I knew I should've thought twice about posting that picture of me in A&P...
The Endless Night (Star Wars fanfic)
Moderator: LadyTevar
LOL--oh dear.
I knew I should've thought twice about posting that picture of me in A&P...
I knew I should've thought twice about posting that picture of me in A&P...
"On the infrequent occasions when I have been called upon in a formal place to play the bongo drums, the introducer never seems to find it necessary to mention that I also do theoretical physics." -Richard Feynman
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Shroom Man 777
- FUCKING DICK-STABBER!
- Posts: 21222
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The Wookiee
- Lex Wookos
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Ghost Rider
- Spirit of Vengeance
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- Location: DC...looking up from the gutters to the stars
Kuja felt himself give way to the Force. His mind and body began to work with an unearthly sync, as he stood ready to aid his new master. He went to the balls of his heels and turned his torso to his antagonists; his lightsaber immediately came to his aid. A brief glimpse of the future revealed the three Gand behind him raising their guns. The Force flowed through him, gently telling him where to move to save him and deflect their shots. But as he turned, unlike his vision, the bolts never came. The three had ran off, he could see them disappear into the shadows and become one with the darkness. For a single moment he stood there stunned, The Jedi were noted as great warriors but no one ran just by the sight of a lightsaber, not something even remotely resembling a hardened killer at least. He turned around to the entrance they came through and saw why. Sparing a glance and he saw a blur of black and blue rush towards the onslaught. The shape that approached the horde was deflecting each bolt that came to it back into another Gand, no shot wasted, no shot not intercepted.
Derith for his part was already immersed within the Force, he could feel its power tingle in his cheeks as the world enveloped into an odd riddle of slow motion and blurring speed. Light in essence reached his eyes but didn’t. In the end it didn’t matter, the Force flowed through him like quicksilver and guided him to where he needed to be. He rushed towards them easily, deflecting the initial shots back into the group causing chaos and disorder, and he spared a small grin. Master Durandal’s first lesson about bolt deflection, never waste a single one; they can still kill and are much longer then your saber. The killing light came back upon them before they realized what happened. Within moments of their initial shots, three fell, then five, then ten until the lead Gand realized what was happening. Derith saw the lead Gand motion for the AT-PT and gave hand signals to allow the squad to separate. This would not do, targets are so much easier bunched together. He realized it was time to end this, he needed answers and he needed to be alive to get them.
He leapt into the air with pride as he landed in front of the dipersing group. Derith pivoted onto the balls of his feet as the first Gand saw him. Twisting the saber he deftly cut that one’s head off and proceed to clench his fist. A Gand in the far back threw it's head back as it gurgled with it's windpipe being crushed. The leader drew his vibroblade and with his left hand made a signal across his neck, the rest drew out their blades. Derith smiled an evil grin. This would make it so much easier. Two ran up with blades drawn. Coming from opposite angles and one slashed high with his vibroblade as the other slashed low. Derith deftly ducked the higher one as it sung by. He intercepted the lower one with his own blade, severing it as it connected with his lightsaber. The air sizzled as he twisted his wrist and cut through the chest of one, the cut cauterizing instantly. He then thrusted his one of his legs out, delivering a bone crunching kick to the chest of another. As they saw another compatriot crumble into a dead heap, two broke rank and stopped next to the alley wall aiming their pistols at him as he approached the leader of the group. He never spared either of them an extra glance as the wall seemingly melted and molded through the pair. A muffled cry was all that escaped their lungs as the wall impaled the two of them.
Derith swung his blade high as he rushed the final four. His first overhead swing sang through the air as it caught two of their heads before they realized he was fully upon them. The leader thrusted his last teammate to the forefront and was promptly deflected by an invisible shield. A sickening crunch was emitted from behind Derith as he calmly walked over and grabbed the lead Gand by the neck and threw him aside, and then turned and faced the AT-PT. Derith stood still as if waiting for the mechanoid to move. The controller of the AT-PT fidgeted inside as he saw his compatriots slaughtered and then stared at as this being just stood there. He pressed a few buttons and adjusted his gun reticle as suddenly the Jedi turned off his lightsaber and waved affably at the machine as he was walking away. The guns on the machine came to bear and a high-pitched whine emitted from the guns, as it’s powering cycle was ramping to the appropriate level. His Padawan stood there, his mouth agape wondering what his master was thinking, and then he looked up. The walker began to convulse and shudder as the first gun fell off, the then other. Then he heard a wrenching sound of metal crunching upon metal as he saw the AT-PT’s implode upon itself. Finally the unit came falling apart, echoing throughout the alleyway. Derith stood above the Gand leader, and grabbed him by the neck and lifted him to his eyes.
“Don’t speak, I know who hired you and the why.” Derith said as he squeezed harder. “I want you to tell your employer, I am most displeased by his apparent lack of faith.”
With that he dropped him with a low thud. The small Gand looked, with his protrusive eyes from the sides of his helmet, around at his dead companions and ran. Derith walked to Kuja and saw that the three Gand that were there to have long since departed.
“I see they ran.”
“I…”
“Did you see where?”
Kuja put a forefinger on his lips and then looked at his master.
“Third alleyway?”
“Well, is it?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“A lesson, always be sure of your choices. Doubt clouds the mind.”
Derith walked past him and deeper into the darkness of the alley; Kuja didn’t look back at the carnage.
The morning sun stabbed through Connor’s eyes as he kept focusing on mending his body. The usual bustle of the hall of the Jedi Temple seem to be far more clear and louder today as he walked through them. He swore to himself this was the last time he would ever go out drinking, just like the last twelve times. His shabby tunic and cloak from last night smelled deeply of some form of burnt plant and synthetics. His unruffled hair and five o’clock shadow seem to accentuate his tired appearance. He looked down at the pad Derith left him and continued reading. He had to admit it was short and concise, but lacking in intrinsic information. Korriban lacked any sort of real city or civilization except tombs. Lots of tombs according to the archives, easily in the hundreds and apparently it was literally an ancient Sith graveyard up even into the times of the great purge. Within it as well kept a few notes of Korriban that he didn’t know of, and a few he never wanted to. Something he didn’t know of was that an oft-dilapidated temple that connected with the tomb was some sort of courthouse or meeting area for acolytes. These people who could have been probable but no one properly trained, and they wavered to the Dark Side. Another one of them was referred to as the Great Hunt. The Great Hunt as the article read was an activity that Jedi usually performed when a creature called the Terentatek became more populous then what they feel was needed. Apparently long ago some unknown Sith lord experimented upon Rancors and mixed some smaller species to create this beast. Its hide was resistant to lightsabers and worse still, as he read on; this animal had a rudimentary ability with the Dark Side of the Force.
“Great, so not only do I have to deal with this, I get to have I’Brat nitpick me to death as well.” Connor said as he kept going through the temple towards the docking bay, unaware of anything. He walked past a few Padawans totting another large box, and avoided the wandering astromechs. He rubbed his eyes a bit as he continued reading, and found that apparently as well there was one city within the entire planet, one of which was usually emptied every two hundred years, mostly due to unforeseen circumstances as the article said.
“Unforeseen…right, somehow that much Dark Side energy doesn’t turn half the population in stark raving loons?” Connor muttered as a figure closely shadowed him as he crossed the doors of the docking bay and looked about, realizing they were at least forty of them and counting.
“Which one did she say was hers?”
“I didn’t.” said the voice behind him.
Connor straightened himself and smoothed his tunic as he turned around. I’Brat stood there her tunic and cloak reflecting the light from the open area of the docking area. She was carrying a small bag on her back and another dangling from her right hand. She casually tossed one to Connor.
“And this is?” Connor said as he caught it.
“Because you’ve never actually poked your head outside Coruscant, I think you’ll need that for provisions.” I’Brat said as she walked off to her landing pad.
“And how many days is this?” Connor said as he stood there looking inside.
“Easily for two weeks…as long as you don’t pig out.” I’Brat said as she turned and nudged her head in the direction she was walking. “This way, unless you need a little hover platform to move as well.”
Connor grumbled as he walked in her direction, tossing the bag onto his back, increasing his pace to match her own. He shoved the pad into his flowing tunic and kept pace. She strode forward with grace as she rubbed her head slightly, and saw Connor curl his lip slightly.
“What?”
“You got drunk.” Connor said as he continued forward, as I’Brat stopped with her hands across her chest.
“How did you…?”
“You have still a slight hint of wine on your breath.”
“True, but at least I wasn’t drinking the swill you obviously were.”
“Whatever.” Connor said and looked at her as they passed into another set of doors. “Hmmm…though I wonder what drove you to drink so heavily?”
