A/N: Finally! Another session of writing and grinding done! Not much action in this chapter since I'm focusing more on the relationship between Aaric and Vette.
You guys might find that I just skim over some of the side quests. Most I'll probably not do altogether, but some I might add but speed over it since it was in the same area as the quest. This ensures that each chapter doesn't become too long and to keep things moving at an adequate pace. Any side quests I add in will be used as a platform to further the story and character development and not just for the sake of it.
Again, please read and review! Tell me what you like! Tell me what may be improved! Cheers!
The Sith and Twi'lek pair finally reached their accommodations after a good ten minutes of walking. Throughout the walk, Vette noticed that any crew who passed by them would greet Aaric as is customary. But their greetings weren't laced with fear or caution, it was filled with hints of gratitude and respect or sometimes even a grateful smile. It almost looked like they saw him as a… hero?
No, that sounded totally absurd. Heroes were usually attributed to the Jedi or those who served in the Republic military. Anyone from the Empire, the Sith notwithstanding, would automatically be branded as the bad guys. Not like the Empire actually did anything to try and shake off the label. Their ultimate goal was to conquer the entire galaxy by any means necessary after all.
So it would stand to reason that this Sith was very much different from the rest. Still technically a bad guy by all definitions, but not as bad as the others. In Vette's mind, if Aaric wasn't a hero he would at least be an anti-hero. A bad guy who made good decisions. They might have been in the name of the Empire, but it was still good nonetheless. And that thought comforted her if only in weird way.
The room they entered was the only VIP suite in the ship. It wasn't all the time a regular transport carrying military material would be escorting a high ranking individual, let alone a Sith. Although it looked spartan, it had more than enough amenities to fulfil its role. It was large enough to fit a large wardrobe, a king-sized bed and an open shower at the corner of the room. The walls were the typical durasteel grey, then again beggars couldn't be choosers.
Vette bounded throughout the room with enthusiasm. This was definitely much better accommodations then back in Korriban! She was inspecting the inside of the wardrobe when it finally hit her:
There was only one bed. And one open shower.
"Um, Aaric? Are we really going to sleep and shower in the same roooOOO-OH-MY-GOSH!" Vette all but screamed as she turned around.
She immediately clapped both palms around her mouth in shock, as if making another sound would alert an unseen predator. Unfortunately for her that predator was her very same owner staring back at her with a smirk on his face, with his clothes off except for his boxers.
And said boxers happened to have a very distinctive outline of his nine-inch monster hiding just beneath it.
"What?" Aaric teased. "Vine cat got your tongue?"
Vette was only half listening however. Her eyes were kept glued onto his sausage behind the curtains. Her heartbeat was increasing rapidly, her breath became shallow and quick. She could feel the blood rising in her cheeks as her blue skin were now stained pink.
"Come here, Vette." Aaric coaxed gently. But it seemed her attention was lost, and she stood there unmoving without a reaction.
It seemed he would need to start training his slave properly now that he had two Twi'leks under his care. He knew Vette could take care of herself in combat and was going to be a very useful slave and partner. But when it came to carnal affairs, he was going to have teach her everything. Her body belonged to him, and he would do anything he liked to her.
"Slave!" Aaric called with an added flash of his presence. The sharp tone and power in his voice knocked Vette out of her stupor, making her jump a little as she finally locked eyes with him. "Come here."
Vette felt cold sweat run down her neck. This man, no. This Sith was exuding his power over her, and it was practically demanding she go to him. There was the underlying feeling that if she didn't follow his order soon, she would be in deep trouble. Hesitantly, she walked closer to her lord and master as slowly as she could until she came to a stop before him.
Aaric wasn't impressed. But at least Vette managed to follow his order without making a witty remark so that was a start. This would be the best time to educate her about being his slave.
"Do you know what I meant when I said your body belonged to me, Vette?" He spoke softly but laced with an edge as he slowly prowled around her form, eyes scanning each curve of her body accentuated by her tight battle suit. "I promised that I would give you freedom to fight along side me as an equal in all but status. I promised you that I would protect you from harm and give you whatever you desire as long as your loyalty lies with me."
"Y-yes." Vette whispered.
"'Yes', what?" The Sith growled.
"Yes, master." She replied, a little more voice this time.
"Good." Aaric said. "And have I reneged on those promises so far?"
"No, master." Vette spoke, "You let me fight freely as I would like. You gave me the means to clothe and arm myself. I will not betray your trust."
"Then you should know that from time to time, I require you to pay your dues as agreed." Aaric grinned triumphantly, then whispered into her ear. "Your body will be mine to do as I please. Understood?"
Vette closed her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. She agreed to this after all. Whatever she went through up till now was already a hundred times better than what she experienced in the past. She mentally resigned herself to her fate. This was the start of a new life; definitely more fulfilling, satisfying and exciting. She just had to get used to it, one step at a time.
"I understand." Vette exclaimed, with a certain conviction in her voice.
"Excellent." Aaric purred. "In private, you will learn to undress me. Now, kneel and take off my underwear."
The Twi'lek gulped and looked at the huge bulge hesitantly. She looked at Aaric in the eye a final time to confirm this was really what he wanted but got a hard stare in return. Letting out a small sigh, the blue skinned woman got down on her knees and hesitantly gripped the hem of his boxers. Slowly, she tugged the piece of clothing down. Bit by bit, the thick rod of his manhood slowly came into view.
Vette's vision was firmly held on his veiny shaft as it just kept going and going no matter how far she pulled it down. The boxers were almost reaching his kneecaps and the slave was wondering when the length would stop when said shaft suddenly sprung up and almost hit her nose!
The blue-skinned woman let go of the boxers by instinct and pulled her head back in shock, letting the offending clothing drop unceremoniously to the floor. Now she had a full view of his massive cock and she gazed at it in wonder and amazement. It was already hard and it was pulsating! After recovering a little from the surprise, she turned her head this way and that, as if trying to view it from all angles. His schlong was ramrod straight and thick veins trailed from base to tip.
Aaric himself was enjoying the sight of nubile, naïve female seeing a real honest cock for the first time. He let her have those precious seconds to analyse his meat as he enjoyed the hot breath that she was unknowingly blowing onto it and providing some semblance of pleasure. It was all it took to stop himself from simply grabbing her lekkus and ramming his rod straight into her throat.
No. This one was his first. She was special. He would slowly break her down until she could do whatever he wanted to do and not realise just how depraved she was. Oh, her sexual naivety was something he would relish in tearing apart bit by bit.
"Enough ogling, Vette" Aaric commanded. "We'll be taking a shower, and you will wash me."
"Huh? O-oh! Um… okay" Said slave snapped out of her reverie but still stood there as if unsure of what to do next. It seemed that Aaric would need to be patient.
The Sith stepped forward and towered over her comparatively small frame and growled. "Strip." It wasn't a request. Vette knew she had to comply. He held her life in his hands now.
Slowly, she unclasped the fasteners holding her combat suit at the back then unzipped it from the back of her neck all the way down to edge of her butt cheeks. Next, she shimmied herself out of the sleeves of her top and reluctantly let it drop onto the cold floor. Instinctively, her arms crossed over her ample chest which unknowingly served to push up her mounds and give Aaric a show of her plump breasts.
