First - Part 2
They would not be staying long and Bane led them to a cantina off one of the mud flats just outside the spaceport perimeter. It was not much for great infrastructure, Zaiya thought to herself, a lot of the exteriors had been left in their rather swampy natural state.
As it turned out, Adaji had something of a point when it came to his comment back on Florrum, the jumpy Toydarian was overly paranoid, and through the whole meeting he was twitching like a livewire. Zaiya was incredibly bored while they waited for Bane to finish talking to him as he had not liked to be surrounded by hunters while talking about shady business. She was glad when the meeting was over, and even more pleased to return to the ship.
On the way, she managed to pick up a few tabloid names as well as news articles to look up on the data pad she had swiped from the ship. She searched for information regarding the client, finding very little, but as she searched, she began to learn a lot more about Toydaria, it's people and customs. This would be an interesting read, and not just for Toydarian information… This would give her information on Coruscant, hopefully there was something she could find about Sidious or… him.
She found herself focused on the information, reading what she could get her hands on, and whatever she found useful. As such, she was paying little attention to what the other three were doing, and just followed them around while engrossed in the information.
She was pulled out of her focus when Adaji snapped his fingers in front of her face. With a blink she looked up, quickly realising they were back on the ship.
"Yes?" She asked, shaking her head inwardly.
"Were you even paying attention?" The mandalorian asked with a scoff.
"I admit… no. Nothing at all. Last I remember we were in the pub." She confessed, earning bewildered look from him.
"That was hours ago!" he gasped, incredulously.
"I was reading." Zaiya shrugged. "I had a lot of information to get through."
"What were you reading that was so entertaining?"
"Well, I started on Toydarian culture, then moved on to politics." She settled on the lounge and folded her legs under herself as she laid the data pad down beside her.
"Anything useful? Though, if you weren't paying attention, how did you even know what to look for?"
"The target is Senator Palla'nai, right? The Rodian?" She asked, tilting her head.
"I thought you weren't listening…?" the human asked, raising a dark brow.
"I wasn't, but it's my best guess, considering he has been upsetting the cargo hold as it were. There were a bunch of articles regarding the backlash he got from his ideas about including Toydaria in a tax in the Senate. I am surprised no one wants him dead." She mused, partly to herself.
"Oh they do." Bane interjected, "But that just makes a martyr, we have to ruin his image, undermining the effect of whatever he is applying for." The details of why didn't matter to a bounty hunter, but these big jobs earned a lot more credits than collecting said bounties.
"Fun, did he have a specific method? Or do we have to get creative?" She asked, her mind still processing the information she had read. They discussed the plan, and as it turned out, she would have a starring role, considering she could change her appearance and wasn't so short for her age. She was to plant several documents, and a data hub into his quarters where he was staying on the Republic-Controlled planet of Alderaan. There was apparently some conference happening where the Rodian was speaking. While he was there, it was imperative to plant the information and have someone discover it during the conference. A simple stealth drop mission, after that, they had a couple of bounties and Hondo had some pickups to make, the travel mostly for convenience.
The only stop they had to make was one to get the right disguise for Zaiya, the clothing that would not make her stand out, as the Duro and Weequay were not common on Alderaan. Adaji was to pose as a delegate, and Zaiya as his assistant, giving her access to the conference. Adaji had to keep an eye on the senator, and communicate through comlinks. Hondo wanted no part in it, as he just had a trade to make, and that added it's own risks. Bane had come up with the plan, and was keeping an eye on everything through drones and behind a mask, he couldn't be hands on, but it was up to him to ensure that the information was found. With their plan in place, that allowed plenty of time for Zaiya to read up on the ways of the world.
Zaiya had not worn anything like this before. The high-necked dress was made of rather flimsy fabric, plenty of ruffles and jewellery. She felt like a decoration not a delegate. The shoes were equally ridiculous, though the men had had to teach her how to walk. Less like a hunter and more like a Princess. Zaiya had trouble with the concept at first, until she realised that if she walked like Sheena, it was haughty enough to pass as someone of self-importance. Though it was funny to watch Adaji try and show her how to walk like a woman. He got his revenge when she had to balance in the shoes however. If not for her sense of balance, she would have fallen a lot more than she had.
Her defense was lobbing the nearest item, happening to be a tray, at the man, hitting him in the gut and winding him slightly. It hadn't stopped him laughing.
Now, she found herself sipping a sparkling juice and standing around in a wide open space lit with lanterns and string lights, and surrounded by a lot of people. She had never been in such a crowd. It was… unpleasant.
"Don't look so sour." Adaji hissed to her out of the corner of his mouth, nudging her.
"Why not? You telling me these people are pleased to be here?" She drawled, rolling her eyes.
"Of course not, but they are better at faking it." He scoffed.