“Put your ego to rest, it had nothing to do about you.”
“Did I once imply that it did?”
“I know you.”
“I’m glad you hold me in such high regard that you have to comfort me with the thought that your drunken revelry had nothing to do about me, and so whose ego is in question here?”
“I wasn’t the one who made the comment about me being particularly perky yesterday.”
Connor snorted as he walked with I’Brat. She just shook her head.
“So what was that Derith gave you?”
“How do you I know I didn’t just find some information for myself?”
“Because as much of an archivist you are, you would have several pads describing every possible detail of Korriban’s history from as far back as the archive would go.”
“I’d hardly think I would go as so far as that.”
“Right, remember the time you had a small class about the mechanics of a lightsaber to a group of about two hundred Padawans?” I’Brat said as she stopped at a particular landing bay entrance. “Remember everyone feel asleep around the tenth hour?”
“You didn’t.” Connor said.
I’Brat pursed her lips slightly as she continued walking forward curling her nose a little. “Either way, it closer to his style of reporting facts then it’s yours.”
She stopped in front a set of double doors and clicked in a five-part access code. The doors slowly opened, revealing an expansive landing bay. Large tubes flowed in an around the ship, and a variety of toll sets littered the ground. A few small drums of some viscous liquid were stored and a set of rag neatly lined at a table. The docking bay had no dust though, and everything on the shelves were properly aligned and in order. Sitting in the center of it sat a Corellian YT-2400. A massive vessel in it’s own right, and from the exterior was sporting a quad cannon of some sort on the top and bottom of the ship. Similar to its predecessor the YT-2000 in shape and exterior design, it added on a significantly faster standard hyperdrive. Its center cockpit design was favor in the later centuries by the YT Corporation as a more efficient design then the YT-1300 off center design.
“That thing flies?” Connor said as he cocked his head to the side.
“Don’t you ever say anything other then an insult?” I’Brat said as she elbowed him.
“Sure, as soon as I see this thing fly.”
“That thing, as you so lovably call it, has a name.”
“And that would be? I’m sorry I’m not just diving into your mind and divining this for myself.”
“I call her the Serendipity.” I’Brat said as she opened the lower hatch.
“Appropriate.” Connor said as he boarded the craft through the downed ramp. Walking through its cramped confines he looked around and noticed virtually no chairs, except one small couch like thing off the side within the cargo hold. He noticed another workbench that was stacked with an assortment of brushing and cleaning tools. Noticing the hodge podge work of the wires and pipes that lead it to the Hyperdrive motivator. He looked at the gauges and all of them read steady, for which he let out a breath of relief. Last thing he needed was the ship stalling somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Two weeks with that woman were more then enough for him. Off to one side was a galley, which he also noticed was almost never used, given the dust on it. He wandered a bit more until he came into the cockpit. He noticed I’Brat flipping a few overhead switches. A few lights leapt to life and then faded. She turned and looked at him as he stared at the controls above him.
“Do you have any experience at all with flying these types of ships?”
“Some.” Connor said as he examined the controls closer.
“You do?” I’Brat replied, tilting her head a bit.
“Yes, I’ve actually been somewhere else then Coruscant, by myself mommy.” Connor said as he adjusted the co-pilot seat to his size and began flipping a few necessary buttons for lift off. A mosaic of light shone on the board, and then a few dimmed. I’Brat smacked a side control board and the rest of the lights lit up. Connor shook his head and smiled. I’Brat looked over all the gauges and settled into the adjacent seat.
“Good, because I don’t need to baby sit you anymore then I have to.”
The Serendipity lifted itself gracefully, slowly humming as it lifted itself out of the Jedi Temple. It gracefully adjusted as it passed through Coruscant’s traffic and became a pin prink of light before anyone could get a true sight of the ship.
The farther they went into Coruscant’s interior the more myriad and pungent the smells became. Kuja identified at least four smells that he was assured to be some type of waste from a number of species. Looking about he saw all manner of illicit wares was being traded in relative daylight, though no such natural light reached down here. Beggars lined the walls as a constant reminder that even in the height of the Alliance, there are people who get cast down. He stifled back the bile that was rising from his throat. And from somewhere he heard a sickening wail; he looked to his master who seemed unfazed by the entire situation.
“Try to envision something else.” Derith said as he calmly walked down towards some destination only he knew of.
Kuja nodded, and thought of Zaia. It warmed his cheeks for a few seconds before the smell assaulted his nose again. Derith looked at him and raised a single eyebrow.
“Perhaps I should have said envision something plain.” Derith said as he stopped in the middle of the alley.
“Huh?”
“You’re thinking of Zaia, and while comforting and most likely very pleasant; it backfires on you since you associated a sweet smell to her.” Derith said as he waved his arms about. “And thus you want to simulate that smell, which opens your nostrils more, and thus you inhale more of the vapors around you.”
“How did you know I was thinking of Zaia?”
“Your face lost a bit of intensity and had a bit of a blush.”
“Right, and you didn’t just reach in a pull the random thought.”
Derith’s smile fell as it thinned into a single course line. He raised an eyebrow as he scrutinized his Padawan. “I deduce my thoughts without resorting to such petty methods.”
“I apologize. It was a joke.”
“I did not find it funny.”
Kuja cast his eyes downward as Derith stalked off.
“Are you coming?” Derith asked, as he kept moving.
Kuja stood up; sucked in his stomach and marched in the direction Derith was walking, certain to show no emotion.
“I forgot to ask…Master. Why are we here?” Kuja said with a hint of bitterness.
“Hmm?”
“You said earlier you were wanting to investigate Black Sun. I don’t believe the largest criminal organization in our galaxy would be have any important dwellings down here.”
“Ah the angry tone, I remember using it many times.” Derith said, as he continued walking never looking at his Padawan. “And as to your curt question, what runs a business?”
“People, why?”
“Padawan, I understand you believe I cannot appreciate your boundless wit and are a tad angered by it; but please demonstrate some ability that I was not incorrect for accepting you.”
“Sorry.” Kuja said as he let out a deep breath. He focused, cleansed his mind of all thought. “I’m sorry my mind still says people.”
“Not all too incorrect, so I will pursue the second venue.” Derith said as he turned into yet another alley. Kuja was sure his master had no idea where they were going and was just giving airs at this point. “Why do you think we’re down here?”
“Because this is where a secret hideaway is located for a high level Black Sun agent?”
Derith shook his head, chuckling lightly. “Perhaps. In due time your answer will be resolved.”
Derith finally stopped at a non descript door. Kuja noted there was something on his boot, but for all he cared for; he really did not want to know what said substance was. Derith knocked once and a small panel swished open at eye level. What appeared in it were two yellow eyes staring at him.
“Ne chunda wanga?” The voice said.
“E-chow.” Derith said.
“Die noga nega.”
“Chobo ceska, Kernel.” Derith said, his voice cracking with a loss of patience.
“Oosha kabana deska.”
“Echana ceska.”
“Soska.” The voice said as it closed the eyehole.
“This is getting nowhere.” Derith said to himself as he shook his head. “Padawan, could you move a couple meters back?”
Kuja shrugged and moved, and heard a small creaking noise. The volume increased steadily and then the door imploded inward with astounding force, crushing whoever was behind it. Derith poked his head in, and looked a bit to the left and to the right.
“Telling me to wait, who does he think he is?”
Kuja stood there stunned at the raw display. He gingerly walked forward as Derith dusted himself off.
“Master, was that really appropriate?”
“For what you are usually used to?” Derith said as he turned to smile at his Padawan. “No.”
“So, why?”
“Because most people down here don’t care for small sleights of hand or little lights and showmanship; these people respect only one thing, and that’s a show of power.”
“Persuasion is usually good enough for many occasions.”
“Good enough never is.”
Derith strode through the broken doorway and turned as he approached another metal door. He pressed a small code into the side panel and proceeded down the yawning tunnel. Kuja looked at the mangled corpse on the far side, it body was somehow melded with the door in a grotesque sculpture. The only thing to identify the being was possibly a search of the blood that smeared the held back the bile and followed him. The poorly lit tunnel extended deep into the underground with steam hissing somewhere within it. Kuja could hear the chittering of many rodents and felt their eyes boring into them as the violated their home. They continued for a nearly an hour and then stopped at some juncture. Kuja only saw a blank wall, but could feel beyond that there were living beings. Derith calmly steeped through the shimmer, and as Kuja walked forward; a hand stopped him short of crossing the border.
“Master?”
“A second more, Padawan.” Derith said, and then waved his Kuja forward as his hand melted into the hologram. Kuja gingerly stepped through and looked about and saw a chasm surround the small platform he was on.