Vette attempted to take off her bottom with one hand while trying futilely to cover her modesty with the other but found it extremely hard to do so. It didn't help that her master was staring at her the whole time! Had he no sense of shame?
Her trail of thoughts were paused when the Sith stepped close and lifted her chin with his calloused fingers. "There is nothing for you to fear or hide, Vette. You belong to me. I own every inch of you. And like any tool I will use it however I want, but know that I will care for them greatly. Now stop covering yourself, its only making it hard for you."
Vette closed her eyes and nodded. There was a firm but gentle tone in his voice. He basically called her a tool! An object for him to use as he saw fit! Then again, there was a tinge of sincerity within those words that calmed her a little. That when it came down to it, he would care for her and protect her in the end.
Not wanting to anger her master, she tore her arm away from her chest and bent slightly to unzip her pants while Aaric stared lusciously as her bounteous breasts bounced and jiggled freely due to her movements. Finally, she stepped out of her tights and stood naked in all her blue glory.
The apprentice was satisfied. Very, very satisfied indeed with his slave. Although she claimed to have a rough life and did treasure hunting as a career, her skin was still left flawless and smooth as a baby's. Vette simply turned her eyes away from her gaze while sporting a blush on her cheeks.
Aaric turned and walked towards the open shower, motioning for Vette to follow him in. Aaric stood facing the shower head while Vette meekly stood behind him. Turning the faucet, hot water began spraying on top of them. Vette jumped at the almost scalding temperature, but as a minute passed she began to relax and get used to the heat.
"Wash me, Vette." Aaric ordered.
Suddenly, her tension was back but not as much as she thought it would thanks to the heat. She began to wonder when was the last time she actually had a good long wash. Looking around, she found a soap dispenser and a large sponge. She squeezed the viscous liquid and lathered it on the sponge. Hesitantly, she reached out her hands and started scrubbing his back.
The young apprentice stood there silently while his slave scrubbed his body for the first time. Only the pitter patter of the shower accompanied them. Slowly, Vette worked his back, arms, legs and even his buttocks. For some reason she found it kind of embarrassing to scrub his behind, she could only thank the force that Aaric didn't react even once when she did it.
Without any warning, Aaric turned around and faced her front. Vette jumped a little and her eyes were drawn once again to the third leg hanging between his legs. The apprentice smirked mentally as he revelled in his slave's sheepish reactions.
"What are you waiting for?" He said, "The back's done, so now was the front."
"O-okay." She squeaked. She started scrubbing again beginning with the chest, then the arms and then the legs. Each second seemed to go into slow motion as the Twi'lek tried to draw out her scrubbing. When she stopped, she drew back her hands. "It's done."
"You missed a spot." Aaric exclaimed, pointing at his nether regions and trying to look as nonchalant as possible.
Vette looked up at him in shock. Did he really just told her to wash that?! "B-but… I can't t-t-touch that!"
"Cock." Aaric stated.
"W-what?" Was her intelligent reply.
"It's a cock. Or Dick. Or Penis if you prefer. Pick one, but don't call it 'that'" her master barked. "And you call that a proper washing? When I give you an instruction in private I expect you to do as you're told. Now wash it."
"A-alright. I'll wash it." Vette replied exasperatedly.
"You'll wash what?" Aaric cocked a brow.
The word was at the tip of her tongue, but she tried her best not to let that improper and disgusting word flow out of her mouth. It seemed so wrong! So indecent! But she couldn't say no… she would have to get used to saying it more often.
"Your c-cock." She forced the vile word from her lips. "I'll wash your cock."
"With your bare hands." Aaric grinned.
"WHAT?!" She shouted, then slapping her mouth shut when narrowed eyes gazed at her. "I-I mean… okay. I'll try."
She knelt down to so that her face was right in front of his dick. With a deep breath, she poured more soap and lathered in onto her palms. Inch by inch her dainty fingers closed in on his nine-inch phallus and gently gripped it.
Immediately, Aaric had to stop himself from groaning out loud or show any signs of pleasure. He could only lift his head up and close his eyes as he enjoyed the sensation of silky digits covering his veiny shaft.
Unsure of what to do next, Vette could only wing it from there. She closed both her palms and fingers over his thick pole and started to slowly rub it up and down from stern to bow. The Twi'lek could only stare with an expression of great interest as she studied and felt up the thick veins which crossed his entire length and the bulbous head at the tip.
Wow… it's so thick and long up close! IAre all men's cocks normally this big? I hope not… they look like they would break me in half! She thought innocently.
At first, the Twi'lek girl thought she felt something pulse from his cock. Then the sensations began to become even stronger. The pulses turned to throbs and she found that the shaft in her hands was becoming stiffer and straighter. Until eventually, it stood straight outwards and was twitching violently.
"Uh, Aaric? Is your c-cock supposed to do this?" She hesitated.
"Yes." Aaric purred. "You're doing a very good job of cleaning my cock, Vette. You're a natural."
"O-oh! I'm glad you think so." Vette laughed nervously.
As she unknowingly gave him her first ever hand job, she began to grow a little more confident and started gripping the shaft with a little more strength. This made his foreskin pull and stretch together with the Twi'leks hand motions, revealing the angry red glans which fascinated the slave even more.
Aaric was basking in the sensation he was feeling. Vette was entirely new to this experience and she was already on her way to earning her place by his side. It obviously wasn't as good as fucking a good pussy every now and then, but knowing that there was a nubile, young and inexperienced naïve girl tending to his cock made that feeling just that more special.
Vette, who had not idea about whatever she was making her master go through at the moment, continued to stroke his meat and decided to pry off one hand to cup and give his golf ball sized testicles a good wash as well. Pulling back the foreskin, she covered his glans in with her palms and fingers and stuck out her thumb to rub the underside of the head. This made the apprentice's pleasure rise to unanticipated levels, and he could no longer stop his body from responding to his slave's ministrations.
As she continued to fondle and rub, sticky fluid began to excrete from his urethra. At first, Vette thought it was piss but quickly realised its consistency was anything but. She eyed it cautiously and subsequently wiped it off and replacing it with a good dollop of soap.
This activity continued for a good five minutes and Aaric's tremendous willpower was the only barrier keeping him from ploughing his nine-inch monster straight down into her gullet and hose his protein directly into her stomach. He decided stop before his mind was unable to resist the temptation. As much as he hated blue balls, he didn't want to traumatise her by taking her right then and there. It would have broken her and he hated having broken toys. Then again, rubbing one out didn't feel as good and it would only make him irritated and wanting more.
"That will be enough for now, Vette. Go dry yourself up." Aaric ordered as he pulled his cock away from her silky fingers and rinsed the soap off of his still rock hard phallus.
"Are you sure?" She questioned. "Your c-cock is still all hard and the tip is really red and swollen."
"It's fine Vette." He ground out, trying to will his dick to soften with no success.
