to be frank, my ex-inquisitor friend, I wouldn't mind diversifying Lord Kun's series of apprentices. Adding another male face wouldn't hurt, and frankly it wouldn't look good for either of you if I helped out past this point. Plus you're not too awful a sight to look at." Arden trailed off and Raydonn felt himself become oddly...exposed.

"Right...well thanks for the assist. Do try and keep those men up top busy. They'll cause the most issues for us otherwise." Arden nodded and turned her back on Raydonn who joined after Kira down the new corridor they meant to head for in the first place.

The commanding trooper commando had picked himself back up and idly placed a hand on his helmet as if trying to ease and nurse a head wound beneath the helmet. He shook his head and noticed Arden who looked up at him standing beside the trooper and Massassi close combat melee. She waved at him and a wicked smirk crawled across her battle-hardened but finely shaped features.

"Worst karking first op in the history of ops!" With that he and his fellows opened fire, and madam Lyn was soon upon them.

---

Moments passed and the carnage and sounds of death echoed after them where the two Sith bounded. The sounds would die down but through the Force all the pain and terror would flood their way and let them know that Lyn was still tearing that room apart with her Massassi butchers. Or, as Raydonn saw them as. Especially that green monster who Kira called Kalgrath.

They came against little resistance as they continued on, but those troops they found were sparse and spread thinly. Some seemed to even be running clear from the Sith and in all directions, but that one where general Ioyashi was thought to remain. Raydonn sensed him out by extending himself through the Force and noted that the general didn't move, and hadn't in the long siege he and Offee had for the most part solely undertaken.

So, as they finally came to the door leading to the general's command room, they dispatched of eight darkly clad troopers and four auto-turrets. They forced the heavy door up with the Force and bent the gears and door itself making it incapable of fully closing. Inside they found no troopers, and no turrets. They sensed no danger and perceived nothing, but a single man garbed in casual officer uniform of a general of the imperial turned Moff military forces. A great many monitors were within the room showing hallways within the complex and outside the facility into others. The man stood calmly with hands clasped behind his back and his back to them as they entered. The illumination of all the monitors casting an ominous shadow around his tall and proud figure.

"It's sad. To know ones career is coming to an end. The end of their life that is. Will people remember you, and if they do will they care? Will you rise to the heights of the names of the hero generals and admirals of old and be counted among them, or be a one note one sentence fading shadow of a memory within the husk of abandoned history holobooks, and recordings? I can't know. Perhaps it's for the best that I die with those convictions alone that I hold true in the here and the now. Rather than torment myself with endless and needless speculation." General Ioyashi's unmistakable form turned towards Raydonn and Kira.

Both Sith were relaxed but Raydonn was the first to near him. He still extended himself out through the Force searching for incoming enemies and another trap but found none. Ioyashi's eyes bore no hatred and no ill will or sense of deception. They seemed old and tired, but certainly filled with the horror of defeat.

"Gotta admit old man, I expected something more. Something a little more climactic of an end. This just feels cheap. Like an amazing let down." Kira announced assuredly, and extinguished her crimson saber. Ioyashi shrugged as properly a man such as he could muster.

"My apologies for the lack of bolt spray burning metal and spilt blood. I, however, had a base of men, good decent hard working and fighting men to evacuate as you came to me." Ioyashi unhooked his hands from behind his back and in his right he gently and slowly pressed a key on a device. One of the larger monitors of the room changed to the scene of a battlefield.

Raydonn and Kira both recognized it to be the center attack position of the imperial army. Their breakthrough, however, now seemed to be in shambles. Well made and held lines of black armored units now shored up normal Moff stormtroopers with new walkers and heavy artillery fire. The imperial lines had now been pushed back further than their original position by perhaps half a mile.

"It was a necessary and saddening sacrifice, but those men whom you've butchered in these halls have given me enough time to command the forward Ghost division forces to secure and push back your allied troops. Now those forces of mine remaining in this facility have begun evacuating. Escaping you and the carnage brought upon by your crimson alien friends, and fellow troopers." The general calmly explained.