"Fine." Zaiya huffed quietly, a second later, her expression melted to one of pleasant sweetness. The banter, chatter and nonsense lasted about an hour, and as it turned out, her reading had saved more than one conversation to avert suspicions. Finally, the time for the conference began, and Zaiya slipped away to find the Senator's room in the upper floors. It was imperative that she was not seen, that she not be caught, else Bane would not be paid in full and therefore, neither would the others, or herself… she didn't like the idea of stirring his ire, and so would keep her wits about her.
His room was on the 156th floor, ridiculously high up, but it seemed buildings could be so stupidly tall here. The droids seemed not to notice her as she made her way to the elevator, but she had to be careful to avoid any security or cameras. With a hood up over her head, she walked with confidence, as she had practiced, to look as unsuspicious as possible. The hallways was empty when the lift doors opened, Zaiya peered out, a card in her hand Adaji had managed to swipe when they had spoken earlier. She had the package of files under her arm, a data pad, some files as well as a few items that should definitely not be in the possession of a senator. She scanned the card as she reached the door.
Bzzt.
Wait… what? It didn't work?! She froze. Damn… what would she do now? She couldn't stay here, she had to move fast. A guard could wander by at any time. Thinking quickly, she reached out a hand, looking at the lock, summoning the green magicks within her. With a deep breath, she focused on the panel by the door.
Beep.
It worked! The door slid open and she ducked into the dark room. With a glance at the keycard, she spotted a different room number on it. Why did he have a card that was not to his room? Hmm… interesting. Either way she hurried, placing the items around the room… and just for luck, dropped the keycard on the nearby desk, easily within view. She made sure to make all the items seem naturally placed, as though it was the senator himself that had placed them there.
Once the task was complete, she headed for the door. Just as it slid open. A startled Twi'lek stood there, surprised to see someone there. Zaiya reacted swiftly, a flash of green and the female was clutching her mouth, unable to speak or make a sound, on her knees before the teenager. She held the woman in place, her eyes flashing dangerously. She could not be caught here, who was this woman?
The Nightsister could ask her, though there was no way she would not say anything to save her own skin. The teen closed her eyes a moment, calling on her power, looking with her mind into the thoughts and memories of the Twi'lek. Apparently she was the lover of the Senator… secretly so… well if this wasn't an opportunity. At the same time… this woman had nothing to do with the mission. She was innocent.
But she was also a witness.
It seemed there was little choice. This mission required stealth.
A short while later, Zaiya returned to Bane, passing him and flashing him a look, letting him know her part was complete.
"Took your time." He growled. "Is it done?"
"Completely." She responded blankly. There was a pause, before Bane turned away, and speaking under his mask to a guard by the main doors. The guard hurried off shortly after, the three infiltrators making their way out of there, finding a discreet place to change and return to their usual attire before making their way back to the ship to meet Hondo. Zaiya was strangely quiet and it seemed that Bane, in his all-too perceptiveness, cornered her as soon as they took off, spinning his chair around, his deep blue face and piercing red eyes getting in her pale and marked face.
"What happened." It was not a question.
"I completed the mission." She responded, meeting his gaze with a deadpan stare. There was a long silence between them.
"If you fucked this up-"
"I did not 'fuck' anything up, Cad Bane." Her soft voice was icy. "In fact, you can ask for a bonus." This gave him pause, it was good… but why? His eyes narrowed. Silence purveyed for a while, and he growled at her, stomping out of the room.
It wasn't til an hour later that they heard the news. Hondo switched on the holo transmitting news from the planet, listening to the report.
[... have arrested the Senator under suspicion of corruption…] the crackly voice spoke. Zaiya didn't look up from her data pad.
"Took their time…" Bane grumbled.
[...appears a confession from his lover in a note apparently written by her and found next to her body…] The room tensed and all three looked to the Nightsister. [...body was found in his suite at the conference, appearances suggest it was suicide by overdose. One thing is clear, the Senator's career is clearly over.]
The Holo was switched off after they changed stories. The three still stared at her.
"You found a body up there?" Adaji asked hesitantly.
"No." Zaiya replied coolly. Not looking up.
"You killed her." Bane drawled. "Could have mentioned that."
"You don't like surprises?"
"No." He leaned forward in his seat. "I'll ask you again, lil lady. What happened? Why did you kill her?"
With a huff she laid down the tablet and met his gaze. "I didn't kill her, as the report says, she killed herself. Took a bunch of those pills you had me stash in his drawer. Look, I had finished up, when she walked in. She was going to holler to high heaven and as you yourself said Bane: no loose ends." She sat back again. "Ask for more since you went above and beyond." She may have sounded calm, but she didn't feel it. Despite her ability, she had not killed anyone before. True enough she had swallowed the pills. But Zaiya had been the one to clamp her hand over the woman's mouth until she died.