Breathing a sigh of relief that her ordeal was over. She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel on a nearby rack. As she dried herself, Aaric did the same while still gluing his eyes to her shapely ass wishing he could bang it soon. They were almost done when suddenly a buzzer rang and a voice sounded out from the intercom.
"Um… my lord? It's lieutenant Sylas. The Captain has given the rest of the crew time off to rest and… I hope your offer to serve the Sith still stands?" The Imperial officer spoke suggestively.
Master and slave looked at each other. The master grinned evilly. The slave gulped audibly as a cold shiver ran up her spine.
"UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH!" Sylas screamed as Aaric jackhammered her from behind while one hand pushed her head down into the mattress and the other had her arm locked behind her back.
It had been less than ten minutes and the lieutenant had already lost count of how many times the Sith had made her cum. Her eyes were rolled up into her head and she couldn't stop herself from letting her drool pool onto the sheets. Aaric had complete control of her body and there was nothing she could do to resist.
Said apprentice was going at it at full throttle, no longer having to control himself in front of Vette. Just a little fingering on the lieutenant's g-spot coupled with a little force manipulation and she was already wet and ready for him in no time. She wasn't as tight compared to other women he had fucked, something that hinted that she didn't get her position through command ability alone, but her warm pussy did the job especially after the amount of unintended teasing his slave gave him.
Vette herself stood next to the bed still nude and unmoving, staring in morbid fascination as the long and thick shaft plunged itself into the human woman at breakneck speeds. When they were in missionary position, his cock was huge enough that she was able to see a significant bulge pulsating up and down her lower abdomen as it pistoned in and out.
The entire show was putting a strain on her both physically and mentally. There was a dull pleasure emanating from her nether regions and she was sure the same area was getting moist by the minute. She felt the urge to slip her fingers down there and rub out whatever itch she was feeling. But her master's instruction was absolute: she was not to move until he said otherwise.
Was this what she would eventually be doing for Aaric? Why didn't he just take her then and there on the bed or even the shower? These questions roamed her mind but she couldn't answer it herself, and asking Aaric would be embarrassing as hell! So she simply kept her mouth shut and continued to watch.
Aaric amusedly observed his slave's reactions out of the corner of his eye. The mixture of her laboured breaths, awe, fear and subconscious arousal made him feel even more turned on than the woman he was currently pounding before him. To him, Sylas was merely nothing more than a cockwarmer to dump his load into.
Feeling his scrotum start to clench at his impending arrival, Aaric pushed off the now barely conscious female and turned her onto her back. Vette was startled by the sudden change in positions and she wondered if he had finished.
She was right. But not in the way she had ever imagined seeing in her short young life.
Her master clambered on top and sat on Sylas' chest, grabbed her head with both palms and pulled her head forward while thrusting his hips at the same time. Vette gasped as his entire length smoothly slipped into the human female's throat with incredible ease until her lips reached the base and the large balls hit her chin. Her subconscious gag reflex only serving to increase the tighten around his shaft and pushing him over the edge.
Aaric let out a loud groan and the officer's already considerable neck-bulge began to pulsate as hose after hose of cum burst forth from his organ and depositing the load directly into her stomach. This action caused Sylas to inadvertently cum as well and the rest of her body twitched and convulsed while Aaric had her head still. This continued for a full minute before Aaric pulled out and shot the remaining load from his still hard cock onto her face and breasts.
While doing so, his gaze was completely stuck onto Vette and he made sure she knew that he was looking directly at her. Vette's vision darted between the fucked-silly woman and her master multiple times, wondering if she was going to be next.
"Don't worry Vette. It's not your time… for now." Aaric spoke as he got off the woman and out of bed, as if reading her exact thoughts. "You will serve me as such in the future, but I promise I won't treat you like this disposable ragdoll this woman is."
Vette could only nod nervously. Now that she had seen what Aaric was capable of, she could only hope that whatever her master did to her in the bedroom wouldn't be as rough as what had transpired before her. Aaric pushed the unconscious woman towards the edge of the bed and let her lay there while he climbed back under the sheets and lay down in the middle.
"Get in bed, Vette." Aaric ordered, patting the vacant area of the bed beside him. "You need rest. I assure you nothing will happen to you whilst you sleep."
As much as Vette didn't trust him to keep his hands to himself, she knew she didn't have a choice. So she meekly climbed in together with Aaric, scooted closer towards the edge of the bed and turned her back to him. Aaric didn't seem to mind as he was content to let her rest. She needed time to process everything she had seen and experienced anyway.
The apprentice nodded off to sleep in a matter of minutes. The slave took a long while more, but eventually did so as well.
The ship arrived in Dromund Kaas without further incident. Aaric was up before either women, busy finishing up on his Brentaal Star report. The lieutenant woke up all sore and sticky, knowing full well what transpired many hours before. She hastily took a shower with the apprentice's permission before hurriedly exiting the room with a heated blush of embarrassment.
Vette got up not long after. She was quiet when she went about preparing herself, not that Aaric minded at all. The Twi'lek had fully processed what she had seen and had resigned herself to her fate. Whatever happened from then onwards, she would make the best of it. She didn't know what Aaric was planning to do with her, but she would trust her gut this one time that everything would work itself our okay in the end. Once they were out of the bedroom and among the imperial denizens, she gradually returned to her chipper self although slightly subdued.
The Black Talon docked onto one of the orbital platforms surrounding Dromund Kaas space. From there, Aaric and Vette left the ship behind them for good together with the General in cuffs guarded by two marines and his new Jedi acquisition Yadira Ban, who was frozen in carbonite since she was a flight risk.
To Aaric and Vette's surprise, the entire crew were present and lined up at the sides along the corridor towards the main exit hatch. All of them saluted as he passed them by. At the door, Captain Orzik gave his salutations and exchanged farewells with Aaric before letting them go on their way.
The entire party boarded another shuttle and eventually reached planet side. After the entering the atmosphere and exiting through the thick lightning-filled clouds, the scenery from the viewports were nothing but rain, forests, lightning and the occasional ruins or monuments from a civilisation long dead. It was nothing but dampening to say the least, but it was still a sight to behold.
Soon, they reached Dromund Kaas spaceport. The couple left the marines to transport the general to prison and the frozen jedi to Darth Baras. They passed through the customs terminal with ease and soon were met by a lanky, balding man who waved at them exaggeratedly from a distance before running towards them.
"You're the one, yes. Not like the scabs that exited the shuttle with you." The freckled man squeaked excitedly. "You radiate power, my lord. I bow before you. I serve Lord Baras. He sent me to meet his new apprentice. And I made sure I was here on time, I certainly did. Yes indeed."
Sith and Twi'lek shared a bemused look. The man had clearly lost more than a few marbles. He almost sounded like he was talking to himself. Vette wondered what could have happened that made him behave so strangely, while Aaric was sure he had been tortured to the breaking point and had somehow managed to keep his sanity barely intact to be of use to his master.
"So, I'm met. Now what?" Aaric questioned.
"I'm just a slave who owes his every breath to the tolerance of Lord Baras." The man bowed as low as he could. "He said to introduce you to Dromund Kaas, and I take that seriously."