"Sadly they would not have the necessary time to escape had I begun the self destruct detonation of these facilities. However, I have a second, and better option." Raydonn came to full attention at the mere thought of self destruction, but he felt no pang of warning through the Force. Nonetheless he glared towards the calm Kuati general pensively.

"What might that be, general?"

"Simple, this." He again clicked something on his device in hand. Bot Raydonn and Kira watched all the monitors explode and computers begin to fry as the lights flickered throughout the facility. All intelligence and use all but taken. The general tossed the device aside and clasped his hands behind his back. Now a content far off look taking over his face and his eyes glazed over with the same expression.

"Now anything and everything of any worth to you or your masters is gone. Your mission, and the blood spilled here is now made pointless."

"Ah, but you're still here, old man." Kira declared triumphantly. A grin plastered on her features as well. General Ioyashi smiled with a glassy expression fully taking hold.

"My dear young lady I am not at all saddened to inform you that you are wholly incorrect." he again brought his hands forward. He dipped his left hand into a pocket along his waist. Pulling it back up slowly and with his right hand raised to calm the two he produced a small metal capsule.

"Crude and barbaric even. Would have been faster to put a bolt into my head, but I find there's something poetic about taking poison. Don't bother asking what kind it is. All I remember is that it comes from some serpent in the far reaches of the Outer-Rim. It's a slow but calm death it all begins with...weakness-" His hand slipped and the capsule fell to the ground with a series of clangs that seemed deeply foreboding.

Indeed he hadn't done it as a poetic gesture as he began wobbling back and forth and gasping for air. Kira snarled and callously folded her arms. Her irritation and anger spewing into the Force as she knew their mission was now truly a failure. Raydonn, however, with a cool expression steadied Ioyashi and leaned him back onto what had been a holomap table. The old man clutched onto the robes beneath the open points in Raydonn's armor and continued gasping. Until Raydonn felt his muscles weaken his body go rigid. And finally a content smile came onto the old Kuati mans face and his eyes glazed over, and he was dead. Raydonn with seemingly little to no expression over his face took his hands and folded them onto his chest.

Kira behind him snarled a guttural sound behind him and unleashed her fury. The Force rippled out in a massive unseen wave. Like a bubble originating from the core of the young girl. The wave slammed into everything and shook it and rumbled through the room save for Raydonn who remained unimpressed and uninterested.

"All that waiting and planing and sneaking or scheming, for nothing!" She stomped back and forth like a pacing rabid animal. Raydonn turned towards her and folded his arms over his chest as he watched her. She stopped and threw herself towards his direction, an outstretched arm pointed his way with her index alone outstretched towards him.

"This is the price we pay for taking unneeded amounts of time sitting and waiting instead o taking action. Being proactive! This is all your fault you simpering, self-assured, arrogant halfwit!" Raydonn raised his brow.

"Quite the insult. But I am in no way smiling about this Offee. My target just offed himself. I have nothing to show for nearly a day's worth of operation to try and capture him. I'm the screwed one in this situation. Not you Offee."

"Oh on the contrary my two friends!" Kira flung around. Entering the room with Massassi on either side came Exar Kun. Lyn was with him and then following came a flood of imperial troopers who flooded into the room and cleared it of any and all enemies. There were none to be found.

"My my, I'm impressed. Both of you deserve accolades. Bit none more than you Raydonn. While the both of you may have...hmm I don't like the word 'failed,' in this matter. Oh, I know. While you both may have come short of attaining your target you have done me a great favor. First you did take out the enemy commander." Kun declared coming to stand before the two Sith. Two Massassi came to his side covered in blood.

"You bloodied the ranks of this so called 'Ghost division,' as well. And luckily we now know the name and rank of its commanding officer. We intercepted a communique between the late general and Ghost's commander." Kun produced a comlink. A small holographic image of general Ioyashi appeared. Small fuzzy images of men moving frantically around him popped into view now and again as well. Though he remained still and unmoved.

"I'm afraid to report that your commando squad will be under unstoppable attack in a matter of moments. A secondary Imperial attack unit breached our air defenses on lo approach and landed dozens of troops and those alien barbarians of theirs. The Massassi. They have also unleashed some unknown beast into the facility and its torn through several patrolmen, and is smashing into the facility with no help needed by explosives." The image changed to another man in unusually casual garb but with rank tags stitched to his shoulder. Indeed he was wearing something more like a vest with some armor bits found sparsely placed about his body.

