Disobedience - Part 2

Zaiya was finally able to prove her usefulness with a call to an old friend, having him assemble a small team and escort the two Sith on Nar Shaddaa. It would be the best place for information. It had been a while since she had been here, the last time had been with Hondo for a pickup of some fancy black market items… the Pirate had then sold them for triple the price. She found herself glad the Pirates they had encountered were not Hondo's men… she didn't want to be forced to face off against him.

It wasn't Hondo she had contacted this time, however, but Cad Bane. He still owed her a favour to which he detested, but seeing her actually seemed to make him smile… maybe. She thought that it could have been a smile she had seen on his face, it could have been a grimace. She had felt her master's eyes boring into her as she had spoken to Bane, he had to notice the connection between his apprentice and the Bounty Hunter. Though the Hunter only referred to her by her moniker 'Siren'. He did demand extra to ensure that he kept to the story that she wasn't there if anyone asked. Charming Duros, as always.

The first stop on Nar Shaddaa was one of the more populated dive bars. The place looked like it was being held together with piss and tar, and Zaiya made a mental note to not touch anything. She lingered by the door as her Master stepped forward, asking for information on the one that held the Padawan. Xev Xrexus.

The Zabrak that ran the bar was there with his offspring. Zaiya's brow twitched. They were Iridonian, they had the same horns, similar markings, though a lighter and more earthy tone of skin than the bright red or yellow or orange of the Dathomirian Zabrak. It seemed they knew of The Nightbrothers, but the Sith shut him down as he tried to push the inquiry aside. It seemed that name was well known to those in the bar. Interesting, considering Bane had not known anything about where this Xev person was. He knew the name but nothing about this auction the pirate had mentioned.

A few of the undesirables offered their own 'opinions' to his questions, specifically a noisy Quarren that seemed to know something. He had to be drunk. Or an idiot. He had just made himself a target.

"Is that what you are- some sort of Jedi Lackey?" and even she bristled at the words. Oh he had just signed his own death certificate. A second later, the Quarren was sent through the window by her master's boot and rolled on the floor to try and recover. She slipped through with some of the other patrons that either wanted to join the fight against the red and black Zabrak, his handsome face revealed by the sudden attack. She tilted her head, looking on under her hood, keen to see his skills without a saber… though she tensed as he reached for it, letting out a breath as he did not ignite it. She did not dare to think what might happen if they were discovered. Instead he stood poised, ready to take on a large group of foolish and staggering barflies.

She itched to join the fight, to tear these men apart for daring to lay hands on her Lord, though she knew that she was to observe, and not interfere. She was meant to be a ghost on this mission, though… she was not sure how well she would be able to obey such an order. Master was surrounded, her hands twitched, and she knew that she would have to beg for forgiveness later.

The Quarren spat ink into her Master's face and the Nightsister let out a cry of anger. She launched forward, the magick summoned as a long knife in her hand. Barely a second later, it buried deep in one of the lowlife's backs. In the same breath, her Master used the force to kill the offending Quarren in a swift movement.

"He's got a friend!" Cried one of them, as they turned on her.

"He killed Dirty Calgriz!"

"How? He's blind! I didn't even see him throw it!"

Her master had no trouble with the force, but she could feel his ire, he was already bored, the fight would be easy, but time-consuming. Time to end it. She summoned two more blades to her hand and with a flick of her wrist, they buried in the necks of the nearest attackers. The last one stood before her and she just shot him a smirk, dropping low as the shot of a rifle flew over her head and blasted a hold through his chest. Bane stood there, his pistol smoking.

"If I didn't know better," She stood, turning to her old friend, "I'd think you were trying to kill me, Bane." She flashed a grin, before turning back to her master, sliding a spare cloth into his hand to clear his eyes.

"I've seen you survive worse, Siren." He chuckled dryly. He stood there with fellow bounty hunters Aurra Sing, a human-looking cyborg, antena sticking obviously from her mostly bald-head and Vorhdeilo, a squat and insect-like creature, similar to what some planet called, 'mosquitos' always walking while crouched. This was the group he had assembled?

"Thank you for the help." Her master stated, directed to the hunters as well as herself. "Although, you could have stepped in earlier."