“Interesting trap, Kernel has here. Essentially most see the hologram, walk through” Derith said motioning with his hands. “But when they cross the threshold, the fail to see the three foot hole below them.”
“I doubt it would catch a Jedi off guard.”
“Then you have much to learn Padawan.”
He continued for a few meters and a door hissed open, and a glow unlike anything shown through. Kuja took a few seconds adjusting his eyes to the immense glare as he saw about fifteen shapes. Inside him something warned him of danger but as he went for his lightsaber his master held his arm. Derith just shook his head without looking back and walked forward into the bright light. As his vision adjusted to the scene he could see this was a large warehouse of some sort. Tables, upon tables were lined with some glittering substance and a number of workers on each table. He also noticed uneasily that all their eyes were upon the two of them. A tall Gungan was approaching his master with open arms. He was in an extraordinarily gaudy outfit with jewelry decorating his body. His tall lanky form seemed so ill suited for walking on the land as he swayed towards his master. His gait seemed more comical but at the same time seemed natural, his head swayed side to side with the jewelry making tiny tinkling noises with each step. Kuja also noted he felt warmer and the air was thicker in this place.
“Ah, Derith, mesa so glad yousa to visit mesa.” Kernel said.
“I’m sure, and one thing.” Derith said as he picked up a single parcel of the glittering substance. “You’ll have to replace the doorman.”
Kernel shook his floppy eared head. “Whysa yousa here?”
“Oh I’m just here wanting to check up on your bosses transactions records.”
“Mesa can’t show yousa that.” And with a snap every single guard and technician pulled a pistol out. Kuja looked to his master for some sign of action.
“Really?” Derith said as he calmly just looked at the parcel and gave a dry grin.
The Serendipity deposited herself gracefully from hyperspace. Inside I’Brat adjusted the controls for a more angled descent then they were coming in at. She flicked a couple switches and nudged her co-pilot.
“You can wake up now.”
Connor shook his head and adjusted his ponytail. “I wasn’t asleep.”
“Right, you were just resting your eyes.” I’Brat said with a smirk. “Well, there she is. Ugly, isn’t it?”
Connor looked forward and saw a grayish brown ball of dirt. In comparison to anywhere it looked dead. It was hideously pot marked with deep caverns doting the landscape from even this height. There was little cloud cover to disguise the terrible shape the planet was in. He could see they were heading toward some black blueish spot, which he assumed was some settlement on this desolate world. In his mind he could just envision endless deserts and unfathomably deep caverns. He slumped back into his chair at that pleasant thought echoing in his mind.
“Welcome to Korriban.” I’Brat said as if echoing what was going on in Connor’s mind as she punched in the command to land.
Derith for his part was already immersed within the Force, he could feel its power tingle in his cheeks as the world enveloped into an odd riddle of slow motion and blurring speed. Light in essence reached his eyes but didn’t. In the end it didn’t matter, the Force flowed through him like quicksilver and guided him to where he needed to be. He rushed towards them easily, deflecting the initial shots back into the group causing chaos and disorder, and he spared a small grin. Master Durandal’s first lesson about bolt deflection, never waste a single one; they can still kill and are much longer then your saber. The killing light came back upon them before they realized what happened. Within moments of their initial shots, three fell, then five, then ten until the lead Gand realized what was happening. Derith saw the lead Gand motion for the AT-PT and gave hand signals to allow the squad to separate. This would not do, targets are so much easier bunched together. He realized it was time to end this, he needed answers and he needed to be alive to get them.
He leapt into the air with pride as he landed in front of the dipersing group. Derith pivoted onto the balls of his feet as the first Gand saw him. Twisting the saber he deftly cut that one’s head off and proceed to clench his fist. A Gand in the far back threw it's head back as it gurgled with it's windpipe being crushed. The leader drew his vibroblade and with his left hand made a signal across his neck, the rest drew out their blades. Derith smiled an evil grin. This would make it so much easier. Two ran up with blades drawn. Coming from opposite angles and one slashed high with his vibroblade as the other slashed low. Derith deftly ducked the higher one as it sung by. He intercepted the lower one with his own blade, severing it as it connected with his lightsaber. The air sizzled as he twisted his wrist and cut through the chest of one, the cut cauterizing instantly. He then thrusted his one of his legs out, delivering a bone crunching kick to the chest of another. As they saw another compatriot crumble into a dead heap, two broke rank and stopped next to the alley wall aiming their pistols at him as he approached the leader of the group. He never spared either of them an extra glance as the wall seemingly melted and molded through the pair. A muffled cry was all that escaped their lungs as the wall impaled the two of them.
Derith swung his blade high as he rushed the final four. His first overhead swing sang through the air as it caught two of their heads before they realized he was fully upon them. The leader thrusted his last teammate to the forefront and was promptly deflected by an invisible shield. A sickening crunch was emitted from behind Derith as he calmly walked over and grabbed the lead Gand by the neck and threw him aside, and then turned and faced the AT-PT. Derith stood still as if waiting for the mechanoid to move. The controller of the AT-PT fidgeted inside as he saw his compatriots slaughtered and then stared at as this being just stood there. He pressed a few buttons and adjusted his gun reticle as suddenly the Jedi turned off his lightsaber and waved affably at the machine as he was walking away. The guns on the machine came to bear and a high-pitched whine emitted from the guns, as it’s powering cycle was ramping to the appropriate level. His Padawan stood there, his mouth agape wondering what his master was thinking, and then he looked up. The walker began to convulse and shudder as the first gun fell off, the then other. Then he heard a wrenching sound of metal crunching upon metal as he saw the AT-PT’s implode upon itself. Finally the unit came falling apart, echoing throughout the alleyway. Derith stood above the Gand leader, and grabbed him by the neck and lifted him to his eyes.
“Don’t speak, I know who hired you and the why.” Derith said as he squeezed harder. “I want you to tell your employer, I am most displeased by his apparent lack of faith.”
With that he dropped him with a low thud. The small Gand looked, with his protrusive eyes from the sides of his helmet, around at his dead companions and ran. Derith walked to Kuja and saw that the three Gand that were there to have long since departed.
“I see they ran.”
“I…”
“Did you see where?”
Kuja put a forefinger on his lips and then looked at his master.
“Third alleyway?”
“Well, is it?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“A lesson, always be sure of your choices. Doubt clouds the mind.”
Derith walked past him and deeper into the darkness of the alley; Kuja didn’t look back at the carnage.
The morning sun stabbed through Connor’s eyes as he kept focusing on mending his body. The usual bustle of the hall of the Jedi Temple seem to be far more clear and louder today as he walked through them. He swore to himself this was the last time he would ever go out drinking, just like the last twelve times. His shabby tunic and cloak from last night smelled deeply of some form of burnt plant and synthetics. His unruffled hair and five o’clock shadow seem to accentuate his tired appearance. He looked down at the pad Derith left him and continued reading. He had to admit it was short and concise, but lacking in intrinsic information. Korriban lacked any sort of real city or civilization except tombs. Lots of tombs according to the archives, easily in the hundreds and apparently it was literally an ancient Sith graveyard up even into the times of the great purge. Within it as well kept a few notes of Korriban that he didn’t know of, and a few he never wanted to. Something he didn’t know of was that an oft-dilapidated temple that connected with the tomb was some sort of courthouse or meeting area for acolytes. These people who could have been probable but no one properly trained, and they wavered to the Dark Side. Another one of them was referred to as the Great Hunt. The Great Hunt as the article read was an activity that Jedi usually performed when a creature called the Terentatek became more populous then what they feel was needed. Apparently long ago some unknown Sith lord experimented upon Rancors and mixed some smaller species to create this beast. Its hide was resistant to lightsabers and worse still, as he read on; this animal had a rudimentary ability with the Dark Side of the Force.
“Great, so not only do I have to deal with this, I get to have I’Brat nitpick me to death as well.” Connor said as he kept going through the temple towards the docking bay, unaware of anything. He walked past a few Padawans totting another large box, and avoided the wandering astromechs. He rubbed his eyes a bit as he continued reading, and found that apparently as well there was one city within the entire planet, one of which was usually emptied every two hundred years, mostly due to unforeseen circumstances as the article said.
“Unforeseen…right, somehow that much Dark Side energy doesn’t turn half the population in stark raving loons?” Connor muttered as a figure closely shadowed him as he crossed the doors of the docking bay and looked about, realizing they were at least forty of them and counting.
“Which one did she say was hers?”
“I didn’t.” said the voice behind him.
Connor straightened himself and smoothed his tunic as he turned around. I’Brat stood there her tunic and cloak reflecting the light from the open area of the docking area. She was carrying a small bag on her back and another dangling from her right hand. She casually tossed one to Connor.