"They knew the risks." He sighed. "I'll send a message to their commander Vanom. If he gets it in time hopefully he can get he and his men out. But, right now we have to get you out of their sir. General Morlin will refuse to commit anymore troops to Calipsa if his best commander dies." The man smiled sadly, and fiddled with a device in his hands. Raydonn assumed it was his message to this commander. Perhaps the mouthy one from the corridor before.

"That I must regret I cannot do. I will remain here and keep my assassins occupied long enough for all men to escape whom are left. I will see to the destruction of all intelligence pieces they may get their hands on. Including myself."

"General-" Ioyashi raised a hand.

"Commander Solo, it was a privilege to see Ghost division in action, and to meet a commanding officer I know will carry on in the manner Morlin wishes all the Moff Alliance to act. As true soldiers willing to make the sacrifice and maintain their humanity. If they will not surrender as I know my men to do, and if you must fight this battle, but I know...Calipsa is lost. Try and save my men, and live to fight another day.

'I bid thee farewell, commander Solo." Ioyashi on holo with a cool and contented smile Raydonn had seen before, snapped open his poison capsule and the recording cut off.

"Commander Solo. Formerly captain Solo of the Imperial Navy. He's moved up in the galaxy." Exar spoke and pocketed his comlink.

"This man is the one who assault the Roche asteroids and the Imperial stations there. This is the man who stole the...data and prototype materials from that station. As you well remember Raydonn I'm sure." The man nodded. Arden and Kira looked confused and annoyed that Exar did not elaborate.

"Now that we know his name and history we can more precisely pinpoint him, and general Morlin for silencing. As for his little Ghost division. That unit has caused us immense frustrations. That much is true. But, all those within it can die all the same. They can help lead us to those stolen materials as well." Exar elaborated and crossed his arms over his chest.

"So, despite your lack of a live general we have more knowledge now than we did before."

"What about the commando unit? Was it wiped out?" Raydonn asked.

"All but one. We believe this Vanom, Solo mentioned escaped. The officer named Vinsti was killed along with their wookiee and twi'lek forces. He should not be hard to find. But, we've done even better. The Ghost division ground units used to shore up and push us back along their center were wasted.

'A secondary attack on either side in pincer formation broke through and surrounded those units but moments ago. We will have control of this facility within hours. We have secured Calipsa with the death of Ioyashi and as the commander reported Morlin will be unwilling to send additional units with him dead. As if they could get through to the surface passed our fleet anyways." Exar declared with a smirk.

"So, we will simply have to give you another target fitting of your skills my friend." Kun was quick to preemptively silence both Kira and Raydonn with a hand.

"And, neither of you need concern yourselves. I more than know you both penetrated deep into the facility before you met a hiccup." Arden smirked but said nothing. "I also note you did not waver in loyalty Raydonn. Though I truly had little doubt. Today is a victory, my two friends. The Moffs are on the run, and so is Ghost division. Commander Solo will soon enough be in our grasp, and Calipsa atop that."

The Dark Lord with a pleased laugh and demeanor paced about in victory. Raydonn sighed and shrugged. If Kun said it was a victory then who was he to argue? He simply leaned back into the holotable. Idly glancing left and looking at the dead body of general Ioyashi for a minute. Kira still seemed displeased but kept her mouth shut. Arden simply didn't show how she felt.

It was to say the least less of a bang and more of a whimper for the end of general Ioyashi, and impending fall of Calipsa. Though Exar had his victory and his two apprentices proved themselves capable with even some merit shown by Arden Lyn. None could sense or see the lone man in the shadows watching and recording them from up high.

"Yeah you'll catch me soon enough alright." Vanom said as he remained otherwise wholly silent and still. Waiting for the moment he could indeed escape and find commander Solo.