"I don't need a guide." Aaric dismissed with a wave of his hand. "You can just tell me what else Baras ordered you to brief me about."
"Right you don't have to tell me twice." The meek man replied disappointedly. "Lord Baras ordered me to encourage you to explore Kaas City before reporting to him. Imperials maintain the order, but they won't bother you. When you're ready, Lord Baras will meet you in his personal chambers."
He then paused and darted his eyes between the floor and Aaric. After a moments hesitation, he asked. "You, uh, you will tell Lord Baras I was good, yes? That I served well?"
"Yes, yes. You did exactly as you were told." He replied with disdain in his voice while rolling his eyes.
"You have my thanks, gentle Juggernaut!" The servant reacted with glee and bowed even lower than Aaric thought possible. "I bow my head until you depart."
The pair walked a fair distance away but still within view of the man. True to his words, they turned around to see him still bowing below his waistline. Shaking his head, Aaric entered the lift with his slave close behind.
"Wow, what a weasel. Dromund Kaas needs some pest control." Vette exclaimed.
"His grovelling was grating on my nerves." Aaric scoffed. "I hope others in Baras' operation have a little more backbone."
"Somehow I doubt you're the only one." Vette replied with a little smile.
"Welcome to Dromund Kaas," Vette breathed. "where freedom goes to die, and legends are forced on the galaxy."
"Funny, never took you to be the poetic type." Aaric said as the pair exited the space port. Immediately they were presented with an expanse of rainforest on all sides. The rain had subsided, but the thick and continuous bursts of lightning overhead ensured that the gloomy and depressing atmosphere would forever reign on the planet.
"Just calling them as I see 'em, master." She quipped.
As much as Aaric wanted to explore the jungles and Vette having an urge to go spelunking in one of the many ruins for treasure, they had an appointment to keep with Baras. Not wasting any time, they took an airspeeder taxi service which flew high enough to avoid the Yozusks and Gundarks which plagued the rainforests, but low enough below where the branches of the humongous trees which would protect the vehicle from lightning strikes.
Soon enough, the speeder exited the thick jungles and entered through the main gates of Kaas city. To say that the city was impressive was a great disservice; the city was a marvel of civil engineering it was a wonder that the entire place managed to be built what with the constant lightning strikes and the extremely uneven and dangerous terrain. Even Aaric was impressed and Vette could only gaze in amazement even with the gloomy atmosphere that permeated it.
The speeder slowed down as it neared the platform which was just a chasm shy of reaching the citadel, but suddenly it lurched forward and it flew out and over the chasm. Vette, who had her head out of the speeder let out a Eep! and subconsciously clung onto her master in fear of them falling to their deaths.
When she realised that they weren't going to die horrible deaths via a crashing speeder, she quickly let go of Aaric and blushed furiously. Aaric himself simply smirked and chuckled while the Twi'lek mumbled "It's not funny…"
After landing at the Sith sanctum speeder platform, the pair got off and stood before the monstrous, triple towered behemoth that dominated over every other building within the city. The citadel composed of three spires with the Sith sanctum in the middle being the tallest.
The left spire belonged to the Mandalorian Enclave which was the most recent addition to the Sith's Citadel by the time of the Cold War. From what he had been briefed by the Mecrosa Order's spies, the Mandalorian enclave was constructed to house the Sith Empire's allies among the Mandalorian warrior clans conducting business on world. Most unknowing observers considered the enclave to be little more than an embassy, but it was also the target of new warriors seeking to pit themselves in tests of strength against the Mandalorians, often competing tournaments that frequently ended in death. The enclave was also the base of planning operations for the Empire's most trusted among the Mandalorian ranks and served as a place for numerous bounty hunters to compete with one another for entry into the Great Hunt.
The heavy presence of the famed Mandalorians excited Aaric greatly. Rumours abound said that the average veterans had enough experience, innate skill and packed enough firepower to easily take down a full-fledged Sith if he or she weren't careful. He would look forward to working with them, and sparring with them if it was at all possible.
The spire on the right was older and was said to be the headquarters of the Empire's infamous Imperial Intelligence division. Aaric knew to be wary of anyone with links to the sketchy-at-best organisation. Formally, it was known as the information gathering and internal security arm of the Empire. They reported directly to the Minister of Intelligence, who reported directly to the Dark Council itself. However, Aaric knew for certain that they had more than intel gathering in mind. Concrete information on their activities were circumstancial, but the Mecrosa Order's spies were able to give Aaric a clearer picture of the organisation's operatives: skilled at manipulation, subterfuge, intimidation and assassination and could be just as deadly as their Sith superiors. Aaric had to be careful if he wanted to turn one of their spies to work for him and not become a pawn in the game himself.
Sith and slave stepped into the sanctum. The humid air of the outside being replaced by the cold, dry one of the interior which gave Vette no comfort at all. It didn't help that there was were bright lights everywhere, something which contrasted the dull atmosphere of the outside.
"Wow, nice lights… walk in here, you get an instant headache." Vette groaned.
"Get used to it." Aaric replied, not a break in his step. "We'll be visiting this place more often from now on."
"Wow… great." She deadpanned. "Y'know, I'm a city girl, but there's something about this place that rubs me wrong."
"I'm sorry, were you expecting Dromund Kaas to be all sunshine and rainbows?" Aaric asked with no small hint of sarcasm.
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." The Twi'lek snipped.
"You just did." Aaric smirked
"Damn it! Why do you have to be so witty?!" Vette grumbled.
Before Aaric could reply, a tall, muscled man in robes and decked with large pointed pauldrons similar to Darth Baras' own appeared before them.
"Ah! The hero of the hour arrives!" He announced seemingly to no one in particular. "Aaric Etherall Tritum, apprentice to Darth Baras am I correct?"
"Yes, I am" Aaric replied quickly, noting the man's garb as someone who was much more senior to him. "And you are?"
"Lord Kras, Senior advisor to Sith military council." The man replied with a slight nod. "My sources tell me that you are the young Sith who took on the Brentaal Star, if I am not mistaken?"
"Yes, you have heard correctly, Lord Kras." He acknowledged. It seemed that Kilran was making good on his promise. "But you will have to excuse me as I have an urgent appointment with my master, and he does not take kindly to tardiness."
"Oh, don't worry this will only take a minute or so." Lord Kras reassured. "You are one of the few people within the empire that has seen action against the Republic lately. Thus, if you could tell me what was your impression of the Republic forces you fought, I can include that in my assessments for future operations."
Aaric gave the question some thought, then answered. "Well, considering that they were transporting a valuable source of intelligence I would say that they were extremely determined and tenacious. In short, they stood and fought to the last man. It was a glorious battle."
"Then there will be many chances for glory in the days to come." Lord Kras nodded. "I thank you for your insight and I would like a copy of your After-Action Report delivered to me via holonet please. I shall study it before giving the Minister of war his marching orders."
"I understand. You will receive it by the end of the day." Aaric bowed.
"Good." The Sith lord smiled and nodded before leaving. "Aaric."