“And this is?” Connor said as he caught it.
“Because you’ve never actually poked your head outside Coruscant, I think you’ll need that for provisions.” I’Brat said as she walked off to her landing pad.
“And how many days is this?” Connor said as he stood there looking inside.
“Easily for two weeks…as long as you don’t pig out.” I’Brat said as she turned and nudged her head in the direction she was walking. “This way, unless you need a little hover platform to move as well.”
Connor grumbled as he walked in her direction, tossing the bag onto his back, increasing his pace to match her own. He shoved the pad into his flowing tunic and kept pace. She strode forward with grace as she rubbed her head slightly, and saw Connor curl his lip slightly.
“What?”
“You got drunk.” Connor said as he continued forward, as I’Brat stopped with her hands across her chest.
“How did you…?”
“You have still a slight hint of wine on your breath.”
“True, but at least I wasn’t drinking the swill you obviously were.”
“Whatever.” Connor said and looked at her as they passed into another set of doors. “Hmmm…though I wonder what drove you to drink so heavily?”
“Put your ego to rest, it had nothing to do about you.”
“Did I once imply that it did?”
“I know you.”
“I’m glad you hold me in such high regard that you have to comfort me with the thought that your drunken revelry had nothing to do about me, and so whose ego is in question here?”
“I wasn’t the one who made the comment about me being particularly perky yesterday.”
Connor snorted as he walked with I’Brat. She just shook her head.
“So what was that Derith gave you?”
“How do you I know I didn’t just find some information for myself?”
“Because as much of an archivist you are, you would have several pads describing every possible detail of Korriban’s history from as far back as the archive would go.”
“I’d hardly think I would go as so far as that.”
“Right, remember the time you had a small class about the mechanics of a lightsaber to a group of about two hundred Padawans?” I’Brat said as she stopped at a particular landing bay entrance. “Remember everyone feel asleep around the tenth hour?”
“You didn’t.” Connor said.
I’Brat pursed her lips slightly as she continued walking forward curling her nose a little. “Either way, it closer to his style of reporting facts then it’s yours.”
She stopped in front a set of double doors and clicked in a five-part access code. The doors slowly opened, revealing an expansive landing bay. Large tubes flowed in an around the ship, and a variety of toll sets littered the ground. A few small drums of some viscous liquid were stored and a set of rag neatly lined at a table. The docking bay had no dust though, and everything on the shelves were properly aligned and in order. Sitting in the center of it sat a Corellian YT-2400. A massive vessel in it’s own right, and from the exterior was sporting a quad cannon of some sort on the top and bottom of the ship. Similar to its predecessor the YT-2000 in shape and exterior design, it added on a significantly faster standard hyperdrive. Its center cockpit design was favor in the later centuries by the YT Corporation as a more efficient design then the YT-1300 off center design.
“That thing flies?” Connor said as he cocked his head to the side.
“Don’t you ever say anything other then an insult?” I’Brat said as she elbowed him.
“Sure, as soon as I see this thing fly.”
“That thing, as you so lovably call it, has a name.”
“And that would be? I’m sorry I’m not just diving into your mind and divining this for myself.”
“I call her the Serendipity.” I’Brat said as she opened the lower hatch.
“Appropriate.” Connor said as he boarded the craft through the downed ramp. Walking through its cramped confines he looked around and noticed virtually no chairs, except one small couch like thing off the side within the cargo hold. He noticed another workbench that was stacked with an assortment of brushing and cleaning tools. Noticing the hodge podge work of the wires and pipes that lead it to the Hyperdrive motivator. He looked at the gauges and all of them read steady, for which he let out a breath of relief. Last thing he needed was the ship stalling somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Two weeks with that woman were more then enough for him. Off to one side was a galley, which he also noticed was almost never used, given the dust on it. He wandered a bit more until he came into the cockpit. He noticed I’Brat flipping a few overhead switches. A few lights leapt to life and then faded. She turned and looked at him as he stared at the controls above him.
“Do you have any experience at all with flying these types of ships?”
“Some.” Connor said as he examined the controls closer.
“You do?” I’Brat replied, tilting her head a bit.
“Yes, I’ve actually been somewhere else then Coruscant, by myself mommy.” Connor said as he adjusted the co-pilot seat to his size and began flipping a few necessary buttons for lift off. A mosaic of light shone on the board, and then a few dimmed. I’Brat smacked a side control board and the rest of the lights lit up. Connor shook his head and smiled. I’Brat looked over all the gauges and settled into the adjacent seat.
“Good, because I don’t need to baby sit you anymore then I have to.”
The Serendipity lifted itself gracefully, slowly humming as it lifted itself out of the Jedi Temple. It gracefully adjusted as it passed through Coruscant’s traffic and became a pin prink of light before anyone could get a true sight of the ship.
The farther they went into Coruscant’s interior the more myriad and pungent the smells became. Kuja identified at least four smells that he was assured to be some type of waste from a number of species. Looking about he saw all manner of illicit wares was being traded in relative daylight, though no such natural light reached down here. Beggars lined the walls as a constant reminder that even in the height of the Alliance, there are people who get cast down. He stifled back the bile that was rising from his throat. And from somewhere he heard a sickening wail; he looked to his master who seemed unfazed by the entire situation.
“Try to envision something else.” Derith said as he calmly walked down towards some destination only he knew of.
Kuja nodded, and thought of Zaia. It warmed his cheeks for a few seconds before the smell assaulted his nose again. Derith looked at him and raised a single eyebrow.
“Perhaps I should have said envision something plain.” Derith said as he stopped in the middle of the alley.
“Huh?”
“You’re thinking of Zaia, and while comforting and most likely very pleasant; it backfires on you since you associated a sweet smell to her.” Derith said as he waved his arms about. “And thus you want to simulate that smell, which opens your nostrils more, and thus you inhale more of the vapors around you.”
“How did you know I was thinking of Zaia?”
“Your face lost a bit of intensity and had a bit of a blush.”
“Right, and you didn’t just reach in a pull the random thought.”
Derith’s smile fell as it thinned into a single course line. He raised an eyebrow as he scrutinized his Padawan. “I deduce my thoughts without resorting to such petty methods.”
“I apologize. It was a joke.”
“I did not find it funny.”
Kuja cast his eyes downward as Derith stalked off.
“Are you coming?” Derith asked, as he kept moving.
Kuja stood up; sucked in his stomach and marched in the direction Derith was walking, certain to show no emotion.
“I forgot to ask…Master. Why are we here?” Kuja said with a hint of bitterness.
“Hmm?”
“You said earlier you were wanting to investigate Black Sun. I don’t believe the largest criminal organization in our galaxy would be have any important dwellings down here.”
“Ah the angry tone, I remember using it many times.” Derith said, as he continued walking never looking at his Padawan. “And as to your curt question, what runs a business?”
“People, why?”
“Padawan, I understand you believe I cannot appreciate your boundless wit and are a tad angered by it; but please demonstrate some ability that I was not incorrect for accepting you.”
“Sorry.” Kuja said as he let out a deep breath. He focused, cleansed his mind of all thought. “I’m sorry my mind still says people.”
“Not all too incorrect, so I will pursue the second venue.” Derith said as he turned into yet another alley. Kuja was sure his master had no idea where they were going and was just giving airs at this point. “Why do you think we’re down here?”
“Because this is where a secret hideaway is located for a high level Black Sun agent?”
Derith shook his head, chuckling lightly. “Perhaps. In due time your answer will be resolved.”
Derith finally stopped at a non descript door. Kuja noted there was something on his boot, but for all he cared for; he really did not want to know what said substance was. Derith knocked once and a small panel swished open at eye level. What appeared in it were two yellow eyes staring at him.
“Ne chunda wanga?” The voice said.
“E-chow.” Derith said.
“Die noga nega.”
“Chobo ceska, Kernel.” Derith said, his voice cracking with a loss of patience.
“Oosha kabana deska.”
“Echana ceska.”
“Soska.” The voice said as it closed the eyehole.
“This is getting nowhere.” Derith said to himself as he shook his head. “Padawan, could you move a couple meters back?”
Kuja shrugged and moved, and heard a small creaking noise. The volume increased steadily and then the door imploded inward with astounding force, crushing whoever was behind it. Derith poked his head in, and looked a bit to the left and to the right.
“Telling me to wait, who does he think he is?”
Kuja stood there stunned at the raw display. He gingerly walked forward as Derith dusted himself off.
“Master, was that really appropriate?”
“For what you are usually used to?” Derith said as he turned to smile at his Padawan. “No.”