"You looked like you had matters well in hand. I'd wager you could have gotten yourself out of that jam… with or without my help." There was a slight pause as he holstered his pistols. "But those kills are still going on your tab."

"Such a saint, aren't you Bane?" Zaiya responded, a hand on her hip, luckily still under the concealment of her cloak.

"Sainthood doesn't pay well." he shrugged, looking bored already. He stepped forward, a hand resting on the holster, just in case more threats approached and addressed the Sith. "Get ready to put a smile on that tattooed face of yours. We've found what you're looking for. "Negotiated" passage and an invitation to the little party Xev Xrexus is throwing." The Nightsister flashed a grin, a silent approval to her former companion.

It seemed that they ought to move quickly, Aurra Sing spoke up, letting them know there were Jedi nearby. The five of them swiftly departed, disappearing into the crowd so that they could stay a step or two ahead of the accursed hypocrites.

Bane began to explain more of what they'd learned as the group returned to the ship. Not only had Xrexus decided to hold the party outside of the jurisdiction of Republic space, there were also decoy events to "keep the Law dogs chasing their tails." as Bane put it.

"But, we've got an invitation to the real deal." Bane promised.

"How can you be sure?" her master asked, his gaze flicked toward the blue-skinned hunter. Bane didn't seem impressed.

"Heyy- your spy droids discovered the freighter. You gonna doubt your own tech the way you're doubting me and mine?" The sith rolled his eyes and stalked forward, toward the ship interior. Bane continued, "The ship belonged to the Haddrex Gang. They didn't take kindly to our gentle request for passage to Xev's hideout." There was another pause. "So we asked a little more forcefully." To punctuate his point, the carnage of their 'negotiations' revealed as they approached. So messy.

Zaiya's eye twitched from the high pitched screeching from a droid, some protocol droid being set upon by the final group of Bane's assembly. A small creature, strange and twisted. It looked like a bat, rat and monkey had merged, then parts of it replaced by machinery. Like some failed experiment. It was however, a talented saboteur and droid specialist. Though it's enthusiasm was less than pleasant. She was rather glad to have left Sixy behind.

"It isn't ready to tell us what we want." The strange creature known as Tek-Tek explained. Zaiya stepped aside instinctively as her master approached the droid, keen to watch how he might settle the situation.

"Droid- what is your designation?" The Sith asked calmly.

[I am FE-B3. My masters…] The droid glanced down, it's remaining eye looked down nervously. [...my… uhm… former masters called me Fee-Bee.]

"Fee-Bee." The Sith repeated, likely in an effort to keep the droid from overloading with stress. Why droids had panic-like responses to disassemblage, she didn't know, regardless of her thinking, her Master continued. "Do you know what my associates and I want?"

[Yes. Of course.] The droid responded. [You want the locale of the auction Xev Xrexus is holding, as well as the verification codes required to attend the event.] There was a pause. [But I do not have the information you want.]

"Perhaps you simply do not remember." He replied, with a hint of dark amusement. "Perhaps you need something to remind you." As he spoke, he raised a gloved hand, tapping into the force.

[You must understand.] The droid pleaded. [My role upon the ship is to simply act as translator-] the second optical receiver suddenly popped free, dangling by wires from the now empty socket. [Ah! My-My eyes! I cannot see!] Cried the droid in an agitated state.

"Consider it a gift from a dead friend." The sarcasm nearly had her laughing. "He recently showed me just how unsettling it can be to have your eyesight stripped from you. Perhaps you'll find this to be a blessing. You will not be able to see what Tek-Tek does to you."

The droid it seemed, could take no more, and begged for mercy, agreeing to guide them to their location.

The bodies of the gang members were removed swiftly, which assured the smell of decay would not be a problem. The two sith returned up into the main deck and into a private room.

Without thinking, she took up another cloth, and dampened it from the nearby sink, and reached up to gently press the cloth to his face. His yellow eyes turned to her in alarm, his hand gripping her wrist like a vice. Zaiya paused, looking up with a gentle gaze.

"You still have some ink on your face." She told him plainly. After a moment, he released her arm and allowed her to continue. She leant in, very nearly the same height as him, making sure she removed all trace of that Quarren's ink from his handsomely tattooed face.

"You know the Bounty Hunter Bane?" he spoke. Zaiya's eyes flicked up to his own. He was watching her.