"Lord Kras." The apprentice replied. Once he was out of earshot, the pair continued on their way to Baras' chambers. In Aaric's mind, he was grinning triumphantly. The Brentaal Star operation managed to turn some heads and now his words were going to have an influence on the Empire's military, albeit indirectly but he had to start from somewhere right?
They entered Baras' chambes briskly as a few guards and low-level officials milled about the corridors conducting their own business. Stepping into his office, Aaric gave a cursory bow even as his master's back was turned to him.
"Not a minute too soon. Your timing is impeccable." Baras said.
"Did it just get considerably colder?" Vette whispered as she shuddered in trepidation.
"Hush, Vette!" Aaric hissed, and she promptly kept her mouth shut.
"I see you decided to keep the slave. I hope she amuses you." Baras noted interestedly. But whether he said that in response to Vette's muttering Aaric didn't know.
"Yes she does, master. I've realised she can be quite useful and entertaining most of the time." Aaric replied with a smirk, but it disappeared quickly as he returned to a serious expression. "I apologise for the delay in arrival, master. I do not know if you were informed but-"
"I know all about your debacle with the General and the Brentaal Star, my apprentice." Baras interrupted. "In fact, I already received word before Grand Moff Kilran even contacted me. Either way, not many run-of-the-mill acolytes who just passed their trials would have pulled off what you did against such undermining odds."
"You flatter me, Lord Baras. I was only doing my duty in serving the Empire." Aaric replied. He knew even before Kilran told him? He had someone spying on me already?
"Don't be so humble, apprentice!" The Sith Lord boasted. "The success of the mission only serves to eliminate any other doubts I had of you! To know that my apprentice has the skills, strength and tactical know-how to navigate through such situations puts me at ease. Kilran has routed your rewards to your account."
"Thank you, master. I look forward to your next assignment." Aaric replied stoically. He had to be careful now that his own master was willing to put tabs on him.
"I would like to know more about the mission in detail at a later time. So submit your report to me by the end of the day. We have more pressing matters to attend to." Baras exclaimed. "I trust you've been acquainting yourself with your new environs. Did my minion point you in the right direction?"
"All I can say is that he's a dutiful servant who lives to serve you." The apprentice replied.
"A properly beaten down slave is the only trustworthy creature in the galaxy." The master nodded in satisfaction, while Vette gave a disgusted look. "Your responsibilities will mandate contact with my various minions. Meet my directives, and you may do as you will to anyone you encounter, adversary or ally."
The last sentence perked Aaric up considerably causing Aaric to grin evilly. "Is it now? Well… You can definitely trust that I'll use good judgement, master."
Only Vette knew what that meant. Oh joy, more sexual harassment and abuse of authority to come…
"I'm sure you will, Apprentice." Baras chuckled darkly. "If there's one the you need to know about me, apprentice, is that I am first and foremost a spymaster of sorts."
Baras walked around his table and towards his apprentice. "I have painstakingly built a vast network of spies and operatives embedded throughout the Sith, Empire , Republic and Jedi alike. I have fingers, eyes and ears everywhere."
Aaric stood impassively. This was a chance to expose himself to Baras' top agents and lieutenants within the Empire. Hopefully, he could recruit a personal cadre to his own cause without his master being the wiser.
"So which am I? A finger, eye or ear?" The apprentice questioned.
"You are more than all of them combined." Baras replied. "You are my enforcer; Deployed to protect my interests, intimidate my rivals and destroy my enemies. And It's time for you to earn your keep, apprentice.
With a wave of his hand, a holographic map with a highlighted location materialised above his desk. "A military transport is touching down at the Kaas City cargo port, delivering a vitally important prisoner to me. You will meet Commander Lanklyn there and make sure he and his men successfully off-load this prisoner."
Aaric raised a brow. It was too simple an errand for an enforcer. Unless…
"If you're sending me, you must be expecting trouble." The apprentice deduced.
"Yes, apprentice. We must always assume that we are being plotted against. Especially when the stakes are high." Baras replied. "The importance of this prisoner cannot be overstated. Go to the cargo port now and stay sharp. You are dismissed!"
With that, Aaric bowed and the pair made themselves scarce. For some reason, Vette preferred the cold and humid outdoors compared to the Sanctum now. They took the airspeeder back city-side and hurried to the designated landing pad in the cargo port. They made it just in time as the transport landed and its crew disembarking.
"All right, men. Let's hurry up and get this hunk of carbonite to Lord Baras." An officer barked, which Aaric assumed was Commander Lanklyn.
The pair walked right up to the officer while his back was turned. He didn't seem to be gifted with the sense of spatial awareness as Lanklyn had no reaction whatsoever to the Sith standing a foot behind him and glaring daggers into the back of his head. So Vette decided to have some fun.
"Hey, Captain Oblivious. Boo!" She shouted.
"ARGH! Oh, oh my!" Lanklyn jumped as he spun with a hand to his holster, but relaxed when he saw who it was. "I-I my lord, I didn't see you enter. Lord Baras didn't need to send a welcoming party."
"I'm Aaric, Baras' new apprentice and enforcer. Nice to meet you." Aaric quipped. "And for the record, you don't decide such things, Lord Baras does. I'm here to make sure you do your job, and with the way I managed to get close without you noticing, anyone working for one of Baras' rivals could have killed you and gotten away with his precious cargo."
"With all due respect milord, I hardly think your presence is necessary." Lanklyn replied dismissively. "My men and I have performed much more dangerous duties for Lord Baras. The prisoner is frozen in carbonite, so he's not a flight risk. And this is friendly territory. Surely we're safe here."
"You work for Lord Baras so you should know he never takes things for chance." Aaric eyes narrowed dangerously as he leant toward him. "Leave the figuring to him and do your job."
"Y-yes, my lord. Whatever you say." Lanklyn snapped to attention in panic and spun round to avert Aaric's gaze. "L-let's get this oversized block of ice to your master."
Within minutes the hatch opened, and two marines led said carbonite-frozen man out onto the platform. They were making ready to leave when Aaric suddenly sensed a threat coming up behind them. Vette seemed to sense it as well and slowly put her hands onto her holstered pistols. By some unseen command, both drew/activated their weapons and pointed them at the would-be aggressor.
"Not so fast." A lanky man with another behind him walked up to them with their own weapons drawn. "My master ordered that block of ice. So, step away from the carbonite man and no one ends up in a grave."
Aaric scoffed. "My master sends me expecting trouble and all I get is a couple of low-level thugs? Your master is going to be very disappointed. Actually, I'm very disappointed in your master for sending me blaster fodder. You wouldn't even be fit to serve as target practice!"
Aaric smirked as his comment seemed to irritate the man, throwing him off balance.
"Tsk. Perhaps I didn't make myself plainly clear." He reasserted, trying to take control of the situation but failing miserably. "I'm here to relieve you of your burden. Whether that includes your own lives as well, is up to you."
Before anyone could respond, another group of thugs appeared. Led by a hulking Houk who looked at the lanky man with utter disdain.
"Lookie lookie, if it ain't Slestack." The alien boomed. "Your master be wanting the froze man too, huh? Too bad for you. It mine."