“So, why?”
“Because most people down here don’t care for small sleights of hand or little lights and showmanship; these people respect only one thing, and that’s a show of power.”
“Persuasion is usually good enough for many occasions.”
“Good enough never is.”
Derith strode through the broken doorway and turned as he approached another metal door. He pressed a small code into the side panel and proceeded down the yawning tunnel. Kuja looked at the mangled corpse on the far side, it body was somehow melded with the door in a grotesque sculpture. The only thing to identify the being was possibly a search of the blood that smeared the held back the bile and followed him. The poorly lit tunnel extended deep into the underground with steam hissing somewhere within it. Kuja could hear the chittering of many rodents and felt their eyes boring into them as the violated their home. They continued for a nearly an hour and then stopped at some juncture. Kuja only saw a blank wall, but could feel beyond that there were living beings. Derith calmly steeped through the shimmer, and as Kuja walked forward; a hand stopped him short of crossing the border.
“Master?”
“A second more, Padawan.” Derith said, and then waved his Kuja forward as his hand melted into the hologram. Kuja gingerly stepped through and looked about and saw a chasm surround the small platform he was on.
“Interesting trap, Kernel has here. Essentially most see the hologram, walk through” Derith said motioning with his hands. “But when they cross the threshold, the fail to see the three foot hole below them.”
“I doubt it would catch a Jedi off guard.”
“Then you have much to learn Padawan.”
He continued for a few meters and a door hissed open, and a glow unlike anything shown through. Kuja took a few seconds adjusting his eyes to the immense glare as he saw about fifteen shapes. Inside him something warned him of danger but as he went for his lightsaber his master held his arm. Derith just shook his head without looking back and walked forward into the bright light. As his vision adjusted to the scene he could see this was a large warehouse of some sort. Tables, upon tables were lined with some glittering substance and a number of workers on each table. He also noticed uneasily that all their eyes were upon the two of them. A tall Gungan was approaching his master with open arms. He was in an extraordinarily gaudy outfit with jewelry decorating his body. His tall lanky form seemed so ill suited for walking on the land as he swayed towards his master. His gait seemed more comical but at the same time seemed natural, his head swayed side to side with the jewelry making tiny tinkling noises with each step. Kuja also noted he felt warmer and the air was thicker in this place.
“Ah, Derith, mesa so glad yousa to visit mesa.” Kernel said.
“I’m sure, and one thing.” Derith said as he picked up a single parcel of the glittering substance. “You’ll have to replace the doorman.”
Kernel shook his floppy eared head. “Whysa yousa here?”
“Oh I’m just here wanting to check up on your bosses transactions records.”
“Mesa can’t show yousa that.” And with a snap every single guard and technician pulled a pistol out. Kuja looked to his master for some sign of action.
“Really?” Derith said as he calmly just looked at the parcel and gave a dry grin.
The Serendipity deposited herself gracefully from hyperspace. Inside I’Brat adjusted the controls for a more angled descent then they were coming in at. She flicked a couple switches and nudged her co-pilot.
“You can wake up now.”
Connor shook his head and adjusted his ponytail. “I wasn’t asleep.”
“Right, you were just resting your eyes.” I’Brat said with a smirk. “Well, there she is. Ugly, isn’t it?”
Connor looked forward and saw a grayish brown ball of dirt. In comparison to anywhere it looked dead. It was hideously pot marked with deep caverns doting the landscape from even this height. There was little cloud cover to disguise the terrible shape the planet was in. He could see they were heading toward some black blueish spot, which he assumed was some settlement on this desolate world. In his mind he could just envision endless deserts and unfathomably deep caverns. He slumped back into his chair at that pleasant thought echoing in his mind.
“Welcome to Korriban.” I’Brat said as if echoing what was going on in Connor’s mind as she punched in the command to land.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Bwwwhahahahaha!
This is too wierd, first to post!
This is too wierd, first to post!
Η ζωή, η ζωή εδω τελειώνει!
"Science is one cold-hearted bitch with a 14" strap-on" - Masuka 'Dexter'
"Angela is not the woman you think she is Gabriel, she's done terrible things"
"So have I, and I'm going to do them all to you." - Sylar to Arthur 'Heroes'
-
Ghost Rider
- Spirit of Vengeance
- Posts: 27779
- Joined: 2002-09-24 01:48pm
- Location: DC...looking up from the gutters to the stars
The Serendipity settled her thrusters at a flat angle inside the small landing platform. Connor looked around and noted there was no one at all to receive them.
“Just like last time.” He heard I’Brat said, closing her eyes as the ship settled into the bay. “This place should be just simply erased, I still do not know why it exists.”
“Because no Jedi has commandeered a Death Star.” Connor said as he swiveled his chair about. I’Brat let a light chuckle escape her lips, and swiveled her chair about as well. Connor was waiting at the exit of the cockpit, staring.
“What happened?”
“Why does it matter?” I’Brat said as she brushed him aside. She continued down the through the ship and into the storage area where she threw down her bag. She peered inside, noting everything was there. She looked back at Connor who was still staring at her intently from the cockpit entrance way. “Can we please get this over with?”
Connor shook his head as he walked over to his own bag, ensuring all the contents were still there; I’Brat pressed a single switch on the side panel lowering the ramp.
“Are you sure you don’t want to at least let loose some air about it?” Connor said as he holstered his bag. “Y’know in the ‘Connor you’re an egotistical idiot, you wouldn’t understand!’ way at all?”
“No.” I’Brat replied coldly as she steeped down and out into Korriban’s environs. Connor soon followed and the first feeling he felt was an onrush of cold. He could not understand why. The air itself was normal, nothing of note but something chilled him to the core. He looked to I’Brat and saw her face downturn into a frown, her eyes furrowed in anger; but as she stalked off to the door to the entrance of the city, he saw a single tear come down.
Kuja looked around at the guns continually as his master just fiddled with the strange packet. He truly believed his master had in some way lost it. Even with his skills there was no way to take down forty armed people. Well theoretically, it could be done. He just wanted something more comforting then that, since theoretically he wouldn’t survive.
“Like mesa said, I can’t dosa that.” Kernel said with his arms stretched open.
“No, you can, you just don’t want to.”
“Mesa a tad dislika dying. Bad for the health.”
“And do you think Aerius is going to let you live when he finds out this little operation?” Derith said as he hand panned across the warehouse.
Kernel shook his head smiling “And howsa is he going to find out? Yousa?”
“Hardly, but he’ll ask about your sudden jump in revenues.”
“Then it willsa be far, far too latesa for anything.” Kernel said as he shook his head lightly.
“I suppose. But if I may, ask my Padawan a question?” Derith said.
Kernel shrugged.
“Kuja, what do you know of Glitterstim?”
“It’s an illegal substance, that is considered one the most addictive narcotics in the galaxy.” Kuja said as he inched closer to Derith. “Do you really believe this is the right time for a lesson?”
“There is never a wrong time for a lesson, something Master Durandal told me many times.”
“Of…course, Master.”
“To continue, Glitterstim is a mineral mined on one planet, namely Kessel. It has some therapeutic uses in that it calms the minds allows for some healing purposes that were discovered, but primarily it is used for a side effect of increasing any latent telepathy.”
“Thisa fascinating.” Kernel said as his shoulders slumped and motioned the guards to close in.
“Ah, not done yet. Thus this makes it incredibly rare and the conditions on that planet have not changed in over two thousand years, though they did abolish slavery and use droids instead. But do you know what is most fascinating about this substance, Padawan?”
“No, but couldn’t this…”
“Ah, the impetuous of youth.” Derith said as he closed his eyes. “The most fascinating is that the substance reacts very interestingly to a heavy electrical current flowing through it. One could say explosively so.”
“Yousa wouldn’t…” Kernel said as he slowly backed away his hands pushing back the air.
“I wouldn’t what?” Derith said a slight aura emitted around him. Kuja felt small pinpricks covering him and all the hair on his body started to stand up. “I can easily say that in all honesty that I can most certainly make it before this entire warehouse explodes. I am certain my Padawan can.”
Kuja’s mouth dropped. He looked around nervously as every man in the room hesitantly starting moving back.
“So, the terms of my deal or do I give this brick a light charge?” Derith said as he flipped it about his hand.
Kernel looked about his warehouse and weighed his options. He tapped his foot for a few seconds and then his ear and eyes perked up.
“Itsa a bit large.”
“We have time, slot into an astromech and we’ll happily be on our way.”
Kernel sighed as he waved his floppy arms to a couple of his minions. Derith idly stood by, tossing the brick in the air with Kernel wincing every time it landed on his hand with a slight spark emitting from it. Kuja just stared.