(Mandalore Sector, Concord Dawn System, One Day After Calipsa Attack)

An orbit littered with fire and death. A common scene and sight in all of the galaxy as war consumes it. But hours before there had been a few dozen clan ships of the Mandalorians that hung up above the world of Concord Dawn. Hours ago there had been a space station full of Mandalorian security forces. Now the fleet was decimated into metal shards and bits. Body pieces floating in space.

The station full of Mandalorians was now filled with corpses. All of them littered with blaster burns and stinking of death. Some of them were run through and their throats slashed. The artwork of the BX commando droid units that now had full command of their station. Their commando unit commander was now linking his mistresses fleet up to the Mandalorian communication network as they took over the holonet of the sector for a few moments. Which was all Kellia Nelrain needed.

Further into the distance of the station loomed that fleet which had decimated the Mandalorians. Over five hundred strong with many attack cruisers, corvettes, capital ships and battle-cruisers. At least twenty ships were Lucrehulk-class transports and another twenty Lucrehulk-class battleship class. All of them brimming with droids and thousands upon thousands of geonosian warriors.

One ship among the many that was unscathed from the hour long battle in space named the Dreaded was a Providence-class destroyer. She, the supreme commander of all droid forces and the URM armed forces stood silent and still at the very edge of the observation deck of the ship. Her eyes dark brown and glaring looked down onto the vast orb that was the world of Concord Dawn.

"Was it really necessary to blast the fleet?! Or to storm the karking station and kill them all?! We could have sent an announcement through other channels, or messages to the sector worlds." Jodo Kast stood behind her and shouted. His team was with him and Kellia could sense his outrage and irritation. His whole idea of negotiating with the Mando's seeming to be in tatters already.

"They signed their own fate when they opened fire upon us upon our entry into the planet's orbit. We surely had to defend ourselves. Or would you have rather I let two or three of my ships be blown up to service your idea of negotiation?" Jodo said nothing but sighed deeply. He knew he was defeated.

"As for the station Kast, the Mandalorians would never have taken us seriously if we had taken our time to relay messages to their leaders channels across the sector. We need their undivided singular attention when I make my bid for those among them who deserve punishment. They will surrender all clones to me, or be annihilated from history. No Mandalorian shall survive this conflict if they choose to fight." She declared. With her back turned to Kast and his squad members she allowed a smirk to cross her face.

"Message incoming from commando squad eight-four-four mistress." The droid communications operator announced in his squeaky B1 voice.

"Put them through." The droid silently did and on a screen a BX team came into view. Behind them were many bodies and fallen commando droids. Blaster burns and grenade holes were also scattered.

"The communications of the system are under your control mistress. All outbound holonet communications are also under your command. The signal will remain uninterrupted for twenty minutes after you takeover. Then the system will reset." Kellia smiled.

"That will be all I need commander. Abandon the station after I begin my broadcast. I will send over units to convert it to our uses shortly." The droid dipped its cone shaped head and disappeared from view.

"That was a little bloody don't you think?" Jodo asked. Kellia turned towards him with an astounded glance.

"Kast, I think yo and your esteemed team have seen and committed far worse in your times as my colleagues. And, likely before joining me, no?" That again shut him up and caused several nervous sighs and throat clearings from his team.

"Very good. Now if you don't mind I need to make an important announcement." Kast and his team moved out of her shot as a cam-droid came before her. With Jodo's armor of choice nobody thought it was a good idea for the Mandalorians to think she had a Mandalorian in the midst of her services. The cam-droid came to life and the droids signaled that she was live across the whole of the sector.

All calls were interrupted, all holonet news and shows were interrupted. All comlink chatter was overtaken, and all terminals and monitors that held connection to the holonet went blank. Until the image of a woman cowled and clothed in fine blue dazzling even blue robes. Her frame was athletic and her face quite attractive and darkly toned. Her hair accented to her face as it was ebony black. Her eyes matched that with their dark hue. Though the glare she held about her seemed to quiet the natural beauty she held about her.

All Mandalorians about their duties, or acts. Fighting, hunting, drinking, shooting, and farming. All that which they were doing they stopped and turned to the nearest monitor or terminal as she spoke. Her voice that of an aged but no less young woman with great fire in her. A fire none could have fathomed would be turned from word into action against them. Though they did know her before she even spoke to be Kellia Nelrain.