Aaric suddenly had an idea. Oh, this was going to be gold!
"You two know each other?" The Sith commented.
And as expected, the man now known as Slestack took the bait. "Heh. To know TuMarr is to hate Tumarr."
"That go true for you too, Slestack." Tumarr growled. "If you don't flee, this be like killing two stone with one bird."
Vette sniggered at the lopsided idiom. "Not the sharpest tool in the shed is he?"
"You said it." Aaric replied.
"Damn it! I'm such a fool!" Lanklyn hissed from behind them. "I'll never doubt Lord Baras again. What do we do?"
"Don't panic." Aaric whispered. "Everything will work out."
"On their own, TuMarr and his lackeys wouldn't be much of a fight." Slestack continued their verbal sparring.
"In three…" The Sith counted off.
"You mouth always get you in trouble, Slestack." Tumarr warned. "It about to chew off more than it can bite!"
"Two…"
"Heh, I'd like to see you prove it TuMarr." Slestack continued, diverting his aim to the alien.
"And one."
"Yeah, I prove it!" The Houk roared. "Boys, first we beat Slestack, then do job!"
"There it is, then. A fight for the right to raid the landing party. Won't take but a moment, instigator." Slestack told Aaric confidently.
What happened next was a hilarious exchange of gunfire the entire landing party had ever seen. The Houk threw a low-powered grenade that caused Slestack and his men to run for cover. Houk and the man beside him laughed, but the man was suddenly shot dead by a sniper who was positioned above the cargo containers behind Slestack. The large alien quickly drew his pistol and shot down the sniper with surprising accuracy. Eventually, both sides were running away from each other's blaster fire.
"Well done! While they fight, my men and I will deliver the prisoner to Lord Baras." Lanklyn spoke gratefully. "Thank you for buying us time, my lord."
The landing party quickly made a break for it during a short lull in the fighting. While they ran, the last of Slestack's men fell. But the lanky human managed to return fire and hit Houk and his last surviving henchman too. Slestack turned around and tried to fire upon the escaping party, but was ultimately shot in the back by the dying Houk as a last act of defiance.
Needless to say, the masters of both Houk and Slestack were greatly disappointed indeed.
"Lanklyn informed me of the ambush at the cargo port." Baras said as he debriefed his apprentice. "Apparently there are more eyes on us than even I thought. But no matter. I have what I want, and this frozen man will give me the answers I need."
"Answers to what, master?" Aaric questioned.
"Recently, I have felt a disturbance in the Force. It leaves doom imprinted on my dreams; a grave and mysterious threat that could bring down my entire power base." Baras explained. He gestured towards the block of carbonite. "This frozen man is a top Republic agent, captured while investigating my most deeply embedded spy on Nar Shaddaa; one of my invisibles. The Force grants me a vision of doom, and immediately my untraceable spy who has left no footprints and no trail is almost exposed. It makes me furious!"
"Maybe your spy was compromised?" Aaric suggested.
"No. I checked and rechecked his methods and past records. My spy was flawless." Baras dismissed. "I must learn what tipped off the Republic agent. He is the key to uncovering the nature of this threat. Now, while I thaw the prisoner and painfully siphon every morsel of information I can from him, I have some concerns that require your special talents."
"No rest for the wicked I guess." Vette muttered.
"Go to the Imperial post in the jungles outside the city. I'll send the coordinates to your holo-map" Baras briefed. "Commander Pritch is stationed there. He has a seek-and-destroy task for you."
"Understood, master." Aaric bowed.
"Good. Now… I must tend to the torturing of this miserable Republic agent. Waste no time. I have more for you to do once this is complete. You are dismissed."
Sith and Twi'lek exited the Sanctum and made their way to the designated coordinates. A quick taxi ride brought them to a Mandalorian outpost, then they made their way up the dirt slope into the walled compound where a military encampment was present.
"Greetings, my lord!" A guard said as he snapped to attention. "Lord Drowl is in charge of this encampment and he has ordered me to direct any members of the Sith to his command tent immediately. Please follow me!"
Sith and slave gave each other a bemused expression. He sounded like there seemed to be no other choice. Then again, he was just doing his job so Aaric couldn't reasonably to anything to him. So they followed the soldier and entered the tentage. Before them stood a thin and balding man who had let his dark side affect him so greatly the pair could see the dark veins crawling all over his neck and scalp.
"Exactly as reported. A degree-six revolt, population equivalent to the Duros uprising on Zilior. Subjects occupy a moderate radius of jungle. Good, good…" Lord Drowl muttered to himself. Sensing their presence, he turned to greet Aaric.
"Ah welcome, apprentice! Your timing couldn't be better." He introduced himself. "I am Lord Drowl. When the Empire encounters resistance on its conquered worlds, they call me. I'm here to end the slave uprising on Dromund Kaas."
Ah, so that's what this encampment is for… "I wasn't aware there was a slave revolt going on." Aaric replied.
"Very soon, there won't be. You can assist me in ending it." Drowl grinned. "The situation is this: A Sith Lord was constructing a colossal statue of himself in the jungle. His slaves revolted and armed themselves. The colossus remains unfinished and well-armed slaves now control the jungle. An embarrassment for the Empire, but an opportunity for me."
"An opportunity for… what exactly?" Aaric folded his arms.
"An opportunity for a chance to refine the Empire's methods of suppressing rebellion." Drowl continued. "I'm testing a toxic weapon; a poison called Quell. Its victims experience a prolonged state of agonizing pain before finally dying. The Victim's allies are so horrified by Quell's effects, they lose their wills to resist. At least, that's what I intend to prove."
Aaric deadpanned. So this man's ingenious idea is to drag the rebellion longer by watching each and every one of them die of excruciating pain, thereby making the slaves even more likely to solidify their motivation to keep the rebellion going? Preposterous and enormously inefficient!
Even Vette scrunched her face in disgust at the man's methods.
"That… is deeply disturbing." Aaric commented as neutrally as possible. It wouldn't be wise to call out the Sith Lord when he was more senior than him.
"That's one of the things I love best about it." The balding man smiled almost maniacally. "I need someone to introduce a controlled amount of Quell into the slaves water supply so that I can determine the proper dosage. The area is volatile and incursions made by regular soldiers have only seen to their swift deaths. Mere slaves may be able to stop the might of the Imperial military for a while, but I'm sure they can't stand the power of a Sith."
Then why didn't you go do it yourself? Both Aaric and Vette thought at the same time.
"I will do it, I suppose. Personally, I prefer to deal death more directly to my opponents." Aaric said.
"My methods extend well beyond a lightsaber's reach, my friend. Expand your horizons." Drowl said patronisingly. "My assistant, Sergeant Slarin, will recommend the correct dosage of Quell and give you a supply. See him at the research tent."
"Alright then. I'll see to it." Aaric said.
"I don't know about you. But that guy totally creeps me out." Vette said as they left the tent. "At least if I'm going to die, I'd want it to be a quick death."
"And if there's no way to keep you alive and by my side? I'll gladly grant your wish." Aaric teased.
"Awww, thanks! You're so sweet!" Vette replied sarcastically.