“Master, a word?” Kuja whispered.
“Go on my Padawan.” Derith responded calmly fiddling with the package.
“Do you believe that was a wise action, I mean what if he called your bluff?”
“I never bluff.”
Kuja shook his head as he looked back to the distance his master was talking about. He couldn’t believe his master could that distance let alone him. A few minutes later, two minions rolled out a small astromech. An ancient model with blue markings all over it domed head and small body. It had a tarnished silver lining all over its white body.
“A bit old isn’t it?” Derith said as he dusted off the body.
“Itsa an old family heirloom.” Kernel replied.
“Right, you don’t mind if I give it a good check?” Derith said as he smiled holding the brick into full view of Kernel.
“It would give mesa no greater pleasure.”
Derith tapped on the astromech’s eye unit. It blurted out something that wasn’t a whistle or a beep. Derith raised an eyebrow as Kernel smacked it harder. It then whistled clearly, and swiveled its head about. A creaking could be heard from that exertion, and the distinct crunching of rust from when it moved any part. Derith could smell this thing was very long overdue for any sort of maintenance. He kept padding around it trying to identify the model. The best his mind wrapped around was it was an ancient R2 model…something the Alliance disused about eight hundred years ago. He gingerly opened the front panel and looked inside. He noted the systems were completely up to date, just anything that wasn’t needed was left to rot. Poor thing, and typical he thought, but if it works it works. He shut the front panel and patted the thing on its head as it spat a goblet of fuel onto his feet.
“It’s satisfactory.” Derith said as he laid the brick onto the table. He wheeled the astromech to Kuja who gingerly pushed it along as it tried to extend its third leg. The astromech sputtered along ungainly, as the pair took their leave, Derith nodding to every member he looked at.
When they reached the surface, Kuja’s face turned a shade of green as he was again assaulted by the smells again. It dawned upon him that inside that dank underground, there was a tenth of the smell the alleyways had. He looked up and wondered how did anyone tell night from day down here, or did they even matter. Derith walked a few meters before stopping and looked at the astromech again.
“Well, my rotund friend, I do indeed hope you have what I need. Or at very least point me in the right direction.”
“What do you mean, master?”
“You’ll find out in about, nine, eight, seven…”
As Derith’s countdown reached one, Kuja felt an unearthly rumble beneath his feet and looked about as the beggars and variety of other dwellers suddenly scurried deeper into the encompassing shadows. Suddenly a gout of fire erupted from the building they had just exited. Around him he could smell a charred sweetness of something similar to what he had experienced in the underground. He looked at his master with mouth and eyes wide in both shock and horror, as Derith calmly examined his surroundings.
“That way Kuja, and oh, close your mouth Kuja; who knows what will fly into there.” He said as he pointed down another of the myriad alleyways.
Connor looked around and saw the dilapidated condition of the city of Dresde. The streets were littered with beggars of all sorts, and the air was thick with a dusty smell that he couldn’t identify. He tugged his cloak closer and noticed that I’Brat still had a stern look cross her features, never belying what he distinctly felt underneath her.
“Are you sure…?” Connor said as they walked into the city proper, be what it may.
“Connor, do not go somehow mushy on me now.” I’Brat responded curtly as she continued her brisk gait.
“Fine, but I’m asking because you don’t exactly look your usual chipper self.”
“I said drop it.”
“No.”
“What?”
“Sorry, I get to deal with possibly to most obstinate moron the Order has ever produced when I'm back home. I am not going to deal with someone for two weeks who practically wants to be asked but is too stubborn to just let go.”
“What is my business is mine alone Connor.”
“Not saying it isn’t, but literally giving me the cold shoulder when we are going to spend personal time alone is not a way to start.”
“Later, then.” I’Brat said as she let a wry grin pass through.
“I can wait.”
She turned and walked into a small entrance. On the overhang in dull neon green said something that had long since blacked out, no it proclaimed as Dresde’s only. Connor followed and peering inside he ventured it was possibly a bar given the holographic dancer and Bith band on stage, but the lack of clientele made him even question that. The thick odor of a variety of smoke clogged his nose he shook off the smell. The dim lighting did disguise in Connor’s eyes the complete lack of anyone, though he saw some shapes of to the sides. He noted some hooded men were intently staring at the two of them and walked out. He saw that I’Brat had already made herself known to the large, furry barkeep.
“Wanting a drink already?”
I’Brat ignored the comment and asked the question again in the same indecipherable language. The barkeep clicked and clacked something that made even less sense to Connor. Connor watched the exchange and wondered what was going on, and as soon as it began I’Brat flipped a ten decacred to the barkeep.
“And that was for?”
“So you know everything there’s to know?”
“Ha-ha, no. So I ask again, what was it for?”
“Just checking up on a source, apparently the temple may not be so empty as we thought, Connor.”
“Great, some random cultists?”
“Possibly, no real details but Rye here says there have been lightsaber usage as well some unusual shipments.”
“Grrrrreeat.”
“Cheer up, maybe you can impress me with your fantastical combat skills.” I’Brat said as she sauntered away. Connor just snorted derisively as he followed.
“So now what, it’s a little late.”
“We find a campsite…unless you want to sleep on the floor of the ship.”
“I dunno…we could fit on that couch.” Connor said as he gave her a broad smile.
“I’d rather sleep with Master Dalton and Master Wong…at the same time.”
“I know for a fact I am far better looking then Master Wong!”
Kuja sat on the small couch that he had been lead too. His eyes absorbed his surroundings. The place was spartan with not a single wall picture of any sort. No extraneous or exceptional color except the drab brownish gray wall that obviously came with the place. No windows either, and certainly no extraneous decoration to identify the man who owned it, except a clock on the wall slowly ticking away. Though Kuja noted it was not a holoclock but a very ancient ticking variety. The noise that echoed throughout the room was at times both soothing and unnerving as if it was counting down to something rather then recording time. Within the room counting as furniture was literally the cloned black leather couch behind him and a simple black desk to the far wall of the entrance, with a plain leather chair to sit down on. On it leapt a holographic news picture, which displayed the usual galactic events. The whole place he surmised comprised of this room, unless there was some myriad of hidden panels and doors he couldn’t see. Kuja saw that the desk was displaying the day’s major news events since the morning, he also noticed one of the major headline that was brought up was that within the Hapan confederacy another two worlds were attacked. Derith was still hunkered down next to his new acquisition and gave it another examination.
“Feisty old bugger aren’t you?” Derith said as he swept a little more grime away.
“Master, can I ask you a question?” Kuja said as he stood behind Derith’s hunkered form.
“You already have, but you may ask another. Answers though to your liking may not be forthcoming though.” Derith said as he grabbed a small tool set from a panel inside a wall. He inspected each tool and grabbed the three most needed.
“I still cannot understand why you did what you did. You had gotten the information you wanted, killing Kernel was just cruel and capricious.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Pardon?!”
“I asked earlier what do you think I do, and when I outlined I could almost see it in your eyes this wonderfully romantic version of my particular occupation. You have no idea what I really do.”
“You said you were a hunter.”
“A bit more romantic then I should have said, but somewhat accurate in any case.”
“So you hunt people?”
“In some ways I suppose I do. Now why do you see that what I did was so horrible?”
“He gave what you needed; killing him was both unnecessary and cruel.”
“Really? Why?”
“Why?” Kuja said mouth agape.
“Yes, why?”
“Because Jedi do not…”
“Before you finish that, allow me to ask you this, why keep alive at this point especially in light what he was giving me.”
“I don’t…”
“So instead I should have left him to the mercies of his masters who would have not only killed him but taken over his side business thus making my life more difficult?”
“That’s a poor question.”
“No, but it is a question I face each time I ask any of them for something. Both Kernel and I knew the consequences of our actions, he just believed I would let him live to report me and curb some of the blame.” Derith said as he pried a final bit of dirt out of the main eye area of the astromech.
Kuja just shook his head, slumping into the couch.
“This is why I asked you. Every Padawan almost invariably has this romanticized version of what I do and assumes that these jobs or missions are done for just for the sole sake of altruism.”
“So you’re saying you are no better then the monsters you kill?”
“No, I’m saying that if you truly want to be my Padawan you had best let go of that image.”
“There’s no more delusions from me, you’re a monster.”
“Good, now I can train you.”
“To do what?” Kuja asked derisively.
“To be my better.”
Connor woke the next day in a musty haze. He looked up at the grey brownish sky and had to admit even from the ground they are as ugly as they are from orbit. This entire world for the short period he had been on it gave him nothing but scorn. The air in the evening smelled bad, it’s smelled even worse in the morning. And the night’s rest was repeatedly disturbed by the howls of some unknown beast. Worse still I’Brat slept through it calmly. If anything, she should’ve been at least as disturbed as he was.