"I am Kellia Nelrain. Supreme commander of all URM armed forces and that of our endless vast droid armies. To those above the world of Concord Dawn I'm sure you already know there is a fleet overhead. So, I bid you extra greetings." She opened with a subtle tone of supremacy. Those on Concord Dawn all began to pay even more attention to her as well.

"I have little to say, but of great importance it is, nonetheless. For many thousands of years the Mandalorians since the birth and death of the Taung the true Mandalorians, have caused death and destruction. Billions have died due to your self righteous need to establish your honor and pride. Billions who could not fight have been butchered to add checks and marks to your kill counts. Those kill counts who matter little to none but one another.

'You and your people have again and again served masters of cruel intent and desire. Have gone to war and butchered whole worlds of farmers and peaceful peoples. Were history not so obscured by the Empire one would be able to see and remind us all that were it not for the Sith throughout history the Mandalorians would be the greatest threats to galactic peace. Yet, we all know between you and the Sith who are superior. Now don't we?" Her last sentence brimmed with sarcasm and was meant to strike a chord within them. And indeed all Mandalorians felt the insult clearly hit them.

"For all that has been done in the name of ruthless honor and meaningless distinction the Mandalorian clans have nothing to show for it. Save one sector, and scattered brethren whom travel throughout the galaxy. They go not as ambassadors, politicians, or men of wealth and distinction, but as slavers, mercenaries, bounty hunters. Murderers the lot of them!" Her voice rose for the first time into a scathing declaration that could send shivers down the spine of a nexu. She closed her eyes and recomposed herself.

"Now we stand in the midst of the greatest war in centuries. Or so it shall be remembered as. And, here you all stand quiet and without your honor without your pride, and act as but a footnote for those along the Outer-Rim. Many whom know nothing of your history but only of your foul intent, and foul smell." Again the unnecessary insult was cast and behind her Jodo shook his head and placed it into one of his hands.

"There is now but one chance I shall give onto you all. To every Mandalorian I extend a final chance for you all to redeem yourselves and be forgive of these past indiscretion's. From the time of your first crusade into the galaxy, to the Mandalorian Wars, the Great galactic War, and beyond to the Clone Wars.

'Among you are the parasites of not only your honor and pride and of your food and people, but of all beings in the galaxy. Those who would have fought and have killed in the name of the Emperor, Darth Vader, and the destruction of the Republic. Those who fought and barely held their own against these my endless armies of droids! Those among you whom I declare parasites? Those clones of the one Jango Fett!" Many Mandalorians looked to one another in disbelief, and maybe silently some thought she had a small point. Though those among them who were clones felt horror, and anger.

"The time has come. Surely you've seen what me and my forces have done. Undoing nearly a third of the empire they built in a few months. Tearing down the Moff alliance and stabbing into the heart of Imperialism itself and mangling Coruscant! Then you can see the age of clones is over and done. The age of droid supremacy has come to put an end to these wars, to all wars so I bid it!

'The Empire, the Moff Alliance, both will come crashing down, and those whom have debts to pay will be made to pay recompense. It can come now or it can come later in the form of all forces of the URM bearing down upon you and yours. The choice falls upon all Mandalorians, and Mandalorians alone. There is no room and no desire for negotiation with the clones. And frankly there shall be none to any Mandalorian in this matter either." her tone and words were unsettling across the sector, and echoed in all their heads. It spoke of impeding death and dread, and none of them. Not one save for the most prideful Mandalorians, felt her words to be idle.

"This is my demand, and there shall be no other chances, no more half measures and half deals. This is my demand and it is not to be ignored without due and long coming consequence for not just the clones, but all Mandalorians. All Mandalorian clans across the sector will agree to forcefully if necessary hand over all clones of the one Jango Fett to forces of the URM in orbit over their worlds.

'Fleets I assure you all are ready and possible en-route to all Mandalorian worlds across the sector as we speak to undertake any such operation. All clones will be made to pay the debt they owe to all of galactic society for birthing the Empire and its regime. They will pay their debt for the death of thousands of Jedi and the further death of billions of sentient beings across all the galaxy. This is not, as I have said, negotiable." To this Jodo nodded, and even his team.