"Yes, when I left Dathomir I had hired a Pirate to assist in my education of the things that the Great Mother could not teach me. In those years, Cad Bane was a part of several of those… endeavours." She replied without hesitation.

"You are… friends?" There seemed like a slight edge to her master's voice.

"In a sense. We have a modicum of respect for each other's skills, and I have earned him a great deal of money." She shrugged. "I am a friend as much as anyone that can pay him." There was a pause, and the strange feeling relaxed somewhat.

"I see." He muttered.

"There," She smiled, as she stepped back. Bringing her hands together just below his chin in a flourish. "Beautiful once more."

"Am I not when covered in ink?" He scoffed, raising a brow.

"Of course, though I cannot see you under it all." She shrugged, flashing a grin and turning away.


She didn't see the look that crossed his face briefly. No one talked to him like this, The only people he spoke to were his master and those he passed during the missions he was sent on. Was he beautiful? He had no comparison, and it had never mattered so this was… strange. There was no need to waste effort on such strange encounters. It had not escaped his notice that she had left into his defense the moment he was blinded. Respecting his skills until he was in need, then fiercely defending her master… It seemed he was wise in choosing her as an apprentice, and she was true to her word in wanting to protect him. She was loyal to his command… until he was in danger. Interesting. The depth of her loyalty was a curious one, leaving him to wonder, just how deep did it go?

He recalled what he had heard of her back at the hangar. Shone like the sun, she had said. A vibrant fire… A Prince of Dathomir. Was she so foolishly loyal to think he would not manipulate her into doing as he wished? Not to mention, she was keeping information from him, in her words to protect him. Though… from her explanation, he just had to ask. He was not sure he could. He wasn't afraid. A Sith did not feel fear. They incited it. He was not afraid of asking her about these memories. He just… had to bide his time.

Why was he so rattled? He had never been so before. There was nothing he had ever encountered to challenge his beliefs like this. She could be lying… but if she was, what would it get her? Even if he did trust her enough to kill Sidious, then… well he still had the power. Was she just a fool clinging to childlike hope and memories? Though, as his yellow eyes found her form, he could not help but feel… strange. She was beautiful, yes; the long white hair, so soft from the brief touches he had felt of it. Same with her skin. How could someone so powerful also be so… delicate? He didn't want to admit he had spared her more than a singular glance in these past few months when he had overseen her training. She was already graceful and formidable, but just shy of a year training and she had improved dramatically. She had strived to be better, do better, pushed herself so hard to the point of collapse. To prove herself to him. The way she spoke of him, so highly, the praise she gifted so easily when he showed her a technique or beat her in a sparring match. She was not so angry at having lost as impressed with him. It swam in his head. He had to be the best, of course he was, his master had trained him. Trained by the most powerful man in the galaxy. But to hear it was… something else.

He had to force these thoughts from his mind. They would do him no good here. But they lingered in his mind. Vibrant as the sun… perhaps that description was better suited to the one that had such a bright smile, it eased the pain in him, even if only slightly. The zabrak closed his eyes and focused, he pushed all of these confusing emotions to the side for now. He could deal with this later.

After a moment, he called her back to resume the training exercises, this time with meditation. He could not help but recall how the last training session had ended.. though he knew he could not risk indulging here. Not with the bounty hunters so close, not with the threat of his master lingering in the back of his mind. That was enough to strike fear in his hearts, and stem the strange compulsion he felt to be close to her, to touch her… Shaking the thought from his mind, he settled into a relaxed pose, to focus on what he had learned.


"Master… I have been… unsettled lately. I have been seeing a strange place in my dreams…" Zaiya explained hesitantly. The Sith master was curious.

"Show me." he urged, eyes still closed. The Nightsister opened her mind to him, letting him see the dream in which she had spoken of. There was a valley, one of shadows and ashes… a pyramid in the distance. He knew this place. "The valley of the Sith." He explained. "My master brought me there years ago, to show me exactly what the Jedi had done to our people. To the ancient Sith." The two lingered on the vision, then it began to change, reflecting his memories of the place.

People stood all around, and it took her a moment to realise that they weren't moving. Statues? No… The bottom dropped out from her stomach as she realised. They were people… but turned to ash where they stood. So many bodies, all frozen in the place of their deaths.