“I see snoring beauty is awake.” I’Brat said as she enfolded her bag into a
carryall again.
Connor ruffled his mussed up hair and just glared at her. Even more so unfair is she didn’t seem to suffer any sort of complication of morning anything. He chalked it up to her personal tweaks with the Force.
“I do not snore, thank you very much.”
“Right, and you believe that little heating unit is what kept the Tuk’atas at bay? C’mon we have a good ten clicks hike ahead of us.”
Connor shoveled his gear into his bag, sorting through what he needed carefully enough, and stowed it onto his back. He peered up at the two suns that glared overhead and adjusted his cloak and hood. He hoped at least the day and perhaps the trip would be uneventful. He imagined they would go to the temple or tomb or whatever, get some random Sith artifact, and it would all be over with. He would then return to his nice comfortable alcove, and return to his nice boring life. Then again when did he ever get what he truly wanted.
“Just like last time.” He heard I’Brat said, closing her eyes as the ship settled into the bay. “This place should be just simply erased, I still do not know why it exists.”
“Because no Jedi has commandeered a Death Star.” Connor said as he swiveled his chair about. I’Brat let a light chuckle escape her lips, and swiveled her chair about as well. Connor was waiting at the exit of the cockpit, staring.
“What happened?”
“Why does it matter?” I’Brat said as she brushed him aside. She continued down the through the ship and into the storage area where she threw down her bag. She peered inside, noting everything was there. She looked back at Connor who was still staring at her intently from the cockpit entrance way. “Can we please get this over with?”
Connor shook his head as he walked over to his own bag, ensuring all the contents were still there; I’Brat pressed a single switch on the side panel lowering the ramp.
“Are you sure you don’t want to at least let loose some air about it?” Connor said as he holstered his bag. “Y’know in the ‘Connor you’re an egotistical idiot, you wouldn’t understand!’ way at all?”
“No.” I’Brat replied coldly as she steeped down and out into Korriban’s environs. Connor soon followed and the first feeling he felt was an onrush of cold. He could not understand why. The air itself was normal, nothing of note but something chilled him to the core. He looked to I’Brat and saw her face downturn into a frown, her eyes furrowed in anger; but as she stalked off to the door to the entrance of the city, he saw a single tear come down.
Kuja looked around at the guns continually as his master just fiddled with the strange packet. He truly believed his master had in some way lost it. Even with his skills there was no way to take down forty armed people. Well theoretically, it could be done. He just wanted something more comforting then that, since theoretically he wouldn’t survive.
“Like mesa said, I can’t dosa that.” Kernel said with his arms stretched open.
“No, you can, you just don’t want to.”
“Mesa a tad dislika dying. Bad for the health.”
“And do you think Aerius is going to let you live when he finds out this little operation?” Derith said as he hand panned across the warehouse.
Kernel shook his head smiling “And howsa is he going to find out? Yousa?”
“Hardly, but he’ll ask about your sudden jump in revenues.”
“Then it willsa be far, far too latesa for anything.” Kernel said as he shook his head lightly.
“I suppose. But if I may, ask my Padawan a question?” Derith said.
Kernel shrugged.
“Kuja, what do you know of Glitterstim?”
“It’s an illegal substance, that is considered one the most addictive narcotics in the galaxy.” Kuja said as he inched closer to Derith. “Do you really believe this is the right time for a lesson?”
“There is never a wrong time for a lesson, something Master Durandal told me many times.”
“Of…course, Master.”
“To continue, Glitterstim is a mineral mined on one planet, namely Kessel. It has some therapeutic uses in that it calms the minds allows for some healing purposes that were discovered, but primarily it is used for a side effect of increasing any latent telepathy.”
“Thisa fascinating.” Kernel said as his shoulders slumped and motioned the guards to close in.
“Ah, not done yet. Thus this makes it incredibly rare and the conditions on that planet have not changed in over two thousand years, though they did abolish slavery and use droids instead. But do you know what is most fascinating about this substance, Padawan?”
“No, but couldn’t this…”
“Ah, the impetuous of youth.” Derith said as he closed his eyes. “The most fascinating is that the substance reacts very interestingly to a heavy electrical current flowing through it. One could say explosively so.”
“Yousa wouldn’t…” Kernel said as he slowly backed away his hands pushing back the air.
“I wouldn’t what?” Derith said a slight aura emitted around him. Kuja felt small pinpricks covering him and all the hair on his body started to stand up. “I can easily say that in all honesty that I can most certainly make it before this entire warehouse explodes. I am certain my Padawan can.”
Kuja’s mouth dropped. He looked around nervously as every man in the room hesitantly starting moving back.
“So, the terms of my deal or do I give this brick a light charge?” Derith said as he flipped it about his hand.
Kernel looked about his warehouse and weighed his options. He tapped his foot for a few seconds and then his ear and eyes perked up.
“Itsa a bit large.”
“We have time, slot into an astromech and we’ll happily be on our way.”
Kernel sighed as he waved his floppy arms to a couple of his minions. Derith idly stood by, tossing the brick in the air with Kernel wincing every time it landed on his hand with a slight spark emitting from it. Kuja just stared.
“Master, a word?” Kuja whispered.
“Go on my Padawan.” Derith responded calmly fiddling with the package.
“Do you believe that was a wise action, I mean what if he called your bluff?”
“I never bluff.”
Kuja shook his head as he looked back to the distance his master was talking about. He couldn’t believe his master could that distance let alone him. A few minutes later, two minions rolled out a small astromech. An ancient model with blue markings all over it domed head and small body. It had a tarnished silver lining all over its white body.
“A bit old isn’t it?” Derith said as he dusted off the body.
“Itsa an old family heirloom.” Kernel replied.
“Right, you don’t mind if I give it a good check?” Derith said as he smiled holding the brick into full view of Kernel.
“It would give mesa no greater pleasure.”
Derith tapped on the astromech’s eye unit. It blurted out something that wasn’t a whistle or a beep. Derith raised an eyebrow as Kernel smacked it harder. It then whistled clearly, and swiveled its head about. A creaking could be heard from that exertion, and the distinct crunching of rust from when it moved any part. Derith could smell this thing was very long overdue for any sort of maintenance. He kept padding around it trying to identify the model. The best his mind wrapped around was it was an ancient R2 model…something the Alliance disused about eight hundred years ago. He gingerly opened the front panel and looked inside. He noted the systems were completely up to date, just anything that wasn’t needed was left to rot. Poor thing, and typical he thought, but if it works it works. He shut the front panel and patted the thing on its head as it spat a goblet of fuel onto his feet.
“It’s satisfactory.” Derith said as he laid the brick onto the table. He wheeled the astromech to Kuja who gingerly pushed it along as it tried to extend its third leg. The astromech sputtered along ungainly, as the pair took their leave, Derith nodding to every member he looked at.
When they reached the surface, Kuja’s face turned a shade of green as he was again assaulted by the smells again. It dawned upon him that inside that dank underground, there was a tenth of the smell the alleyways had. He looked up and wondered how did anyone tell night from day down here, or did they even matter. Derith walked a few meters before stopping and looked at the astromech again.
“Well, my rotund friend, I do indeed hope you have what I need. Or at very least point me in the right direction.”
“What do you mean, master?”
“You’ll find out in about, nine, eight, seven…”
As Derith’s countdown reached one, Kuja felt an unearthly rumble beneath his feet and looked about as the beggars and variety of other dwellers suddenly scurried deeper into the encompassing shadows. Suddenly a gout of fire erupted from the building they had just exited. Around him he could smell a charred sweetness of something similar to what he had experienced in the underground. He looked at his master with mouth and eyes wide in both shock and horror, as Derith calmly examined his surroundings.
“That way Kuja, and oh, close your mouth Kuja; who knows what will fly into there.” He said as he pointed down another of the myriad alleyways.
Connor looked around and saw the dilapidated condition of the city of Dresde. The streets were littered with beggars of all sorts, and the air was thick with a dusty smell that he couldn’t identify. He tugged his cloak closer and noticed that I’Brat still had a stern look cross her features, never belying what he distinctly felt underneath her.
“Are you sure…?” Connor said as they walked into the city proper, be what it may.
“Connor, do not go somehow mushy on me now.” I’Brat responded curtly as she continued her brisk gait.
“Fine, but I’m asking because you don’t exactly look your usual chipper self.”
“I said drop it.”
“No.”
“What?”