In fact some who caught the transmission who were not clones or Mandalorians watched her tirade with horror but in these words they could not help but find some sense of agreement. Some Mandalorians who hated the clones also felt some sense of agreement to these facts and demands. To some these clones were not Mandalorians. Just the shadows of one. They all who served an old man and his ambition to rule and kill all that he so pleased, with nothing to show for it.

"Yet, I must say that it is not enough." She added. Jodo felt his head whip up back towards her direction so fast it would make one think he caught whiplash.

"I must say it irks me quite profoundly to know the legacy of these butchers and parasites of time and history would be carried on even after their payment was made to society. It bothers me that among the stars there were no worlds more eager and willing to hide them among their ranks than the Mandalorian clans who owed them and Jango Fett nothing.

'There are so many on your worlds who would lay with a clone and stagnate your gene pool. So many who would give them work and home. So many who would let them remain as they are in their shame and arrogance! Then I say to you all that you have a greater societal debt than ever before!" This caught everyone off guard and sent some Mandalorians into shouts at their monitors and screens or terminals.

"So, here's what is demanded of you Mandalorians. You will surrender to me and my fleets all those among you who share the blood and genetics of the Fett bloodline! The sons and daughters of these clone subhumans, those spawn will be brought to me as well and will be made to pay for the actions of their fathers.

'Better still I demand all those women among your kind who would throw themselves into the arms of these parasites and be made to be their genetic dumping grounds. For the line and memory of the clones of the Republic and the Empire after shall be made extinct. Be it now or in the years ahead when the United Rebellion Movement gains total control over the galaxy!

'From the time I finish speaking all Mandalorian clans will have twenty-four to surrender those parasites among them. Failure to do so will result in proactive measures by the URM against all Mandalorian space. No ships may leave the sector, or systems they are within. All ships in space must land on nearest hospitable world. These demands are final, and they are nonnegotiable. I trust you all shall make the right decision." She stared into the camera for a moment, and many Mandalorians felt unease at her glare, but finally she ceased the transmission, and all of Mandalorian space went into an uproar.

"What in the name of all that is...what was that?!" Jodo demanded.

"You knew full well the likelihood of all the Mandalorians agreeing to this demand was zero to none. I simply made sure it was none to never."

"I thought you'd at least give it a fighting chance! This grand familicide against everyone remotely related or connected to the Fett clones will result in genocide. One the Mandalorians would be unwilling to think of. The Mando's ain't no saints. They may have been willing to sacrifice the clones for the greater good of themselves. But, the women? The children? That they will not allow. It would strike out at their very honor!"

"As if it will matter." Kellia pushed passed Jodo and his squad who also looked dumbfounded and awestruck at her demeanor and candor.

"There was never any hope for the Mandalorian clans and Mandalorian worlds. You should come to terms with that commander Kast. For our invasion across the sector begins in twenty-four hours. Ready your men. I will ready my forces. Let the cleansing come forthwith soon." She exited the bridge, and Jodo could just make outside the door the familiar figure of that crazed droid Egriege waiting for her before the door closed. Leaving all within his team and himself with a pit of dread in their guts.

All of Mandalorian space would soon witness Nelrain's words of fire come to action. The sector would indeed burn, and those within it as well.

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Authors Note: Okay I've tried, I really have to self beta-read myself this chapter, if I missed anything and there's a typo here or there please again either point it out to me or try to ignore it without letting it break your immersion. My faithful friend and reader/reviewer of this story time2read read through and beta-read a few parts but her life does not allow for much beta-reading so I had to try and do the majority. I am admittedlty mildly dyslexic, and write so much that I don't catch all the little things that spellcheck let's slide. I apologize to everyone in advance and for the past chapters where poor grammar broke immersion. I will try to go back someday and really throw mysef into fixing things.

From there, please read and enjoy the chapter. If you feel so inclined please leave a review as they always make me happy and ready to write more. :D

Thank you again to time2read, your dilligence, critscism and reviews are always a boon and never otherwise even if I say so. ;p

Thanks again to all you readers out there, and until the next!