"These were… sith…?" She breathed.

"This is all that's left of them. After the Jedi, claiming to be compassionate Peacekeepers, destroyed them." the Zabrak growled. "Far above, far below. We don't know where we'll fall. Far above, far below. What once was great is rendered small." Zaiya listened to the mantra, looking on as she saw the ghostly figures of ancient Jedi rise around them in the vision. "This was the mantra I was taught to help me focus my hate and my anger… to help me endure as the sith before me had endured treachery and untold pain. Their liberty stripped from them, stolen by the murderous Jedi." Her master explained, the edge in his voice becoming harsher, she could feel his lip curling as he spoke. The figures around them, she could see them cutting down the Jedi… then… their sabers turned on the two Zabrak. She let out a cry as a Lightsaber cut through her. The pain flared, then faded, her master's voice in her mind.

"The Jedi… so proud of their lack of emotion, ironically so afraid of those who sought a different way. Cowards and assassins, one and all. Treacherous hypocrites." She felt the cuts again and again, seeing her master in the shadows, unable to reach him… to protect him. She felt the sabers cut her down again and again. "I felt the burn of a thousand cuts, the deaths of a thousand sith… and they were made stronger, in me… they were-" He cut himself off, a growl escaping his throat. With the final strike, Zaiya let out a gasp, lurching forward, strong hands caught her as she looked up into the vicious gaze of her master. "The sith deserve their revenge. I deserve my revenge." He hissed, his expression murderous.

"Revenge… for what? What have the Jedi done to you?" She asked, confusion falling over her face. He shoved her back, irritated at her lack of clarity. Zaiya looked up at him, shifting to sit up once more.

"The Jedi--" He cut himself off again and she could feel the pain in him as he tried to speak. "They… abandoned me… I have power! I am strong with the force! If they had come for me I-" He looked away, sorrow darkening his features. "I would not have suffered…" he trailed off, the words too painful. The Nightsister shot forward, her hands resting on his arms, her chest aching, still feeling the phantom pains of the Sith.

"The Jedi… have never been welcome on Dathomir. You were to be trained among your people! The sisters use their magick, part of the force, it's why Sidious came to Mother Talzin in the first place. You suffered because of that old man!" She explained. "My Lord, you are more than just a Sith! This power you have, the Force, it is more than just the dark side, why must you serve only one? Why must you serve anyone?" She struggled to try and break through this flawed thinking. "You master lies, he has done anything he can to make you obedient. The Jedi have no hold over you, and neither should the Sith! Sidious is manipulating you with lies and brainwashing! When we were small, we swore to see the stars, and not let anyone rule us! Whether it be the Nightsisters, the Jedi, the Republic or these Sith!" She was nearly shouting at him, gripping his arms tightly, shaking him slightly, her hands trembling. "Following Sidious will lead to ruin! He will betray you and leave you for dead! Forget the Jedi! The one that you ought take revenge on is the one who dares call himself your 'Master'!" Suddenly she was flung backwards, her back hitting the cold wall with a thud. The Zabrak stood over her, looking like he was ready to kill her. This is why Mother Talzin had told her to take it slow. She was defying all he had been told, making him feel like a fool. Making him feel weak. For one so prideful, she was insulting him. She could feel it through the force as he stood over her. His breathing was heavy and she felt a crushing pressure on her throat as her breath left her.

"Be careful, apprentice. You do not have the luxury to speak so freely." He growled, repeating his warning, clearly she had pushed it too far this time.

"I… say so… out of loyalty…" she gasped. "I would not have my master… bow to anyone…" she felt the pressure become stronger, if he kept this up he would break her neck. Her eyes rolled into her head, about to pass out when suddenly she hit the floor again. She gasped for air, coughing and spluttering as she tried to regain her strength.

"It is only for that reason that I do not kill you now, apprentice."

"I may… not say what you want to hear, My Prince… but I will always tell you the truth." She affirmed, a hand to her chest as she forced her breathing to slow. There was a silent tension as she looked up at him. "I want the best for you, master, as foolish as that may sound… but mark my words, that man will cast you aside. I do not want that to happen."

"Then you had best obey me and avoid my master's detection." he hissed. The look on his face was less murderous, though she could see and feel the anger in him.