Eventually, they reached the tent next to the entrance to the construction site. The Sergeant looked like as if he'd seen better days with the scowl on his face.
"If I know Lord Drowl's tastes which unfortunately I do, he's sent you for the Quell toxin milord." The Sergeant addressed them as they approached.
Aaric quirked a brow at the way he worded his sentence. "Are you implying something Sergeant?"
"My superior appreciates a particular sort of talent, that's all." The Sergeant was quick to clarify. He leant in to the pair and lowered his voice. "What if I told you this experiment is pointless? That past studies have shown that increased suffering has no impact on the speed of surrender? This has nothing to do with accelerating the end of a rebellion, Lord Drowl simply takes perverse thrill in gratuitous suffering."
"Wow. You said it." Vette agreed and pointed a thumb at Slarin while turning to her master. "He's right ya know?"
Aaric responded with a deadpan expression, causing Vette to shut up and raise her hands in surrender. He turned back to the Sergeant. "I'm sure Lord Drowl wouldn't appreciate these comments."
"Don't get me wrong, milord. Lord Drowl is very good at what he does." Slarin relented. "But he lets his personal bents impede our efficiency. I want this assignment over with. The faster this rebellion ends, the faster I'll be reassigned to more important work. Serving Lord Drowl's bloodlust has stunted my career. If not for his inefficiency, I'd be Captain by now."
"Ah… so he's doing it for his own gain. Should've known…" Vette muttered disappointedly.
"How very unfortunate." Aaric rolled his eyes.
"I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm looking for an ally." Slarin continued. "Lord Drowl's dosage of Quell toxin will have slaves writhing in agony for pointless weeks, during which this area will remain volatile. I've prepared a dose that will kill slaves efficiently, which is better for the Empire and for me. Will you deliver my dosage instead?"
Aaric sighed as he thought about it. He didn't want to get on a Sith Lord's bad side. Then again, he was instructed to just inject the Quell toxin into the water supply. Drowl didn't say Aaric could control the amount that was to be given. That was on Slarin. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Having resources being spent on this pointless endeavour tingled his 'efficiency' senses. All this men and equipment could be elsewhere on the front lines making themselves useful, and now he had the perfect opportunity to make a difference here.
"Alright then," Aaric relented. "Let's end this revolt efficiently and kill off these renegades."
"Wonderful! It's the right thing for everyone!" Slarin said excitedly, then saw Vette's deadpan expression. "Well… almost everyone. No offence, Twi'lek."
"None taken." Vette rolled her eyes.
"I'll give you a maximum dose of Quell toxin." Slarin said. "Inject it into the slave camp's water filtration systems and see Lord Drowl afterward."
Aaric nodded and off the pair went into the slave camps.
Infiltrating the camp was surprisingly easy. Since Lord Drowl stopped sending in troops to put the rebels down in favour of using his Quell toxin, the renegades had become lax and most were milling about not knowing what to do in their limbo. Aaric simply used the force to reduce his presence among sentients and Vette herself was a natural a making herself scarce. If it was any comfort, she could just simply pose as one of the slaves if she was discovered.
It didn't take long for them to skirt the perimeter of the camp and finish injecting the toxin into the entire camps water supply. Once they were done, the pair travelled through a narrow pass which eventually reached the colossus construction site and a smaller imperial outpost. Some skirmishing was going on across the bridge which crossed over a deep chasm and connected the outpost to the construction site.
From where they were standing they could see the colossus plainly in the distance, a figure of a robed Sith lord towering over everyone with one hand outstretched as if threatening to blast Sith lightning at everyone, and the other holding a Sith Holocron. It was quite a sight to behold.
"Huh… Just when you thought there weren't enough big statues on this planet." Vette commented offhandedly. "One day, I want a statue erected of me. Don't even pretend I'm alone on that one."
"The Sith can generally be called a proud and arrogant lot. They don't care much for logic and efficiency sometimes unless it suits their own interests." Aaric replied with disdain. "The day I want a statue of myself is the day I become one of them. I might be evil, but I'm not crazy."
"Welllll… You are sort of insane." Vette joked. "You know that right?"
"I'm not going to dignify that with a response." Aaric deadpanned.
"YOU JUST DID!" Vette shouted triumphantly. "BOOM! Dang it! HAHA! Had it both way- OUCH!"
Vette rubbed the spot on her forehead where Aaric flicked it. "No regrets!"
"Quiet you." Aaric growled, kicking himself mentally for letting his slave one-up him. "Commander Pritch is over there."
Said commander pranced enthusiastically over to the pair before snapping to attention and greeting him.
"Commander Pritch, at your service my lord." The man said cheerfully. "Lord Baras informed me you'd be paying us a visit. I'm prepared to offer full assistance!"
"Well, aren't you a good little soldier?" Aaric said sarcastically.
"Lord Baras has always found me so, Lord." Pritch agreed, taking no offense at all. Either he truly took it as a compliment, or he had proverbially thick skin. "Permit me to update you on the situation here. There's been much unrest in these parts recently, my lord. Capped off by a violent slave revolt that has the surrounding jungles overrun with armed slaves."
"Yes, Lord Drowl briefed me on this already." Aaric sighed. "With him in charge I can see why all of you can't deal with upstart slaves."
"The slaves have been giving the forces sent to deal with them fits." Pritch said. "I'm not part of that duty, my lord."
The commander then leant in close and whispered. "What no one knows is that Lord Baras orchestrated the insurgence to disrupt one of his rivals, and he wants his involvement kept secret. Now the slave captains who led the revolt are threatening to expose Baras's involvement unless they receive more potent weapons. Lord Baras wants you to kill enough of the blackmailing slave captains to make the others lose their resolve."
Aaric facepalmed, much to Pritch's confusion. So the whole thing was caused by his own master! This meant what he did with the modified Quell toxin earlier was going against his master's objectives. Aaric wondered if he should just make it his goal to destroy the entire Sith hierarchy and rebuild it from the ground up. Wasting precious resources on petty feuds… it grinded on his gears.
Not that he was going to tell Pritch or Baras about it, however. He had his beliefs and was going to stand by them. Ending this utterly pointless and easily resolved rebellion would be doing the Empire a great service in his books.
Aaric reeled his mind back to the situation at hand. "Are there any other options we can consider? Simply killing them may cause the entire rebellion to fall flat on its face, and Baras want's this rebellion to continue. Is it not? Violence is not always the answer."
Pritch got into a thinking pose. "Well, I suppose. Many of the slave captains are former criminals with ties to the underworld. In fact, some have been selling their fellow slaves to the black market. If their followers found out, they'd be furious! If I had proof that they're selling their own people back into slavery, I could blackmail the slave captains to stop blackmailing Lord Baras."
"Hmm…" Aaric scratched his chin. "Blackmailing blackmailers. Sound poetic."
"I bet they keep records of their transactions." Pritch continued. "If you rifle the slave captain's footlockers and find proof, I'll do what I can to use it against them."
"It's worth a try." Aaric agreed.
"The slave captains have their home base around the unfinished colossus. I'll await any proof you salvage from the slave captain's belongings." Pritch nodded.