“Sorry, I get to deal with possibly to most obstinate moron the Order has ever produced when I'm back home. I am not going to deal with someone for two weeks who practically wants to be asked but is too stubborn to just let go.”
“What is my business is mine alone Connor.”
“Not saying it isn’t, but literally giving me the cold shoulder when we are going to spend personal time alone is not a way to start.”
“Later, then.” I’Brat said as she let a wry grin pass through.
“I can wait.”
She turned and walked into a small entrance. On the overhang in dull neon green said something that had long since blacked out, no it proclaimed as Dresde’s only. Connor followed and peering inside he ventured it was possibly a bar given the holographic dancer and Bith band on stage, but the lack of clientele made him even question that. The thick odor of a variety of smoke clogged his nose he shook off the smell. The dim lighting did disguise in Connor’s eyes the complete lack of anyone, though he saw some shapes of to the sides. He noted some hooded men were intently staring at the two of them and walked out. He saw that I’Brat had already made herself known to the large, furry barkeep.
“Wanting a drink already?”
I’Brat ignored the comment and asked the question again in the same indecipherable language. The barkeep clicked and clacked something that made even less sense to Connor. Connor watched the exchange and wondered what was going on, and as soon as it began I’Brat flipped a ten decacred to the barkeep.
“And that was for?”
“So you know everything there’s to know?”
“Ha-ha, no. So I ask again, what was it for?”
“Just checking up on a source, apparently the temple may not be so empty as we thought, Connor.”
“Great, some random cultists?”
“Possibly, no real details but Rye here says there have been lightsaber usage as well some unusual shipments.”
“Grrrrreeat.”
“Cheer up, maybe you can impress me with your fantastical combat skills.” I’Brat said as she sauntered away. Connor just snorted derisively as he followed.
“So now what, it’s a little late.”
“We find a campsite…unless you want to sleep on the floor of the ship.”
“I dunno…we could fit on that couch.” Connor said as he gave her a broad smile.
“I’d rather sleep with Master Dalton and Master Wong…at the same time.”
“I know for a fact I am far better looking then Master Wong!”
Kuja sat on the small couch that he had been lead too. His eyes absorbed his surroundings. The place was spartan with not a single wall picture of any sort. No extraneous or exceptional color except the drab brownish gray wall that obviously came with the place. No windows either, and certainly no extraneous decoration to identify the man who owned it, except a clock on the wall slowly ticking away. Though Kuja noted it was not a holoclock but a very ancient ticking variety. The noise that echoed throughout the room was at times both soothing and unnerving as if it was counting down to something rather then recording time. Within the room counting as furniture was literally the cloned black leather couch behind him and a simple black desk to the far wall of the entrance, with a plain leather chair to sit down on. On it leapt a holographic news picture, which displayed the usual galactic events. The whole place he surmised comprised of this room, unless there was some myriad of hidden panels and doors he couldn’t see. Kuja saw that the desk was displaying the day’s major news events since the morning, he also noticed one of the major headline that was brought up was that within the Hapan confederacy another two worlds were attacked. Derith was still hunkered down next to his new acquisition and gave it another examination.
“Feisty old bugger aren’t you?” Derith said as he swept a little more grime away.
“Master, can I ask you a question?” Kuja said as he stood behind Derith’s hunkered form.
“You already have, but you may ask another. Answers though to your liking may not be forthcoming though.” Derith said as he grabbed a small tool set from a panel inside a wall. He inspected each tool and grabbed the three most needed.
“I still cannot understand why you did what you did. You had gotten the information you wanted, killing Kernel was just cruel and capricious.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Pardon?!”
“I asked earlier what do you think I do, and when I outlined I could almost see it in your eyes this wonderfully romantic version of my particular occupation. You have no idea what I really do.”
“You said you were a hunter.”
“A bit more romantic then I should have said, but somewhat accurate in any case.”
“So you hunt people?”
“In some ways I suppose I do. Now why do you see that what I did was so horrible?”
“He gave what you needed; killing him was both unnecessary and cruel.”
“Really? Why?”
“Why?” Kuja said mouth agape.
“Yes, why?”
“Because Jedi do not…”
“Before you finish that, allow me to ask you this, why keep alive at this point especially in light what he was giving me.”
“I don’t…”
“So instead I should have left him to the mercies of his masters who would have not only killed him but taken over his side business thus making my life more difficult?”
“That’s a poor question.”
“No, but it is a question I face each time I ask any of them for something. Both Kernel and I knew the consequences of our actions, he just believed I would let him live to report me and curb some of the blame.” Derith said as he pried a final bit of dirt out of the main eye area of the astromech.
Kuja just shook his head, slumping into the couch.
“This is why I asked you. Every Padawan almost invariably has this romanticized version of what I do and assumes that these jobs or missions are done for just for the sole sake of altruism.”
“So you’re saying you are no better then the monsters you kill?”
“No, I’m saying that if you truly want to be my Padawan you had best let go of that image.”
“There’s no more delusions from me, you’re a monster.”
“Good, now I can train you.”
“To do what?” Kuja asked derisively.
“To be my better.”
Connor woke the next day in a musty haze. He looked up at the grey brownish sky and had to admit even from the ground they are as ugly as they are from orbit. This entire world for the short period he had been on it gave him nothing but scorn. The air in the evening smelled bad, it’s smelled even worse in the morning. And the night’s rest was repeatedly disturbed by the howls of some unknown beast. Worse still I’Brat slept through it calmly. If anything, she should’ve been at least as disturbed as he was.
“I see snoring beauty is awake.” I’Brat said as she enfolded her bag into a
carryall again.
Connor ruffled his mussed up hair and just glared at her. Even more so unfair is she didn’t seem to suffer any sort of complication of morning anything. He chalked it up to her personal tweaks with the Force.
“I do not snore, thank you very much.”
“Right, and you believe that little heating unit is what kept the Tuk’atas at bay? C’mon we have a good ten clicks hike ahead of us.”
Connor shoveled his gear into his bag, sorting through what he needed carefully enough, and stowed it onto his back. He peered up at the two suns that glared overhead and adjusted his cloak and hood. He hoped at least the day and perhaps the trip would be uneventful. He imagined they would go to the temple or tomb or whatever, get some random Sith artifact, and it would all be over with. He would then return to his nice comfortable alcove, and return to his nice boring life. Then again when did he ever get what he truly wanted.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
You need to get some of the villians in the next few scenes (I think). Although just a question, is this another chapter or a continuation of the same 'short story' that you spoke of in your first post? (did that make any sense?)
Η ζωή, η ζωή εδω τελειώνει!
"Science is one cold-hearted bitch with a 14" strap-on" - Masuka 'Dexter'
"Angela is not the woman you think she is Gabriel, she's done terrible things"
"So have I, and I'm going to do them all to you." - Sylar to Arthur 'Heroes'
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Sort of...it's all connected into one large tale.Crown wrote:You need to get some of the villians in the next few scenes (I think). Although just a question, is this another chapter or a continuation of the same 'short story' that you spoke of in your first post? (did that make any sense?)
The last two should've been done as one giant part but my brain wasn't feeling up to it so I split it into two smaller pieces.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Very good. I really like the characters in this.
"I fight with love, and I laugh with rage, you gotta live light enough to see the humour and long enough to see some change" - Ani DiFranco, Pick Yer Nose
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
"Life 's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this: it's living." - Spike, Once More with Feeling
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Getting Editor...will likely redo both parts as well...so nothing new a for a wee bit.The Wookiee wrote:Humorous, but you need an editor.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
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haas mark
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Well, I'm not sure what exactly is going on about the Derith/Kuja/Kernel seen, but I am sure that remains to be explained.
The character development of I'Brat and Connor is coming along quite excellently.
Great job.
The character development of I'Brat and Connor is coming along quite excellently.
Great job.
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R.I.P. Eddie Guerrero, 09 October 1967 - 13 November 2005
Hot Pants à la Zaia | BotM Lord Monkey Mod OOK!
SDNC | WG | GDC | ACPATHNTDWATGODW | GALE | ISARMA | CotK: [mew]
Formerly verilon
R.I.P. Eddie Guerrero, 09 October 1967 - 13 November 2005
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Ghost Rider
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Thursday I'll actually have Dawn redone(blame my insufferable ability that I never see anything of mine just right)
Next week (likely Sunday) I should have all of what I am up to currently.
Next week (likely Sunday) I should have all of what I am up to currently.
MM /CF/WG/BOTM/JL/Original Warsie/ACPATHNTDWATGODW FOREVER!!
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
Sometimes we can choose the path we follow. Sometimes our choices are made for us. And sometimes we have no choice at all
Saying and doing are chocolate and concrete