Another being had died by her hand and yet… she was not sure how she felt. It was necessary, yet it felt… strange. She could not put her finger on why she felt so conflicted.
"Well then. I suppose you more than earned your pay this time." Bane chuckled, the tension in the room easing.
"Seems this life is for you after all." Adaji murmured, "Was it your first?"
"Yes." She responded gently, her eyes flicking downward.
"The guilt will pass." He continued, "Many feel it after the first kill."
"Is it guilt?" she muttered to herself, then shook her head. "Either way, I shall keep you informed of any changes if we work together again." she nodded to Bane who returned the gaze, his suspicion had become something more akin to respect.
Malachor.
A place of darkness and misery and hatred. Maul did not know why his master had brought him here, but he was an ever-diligent student and followed without question. He was looking forward to seeing more than the facility on Mustafar. His sickly yellow eyes had shifted from the controls to the stars beyond the glass. There was something about it that drew his gaze. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was always something about the stars that drew his eye. Hiz gaze was always flat, bored, though his mind turned, like there was something about them that he had known once. They were just stars. Suns for systems far away, nothing more. Space was cold, the stars were cold, and so far away that it didn't matter, they were no immediate issue, he was focused on the present. On the mission. His master had much to show and teach him.
There was a familiarity as they touched down, he had never before stepped upon this ground, dark and ashen, but he had seen it, in his mind and in his dreams, mixed with the nightmares of blue eyes. The latter had been less frequent, and this dark place, the pyramid reaching high into the dark before them, the statues of figures twisted into grotesque shapes of pain and torment, as though they attempted to escape some grizzly fate. The teenage Zabrak leaned forward, reaching out to inspect one of the statues; they were so life-like. Suddenly there was a burst of dust from the statue, and his master told him to breathe it in. He gasped and the dust entered his lungs. He realised then, these were not statues, but bodies. Not dust, but ash.
His young mind was flooded by visions of torment, of death and his ears filled with the echoes of screams that had long since died out. He could see chaos around him. There was fire. Terror. Chaos. Death was before him, at the end of a lightsaber as the vicious Jedi assaulted the Sith warriors around him. It was a blur of movement and smoke and horrors unimaginable. He could not stay here. He had to run. His feet carried him from the oppressive wave of death that was a swarm of Jedi, their coloured sabers slicing and slashing at everyone around them. Red sabers de-ignited and clattered to the floor as their wielders were cut down one by one. He bolted, his hearts pounding in his chest as he tried to escape, the battles around him were nothing short of blinding. He could see his fellow Sith, those he did not know, but could feel in his blood and in his mind as his kin. He was forced to watch them die again and again, over and over at the hands of those that were supposed to be peacekeepers. Why would they do this? Jedi who were hailed for their compassion. For their sense of justice, slaughtering his people like cattle!
Far above, Far below.
They struck out at everything that was not them. That did not fit their idea of what was good. Anything that was different was snuffed out. They didn't care for anything that did not fit their mold. It was why he was abandoned to the dark. Why his master had found him. Why he had been subjected to such pain and cold and misery. The Jedi never wanted him.
We don't know where we'll fall.
His steps faltered and he crashed to the ground heavily, his chest heaving and panting heavily, he spun to try and defend himself but there was a flash of blue plasma, and he felt the biting pain, searing agony as the blade pierced his chest. He stumbled back, clutching at his tunic. He had no time to think as another, green this time slashed across his neck. He let out a cry of shock, but then another strike to his back. Then his shoulder, his middle, his legs. Struck again and again. A thousand deaths as the Sith before him had suffered.
Far above, Far below.
His vision cleared and he was on his knees among the ashen figures of his fallen brethren, anger, rage and pure hate bubbled up in his chest. He panted there, teeth grit and cheeks stained with tears of rage he did not even know he had shed. The emotion was too powerful. How dare they do this to his kin!? To him! He wished there were a Jedi before him so that they might suffer as he had. So he could tear them apart with his bare hands and listen to them scream and wail and cry as he destroyed them so utterly and completely there would be no memory of them left in the universe at all.
A scream escaped his mouth then, the sound filled with such deep hatred, his throat was raw when he finally came down from the rush of emotion. He was left panting. Hands shaking. He needed to do something. To destroy them! He had never felt such vicious hate in his life, the urge to destroy everything in his path was so powerful.
What once was great is rendered small.
-+Notes+-
Apologies for the delay!
I have had a lot happening this week!
I had a job interview this week, so wish me luck with the result! I also had my theatre combat lesson today - with lightsabers so that was pretty awesome.
I have also been re-writing chapter 7 and adding quite a bit so that it doesn't jump ahead too quickly. I am hoping I have it finished in time!
Thank's all for your patience!