Once again, the pair managed to infiltrate the construction site easily. After the skirmish on the bridge ended, they waited until night and used the cover of darkness to creep over the bridge and enter without anyone being the wiser. They snuck around until they reached the foot of colossus where Pritch said the captain's sleeping areas were. Aaric used the Force to conceal his presence while Vette covered him from higher ground.
He found the logs, but was discovered by a patrol. Before he could ignite his lightsaber, however, Vette already took all of them down with well-placed snipes with her disruptor pistol. Aaric was glad he forgot to confiscate the pistol from the Twi'lek after their Brentaal Star debacle. Not that he was going to admit it to her or anything…
They were back at the outpost before the night was done.
"My lord, you're back." Pritch exclaimed as they approached him. "So did you find anything?"
"The slave captains had log books." Aaric said as he handed them over.
After flipping through them, Pritch nodded and smiled. "Most impressive, my lord. I can see why Lord Baras has such faith in you. Now I can threaten to expose the truth. If the slave captains don't want to me torn limb from limb, they'll stop blackmailing Lord Baras. I must say, my lord, its inspiring to experience your work first hand. I'll inform Lord Baras that the situation's been handled."
"Good. C'mon Vette. Let's go." Aaric waved his slave to follow him.
Sith and Slave managed to sneak out the same way they snuck in. After exchanging knowing looks with Sergeant Slarin, they met up with Lord Drowl for an update on the situation. Needless to say, Drowl was frustrated to no end.
"I don't understand why it didn't work." The Sith Lord complained. "I was meticulous with my measurements. Those slaves must be more fragile that I thought. The Quell you put in their water supply is killing them outright."
"Oh is it now?" Aaric asked with fake surprise. "Well, I guess the shock of instant death will throw the slaves off-balance."
"Shock?!" Drowl sputtered. "I'm not interested in such brute force. All my research is now useless. Ah, well. You did as I asked, and your payment was not contingent on the results. Here, take your credits and go. I have a great deal of thinking to do."
Aaric took the credit chit then looked at the value before scoffing and tossing it to Vette as they left the tent.
"Wow! For me?" Vette asked. "That's more zeroes than I make in like… forever!"
"That amount is measly compared to what I have in my accounts." Aaric replied. "Do what you wish of it. You've earned your keep so far.
"Huh…" Vette muttered, then smiled. "I could get used to this."
When the pair returned to Baras' chambers, they were met with yelling, screaming and the familiar crackle of force lightning being used. Strapped to the interrogation table was the thawed-out Republic agent screaming his guts out, thrashing and convulsing while Baras blasted chain after chain of electricity from the tips of hjs fingers.
"I-I don't care what you do. Break my bones, burn my flesh. I'll tell you nothing!" The brown-haired man shouted in open defiance
"I will not be DENIED!" Baras growled as he threw another barrage at him.
"Ah! Argh! G-g-g-g-go s-s-s-s-s-spit, you m-m-m-monster!" The agent cursed even while he was being electrocuted to death.
"I didn't know bodies could bend like that. I think I'm gonna be sick!" Vette exclaimed, feeling the urge to hurl.
"Turn away and spare yourself. You shouldn't have to see this." Aaric instructed, which Vette promptly did so without complaint.
Baras stopped his tirade and turned to meet his protégé. "Ah, apprentice, you've returned. Commander Pritch confirmed that the slaves have been silenced. Good. I'm still trying to extract the information I crave from this Republic agent. He's much more resilient that anticipated."
"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" Aaric suggested.
"All I require is time. Just leave me to my work." Baras assured. "Even as I brutalise him, I twists the Force to keep him alive and feeling every sensation."
That is the cruellest thing I've ever heard. Vette thought.
"I have another important task for you." Baras briefed. "It involves a renegade Sith Lord named Grathan. A particularly bothersome thorn in my side. Meet with my apprentice Dri'kill Ba'al. He's my covert operative in Grathan's compound. Ba'al claims to have made a key discovery."
"I thought I was your only apprentice." Aaric raised a brow. "That makes Ba'al my rival."
"Try to tolerate him long enough to get the details and conclude your business there." The Darth commanded. "Grathan's presence is useful to me, so I don't want him killed, just crippled. Find out what Ba'al has discovered and do exactly as he instructs."
"Do as he instructs?" Aaric questioned. He wasn't going to bow to another Sith of the same level as he was. "Is your other apprentice above me in the pecking order?"
"I'm sure he views himself as your better, but he has merely been here longer." Baras replied offhandedly. "Go now. Return to me once this business has been concluded."
Turning to the poor prisoner, Baras summoned his rage once again. "Now then, Republic wretch, where were we? Oh yes…"
Another barrage of lightning was thrown and the prisoner convulsed and screamed once again. "TELL. ME. WHAT. I WISH. TO. KNOW!"
"Let's go Vette. My ears are starting to hurt." Aaric said.
"Yeah you said it." The Twi'lek agreed, covering her ears in an attempt to block out the sound and failing miserably.
The pair passed by Kaas city's market place as they made their way to Grathan's estate. There, a huge hologram appeared as they walked past which caught their attention.
"You! Yes, you there! You are a powerful figure on the galactic stage. Powerful figures attract powerful enemies." The holographic man advertised. "Shield yourself from your enemies. Broaden your sphere of influence. Wield your prosperity as a weapon. Accomplish all of this and more with Strongholds."
"Procure a location from across the galaxy to construct your new power base." It continued. "Adorn your Stronghold in stunning opulence and immerse yourself in gratification as the seething resentment and abject fear of your adversaries wash over you."
"Be ever in service to the Empire. Show your worth. Brandish your power. Secure a Stronghold now!"
When the hologram disappeared. Vette turned and looked at Aaric with a grin on her face. "Say… didn't you mention a while ago about how much credits you have?"
"Vette. I do not need this… this Stronghold." Aaric spat the word out as if it was poison.
"Come on!" Vette whined. "It's not like we have a place to stay anyway, and Grathan's estate is far out in the jungle! We can afford to wait until sun up before we head out."
"We?" Aaric raised a brow.
"Ah…well, you I mean. You can afford it." Vette replied sheepishly. "But anyway, we're gonna be here for a long while and you need an area for yourself to sleep and a place to store all our stuff, which is still in the cargo port by the way. Don't tell me you're gonna sleep out in the rain? Under a tent? On a lowly soldier's camping bed? Your royal Sith ass can't handle it, I bet."
Aaric rolled his eyes and sighed. Vette did make some good points. It was late, and he didn't feel like sleeping out in the cold, wet weather. Procuring an adequately sized apartment would allow him some personal space for a good rest, a shower and to store his belongings. He also needed to thaw out his frozen Jedi prisoner and somehow keep her in a separate room to conduct his… interrogation, so to speak.
"Alright then." Aaric relented. "But I'll be the one doing the picking! No questions asked!"
"No questions from me. Yesiree!" Vette smiled excitedly. "But you didn't say I couldn't give some suggestions!"
"Ugh." Aaric rubbed his temples. This was going to be along night.